#three dates with a girl i quite liked but not enough to go any further

[theteaisaddictive]

jesus christ how many fucking times have i redone this readmore

i don't think it means anything that every six to eight months i end up having another long 'am i lesbian or am i still bisexual' crisis. i think that's a very normal thing to do.

[lowkeychenle]

this is me trying [ZCL] (M)

Description: Meeting Chenle was a fluke--a good one, at that, but you never expected things to escalate the way they did. But despite the whirlwind romance, you'd go back to December if you had the chance...

A/N: this is inspired by both 'this is me trying' and 'Back to December' by Taylor Swift. This is a dual timeline-esque story so please make sure to pay attention to the dates and places named...

Genre: Fluff/Angst/Smut triple threat (more fluff and smut than angst I'd say)

Content Warnings: some sadness in regards to being emotionally unavailable, but nothing like....really bad. I don't think. Smut warnings: unprotected sex, dirty talk, some nipple play ig (if u squint), Chenle being down bad, some pet names like baby and pretty girl (or maybe it's just pretty i can't quite remember), and I think that's it! Lmk if I missed any :) oh and oral (m receiving i don't think f receiving is explicitly written m ybad)

Word Count: 10,179

Pairing: Zhong Chenle x Reader (feat. all dreamies)

Juliet's Masterlist | Requests

10:56pm, December 1st, 2022 | Your bedroom

You were scared at first—of the prospect of having a man in your bed for the first time in months. Maybe even an entire year at this point. You never thought going to a bar with a group of your friends would end up with you taking someone home, yet here you are, your body wedged between your mattress and a man.

He’s beautiful, with dark eyes, full lips, and midnight hair parted down the middle. Even as he looks down at you, his gaze is soft, like he knows this is a big deal for you despite only knowing you for an hour or two.

His mouth finds yours, a delicate melody spelled out with each second that passes. Oddly enough, you feel safe with him, a complete stranger. All you know is his name is Chenle, and that he’s got the gentlest hands you’ve ever felt on you.

He’s even more beautiful once your bodies are entangled. His face blissed out, fists clenching the sheets next to your head, length stretching you almost more than you can take. You spread your legs further, wanting him as deep as possible.

The moment is strangely intimate for two people who didn’t know of each other’s existence before this but, to you, it’s not weird. You’re enjoying it more than you should. You weave your fingers into his hair, rocking up to meet his hips with every thrust. Quiet, broken moans slip from both of you.

Three hours ago, he didn’t exist to you.

Now, you’re starting to think he’s the beginning. He’s the door opening to the next stage of your life, and you desperately want to grab hold and never let go.

That first night had your toes curling. He shifted, pulling your legs over his shoulders to bottom out deep inside you. Never before had you called out a man’s name you weren’t familiar with, but there’s a first for everything.

With his tip kissing your cervix over and over again, you start to shake. He leans forward until his chest brushes yours, the stretch in your legs uncomfortable but aiding in your pleasure, and he kisses you. You expect desperation, but instead you’re met with passion. Determination to make you feel good before him.

You call out his name against his lips, a short whine accompanying it. His hair clings to his forehead from sweat, his eyes glazed as he nods.

“Let go, (Y/N),” he whispers, grinding to put pressure on your clit.

You’ve had plenty of loud orgasms in your life—unable to hold back your moans as the other person roughly chases their own end. Even this is different with him. The pleasure is so intense, you’re incapable of those noises. Instead, you're gasping for air, holding onto him for dear life, and shuddering over and over as you clench and unclench around him. Your back arches, and he swallows all of your desperate, quiet sounds with another kiss. He thrusts two more times before his euphoria takes him.

The room around you is silent, but the two of you are panting, still holding onto each other like your life depends on it. He presses a kiss to your lips, on your jawline, down your neck until he places one last one in the center of your throat.

You don’t know him. Not really, but you want to.

God, you want to.

5:43pm, December 1st, 2023 | Something Brew Coffee Shop

“(Y/N), are you listening to me?” Chenle frowns at you from across the table. “Jaemin’s gonna kill everyone if we don’t have this planned by tomorrow.

“Yeah, I hear you.” You sigh and run your hands down your face before picking up your coffee. “Isn’t there someone else who could’ve done this? I’m busy.”

“You’re always busy,” he muses, arms folded on the wooden top as he leans forward slightly.

Busy. Yeah, you are. You work way too many days a week, sleep not enough hours a night, and still somehow have managed to keep your group of friends despite barely ever being able to see them.

“Sorry.” You run your fingers through your hair. “I’m sorry, Le.”

His eyebrows furrow, and for a moment, you wonder if he’s remembering how you were at this point last year. You’d never tell him that you remembered the time he approached you in the bar, but you knew.

You think about it, too. You think about it more than you should, but there’s no harm in doing something no one else knows about.

The memories of that night are practically engraved into your brain. In your entire life, no one had ever treated you so delicately. It made you want more, but ultimately, that was something you couldn’t have.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He shrugs. “Maybe it wasn’t fair of Jaemin to ask this of you.”

“All Jaemin wants from me is the bare minimum,” you chime in.

“Sometimes it’s impossible to give even that.”

Your heart sinks in your chest, and you chuckle softly. “Yeah, tell him that when I get the wrong color tinsel.”

8:21am, December 2nd, 2022 | Your bedroom

Honestly, you weren’t sure what to expect when you woke up. The first half of you wanted him to be there so you could see if the connection was more than just a night, but the second half wanted him gone. You didn’t have the capacity for something real, not yet and not for a long time.

But you felt it with him. The realness and the lines of fate that bent to push you two together.

Yet, even then, you wake up alone.

The other side of the bed is mussed, and you sigh toward your ceiling at the recognition of it. You clutch the blanket to your chest, sitting up in an attempt to see if you could grab something to wear without standing up.

You frown at the sight of his T-shirt on the floor still. Everything else is gone except for that—he probably forgot it in his haste since he had a sweatshirt on last night as well. Chewing the inside of your cheek, you reach down and grab it, only briefly hesitating before pulling it over your head.

Disappointment weighs heavily on your chest, but as the hem of the fabric comes to a stop right below your butt, you forget about it. At least, with this thing, you have proof he’s real. An angel was in your bed last night, and even though you shouldn’t, infatuation tugs at your heartstrings.

With a short groan, you get out of bed and head into your kitchen to get some water. Your legs ache from the night before, but the feeling is so sweet, you enjoy the odd cadence to your walk because of it.

You grab a glass from the cabinet, fill it with water, and tilt it to your lips as you lean your back on the counter. A slip of paper on the island catches your eye, and with a subtle frown, you approach it.

Messy handwriting is scrawled on it, but you can read it all the same.

Sorry I left so quickly, I had to get to work

I really enjoyed last night. Call me when you get the chance?

-Chenle

His phone number is written below that, and despite the disappointment you’d felt about his disappearance, a warmth spreads through your body.

2:09pm, December 2nd, 2023 | Jaemin’s House

You always arrive at Jaemin’s early. He greets you with his usual hug, and the two of you sit on his couch while still attempting to devise a plan for how you’re organizing your friend group’s Christmas party. For years, there’s been games, Secret Santa, and just about every Christmas-themed movie ever created. You love it and your friends, and it’s the one time of year you’re actually able to enjoy time off.

“Well, Chenle made the number odd last year,” Jaemin mentions, pursing his lips at the thought. “But I think Mark wants to bring his girlfriend, so we should be back at an even number.”

“Oh, I’m glad they’re doing well.” You grin. “Mark deserves to have a good person in his life.”

“Yeah, he won’t shut up about her.” Jaemin snorts.

“Love is good,” you interject. “Be nice to him.”

“Honestly, I’m a little surprised.” He pauses, quirking an eyebrow at you.

“About what?”

“That nothing ever happened with you and Chenle.” He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “You guys had like…one month last year and then things were just…normal. Like he’d always been a part of our group and like neither of you had ever…you know.”

“He’s a good guy, Jaem.”

“I never said he wasn’t.” He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “I just wish you’d tell me what happened. We’re supposed to be friends.”

“I would tell you what happened if anything did happen.” You ignore the tugs you feel at your heart. Usually, you don’t lie to Jaemin. You wouldn’t tell him this side of the story if it wasn’t what you and Chenle had agreed to.

But, holy hell, do you remember all of it like it was yesterday. You thought you’d gotten over it, honestly, but ‘tis the damn season.

“Well, if anything, I’m glad you guys are friends. He’s cool. Nice addition to the group.” Jaemin nods approvingly, like it hasn’t been over a year since Chenle began participating in all your activities.

When you open your mouth to speak, you’re interrupted by the shrill tone of your phone. You and Jaemin look at the same time, and your face heats up as Chenle’s name flashes across the screen. Speak of the devil.

“I’m…gonna take that.” You launch up from your seat, grab your phone, and head into the kitchen to answer. Putting the device up to your ear, you say, “Hello?”

“Hey, are you home right now?” he asks.

“No, I’m actually at Jaemin’s.” You lean on the counter. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. I just…Honestly, I drove by your place on my way home from work and…” he trails off, a short laugh escaping his lips. “I got a little nostalgic, I guess. Sorry, (Y/N), forget I called, okay?”

“Wait, Le.” You put your hand on your forehead. “It’s okay to feel that way. I…I have been, too. A little bit. I’m here to talk about it, if you want to.”

“I…”

“It’s okay. I’m the last person who can judge you.” You try to keep your voice down to avoid Jaemin listening in, if he’s not pressed up to the wall already.

“I’m glad you’re in my life in any capacity, you know? But it feels a little ridiculous to be nostalgic over one month of my life a year later.” He sighs. “And now that I’ve known you for that entire year, it makes me wonder what my life would be like without you and everyone you’ve brought into it. So…thank you.”

Tears prick your eyes, and you wish he’d say more. You wish he’d tell you all the things you know are true, but have never been verbalized. How your mind, heart, and body crave to be with him like you were last year, and how you know he feels the same way.

But you don’t blame him. How can you?

3:34pm, December 3rd, 2022 | Yeouido Park, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Chenle’s fingers intertwine with yours. Thankfully, the gloves you’re wearing hide the fact your palms are sweaty. You called him yesterday, and let him know he left his T-shirt. He laughed it off and let you know it’s okay because he planned on seeing you again—as long as that’s what you wanted.

You weren’t in the right mindset to entertain a relationship. Not in the slightest. But bundled up in winter gear with him and walking around a park has you more at ease than you ever thought it could.

Truth be told, he came back to get his shirt last night. That ended with him back in your bed, proving to you that your first night was, indeed, not a fluke.

“Do you want hot chocolate?” he asks.

Your face lights up as you nod. “Yes, please.”

You wait off to the side while he approaches the vendor, and soon enough, he returns with two steam hot cups. Grasping yours desperately, you smile as the two of you keep walking. In the spring, this park is beautiful. The trees blossom and the water glistens, but now everything is covered in snow and ice.

When he looks at you, fondness takes over every inch of his features. You loop your arm through his, stealing glances every now and then. The tip of his nose and his cheeks turn red in the frigid temperature, and you admire everything about him. The definition of his jaw, his strong cheekbones, and the sharpness to the brown in his eyes that shows off his wit before his mouth can.

“I gotta be honest,” you say, tapping the top of your cup. “I’ve never been here before.”

“What?” He stops completely, jaw dropping. “You’re joking.”

“‘Fraid not.” You scrunch your face up.

“I’ll have to bring you back here in the springtime. It’s absolutely beautiful.” He doesn’t realize what his words imply, but you do.

You clear your throat, hoping the cold hides the heat rising to your cheeks. “Chenle.”

He wets his lips, distracting himself by sipping his hot chocolate. “Fuck, that’s hot.” He grimaces and recoils.

“Chenle,” you say to him again, softer this time.

He gulps before he looks at you. “Yeah.”

“I…I’m getting cold. Should we head back?” You don’t want to bring down the mood you’re in, especially since you saw the shift in him when his name fell from your lips.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here.”

By the time he parks outside of your house, his car is warm enough that you’re starting to sweat beneath all your winter gear. He doesn’t say anything, he just stares at you. He blinks once, twice, three times.

“I need to be honest with you,” you tell him, blowing out a breath. “I’m…a mess, okay? I don’t want to hurt you or lead you on or anything because you are just…genuinely so amazing. But December is the only time of year that I have the time to think of myself, let alone everyone else, and I can’t…promise you anything when I know I can’t be good for you after this month.”

He stares forward at your building, pursing his lips. “(Y/N), I’ve only known you for three days.”

“I know. But I’m not an idiot, and I know where sex and walks in the park lead.” You fidget with your hands in your lap. “I want to continue, to keep doing whatever it is we’re doing, but I can’t do that if you’re not okay with us…leaving it in December.”

His gaze sweeps over you, slightly narrowing as he comprehends your words. “So, what you’re asking me is if I’ll develop enough feelings in a month for you to hurt me?”

“Under normal circumstances, I know I would. That’s the only reason I’m even saying this. I already know you’re a good guy, Chenle, and I don’t want to make you hate me because I can’t give you something.”

These aren’t normal circumstances, but you already have that feeling deep down in your chest, the one that swirls and lights up your world when you think of him—hope.

“How about this,” he says, reaching over to stop you from picking at your nails. “We have this month, in any way you want, and then after, we’ll just be…normal. Friends. I think we get along really well, so it’d be a waste to not at least try to be friends after this, right?”

“Are you sure?” you ask.

“I’d probably end up getting hurt if we didn’t have this conversation, but I do like you. I hope that’s not weird to say, but we have slept together twice, so…”

“It’s not weird. I like you, too. That’s why I wanted to be completely honest with you.”

“But just to be clear, we don’t have to just be friends this month?” Chenle’s thumb traces shapes onto the back of your hand.

Timidly, you shake your head. “I’m all yours for December.”

8:43pm, March 10th, 2023 | Yeouido Park, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

He was right. The tree blossoms are beautiful, and you’re in awe.

But it’s not the same without him.

4:32pm, December 5th, 2023 | Outside of Seoul Tower, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea

“Jaemin, put him down!” you shout, forcing yourself not to laugh as you smack Jaemin’s arm.

Jaemin shakes his head, shifting to make sure Jeno is comfortable on his back. The latter looks slightly terrified, but as Jaemin charges forward, he laughs with glee. You chuckle, scratching your forehead as you stay back with Mark, Jisung, and Chenle. Renjun and Donghyuck are off looking for some sort of hot drink, and you’re stuck here trying to stop Jaemin before he slips and hurts both himself and Jeno.

“They’re like toddlers,” Mark points out, sighing.

“Pretty muscular for toddlers, don’t you think?” Chenle pipes in, leaning back on the railing.

You stand next to him with Jisung on the other side, and you take in the view around you. Seoul Tower is in the distance, where the sun has already begun its descent below the horizon. It’ll be dark soon, and that means another day has gone by where you’re still unsure of what this hollow feeling in your chest is.

Maybe you’ll never find out, but that’s okay. You’re happy with your band of friends, and you’d never want anything else.

You think that until you glance at Chenle when he’s not paying any attention to you. He watches Jaemin and Jeno in the distance, and as soon as you hear a shout of alarm from Jaemin, Chenle’s eyebrows jump up before his lips part into a smile, and then eventually a loud laugh bursts past. He doubles over, Jisung and Mark following his lead as they watch your friends tumble over each other down the sidewalk.

Your breath catches in your throat. Your heart pounds.

The genuine expression of joy and happiness on his face, while somewhat concerning considering what brought it up, makes your brain malfunction.

“Are you okay?” Mark cups his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice, but the tears in his eyes give away his actual lack of concern.

“Fuck you!” Jeno yells back, making Chenle and Jisung giggle more.

“You losers need girlfriends,” you say. “I’m tired of being the only girl here.”

“For the record, I have a girlfriend.” Mark glares at you.

“Right, sorry. We’ve just never met her so she may as well be invisible,” you deadpan.

Renjun and Donghyuck approach, and the former hands you a warm cup of coffee. You thank him, and then Mark opens his mouth.

“Yeah, well, what about you? Why don’t you get a boyfriend?”

You flounder for a moment. Honestly, you’ve no idea what to say, and the only man you’ve ever considered dating in the last couple years is standing right next to you, stiff as a board at the idea of you having a boyfriend that’s not him.

“Wait.” Donghyuck holds up a hand to stop everyone. “Dude, are you dumb? She’s dating Chenle.”

Both you and Chenle recoil, and at the same time, you say, “What are you talking about?”

“Are…are you not? I mean, you’ve been hanging out for a year and you brought him into our group, so I just figured…wow. Maybe I’m the dumb one.” Donghyuck blinks vacantly past the group before shrugging and sipping his drink.

You look at Chenle and immediately recognize the frustration on his face. Touching his arm, you wait until you have his attention. “I’m sorry.”

The words are so quiet, nobody hears them but Chenle, especially when Jaemin screeches in the distance. In response, Chenle presses his lips into a thin line, nods, and walks off with the rest of the group toward the two hooligans.

7:31am, December 10th, 2022 | Your kitchen

“Fuck,” Chenle groans as he bottoms out inside you, his fingernails digging into your thighs as yours claw at his shoulders. He spent the night last night, and apparently seeing you in his shirt in the morning made him want more of what he got last night.

The counter is cold against your bare ass, but you’re barely on it once he tugs you to the edge. Originally, your plan was to make breakfast, but he clearly had other ideas. He fits so snugly within your walls, you’re almost certain he’s made for you.

You squirm in his grasp, crying out with every miniscule movement he makes with his hips.

“Hear that, baby?” he whispers as he slowly pulls out of you, sounds of your arousal following. “You get so fucking wet for me.”

“Chenle, I—”

He slams his hips against yours before your sentence is complete, making you cut yourself off with a loud moan.

“Lay back.” He tells you. “Let me see all of you.”

You waste no time doing as he asks, lying down flat on the island as his hands explore your body. The granite sends chills up your spine and hardens your nipples even further. Your sweat makes your back stick to the countertop, but neither of you care.

The lights are on, illuminating all of you for Chenle to observe. His hands drag up your body before he reaches your breasts, groaning as he squeezes them. He rubs his thumbs over your nipples, and you cry out and your walls clench down on his cock.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers, as if you’re not meant to hear those words. “So perfect.”

“Please,” you whine, lifting your hips the best you can. “Need you.”

“Aw, baby. All you gotta do is ask.” He tsks, and before you know it, he’s pulling back to slam himself forward.

Ten days. You’ve known him for ten days, but you’re comfortable enough to be sprawled out in your most vulnerable state, begging him to complete you in the ways only he can.

And you’re metaphorically and physically fucked.

10:51pm, April 12th, 2023 | Yeouido Park, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

All you can think about is him. Chenle should be walking by your side right now.

You reach up, gently caressing the petals the same way he’d touch your face.

You miss him.

You miss him and he’s been so close to you this whole time.

9:21pm, December 14th, 2022 | Chenle’s bedroom

Tonight is one of those slow nights. Considering your timeline, you and Chenle haven’t really wasted any time, either spending the night at his house or yours. More often than not, the two of you would end the night sweaty and naked.

But not this time, apparently. His lips work lazily against yours, but there’s no hint of it heating up. The two of you are simply enjoying each other. His left hand rests casually on your ass, while the right cups your cheek. You love the way this feels. Like there’s no rush.

“I could kiss you for hours,” Chenle murmurs against your lips, inhaling shakily. “Just wanna sit here and kiss you.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Wanna look at you, too.” He brushes your hair behind your ear. “Want something to remember that’s not just sex, you know?”

Despite the pang in your heart, you nod. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“Whatever happens,” he says, a small smile gracing his swollen lips. “This has been the best time of my life.”

“Bar’s really low, huh?” You giggle, and he rolls his eyes.

“Not at all. You exceed expectations, as per usual.” He kisses the tip of your nose.

You gently push his chest before sliding your touch over his shoulder and onto the nape of his neck. “Can I tell you something?”

“Anything,” he replies.

“You are…the prettiest man I’ve ever met. Not pretty in a bad way. Like…beautiful. You’re beautiful, Chenle.” You trace a finger along his cheekbones, down to his jawline, until you make it to his lips, running your thumb across the bottom one.

“You know, I…I like this a lot. You.” He pauses. “But no matter what I tell you, or how I feel, I hope you know I’d never disrespect the boundaries you’ve set. So if this hurts me, it’s my own fault. Not yours.”

“I—”

“I’m serious. I don’t want to be dishonest with you. We both know I like you a lot. And it’s okay to be scared of that, or to wish things could be simple and meaningless, but…” he trails off, playing with the hem of your shirt. “That’s not reality. I’m falling for you, and I’m okay with it. Even knowing we only have a couple weeks left.”

“Me too,” you whisper. “I’m falling for you, too.”

7:56pm, December 15th, 2023 | Chenle’s house

“Happy one year of your inauguration into the group, Chenle.” Mark claps his shoulder with a bittersweet smile on his face. “I feel like it’s so crazy that you kinda popped out of nowhere, but we like you. We’ll keep you.”

Chenle quirks an eyebrow. “That’s…an oddly endearing speech.”

Exactly a year ago, you introduced Chenle to your group of friends. None of them knew the extended truth of what was going on between you and him, but apparently, people had always assumed from day one. It didn’t help that neither of you had dated anyone since your month together.

Jaemin gathered everyone on the couch and insisted everyone goes through their favorite Chenle memory. One instantly pops in your head, but you’re not sure if you should mention it. Although, you doubt anyone would actually catch on to the meaning behind it.

“Oh, I’ll go first.” Jisung sits forward a bit. “Over the summer, when he helped me burn all of my ex’s old stuff. Was like therapy for us both.”

“Classy,” you cut in.

“Well, my favorite Chenle memory is when we all went to dinner after (Y/N)’s promotion and he got drunk as hell. (Y/N) had to basically wheel him out of there, and the whole time he was mumbling about how happy he was. Comedy gold.” Jeno gives Chenle a thumbs up, who snorts in response.

“Yes, let’s bring up all the times I got drunk.” Chenle leans back, but a grin spreads across his face anyway. His arm brushes against yours, and soon enough, everyone looks at you expectantly. It must be your turn.

You purse your lips to hide your amusement, tapping your nails against your wine glass. “My favorite Chenle moment.”

“Can’t believe it’s this hard for you,” Chenle teases you, nudging your arm. “You have plenty of choices.”

“That’s why it’s hard.” You run your fingers through your hair and sip your wine. “Okay, okay. My favorite Chenle moment is from exactly a year ago tomorrow.”

You don’t elaborate further, but Chenle hides his smile with his drink. Everyone around you waits for you to elaborate, but you and Chenle are caught up in the memory now that you’ve mentioned it.

“Wait, what?” Jaemin frowns. “That’s not fair! We have no idea what happened.”

“It shall forever be a mystery.” You hold up your glass in a fake toast.

“We’re going to assume the worst if you don’t tell us,” Jisung mentions.

“Assume whatever you want.” Chenle shrugs. “Some things are meant to stay private.”

A chorus of oooh’s flood from the boys, and all you can do is roll your eyes. Had it been any other day, they’d probably be right, but December 16th, 2022 was far from a sexual encounter.

5:00pm, December 16th, 2022 | Han River, Seoul, South Korea

Chenle stands against the railing, overlooking the river as he waits for you. You approach him as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb him while he looks so ethereal. Despite your efforts, it’s almost like he senses your presence.

A wide smile overtakes his features when he sees you. He straightens up, and from this angle, you see the bouquet of flowers in his hand. You make it to him, and the next thing you know, your back is pressed to the rail and his lips are on yours. And you don’t mean to giggle, but you can’t help it when you’re in his embrace. Everything about him makes you feel complete.

“You look beautiful,” he mutters against you before nuzzling his head into your neck. “And you smell so good.”

“Are you only saying that because you’re hungry?” You laugh and gently push at him. “You need real food or you might eat me alive.”

“Trust me, I’ll do that anyway.” That comment earns him another push, but his laugh echoes in the air in the most pleasant of ways.

The two of you start walking, your arm looped in his as he hands you the flowers. You accept them gratefully, sniffing them and sighing at the scent. Resting your head on his shoulder, you allow him to lead the way—something you’d struggle with if you were with anyone else.

“I’m glad we’re able to do this stuff,” Chenle says, smiling at you. “That you’re okay with me taking you out places and all that.”

“We’re not hiding what we’re doing,” you say, stopping and waiting until he turns to you. “No part of this is wrong. Maybe it’ll be a little hard, but we’ll still be friends.”

His chest deflates. “Yeah, we will.”

“Chenle…”

“I know.” He holds his hand up. “I know, (Y/N), I promise. It’ll suck for a while, after having you like this to get demoted to friend, but if it keeps you in my life, I’ll do it. I want you to be happy.”

“You’re supposed to be trying not to fall for me.”

“This is me trying.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I’m trying, but nothing’s working. And I don’t really want to talk about it. I want to take you on this date and pretend like…like you’re really mine. If I’m going to get hurt, I may as well make it worth it.”

You’re not sure how it happens, but you must step on some ice. Your feet slip, and you let out a squeal. Chenle darts forward, wrapping his arms around you to steady you on your feet, but he also hits the ice patch. Without another thought, he cradles your head to his chest while both of you fall, taking the brunt of it as his back hits the snow. Luckily, it’s soft enough to give way for him, but it still knocks the air out of him.

“Fuck,” he groans, his grip still tight on you. “Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” You gasp and roll off him, sitting up. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am.” He pulls you back down to the snow, turning so he’s looking at you.

As the cold seeps in, you both start laughing. The gleam of the stars catches in his eyes, and you know that either of you fighting your feelings will be futile. You’re not just falling for him, you’re diving headfirst, and when he lays in the snow with you, tugging you closer to kiss you instead of hurrying you to stand, you know you’ll never reach the bottom.

11:08pm, December 19th, 2023 | Your bedroom

How do you still miss him a year later? How does he occupy every single one of your thoughts?

You curl your comforter to your chest and turn to your side, almost certain you can imagine what it felt like to have his sleeping form next to you. Tears prick at your eyes, but you refuse to let them fall.

This is all your fault. He’d be yours if only you had the nerve to ask for his forgiveness.

11:08pm, December 19th, 2022 | Your bedroom

Chenle’s always a peaceful sleeper when he’s with you. He’s lying on his chest, arms under the pillow and the blanket hanging off his bare lower back. You want to trace shapes into his back, any sort of physical touch, but you fear waking him when you’re in a state like the one you’re in right now.

You want him. All of him. Every day.

You’ve only known him for a short amount of time, but you fell hard and fast. The only explanation for the tears in your eyes and the pang in your heart is love.

You’ve fallen in love with Chenle, with his laugh and his smile.

And you’re not sure what you can do to fix it.

6:23pm, December 20th, 2023 | Your house

“It’s almost Christmas,” Mark notifies you through the phone. It’s on speaker, sitting on your counter while you do your dishes.

“There’s five days left, trust me, I know.” You snort. “Jaemin’s present is still in the mail, let’s hope it’s not late. He’ll cry.”

“I think the last one I have to pick up is Chenle’s,” Mark says absentmindedly.

“He’s the first person I bought for,” you admit, shrugging despite Mark not being able to see you. “He’s easy for me.”

“Please, give me some of those vibes.” Mark chuckles. “But actually, is it okay if I ask you a question?”

“You just did.”

“Well, another one, you dick.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Mark clears his throat and shuffles around. “So…anything happen this year? With Chenle?”

“What?” You frown. “No. Why would it?”

“(Y/N).”

“I’m serious,” you defend yourself. “Things are still the same as they were.”

“Except that’s not true, because you were in love with him last December, dude. Love doesn’t fade if you’re still around the guy every day.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” You turn off the water and rinse your hands. “Whatever happened between me and Chenle is in the past. It’s gotta stay there.”

“But what if it doesn’t? He clearly wants you.”

“How could you possibly know that?” You grab your phone and head into your living room.

“You may have introduced him to the group, but he is our friend now, too, you know. And since I’m, unfortunately, the only one who knows the shit that went down between you two, I know very well how both of you are feeling.” Mark opens some sort of bag, and when you hear the crunch, you surmise he must be snacking.

“I’m busy.”

“Yeah, so are the rest of us,” he deadpans.

“That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is you telling Chenle you’re too busy to love him and then loving him anyway. We still go out throughout the year, we all hang out. He’s seen you just as much over the last eleven months as he does now.”

“Then why hasn’t he said anything?”

“Are you serious? Maybe because you came up with your dumb rules and he’s too good of a guy to break them.” Mark snorts, and you imagine it’s accompanied by an eye roll.

You open your mouth to say something, but a knock sounding interrupts you.

“Oh, let me call you back.” You hang up on Mark before he responds, quickly bounding over to your door to see who it is.

The smile drops from your face when you see Chenle.

“Hey,” you say, quickly moving aside to let him in.

He hasn’t been alone in your house with you in months, and you begin feeling the tingle of awkwardness and anxiety at the base of your spine.

“What…what’s up?” you ask, clasping your hands together behind your back.

“What are we doing?” he shoots back.

You recoil.

“Nevermind.” His eyes close and he shakes his head, running his hands down his face. “I’m…tired.”

“What can I do to help you?” You step toward him, and he watches you closely, almost as if he’s scared of you.

“I thought I could do this.” He scoffs. “I thought I’d be okay with having you in my life even if I couldn’t—”

Tears already brim your eyes, as if you know what’s about to happen.

He’s leaving you. For real this time.

“Chenle, I…”

“Don’t,” he says. “I was doing good, you know? And then December came and I kept thinking about you and everything we had last year. It won’t leave me alone. And I’m sitting here waiting for you, when I don’t even know if you’ll ever want me in the same way.”

You stay silent, acknowledging that this is something that’s built up inside of him over the course of a year. He said he wouldn’t get mad at you, but you can’t help but understand why he is either way. You’re mad at you, too.

“Hanging around you and our friends and not being able to touch you or kiss you or just tell everyone that I love you fucking sucks. Hearing Mark tell you that you should get a boyfriend sucks. Donghyuck assuming we’re together sucks. I’m tired of this.”

“Chenle…”

“At least I’m trying!” He lets out a bitter laugh and tugs his hands through his hair. “We could make this work if you were willing to put in the effort, but somehow I’m not enough for you.”

“No,” you cut in quickly. “That’s not true at all. Chenle, you deserve so much more than me. That’s why I can’t let you love me, because I’m not worthy of your love. You need someone who can let go around you, who can have fun and love freely, and that’s not me.”

“That is you.” He wets his lips. “That’s always been you.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.”

“I can’t!” Your body shakes as you raise your voice, daggers in your tone as they sink into his skin and cut him down. Tears pour down your cheeks, but there’s no sign of any emotion on his face.

“This is…” He scoffs. “Fine. I’ll see you when I see you. Have a good Christmas, (Y/N).” He turns his back on you, and before you even attempt to comprehend what just happened, he’s gone and your door is slamming behind him.

12:30pm, December 25th, 2022 | Your bedroom

You and Chenle had a late night. You’re just beginning to stir from your slumber, groaning as you turn toward him. Since you’re not sure what time it is, all you do is cuddle close to him, hoping he’ll bring his naked body as close to yours.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he mumbles sleepily, cradling you into his chest and kissing your forehead.

“Merry Christmas.” You grin, squeezing your arms around him.

You’re not sure exactly how it happened, but suddenly, your bedroom door flies open. You squeal and pull the blanket up to cover yourself, and Chenle pulls you to him.

“What in the hell—” Mark blinks, as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing. “Chenle?”

“Observant,” you deadpan, flipping him off. “Nice job knocking.”

“Well, you two get dressed. The others will be here in like, four minutes.” Mark slams the door behind him again, and you sit up.

Chenle joins you, lips finding your neck. “We could just let them find us like this.”

“That’ll be really easy to explain come January 1st.” You allow the blanket to fall and stand up to grab more clothes. As you sift through your drawers, Chenle’s gaze is glued to you.

“I thought we weren’t hiding this?”

“We…we’re not.” You frown. “I just don’t exactly want all of our friends to see me naked. Or you, for that matter.” You put on a new bra and change your panties before grabbing a T-shirt and some jeans.

“(Y/N), be serious. You don’t want them to know about us.”

“It’s not that easy, Chenle—”

“Then make it easier.” He frowns.

“I don’t want them to know because I don’t want things to be awkward after this. It’s already going to be hard enough, okay? I just want things to go as smoothly as possible.”

“Do you have feelings for me?” He crosses his arms over his chest as you button your jeans.

“Are you serious?” You scoff. “I’ve told you a thousand times that I do—”

“Do you love me?”

His words freeze you in your tracks, and as you open your mouth to speak again, you find no words come out. How do you tell him you love him so desperately that you can’t be with him? Does that even make sense?

“Jaemin’s here!” A loud voice carries from the living room and you cringe.

“We’ll talk about this later.” You pull your shirt on and point a finger at him. “Don’t do anything you’re going to regret. Get dressed and act like I asked you to carry the presents down from my closet.”

Without another thought, you tie your hair up messily and head into the bathroom to brush your teeth.

10:14pm, June 10th, 2023 | Yeouido Park, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Nothing is right without him.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

11:20am, December 25th, 2023 | Your bedroom

Dialtone.

Dialtone.

Dialtone.

Voicemail.

“This is Chenle. Don’t leave a message because I don’t listen to them.”

Beep.

That’s the sixth time you’ve tried him this morning. He hasn’t responded or texted you once. Your heart is racing and breaking at the same time, and you wonder if this time, you’ve gone too far.

2:37pm, December 25th, 2022 | Your house

Everyone has opened up their gifts, and now you’re all hanging out around the house. You know you’ve set yourself up for a difficult conversation later, so you avoid Chenle as much as possible that day. Mark glances between the two of you knowingly, clearly realizing that something isn’t as obvious as it seems.

You don’t want to hurt Chenle. That’s the last thing you want to do.

Either way, you’ll break his heart. You just have to pick the decision that’s better for you both.

12:30pm, December 25th, 2023 | Your house

Everyone’s here.

Everyone except Chenle.

4:13pm, December 25th, 2022 | Your house

You look at all your friends seated at your kitchen table, casually conversing and eating the dishes each person brought in. It’s a casual Christmas—one that you have every year. This time, even though he’s mad at you, Chenle makes it feel a little fuller. A little more perfect.

You want to keep him around forever, and you’re sure the only way you can do that is by being his friend. If you love him, it’ll be destined to fail.

2:37pm, December 25th, 2023 | Your house

You’re off. You know everyone can tell you’re in your head right now. They notice Chenle’s absence, but they don’t say a word. How could they? They don’t know the truth. No one does except for Mark, and the grim look on his face tells you that he’s heard from Chenle.

You pull him into the kitchen and cross your arms over your chest. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know.” Mark shakes his head and shrugs. “He told me he wouldn’t be here, but he wouldn’t even tell me why. I’m assuming something happened between you two?”

“He…he said he’s still in love with me. You were right, okay? But I couldn’t do it.”

“Why not?” Mark asks, giving you an incredulous look.

“I’m scared.”

“Yeah, get in fucking line.” He glances over his shoulder to make sure no one else has entered the room. “Look, (Y/N), I get it. Life sucks and things don’t work out all the time, but you and Chenle…I’ve known it since you first introduced him to us. He means something to you, and you’re an idiot if you let him go. And instead of spending Christmas with us, he’s alone in his room and hating his life—”

“I thought you didn’t know where he was.”

“Shut up. That’s besides the point.”

“He’s alone?” you whisper the words, clenching your eyes shut and trying to think of anything but him sad and alone on Christmas.

“We’re all he has. You know that.”

“What do I do?” You wipe at your eyes, jaw quivering. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this.”

“Figure out if you want him or not.” Mark sighs. “He’s not going to hurt you, but you have to give him the opportunity to prove that.”

9:43pm, December 25th, 2022 | Your house

Jaemin is the last person to leave, meaning you and Chenle are alone all over again. You clean up some of the stray cups and snack dishes, ignoring his presence while he helps you. Every second that passes builds the pressure on your chest, and you want to scream and cry and ask him why he’s making this difficult when he swore he wouldn’t.

“Can we talk?” he asks as you set your handful down in the sink.

“About what?” You turn the water on, anything to avoid looking at him.

“Stop doing that, damn it.” He grabs your wrist and turns you around.

His face is contorted in an emotion you haven’t seen from him before. He’s desperate, upset, and irritated all wrapped up into one.

“I don’t want to lie to you anymore,” he says. “But I can’t keep doing this. I’m in love with you, (Y/N). I want to have you every day. Everything you have to offer, I want it. Being busy is a shit excuse not to love someone, and I promise I’ll prove to you we can do it if you let me.” Despite the confidence in his posture, his voice shakes as he speaks. He holds onto you, gaze begging you to see reason.

“You said you wouldn’t get mad at me,” you reply.

“I’m not mad at you,” he insists. “I love you. I love you so much that it fucking hurts to think that all I get after this is friendship. I told you I would respect your choice, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to ask you one last time to pick me.”

You glance up at the ceiling to stop your tears, sniffling. “Please.”

“Do you love me?” He puts his hands on the counter on either side of your, his face inches from yours. “Be honest with me, please.”

“Do I love you?” You scoff, voice thick. “Of course, I do.”

“Say it.”

“I did.”

“No, tell me you love me. Say it properly and to my face.”

Tears blur your vision, and you cup his cheeks. “I love you, Chenle.”

“Then why isn’t it enough?” He leans forward, resting his forehead on yours. “Why isn’t what we have enough?”

“I’m sorry.” You shake your head. “We had a deal. You said you’d respect my decision. That we could be friends.”

“And we will be. But I…we can’t spend the rest of December together. It’ll be too hard for me, and that’s not fair.” He gulps, blinking back his own tears.

“Please don’t go.” You grab hold of his shirt sleeve. “Just a few more days, Chenle. I’m not ready to let you go.”

As a tear falls down his cheek, he leans forward and kisses you. It steals all the air right from your lungs as if you’ve been punched in the gut. You feel every ounce of desperation in that kiss, but in the end, it still wasn’t enough.

Chenle pulls away, wipes his face, and lets out a shaky sigh. “I love you.”

As soon as the door shuts behind him, you slide down until you’re sitting on the floor. You watched him leave, and with him, your heart trailed not too far behind.

8:59pm, December 25th, 2023 | Your house

You can’t take it anymore.

You never stopped loving him either, and Mark was right. Hurt is inevitable, and the only thing you’re doing by protecting yourself is hurting both you and Chenle. You don’t plan on stopping to tell anyone where you’re going despite it being your house, but Jaemin and Jeno stop you as you grab your purse by the door.

“Where are you going?” Jaemin asks.

Everyone stops—Mark, Renjun, Donghyuck, Jaemin, Jeno, and Jisung—and waits for your response. You send a panicked look at Mark, but he only gives you a nod. How do you admit this to your friends? You lied to all of them, but you want them to support you in getting Chenle back?

“I…I’m gonna go buy more alcohol.”

“Boo!” Mark yells, crossing his arms over his chest.

You roll your eyes and shift on your feet, suddenly uncomfortable by the confused looks your friends are giving you. “I…Okay, Chenle’s not here because of me, and I’m really scared I’ve ruined everything, so I’d like to go check on him if you guys could hold down the fort.”

“And…” Mark makes circles with his hands, urging you to continue.

“And what? I really have to get into that right now?” You frown at him.

“Yes.” He glares at you.

“Fine. I’m…in love with him, I guess.” You cringe at yourself. “And we were…something last December, but I was an idiot and I let him go. I don’t want to do that again.”

Mark looks smug when you glance at him for approval. You’re not expecting it, but all the boys sigh in relief. 

“Finally,” Jaemin groans. “I thought we were gonna have to perform a lobotomy on you to get you to admit that.”

“Huh?” Your jaw drops.

“Well, yeah, you look at him like he gave you the best dick of your life,” Donghyuck interjects.

Mark slaps him upside the head. “Dude. PG. Love and feelings, not dicks and sex.”

“Well, he looks at her the same way.” Donghyuck throws his hands up in mock surrender. “You know, except that it’s like…magic pu—”

“Donghyuck.” Renjun cuts him off, facepalming. “Yes, (Y/N), please go save Chenle from himself and tell him the truth. We all know you love him.”

“I…Right. Thanks guys. I’ll be back soon.” You grin at them.

“We hope not.” Jisung purses his lips, and Donghyuck high fives him.

“You guys are children.” You’re still smiling as you exit your home, rushing over to your car.

You were going to make things right.

9:43pm, December 25th, 2023 | Chenle’s house

You give yourself a mental pep talk before walking up to Chenle’s door. It’s much more daunting than you remember. Behind it is your love, the man who’s put up with your denial and bullshit for over a year. He deserves an explanation.

You knock a few times, careful not to be too loud. Rocking on the balls of your feet, you wait for him to answer. When he doesn’t come at first, you almost go back to your car. You almost give up.

He doesn’t want to see you, and he has every right to feel that way.

But you refuse. You knock harder, hearing the sound echo inside his house.

Within a minute, he’s opening the door, eyebrows furrowed. He opens his mouth to speak, but it’s clear he’s used up all the words he’s wanted to say to you. You hoist the bag over your shoulder to his feet, chest heaving from the strain of carrying it from your car.

“These are your Christmas presents.” You nudge it closer to him. “Not just from me. From the guys, too.”

“(Y/N)...” He sighs.

“You have every right to hate me and be mad at me and have a dart board with my face on it. I get it. But our friends are concerned and worried.”

“I’m pretty sure they’d understand where I’m coming from if they knew.” He shakes his head and goes to close the door. You panic, unsure of how to get him to listen to you.

“I told them everything,” you blurt out. “About us. And how we had our stupid deal and it was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life. How I sent you away when I knew I’d never be able to or want to love someone else the same way I love you.”

He stops—moving, breathing, blinking, everything.

“And how you not being there for Christmas hurts so bad. Because I lost you in a different way last year, so I can’t lose you any further this year. I won’t allow it, Chenle. I fucking love you, but I’m scared. Terrified that we’ll burst into flames the second anything good happens to us because that’s…that’s fucking life, you know?

“And if we don’t work, I’d lose you for real. Never see you again, never hear your laugh, never watch you bully the boys affectionately. I wasn’t ready for that. Not that I am now, but I’m not scared of that anymore. I…I love you. And I know I said that like seven times already, but it’s true. I’m not scared of losing you anymore because I know how real these feelings are.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I broke your heart last year and that you’re so upset that you had to spend Christmas by yourself. I think about our time together…all the time. How you used to pull me a little closer in the mornings when you woke up, how you kissed the tip of my nose when you thought what I was doing was cute. I miss that. I want that back. If you’ll trust me one more time.”

You pant, fear pulling at your veins as his expression doesn’t change. He’s still frozen, looking at you with a blank face. After a few moments, you take that as his answer, and your heart starts beating in your throat.

“Um, yeah. I get it. There’s such a thing as too late, and I’ve been a fucking idiot, so why would you wait for—”

“Oh, for the love of God, stop fucking talking.” He grabs your wrist and yanks you to him, a gasp leaving your throat as you almost stumble over the bag of presents.

Next thing you know, your back is against the wall and his body is firmly against yours. You stare up at him in shock.

“But those are kind of temperature sensitive, so you should bring them inside—”

“You’re such a fucking nerd.” He laughs, dropping his head on your shoulder. “I love you so much.”

Your heart floods with relief, and you forget all about the temperature-sensitive presents, kissing him as hard as you can. He stumbles back one step before pulling you as close as he can. Returning your kiss with equal fervor, he runs his fingers through your hair.

“You called me a nerd, you dick.” You wrap your arms around him and bury your head in his chest. His heartbeat is rapid, thundering in his chest so hard you know he’s equally as shocked as you.

“I missed you so much,” he whispers. “I’ve missed you since last December.”

“Me too,” you admit to him. “It’s not the same when I don’t get to wake up to you.”

“I thought you didn’t care about me.” He grabs the bag to pull it inside and closes the door.

“I cared too much,” you say. “That’s why I couldn’t do it.”

He kisses you again, fingers weaving into your hair and his other hand trailing down to the small of your back. You know what he really wants, so you guide his touch down to your ass. He grins against your lips before giving you a firm squeeze.

“It’s been so long,” he breathes out. “So, so fucking long.”

“What are you saying?” You roll your hips forward, already knowing what he means.

“I’m saying I want you so bad, I can’t keep my hands off you.” His mouth traces along your neck. “But our friends are waiting at your house, and they’ll know if we take too long—”

You turn the two of you around so his back is on the wall. “Good.”

Sinking to your knees, your hands quickly reach for the button on his jeans. His eyes widen at the sight.

“What are you doing?”

“Think it’s pretty obvious,” you say, giving him a pointed look. “Do you want me to?”

“I’m gonna bust in my pants just thinking about it, so…yeah, I want it.” He takes a deep breath and strokes the top of your head while you pull his pants down to his knees.

You palm him over his boxers, listening to the way he inhales sharply. To your pleasant surprise, he’s rock hard already, proving he wants you just as badly as you want him.

“This is going to be very embarrassingly short,” he says as your fingers tug at the last piece of fabric keeping him covered.

“Good thing you have all the time in the world to make it up to me.” You glance up at him and see a grin on his face as his head leans back on the wall.

“For the record,” he groans as you pull his length out of his underwear. “You don’t have to do this. No pressure.”

“I know.” You lean forward and kiss the tip. “I want to.”

You lick up his length, and his hands clench at his sides. Grabbing his wrist, you lead his grip to your hair, instructing him silently to guide your mouth onto his cock. He does as you ask, pushing into your mouth with a drawn out moan. You immediately relax yourself to fit him down your throat, not wasting any time in moving your head.

Drool already falls from your lips, and the feeling of him bottoming out has your eyes brimming with tears. He rocks his hips, cursing under his breath every time your warmth engulfs him in his entirety.

“You’re so fucking good, baby,” he mutters, teeth biting down on his bottom lip.

Your tongue traces along the prominent vein on him, and he tightens his grip. He jerks forward with a hiss, and you gag hard around his cock.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” His head thuds back on the wall. “Gonna cum soon.”

You squeeze your thighs together, rubbing them in an attempt to get any sort of friction. Your hands move to his balls, and as soon as you make contact, he yanks on your head as he thrusts forward, gagging you on his length while he pumps strings of white into your throat.

“Take it,” he coos, stroking your face. “Swallow it, baby. Don’t waste it.”

You pull away from him as he comes down from his high, and you do exactly what he says.

“Let me see.” His thumb caresses your cheek.

You open your mouth, and he moans again at the sight.

“So fucking pretty.”

As he settles himself back in his boxers and buttons up his pants, he watches you closely. “If we weren’t expected somewhere else and you hadn’t sucked the life out of me, you wouldn’t be able to walk right now.”

“Later.”

He kisses you quickly. “And you look so sexy with your lips swollen from sucking my cock.”

You blush, looking away from him.

“You confuse me sometimes.” He laughs, kissing your forehead once. “You’re mine later, baby. I’ll make the wait worth it.”

You know he will.

For now, time to tell your friends you’ve succeeded.

11:33pm, December 25th, 2023 | Your house

You quietly unlock your door, curious if any of the boys are still there at this time.When you walk into your living room, you’re surprised to find all of them staring back at you, eyes honing in on the way you’re gripping Chenle’s hand.

“It’s about time,” Jaemin grumbles. “I thought I was gonna have to sleep on your couch.”

“Yes, congratulations, you two. But I’m exhausted, and you should’ve waited til you got here to fuck so we could go home earlier.” Donghyuck pats his thighs as he stands. “Goodnight.”

Jaemin and Donghyuck leave, and you and Chenle share a glance.

“Ah, I knew you two could do it.” Mark throws his arms over both of you, squeezing you. “But they’re right. It’s way past all of our bedtimes. Let’s go, guys. They probably have a lot of…catching up to do anyway.”

Mark guides everyone out of the house, and before he leaves, gives you two one last encouraging thumbs up.

“What just happened?” You frown.

“I think our friends were more excited about going to bed than us finally getting together.” Chenle raises his eyebrows. “Huh.”

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll hear about it tomorrow.” You scoff, turning to him to kiss him gently.

“Yeah…that’s if I let them interrupt our time together tomorrow.” Chenle grins at you, walking you backward until your back presses against the couch. “I have big, big plans for you.”

You’re in the longest, best night of your life.

[ethien]

Another Bathhouse shenanigans

Fandom: Persona 3

Ship: Akihiko x F!reader

Genre: Smut

Words: 6.323

Summary: After getting caught by the girls, Akihiko struggles with finding a way to apologize to you. He would do everything to make up.

It was a pure disaster, Akihiko was sure. And he had no idea how to get out of it without any harm. Well, he already was harmed physically. What he struggled with was how he should solve it on the emotional level…with you.

He was sure this must be your first argument, or something along the line. He wished he could tell you it wasn’t his plan, that he also was a victim in the incident. However, he was sure you wouldn’t listen to him. Your eyes were wide, your intense blush and then your angry frown – he had messed up. And not even on purpose. Nevertheless, the situation was indeed not quite playing in his cards…or in any cards of the ones who were part of it.

He should have been more caution when Junpei suggested the hot bath. Akihiko really thought he could relax his body, enjoying the warmth, letting the stress being melted away. Instead, he got even more stressed. Junpei, and to some point Ryoji, somehow planned to visit the bath that late it would go into the women time. While Junpei casually joked it away, even saying they could just explain the misunderstanding, the senior had to wash everyone’s heads.

It wasn’t the fear of misunderstanding, or not having enough time to explain. It was the fear of execution by the hand of Mitsuru. It just happened once when they were just the three in their younger years. How could he forget the day he pissed her off somehow and got a punished which still haunted him? The imagine what end would linger if they get caught by Mitsuru was something he doesn’t want to think about. He informed them, and just in the moment of the go, it has to happen: The girls enter while the boys were still inside.

They did try an escape, even separating to find it out. Yet, luck wasn’t on their side…when [Y/N] looked up near the stones and caught them red-handed.

“I-it’s not what it looks like…” was Akihiko’s first and only attempt to explain himself to you. But he saw you. Surprised, then embarrassed…and then angry. It burnt down into his brain how disappointed you looked in that moment. And before any further explanation, Mitsuru hits the entire male party with an execution which would haunt him until he died.

It was deep in the night, and he was troubled finding any decent sleep. The image of your angry face didn’t leave him, but also not the fact how barely the both of you were clothed in that moment. Just a thin layer of a towel covered their bodies. Just a wrong move and he, or you, would have dropped it and reveal something before the other. Not that he wouldn’t mind it, or never saw it before – you both shared a romantic connection, and it wouldn’t be a lie that nothing intimate had happen between you. However, there was a difference between being naked on purpose or not.

There was also the slight disappointment readable in your eyes. Even with dragged into the mess, he was disappointed in himself either. It was such a lewd act, and he was part of it. He overstepped a boundary; he did something he promise he would never dare to do. Of course, you are disappointed in him. Akihiko sighed and left his room. Why should he staying sleepless in his room when he could be also somehow around the hotel and wasting time until he gets sleepy…or the idea how to apologize properly.

He put on the hotel’s kimono, walked out quietly out of the room and wanders around the slight dark halls of the hotel. Within minutes, he found a way to a, he believed, little garden with a hotel own little lake. A variation of flowers lightly dancing in the wind, a clear night sky. Normally, it would be a perfect and romantic date spot. Akihiko almost asked you earlier if they could meet later in the night. But that was before Mitsuru executed them. He still felt kind of sore in his whole body. And now, he stared alone in the sky. He sighed.

“Next time, I will punch Junpei in his face” he mumbled, the weight of the events heavy on his shoulders. The question was now how he could apologize to you. His dating guide suggested a little present, flowers, promising to do everything they desired. While the first ones sounded a bit cliché but kind of good in his ears. The last one seemed a bit weird. Well, not weird. It had a more…sexual touch on it that he didn’t want to admit it out loud. Or he was way hornier what he also didn’t want to admit out loud.

If you get a good taste, you cannot forget it and want even more. A short and very accurate description for Akihiko after you two started being intimate. Both of you might be still very inexperienced, yet he was eager to learn with you every facet of it. However, it was now a forbidden thing to think about it when you, his partner, was angry with him. It would never be a great idea to suggest sex as the solution for you forgiving him, not even if he would let you do everything you desired with him.

“Stopp” he scolded himself, shaking his head. His train of thoughts took faster a different way than expected. He sighed again, looking down to his feet. “It should be an honest apologize. Explaining everything and apologize. And if that’s not enough…” He wasn’t sure where his plan should go if his idea wasn’t enough. Yet, he thought he would surely come with an idea. He hoped it really.

A slight closing door, and approaching footsteps took him out of his thoughts. Akihiko’s eyes widen, not really expecting you of all people out there, not at this hour, and mostly not approaching him directly after the earlier disaster. Will he now get a better scolding off you, or even worse, another more personal execution?

“Aki?” you asked, a faint hint of fatigue in your voice. “Why are you out? At this hour?”

“…I could ask you the same.” He started, looking at you, trying to scan your mood. You sounded calm, yet it was not quite bright with the barely lights out. He wasn’t sure how your expression was. “I…cannot sleep. Was hoping a bit outside will make me a bit sleepy…” he continued while leaning on the railing, looking again at the sky.

“…it isn’t really working, or?”

“Not really…” he admitted. He tried to shout you a side eye, but felt kind of embarrassed to do. The events from the bath played again in his brain. Even with not believing in a fate, or in a god, it might be right now playing in his cards with you being here. He turned to you, facing you with a slight red on his cheeks.

“…[Y/N] …I am truly sorry what happened earlier. I can fully understand that you are angry and disappointed in me. Please let me explain what really happened earlier…or better, what leads in this awful situation…”

It was quite dark, so Akihiko didn’t see your surprised face. You could see the earlier events still plagued his mind, and you guessed they were the reason which keeps him awake. You decided to nod to him, giving him the opportunity to explain whatever the fuck happened hours ago in the bathhouse.

“…It’s like this…” Akihiko started, avoiding looking at you now. “I was just hanging out with Makoto, and then out of the sudden, Junpei asked us to go into the bath. We agreed. I was…ready for some relaxing. And when we were there…Junpei and Ryoji mentioned how funny it would be if the times for men and woman would change. He said it was just a misunderstanding…” He sighed, scratching the back of his neck. “I told them how stupid this was, and we agreed on leaving. But yeah, it was already too late. We tried to escape, but…” He looked to you; you could see his blush. “...you know how it ended. I swear, it really sounds like a lame excuse. However, you have to trust me, [Y/N]. It wasn’t my intention to peek… I was dragged into that mess…I’m so sorry…”

You let his words sink in, trying to see it in his eyes. It definitely sounds like something which would happen to him. It was kind of funny to you. If you would compare the boyfriend before you, truly in agony of the events, and the boyfriend when it gets spicier between you two. Worlds apart.

“…yeah, that sound like a typical Junpei idea…” you admitted, and you could see how fast Akihiko’s mood changed to the better. If you compare it with a dog, then his ears would stand up, and his tail would be wiggling. Yet, if you would tell him, he would be flustered. Maybe another time.

“So, you…believe me?” he asked hesitant.

You nod, looking to him. A soft smile appeared on his face, and the heaviness from his shoulders went down. “You don’t know how relieved I am you accept my apologize…”

Your face frown which confused the male.

“You…. did, or?” he asked, not sure how to read your face.

You crossed your arms. “I only said I believe how it turned into the event…but nothing about apologize…”

Now Akihiko’s face frown, concern filled his eyes. “…Okay…I see…” he said, unsure what to say or do now. Of course, you only believe the story.

“…I mean…” you started. “You might be a bit unlucky how you got into…but…” you stopped, looking up to the moon.

“But?” Akihiko asked. He really wanted to know what else he messed up.

“…You still stared at me…intensive…” you started, blushing lightly. “…and even when it wasn’t your intention…you also stare at the others…”

Akihiko wasn’t sure if he got it right… but you sounded a bit…not happy about it that he accidentally saw the other girls naked. Well, not really naked, the towels covered a lot. Wasn’t there a page in his dating guide? Girls don’t like it when you give another girl your attention, even when it wasn’t on purpose? What suggested the book? Whatever happens, always give in? Should he go with it?

He breathed deeply in and out, then looking to you, an honest and form feature on his face.

“I am really sorry, [Y/N]. You’re right, I did something I shouldn’t do. I might get dragged into, but I didn’t act like this.” Akihiko said, scanning your face for any change in your mood. “I only have eyes for you. I would do everything for you, and no one else.” And he meant it. Since he discovered his feelings for you, and even started admitting them, you were one of his top priorities. One of the dearest he wanted to protect. He wanted to learn more about you, wanted to learn more to love about you. Someone would say it cheesy, but he hopelessly falls for you.

“…everything…?” you asked, and Akihiko surely heard your tune in it. It wasn’t any hint of being angry, or being amused. Some hint of lascivious, there was this spark in your eye he knew very well. He couldn’t deny he liked the way the talk between you turned out.

“I meant it what I said…” he said to you, locking eyes with you. “Everything you desire…I will do it!”

“Even in a place like the hotel?”

“Even here!”

You seemed to think about his offer, but he already senses the slight smirk on your face, and the somehow hot sparkling tension between you two.

“How about you show me that you only have eyes for me?” 

Akihiko only nods, smiling shortly at you before closing the gap between you two. He sweetly took your face into his hands and placed his lips over yours. Gentle and slow, lightly massaging your lips while the kiss lasted. He parted soon after, yet only to grip your hips, pulling you even closer that your clothed bodies touch and reunited your lips again.

You put automatically your hands at his chest, leaning into him while you felt his hands claiming your hips. Sometimes, he let one hand wanders around, playfully squeezing your ass cheek. You softly yelped into the kiss which didn’t go unnoticed by the senior, a mischievous smirk appeared on his face during the kiss.

You parted again, both of you catching up with the own breath. Both of you had flushed faces, but also lightly raced heartbeats.  His eyes scanned your face. He could get drunk by your flushing cheeks, the taste of your lips, the soft touch of your skin under his hands. It always awakens something inside him what was hidden for a longest time.

“Was that all?” you provoked him on purpose, raising an eyebrow. He only chuckled when you felt his grip around you tighter.

“Don’t worry, love. I just needed to be warmed up for the real fun…”

And with this, Akihiko easily lifted you up, just for pressing you against the nearest railing. His strength always impressed you, and you were sure he sometimes just wants to show off before you. At least it got more visible after you two started dating. You quite remember good how Akihiko ran into a fight with way too much shadows even when Mitsuru said they should wait for the others. He beats them all, without any harm. Just to get the force of Mitsuru to feel.

You lightly caress over his arm, feeling the tense in his muscle, yet also the little goosebumps on his skin. However, Akihiko wasn’t here to enjoy your touch, he aggressively took you again into a kiss, biting at your bottom lip for entrance. As soon as you lightly parted your lips, he pushed his tongue as deep but also enjoyable as possible inside you, turning the kiss into a passionate, heated battle between you two.

You felt how he pressed himself more into you, softly rubbing himself between your legs which sends waves of pleasure over you. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop you, too, to put one leg around his hip, your hands roaming over his body.

“Take off your cloths!” you demand at him after parting, getting him a bit caught off-guard. There was again the cluelessness in his face which made him very loveable. His cheeks turned bright red.

“As you wish” he only answered, letting you down. As soon as you had ground under your feet, he started opening the kimono, letting the cloth falling off his body, soon to be followed by the underwear until he was undressed before you.

It wasn’t the first time you saw him naked. However, it was indeed cute that from time to time, Akihiko felt a bit shy being that bare before you. He was trained, and so was his body shaped. Not entirely bulky, but his determination into training all over the years paid off. Nothing to be shy for. You guessed it might be for him showing you his entire vulnerable side. Yet, the spreading red in his face speaks the story while you let your eyes room over his features. Any other girl would kill you for the beauty before your eyes.

“Oh my…”

Well, another reason Akihiko was somehow a bit shy showing himself naked to you is the easy fact how easily he got turned on. You already felt it before, yet seeing him naked and obviously painfully hard before you, it really did things to you. You could see his urge to cover himself with his hands, but he seemed to suppress it.

“D-Don’t stare at me…” he mumbles shyly, avoiding eye contact. The sudden shift was welcoming, but also confusing. It only made you laugh softly.

“But how can I don’t admire something marvelous right in front of me?” you asked teasingly, it worked.

“…you are staring at my dick…only…at my dick…”

“You cannot deny the welcoming view…”

Why he even felt hesitant when it comes to his dick, you were unsure. Groomed, not too long or too short, you would say average. He even cut down his pubic hair a bit. A good dick, you would say. He already knows how to make good use of it. Maybe, it was a guy’s problem.

“…and why…don’t you undress?” he asked after finding the courage. “Seems a bit unfair being the only one naked…”

“Are you demanding something…? Didn’t you say you would do…everything?”

The realization hits him. He shortly bits his lips, his face frowns to somehow forget where it all starts. He breathed in and you, then facing you again.

“You’re right. I am sorry, I shortly…got more into it and forget what the purpose of it was. Please, let me continue showing you”

“Go Ahead!” you said, and Akihiko didn’t waste any seconds to be close to you again. Without wasting any time, you felt his grip on you again, easily lifting up and slightly pressed against the railing, his body pressed now even more into you. If he did it by purpose that his dick was between your legs, you were sure he did. However, it was only his approach being fast, even a bit wild.

The kiss somehow was hesitant, shy. But also, gentle and sweet. It’s like he wants you to enjoy the short, sweet moment. Savoring the taste of his lips, feeling their softness. He parts from you; you could read the love he holds for you in his eyes. Yet, there was also a burning flame, a desire which needs to be pleased, as much as his hard dick between your legs earned for attention and touch.

Still, this was something he had to earn. And he knew it. Your eyes were locked, no one said something. It was more a silent communication between you two. Akihiko nods at you, softening his grip around you. With seconds, he went down on his knees. His hands softly caress your legs, slowly going up their way until they reached the hem of your kimono. The dances from his fingers over your skin sends a shiver down your spine. He stopped at the hem, looking up to meet your eyes. You smiled at him as a permission. With this, he worked up your kimono and opened the cloth to the point your legs and your clothed vagina was in sight for him. He shortly holds in, seeming a bit in thought what to do next. He decided to start with slowly tracing his fingers over your thighs, followed by a soft trail of peaks and kisses. 

You let out lightly hums while he continues his sweet trail of soft caressing and kissing your thighs. When his finger reached your underwear, he got a bit cocky. Instead of putting the cloth down, Akihiko let his fingers dance over your clothed vagina, knowing for sure the outside weak spots of you to press, to tickle out specific sounds from your lips. With the escape of your first loud and heartful moan, a winning smirk spread over his face.

“I love hear you singing to my touch…” he says in a melodic voice, not quite suitable for his devilish smirk on his lips. Normally, you pouted by his teasing behavior. However, he knew you and just pressed his fingers slightly which let you continue moan before you could even dare to pout.

Akihiko continued his way of teasing until he finally had mercy with you. With ad most slowness, his fingers went under the cloth, lightly brushing your labia before pushing it down, revealing your vagina to the outside, to his eyes.

Mostly unhear able to you, Akihiko mumbles something like Delicious when viewing you. A sight he could get drunk off. He enjoyed the view a bit too long for your taste, so you put a hand into his fluff of hair, pulling it a bit harder than usual. It didn’t go without a reaction, a mix of a painful little scream and a moan dropped out of his lips.

“For making something up, you enjoy yourself a bit too much, Aki…” you said, your tune a bit harsher, yet still filled with lust. “And you are far right now from making up…I’m waiting!”

You didn’t even wait for him to apologize or saying something else, you pulled him by his hair back between your legs. He seemed to grunt by the force. However, as soon as you let go off him, he slowly walked on his knees closer to you. His hands found a good place to lay on, and you could only see how his face got lost between you. And then, you felt his lips sweetly placing kisses but he fast changes it to sensual licking with his tongue. At first on the outside, but he didn’t waste time to dig it deeper into you, licking your inner walls, enjoying during it listen to the moans and hums escaping from you.

Akihiko changes out of sudden his pattern in pleasuring you and starts sucking you out. Sometimes a bit harsher, then slow and caring, and again a bit rougher, leaving your lips swollen, and yourself on a high rush of feelings. Which had a very high effect on him, his dick lightly wiggles, even pre-cum leaking, requesting to get some attention, some begging for releasing. He tried once to put down one hand to pleasure himself while he eats you out. You noticed and pulled again hard at his hair, to let him know his current place. His movements got sloppier, his mind clearly distracted with his own need but also his task to making up, for you accepting his apologize.

“Say…” you started, catching your breath from all the emotions you felt. “You seemed restless, Aki. Is something on your mind?”

You already know what was going on. His face flushed from the heat during the act, his hunger in his eyes, and well, his own need visible very painful. You know how hard he tried to control himself at this very moment. If he wasn’t here for making up, he would have let out his wild, animalistic side. A side where he showed you his true strength, his full stamina. It mostly leads to the fact he ravages you, even when he still is a sweetheart during the act. He was afterwards so ashamed about being reckless with you. You often said to him you didn’t mind, even enjoyed it. However, he is worried as hell, but also caring and sweet. You hadn’t told him but he was for sure a master in taking perfect aftercare.

He came out of your legs, heavily breathing. It was readable in his eyes that he knew your purpose with the question is teasing and provoking him.

“There is a lot on my mind, love…” he started, a bit hesitant in tune, still catching his breath. “Am I allowed…to voice them?”

“You are. Tell me, what’s on your mind?” you sweetly sing. Akihiko looked up to you.

“As much as I love it to make you feel good with my mouth…” he breathed in and out sharply. “…I cannot deny the desire that I want to be inside you…I want to feel you…I want to pleasure you with my dick…”

After telling, he let his head down, you could see how the heat crushed into his cheeks. He still wasn’t use to this bold dirty talk, even when he clearly enjoys it. You softly laughed, lightly patting his head, letting your hand ruffling his hair.

“…I have to say…you really are doing a great job down there. You are such a good boy… I think…”

You could feel how he looked up again with a kind of impatient look in his eyes.

“…I think…we can have a little change…Must admit, as much as I enjoy your skills…it is different not to feel you…I want…to feel you…” you said, a tiny hint of pink on your cheeks, allowing shortly the short shift in the atmosphere. “Please Aki…be inside me!”

A soft smile appeared on his face, slowly going back on his feet. You weren’t really a short one, not yet as tall as him. However, it still makes things to you when Akihiko stands before you, and you slightly have to look up to him. He closes the distant between you, placing his hands on your hips and capturing your lips with his again. You could feel his dick poking you which automatically let you spread your legs a bit apart. Clearly not going unnoticed by the male. He seemed a bit surprise about the speed in action. You only chuckle.

“I think we can agree we had enough foreplay, or?”

You didn’t even let him answer when you grab into one of your kimono bags, just for taking out some condoms. Akihiko’s surprised face even grew bigger. He cannot deny the thought the whole being angry and making up was just a charade to have an excuse to have sex with him in an unknown place. Not that he wouldn’t mind. Well, maybe he would be a bit hesitant about the idea being intimate in another place than his dorm room. A thing he would definitely trying to work on, being a bit…bolder with you. But that’s for another occasion.

He thankfully took one and prepared himself, your eyes glued to it. When the tiny layer of protection was on, you only smirked at him. You opened the loop of your kimono, revealing yourself naked before your already naked boyfriend.

“Show me what you can” you provoke him, a tiny spark in his eyes lighting up by the challenge. Of course, he now doesn’t waste any time, closing the distant between you. With one hand lifting one of your legs, he used the other to guide himself into a comfortable position to slide inside you. Even when the preparation was gentle, it wasn’t the entrance. It’s quite the opposite. With a rush thrust, hips hardly crushed against it, a sharp pain went through both of you. This would leave some bruises. “I’m sorry” Akihiko mumbles, slightly embarrassed by himself. “I promise, I’ll work on it the next time…” You just watched him, not saying anything. Instead, you just took his face into your hands, forcing him to look at you. Your fingers drawing the features, letting him feel a warm shiver crawling down his spine. Even for nighttime and the rare light, you could see his grey eyes shining bright at you. A glimpse of warm, kindness, love but also lust, hunger and desire. It was unbelievable for you that those eyes only looked at you, that those feelings were only meant for you. You considered yourself really a lucky girl.

“Don’t let me wait, Aki…” you breathed into his ear when you lean more into him. “Let me feel…alive!”

The words did their magic to the senior, the mood shifting faster than someone could count stars. His hands found his place gripping your hips, your body got pressed against the railing. To your both lucks, it was built out of steel. Any other material wouldn’t last the upcoming event. Which would be leading in both of you falling into the garden’s lake. Which would cause a very high amount of unwanted attention both of you didn’t desire right now.

He started with an uncoordinated pace, not sure if he should thrust slow or fast, and even unsure of the impact he wanted to add to it. His one hand pressed your leg against his hip, mostly for more stability for you, and a better angle for him. Your hands grabbed the railing, also trying to lay against it as much as it’s providing comfort. You let your head hung back in your neck, eyes closed, for letting the pleasure crushing down on you. Letting them room to wash over you, leaving the taste of desire for more. Hums and softly sighs left your mouth which let Akihiko known that he’s quite on the right path.

It took him some minutes to set to a pace which pleased you and himself. Not slow, but not exactly fast. He would describe it as a steady beat, mostly like a rhythm he uses when he trains his boxing. That you grabbed the railing gave him a bit more freedom in the angle he thrusted into you. He doesn’t have to think about if it would shake you and you would lose your footing. He watched how you had your eyes closed; enjoyment written on your face while he continued pounding into you. The way you enjoyed this so much made things to him, filling him with warmth and somehow more anticipation to pleasuring you even more. It also responded to the way your walls clenched around him with every thrust he gives you. Some grunts escaped his mouth, he closed his eyes down for also processing the flow and rush of feelings inside him. It caused him automatically to lightly speed up the pace, and also the force with each thrust.

He wished to say how incredible it feels for him, how much it thrilled him up. Yet, his lips were unable to form the words. Only pants escaped. It was for you either. You looked up, looking at him. You could admire for hours how the sweat lightly drops off his body on yours, how his glaze was locked on you. It was marvelous how his body moved with such easy grace in- and outside you, letting you feel a spark when the tip of his dick reached a very deep point inside you. You let go off the railing, just for grabbing behind his neck, forcing once again your lips on his. It took him a bit off-guard; it slightly broke his pattern. The kiss wasn’t gentle, it was a battle of hunger, desire and dominance. One hand grab into his hair, hardly pulling at it while the other digs the finger into his back’s flesh for support, leaving visible scratches. It caused him to moan loud into your kiss, yet he doesn’t even think of giving up, or letting up from the pace.

The kiss even thrilled him more up. While your lips battled, his hand on your leg pressed it even harder against his hip, the other grips even harder at your hip. He even dared to slightly made its way to your ass, clapping it playfully, lightly digging his fingers into your soft flesh, letting you know he can also play this game. You couldn’t resist a moan, but also not a payback in biting his lip during the kiss. You just hoped it wasn’t such a hard bite. It wouldn’t be the first time you bite a bit too hard. Well, it wasn’t in the end your problem to explain the swollen lip to others. To your liking, it fueled him even more with energy, and he changed again his pace. His brain was now fully consumed by the heated kiss battle, the way your body reacted to him and his own desire – fast and merciless. He didn’t even care that your body clutched against the steel of the railing. It wasn’t any harm for you, yet it wasn’t really quiet. It appeared it was a bit rusty, so it squeaks soundly. But he doesn’t care, you also don’t care. Your hips started moving alongside with his thrust, letting him grunt into the kiss. His grip got stronger, so as his pounds into you. You tried to scream into the kiss when his dick reached a weak point, it sometimes failed. It was somehow the moment you knew it wouldn’t take any longer for you to last, same goes for your boyfriend.

And he could sense it, for you and himself. Akihiko collected his last remain energy and jack hammered his dick inside you like a god-damn tantrum. You clenched extremely around him, he had to hold his breath how tight you were. You broke the kiss, throwing your head back to process the sheer amount of feeling crushing down. Akihiko could only watch how you got hit by the orgasm. Yet, soon enough to feel himself getting kicked over the clouds by how tight you were that it milked him out instantly.

He stopped abruptly with his movements, slowly letting go of your leg. He softly placed his hands on your hips, giving you support. Both of you just tried to catch the own breath. After minutes what feel like years, you gained back a bit of life and common sense into yourself. However, trying to saying something was another different topic.

“…that was…uhm…”

You just realized the whole situation. That you were indeed in a very intimate moment with your boyfriend, in a very unknow place and you were sure with one thing: You weren’t really quiet about it. The fact he was entirely naked and covered in sweat while you were part of naked, but also covered in sweat, count into the realization.

“We should leave as soon as possible!”

“What?” was Akihiko’s only response before you somehow chased him to dress himself up poorly and escaping through the next door back into the hotel. It doesn’t even let you both time to somehow clean up whatever mess you left. Both of you hide in the near bathroom for guests, just hearing some footsteps outside in direction to the garden. While you had to wait before the coast was clear, you both used it to freshen yourself a bit up as much as possible. Yet, both of you were a bit embarrassed to say something to the outcome of the situation. It was kind of frighting and thrilling at the same time, leaving a positive and negative mix of feelings inside you.

“Aki…” you said softly, gathering his attention. He walked up to you, looking curious at you. “Yes?”

“…I forgive you…for…earlier, you know…” you mumble. “You showed me how much I mean to you and…and I really did enjoy it…” You hugged him which he accepted in an instant.

“I am glad” he said, gentle caressing your back during the hug. “You had no idea how worried I was about a way to apologize…”

“Yeah, I can imagine. But I think our new problem is more to worry about…”

You heard him sighing. “I just hope no one saw us”

“I guess, they just…heard us…” you said, you heard him sigh again. “Will be some rumors in the next time…”

“Wonderful” you heard Akihiko saying, clearing seeing him rolling his eyes. Even when no one would ever find out it was the both of you – being the hottest topic in rumors wasn’t to his liking. Because he would know the rumors will be about you and him. It kind of let him feel embarrassed than being proud.

You parted, looking at each other. “I think, we should go back to bed to get some sleep. We will talk tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes, that sounds like a plan. Good night, [Y/N]!”

“Good night, Aki”

You shared a quick kiss, and leave to your rooms in hope not to get caught.

You didn’t get caught but Akihiko’s biggest nightmare came true the next morning. By the start of the last day, students were talking highly about the events they got a glimpse on.

“Have you heard? It seems we have some love birds among us, and they chirped a bit too loud in the night in the garden.”

“No way, really?”

“Oh, yeah. Some students woke up because they heard someone scream, so they alarmed some staff. But when they arrived, all what they found was a used condom.”

“How filthy. They didn’t get caught?”

“Nope. But can you imagine? Some people are crazy and horny enough to fuck in public…”

It was kind of hard not to feel insulted by the many descriptions of being naughty by plenty of students but both of you made it somehow. How Akihiko even ditched the questioning of Junpei who seemed not to believe him was impressive. In the end, both of you made it back into the dorm without being suspected.

Akihiko had texted you to come to his room, so you knocked at his door. Soon, he opens and let you in. Both of you sit down on the edge of his bed.

“It’s about last night…” he started, truly thinking about his next words. “I’m sorry I caused us such problems”

“Huh?” you asked surprised. “But it wasn’t your entire fault, Aki”

“Well…If I remember right, I…” his face turned a shade redder. “I was the one who made you scream…”

“That…might be true…” you also felt flustered. “But the entire idea was on my bucket, you just obeyed…”

“…but I also followed the flow, so…I don’t know…” he sighed. He felt a bit like a kicked puppy.

“Can we agree it was the fault from both of us?” you asked, seeing to his lightly troubled face. He nods.

“And even when it has an end, we didn’t see coming…I…really enjoyed it.”

Akihiko looked up, a faint pink on his cheeks. “You do?”

“Of course, I do, idiot. I always do. Because, it is with you, the person I care the most…”

You didn’t expect him to reaction bold with kissing you forcefully, letting you both fall on the bed. He parted, looking at you.

“You are also the person I care the most…You are driving me crazy with how tempting you are…”

You only chuckled, but got cut off by another kiss.

“Let me show you how much I love you…”

And you did let him do it.

[sweetly-yours-and-mine]

Could I request a little ‘A got roped into a blind date by their friends. They don't want a new relationship and plan to make themselves as unlikeable as possible to dissuade any further possible setups. All of that goes through the window when they see how gorgeous B is.’ with Santi as person A

(if you get this twice I’m sorry I can’t remember if I sent this irl or not because I saw the post when I was hazy and delusional at 2 AM)

Pairing: Santiago Garcia x Reader

Word Count: 912

A/N: Just opened up my askbox for some requests! First time writing for Santi, very very excited about this one! (And don't worry ab requesting twice, hun! It was a very inspiring prompt)

Warnings: fluff, santi thinks he's unlovable, a bit angsty ig?, frankie morales is a good bro, poorly edited (author has BDE)

Santiago really didn’t do the whole dating thing. 

The flowers and the small-talk and the footsies over cheese-stuffed appetisers. 

He had a long-term relationship with running away, that strange, filtered aeroplane air making him feel closer to home than any of his mother’s cooking could ever hope to do. 

Better put, he wasn’t relationship material. 

It wasn’t a deliberate choice from his end. 

It sort of just…happened. 

Life had morphed Santiago into the jagged, crooked, ugly thing that he was now. 

In all of his attempts (three) at the real thing, all his tries at the dart board called love, it usually always ended in the same fashion. He’d take her to meet his friends, she’d realise sooner than later that she’d drawn the losing hand out of the four of them, and it was downhill from there. 

One of them had been kind enough even to enlighten him to exactly what he lacked. 

You just need to be more…Frankie, Santi. 

Though it hurt, it was good to get out in the open like that. The plain, mumpy truth, in all its glory: 

Santiago wasn’t relationship material because of the amount of ‘Frankie-ness’ that was lacking in his blood and DNA, because he was the losing hand, the cracked skipping stone in the middle of a torrential river on the way to the safety of land and love, true love. 

And so, in what would be considered a sociologist’s dream case study, Santiago did what he did best, self-fulfilled then self-destructed. 

He was the intermediary for girls before they managed to find their Frankie, Benny, Will. 

It was a tough truth to chew, left a bitter taste in his mouth, that he’d only been created for people to recognize their self-worth and move on. There was a disagreeable insinuation behind it, if he thought about it too long. 

Which was precisely why he didn’t. 

And he ran away instead when things got too hard, too painful. Like a thumbtack in the heel of his foot. 

But Frankie on the other hand, Frankie thought about it long and hard. Too hard and too long, no matter how often Santiago told him to quit it. 

From his seat behind the driver’s wheel, Frankie was able to watch everything with a keen, honed eye, his two ears moving back and forth like a great-horned owl’s. 

And nothing was able to go past Frankie’s eyes without him picking it up and giving it a thorough inspection.

Which is why Frankie's been adamant about it. A real pain in the ass. 

Santiago was the bachelor of the group now. The only single one left. 

And Frankie was set on changing that. 

No matter how much Santiago protested. 

Will and Benny gave in to Santiago’s reality with a simple nod, the former’s eyes sad and sombre, the latter’s teasing a little light-hearted and half-hearted. 

But Frankie and him had the strongest bond he’s ever experienced. Saving a guy’s life a couple times does that to you. 

Santiago knows, if anything, that whatever happens in this god-forsaken world, that Frankie will always be his rock, the one constant in a world of possibilities and probabilities.

But it also meant that Frankie had some sort of gall that the others didn’t. 

And tonight, he meant to put an end to it, swiftly and surely. 

The sibling of a friend of a cousin. 

That still doesn’t mean Santiago wants to be here. 

Detached enough from them that if it all went to shit, the ripples would be minimal. Attached enough to them to make the small talk a little less small-talkey.

“You’re frowning.” 

“That’s because I’m mad, pendejo,” he grumbles back at the baseball cap. 

Frankie huffs and though he can’t see it, he hears the eye-roll. 

He feels like a petulant child, like he’s being babysat to make sure he won’t act out. 

Which is what he is precisely planning to do. 

He’ll take care of it quickly. Despite his cynical, eighty-year-old with three cats schmick he’s settling into nicely, he still has a bit of heart. And whoever the poor person was that had been roped into this will be roped out just as quickly. No harm done and Santiago’s Frankie problem fixed once and for all. 

With another huff, Frankie leans back in his seat and fixes him with beady eyes, “At least, try to be a little agreeable.” 

He only grumbles in response. 

It’s a white-and-red chequered tablecloth kind of place. Corny, romantic, candle-lit. 

Santiago was hoping he’d never have to set foot in such a place again. 

The door jingles open. 

Show-time. 

Frankie sends him another one of his glares, and Santiago sends it straight back, letting it settle on his face, deep into the grooves of it. 

There’s rolls and rolls of nervousness fading off of you. 

But you look nice-

Beautiful. 

Gorgeous. 

The air’s been swamped out of his lungs. 

This wasn’t supposed to be part of the plan. This weird, fluttering thing that’s been going on his body since he laid eyes on you. 

Santiago’s vaguely aware that you’re talking with Frankie, thanking him for arranging it all. 

And there’s a lull in the murmurs. 

He hastily gathers himself up, the angry little press of lines on his forehead all but gone. 

He scrambles for the flowers Frankie made him buy you and holds them out, swallowing thickly, “Hi, I’m Santi.” 

He hopes that this’ll make for a hell of a first-date story.

Thanks for reading, if you liked it, please consider leaving some feedback! I don't usually respond, but I obsess and re-read reblogs and comments constantly.

Masterlist here, requests here.

[jadedxhearts]

"𝐈'𝐦 𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮"

original ask: "Hi jadedrrose I COMPLETELY LOVE ❤️❤️❤️❤️ the Jealousy and The Experiment you wrote for Law!!!!! They are sooo good and addicting!!!! I was wondering if I can please request Law x female reader NSFW with Dialog Prompt 1. “I’m in love with you.” Thank you"

originally posted on July 25, 2022

Please note that this is an old work and isn't representative of my current writing skills!

You’d honestly thought you’d never see this day come.

When you had began dating Law, you knew from the start that he would be very closed off at times, and it would take a lot of work to form a bond between the two of you, to trust and love one another.

Not that you doubted him, but you just didn’t expect to get this far. If anything, you doubted yourself.

Today marked the day that you’d been dating Law for a year. Really, you were quite pleased with how the last year had gone. He’d really opened up to you, and you were very happy with him. But he had yet to say those words;

“I love you.” Or something along those lines, at least.

It’s not like you were upset about that, though. Law wasn’t the most affectionate man, preferring to keep all that stuff private and only saying things when he truly meant it and was ready to say so.

So here you were, staring at yourself in the mirror of the women’s bathroom on the submarine (conveniently there were only two women, so you always had plenty of time to get ready).

You’d put on a nice dress, a satin blue one. You figured Law would like it, or at least you hoped he would.

Looking over your makeup one last time, you stepped out of the bathroom and made your way up to the outside part of the submarine.

When you walked out, you noticed that there was a table with two chairs set up, Law sitting in one of the two, some fairy lights, and the guys all bothering Law, it seemed like.

“Tell her that she smells good?” Penguin suggested.

“Or that she’s the prettiest bear around!” Bepo chimed in.

“Bepo, you’re the only one who’s a bear…” Shachi reminded him.

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Enough! You guys are all idiots. No wonder none of you can get a girl to like you,” Law snapped.

The four then looked towards you with wide eyes upon hearing your laughter.

The three crew mates scurried away, leaving you and Law.

“We’re they giving you pointers? As if this was the first date?” You asked, still giggling.

“I guess,” Law answered. “I shouldn’t have asked them for any advice. They know nothing.”

You sat down across from him and smiled at the food laid out before you. A mix of both you and Law’s favorite dishes. Plus some wine.

“Aw, did you set this all up?”

“Most of it, yeah,” Law bashfully replied.

Your heart felt all warm and fuzzy, thinking about all the effort he went to just for you.

—

After the dinner, Law had taken you back to his room, and now you found yourself laid out on the bed, the skirt part of your dress pushed up as Law had a firm grip on your thighs, holding them apart as he licked at your soaked cunt.

“You taste better than that damn dinner those idiots made us,” Law muttered against you, moving his lips slightly up to suck at your clit.

“Mmm, Law… don’t stop,” you moaned.

“Not even to tell you how good you taste?”

“No!” You whined, pushing him back into your wetness, hands tangled in his hair.

As he continued sucking at your clit, he removed a hand from your plush thighs and began teasing you, touching your folds but not inserting his fingers at all.

“Sh-shit! Just finger me already!”

“Who’s in charge here?” Law asked, tone more stern now.

“You, Law… fuck.”

“That’s what I thought,” he said, a grin on his face as he returned to what he’d been doing, only this time he did put his fingers in you.

His long fingers moved at a fast pace, and the suckling at your now swollen clit was becoming harder and making you feel like you were going to pass out.

“Fuck, Law… I’m gonna cum, fuck. D-don’t stop.”

He tried pushing his fingers in further, not stopping for a second. And when he added a third…

You let out a loud, nearly pornographic moan and let go of his hair to lay back, throwing your arms around your face.

Law pulled away from your pussy, smirking as he pulled your head up and presented his fingers in front of your mouth.

“Suck,” he demanded.

You opened your mouth and let him slide his fingers inside. His eyes never left your lips, watching the way you sucked on and lapped up all the juices on his tattooed fingers.

Once he was satisfied, he pulled his fingers away and moved to get his jeans off. He then sat up against the pillows, motioning for you to come sit on his lap.

“Want you to ride me,” he told you, arms wrapping around you as you hovered over his cock.

He leaned forward and locked lips with you, kissing you passionately as he slid his length inside you. Unable to control your moans, you let out a long one that was muffled by his lips, but you could feel him smirking at the noise.

“That’s right, ride my cock like a good little slut,” he praised you, holding you tight and continuing to kiss you. “Moan into my mouth.”

So you moved your hips faster, and moaned with every thrust. You loved the way he stretched you.

“Shit, I’m already so close,” he muttered against your lips.

“Me too,” you cried. “Law, let me cum again, please- agh.”

He angled his hips and began rubbing circles on your overstimulated clit, telling you to cum on his cock and squeeze him nice and tight.

With another lewd moan, you came for a second time, followed by Law releasing his own cum inside you.

As you pulled away, you could feel your mixed juices spilling out of your cunt and down your thighs, dripping onto Law’s lap.

You collapsed, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him gently, too tired to fully go for his lips.

He held you close, rubbing your back and helping you relax after the intimate session. As he laid there doing so, he couldn’t help but feel… strange. His heart felt full, and the sight of you right now was simply so beautiful to him.

Law knew then, he was ready to say it.

“I’m in love with you,” he blurted out, interrupting the silence.

You blinked, eyes wide and you just couldn’t help but to start smiling from ear to ear.

“You… are?”

“Yes. I’m sorry it took me this long to say it, but I love you, (Name)-ya.”

So you hugged him tighter, this time planting a firm kiss onto his lips. “Don’t apologize. I don’t care if it would’ve taken you thirty years, I’d still be glad and feel the same. I love you too, Law.”

For the first time in a while, he smiled. A genuine smile. Law was glad that you’d been so patient with him. He wouldn’t regret this, loving you. Even if he was worried about losing you, he’d come to realize that it didn’t mean he couldn’t love you.

So, he decided from this moment onward that he’d always make sure to tell you how much he loves you, and to make sure you felt loved forever.

And you couldn’t be happier.

[skzhocomments]

In the Dark - Choi Minho SHINee Fanfic - Chapter 13 - A night to remember

General masterlist

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 12 | Chapter 14

---

Chapter 13 - A night to remember

chapter word count: ~4.1k words

~Jieun’s POV~

Things started falling back into a peaceful routine after the night I asked Minho to come over. He was less busy with work, so he’d come every day to school to pick Nari up, and we’d take her to her art classes together, then we’d either go for a coffee, or take a walk and talk if the weather was good enough.

We decided to take it slow, to give us some time to get used to each other again, and to know more about each other before progressing any further in the relationship. It was quite funny, really, as we slept together many times already, but not as Jieun and Minho. Apparently, Charisma and Flame were way more adventurous and brave, while Jieun and Minho were acting like teenagers in love.

Minho told me lots of things about his childhood, about his group of friends that he couldn’t wait to introduce me to, about how he grew up and how he got into music. In turn, I told him about my friends back home, about when my passion for teaching started, about my first love and heartbreak, and we both listened to each other as if the other held the secrets to the universe in their words.

As time went on, I started falling more and more in love with Minho and the small gestures he did to care for me. He’d place his hand on the small of my back when we walked if we didn’t hold hands, and if we did, he would bring my hand to his mouth and kiss my knuckles ever so often, making my heart flutter. He was a gentleman through and through, taking me out on dates, bringing me flowers and sometimes gifts, despite my protests to stop spending so much money.

Nari and I also got closer to the point where I would even take her to her doctor’s appointments to get her shots, to the dentist, and to the mall to get clothes and other supplies. We both enjoyed our girl-time away from her dad, but we also loved spending time all three of us.

Today, just as usual, Minho came to pick Nari up from school. It was a Friday.

“Hey.” He said with a large smile as soon as he opened the classroom’s door.

“Hi. Just in time. We’re ready to go. Nari?” I smiled back and gave the girl my hand, that she quickly took with a large grin.

“Art school~ Art school~ Art school~” Nari started singing, to which Minho chuckled.

“Not today, baby. Sorry.” He said, making both me and Nari confused.

“Why not?” She whined.

“Because we have to go somewhere else today.”

“Where?” Nari continued inquiring, her lips forming a cute pout. She looked so sweet, that Minho couldn’t help it but bend down and squish her cheeks together and kiss the pout away.

“We need to go to the hospital to see grandma. She’s getting discharged today, so we’re taking her home.”

“Really?!” Nari gasped. “Yay!”

“Oh, that’s great.” I smiled sincerely.

“Miss Park, will you also come with us to the hospital?” Nari asked, her eyes pleading.

“Oh, Jieun, you don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable.” Minho quickly intervened, but I shook my head.

“It’s fine. I’d love to tag along if you’ll have me.”

Minho nodded with a smile, and we all made our way to the hospital. I noticed Minho kept looking at me, as if concerned I might stumble back into a bad episode by being back there. However, unbeknownst to him, this wasn’t the first time I’ve came back to the hospital after my grandmother’s passing.

Quite the contrary, actually; I’ve came here every week, in time intervals carefully selected so that I would not accidentally bump into him.

We reached his mother’s room and Minho knocked before opening the door.

“Grandma!” Nari practically jumped out of Minho and my hands and ran straight to her grandmother, who was up and about in the room.

“If it’s not my favourite granddaughter!” Grandma bent down and kissed her forehead, and they hugged. “I missed you, my little artist.”

“Missed you too, grandma!” Nari smiled and hugged her tighter, and the scene unfolding in front of us was very heartwarming, bringing a couple tears to my eyes that I was quick to wipe away.

When they were done hugging, Minho’s mother came towards me and grabbed my hands lovingly.

“Jieun, dear, it’s good to see you again so soon.” She said, and Minho looked at us confused.

“So soon?” He asked, and we both chuckled.

“Yes, considering I saw her two days ago!” Grandma laughed, and Minho’s look only grew more confused.

“What?”

“I told you not to tell him!” I playfully scolded his mother, and she rubbed my hands soothingly.

“Really?” Minho looked again from me to her, fondness in his eyes.

“Son, the look on your face when you’re in love is priceless, but go grab those bags, will you? I want to go home and spend some quality time with my granddaughter.” Grandma instructed, her words instantly making me blush.

Minho cleared his throat and followed his mother’s orders, and not even half an hour later, we reached her house, where I also got to meet Minho’s dad, who welcomed me in their home with open arms.

While Minho and his dad caught up, Nari and I helped his mother cook dinner.

“Miss Park, can you show me how to cut the potatoes again?” Nari tugged on my shirt.

“Of course, sweetheart. Let’s first peel them. Can you grab the peeler, please?”

“Yes!” Nari exclaimed and jumped once in the air happily, going to the cutlery and searching for the small instrument. Once found, she triumphally returned to me and I showed her again how to peel the skin.

“6 potatoes… ooooneeeeee, twwooooooo. Hey, how come you use a knife to peel them? I also want to use a knife!” Nari frowned.

“I use a knife because I’m older and I know I won’t accidentally cut myself. Until you grow up a bit more, using the peeler is safer.” I reminded her.

“But, but-”

“Nope. No buts. I won’t even hear it.” I chuckled.

“But whyyyyyy?”

“Do you want to hurt your hand and take a break from painting?”

“Nooo!”

“That’s what I thought.” I laughed again at her antics.

“What do we do after we peel them?”

“We can grab a cutting board and a knife-”

“I have some kids ones over here.” Minho’s mother rummaged through her drawers and pulled out a brand-new set of knives safe for children.

She washed it in the sink and gave it to Nari, who started chopping the potatoes as I’ve shown her.

“You’re so good with her.” Grandma said quietly, just for us to hear. “And she seems to like you a lot. I’m really glad. You know, Jieun, maybe raising another woman’s child is not the easiest feat in the world, but if you’re willing to overlook this, we would be more than happy to welcome you into our family.”

I looked at her for a few seconds, and when I opened my mouth to talk, she cut me off.

“Actually, who am I kidding?” She smiled. “You’re already part of our family, dear.”

She rubbed my back a few times then went to Nari to examine the potatoes she cut.

~

During dinner, the sense that I belonged next to Minho and his family settled deep down in my chest, and for the first time in months, I felt happy and content.

I didn’t even realise that happiness started being a regular part of my life, creeping in slowly during quiet moments next to Minho after his daughter would go to sleep, and during the loud moments next to Nari, who was becoming a little chef under my guidance every other day, when we’d cook dinner together.

“Grandma, can I show you what I drew today?” Nari asked excitedly, already pulling out her sketchbook.

“Of course, my dearest.” She patted her hair lovingly. “But first, let’s walk Jieun and Daddy to the door, shall we?”

“Sleepover time?!” Nari jumped up, excitement radiating from her whole body, while her grandmother nodded.

“Oh, do you wanna keep her tonight?” Minho asked, which meant they haven’t discussed this priorly.

“It’s the first night I can spend with our little angel, so of course I’m keeping her! The whole weekend!” Grandma pushed Minho towards the door, then looked at me and winked behind his back.

I felt my cheeks turning red in an instant, and I avoided her pressing gaze immediately. Still, once Minho and I were outside and he grabbed my hand to walk together to his car, my heart started thumping harder inside my ribcage, and I suddenly felt shy.

“We’re all alone, hm?” Minho spoke, cheerfulness lacing his tone.

“Mhm. Haven’t been in a while.” I replied, feeling his hand gripping mine tighter.

This was true, except for the afternoon coffee after dropping Nari off to her art classes together, we never had much alone time. Nari was way too wary with other babysitters, not that we even tried getting one, but we both knew how she would react due to past experiences, so most of the time we spent together was spent with her as well, and I never dared to sleep over because the thought of seeing Minho next to me in bed was simply too overwhelming.

“Jump in, I’ll drop you off home.” He opened the car’s door and pecked my lips with a sweet smile; however, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go home and sleep alone tonight.

“Which home?” I asked, pressing my lips against his and daring to bite his bottom lip to make my intentions known.

He grinned into the kiss, and before he got the chance to grab and kiss me again, I pulled back and plopped myself into the passenger’s seat.

He closed my door, then rushed over to his side, getting into the car next to me and starting the engine. Looking at his focused expression while driving was making it hard for me to form any rational thoughts in my head. All I could think of was his mouth on my body, his perfectly toned muscles contracting under my touch, his-

“What is it, Jieun?” He asked, finally noticing that I’ve been eating him up with my eyes ever since we got into the car.

Flustered that I’ve been caught, I turned away and mumbled something, but Minho just chuckled, his right hand moving from the wheel to my naked thigh, squeezing it softly.

I praised myself for thinking to wear a dress to work this morning.

Good idea, Jieun.

With each minute spent on the road, Minho’s hand roamed higher on my thigh, and I could feel my skin prickling at the sensation of his fingers pushing their way further up.

Once we stopped at a red light, he turned his body towards me, grabbing my chin and raising my head to kiss me hard. He wasted no time in licking my lips and forcing his way inside my mouth, his tongue desperate to touch mine.

His grip on my upper thigh got tighter as his kisses grew more intense, and eventually, his hand moved even more, his fingers brushing against my panties. The moment he pressed against my crotch, I let out a stifled moan in his mouth, and he grinned again.

I needed him so badly; I must’ve been soaking wet.

Our make out session was rudely interrupted by an impatient driver behind us, who honked at least 3 times before Minho decided to pull away from me and start driving again.

“Fuck.” I said quietly, my eyes still closed. I leaned back in my seat and looked at my now empty thigh, gulping. “Minho?” I looked at him, and he looked at me briefly to see what I wanted.

“What?” He asked, and he saw my eyes fixed on his right hand. “This?” He raised it in the air with a soft chuckle, trying to place it back on my thigh.

However, instead of letting him do that, I grabbed his hand and raised it next to my face, opening my lips to put two of his fingers in my mouth.

The way Minho looked at me as I sucked on his fingers made me even wetter, and the curses under his breath made me wish he’d just pull over already.

“Shit, baby, we’re gonna crash if you keep this up.” He said, his eyes full of lust. I took his fingers out of my mouth and held onto his hand as I started speaking.

“You’re not the only one who can play, you know that, right?” I challenged him, dropping his right hand on my chest and squeezing my hand on top of his, to make him feel my left breast. He immediately started biting his bottom lip.

“Jieun, for fuck’s sake.”

“What?” I asked, feigning innocence, quite enjoying how hard it was for him to alternate between looking at the road and stealing glances at my body.

“We’re almost home baby, don’t make me bust before I get to be inside you, please.”

“Mhm.” I leaned back into my seat, already picturing our bodies entangled in his sheets. “I’m still on birth control, by the way.”

“Music to my ears.” He chuckled, and minutes later we pulled into the underground parking lot of his apartment complex.

When he stopped the engine, we looked at each other, yearning for the other’s touch, and neither made our way to the doors. Instead, our bodies reacted like opposite magnet poles, reaching towards each other, our hands exploring, and our lips kissing as hard as we could.

“Upstairs is so far away.” Minho bit me again before pulled away with longing in his eyes, that were stuck on my now bruised lips. His thumb brushed over them and he took in a deep breath. “Shall we go?”

“Fuck, yes.” I nodded rapidly and didn’t wait for him to open my door to be the gentleman he always is. Instead, I practically jumped out of the car and ran towards Minho’s arms, who scooped me up just to feel me closer.

“I don’t want to let go.” He whispered, putting me back on the ground.

“Then don’t. I plan on holding onto you for the whole night anyway.” I replied and saw a smirk creeping onto his face.

“You know what I like very well, don’t you?”

“Of course.” I smirked back, feeling finally grateful for having those personal forms from In the Dark. I knew how much Minho craved intimacy, and I just knew we were about to have the most intimate, wet, sloppiest sex of our lives.

We didn’t stop kissing in the elevator, our roaming hands still exploring each other, even if our fingers recognised the other’s body very well already. Despite not having had sex in a few months, my hands still remembered him, and from his confident touches, it was clear his also remembered me.

It was hard to open his front door with my body pressed so tightly against it, but nonetheless, Minho managed, and he scooped me into his arms again to take me to his bedroom.

He placed me carefully on the bed, still kissing my lips, and then he lifted his body from on top of mine, nibbing at the skin on my neck and kissing his way down.

I needed him so badly, fuck, I wanted to squeeze my legs together just to relieve some of the insane pressure I felt, but his body wouldn’t allow it.

“Minho, please-” I begged as he kissed my naked thighs, but to my disappointment, he didn’t reach for my pussy yet. Instead, he kissed his way down to my ankles, taking off my heels and returning to his spot between my thighs.

“Please what?” He asked, and despite not seeing his face, I just knew the fucker was grinning from ear to ear.

“Come here. I want to feel you so bad…” I leaned my head back. Being prideful in this moment wouldn’t have helped the insatiable need I had for him. “I’m wet enough.”

“So?” He asked again, and before I had a chance to protest, he kissed my pussy through my panties. “You’re so naïve if you think you’re not gonna come multiple times tonight, Jieun. The first will be on my tongue.”

As he said this, his hands gripped the sides of my panties and he took them off, before settling back between my legs. His mouth didn’t hesitate to connect to my core, licking between my folds and forcing sounds out of me I didn’t even know I could make.

He knew exactly how much pressure to put with his tongue, how to move it, when to lick my clit and when to tease my entrance to prepare me for what was to come, and moments later, he got me panting for air and gripping the sheets.

“Fuck, you’re so hot when you moan like that, babe. Say my name.” Minho commanded, but it was hard to speak with how airless he left my lungs.

He left me no chance to recover from my orgasm as he stuck two fingers in my pussy, ripping a desperate moan from my lips.

“Fuck, Minho-”

“So, this got you talking, huh?” He chuckled, curling the fingers upwards and rubbing slowly against my walls.

“Don’t be mean to me. We have the whole night for me to moan your name.”

“I can’t help wanting to hear you.”

“I want to hear you too.” I confessed, feeling Minho’s fingers deep inside me, grateful for his gentleness as my body still recovered from the previous orgasm.

“You will, don’t worry.” He reassured me, pulling out the two fingers before I started to feel more pressure against my entrance.

“Minho, what are you-”

“My fingers are next.” He grinned.

“I can’t… it’s too soon.” I complained, feeling his three digits stretching me out. If moments ago, he was kind and patient with two of his fingers, he wanted to make sure to stretch me properly this time. All the kindness was gone.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Ugh.” I relaxed and let him enjoy himself. Firstly, he pulled them in and out a couple times, as if to get me used to the feeling, but after a little while, he started curving the fingers upwards once again, listening closely to every sound I made.

It started feeling way better than I imagined it would, and once he brushed against a perfect spot deep inside me, my body convulsed, and I arched my back involuntarily.

“Found it.” He grinned, focusing on that spot inside, and I didn’t know what to do with my hands as the pleasure was getting too intense.

The sheets were not enough to support me anymore, my grip on them even tighter than before, and my whole body started shaking as I felt my second orgasm approaching.

“Come on, baby, let it go for me, will you?” Minho asked, his fingers never once tiring, and my body listened to his words, my second orgasm washing over me like a strong wave.

“Fuck, Minho!”

“Good girl.” He praised, pulling his fingers out as my legs immediately clenched together.

I turned on my side and waited for the waves to stop, and Minho climbed behind me on the bed, hugging me tight.

“That was incredible.” I turned back and pressed my lips against his, a faint taste of myself still present on his mouth.

“You are incredible.” He kissed me again, hugging me tighter.

“I’m not sure I’m ready for the third one though.”

“Where’s the rush?” He asked. “I’m gonna fuck you for the whole night, there’s plenty of time to make you come one or a few more times.”

“I’m not sure my body can handle so many orgasms. I’ve come enough.” I chuckled.

“I decide when you’ve come enough.” He spoke lowly in my ear, sending shivers all over my body.

“You still haven’t gotten yours though.” I ran my hand from his chest to his still covered crotch.

His bulge was visible through his pants, and the moment my hand touched it and squeezed tightly, he let out a moan.

“You also sound hot when you’re vocal like that.”

“Oh, yeah? Do you want me to moan your name then, Jieun?” He asked breathless, longing in his eyes.

“Mhm. Let’s hear you moan.” I grinned as I shifted on the bed, climbing on top of his chest with my butt turned to his face to give him a nice view. From this position, it was easy to open his pants and take out his cock.

He was painfully hard, and the moment I touched him, it pulsed, full of need.

I didn’t hesitate to lick his head and take him into my mouth, and soon enough, his whole length was down my throat as I struggled to the best of my ability to take him.

“Jesus Christ, Jieun.” Minho moaned, which encouraged me to bop my head up and down on his dick, while my right hand played with his balls.

A few moments later, I pulled back to get some air and moved from on top of him, settling between his legs with my face in his crotch, facing him.

I resumed sucking him off, deliberately slowly at first to force him to look at me, and when his moans intensified, I picked up the pace.

I tried keeping him in the back of my throat, even if his length was hurting me, but with his praising hand on top of my head, I knew he was enjoying it.

“Fuck, babe, I’m gonna come.” He moaned, and before he started cumming down my throat, I pulled away and quickly moved my body, straddling him and aligning his cock with my pussy.

“Jieun- ”Minho moaned even harder as I let myself fall onto his dick, and he started cumming in my pussy, one of his hands a fist in his mouth, the other gripping my hip tight enough to bruise.

He raised his hips as he came in me, and even when he was done, neither of us pulled back.

“Your dress- take it off.” He instructed.

I quickly followed.

“Fuck, you’re so hot. Better than I imagined.” He spoke in a breath, squeezing my tits and admiring my body.

“What, did you dream about me?” I grinned and moved slowly, trying to see if he’d get hard again. Minho didn’t disappoint.

To make sure I’m keeping him inside, I let my body fall on top of him.

“Of course. All the time, my dear. Haven’t you?” He countered back in my ear, putting both his arms around my body and holding me tight against his chest as he started moving up and down himself, not letting me move at all.

Fucking himself from under me, Minho’s cock was reaching all the right places.

“Fuck.” I closed my eyes tightly and enjoyed the feeling, as his hands moved towards my butt and used it to push me onto him.

“Cum is a good lubricant, huh?” Minho asked with a soft chuckle.

“Mhm. You’re so good, babe-” I praised him instead, using the same pet name he used on me, and he squeezed my butt before pulling out.

“Turn around, I want to see you under me so bad.”

“Front? Back?”

“Although your ass would be one of the best sights in the world, I’d much rather see your flushed face.” He smirked and I playfully slapped his arm.

Still, I followed his words like the submissive bitch I am and laid on my back, grabbing my legs from behind my knees and pulling them towards me.

“Fuck.” Minho licked his lips and came between my legs, pushing his dick in with no hesitation.

Soon, his hands replaced mine on the back of my knees, and he pushed my legs as much as he could towards my chest, reaching angles I didn’t even know were possible.

“God, don’t stop.” I rolled my eyes back.

Minho replied with a grunt, his fingers digging deeper in my skin as his thrusts became more erratic.

“Minho, fuck, I think- third-” I tried to speak, but he was simply too good in bed. I couldn’t say anything more as I gave into his thrusts and came the third time that night, this time on his dick.

“Good girl-” Minho tried speaking too, but the focus on his face and his sloppy movements made it clear that he was also close to cumming.

“Come in me again, my love.” I whispered, taking his hands away from my legs and pulling his body towards mine.

He fell on top of me, keeping his face right above mine to be able to look in my eyes.

“You’re so damn beautiful, Jieun. Perfect for me.” He spoke in-between hurried breaths while holding me down and thrusting as hard as he could, until he released himself with a loud grunt.

“You’re too good to be true.” He whispered once he was done cumming, kissing my neck as he pulled out.

“Minho, I-”

“I love you.” He cut me off, looking into my eyes. “I love you so much, Jieun. You’re the only woman I ever want to be with, and I’m not saying this because we just had sex. I knew I loved you from months ago, and-”

“I love you too.” I cut him off this time and raised myself to shut his mouth with my lips, and we both smiled like idiots, so in love with each other and so close, we didn’t know where one ended and where the other began.

~

Chapter 12 | Chapter 14

[ladyevlada]

alex kingston . cis woman . she/her . wasn’t that eloisa vlada  walking the cobbled roads of coňstanja? it’s nice to see the lady of house vlada out and about on such a fine day as this. i’ve heard from the court spies that they are notoriously promiscuous, whilst also managing to be quite maternal. the thirty-three year old is eager to explore bran keep. i heard that they themselves aren't divine. it’s funny, whenever i think of them, i think of decadence and confidence used as a facade, the imperfect daughter shadowed by brilliance, gentle helping hands clenched into fists.

𝓫𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓬�� .

full name: eloisa  alessandra  vlada

nicknames: elo (family only), el

age: thirty-three 

gender / pronouns: cis woman she  /  her

orientation: pansexual 

cccupation: lady  of  house  vlada

home: coňstanja

𝓹𝓱𝔂𝓼𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 .

eye colour: grey

hair colour: reddish brown

distinctive features: extremely curly hair

face claim: alex kingston

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂 .

trigger for death of a sibling, child out of wedlock

She was a disappointment from the moment she drew breath. 'A girl!' they had exclaimed, the first born of the noble house of Vlada. Eloisa's father had walked out. He wanted a son, it mattered not to him that women could rule.

A son was born but three years later and the coolness from him softened somewhat. But from a young age it was made clear to Eloisa that she was not enough and that she would not inherit.

As it was all she knew though Eloisa did not initially mind. She tried her best to be a good daughter, she learnt everything she could and strove to be a helping hand. Above all she doted on her younger siblings.

When one sibling, Nikolaj presented as divine she was proud. But she could not deny the yawning feeling of dread which opened its mouth in the pit of her stomach. She cried alongside their mother as he left, careful not to let him or her other siblings see the tears.

She was eighteen when it all changed again. A woman now her mother had declared. Time to be a wife her father had been grumbling. She was meant to have been looking after her little brother but instead she had been talking with her betrothed, an innocent enough conversation, but she was too far away to hear his calls that he was stuck.

The sound of his little body hitting the ground haunts her dreams. Stuck in what feels like mud as she desperately tries to get to him, knowing she'll be too late.

Her parents rushed him away to the Academy to get help. Eloisa was ordered to stay with the others. Never once has Eloisa blamed Nik for not being able to save him, it was she who had let him be hurt in he first place. Their parents drew colder with her too. She withdrew into herself whilst in the home, only turning to religion even further.

Her betrothal was a gift at that time, a light in the darkness, the pair were smitten, or so Eloisa thought. It was a long engagement. Everytime a date was set his parents would find some delay or he would end up ill. Eloisa thought nothing of lying with him after all they were to be husband and wife.

The betrothal is broken off suddenly and without warning when Eloisa is nearing 26. She is heartbroken, her letters go unanswered and it is a scandal in the capital. The betrothed and his family move out of the city and Eloisa has now seen him since.

Once again a disappointment Eloisa stayed within the walls of her home for a year and when she returned she was different. Gone was the pious daughter of a noble, always looking to help others.

Now she was promiscuous, a vixen, a trap, cold-eyed and uncaring. She talked of no desire to marry, of no desire to rule. Opinion on her is not highly kept. She is known to have 'friends' of any gender staying in her suite and her parents don't hide their disgust. She spends the money on lavish clothes and parties that if not held at the house she will find another venue. A waste.

Her father, in his desperation for an heir he can be proud of, took on a ward who is officially under the care of Eloisa. He is now 8 years old.

There are three sides to every story, both sides of the people involved and then the truth. The truth is that when Eloisa's engagement was broken she was indeed heartbroken. When she found out she was with child that heartbreak turned to despair.

Her parents made it clear that she could not keep the child but after years of caring for her siblings Eloisa knew the moment she held her little boy she would not be able to give him up.

She begged and begged and eventually her father agreed to take him as a ward, claiming to other members of the household and city that he had been taken in as charity to an old service member who had died.

Eloisa adores her son, that is part of the reason why she acts the way she does. She knows that to marry she would have to deny him once more, that she would see him even less. So instead she spends her days with him, a doting mother as long as she is sheltered from public gaze, and her nights she makes herself as unmarriable as possible.

She can think of nothing worse than spending days at this wedding, she knows that people don't like her and she wishes she could bring herself to care. However a part of her still wants to be that well behaved daughter, so she is coming to court, her 'ward' in tow, to at least been seen as attempting to find a match.

[theroyalsims]

SIMBLEDON APPEARANCE WITH ANYA HAS "LEGITIMISED" ALISTAIR AND MARGEAUX'S RELATIONSHIP

There's officially a new royal "It Couple" in town!

With today's Simbledon appearance, royal fans and royal watchers everywhere got a first "official" glimpse of Alistair and his new girl, Margeaux. And apparently, the simple tennis date is much bigger than it seems. One royal expert suggests:

"This was more than just going out to watch tennis. This was Al saying 'look, I'm taken, this is my girl and we're happy together.' The move is a slap on the face to all his detractors and for everyone criticising Margeaux.

For weeks now, since they were first spotted together, the two have been hounded by negative publicity and some even gave Margeaux the cruel monicker 'Princess Rebound.' But with this outing, the message is loud and clear: this is not just a fling. They're legit. Plus, you take into consideration that it came with Anya's mark of approval, you can say Margeaux's very much fitting in quite nicely with the royal bunch."

(Above: Prince Al and Margeaux, with the Prince's security detail, were photographed leaving Simbledon Arena.)

The difference between the Prince's latest relationship is said to be night and day compared to his previous romance with Ximena Kalarmy. A source close to the Prince shares:

"Al and Ximena were together for years, but we actually never got to see them 'out' except maybe for her restaurant opening. Everything else, they were all paparazzi shots of their private dates. But now, we see Al and he's really happy to be out with Margeaux.

With Ximena, there was a point when all the nasty stuff spewed by the press got to her and she was really insecure. That's despite the fact that Al never let her feel inferior. He made sure she knew he loved her. But that was never enough. Ximena got into her own head and eventually, that caused Alistair to call it quits with her. I think in the end, he got tired of having to tell her again and again that she's enough. A man can only take so much."

(Above: Chatting like old pals - Anya has welcomed Margeaux into the royal fold.)

Ximena's fear of not fitting in with the royals was reportedly an issue with the couple as well. The source further reveals:

"Whenever Al invites her to family outings and dinners, she'd shrink back and put up her walls again. It was a never-ending case of 'what-ifs': what if Anya doesn't like me? What if I use the wrong fork? What if I forget to curtsy? Do I have to curtsy? In the beginning it was normal, we don't all get to meet royals and there are certain formalities and protocols, but they were together for over three years, and she never got past that. It was clear to Al that it was always going to be an issue. But still, he loved her, and he was ready to marry her. When he got shot down because of those same issues, he just had it.

The sad part? The royals seemed to genuinely like her for Alistair. Even Prince Jacques thought that she was 'sweet.' All those stories about Anya and Ingrid snubbing her was not at all true. For starters, Anya is incredibly busy and isn't at all that invested with her sibling's love lives. It was Ximena and her walls that kept her distant from Al's family. Ingrid is arguably the nicest of the bunch and even she had to ask Alistair if she'd offended Ximena in any way because Ximena wasn't talking to her."

These revelations seem to clarify the whole Alistair+Ximena break-up, but we feel that it's a tad bit unfair to keep talking about the young lady, especially now that she's no longer with Prince Al. How about we appreciate Al's newest relationship and finally leave poor Ximena alone. Not all break-ups need a villain. Sometimes things just don't work between two people despite both of them loving each other.

[lunar-years]

If you pause and zoom in, the texts are VERY desperate. Asking for dates, begging for contact, talking about trying to forget about all the drama. They totally took away any sort of moral high ground Keeley had in 3.08 here, like it felt like, you know, Keeley didn't like Jack's POV, she was right, and it was up to Jack to change her mind and get on Keeley's level. Now, it looks like Keeley was willing to just cave and beg, like she wanted Jack back so bad. It isn't a great look that they've done this to her character. What the hell?

Okay to preface this I haven't gone back and zoomed in on the texts yet so I'm just taking your word for it that they're very desperate (but combined with the raging context clue of there being about a million zillion of them and that one being a solid BLOCK of text [oh Keeley] I don't exactly find it hard to believe, lol).

What I will say is that I continue to think Keeley is much worse off mentally right now than she appears on the surface. I don't think what they're trying to get at is that she's suddenly tossing her morals out the window by begging for Jack to take her back...it's just that her morals are currently being overridden by her overwhelming fear of abandonment and her desperation for external validation as well as her lack of confidence and trust in her own mind. I made a post a few nights ago after rewatching 3x08, and the same sort of problems are written all over that scene where she asks Rebecca if she should be embarrassed or ashamed by the leak. Keeley knows she is in the right, but she still can't quite believe it, she still questions herself, she still needs Rebecca to confirm it for her. I think the same things are at play here with these texts to Jack.

The problem I have with it is that we've now spent an entire season on this Keeley CEO girl boss arc...and I don't think it's progressed her character at all. If anything, I actually think her self-esteem has only tanked further. When the season first started, I thought they were going to use Shandy as a mechanism for Keeley to grow and develop into a mentor who could carry on what Rebecca has done for her, but right now she is still not anywhere near being in a position to be that person for someone else.

Listen, I loved that Roy and Keeley broke up before the season started because I truly felt they needed time to discover themselves and grow into the best versions of themselves before they could ever succeed together. Instead, they've both been in an absolute crisis-spiral all season (but at least I feel Roy has made some progress in the Chelsea episode and his scenes with Jamie, as well as tonight, and I think his spiral has just generally been clearer and better written).

The messy crisis era for the two of them is all well and good unless:

we really do only have three episodes left of this show EVER and we are only just NOW starting the upswing of their mutual growth arc

they throw Roy and Keeley back together before the season ends when it is more obvious now than ever that they are not in a good position to be doing that shit. For one, they've still barely spoken all season. What they need is a reckoning with one another (and Jamie) and then a friendship era before anything happens between them again relationship-wise. Three episodes isn't enough for that all to happen, however you slice it.

Which is to say, I think a lot of this might still work if it is ultimately setup for a s4, but it is not working as a final season arc, if that's what it truly is, and in that case I would think they've done a disservice to Keeley's character.

[casspurrjoybell-24]

Sugar Punch - Chapter 12

*Warning: Adult Content*  SUGAR🥊 🥊PUNCH

- Maddox -

I had somehow convinced Theo to stay but now that he was here, what the fuck was I supposed to do now?

I've hooked up with plenty of people, and in the morning, I didn't need to say anything for them to leave and if I had to get rid of them, I didn't feel anything about it, it was just spontaneous fun in the end.

I don't know if I could call what I did to his guy last night spontaneous because it didn't feel the same as the times I slept with other people, in fact I didn't know what to feel about it.

His ass was nice and I had fun, as much fun as a guy can have having sex with another guy but the big question was, what did Theo think we were?

He was a virgin until I introduced him to my dick, did he also now expect some type of relationship from me because of that?

I didn't want to hurt the guy, I liked having him around and he had potential as a fighter but I just wasn't the dating type of guy.

I fucked, plain and simple, I didn't want to be tied town, especially not by some eighteen-year-old, with his life ahead of him and mine at it's peak.

The moment I woke up and saw him in my bed, I did what I always did, hit the showers and then went to train in my home gym, nothing was different for me other than my hips were hurting just enough to be noticeable.

I did carry him around last night, like my own personal blown-up doll and I can only say that's the reason why he slept in so long, the poor guy didn't know what he just signed up for when he agreed to come home with me.

I had dropped him off around 3 and now I was getting ready for tonight, as my dumbass cousin, Adian, was fighting in a mixed martial arts exclusive club downtown and wanted me to be there for 'emotional support' whatever the fuck that meant.

The moment he called me I felt the air shift between me and Theo, he suddenly wanted to go home and although I did convince him to stay for three more hours, he was quiet the entire time as we watched TV together, even when I drove him home.

Honestly, at this point I should just stop whatever this was and remain his personal trainer, there was shit he was clearly dealing with and I had my own shit going on, getting into a complicated relationship with this kid wasn't going to do me any favours.

Despite that, I didn't want to let him go just yet, which put me in quite the predicament.

Did he regret sleeping with me?

I know I asked if he liked it but you can like something and then regret it, I never could read him well, especially when he was quiet.

Fuck, I knew nothing about him and it's not like I'm some mind reader but then again, it's my fault for not asking anything and just going with the flow, so either way, I'm a piece of shit.

Parking my car, turning it off and then getting out, I look over the side of the street and sigh out at the amount of people turning up for this fight tonight, wishing I just stayed home and went to bed early.

I knew what tonight was, having me at Adian's corner put him in a limelight and got him work, which I really didn't mind but now he was doing it almost every month which was starting to piss me off, just because we're family.

"Maddox," the bouncer, Ryan nodded to me as I tapped him on the shoulder, walking past him.

The moment I stepped inside the club I saw how this night was going to end.

There were half naked girls carrying around drinks and the air was filled with smoke as some shit banging music filled the air, I also noticed the further I walked through the crowd that I wasn't the only famous fighter here.

Jimmy Southpaw, he was slow on his kicks but before his opponents could go for his legs, it was too late because you were already knocked out from a simple punch, he looked rough with his buzzcut head and piercings but he was a decent family guy.

There was also Peter Moss, another great fighter who came from the gutter just like I did, rising to the top from all the way at the bottom, his kicks were strong and I definitely missed seeing him fight.

The poor fucker injured his leg slipping near a pool on holiday, ended his career right there, just like that.

"Yō, Mads," I hear someone call my name as I stood near the bar, turning around to see who it is.

I look down at my trainer and closest friend, wondering what the fuck he's doing here.

"Come on don't look at me like that," he chuckled out, standing next to me, ordering a drink for himself and one for me.

"I'm not drinking Jordan, cut that shit out," I tell him, looking around to see who else has showed up for tonight's fight.

"Then fix your face, you look like someone just stood on your balls," he said, as I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore him before I whacked him.

"Have you seen Aiden?"

He hummed out, putting his drink to his lips as his eyes scanned the crowd.

"I saw him with two girls not long ago, so probably in the backroom getting all his nerves out before the fight starts."

Of-course he is.

"Give him a break, it's hard to live in your shadow, Mads."

"My shadow?" I scoff out. "If he tried to keep his act together, he could've made it professional, instead he's doing the same shit we did when we were 16."

Jordan sighs beside me but doesn't say anything more into it, already knowing I was right as Aiden never took anything serious, instead he used my name to get fights and pick up women and use me as his own personal get out of jail free card.

He came from the same shithole I did, so of-course I helped him out once I made my first million and won my first big fight but unlike me he choose his path and stayed the leech, he was a good fighter but he lacked ambition, he just liked to sit there and tell me 'it's hard'.

The more I stood here the more I just wanted to fucking leave, I was doing him a solid today and then I wasn't going to do this anymore.

I wonder what Theo was doing?

He wanted to go home so desperately, so he must be up to something.

"So, what's really got your ugly face stuck like that?" Jordan asks beside me. "It's not Aiden, so what's up?"

If only I could put what I felt into words right now, Jordan's head would spin but there was no way I could say anything here, with too many eyes and ears looking and listening in on us talking, next thing I know is my name with a pride flag under it spread everywhere on social media and on news websites.

I didn't need that.

I choose to ignore Jordan and focus on the ring as the lights started to dim and everyone started to make their way to the seats, positioned around the large ring inside of the club.

Just as I was going to make my way to Aiden's corner, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket as someone was calling me.

Taking my phone out of my pocket, I was surprised to see that Theo was calling me, as the last time I saw him he barely spoke a few words to me, even the thirty-minute drive I did to take him home.

I looked at his name and sighed out before ignoring the call, not wanting to get into whatever he wanted to say right now, even if I he could hear me, there was no way I was going to hear him with the crowd this rowdy.

Whatever Theo had to say was going to have to wait until Monday, until then I wanted to try and enjoy the shit-show in front of me.

Fuck it, I might as well take that drink, without it I'm just getting more annoyed but not only from this morning but the fact I don't even know what I felt for him and I was too old to play this game he was playing with me, giving me silent treatment.

I grabbed the nearest unopened bottle of Champagne on the table in front of me and started chugging it like it was water, wanting to numb this feeling I felt in my chest as much as possible.

I felt my phone ring again in my pocket and choose to ignore it, I found my seat next to Aiden's team and said my 'hello's' and then I waited for the fighters to come out, taking another drink from the bottle, ready for forget the shitty day that I had. 

[ericac318]

Title: Atonement

Summary: Fallon James is an American Marketing Executive hired by Keely to work exclusively at AFC Richmond.What happens when Fallon strikes the fancy of Rupert Mannion? Find out in this little one-shot. Rupert x OC

Chapter 1

A/N: I’m taking a slightly AU journey on my fic because I love Rupert (I know … I’m terrible) but that Darth Vader strut was too much. In this story, Rupert did cheat on Rebecca but he hasn’t had a romance since and he isn’t tied up in any scandals. It might end with some light smut because I love Anthony Head. 

PS: Don’t hate me for this overdramatic, self-indulgent work. 

Fallon was walking away from the locker room when she ran straight into Rupert Mannion. 

“I’m so sorry,” she began until she saw his face. His blue eyes were locked onto hers as well as his smug expression. “How did you get in here?” she asked. 

Fallon didn’t know Rebecca as well as she’d like but she knew enough to know who this man was. 

His lips curved into a smirk, “I suppose that I don’t need to introduce myself, but may I ask, who are you? You’re quite lovely,” he added, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles. 

“It’s not really your business,” she replied, pulling her hand away, “I’m Fallon James and I work in marketing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

She started to walk away but chose to turn back at the last minute causing her to notice him moving with a visible limp. 

Against her better judgement, Fallon called out to him, “Mr. Mannion?” Once he stopped, she made her way back to him. “This really shouldn’t be a concern for me, but are you alright? I’ve seen you at the games and you’ve never had a limp before.”

“Nothing serious, if you were worried it might slow the two of us down when I, inevitably, take you out. I’ve just been having some trouble with my back,” he answered.

She shook her head, “You won’t be taking me out because I respect Rebecca far too much to go out with her ex. I hope you feel better,” she added before she turned to leave, for real this time.

“You’ll see that I’m right, eventually,” he shouted back as she moved further and further away. 

A few days later, Fallon was sitting in Rebecca’s office when the topic of Rupert came about. 

“Fallon, someone was in here asking about you the other day. He’s not the same man he was three years ago,” she added before taking a sip of her tea.

“Even if I liked him, I would never go on a date with your ex-husband,” Fallon replied, “I can’t break girl code, especially rule number one. Plus, I don’t know how much he’s really changed. He was extremely arrogant during our little interaction.”

Fallon’s response made Rebecca laugh before she spoke again, “That’s just how he is, unfortunately. But, I don’t think of it as a bad thing like I used to. It’s his way of protecting himself if he gets rejected,” she explained as Keeley joined them, taking a seat next to Fallon.

“Are you talking about how Rupert asked your permission to ask Fallon out?” Keeley inquired, holding back a squeal.

Fallon was beside herself, “He asked for your permission? I really don’t think I could, though. It feels too much like a betrayal. Did he ask you that when he was here?”

Rebecca shook her head, “No, he asked after I told all of those old men off after the Akufo meeting. I think I reminded him of who he used to be and that made him want to give love, or at least like, another chance. I won’t be upset if you go out with him because I’ve moved past him and I’d hate to be the reason two people don’t find each other,” she shared, her tone sobering the room.

Fallon shrugged, “I’m not sure this is as serious as what you just said, but I am willing to keep an open mind. If I see him again and he asks … maybe, I’ll say yes.”

“He’s a little old for you, Fal,” Keeley commented, “Not to add a damper on the mood, just pointing it out.”

Fallon laughed, “He’s a little old for Rebecca and a lot old for me, but I would be lying if I said that mattered. Anyway, let’s just see how things go.” She changed the subject, “Are we all still on for drinks and karaoke tonight?”

“Yes!” Keeley and Rebecca answered in unison. 

Fallon arrived at the stadium for what could be the last match of the season. Before she made her way to the box where Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins would be waiting, she stopped in the locker room to wish the team and the coaches good luck.

Once she reached their box, the match was just about to start. Fallon noticed Rupert sitting on the West Ham side but she managed to avoid his gaze as she took her seat. 

“He’s going to ask you,” Rebecca whispered as the game began. 

“I’m sure he won’t be thinking about a date after we win this game,” Fallon challenged, trying to distract herself. She wanted him to ask and she was afraid to get her hopes up. 

Keeley shook her head at Fallon’s comment, “If he loses today, he’ll be more likely to ask you out because that’s a win in his book.”

Fallon nodded as she shushed them so she could pretend to focus on the match while ignoring the urge to turn back and sneak a glance in Rupert’s direction.

After half-time, Richmond began making a comeback to Fallon’s delight. As she celebrated another goal, she noticed Rupert standing to leave his seat. 

She couldn’t help herself as she stood to move in his direction as she watched him grasp the wall for support. Her concern for him was alarming for how little she knew about him.

Fallon grasped his elbow subtly, supporting some of his weight, as she walked with him back into the suite.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing,” she warned, “I think you should resist. You’ve grown a lot over the past three years. So much so that Rebecca almost respects you.”

Rupert shook off her grasp and began strutting through the stadium, his limp more evident than it had ever been, previously 

Fallon shook her head as she took a seat on one of the sofas in the suite and opened a beer. She knew she was right to avoid going out with that man. 

She didn’t know what she was expecting, but whatever scenario she’d dreamt up, never happened. 

Rupert reappeared, trying to hide his wince as he took a seat beside her. “You’re right. I have to let go of my anger. I’m sorry you had to see me like that. I’m sure it ruined my chances of taking you out for dinner after the match,” he conceded, taking her beer from her hand and throwing it back.

Fallon cocked her head to the side with a little sound, “I don’t know. There’s still hope but only if you can answer one question, honestly…”

“What’s that?” he inquired, tentatively placing his hand on her knee as they sat together.

She took a breath, “I’m confused about your reaction to Richmond tying the game. Don’t you win either way? You love both of these teams.”

Rupert thought over her words for a moment before he responded, “I should be happy either way, but I’ve been so blinded by my anger that I couldn’t even see it. You, Fallon James, might be what I’ve been missing for all of these years. Being around you gives me a balance that I’ve been missing and we’ve barely just begun to get to know each other.” He changed the subject as he moved in closer, putting his arm around her shoulder, “How about that date? I would very much like to take you out,” he confessed, feeling lighter than he had in a very long time.

“I would like that very much, however, what if we have dessert first?” she whispered as she turned into him until her body was almost on top of his.

Rupert leaned in until his lips were upon hers, pulling her onto his lap until she was straddling him. He pulled back, “Are you sure you want to jump straight in? I am trying to turn over a new leaf,” he gasped, gathering his breath after their first kiss.

Fallon rolled her hips into his erection before she replied, “I am sure, but not here. Let’s go to my office. I’m not hurting you am I?” she asked before resuming the kiss, pulling his bottom lip between her teeth, enjoying the way he moaned against her mouth.

Rupert shook his head before he whispered, “Lead the way.”

The End

[blackshadowswriter]

Make It Better┃ Matt Murdock

Summary: You've had nothing but bad experiences with men and periods, something Matt will not stand. He's determined to make it better for you, and oh, he succeeded.

Words: 3,840

CW: period stigma (dickhead men being assholes about periods), smut (nipple play, clit stimulation, praise kink, aftercare)

AN: I've been seeing quite a few period comfort fics with Matt on here, and the writers were all like "my period just started, so I wanted to write this," and like, are our cycles all aligned? Because me too bitches, and I decided to join the party ✌

Periods. Menstruation. That time of the month.

Call it what you want. There was no disguising the harsh truth once a girl got hers—that periods were plain misery.

Your old Sunday school teachers from middle school when your parents dragged you to church told all the girls how their monthly menstruations were a blessing from God, a sign of fertility and womanhood. All of the class had gazed up at the nun preaching this with expression ranging from amazement to apprehension to downright horror.

You were one of the last group, and you had found out soon enough that you were right. Despite all the praises that nun had sang to God for "blessing" the girls with their periods, there was no hiding the fact that periods were downright torture.

There you were on a Friday night in the present, thinking of that nun and her insistent voice ringing with memory in the back of your head: "Remember, girls, always thank God when your monthly menstruation begins for God has blessed you with fertility of a woman."

Bullshit. Absolute fucking bullshit, you thought.

And there you were, curled up in bed, cursing that nun in your head with language that could have given the aurora borealis a run for its money.

Dull throbs of agony worked its way from your lower abdomen all the way through your body, resonating to your back, to your chest, to your thighs. You were tangled up in the sheets in the fetal position, unwilling to move any more than was necessary at the moment even though such movement would be inevitable. You'd already ran through three tampons, and your period had just started this afternoon.

The first and second days were always the worst.

A miserable noise escaped your lips as you rolled over slightly onto your boyfriend's side of the bed. Speaking of which, he should be back from work soon—

The sound of the front door opening met your ears, paired with the familiar tap of a cane echoing through the living room to the open door of the bedroom.

"Sweetheart, I'm home!"

Any other day, the low timber of Matt's voice would have had you springing up from the bed or the couch or wherever you'd nestled and racing into his arms. Today, however, you simply burrowed further into the bed, groaning.

"Sweetheart?" Matt appeared at the doorway, the concerned furrow of his brows evident as he made his way to your side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just...bad day," you mumbled, your voice muffled by the pillow you had buried your face in, unwilling to face the embarrassment of telling Matt what was going on. While the two of you had been dating for months now, this was the first time you'd gotten your period since you moved into Matt's apartment with him. This was an unfortunate side issue you admittedly hadn't been thought about when you agreed.

"Yeah?" The bed dipped down slightly where Matt sat down next to you. His calloused fingers were in your hair a second later, gently scratching your scalp. The heavenly feeling of his hands in your hair usually had you purring and curling against him, but all it did today was make you whine. "Tell me about it then?"

You sighed softly, shifting your position as you uncurled your legs to stretch them out. "Just everything bad in genera—Matt? You alright?"

He had gone stiff, his blank eyes darting around and his mouth set in a hard line. In a second, his hands were around your waist, hauling you up from the bed and dragging your form towards him.

A disgruntled huff flew from your lips at the sudden movement. You wound up in Matt's lap, which was something you usually wouldn't protest against, but the situation in your bitch of a uterus sent a fresh wave of pain stabbing in your abdomen. "Matt!" you complained. "What's going on?"

"Where is it?" Matt demanded, his ever gentle hands roaming up and down your waist and skimming across the sides of your thighs as if looking for something. "Who did it to you?"

"Did what?" you asked in confusion.

"I can smell it," he growled, teeth slightly bared as he hunted for the perceived threat. "Who hurt you?"

"N-no one hurt me," you said, utterly bewildered, watching him search for any sign of injury along your body even though there was none. Perhaps this was just a clever ploy to feel you up. You reached up to tap the side of his cheek. "I think your bat senses are acting up, Matt."

He softened at your touch, but his hands remained persistent, roaming across your legs. Oddly enough, his touch was centered in the general area of your hips and thighs as he skimmed for any hurt. That was only further cementing your theory of him just trying to get handsy. "I can smell your blood, sweetheart," he rumbled. "Where are you hurt? Tell me who did it to you."

You froze. "Y-you...can...smell..."

Matt's head tilted to the side. "There's blood around the area of your thighs," he murmured. "Who hurt you?"

Realization washed over you like a bucket of icy cold water. You slumped forward with a groan, pressing your palms to your forehead. Embarrassment was searing its way through your face, turning your cheeks bright red. "No, Matt, no," you sighed, grimacing as you searched for a way to explain. "I'm not hurt. No one hurt me. I'm...I'm fine."

"I can smell blood," he insisted. "You're hurt."

"I'm not hurting," you groaned, tipping your head forward to bury it in your hands, wincing when the movement only amplified your cramps.

Matt's brow furrowed as he tilted his head further towards your chest. Oh shit, you thought as you realized he was listening to your heartbeat, likely hearing the lie in your words that you weren't hurting while your cramps were mowing down every nerve in your fucking uterus.

His hand stilled on your left thigh, and he slowly rubbed a circle into your skin with his thumb. "Why won't you tell me, sweetheart?" he asked softly. "I can tell you're in pain, I can smell the endorphins. What's wrong?"

You flopped backwards onto the bed with a wince. "'M not hurt," you mumbled sullenly. "They're just cramps."

"Cramps?"

Burying your face underneath to pillow as if it would hide you from your humiliation, you grumbled, ""M on my period, Matt."

Your legs were still resting across Matt's lap, so you felt the moment he stilled at your words. You cringed beneath the pillow, waiting for one of the inevitable responses you had heard from men all the time: ew, that's disgusting, get off me, go away—

"Oh," he said softly, a faint note of what sounded like relief in his voice. That made no sense; why would he be relieved? He should be disgusted, he should be grossed out, he should be telling you to get off his bed.

The bed shifted around you, and Matt's legs slid out from underneath you. Your eyes closed in resignment, but at least him just leaving was better than him kicking you out, you decided.

Instead, an strong arm snaked around your waist, and the comforting feel of Matt's warm weight was draped across your back. He pulled you into his chest, spooning you as he wrapped his arms around your scrunched-up form. His lips ghosted across the side of your neck to press a kiss along your jawline.

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed in your ear. "Are you alright?"

Your brain took a few seconds to adjust to the fact that Matt was still here, Matt hadn't run away, he hadn't asked you to leave, he was cuddling with you instead of treating you like some disgusting animal, he was still here—

You frowned and rolled over onto your back to look up at him. "Why aren't you running away?"

"Why would I?" Matt asked, confused. His tone, sincere as it was, only served to befuddle you even further. He really, truly saw no reason to leave you. How?

"I'm on my period," you said slowly as if his radar hearing hadn't heard it loud and clear the first time.

Matt nuzzled his face against your neck, tangling his legs with yours. "And?" he murmured sleepily.

"I thought...are you not, you know...grossed out?"

"Why would I?" he asked again, his fingers coming up to stroke the side of your face. "It's just blood, isn't it? Sweetheart, you can't possibly think that blood would scare me away? I bleed every night." His voice was tinged with amusement.

"It's different," you mumbled, turning to hide your face against his throat, pleasantly surprised when he let you. Gentle hands slid up into your hair, stroking the back of your head tenderly.

Matt hummed in disagreement. "How so? Blood's blood."

"It's..." You huffed out a sigh of frustration. "God, Matt, do I really have to explain how periods work to you?"

"I did pass high school biology, thank you very much," Matt laughed.

"Then you do know that my bitch of a uterus is currently pouring buckets of blood out my fucking vagina?"

An amused smirk lifted the corner of his lips up. "That wasn't exactly how they phrased it in school, but I guess the general idea was the same."

"How are you still here?" you demanded. "Why aren't you leaving? Or kicking me out of the bed or—or—"

A dark shadow crossed Matt's face, any trace of humor disappearing from his expression. He licked his lips slowly, and when he spoke, his words were tainted with restrained anger that you understood wasn't directed at you. "Have others done that to you before? They kicked you out of the bed?"

"Um...well, all of my exes were grossed out," you mumbled, watching the corner of Matt's lips tighten in displeasure. You had no idea why he was so angered by this new information—was that not how all men treated periods? "Some just had varying levels of reactions."

Matt curled his lip, teeth clenching and eyes burning with fiery fury. "I hope none of them ever find themselves in Hell's Kitchen," he said darkly. "Or I'll be having a talk with them at night."

You had no doubt Matt wasn't referring to a nice little innocent-blind-lawyer-here-to-help talk. Most definitely, more of a break-your-bones-as-the-devil kind of talk.

"Why?" you asked, infinitely confused. "I mean...I thought it was normal for guys to, you know...react like that."

Matt scoffed harshly. "No," he growled. "Those exes of yours are all assholes." He stroked the side of your face tenderly and dipped his head down to kiss you, soft and sweet, a stark contrast to the anger thrumming below the surface in his body. You tilted your head up to return the kiss, your head still caught up on the fact that holy shit, he was still here, he hadn't run away.

"I love you," you sighed against his lips, feeling him soften against you.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he murmured. Matt nuzzled against your neck, trailing kisses along your throat as he entwined his legs with yours. His arm slid firmly around your waist and pulled you into his chest, kissing your lips again.

Eyes fluttering shut, you relaxed in Matt's arms, savoring in the feel of his heavenly soft lips against yours. You were just getting comfortable, all cuddled up against him when another vicious cramp rolled across your stomach. A sharp whine at the pain falling from your lips broke the kiss as you drew your legs up to your chest with a miserable groan.

You rolled over, burying your face in the pillow. "Stupid—fucking—cramps," you hissed.

Matt rubbed your back sympathetically. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said softly. "I wish I could make it better." You could hear the frustration at his helplessness in this situation bleeding into his voice.

"Yeah, I wish you could too," you mumbled, pressing the heel of your palm against your closed eyes as if the darkness would minimize your pain. Alas, it did nothing except make little stars pop up behind your eyelids from how hard you dug your hands in. "It's fine, Matt. This happens every month. I'll live. I'll just...ride this out until it's done."

"I don't like it," Matt grumbled. "I don't like you being in pain.

"'You can't do anything about it," you reminded him gently, shifting in bed to look at him, hiding a grimace at the throbbing cramps the movement brought. You reached up to brush your fingers along his cheek. "It's not like you can go all Daredevil on my uterus. Which wouldn't exactly help anyways."

A thoughtful hum vibrated against your skin as Matt pressed a kiss to your shoulder, running his fingers along your arm. After a few moments of consideration, he said quietly, "You know...I read something the other day. About periods."

"Yeah?" You lifted a teasing eyebrow that you knew he could feel if not see. "And what exactly, Mr. Murdock, were you doing reading about periods?"

He huffed out a laugh. "Doesn't really matter," he said evasively, and your eyebrows traveled further up your forehead. "I read that oxytocin can help relieve period cramps."

"And?"

"And..." Matt nudged you over on your back, hovering his body over yours and dipping down to kiss you. "You know what releases oxytocin?"

"'M—not a—scientist—Matt," you complained as he started pecking you on the lips like a fucking bird. "I don't know—cuddling probably?"

"Mhm," he agreed, easing up on his insistent pecking and trailing his lips down to your throat. "That's one. What else?"

"You're not my 9th grade biology teacher," you huffed, grimacing through more cramps and drawing in a pained breath through clenched teeth. "What else releases oxytocin then, professor?"

Matt lifted his head from your neck, and the devilish grin he flashed you was practically dripping with sin. "Orgasms," he said with a perfectly innocent face.

You blinked. "Wha—Matt!"

Your question dissolved into a yelp when Matt yanked you towards him suddenly, bracing himself on his elbows over you, one of his hands cupping your jaw as he kissed you languidly. His insistent tongue slid into your mouth the second you opened it to him, the molten heat of him melting into you. Despite yourself, you let out a strangled moan, your own hands reaching up for him.

"Matt," you panted against his lips. "I can't—I'm sorry—not right now, I'm on my period."

"Oh sweetheart." He cradled the side of your face in one hand and slid his hand down to your thigh thigh, hiking your leg up around his hip before dipping his head down towards yours, his lips hovering an inch from yours. "You don't think that'll stop me, do you?"

"Mhm," you mumbled between his kisses. "Matt—'M bleeding—'s not gonna be pretty—"

"Well, lucky for me, that won't be a problem, will it?" Matt asked, that hungry, ridiculously hot smirk cropping up again as he dragged your lips back to his, hands gliding up across your waist. You had gone to bed in a pair of panties and an oversized shirt, and clearly, Matt was taking advantage of your lack of clothing.

Not that you were complaining in the slightest.

But the fact still stood that there was enough blood pouring out of you to fill the goddamn Nile River.

It was hard to form a coherent thought between Matt's insistent kisses and his exploring hands, and you wanted nothing more than to just melt into his arms and let him do whatever the fuck he wanted to do to you. Normally, that was a good enough plan but not on your period. You would bleed all over Matt's silk sheets, and you didn't think Matt could handle the smell nor you the embarrassment.

"Matt," you whined as his hands got more adventurous, sliding up underneath your shirt to gently massage at your skin.

"Shh," he murmured, nipping lightly at your neck while one of his large, calloused hands found their way up to your breasts. You arched into his touch when he brushed his fingers softly over your nipples, a breathy moan escaping your lips despite yourself. "Just let me take of you, okay? Let me make it better for you, sweetheart. Let me help you. Can you do that for me, honey?"

"I—fuck," you gasped when he rolled your nipple between his fingers, your sensitive body reacting instantly to his touch. Heat coiled between your legs, and you automatically tried to squeeze them together, but Matt was still cradled between your thighs.

But he felt the way you clenched around his broad hips, a low chuckle sounding in your ear. "Sounds like you want it, sweetheart," he mused, switching to cup your other breast in his hand with a reverent murmur of your name. "Don't fight it—it's okay. Let me make it better, okay?"

"Fuck," you groaned, instinctively grinding your hips upwards into Matt's. "Yes, yes, okay. Fuck, yes, Matt."

The sinful smile he gave you made it all worth it. "Good girl," he praised softly, grin only widening when you whimpered at the name. "Let's get this off now, hmm?" he purred, tugging at your shirt.

All too eager, you practically ripped it off your body with a panting groan as Matt lowered himself down so that his body molded against yours, the almost burning heat of his mouth gliding up across your stomach to your breasts. He sucked one gently, swirling his tongue around your oversensitive nipple before switching to the other while you moaned above him. Your breathless gasps of his name only urged him on further as his fingers danced down towards the waistband of your panties, skimming across the soft skin of your hip.

"Matt," you groaned when he curled his fingers in the fabric, ready to tug them off. "I—mphm—gonna get blood on—on the sheets—"

"Don't care," he said absently, shifting down the bed to settle between your legs, already sliding your panties down your legs. "'S just blood, and they're just sheets. I want you."

Before you could even begin to comprehend just how much that one statement meant to you, Matt's fingers were diving into your folds, swiping across both blood and wetness before bringing them back up to circle your clit achingly slowly. A broken whine spilled from your mouth, the first caress of pleasure coming after days of pain and cramps like a glimpse of sun breaking through clouds.

You gasped Matt's name in both praise and plea combined, nearly writhing when he finally applied more pressure where you desperately needed against your sensitive clit. Hips bucking up into his hand, you let out a needy moan, eyes rolling back into your head while he worked his fingers in the magical way only Matthew fucking Murdock could.

"That's it, sweetheart," Matt cooed, speeding up the pace of his fingers. You could hear the absolutely sinful sound of your slick against Matt's fingers as he stroked you faster. "You're doing so well for me. Just let go, I got you."

The praise had you panting and gasping like each breath was the last one you could take. Fiery pleasure was scorching its way across you, starting at the point where Matt was touching you so well and burning across every nerve in your body like a supernova exploding into existence.

"So close, sweetheart, just let go," Matt encouraged, gliding his fingers over your swollen bud. "Come for me, sweetheart."

And then, he slid a hand up your body to roll over your nipple at the exact moment he brushed his fingers up against that spot on your clit, and that was it. You cried out, Matt's name echoing on repeat in the bedroom while molten heat rolled across your body in a tidal wave, days of pent up stress melting away as you finally gave way to pleasure. Your body trembled as you came down from your orgasm, and your head fell back against the pillows with a blissed out moan.

"Mm...Matt," you slurred, still drunk on the feel of your slowly receding pleasure.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he called, sounding oddly distant.

You peered blearily at the doorway, only now realizing that he had disappeared from the bed. Your heart sank, lazy afterglow of pleasure giving way to gripping anxiety once more. God, this was what you had been afraid of. Even Matt, as wonderful as he was, would also be grossed out by your blood all over him, something you couldn't blame him for—you probably looked like an extra for the Walking Dead down there. No wonder he had left. Your head flopped back down, an empty feeling worming its way into your chest.

But then the bed shifted again under Matt's weight, and you looked up, confused once more, to see Matt sliding back in bed with you, a warm washcloth in hand.

"What's wrong?" he asked you, his now clean hand coming up to stroke your cheek. "I heard your heart going up. What happened?"

"I..." You watched in a state of half disbelief and half awe as Matt gently wiped away the blood smeared along the insides of your thighs with no disgust, no judgement, no desire to hastily sweep away the evidence—just sweet, genuine care. On a normal day, this would warrant a thank you, a gesture of affection in return, or just anything to thank him like a normal person would.

But this wasn't a normal day, and you promptly burst into tears.

The cloth was all but abandoned on your leg as Matt moved back up to cradle you against his warm, broad chest without a word.

"I'm sorry," you sobbed. "I don't even know why I'm crying. I'm not usually this emotional, I swear—"

"I know, sweetheart, I know," he said softly, brushing your hair away from your face. "It's okay, I know."

"It's just—" you sniffled, blinking back more tears. "None of my other boyfriends did this. They all treated me like I was dirty or—or contaminated, and I thought you were leaving me, but you've been s-so good to me."

"It's the least I could do, honey," Matt assured you, tilting your head up to place a gentle kiss on your lips. "Because I love you, and I want to help you any way I can."

"I love you so much," you mumbled against his lips, slumping against him in peace before you sat up, realizing something. "Oh God, Matt, I'm sorry, I didn't take care of you, I meant to—"

""Hey, hey, no," he soothed. "It's okay, that was about you. You needed it, don't worry about me."

"But—"

"No," he said firmly. "I'm good, sweetheart. Now, let me clean you up, and we can go to bed, alright?"

"....Okay," you agreed quietly when Matt gave you that stern look that you knew meant he wouldn't budge on this.

Fifteen minutes later, the two of you were curled up in bed like a pair of koalas, legs entwined and arms around each other. You nuzzled further into Matt's arms when he dropped a kiss into your hair.

"I love you," you murmured sleepily. "How did I get such a wonderful boyfriend?"

You felt Matt's lips turn up into a smile where they were pressed against your forehead. "Hmm, I don't know, but I'm sure your boyfriend doesn't deserve you."

"Stop it," you scolded, reaching up to cup his cheek. "If anything, I don't deserve you. You take care of me so well, Matt."

Matt smiled, his blank eyes fixed on your face as he turned his head to kiss the inside of your wrist lightly. "Always, sweetheart," he vowed. "I love you."

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AN: Funny how the smutty fic is the first Matt fic I post even though I have so many swimming in my drafts. Almost like it's a sign of some sort 🤔I'm working on those req though, I promise, guys

If you enjoyed, please remember to like, comment, and reblog! 🖤

My Matt Murdock Masterlist

[landoncrris]

I had an idea about a mason fic where reader and mase have only been dating for a few mknths but are visibly so in love. One of his family jokingly asks ‘so whens the weddinrg’ and reader is jokingly like ‘ wedding? What wedding. Im only here for the free summer holiDay and im out’ mason replies ‘thats a shame because i might be in love with you’ and reader is like ‘well i guess i could stay long enough for a free world cup trip’ and its all fluff

hope you guys don’t mind that i connected these two requests with each other,, anyways thank you very much for requesting it i hope you like it 🫶🏻

in love with you - mason mount x reader

REQUESTS ARE OPEN // MASTERLIST

word count: 3.2k

gif by @chelsclub

You were just currently at the airport with Mason’s family waiting for your flight to join him in LA. You had decided to take the earliest flight at 4am so that hopefully you would get there at the time he wakes up. However, he didn’t know any of this, his family had talked to him about coming to see him and watch one of the pre-season games, but they had never said when they were going to do it. And most importantly, they didn’t mention that they would take you with them.

He had only been gone for six days, but you missed him like crazy. So much that you thought you were going crazy, especially as your relationship was still quite new. You had only been dating for a few months. But you already spent almost his entire summer break together and went on two of your dream holidays that he had planned for you without you knowing anything. Making you the happiest girl in the world for sure. Mason also took you on his family holiday, which allowed you to meet them all for the first time, and luckily he said they all love you already.

Honestly, it would normally have been way too early for you to meet your partner’s family so soon. But with him it just felt right, nothing seemed rushed and you were sure that you had never had such strong feelings for anyone before him. After those wonderful weeks on holiday when you were basically inseparable, you slept at his place the night before he left for LA. Ending with you not wanting to let him go at all the next morning. You may even have shed a few tears at the thought of him being gone for three weeks. So, when his parents asked you if you wanted to spontaneously fly to LA with them, you immediately said yes.

“Oh sh—” you said, but quickly interrupted yourself with a hum as you remembered that Mason’s niece Summer was sitting right next to you, her head on your lap as she took a nap. And it warmed your heart how quickly she trusted and liked you, as her parents said she was usually very shy at first.

“What’s wrong, Y/N? Please don’t tell me you’ve forgotten something.” Mason’s mother laughed, as she had already had to go back because Lewis had forgotten his passport. But luckily you were still early enough not to miss your flight.

“No no, don’t worry. Mason’s only calling me on facetime.” you sighed, wondering what to do, because it was pretty hard to hide the fact that you were at an airport when you’re talking on Facetime. Of course you loved seeing his face, but in this situation you would definitely prefer a normal phone call.

“He calls you at four in the morning? I feel sorry for you.” Lewis snorted and rolled his eyes before they went back to being glued to the magazine in his lap. Which he had been staring at for the whole twenty minutes you were now waiting here.

“Yeah, just don’t answer it, and if he asks you about it, you tell him you were asleep.” his mother said, which sounded like the perfect idea. But before you could think about it further, he had already hung up. The moment you saw his picture disappear from your phone screen, you desperately wanted to talk to him. Especially because you would be on a plane in the next eleven to twelve hours and it already had been a while since you had spoken to him. So now that he had hung up, you figured you could just call him without Facetime. Hoping that there would be no background noise that he would overhear.

“Hi baby, sorry if I woke you up, I didn’t think about it.” he said as he answered the call, his voice resonating a little. From which you deduced that he must be on the floor of their hotel, because he and the rest of the team usually went out for a few hours in the evening.

“Well, I’m awake now,” you lied, wanting to make it sound convincing, “how are you?”

“Missing you. How are you?”

“The same.” you replied, both sulking at the thought of each other. Although you felt a little better knowing that you would see him soon. You just couldn’t bear to be away from him anymore, which you would have to get used too unfortunately because of his job.

“Listen, love, I just called to say goodnight already because we’re going to lunch now, okay? I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I wake up. So, get some more sleep.” he mumbled, smiling as he thought about how you always wanted to know every detail of his day. As he could talk for hours about what he had eaten while you just wondered how the hell you got so lucky.

“Okay, have fun,” you said, the three words that had been on the tip of your tongue for days almost leaving you. You always had to hold back from saying them because it felt so natural, but neither of you had said them before. And you weren’t sure if he felt the same way, so you figured you should at least wait and tell him when you saw him in person again. Not knowing that he felt exactly the same.

“Good night.” you added, clearing your throat. After he returned it, you hung up the phone with a big smile on your face, which you tried to hide by looking out of the big windows. But everyone has already noticed it, more than happy that Mason has found someone like you.

*

Once landing in LA, you checked into your hotel, which was only a few streets away from the Chelsea team’s accommodation. You then immediately made your way there, where Kai was waiting for you in the lobby as planned and led you to Mason’s room.

“So, Y/N, you’re going to stay on the side for a while so it’s even more of a surprise that you’re here, yeah?” asked Jaz, though you had already planned it on the plane, so you just nodded. There wasn’t a corner nearby or anything, so you just hoped he wouldn’t see you standing against the wall next to his door. Your heart started to beat nervously when his father knocked on the door, because it was only now that you really realized that you could finally be close to him again soon.

He had to knock a few times, telling you all that he was probably still asleep, as breakfast wouldn’t start for another hour. A tired groan came from his room and his feet carried him to the door, although he just wanted to ignore it at first. But as he opened the door, his face brightened, a broad smile appearing on his face as he froze, thinking that he was still dreaming. But unfortunately, from where you stood, you couldn’t see him, only hear his voice. Which was enough to release butterflies in your stomach.

“Oh my— What are you guys doing here?” he laughed incredulously, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand to see if he wasn’t imagining things. But he quickly found out that he wasn’t when he heard his niece Summer call out for him. Her arms wrapped around his leg as Jaz set her down on the floor. Causing him to lift her up, her tiny arms wrapping around his neck.

“Hi princess, my god you look so pretty don’t you?” he smiled, only seeing her back and not her face, but he saw that she was wearing a full new Chelsea kit which he gave her as soon as he got his hands on it. Mason pressed a kiss to the top of her head before walking over to the others to hug them with the arm that wasn’t holding his niece. While he greeted everyone, he never took a foot out the door, lucky for you as he didn’t see you that way.

“Come on, sweetie, back to Mummy.” said Jaz and took her daughter out of Mason’s arms again, who just looked at her frowning. Just like Summer, who wanted to stay with her uncle.

“No, let me keep her, you want to stay with me, don’t you Summer?” he whined, smiling triumphantly as she nodded and reached for him with her hands. But Jaz still shook her head and followed everyone else into the room, making the excuse that she was tired and needed a nap.

“She can take a nap on my chest.” you heard their voices quieten down, and just before he was about to close the door, you stepped in front of it and held it open. He frowned and opened the door wide again to see what or who it was. But he certainly didn’t expect you to be standing there.

“Hi, Mase.” you mumbled, your voice sounding a little high pitched because you smiled so brightly when you finally saw his face in person again. He blinked a few times, confused as to why you were here too, though his stomach immediately swarmed with butterflies, all he wanted now was to be even closer to you. So in one swift motion, he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you as close as he could, while lifting you into the air. At which you both giggled. He then put you back on your feet, detaching himself from you for a second and instead caressing your face with his hands on both sides, taking in all your features.

“I get that you’re happy to see me?”

“You have no idea.” he laughed, pulling your face closer to press his lips to yours. His hands moved back down to your waist, pulling you as close as he could while yours connected behind his neck. The kiss was messy, mostly your teeth clashing as neither of you could stop smiling. But neither of you cared either, because you were far too absorbed in the feel of each other, and finally being able to touch the other person again. You felt his heart beating fiercely against your own chest while the warmth of his bare chest spread to you as well.

“I missed you so much, Y/N.” he pulled his lips away from yours and rested his forehead against yours instead. When he opened his eyes and looked directly into yours, his stomach tingled, almost trembling at the intensity, “Thank you so much for coming.” he was about to press another kiss to your lips when you heard his brother calling from his room.

“Alright, wrap it up lovebirds.”

“Let them.” his mother said, slapping him on the arm with the restaurant card she was holding, wanting to see if it was a good place. That made you and Mason laugh, he pressed one last brief but meaningful kiss to your lips before leading you to the hotel room as well.

*

While Mason was at training, you went to breakfast with his family. Though you spent most of the time helping Summer draw, which you didn’t mind as you couldn’t say no to her anyway. Right after Mason finished lunch, you met him outside the hotel again, as he had a few hours off. You spent those going to Venice Beach, as most of you hadn’t been to Los Angeles yet, so you wanted to see the most popular places first. There you all sat down on some towels in the sand to enjoy the good weather and hopefully get a bit of a tan.

However, now that she had her favourite uncle back, Mason was the one who had to do everything with Summer. You mostly watched them build sandcastles or draw different things in the sand, which seemed to be more fun for Mason than for Summer, to be honest. He even wrote some cheesy pick-up lines in the sand and showed them to you, chuckling sweetly every time he saw you roll your eyes.

On the way to the restaurant his mother had chosen, you and Mason were inseparable again. He had his arm around your shoulder the whole time, while your hands were intertwined and your head rested against his side. You’d walked like that for the whole twenty minutes as you talked about anything, especially details he hadn’t told you yet about his week here. But he also kept asking you to sneak into his room with him because he just wanted to spend a little more time with you. After all, you were leaving for your flight back the next day right after the game. And as much as you would have liked to say yes so you could fall asleep and wake up next to him again, you were too scared that someone would find out and you’d get kicked out or something. So you said no each time, which meant you spent the rest of the evening with a sulking Mason by your side.

*

The game the next day had been fantastic, ending in a 4-0 win for Chelsea, with Mason scoring two of those goals. And even though it wasn’t an important game, you were more than proud of him. Afterwards, as planned, you and his family went to the front seats so you could say goodbye to him before you left for London again. The thought of leaving him again made you quite anxious because the two days you were here were certainly not enough and you were already missing him even though you were still with him. At this point you were oblivious to most of the conversations his family was having until Jaz tapped you on the shoulder, nodding over to Mason who was walking towards you.

Immediately a broad grin broke out on your face. He had visibly taken off his jersey, now his upper body only dressed in the undershirt he was wearing, while he held the jersey in his hand. He hugged everyone else first before he walked over to you and hugged you as well. His face nestled against your neck as one of your hands moved to his head. Your nails scratching his scalp in a way you knew by now that he loved.

“You did amazing, I’m so proud of you.” you murmured, feeling him smile against your neck before he took a step back and released his arms from you, making you frown.

“I want you to have this.” he said, holding out the jersey he had worn during the game and handing it to you with a smile. The sight of you already wearing one of his jerseys warmed his heart, but the second the game ended, he knew he wanted to give this one to you.

“You give her your sweaty, dirty jersey? How romantic!” his brother scoffed, earning a nasty look from Mason. But you thought it was sweet, just the thought of him thinking of you and wanting to give it to you made you happy. And it would probably be something you could walk around your house in, so you would miss him less. You put it in your bag before thanking him, putting your hands on the back of his neck and pulling him closer to you to press a kiss to his lips. But just as you were about to pull away again, he whined and wrapped his arms tightly around you so you couldn’t leave while he continued to kiss you.

“I bet if we left now they wouldn’t even notice.” you both ignored the comment from behind you, too absorbed in the feel of his tongue sliding over yours. But you ended the kiss soon as the urge to just hug him and enjoy these last moments with him became too strong. So you turned in his arms and leaned your head against his shoulder as he joined in the conversation of his siblings. But his attention was still mostly on you, his hand running up and down your stomach while he pressed an occasional kiss to the top of your head, not able to get enough of touching and kissing you.

“So when’s the wedding?” his mother asked, to which Mason laughed sheepishly and tried to hide his face in your hair. From the moment he met you, he knew he wanted to marry you one day, but the conversation hadn’t come up yet, so he didn’t know if it was something you could imagine with him too.

“Wedding? I’m only here for another expensive summer holiday and then I’m off.” you joked, his family laughing with you. Everyone knew you weren’t serious, the way you looked at each other clearly told everyone around you that you were in love with each other. Only you two being oblivious to it.

“That’s a shame,” Mason whispered, the words that had been on the tip of his tongue for weeks now desperately wanting to get off his chest. Especially since he saw you with his family again and how open you were already around them. He took a deep breath before going with his gut feeling, “Because I might be in love with you.” he whispered into your hair, to which you looked up at him, trying to hide the smile on your face even though it was impossible. While he watched the sparkle in your eyes that always appeared when you were excited or happy about something.

“You might?”

“I definitely am.” he smiled now too, which brought a blush to your face. You tried to hide it by averting your eyes from him, but that only made it more endearing to him. “Well, I guess I could stay long enough for a free World Cup trip too.” you shrugged, turning your head to look at him again so as not to miss his reaction. The blush on his cheeks prompted you to get closer to him, but as your lips touched, you heard someone call his name. When you both looked in that direction, you realised that it was Tuchel calling him over, as he was the last player on the pitch.

“Don’t go.” you whined, turning in his arms again, holding both of his hands now, wishing he could stay a little longer. “I wish I didn’t have to, love.” he said, pressing a slow kiss to your lips, wanting to drag it out as long as possible. Mason pressed another kiss to your forehead, then quickly hugged his family goodbye. He planned to just turn around and not kiss you again because he knew he wouldn’t want to stop.

“Wait,” you pulled him back by the hand and stood on tiptoe to be as close to his lips as possible, “I love you.” you whispered against them, aa you had to say those words properly now before he had to leave. Immediately a big smile returned to his face and he kissed you one last time as he really had to go.

“I love you too.”

[longhairedwriter]

just what I needed - part one

in which the girl of steve harrington’s dreams visits hawkins and their worlds collide.

steve harrington x original female character

(if you would like an 'x reader' version of this story please let me know! I am more than happy to write it that way!)

summary: as he tries to recover (again) from his nancy-induced heartbreak, steve meets ginger, a pregnant girl his age who is visiting hawkins to help her grandparents move out of town.

(set in the canon stranger things universe and timeline, after the events of season 4. also this is meant to be a multi-chapter story so it's a bit of a slow burn, but I promise it'll pick up in part two.)

content warnings: pregnancy, mentions of sex/sexual acts (in relation to pregnancy/conceiving), steve having mommy/daddy issues, minor use of explicit language (but nothing major that I can think of), please lmk if you find any more that should be mentioned.

word count: about 3.9k-ish (this is so long I'm sorry)

author’s note: so this is a concept I’ve been thinking of and wanting to write for awhile but I wasn’t really sure what to do with it/if people would want to read it (this is my first time posting writing/a fanfic on tumblr). I mainly write screenplays so this was a bit of a change for me, but I had the absolute best time working on it! I'm a bit nervous to post this just because it's my first time posting writing on here, but I really really hope you enjoy it. please let me know your thoughts and tell me if you’d like to read more of this story (I was planning on making it three or four parts total maybe if people are interested in reading it). your feedback is important and much appreciated! thank you so much for reading! <3

--

steve harrington was in a pickle— not that he hadn't been in this exact same pickle before. he's been pining over nancy wheeler (again) because, as he’s put it about a hundred times to his friends robin and dustin, she was just one of a kind. steve was particularly heartbroken this time around though, as he had recently revealed his deepest, darkest secret to nancy while they were on the brink of death together; he told her he wanted to have six children with her. six. children. with her. her response was more than disappointing for steve— she reconciled with her boyfriend right in front of him, as if she were rubbing it in his face that she loved jonathan and not him. never him. just as he thought he finally had another shot with her, that he was maybe finally good enough for her, reality hit and his RV dream came crashing down around him, the girl he so badly wanted to share it with leaving him to pick up all the pieces. steve was, to put it plainly, absolutely heartbroken. heartbroken and lonely. he had even stopped bothering to ask any of the girls who came into family video to go out, because every date just left him feeling lonelier than he did before. and he didn’t go off to college like he thought he should have, so he was stuck in this small, haunted town until further notice. he had his friends, of course— robin and the kids— but they would all grow up and graduate and, he figured, leave town someday much too soon, leaving him behind. but on a crisp tuesday in september of 1986, when he least expected it, things began to look up for steve harrington.

__

“ginger, honey, hurry up— we’re leaving,” was the last thing twenty-year old ginger rodgers (a funny coincidence of a name that she never quite forgave her parents for) heard before strapping into the backseat of her mother’s mercedes. she and her parents were headed to hawkins, indiana to help (but it was really more like force) ginger’s grandparents move, because— as her parents kept saying— the town just isn’t safe anymore and isn’t what it used to be. after a tragic fire at a shopping mall and a freak earthquake, the midwestern town was hardly the same quaint dwelling that ginger’s parents had grown up in. as for her own childhood, ginger’s upbringing was pretty white picket fence— full of spring break trips to disneyland, carefully curated christmas card photos, and backyard barbeques— but she had since grown apart from her dear mother and father due to, as they liked to put it, her challenging lifestyle choices. in other words, ginger had fallen pregnant. it was a pretty standard college fairy tale: her boyfriend (who wasn’t even really her boyfriend, they’d just gone on a few dates, but she had benevolently insisted to her parents that he was her boyfriend when recounting the story) had failed to succeed at the apparently tried-and-true pull out method, leaving ginger to miss her period, throw up in the dorm bathrooms, and scurry off to the pharmacy around the block to discreetly buy a box of pregnancy tests (she made sure no one from any of her classes was in the store at the same time, just incase they wanted to sneak a peek at her shameful purchase). when the dreaded little pink plus sign menacingly appeared on the test stick as she sat anxiously on the toilet the week before finals, ginger knew her life would never be the same. she didn’t tell her not-boyfriend before leaving for winter break, never to return to campus in the new year. after a holiday spent in silence with her bewildered parents, who couldn’t seem to understand how their baby girl had gone off to college just a few months prior and come back to them with child, ginger opted not to go back to school for the time being. she would stay in her hometown and find a job, as at the time, her parents seemed to have slightly shunned her, and she didn’t expect them to help with the costs that this lovely new adventure would bring (even though they could definitely afford it). but despite the freshly minted cracks in their relationship, when ginger’s parents told her about their impending trip to hawkins to help her mother’s parents leave the apparently scorned town, she jumped at the chance to escape her currently mundane reality of retail work nightmares and weird stares from neighbors she’d grown up with. a change of scenery will do you good, her father had said when she inquired about the trip. a change of scenery, it would turn out, was just what ginger needed.

--

part one

“honey, here, why don’t you stop lifting things like I keep telling you and organize these,” ginger’s mother gestured to a disorganized stack of boxes that was really starting to pile up at the bottom of the stairs. helping her grandparents move was proving to be more challenging than ginger had initially expected— sure, she was pregnant, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t lift a measly box.

they were currently setting up for a yard sale (ginger’s grandmother had refused to let them call it an estate sale because that’s for old people) and despite her family’s badgering about how she shouldn’t be lifting anything too heavy and should just leave the big boxes for dad and that neighbor boy and his little friends who were coming by to help later, ginger felt useless. she had come all this way to help her grandparents move, and they wouldn’t even let her lift anything. never in her life had ginger wanted to carry a box so badly, so when her mother quickly became occupied with another yard sale matter, she decided to pick up a box that was probably too big and carry it out to the yard. as she carefully made her way outside, walking slowly but surely, she was caught red handed by an unfamiliar voice.

“hey, do you need help?”

ginger could barley see over the humungous box that was nearly toppling out of her arms, but from what she could see, the voice belonged to a handsome young man who looked to be about her age. he approached her, his legs making long strides, his long— and beautiful, ginger mentally noted— hair flopping with every step he took. she had almost forgotten about the box that was weighing down her arms as he came closer.

“oh, no thanks, I got it.” she politely turned him down as she placed the box down by the other yard sale stuff, hoping it seemed like she had carried the box with ease (it hadn't).

steve was finally able to get a good look at ginger without the giant box in the way, and his eyes almost widened as he took in the sight of her pregnant belly that protruded through her sweater— how old was she? he had thought that she was probably somewhere around his age based on her face (which, he thought, was unmeasurably beautiful) but was she older? and where was her husband? and why didn't dustin tell him that he had such a gorgeous neighbor? ginger’s sweet voice, which steve had decided in that moment was unforgettable, interrupted his frantic train of thought:

“thank you for the offer though,” she said as she herself got a good look at him. he really was beautiful to look at, she thought, especially his hair. she thought about running her fingers through it, wondering what it might feel like if it touched her skin.

“I’m steve— I’m dustin’s friend. I guess he isn't here yet but he said his neighbors needed some help moving stuff for a yard sale today, and I thought maybe there would be some things that could be useful for the earthquake relief center. I’m guessing… you’re the neighbor?” he cut himself off, hoping he wasn’t rambling too much, not wanting her to know that she was making him nervous.

ginger was too preoccupied with her own spiraling thoughts to notice, however. wasn’t dustin in high school? why was his friend so… manly? where were the little friends her mother had mentioned earlier?

“oh, um, this is actually my grandparents’ house— I don’t live here. I’m just in town to help them move. I’m ginger, by the way,” she formally introduced herself as she stuck her hand out to him. he graciously took it, trying not to worry too much about whether his palms were sweaty or not.

“nice to meet you. how can I help?”

“well, there are a ton more boxes inside that I actually probably can’t lift myself. here, follow me.” she led him through the front door and into the house. "thank you so much for helping out, that's really nice of you. I didn't realize how nice people were here," she turned back to look at him, smiling. steve wanted to look at her smile for the rest of his life. he hadn't felt this way about anyone in awhile, especially not after knowing them for less than five minutes.

"oh, it's really no problem. dustin loves your grandma, and any friend of that dingus is a friend of mine, apparently." shit, he'd just referred to a child-- it was dustin, but still a child none the less-- as a dingus without even thinking. he prayed that she wouldn't hate him. to steve's utmost delight, however, his comment had made ginger crack up with laughter. he decided it was his new favorite sound. maybe he should record her laugh on tape incase vecna decided to come for him next.

now high off her laughter, steve continued to trail behind ginger as she made her way to the pile of boxes by the stairs, which had only grown since she last saw it.

"so this is all yard sale stuff. but if you'd like to see if there's anything you could take to the relief center first, please, be my guest." she gestured towards the boxes. "what kind of things do they need over there?" she knelt down, starting to shuffle through one of the boxes.

just as steve was about to answer, ginger's mother waltzed down the stairs, carrying even more things in her arms. her eyebrow quirked when she noticed steve.

"dustin?"

"oh, no, mom, this is steve. he's dustin's friend, he came to help us out. isn't that so nice?" ginger quickly corrected her mother before steve had a chance to say anything, which was probably a good thing because his brain felt like it was short circuiting at the sound of her voice saying his name. he might not ever be able to get over it, he thought.

"that is very nice. thank you steve!" ginger's mother beamed at him.

"it's no problem at all. it's nice to meet you."

"likewise." she smiled as she added more unwanted things to the yard sale pile. "did your parents grow up here? I swear you look just like someone I went to school with... is your last name harrington?"

"guilty as charged." steve smiled awkwardly, hoping he didn't look as uncomfortable as he felt at the mention of his family.

"I knew you looked familiar! wow, isn't that something. you look just like your dad. but I bet you get that all the time."

steve grimaced at the mention of his father, trying hard not to show his discomfort. he hated that he couldn't escape the harrington name. and he was never close to his father, to say the least.

" yeah, sometimes." he forced a smile.

ginger's mother smiled, oblivious. "well, thanks again for helping us out. I've got to go see how things are going upstairs. your grandmother is supposed to be going through her closet but she's refusing to get rid of anything." she rolled her eyes jokingly as she ascended back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry about that," ginger said apologetically to steve once her mother was out of earshot. he looked at her almost as if to say why? but he knew that she'd already read him like a book.

"oh, it's okay. I do get that a lot, actually. benefit of living in the same town your parents grew up in, I guess." he tried to laugh it off but ginger saw right through his charade. she knew what it was like to have to pretend.

"yeah. I guess I'm lucky my parents moved." she gave him an apologetic smile and steve only fell harder for this girl he had literally just met. she decided to change the subject as she held up a set of bedsheets, showing them to steve: "could you take these to the relief center?"

"yeah, those are perfect, actually, thanks," he reached to take them from her, and as she passed them to him, their hands touched (just as he wished they would). steve wasn't sure if ginger had noticed (or cared), but she most definitely had (and she definitely cared). for some reason, the way his hand brushed up against hers had made her feel bashful, almost insecure. there's no way a guy like him could want her-- had she forgotten how pregnant she was? why would he be interested in a pregnant girl, especially when he looked like that? he could probably get any chick in this town, she thought to herself.

ginger sighed as she went back to the box she was sorting through, trying to exhale the butterflies that her new acquaintance had put in her stomach. she wanted to evict them but she couldn't seem to get over just how nice steve seemed. and looked.

"hey, is this you?" steve's voice, which sounded like how honey tasted, ginger thought, interrupted her stressful sorting. he held up an old photograph of ginger as a toddler; she was wearing a cowboy hat, her tiny arms squeezing a plethora of stuffed toys, her smile almost too big for her face. the memory made ginger smile fondly.

"oh my god, yes, that is me-- how did this get in here?" she laughed breathlessly as she took the photo from him, their hands unfortunately not touching this time. "my grandma must've forgotten to take the photo out of the frame or something."

"you were a really cute baby," steve said, though he wasn't sure if that was the right thing to say. was that a weird thing to say? he hoped to every god in existence that it wasn't.

"I was, wasn't I?"

they shared a smile before a loud knock on the door interrupted their fleeting moment. steve continued going through the box he was working on as ginger went to answer the door.

she opened it to reveal dustin, who's eyes widened when he noticed ginger's pregnant belly.

"you're pregnant?!" he exclaimed before even greeting her, not at all intending to be rude. ginger laughed.

"no, I just had a huge lunch." she smiled as she moved aside, allowing the teen to come in.

"I take it you've met harrington, then? I saw his car out front." dustin inquired.

"oh yeah, he's right in here, actually. he's been so helpful," ginger confirmed as dustin followed her to the foyer where steve sat, sorting through some old sweaters. his eyes lit up when he saw the younger boy, which ginger thought was extremely sweet and only made her like him even more.

"henderson! you didn't tell me your neighbor's granddaughter was so cool," steve stood to greet his friend.

"yeah, she's the coolest. it's been too long," dustin looked to ginger. "but I still can't believe you're pregnant. like, you're literally with child," he went on excitedly in his very teenager way.

the mention of ginger's pregnancy made steve stand up straight. obviously he knew she was pregnant-- he had eyes, after all, and her protruding abdomen was nothing that could be hidden. but in the few minutes he'd known her, which felt kind of like a tiny lifetime to steve, the topic of her pregnancy hadn't come up. he wasn't sure if they were purposefully avoiding it or if it really just hadn't come up in their conversation yet. the dreaded fact that she probably had a significant other came flooding back into steve's brain, making him uneasy again.

"yup, I'm having a baby. it's not that big of a deal." ginger brushed off the teen's remarks.

"not that big of a deal? um, you're bringing a human into the world, I feel like that's kind of a big deal," dustin argued with her, totally oblivious to the fact that she clearly didn't want to talk about this right now.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, yeah?" ginger tried her best to end the conversation. she picked up a box, holding it out to dustin. "could you be a dear and take this outside?"

"on it, boss." he took the box from her and retreated, leaving ginger and steve alone again.

"I'm sorry about him," steve broke the impending silence, feeling like he should be a man and address the situation, or something like that. but he really wasn't sure what to say at all.

"oh, dustin? it's okay, I expected him to be shocked." ginger smiled as she said it, but it was different than the smile she had shared earlier with steve. more forced somehow.

"why would he be shocked?" steve inquired cautiously. he had never been in a situation like this and really wasn't sure what to say. he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or like she had to tell him something she didn't want to share with someone she'd just met.

"I mean, I'm a bit young to be pregnant, don't you think?" she smirked at steve almost jokingly as she said it, doing the thing that she did where she tried to make light of something that bothered her deep down.

steve didn't know what to say. he let out a small sound that was almost a stutter, but he just couldn't seem to find the right words.

"it's okay, you can say it. I'm too young to be pregnant."

"no, no, that isn't what I was going to say at all. I just... I don't know what I was going to say. I'm sorry, I'm not usually this awkward." he was telling the truth, he wasn't usually this awkward. he was never this awkward, actually. he was supposed to be cool and calm and collected. he had been king steve once upon a time, after all. but she made him feel like his stomach had turned inside out, in the best of ways.

"it's okay. I'm usually kind of awkward so I can't say the same, but I get it." ginger smiled at him. "I am too young to be pregnant, by the way. I think twenty is too young. but I mean, it's not like I did it on purpose."

she almost laughed at her own sentiment as everything clicked in steve's head. she was his age. she wasn't married, she wasn't even wearing a ring. he must be stupid, he thought. but then he felt bad for feeling excited about the newfound information-- who was the father of her baby? did he leave her high and dry to raise a child on her own? what a shitty thing to do. how could someone do that to her? steve decided that he hated whoever did this to ginger.

"I don't think twenty is too young," steve tried his best to sound unwavering, empowering. "I mean, I know we kinda just met but you seem really responsible to me. and really kind. you'll make a great mother, I'm sure of it." he believed every word he said. even though he'd only just met her, steve knew ginger wouldn't treat her kid how his mother treated him. her kid would be in good hands, that much he knew.

"wow, um, thank you. that's so sweet, steve. you don't know how much I needed to hear that." ginger tried her best not to tear up. maybe it was hormones, maybe it was her new crush on steve, or maybe it was the fact that nobody had ever said anything like that to her before. and she had really needed to hear it.

steve smiled at her before remembering the reason he came over to ginger's grandparents' house in the first place. he quickly began shoveling the pile of things he'd set aside to take to the relief center into a random empty box as ginger spoke again.

"it's been kind of hard, to be honest. going through this alone, I mean," she gestured to her baby bump. "it's just... I don't even know what it is. it's one of those situations that you hear about but you never think it'll happen to you until it does, you know?"

"yeah, no, totally," steve nodded, trying not to short circuit as his brain processed the fact that she was single. he tried to quickly convince his eager mind that he had no chance with her. and even if he did, she probably didn't want a relationship right now. she was pregnant, for god's sake. he had to leave her alone. but his stomach still fluttered none the less.

just in the nick of time, dustin came padding back into the house, holding a wad of cash.

"some people just bought a bunch of stuff! I know the sale hasn't officially started yet, but I didn't wanna turn them down. look at all this cash! here--" he handed ginger the money. "give this to nana."

"nana?" ginger laughed.

"we're close." dustin clarified. he had grown fond of the older woman over the years of growing up next to her. since her own children were grown up and her grandchildren didn't live nearby, she had sort of adopted dustin as a surrogate grandson of sorts.

"I should probably get going, I didn't see the time. I have to get this stuff to the relief center and then get my ass to work--" steve, who had become frazzled after realizing he was almost late for his shift, totally didn't mean to swear in front of his new friend (who he really really liked). he wanted to come off as classy, not crude. he made a mental note to ruminate on it later.

"oh, yeah, I'm sorry to have kept you so long! thank you so much again for all your help, seriously." ginger said as she walked him to the door.

"how long are you in town for?" steve bravely inquired. why would he ask her that? did he think she would want to go out with him? he really didn't mean to ask, the question just slipped out.

"I'm not really sure, it's kind of open-ended at the moment. until we get my grandparents and all their stuff out of here, I guess." ginger shrugged.

"would you want to hang out sometime? with me, I mean. if you're too busy or if you just don't want to I totally get it. but I thought I'd ask just incase you wanted to hang out with people your own age while you're here. or whatever." he rambled off his invitation as he mentally slapped himself. people your own age? why would he say that? he hoped it didn't sound rude or presumptuous.

"yeah, I'd love to. you know where I'll be!" ginger smiled at him as they stood in the doorway. she noticed how pretty his eyes were and she liked how they looked when he smiled. she knew he had to go to work but she didn't want him to leave yet. she could talk with him forever, even if it was awkward.

"o-okay, cool. I guess I'll see you around then." steve said as he made his way out of the house, starting down the driveway.

"see you!" ginger waved as she watched him stride to his car. he was really wearing those jeans. she tried her best to take a mental picture so she could remember the sight later.

steve almost dropped the box he was carrying as he attempted to smoothly hold it in one arm and open his door at the same time. ginger found the dorky moment excruciatingly endearing. she hoped that she really would see him around.

steve had the same thought as he drove away from the house. he wished he could have spent all day with ginger. hell, he would have settled for even five more minutes of time with her. nothing seemed like enough.

he didn't care that she was pregnant. he didn't care about anything other than seeing her again. he had to see her again. and he didn't know it then, but ginger was just what he needed.

--

hi again! if you made it this far, thank you so much again for reading! I hope you enjoyed. please let me know if you liked this and/or if you'd like to read another part of this story :) xoxo

[cosmiclove-heavenstruck]

Dance Lessons | Harry James Potter

Pairing: Harry Potter x fem!Gryffindor!Reader

Wordcount: 12200 words (Yes, really. Do you ever just start to write a little oneshot and then it turns out as a fic with over 10000 words?)

Warnings: swearing, mentions of underage drinking, sexual tension but no smut, fluff, slight angst, slow burn i guess

Summary: Harry asks you to teach him how to dance for the upcoming Spring Ball.

a/n: Set in Harry’s sixth year. English is not my native language, so there might be spelling/grammar mistakes. (The beginning is inspired by this oneshot)

Not many could say that they had faced Voldemort more than once and had survived, but Harry Potter was one of the few lucky ones that had gotten away every time. And if that wasn’t enough, Harry had defeated horrifying creatures, had broken into the Ministry and had saved the wizarding world several times – more or less accidentally, but hey. He had dealt with Umbridge and fought Death Eaters.

To the world, he was a hero, he was the Boy Who Lived.

So yes, his record of fighting the evil was quite impressive for a sixteen-year-old. But there was one thing he knew he would never impress anyone with and that were his dance skills.

Because Harry Potter couldn’t dance for shit.

Everyone who had watched his poor attempt at a waltz at the Yule Ball knew it had been an embarrassing disaster, and a blessing when he had stopped – merely for Parvati Patil’s feet.

Everyone who had watched knew that Harry Potter had never before set foot on a dancefloor. And you had watched. You had watched with great interest because secretly, you had wished for him to ask you to the ball. But when there had been only two weeks left and Dean Thomas had asked you after Transfiguration class, you had said yes.

There you were, sitting with Dean beside Seamus and Lavender as well as Ron and his date Padma, your eyes glued to the raven-haired boy getting terribly out of step. You watched, of course, under the pretence that you found it disgracefully hilarious.

Harry had never thought about asking you to the Yule Ball, if he was quite honest with himself. He had been after Cho, and he waited way too long to ask her, so she was already going with Cedric. And you had a date with Dean.

As good as Harry was with fighting the dark and the evil, as bad was he with social interactions. He had no problem producing a Patronus, but he was absolutely useless when it came to talking to girls.

You were the opposite.

Yes, the boggart may had made you faint in front of your whole class, but on the other hand, talking seemed like the easiest task in the world. Whether it was a chat with a teacher or speaking to strangers, though you did not thrive off of that.

There was one other thing that made you stand out to the other girls (and boys) in your year: You knew how to dance, from a simple disco fox to a more complicated waltz.

So, when Professor Slughorn announced a Spring ball for the students in sixth and seventh year, Harry knew you were his only chance if he did not want to make a fool out of himself again. He asked you (after a whole week of practicing in front of the mirror), with heated cheeks and a fast-beating heart, if you could teach him how to dance.

You felt a bit taken by surprise by this request, but agreed, nonetheless.

Friday evenings, eight to nine o’clock, were now reserved for your weekly dance lessons.

Looking at Harry’s history, it should be no big deal to dance with a girl when you had already come across the most dangerous things existing in the wizarding world. He should not be nervous; what was the girl teaching you how to dance against gigantic spiders who saw you as their dessert?

Well, everything.             

The thing was, Harry could prepare spells and charms, he knew what he had to do when he was faced with a Dementor or a Boggart. His mind, however, went completely blank when it came to you, like his nerves were on fire. To say he was nervous was an underestimation.

Harry ran his hand through the mess of black locks in a rather useless attempt to flatten them. They jumped back up immediately as he let go, pointing in every direction but the one he wanted them to. Stupid genes.

Sometimes he wished he had inherited his mother’s hair. It would have been fun to be mistaken as a Weasley and he could pretend he and Ron were actually brothers.

To keep his hands busy, Harry smoothened the plaid shirt he had thrown on before darting another glance at the clock over the door of the abandoned classroom on the fifth floor. 8:01 o’clock.

His fingers drummed against the wooden desk he was leaning on to release his excited tension, which only worked until the door opened, and he jumped up into a straight position.

You stepped inside, a vinyl clammed under your arm and an apologizing smile on your lips.

“Sorry I’m late, Snape held me off,” You said, placing your bag on the table Harry had leaned on previously.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine. Uh, are you alright?” He asked.

“Oh, yeah. I mean Snape just almost failed my assignment, but I found a new song to dance to, and I’m pretty sure you’ll like it,” You said as you rushed over to the old vinyl player in the corner and unwrapped the black record.

Harry followed your every movement. You could feel his eyes on you and bit down on your lip to stop yourself from smiling.

“It’s a bit slower than the other one, so it will be easier for you to follow,” You added and pulled the vinyl out, stroking a streak of Y/H/C hair behind your ear, your back still facing him.

When the record was placed correctly into the player, you turned back around and led Harry by the hand to the middle of the classroom. This simple touch alone made Harry’s head spin, and it did not help when you placed his hand onto your waist.

“Are you ready?” You asked and he nodded. “Good, follow my lead.”

There was nothing but admirable beauty, the way you moved to the soft piano music filling the room, Harry thought, and he hated himself for not realising sooner. You were like a sunset, and he was afraid to look right at you because what if you saw all the feelings swelling in his heart that dared to overspill at any moment.

You had been right, he adored the music you had brought with you, but he adored you even more.

You thought he looked at his feet because he was afraid to mess up the steps.     

“Hey,” You said softly, taking the hand from his shoulder to lift his chin. “Eyes up.”

“Yes. Right. Sorry.”

A sheepish smile spread over his face and your heart beat hectically against your rip cage as his emerald green eyes met yours.

It took Harry a great deal of strength to not break out of the dance routine he had so intensely studied and kiss you. But your hand slipped away from under his chin back to his shoulder and the moment was lost, like so many others.

Staying professional was not so simple for you either, as much as you liked to deny it. You liked Harry, more than friends should like each other, but who could blame you? Harry was very handsome, with his messy hair and those green eyes, he was sweet and caring, and he was dancing with you in an abandoned classroom, his hand on your waist.

Looking at it from this angle, there seemed to be no reason as to why you were so careful to deny your feelings.

Well, there was one problem: You thought he wanted to ask Cho to the ball to make up for the Yule Ball.

Harry was pretty oblivious when it came to love. Neither had he thought about you as more than friends before sixth year, nor had he realised that the feelings he had felt for Cho two years ago were similar to the ones he had for you now, though they were much more intense.

The worst part was that you two had been friends for three year and since then, you had spent a week of every summer holiday at the Burrow. Harry knew you; he knew that you liked his crappy jokes and his sarcastic comments, but never before had his stomach tingled when you laughed at them. Never before had there been goose bumps all over his skin when you hugged him. And to hell, never before had he acknowledged how goddamn beautiful you were.

“You’re getting really good.” You ripped him out of his thoughts.

“Oh. Really?” He asked.

It would be brilliant if he could dance without thinking about it all the time, fearing he could step on your feet.

“Yes, really,” You replied, grinning.

“Well, I- I suppose I have a good teacher.”

The piano music faded out and you stopped in the middle of the room, slipping your hand out of his. It was a good excuse to turn around and start the vinyl again, so you did not have to answer anything.

Harry stood there for a second, gulping and scratching his neck. He should not have said that.

What he had said flattered you, but it was only a knife dressed like compliment, stroking over your heart to stab you right after. All of this was amicable, temporary, fickle. All of this was for Cho.

You sat the needle back on the record.

“What’s it called? The song, I mean,” Harry asked quietly.

“‘Il Reste du Temps’. The rest of time.” You walked back up to him and took his hand, leading you two into the dance. With his hand on your lower back, he pulled you a bit closer than last time.

“So, there are only two weeks left. You have asked Cho by now, I suppose?” You asked to remind your thoughts of reality.

Harry narrowed his eyebrows, not sure how you had come to the conclusion he still liked Cho. She was great, for sure, but she wasn’t you.

“Oh. Uh, not really, no,” He answered. Your heart jumped.

“Well, you should hurry up. You don’t wanna wait until last minute like last time.”

“I- yeah, I mean, I don’t- I don’t want to go with Cho.”

You stepped forward even though you were supposed to draw back and stomp on his left foot. His hand around yours clenched for a second at the sudden pain.

“Shit. Sorry.” You quickly brought you two back into the right footstep order. “You’re not asking Cho?”

“No. I wanna- No.” Harry stopped himself from talking any further. He couldn’t ask you. He just couldn’t.

“Well, who do you wanna ask?” You said.

Maybe it was Ginny. She was gorgeous, phenomenal at Quidditch and in the Slugclub. Nothing you could say about yourself.

Harry opened his mouth and stammered. “It’s, uh, you know…some…girl.”

Oh yes, great save, Harry, congratulations, He thought to himself, couldn’t be any vaguer, could you? For Merlin’s sake, look at her, she is completely confused.

You were pretty even when you were confused, with your eyebrows drawn together over your eyes curiously inspecting him – Stop.

“Ah, okay. The lucky girl’s a secret,” You said, laughing lightly. It was definitely Ginny.

“No, I mean, she’s –” 

“It’s not my concern who you’ll ask, Harry,” You interrupted to calm him down. “As long as you ask her.”

Harry didn’t know what to reply to that. You really saw them just as friends.

The two of you danced for a while and Harry tried to memorise every golden speck in your dark eyes, every freckle, every curve, just so he could imagine you instead of the person he would dance with in a fortnight. If he would even go. Because what point was there to go to a ball if the one person he wanted to dance with more than anything else would not be there with him?

You tried to enjoy the closeness while it lasted. But the voices crowding your mind all shouted that he would never see you the way you saw him. That his face would never be so close ever again. That his hands would never rest on your body the way they did now, and never with any other intention than for the sake of learning how to dance, learning how to impress Ginny or whoever he would ask.

“Have you – have you asked anyone yet? To go to the ball with you?” Harry disrupted your thoughts and pulled you back into reality.

“No. I don’t even know if I’ll go,” You said and Harry’s heart dropped. “I mean, I’ll come to watch you dance, that’s for sure.”

Now his heart was way up in his throat, beating like hell. He swallowed and forced himself to answer. “No pressure then.”

You grinned at his comment. “Oh please, you can dance better than most of sixth and seventh year combined by now. You remember the spin I showed you last time?”

Harry nodded. He lifted his left arm and put a little pressure on your waist. You performed a small twirl before he caught you again, hand on your side. He smiled proudly.

“Really good.” The music stopped and you looked at the clock on the wall behind Harry. 8:57 o’clock. “I guess that’s it for today.”

Harry smiled sadly but you thought it was just your mind, playing you a trick. You packed the record back into the cover while Harry shouldered his back bag, handing yours to you. Then he held the door open for you, and you stepped out into the dimly lit hallway.

Harry had already pulled out the Marauders Map to check if the way back to the Gryffindor tower was clear. You weren’t technically allowed out after nine p.m. because of the new safety measurements, but it was part of the charm.

“Filch’s down on the first floor and Snape’s in his office,” Harry informed you.

“Okay.” You nodded.

Quietly and side by side, you two walked back to the Gryffindor tower. There was plenty of silence to break, plenty of time to ask you to the ball, Harry thought. But he was too afraid.

–

“It’s not that easy, alright?”

“Bloody hell, you spent every Friday evening with her! Half of our year thinks you’re secretly doing it in that classroom.”

For that, Ron earned a jab into his ribs. The two made their way through the masses of students down the last staircase to the Great Hall.

“Ow! It’s not my fault, you can’t open your mouth.”

“Oh, I can’t open my mouth? Have you asked Hermione yet?”

Harry was sure this would shut Ron up, but he was wrong.

“I asked her six weeks ago and she said yes, mate.”

Harry stopped in his tracks, stunned. “Wot?”

“Merlin, do you ever listen to me?”

Ron shook his head, walking to breakfast. Harry needed a few seconds before he could move again, then he caught up with his best friend. He was about to say something back when Ron’s sister Ginny interrupted them, wrapping her arms around both of Harry and Ron’s shoulders.

“Morning boys,” She greeted them enthusiastically.

The ceiling of the Great Hall was covered in a pale blue and yellow, the upcoming sun shining golden through the high windows.

“So.” Hermione poured both of you a glass of pumpkin juice. “How was it yesterday?”

“Mhm?” You looked up from your toast.

She sighed as if her question was rather obvious. “The dance lesson with Harry?”

“Oh.” You shrugged. “Normal.”

“So, nothing happened? Nothing you want to tell me?” She asked further.

You eyed her suspiciously, but she kept an innocent face expression.

“It’s not like we could do much besides dancing.”

Lavender beside you snickered and Parvati snorted into her coffee.

“Believe me, there is a lot you could do in that hour besides dancing,” Parvati said.

“God, no! Have you met Harry?” Lavender said bemusedly. “Like he's the type to have secret sex.”

“Still waters run deep,” Parvati replied, a smug grin on her lips. “Don't they, Y/N?”

Hermione crunched her nose at the suggestive tone as you narrowed your eyes at the two girls, shaking your head.

“Yes, keep making fun of my non-existing love life.”

You grabbed the strawberry marmalade, determined to ignore any topic concerning Harry. While you had lain awake last night, you had decided to bury your feelings for him all together and get over it. This would be easier once your dance lessons came to an end and the ball was done.

“Well, it does exist for everyone else,” Lavender interposed.

“And it would exist for you, too, if you would finally do something,” Hermione said, leaning forward.

“What?” You asked. “I mean, yeah, I like him, but he is definitely not into me like that. And I can't force him to be.”

Hermione groaned, and Parvati rummaged through her bag, pulling out a piece of parchment and making some space on the table.

“Okay, let’s see,” She began, “He asked you to teach him to dance. Big step for him, you know that. He always stares at you during Quidditch instead of the Snitch. Wood would've killed him by now. He always sits beside you. He definitely smelled you in Amortentia, regarding how he looked at you during that class. And since then, he looks at you like you’re the only person in the room. He –”

“He does not,” You said, grabbing her wrist to stop her from writing any further.

“Yeah, he does,” Lavender argued. “Look!”

You turned to spot Harry alongside Ron and his sister Ginny coming through the doorway, and for one second, your eyes met. Then Ginny said something, and Harry looked at her, laughing.

You sighed and stuffed the rest of your toast down your throat to get rid of the sour feeling twirling and burning in your stomach.

“Well, Ginny’s pretty funny,” Hermione tried.

“Yeah, she’s funny and pretty and she likes everything he likes.”

“None of that matters because he fell in love with you and not Ginny,” Lavender said, smiling brightly.

“He did not – not what you said.”

“He did! The list doesn’t lie.”

Parvati waved the parchment through the air, and you snatched it out of her hand, drowning it in the pumpkin juice before anyone could read it. Hermione curled her lip as she watched the paper soaking up the orange liquid, sinking to the ground of the jug.

In the same moment, Harry, Ron and Ginny reached your table, and to your surprise, Harry really did sit down beside you, your knees touching shortly while he climbed over the bench. The sudden touch sent sparks through your body and filled you with a comfortable warm which was quickly extinguished by Ginny sitting down next to Harry.

You didn’t want to be jealous.

There was no need to compare yourself to Ginny, you were two completely different people. But hearing her talk about Quidditch to the guys and seeing her flicking her beautiful hair over her slim shoulder made it so obvious how perfect for Harry she was. You couldn’t compete with that, in fact, you didn’t even want to compete with that.

No, you would get over your feelings and maybe ask someone else to spend the next Hogsmeade weekend with you. Those evenings with Harry, those moments too good to be true would stay somewhere deep down in your heart, locked away from the real world.

The weekend left as fast as it had come, and soon enough Harry and you both found yourselves in your day-to-day school life, studying for an upcoming Charms test and writing essays for Snape and McGonagall.

There wasn’t much time to think about each other, yet Harry managed to glance up from his homework a few times to stare at you opposite from him, snuggled into an armchair while flicking through a book. He noticed that you captured your tongue between your lips or mouthed single words to yourself whenever you were so deeply sunken into thoughts that you forgot the many people around you.

The latter found Harry very impressive because he was never that relaxed if more than three people were with him. Your lips on the other hand found Harry... well, much more interesting than his homework was the least to say.

Every day he woke up thinking that today, he would ask you. But whenever he came close to ask, he changed the topic or was distracted by friends and classmates.

Even Ron had given up with his jokes by now, which was a very bad sign and a nonverbal way to say, Man, you fucked up.

–

You had decided to make the last of your dance lessons a memorable one. An hour of pretending, of being close to someone you know you would never be this close to ever again.

Therefore, you had asked your older sister to send some of your favourite records from home, which you were now sorting through in the abandoned classroom. It was ten minutes to eight and you were sipping a butterbeer to cool your nerves. All those times before you had been as calm as ever, but today you were on the edge.

The door opened and you turned to find Harry in the doorway, hair messy as ever.

“Hi,” He said and the corners of his lips jumped up into a lopsided smile.

“Hey. You’re early.”

“Could say the same about you.”

“Yeah, you could,” You mumbled, pushing the needle of the record player down onto the vinyl.

Classic music filled the air and you walked over to Harry to lead him to the middle of the room after he had dropped his back bag to the floor. With the high heels on your feet, you were almost eye to eye, your nose at the height of his lips.

For a wonder, he did not need your instruction to place his hand on your waist and pulled you much closer than usual.

Harry felt his heart beating in his throat. Being this close to you was galvanic, every nerve was burning, and then again, for the first time in two months, he was able to close his eyes and let himself sink in, to melt with the music, to feel the tact pulsating through his whole body. It was what you had tried to teach him all along.

And yet his tongue was tied. He just had to ask. Would you like to go to the ball with me? One simple question. You had told him yourself to not wait until last-minute to ask, and now with every minute, every hour, every day passing it felt more ridiculous. He had known that he wanted to ask you and only you to the ball, but every time he thought about forming the question, his mouth failed him.

Your eyes lay calmly on him, tapping his shoulder in time to the music while secretly trying to remember every little detail of his face: His prominent eyebrows curved over his emerald green eyes, his flushed cheeks and the dimples created by his light smile lying on his lips.

Harry had become, for lack of a better word, quite fantastic at slow dancing. There was confidence in the way he moved through the room and held onto you, mingled with a certain elegance and appreciation of the art he was participating in. A good teacher, he had called you. Well, regarding slow dances, yes.

But there was one other thing he had yet to learn.

“You’re really good, you know that?” You said, and his smile brightened.

“Yeah? Or are you just saying that because it’s my last lesson?” He asked.

“No, I mean it. You know, I wrote my sister last week and she send some of my vinyl discs from home,” You told him as the music slowly faded out and let your hand slip from his shoulder and hand to turn to the record player, not noticing how his fingers lingered a moment longer on your waist.

Harry watched how you sorted through the discs, not able to make use of their names in any way. The only record he had come across before those dance lessons had been one by a singer named Bonnie Tyler, who Aunt Petunia secretly listened to on repeat during the summer when Uncle Vernon went grocery shopping or mowed the lawn.

Harry wasn’t a big fan, which was pretty much the only thing he had in common with his cousin Dudley.

“Here. To dancing and a nice Spring ball.” Harry snapped out of his thoughts. You held out a bottle of butterbeer, which he took and snapped its bottle top off, regarding for a moment to say something along the lines like To you, for teaching me how to dance or To us, but that seemed a bit too much.

Therefore, he went with a simple “Cheers” and touched glasses with you.

While he took a big sip in hopes it would make him braver, you decided on a turquoise and pink coloured disc with a man dancing on the front, the words Footloose in ornate writing covering its front. He couldn’t help but notice the grin you tried to hide, as if knowing something he didn’t.

“What’s that?” He asked, leaning against the table beside you and putting his beer aside.

“That’s what the cool kids dance to.”

You placed the needle onto the record. Drums began to play a fast rhythm, mixed with an electric guitar, and you slipped off your high heels, now only in tights. Harry watched with fearful curiosity how you snapped your fingers in time, bopping your head with closed eyes to internalise the music.

Every movement of your feet, your hips, your shoulders was nonchalant, effortless and... well, simply cool.

“Come on!” You said loudly over the music, waving Harry closer.

“No, no, that’s –” He shook his head, heat flushing his cheeks, and crossed his arms.

“Yes!”

You danced up to him, grabbing him by his hands and pulling him to the middle of the room.

Harry had improvised a lot when it came to fighting evil. His whole trip to the ministry had been decided because of his gut instinct, because he had thought he knew what he was doing. Well, that was probably a bar example. He had made everything worse back then.

But everything he had done to fight off the hundreds of Dementors at the Great Lake, or the creatures in the maze two years ago, or Voldemort at the graveyard, every single thing had been purely and spontaneously improvised.

Now, he wasn’t sure if he was that good at improvising dance moves, but you had other plans.

“Come on, don’t you trust me?” You said as his fingers clenched around your hands, unable to let go, like a man clinging onto a life buoy in the middle of the ocean.

And Harry wanted to say back that of course he trusted you, more than he probably knew himself, but all that came out was a “Yeah” which sounded more like a laugh than an actual word because of the grin stretched across his lips.

“Just dance the way you dance when no one’s watching,” You said.

“I don’t – I don’t do that,” He admitted, feeling how his cheeks burned under the unbelieving look coming from you.

“Okay, then close your eyes and just – just do it. Here, I’ll do it, too!”

You closed your eyes, smiling brightly, and slipped your fingers out of his, twirling on the spot like you usually only did behind closed doors, and clapping your hands in time with the music.

Harry couldn’t rip his gaze off of you, the way your body moved without any shame, your ridiculous head banging while acting like you play the guitar – air guitar, that’s what it was called, he had seen Dudley and his friends doing it, but never with so much... passion?

You were quite passionate about dancing, much more passionate than you were about school or Quidditch, and it fascinated him. How you could let loose, could forget what everyone thought of you, and he wanted to feel it too, wanted to not think that everyone was judging him.

So, Harry closed his eyes, concentrated on the beat of the music and your hands clapping, and then he did what you had been doing: Moving his arms, his legs, his feet, all a bit offbeat, all much less cool than what you did, but it had the effect he had wished for.

He forgot. Forgot about everything going on, everything in the past, everything that would come. It was like the music had deleted Voldemort from his mind. There was only his body and those absurdly freeing dance moves he would have been ashamed off any other time.

But not with you.

“Hey, you’re doing it! You’re doing it, look at you!” You shouted over the music, and Harry ripped his eyes open in the same moment as you grab his hands again. He slowed his legs.

“You said you wouldn’t look,” He said breathlessly, very aware of his fast-beating heart.

But if he was honest, he did not mind that you had seen him. If he could choose any of his friends to watch him dance like this, it would definitely be you.

“I had to, I’m sorry!” You laughed, and the song came to an end. “Oh, I have something even better, you’ll like that!”

You hit him friendly in the chest and rushed over to your pile of vinyl discs, wrapping the Footloose back up and pulling out another one from a white and pink packaging with two people on the front.

Harry would’ve never believed that dance lessons would be more exhausting than Quidditch training, but he had soon been disabused. He took a huge sip from his bottle of butterbeer and watched how you placed the needle on the disc before reaching for your own bottle.

“‘You broke my heart – ‘cause I couldn't dance – you didn’t even want me around!’” You were mouthing along the words the singer was speaking in an overdramatic seriousness, holding your bottle like a microphone. Harry was grinning at you, afraid of what would come next. “‘And now I'm back – to let you know – I can really shake 'em down!’”

The music dropped in, and you shook your hips, hands on your black skirt.

“Now don’t tell me you’ve never heard of Dirty Dancing,” You dared as Harry stayed at his spot, and he shrugged helplessly.

You shook your head at him with a smile on your lips, placed your bottle away and pulled him away from the table until you two were almost as close as in your usual dance lessons.

“Okay, like this.” You grabbed him gently by the waist and pushed him a bit down so his legs were slightly bent. Harry’s heart jumped at the unexpected touch. “Good, yeah, look at what I’m doing.”

Your grip became firmer, circularly moving his hips like you did. His eyes jumped up between your face and your waist, and he tried his best to copy your movements while calming his heart speed down.

“Yes, good! Now, your upper body, look at me – yeah! Good, eyes up,” You reminded him, and he glanced at your face, his cheeks flushed.

“Is that okay?” You asked, stepping closer so your hips almost touch, and he nodded. You took his hand, placed it on your lower back, and wrapped your own arms around his neck, just like Johnny and Baby had done it in the beginning of Dirty Dancing.

“That’s good!” You encouraged him, and he grinned at you, his face bright red. “You know, in the movie, they have another dance with a lift.”

“You’re not gonna make me do that, are you?” He asked.

You shook your head, laughing. “No, definitely not without training and a mattress,” You said, slowing your hip movements. “Maybe after the ball. I mean –”

The words had just slipped out of your mouth without thinking about them before. But Harry smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of his forehead, while I’ve Had The Time Of My Life began to play, and Bill Medley’s voice filled the room.

Harry felt like he was on fire. If you wanted to continue the dance lessons next year it must be because you liked him. In some way, you liked him, and it was very hard for him to concentrate during this dance. And training on a mattress would not make that easier – Stop it, stop it, just answer!

“Yeah, okay,” He said, and your heart jumped up in excitement. You smiled back at him and grabbed his free hand with yours, leading you back into a simple dance routine fitting the music. Harry followed almost effortlessly, only shortly glancing at his feet.

“I’ll have to demand payment if we keep doing this.”

“What kind of payment?”

His hand on your lower back pushed you a bit closer, you were almost chest to chest. Was he... flirting with you?

Whatever it was, it made you speechless, and in a moment of incautiousness, your eyes fell down to his lips. You held your breath for a second as you looked back up into his eyes, slowing your movements. He returned your gaze, but just as you were about to gather all your courage, his eyes shifted to the door of the classroom, his eyebrows drawn together in concentration.

“What?” You asked, turning around.

“Filch,” He said and not far down the hall, you heard the meowing of Mrs. Norris.

Panic flared up inside of you as you saw the clock on the wall: Half past nine.

“Argh, fuck.”

You let go off him and rushed over to the table with the record play on top, shoving your vinyl discs into your schoolbag and collecting your high heels in a hurry.

Outside in the hallway, the scratchy voice of Filch mixed with the clicking of his cat’s claws on the stone tiles. Harry had grabbed his bag from the floor and fished out his Invisibility Cloak. As you turned around, he had reached you and enveloped you two in the cloak, standing almost as close to you as a few seconds ago.

“Have you found someone, Mrs. Norris?” Filch’s voice echoed through the hallway. “Is someone out of bed at night?”

“We have to get out,” You whispered, not very keen on getting detention any time soon.

“If we open the door now, he’ll know someone disguised is there,” Harry answered.

“How often have you snuck out of bed at night?”

The corners of his mouth twitched upwards into a lopsided smile.

“Enough times to know what to do.”

The scratching on the classroom door reminded Harry that, despite the fact that they were invisible, it was still pretty obvious that someone had been in here. Harry flicked his wand at the ceiling light right in time – the candles went out and the two of you were coated in darkness just before Filch pushed the door open and the light from his lantern fell onto the stone floor. You held your breath, hoping he would leave again.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Norris’ red eyes scanned the room and the greyish cat walked up to you as if she could actually see you. Instinctively, you wanted to move backwards, but Harry’s arm wrapped around you, holding you in place. You looked up to him and he slowly shook his head.

Mrs. Norris eyed you for a few more seconds before she suddenly jumped onto the table behind you, walking up to the two almost emptied butterbeer bottles and bumping her head against them.

“Oh no.” Your voice was no more than a whisper. “I didn’t –”

Harry placed his hand over your mouth, forcing you to keep quiet.

“Sorry,” You mumbled.

Filch had turned away from the other side of the room he had inspected and was now walking over to his cat. With his arm around your mid, Harry pulled you two quietly away from the table he was now inspecting. You weren’t entirely sure whether it was the panic of escaping Filch or Harry’s chest pressed against your back, but the butterflies in your stomach were jittery as though they were on drugs, and your heart beat unbelievably fast.

Harry felt your heartbeat. He felt the pulsating blood in your veins on your neck where his arm lay, reaching up to your mouth. You were barely breathing, and he figured it was because he was holding you like he was about to kidnap you.

“Run when we’re in the hallway,” He whispered, eyes steadily watching Filch, and removed his hand from your lips to grab your free hand. You nodded shortly. Fortunately, Filch had left the door open, and in one swift motion, Harry had steered you outside.

Fingers still interlocked with yours, he began to run, you by his side. And despite the fact that you two had almost been caught, despite that you had been interrupted when he had felt most confident, despite the ruined moment, he felt light and free and happy.

You were clutching your shoes, slithering over the cold tiles in your black tights, and Harry, looking at you, almost missed the last step of the stairs leading to the portrait of the Fat Lady. He held onto you as he staggered, and you giggled breathlessly, pulling him back up.

“That – stupid – fucking – cat. Can she see through your cloak?” You asked.

Harry shrugged and ruffled through his messy hair.

“Don’t know. I think, but I’m glad she can’t talk,” He said, and a grin spread over your lips, which he returned.

He caught your eyes, looking at you like before, like there was something he needed to say – the tingling feeling in your core got overwhelmed by heart-racing panic and because of some sour mix of uncertainty and fear, you slipped out from under the Invisibility Cloak, taking a few steps away from Harry.

Not a second later, he emerged as well, fighting to keep the smile on his face like his heart hadn't just sunk so deep he wasn't sure if it was even still connected to his veins.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah!” Your voice was too loud, too squeaky to convince him. “Yeah, I – I'm sorry, it's just been a long week and I'm really tired. I'm gonna – gonna go...”

You gestured to the portrait behind you, avoiding his eyes, and turned to escape the situation.

Harry stared at the spot where you had vanished into the common room, his fingers clenching around the fabric of his cloak before tossing it to the ground. It didn't give the satisfying sound he had wanted to make, so he sent a “Fuck!” after it.

“Young boy, that is not a very appropriate language, now, is it?”

His eyes flew up to the Fat Lady, who had apparently watched with great interest. “Besides, what are you doing that late out of bed? I mean I know it gets later on Fridays for the two of you but it's later than usual today –”

“Chinese Fireball.”

“I just don't know what you are doing during that hour. There are rumours, for sure –”

“I told you the password, now will you open the fucking portrait? Chinese Fireball.”

“Oh, fine.” She let the portrait swing forward. “I'll find out by myself... maybe visit some paintings down on fifth floor...”

Harry ignored the Fat Lady.

He also ignored Ron calling after him from the sofa in front of the fireplace, as well as Hermione's questioning look and all the other people staring at him as he darted through the common room and up the stairs, slamming the door of his dorm shut behind him.

He ignored them because the only person he wanted to be seen with had just left him standing in the hallway and he wasn't even sure why.

The first time you saw each other again was three days later in Potions. You had ignored him on purpose, which you knew was obvious to him: Leaving the Great Hall whenever he stepped inside, sitting as far from him in the common room as possible, avoiding his eyes... that did not leave that much room for speculations.

You didn't want to hurt him, you really didn't, but you couldn't be friends any longer, especially not after last Friday. You weren't even sure what exactly had happened – had he really flirted with you or had that been your imagination? Probably the latter. He had asked someone else the ball after all. Right?

Parvati nudged you with her elbow, and you snapped out of your thoughts, noticing the hole in your parchment created by your quill. The two of you sat in the far back of Professor Slughorn’s class, who was in the middle of telling one of his anecdotes instead of teaching about Veritaserum.

“What’s going on?” She asked in a hushed voice. “You’ve been weird since Friday.”

Lavender, who sat in front of you, turned around. “Is it because of – you know?”

She gestured towards Harry in his usual place diagonally across from you. You sighed, placed your quill aside to rub your hands over your face and shrugged. You had also avoided any questions from your friends about Friday, mostly because you could not even answer them yourself.

“I thought he would ask you,” Lavender whispered while throwing a quick glance at Slughorn to make sure he was still occupied with his story. “Didn’t he?”

“No,” You mouthed. Parvati shook her head.

“Man, you’d think he had grown a set of balls after all. If it turns out he just used you to look good in front of Ginny, I swear to Merlin –”

“Well, that’s what it looks like, I mean, he had enough time to ask you,” Lavender said.

Before you could reply anything, Parvati had grabbed her wand and leaned forward. In the next second, the blue Jobberknoll feathers on Harry’s desk burst into flames with an ear-piercing noise.

Both Harry and Ron jumped up, startled from the sudden explosion, and Hermione let out a little shriek as one of the sparks got caught up in her locks. Snickering came from the Slytherin table, and Crabbe and Goyle were stupidly grinning.

“Was that you? Stupid tosspot, I’ll shove that feather up your –,” Ron swore loudly, fists high and ready to walk over to the Slytherins, who had gotten up as well and were throwing insults through the room.

“Calm down, m’boys, no need to get abusive.”

Slughorn stepped between the two fronts while both Harry and Hermione pulled Ron back down onto his chair. With a wave of Slughorn’s wand, the feathers stopped burning and were as good as new.

“Have you gone mental?” You asked during the turmoil. Parvati shrugged and innocently shoved her wand aside.

“You’re my friend and if he hurt you, he’ll get what he deserves –”

“He didn’t hurt me!” You whispered angrily. “I was the one who panicked, I ran away that evening because I was afraid of what he would say! Not Harry. I left him like the idiot I am even though he – he was super nice and said he wanted to learn more –”

“Ms. Y/L/N?”

“Sorry, Professor, I was just –”

“Talking to Ms. Patil, I noticed. Could you still answer my question?” Slughorn eyed you, and so were all the other students.

“Uh...yes... if you could repeat it? Sir.” You said, and once again snickering echoed through the classroom, the loudest coming from Pansy Parkinson.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Parvati reaching for her wand again, and you quickly pressed her hand down to the table, awkwardly smiling at Slughorn.

“I asked if you could tell me anything about the usage of Veritaserum in court,” He kindly repeated and you straightened your back, ignoring Hermione’s raised hand.

“Well, the potion is strictly banned by the British Ministry of Magic, therefore they don’t use it during interrogations and such, which is also because, like any other potion, it’s not infallible. But I read that in some Asian countries, the accused can choose if they want to take Veritaserum before they give testimony. Unfortunately, in some courts they give the accused failed Veritaserum in order to alter the given testimony fraudulently.”

You had never read about that, you were – ironically – making it up, but Slughorn didn’t seem to notice.

“Very well, that’ll be five points for Gryffindor,” He said. “That reminds me of –”

As Slughorn fell back into his old habit of telling personal stories during class, you sank back into your chair and stared at the chapped top of the desk for the rest of the lesson.

Only the bell ripped Slughorn out of his monologue, and over the rustling of chairs, he told the class to read the next chapter of Advanced Potion Making until Wednesday.

“Courtyard?” You asked Parvati as to where to spend your free lesson.

“Yeah, but I got a question about that graded essay from last week. Just go ahead, I’ll catch up with you,” She answered and made her way to the front. Alongside with Lavender, you were one of the first to leave the Potions classroom.

“I wish I hadn’t picked Arithmancy,” Lavender complained.

“You can sleep longer on Thursdays, remember?” You said as you reached the entrance hall. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, bye.”

Lavender began to climb up the stairs to the third floor, and you walked down the hallway. It was freezing cold outside, but the courtyard was beautiful during every time of the year, especially in the early mornings when the sun melted the iced-up grass and you could share a hot chocolate with your friends on one of the benches.

“Hey, Y/N! Wait!”

You turned to spot none other than Theodore Nott running up to you, his Slytherin scarf loosely around his neck.

“Hi,” He said as he had reached you.

“Uh, hi. Can I help you?” You asked.

“Actually, yeah. I wanted to ask if you have a dance to spare at the Spring ball? I mean, I know you’re going with Potter, I just wanted one dance with someone professional –”

“I’m not going with Harry,” You blurted out. Theodore narrowed his eyebrows.

“What?” He asked, a bemused smile on his lips.

You gulped and shook your head, crossing your arms. “I’m not going with... anyone.”

“Oh. Well, then,” His body relaxed visibly, and he raised his eyebrows, “do you wanna go with me?”

You opened your mouth, an agreement already on the tip of your tongue, but you knew that was just out of desperation and not because you actually wanted to go to the ball with Theodore.

“Hey, you know what, no pressure at all, okay?” He said, placing his hand on your shoulder casually. “I’ll be at the ball anyway, so if you want to dance then, I’m free.”

You nodded. “Thank you, Theodore. I’ll think about it.”

“You can call me Theo. Only if you want to, obviously.”

A grin crept upon your face. “Yeah, I’ll – I’ll think about it.”

Whatever Harry had felt the two days prior, it was nothing compared to the sour feeling circulating in his stomach now, like some dragon-creature spitting fire and tearing at his entrails with sharp claws. Inside of him, everything was clenching and itching, but on the outside, he was numb.

Like his brain had been disconnected from his muscles, wherefore he was only able to stare at Theodore Nott and his stupid, complacent grin and his hand on your shoulder while he asked you to the ball.

This wasn’t fair. How come everyone else but him was able to do it, how come everybody else had managed to find a date, when – to be honest – he had been provided with one of the best initial situations? How come the only thing he was apparently fit for was getting himself into trouble and escaping death every goddamn year? Harry had kind of forgotten about all that was to come, all that Dumbledore had told him, and the memory Slughorn was still tending like dark secret simply because of you.

The worst thing wasn’t that Theodore Nott had just asked you to go to the Spring ball with him. No, the worst thing was that you had agreed.

The only thing that was left for him was to run, which he did now: Up to the Gryffindor tower, tossing his back bag into a corner and grabbing his Firebolt from under the bed, then back down to the Quidditch pitch in record time.

Flying was one of the most freeing activities known to Harry, especially in the cool, fresh morning air with no one else around. High above the frozen grass and the wooden stands, much higher than probably allowed without any teacher near by, Harry paused to watch the sun over the Forbidden Forest.

He wondered if you had ever flown before, if you knew how brilliant it was to hover a thousand feet above the ground, far away from all the problems. Far away from Ron asking what the bloody hell was wrong with him. Far away from Hermione telling him that it was his own fault for waiting so long but that you surely weren’t interested like that in that tosser Theodore (though she would probably word it much more formal).

Time was relative up here, Harry had noticed over the years, so he closed his eyes and shut the world out for a moment. Saturday was still light-years away anyway, so –

“Harry, is that you?”

He almost fell from his broom.

With his heart still beating way to fast and adrenalin pumping though his veins, he turned his broom around to find no one other that Luna standing inside commentary box and waving up to him. Oh well. So much for being alone.

He steered his Firebolt down to the blonde witch and landed beside her.

“What are you doing her, Luna?” He asked as climbed from his broomstick. “Don’t you have classes right now?”

“Oh, yes. But I saw that you are sad so I asked Professor Sprout if I could go because I’m not feeling very well,” She explained and sat down on one of the benches.

“You lied to a professor?”

“Oh, no,” She said, looking at him with her dreamy blue eyes. “I don’t feel well when my friends are sad.”

Harry didn’t know what to reply to that, so he simply sat down next to her. Luna had such a strange, but calm energy, like a pulsating, pink bubble inhibiting her, and if you were lucky, she let you inside this bubble and you could shut the world out for a moment.

“Harry, why are you sad?” Luna asked softly after a while.

“Because... because I like someone who doesn’t like me back,” He said.

Luna placed her hand upon his, and he saw that she had painted her fingernails in every colour of the rainbow. Though that was probably Ginny’s work.

“I think Y/N likes you very much,” She said. Harry scoffed.

“Not the way I like her,” He said. “She just agreed to go to the ball with Nott. I saw it. She looked happy. And when I wanted to ask her last week, she ran away.”

“You know, first I thought you wanted to go to the ball with somebody else,” She said. “I thought maybe you wanted to ask Cho again and wanted to prepare this time. And maybe Y/N thought so, too.”

Harry looked up at the blonde girl.

“She did ask me if I was going to ask Cho,” He said, remembering one of the dance lessons.

“And did you tell her that you actually want to ask her?”

“No,” He admitted, burying his face in his hands. “I panicked... and now it’s too late.”

“No, it’s not. You should still go to the ball, and then you should tell her,” Luna said.

“How? I can’t do it when we’re alone, I certainly can’t do it when there’s a hundred people around,” Harry said miserably.

“Well, then don’t.” Luna shrugged. “If you want her to be with Theodore –”

“I don’t want that,” He interrupted her. “Of course, I don’t.”

“Then go to the ball and tell her. I know you can do that.”

Saturday evening came around faster than you liked it to. Over the last four days, you had noticed Theodore’s eyes on you more than once during the meals or potions class, but it did not cause the tingling feeling in your stomach you would like his looks to cause.

If anything, you felt a pressure to talk to him and to spend time with him because you would go to the ball together. But you did not give in to that pressure and avoided him as much as possible, which led to you often leaving the potions classroom as one of the first.

To be honest, you were much more concentrated on Harry.

Harry who did not sit beside you during meals anymore. Harry who did not look in your direction but rather stared at his plate. Harry who looked like he had just lived through a very miserable week.

And you knew that was because you had left him standing in the hallway last Friday night. Maybe he had figured that you had feelings for him and that was his way of dealing with it: Distancing himself from you.

You wished you had not run. You wished you could’ve stayed in that abandoned classroom forever, your favourite song playing and his arms around you.

–

“What eyeshadow should I use?”

“The darker one.”

“Y/N?”

You snapped out of your thoughts, looking up from where you sat on the floor in your puffy, ankle-long purple-pink dress. Parvati held out her eyeshadow palette, eyebrows raised as she sceptically eyed you. Her black hair was still wrapped around a dozen curlers. Lavender had spent all morning on them.

“Yes, the darker one,” You said. “Brings out your eyes.”

Thankfully, that answer seemed to satisfy her enough to not ask how you were doing. She and Lavender had already asked that over a million times, but you had reassured them that you were totally okay.

Parvati turned back to face the mirror.

“When did you want to meet with Nott?” Lavender asked. She kneeled in front of her trunk, pondering whether she should wear black or silver heels.

“Half past seven,” You mumbled, picking at the tulle of your dress.

Theodore had held you back yesterday after Defence against the Dark Arts to tell you that he would be at the Great Hall at 7:30 and that you were welcome to eat dinner with him and his friends – which included people like Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson; people you usually avoided by all means, people that had laughed at you for tripping over the last step of a stair, for not knowing an answer to one of Snape’s stupid questions, or for simply being Muggleborn.

You had never been less interested in going to a social event. All you wanted to do was lay in bed under your blanket and erase the last week out of your mind.

“Oh, come on, darling, we talked about this.” Lavender came over and squished your cheeks, brushing away a tear. “Today is not the day to sulk about some guy who doesn’t return your feelings. Today is your day, and you’re gonna have fun with us. Don’t let some guy ruin that. Okay?”

You sniffed and nodded, not able to answer because she cupped your cheeks so solidly. Lavender smiled and kissed your forehead.

“That’s right,” She said. “We’re gonna have some dinner and dance a bit and if by then you still feel bad, we can go back to our dorm.”

“And if Harry dares to talk to you, he’s gonna know what’s it feels like to be kicked in the balls with a heel,” Parvati added dryly. You laughed.

The Great Hall was decorated with yellow, pink and purple banners, and the four long house tables had been exchanged with much smaller, round ones scattered where the staff table usually stood, on each of them a vase filled with rosa tulips and white daffodils.

The ceiling did not mirror the night sky outside but a beautiful, orange sunset lighting up the dance floor in the middle. Opposite from the many tables, on the other end of the hall, Slughorn had organised a stage with a cover band. Next to the stage hung a long parchment onto which everyone could write requests.

You spotted your Potions teacher, dressed in a bright green suit, next to Dumbledore, his robes a terrible pink, both of them writing down their song requests.

“A Galleon that Dumbledore is a Spice Girls fan,” Lavender said grinning as she had followed your eyes.

“Bet,” Parvati said, grabbing three drinks from a passing waiter. “Here. Cheers.”

The three of you clinked glasses and took a sip of the red punch – it tasted strongly of various fruits, coconut, and bitter alcohol.

You let your eyes glide further over the hall and the people that sat together in groups around the tables, some of them already eating. Secretly, you were looking for Harry, though you only discovered Ginny in between Luna and Hermione, all of them chatting happily, and a few tables behind them, Theodore.

He waved as he saw you, gesturing to come over. You forced yourself to smile and wave back at him.

“I’ll see you later,” You said, chugging down the rest of your drink.

“Tell us if he’s being an asshole,” Parvati said. “Or really any of them.”

“And have some fun,” Lavender added.

You took one last look at your friends – Parvati in her silk, almond white, slim dress, and Lavender with flowers in her hair, their arms linked together – and swallowed thickly before turning and making your way through the crowd towards Theodore, though you made sure to give the table with Ginny a wide berth.

“Hi, Y/N,” Theodore greeted you, pecking a swift kiss on your left cheek. His eyes, however, were gliding over the room filling with more and more students. “We’ve already ordered some drinks, come on.”

You took a step back after the kiss, blinking quickly, then noticed how the other people around the table were staring at you:

Pansy and Daphne eyed you and your dress dismissively, and Blaise sipped on his wine, eyebrows raised. Only Draco was slumped in his chair and chewed on a gum, not wasting a single glance at you. He looked as uninterested in this Spring Ball as you felt.

An hour ago, you sure as hell wouldn’t have believed to relate to bloody Draco Malfoy.

“Uh, hi. I’m Y/N,” You said, forcing a smile on your face and holding out your hand towards Pansy, as she sat closest to you. “I like your dress. Matches your earrings.”

That compliment seemed to leave a mark. Her judging look softened and she shook your hand.

After introducing yourself to everyone (well, except Draco, who had only shortly nodded at you), you sat down in between Theodore and Blaise, and ordered something to eat.

Pansy and Daphne were huddled together the whole time, giggling and pointing at others, while Draco raised a complaint about every meal on the menu or really any other small inconvenience that had the unfortune to be spotted by him (“I can’t eat that, it has tomatoes in it. Nothing on here is gluten free. I’ll write father first thing in the morning. Pansy, will you shut the fuck up for a second? That’s not even a real band. God, I hate this place.”).

“He’s a whiny bitch most of the time, but his family has a great holiday chalet in France,” Blaise said to you after Draco had shot you an annoyed look for asking if you should ask the band to play a different song. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be friends with him.”

“I hope you choke on that disgusting wine,” Draco muttered, and you chuckled.

“Sure, darling,” Blaise replied, sharing a look with you. Until now, Blaise had surprisingly talked the most with you, and it turned out he wasn’t half as bad as you had always thought he would be.

Theodore on the other hand had only occasionally asked you how your meal was and how long you had planned to stay. His eyes had not held contact with yours for longer than a second and were still searching for something in the crowd, which was – by the way – having fun on the dance floor while you had not moved in almost an hour.

It wasn’t until a particularly beautiful girl from Ravenclaw strode past your table that Theodore hooked his foot around the leg of your chair to pull you closer and placed his hand on your upper thigh, giving you his full attention for the first time that night.

“Have I told you that you look very pretty tonight?” He asked, his dark eyes meeting yours.

“Er – no,” You said, darting a confused look towards the Ravenclaw girl.

“Well, you do,” Theodore went on and turned your head back to face him by stroking his thumb over your cheek before pressing his lips onto the skin beneath your ear. They felt chapped and not pleasant in any way. You cringed.

“Uh, sorry, but that’s maybe a bit early, don’t you think?” You said, drawing back and shoving his hand from your thigh.

“She’s gone anyway, Theo,” Blaise said. You did not understand.

“Who’s gone?” You asked, looking back and forth between Theodore and the others, who all seemed to know something you didn’t. Pansy giggled.

“Nothing,” Theodore said. His sweet voice had turned bitter, and you felt like that was your fault. He stood up. “I’ll get some more punch.”

The band segued from an upbeat song into a much slower one, and the light of the candles magically dimmed.

“Do you want to dance maybe?” You asked Theodore as a way to make up for your rejection, but he had already pushed past a group of chatting seventh years, not turning around.

You sank back into your chair, picking at the tulle of your dress again. Was it too early to tell Lavender and Parvati that you wanted to go back to your dorm?

“Girl, if I were you, I would get out of here as quickly as possible,” Blaise said. You looked up at him. “He’s not worth it. And he’s not here for you. So don’t waste your energy.”

“But he asked me to the ball,” You said weakly.

“Did he? Or did he just ask for some time with you to make his ex-girlfriend jealous?”

“He – well – he…”

But Blaise looked at you and you knew that he was right, that this was never about you but some other girl. It was always about some other girl.

“Excuse me, I’ll get some fresh air,” You said and made your way through the tables towards the doors.

The last time, everyone had watched him. Now it was Harry’s turn to watch everyone else try their best on the dance floor. He wasn’t sure what was worse; to be laughed at by the others while stepping on Parvati’s feet every other second or to watch not only Hermione and Ron but also Ginny and Luna, as well as Seamus and Dean dancing closely, arms around the other.

They all had no idea what they were doing, Harry could tell, but they were having fun anyway. He had never seen Hermione this happy.

“Oh, flashback.”

Harry looked up. Parvati sat down next to him on the chair that Ron had left over half an hour ago.

“Yeah,” He mumbled, taking another sip of butterbeer, and turned back to the dance floor right in time to see Dean kissing Seamus passionately in the middle of the room.

“And you are not dancing because…?” Parvati asked. Harry crossed his arms.

“If you’re here to make fun of me or to blow up my butterbeer, feel free to fuck off.”

Parvati chuckled. “Sorry about that. But seriously, why are you sitting here miserably after all those dance lessons?”

Harry tried to make out if she was actually serious or if this was her way to revenge herself for the Yule Ball.

“Are you kidding me?” He asked. Parvati narrowed her eyebrows, now visibly puzzled.

“No, I’m genuinely asking –”

“Well, it’s not that fucking easy to slow dance if you have no date, is it,” He said crossly.

Parvati gaped at him, but he was certainly not in the mood for this. It had cost him all his strength to not look for you in the crowd all evening, he did not need reminding of you not liking him back by Parvati.

Before she could say anything else, he placed his butterbeer bottle on the table and darted outside, hands shoved deeply into the pockets of his suit and eyes directed to the floor.

Harry’s feet guided him towards the courtyard. The music played by the band wasn’t as loud out here, and the cold night air was lively in contrary to the sticky, perfumed air inside the Great Hall.

He kicked some of the grass away and walked towards the bench underneath the willow, watching how its branches weighed in the wind and thought how you were probably having as much fun as his friends, or maybe even more, considering Nott was infamous for snogging in various broom closets.

Harry’s stomach turned at the thought of that. He wished he had a time turner to make it right.

The moon stood high on the deep blue night sky, illuminating the courtyard you had unconsciously walked to. Grey clouds had approached, and tiny raindrops were falling to the ground, steadily drumming onto the roofs of Hogwarts.

On your way out of the Great Hall, you had caught a glimpse of Theodore sticking his tongue down the throat of that Ravenclaw girl, but to be honest, it didn’t matter that he was making out with someone else. It would’ve just been nice if you could have had a forewarning.

You thought you were the only single soul wandering about, then spotted a figure sitting on a bench. You were about to turn and search for some other place to wallow in your feelings, when you recognised the messy hair.

Maybe this was the time to make up for running away. Maybe this was the time to be honest.

Harry looked up when he noticed someone coming closer, the tulle of your dress rustling over the wet grass. His heart jumped and he forgot to breathe for a moment.

“Hello,” You said, voice echoing over the empty courtyard. “Can I sit?”

“Of course.”

Harry scooted to the side to make some space for you. You sat down next to him, leaving maybe a hand width between the two of you. The wide branches of the willow guided you from the cold rain.

“You weren’t dancing,” You said, staring at the grass instead of his face.

You would understand if he did not want to talk, if he just walked away. He didn’t owe you an explanation for why he had not asked you to the ball or why was sitting here instead of inside with Ginny or whoever he had asked.

“You weren’t either, were you?” Harry replied. “You and Nott.”

“No, he’s busy with someone else, so… no. Not dancing.”

“Oh.” Harry shuffled. His knee bumped against yours. “Well, he’s an idiot then.”

You smiled, not moving your knee away from his.

“Yeah…but I don’t mind, really.”

“You should,” Harry said, and he meant it. No one should be treated like that. “If anyone should be dancing, it’s you.”

You looked up at him. Harry was already watching you, and it filled you with warmth despite the freezing cold. There wasn’t a single sign of hurt on his face, just a soft curiosity lying in his green eyes.

“I’m sorry,” You whispered, “for running away last Friday. I had to sort out some things.”

“What things?” He asked quietly.

“Some…” Your heartbeat sped up. Be honest, you told yourself. “Some feelings.”

“Oh.” Harry tried to figure out what you meant by that, but the way you looked at him made his mind go blank. “You mean you…”

“I really like dancing with you,” You said. Harry felt his heart beating faster than ever against his ribcage. He wondered if you could hear it. “And I wouldn’t have done those lessons with anyone.”

The music from inside the Great Hall was growing louder, overshadowing the rain; someone must’ve opened the doors to let in some fresh air. The band was playing a slower, French song and it stung in your heart. It was one of your favourites.

When you turned back to Harry, he was standing up. For a second you thought he wanted to leave, to go back inside, then –

“May I have this dance?” Harry held out is right hand, and you did not have to think twice if you should take it or not.

He helped you up from the bench and led into the middle of the lawn, the rain still pattering onto the grass and the stone tiles. It smelled strongly of petrichor, and you thought that this was much closer to spring than the decorations in the Great Hall.

Harry’s hand found its place on your back, pulling you closer to him. You placed your hand on his shoulder, tapping his skin with your finger in time to the music out of habit, and met his eyes, reflecting the moon light in them.

Had you ever told him how beautiful he was?

The two of you moved, swaying back and forth. Harry realised that he did not even need to concentrate on the steps, he knew them by heart. The closeness of you took his breath away, the way your fingers held onto his, the way there was little to no room between your torso and his. You were smiling at him, despite the cold and the rain. Harry felt his stomach tingling.

“What’s it called?” Harry asked quietly, not wanting to drown out the music.

“‘Je Te Laisserai Des Mots’. I’ll leave you words,” You translated, having memorised the lyrics in your mind. “I’ll leave you words underneath your door, underneath the singing moon. Near the place where your feet pass by…hidden in the holes of wintertime and when you’re alone for a moment.”

You paused and Harry’s eyes fell to his feet, not able to take your gaze any longer. There were words on the tip of his tongue he did not dare to say – afraid, to ruin the moment. He wanted to stay here forever.

“Eyes up,” You said, placing your hand underneath his chin to lift his head up.

More French words reached your ears; Harry figured they were the same sentence repeated over and over, but even if he had been able to understand French, he wouldn’t have been able to translate them because of your hand still resting under his chin.

“Kiss me whenever you want,” You whispered. “Kiss me whenever you want. Kiss me –”

And then, Harry let go of his fears and kissed you.

After all it still took you by surprise how he loosened his fingers from yours to cup your face, pulling you as close to him as possible, until there was no space in between, noses bumping against each other. Both of your hands slung themselves around his neck, caressing his skin and driving up through messy hair.

His lips matched yours, gliding smoothly over one another, smearing your lip gloss everywhere until all you tasted was strawberries and sweet alcohol. With his chest against yours, Harry was glad to notice your heart beating as fast as his did, though that was also because he really needed to breathe – not that he wanted to, he would have been totally okay with never breaking away from the kiss if it was always going to feel this soft and freeing.

It was you in the end that had to carefully pull his face away from yours, heavily breathing in and out. You brushed his wet hair out of his forehead and let your fingers slide over his temples and cheeks down to his neck.

“That offer,” Harry began breathlessly, tucking a strand of hair he had accidentally drawn from your pinned-up hair behind your ear, “about continuing the dance lessons…that still stands, right?”

Your lips curved upwards into a smile. “Of course.” 

“Brilliant,” Harry said, mirroring your smile before leaning down again to close the gap between your lips.

[nochukoo97]

Strawberries and Cigarettes

Pairing: Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Oc gets jealous, but Jk explains to her in the end, they go out for ice cream date AGAIN 😊

Word count: 1.4k+

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Chapter 3

It’s been a week since you went to the arcade with Sohee’s friends, or at this point you could say your friends, and Sohee has announced to you that Jimin will be having a huge party for his birthday this Saturday, and of course you agreed to go.

Two hours before the party, you and Sohee help each other get ready, touching up makeup and making sure your outfits look good, you both spend an hour to finish up. “Oh! The cab I called is outside already! Take your stuff and let's go,” Sohee says after checking the notification that lit up her phone screen. So the both of you gather your things and head out of Sohee’s apartment.

Reaching Jimin’s house, you can already hear loud music and cheering from outside the house. Although you aren’t quite a fan of loud noises and parties, you collect yourself and tell yourself to try to enjoy this experience.

“Sohee! Y/N! You both are finally here omg! Meet my middle school classmates, Jake, Sunoo and Minchae!” Jimin shouts over the blaring music as he introduces the three other people by his side. You and Sohee give smiles and exchange ‘Hi’s with the three new people. You shout over the music to Jimin, “Hey! Have you seen Jungkook?” To which Sohee raises her eyebrow, but you're too busy looking in the direction that Jimin has pointed than to notice your best friend yet again observing your very obvious interest towards her friend.

As you walk closer to Jungkook who was sitting on Jimin’s couch with a few other unfamiliar faces, he makes eye contact with you and smiles, to which you smile back. He walks over to where you are and bends down to whisper in your ear, “Didn’t expect you to be here, it's pretty chaotic when it comes to parties held by Jimin,” he chuckles. You laughed and nodded your head, observing the loud crowd that had gathered in Jimin’s house. Before any of you could say anything further, suddenly you see a hand resting on Jungkook’s shoulder, and taking a look at her face, it was Jimin’s friend, Minchae. You slightly frown at the sight, as Minchae talks over the music to you, “Hey! Y/N right? See you were talking to my Jungkook here!” She laughs as she leans closer to him. You feel your heart clench in pain as she continues to lean all over him, then she says to him, just loud enough for you to hear, “Let’s go somewhere else, I wanna tell you something.” Before dragging Jungkook away into the crowd.

You frown at yourself. Who was Minchae to Jungkook? The way she was leaning all over him and acting like they were really close bothered you, you weren’t going to lie. You did not know exactly what your feelings were to Jungkook, but you certainly knew that you did not like the sight of another girl clinging to him. But Jungkook is Jungkook, you weren’t surprised that he had girls thirsting over him, especially with his good looking face and tattooed arms. What did you expect?

You could not take it anymore. Why was your mind going crazy over a man you just met a few weeks ago? Why were you jealous of how close Minchae looked to Jungkook? Perhaps it was the loud blaring music and chaos happening, or just the fact that your jealousy was making you go crazy, but you decided to find an exit to breathe some air outside the house.

After a few minutes, you find yourself in Jimin’s backyard, you sit by the pool and sighed out of frustration and just pure tiredness from all that was happening. Why were you feeling this way? It frustrated you that you could not control your growing feelings for Jungkook.

“Too much noise?” You jump a little when you hear a voice behind you. Turning around, you see Jungkook standing behind you smiling softly. “I thought you were talking with your girlfriend?” you ask softly. To which Jungkook bursts out in laughter and you look at him with a confused look.

“Please never say that again,” Jungkook says while laughing, “Minchae is not even close to my romantic interest, she was my customer for a tattoo on her arm over a year ago and has been trying to take every opportunity to get my attention,” he explains. “I’ve tried to get Jimin to pry her off of me but he has no clue how to stop her apparent undying love for me…” Your mouth slightly parts as you sigh quietly in relief. So Jungkook was not interested in Minchae after all, but the thought of her clinging onto him still affected you.

“Well that’s pretty annoying being chased by her for a whole year,” you say, now looking at his face. He hums in response and is silent for a second, before asking, “Hey, I know it might be too much for you if you go back in, wanna head out for ice cream again? You said you want to pay me back so you can do it today?” Your eyes lit up at Jungkook’s suggestion as you hurriedly nod your head and stand up, as he gestures to you at a back gate in the garden.

“The nearest convenience store is quite far away, I don’t think we will be able to walk there,” Jungkook starts, “If we take my motorcycle it’ll be way faster!” Oh my god. Not only does this man have tattoos and body piercings, he owns a motorcycle too? You watch as Jungkook guides you towards the car park, and a Harley Davidson lights up at the corner.

“I only have one helmet so I’ll let you wear it,” Jungkook explains as he places the helmet over your head and adjusts the straps for you. Now you can see his face really closely, and you take notice of the small scar under his eye. But you save that question for another day, as he hops onto the front seat. Tapping the seat behind him, he gestures for you to climb on as well, to which you follow.

“It’s my first time riding a motorcycle, you know” you say as he starts the engine. “If you’re scared just hold on to me tightly and hope you don’t fall” He laughs as you smack his back lightly. Suddenly this position feels so intimate, you wrap your arms around his waist as he drives on the road, and you can’t help but feel your heartbeat slowly increasing.

Soon, you see the bright lights of the convenience store and Jungkook helps you off the bike, taking off the helmet for you too. You both enter the shop as you make a beeline for the freezer compartment. Taking out your ice cream of choice, Jungkook follows you behind and teases, “Strawberry again? Should I tattoo a strawberry on you to show your undying passion for that fruit?” He laughs as you sulk playfully at his words.

The both of you end up sitting on the sidewalk eating your ice creams, when Jungkook spots some ice cream on your chin. He hesitates for a moment before swiping his thumb over your chin and licking it off his finger. Your eyes widen and you stiffen at his sudden actions, and the tips of your ear turn terribly red. “There was ice cream on your chin and we don’t have any tissues, I couldn’t just let you walk around with ice cream all over you,” He laughs after seeing your flustered look.

“Come on,” He pats your thigh and stands up, “They might be looking for us again so we better head back soon.” With that, the both of you rode his motorcycle back to Jimin’s place, and thankfully, no one noticed your absence while the two of you were gone.

A few hours later, as everyone was leaving the party, you felt someone pulling your arm aside. Turning in surprise, you see Jungkook’s back profile, leading you to a secluded corner.

“Hey, sorry if I scared you,” He chuckles, “I wanted to do this while we were at the store but I kinda forgot,” He grabs your phone and types something into it, “Text me yeah?” He says as he hands back your phone, before walking back towards his motorcycle parked outside Jimin’s garage.

You stare at your phone screen, mouth slightly gaping. Jungkook just gave you his number. What the hell.

And he saved his contact as ‘Jungkook 🍦’