#tis early ignore the errors lol

[wyldwolves]

"You don't have a right to ask anything of me. If you wanted me to walk with you, there is a chance begging me to would help. You used to enjoy a Stark at your throat and it would've been a thriving future between houses. Have you forgotten that?" Lyanna scoffed, the annoyance in her voice rising like the rides about the rock sunk in the middle of the bay Driftmark inhabited. The Stark had once lived in moments where she would whisper to him sweet nothings and her teeth softly grazing there along his neck half tempted to mark him to show how proudly she'd once claimed his face - him. No. No, she wouldn't dwell on the thought that there would've been a renewal of spring onto the world if they still loved one another. Her arms would've held a blue-eyed child with immaculate, dark curls of thick hair and perfectly tanned skin more beautiful than the both of them with likely another hugged tightly to a leg but would they have been here? It was a terrible, horrible world he'd left her to have been half dreaming of children and only his - never anyone else. Instead famine extended like a poison through more than just the land and the rot that infected a larger westeros continued to fester to the point it had choked out the life of her friend - the friend all who knew mourned and blamed partially as corwyn did dragonfire for it.

Erren despite their grief if they were to catch the blonde bloom before her would have strong words and stronger actions. It would be quietly thrilling to watch only because if in that moment she laid hands on the Tyrell, Lya didn't trust herself enough not to lay with him instead. The argument she thrived on, her headstrong nature and cutting words often a challenge to see how he might seduce her not that it wasn't plainly clear once he only needed to breath her name and she would only playfully resist acting out a war between them to melt perfectly. No. No she'd not tempt it. Seriousness returned to her, still walking away from him.

If this was a concern for her safety - the stark would reiterate - she was not his. He had no right to worry about her and a she-wolf of the north had sent better men than him to their knees on the field and in her own adventures before they'd ever met with swifter efficiency than Lorent could imagine. Did he wish to be on that end of her blade in that way? The anger in her chest rose with every breath, chest a perfect as it was rising with each inhale stopping mid-gate turning to stare up at him. If his intention was to bait her he had succeeded. "People are starving, Lorent not that you'd know what that is like. Princely figure of High Garden with your damning smile. In truth?' Lya stated sharply in a whisper, closing the distance between them in the hallway dropping the conversation into dangerously intimate territory as she was but inches from him now. She'd not risk his stupid life nor her own neck over a conversation in the home of a would-be king. If he wished to be a damsel in distress over her decisions so be it. A hand reached out to grab a handful of his tunic, attempting to pull his frame closer. "Do I believe in the Velaryons? I believed in Xaerys as potentially flawed a person as he was. I believe in my brother - both of them. I don't know if he will change this shitty world but would you like to know a secret, Lor? You want the truth - I believe we could've saved this place - you and I. I believe the Velaryon could herald a change this world needs but it will fail if you aren't there beside me."

there had been a time and place where he'd felt positively enthralled by her headstrong nature. lorent intended to extend an olive branch, only for her to promptly snap it in half. "bloody hells, lyanna, i asked you for a walk, not to wed me in the sept this instant." this would grate on a raw nerve, but it was not as though he was unaware of what his sudden disappearance had caused. not only had he broken his promise to her -- he'd chosen the most humiliating way to do it.

"a stark at my throat would hardly be conducive to a peaceful future between our houses, now would it?" the lord tyrell was doubtful he could avoid it for much longer, there were several wolves at high tide now and one of the pesky pack still sat the council in king's landing. if he wanted to remain unscathed, he should never have left highgarden. when lyanna turned on her heel, lorent rolled his eyes and began to follow her lead unceremoniously.

"tell me this then. do you truly believe corwyn velaryon can rescue this shit world from its impending doom?" his voice was low enough to not be overheard by bystanders. she really should've allowed him to whisk her away somewhere safe. "from what i understand, he's just made it significantly shitter."

[ficsbyuzi]

ALL THE WAYS LEAD TO YOU

PART-9

Characters - Aemond Targaryen and Inara Maegyr (OFC) in a modern AU.

MASTERLIST

word count - 3.8k

Warnings - +18

Another chapter in the same week, lol I am shirking my real life duties and feeling more depressed I guess 🥲🙃 Ignore the grammatical errors pretty please, i did not proof read it like always :)

 Aemond’s wife

Every sound and sight after those words seemed to reach her through a foggy veil of daze.

Inara could see Alys standing face to face with her. She could see Aemond observing her from a distance. But they were nothing more than shifting shapes in her blurry perception.

She could hear a familiar sound - Aemond’s voice booming in the office, but couldn't comprehend it. Then came Alys' laugh - sharp, almost mocking - cutting through the haze like a blade.

Before she could collect herself, she felt Alys’ hand clasping her own, pulling her inside the room with a forced, graceful grip.

The dazed veil tore apart in an instant when Inara recognised the sharp contrast of Aemond’s familiar touch on her hand, the warmth of his fingers brushing against hers as they were freed from Alys’ grasp.

“Stop it, Alys.” Aemond’s frustration was palpable, fury tightening his voice.

Inara stood frozen as her body shook with an urge to flee. Every instinct screamed at her to leave the room, but her feet were unwilling to obey.

“Why? Stop being so rude, Aemond. I am trying to be friendly,” Alys replied, her tone dripping with a dangerous confidence that seemed to momentarily douse Aemond’s rage.

In that moment, Inara’s eyes met Aemond’s, their gazes briefly locking before he quickly averted his. And in that fleeting glance, she sensed a mix of frustration and a hint of fear. She couldn’t tell if those emotions stemmed from Alys’s presence in the room, or if they were tied to her unexpected arrival.

"Inara, you need to leave, I‘ll speak to you later," Aemond said, his tone clipped and dismissive, his gaze fixed anywhere but on her.

Before she could respond, Alys sighed, rolling her eyes and giving her head a shake. In a tone that was a calculated blend of indifference, mockery and dominance, she said, “Inara, I came all the way from Harrenhal to meet you, you can’t leave so early” 

Inara swallowed. 

She came to meet me?

Drawing on every ounce of restraint she had, she forced her voice to stay steady, "I’m leaving. I just needed your signature on this letter, Aemond." 

With every word, she summoned her composure. 

She could do this. Stand firm in the face of whatever truth had been denied to her. Hidden from her.

And yet, her amber eyes brimmed with tears as Aemond took the letter from her. The usual warmth of her sunlit orbs, golden and bright, was now fading, as if the sun within them was slowly sinking beneath a sea of tears, ushering in the darkness.

Aemond took the letter from her without a word, his movements brisk and impersonal. Alys stood in  mocking, judging silence, as Inara felt the weight of her gaze pressing down on her. 

He signed it hastily, the scratch of the pen loud in the tense silence, and held it out to give it back without so much as a glance to her. Not a single word passed his lips.

Instead, Alys spoke as Inara took the sheet of paper back, dejected and defeated, “When I first heard about you I thought, mmm, some old hag has stolen his heart, again, but you…” She paused, her gaze sweeping over Inara like a blade slicing through skin. 

Leaving her sentence unfinished, Alys turned and strode confidently to Aemond’s chair, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. 

“I, too, wanted to be a doctor, you know?” she said, settling into the chair as if it were rightfully hers. 

“I told you to leave, Inara.” 

A brusque reminder from Aemond made Inara stir to obey him, the letter clenched tightly in her hand. Her chest rose and fell in erratic breaths, as she began towards the exit, when suddenly, Alys’ cold, calculating voice froze her in her tracks.

“Does she fuck better than me, Aemond?”

The room fell deathly still. A sharp sigh left Inara’s throat, the vulgarity of Alys’s words slicing through her half-torn composure. Her feet now felt trapped into the ground, even as every fiber in her body charged with an urge to flee the room.

Aemond’s jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. His eyes, cold and sharp, locked on Alys. But Alys only smirked, leaning back as if daring him to respond.

“INARA! LEAVE!” he thundered, the rage that swarmed through him finally spilling over. His hand lashed out, sending a vase off the table. 

Inara instinctively backed away, cupping her mouth to suppress a shriek.

 It was a side of him she had never witnessed before. 

"Tsk, see? He just keeps breaking everything," Alys drawled in a mocking tone, her pout exaggerated as she stretched out the word ‘everything’, "He breaks my heart and he breaks the hearts of his fans," she rolled her eyes with theatrical disdain before adding,"Careful, girl, he'll break yours too. And he won't even tell you the reason,” her voice dripping with false concern as she shrugged, her expression a mix of mockery and feigned indifference.

Aemond had had enough.

He clasped Inara’s hand in a firm, unyielding grip and led her out of the room. The sound of Alys’s chuckle reverberated through her like a shattered chandelier, each shard slicing  through her self esteem.

Without a word, he shut the door with the force that seemed to slap her like a final verdict. Truth. 

The tears she had fought so hard to suppress now broke free, streaming down her cheeks as she stumbled forward. Her steps turned frantic and breath erratic, as jagged sobs left her throat.

In her haste, she collided with a figure, the impact jarring her slightly. Blinking through her tears, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a tall, silver-haired man whose features mirrored Aemond’s, though his presence felt entirely different—darker, more dangerous.

“Watch your step,” the man said curtly.

“I’m sorry,” Inara mumbled, her voice thick, barely glancing up as she moved past him. 

Daemon Targaryen watched her retreating figure with a raised brow, noting the way her steps faltered. His lips curled into a sardonic smile as realization struck—she had come from Aemond’s office.

“Silly girl,” he muttered, chuckling softly to himself and continuing on.

-

Inara stared at the moonless sky, standing on the balcony of her apartment. For months, she felt as if all her nights were filled with the light of the full moon. As if it never left its place. But tonight, the sky was an endless expanse of darkness. The city lights stretched endlessly before her, their glimmer feeling distant and hollow.

That city, with all its allure and brightness, was now a reminder of the world she didn’t truly belong to. The world of glamor, that was not for her. Neither, it seemed, was dreaming of stars. 

Dreaming only leaves one aching and heartbroken.

But why should she feel heartbroken? No promises were made to her. No commitments were exchanged.

Tears rolled off her cheeks as her thoughts spiraled and her chest tightened. She walked back to her room, her knees buckling as she sank to the edge of her bed. 

It was foolish. She should have known better than to trust a rich, popular man she barely knew. She should have been rational enough to understand that he was likely carrying burdens and truths that didn’t align with her own life.

Yet, here she was, clinging to fragments of the tender moments she shared with him. She held onto memories of how his gaze lingered on her, the warmth of his touch that sent sparks through her, and the softness in his voice whenever he spoke her name.

These moments were her truth, one no one could take away from her.

But the truth she faced today was different. It was clear, it was logical. And love... love was anything but.

Love is messy, irrational. And love sometimes devastates one’s heart and soul. 

But how would she convince her heart and soul who still held on to that love she felt for him and now resisted the truth she came face to face with. How could she explain to them to let go of the man she thought he was - the man who, despite everything, still felt like her safe place.

A place where she could not stay as it belonged to someone else.

-

Her distorted sleep was a chaotic blend of what all she had experienced throughout the day.

“It all ends today,” she whispered to the reflection in the mirror. The face staring back at her looked hollow, drained of any happy coloring, the eyes sunken on it, devoid of their usual warmth. One last time when she had to get ready for her day at the Red Keep Productions.

-

Inara lingered behind her computer screen. She could not go on the set and let herself succumb to the emotions tied to those halls. She stared blankly at the screen, scrolling aimlessly, her mind far away from the display on the screen. 

A small, brown box filled with her belongings rested beside the keyboard, tangibly reminding her of a few hours to go. A soft knock broke her trance.

“Come in.”

Margaery, her senior, entered, holding a cupcake and a small, neatly wrapped gift in her hands. “This is for you,” she said, placing it gently on the desk before leaning down to embrace Inara. 

For a fleeting moment, Inara forgot everything and smiled, a genuine curve of her lips that reached her eyes.

“All the best with your studies. And I really hope you join the team for the next season. We’ll miss you.” 

Next season

Then, it all came rushing back, the light in her gaze dimming, the shadows returning to her face as if clouds had passed over the sun. Outside, the sky mirrored her countenance as the sun was enveloped by an overcast gloom. A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance, filling her office.

The shift in her demeanor was subtle but unmistakable, enough for Margaery to notice. She tilted her head, her brows knitting in concern. “What is it? Something wrong?”

Inara swallowed hard, shaking her head with a small, forced smile. “No, it’s nothing. I just feel a bit emotional about leaving...a bit nervous about moving to a new place..and..”

She paused, her words catching in her throat as a vivid image of Aemond flashed in her mind. His sharp features softened by a rare smile that she thought only surfaced, when she was around. For her.

“Has someone said anything to you?” Margaery’s voice was soft with concern. “If you don’t mind me asking…I noticed that you looked really upset yesterday. You were gone by the time I came to check on you.”

“No, nothing happened,” Inara replied in a hurried tone, gaze dropping to the floor. 

Margaery didn’t look convinced. “You went to Aemond’s office, didn’t you? Did something happen there? I know he can be a little... curt at times, but he doesn’t mean ill. And, honestly, these celebs, actors..they are just moody peop…”

“No, it’s not that,” Inara did not let her finish. Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her desk as her words tumbled out in a rush, “I happened to meet his wife yesterday and she was..” 

“Wife?” Margaery repeated, her brows knitting in confusion. “Aemond doesn’t have a wife.”

A jolt ran through her chest. The ground beneath her shifted a little. Her mind began racing to make sense of what she just heard. 

Aemond does not have a wife?

Was the previous day an illusion or was this moment not really happening? The walls of reality seemed to blur around her.

“I..I” she stammered, her voice faltering. “I saw her. I spoke to her. Alys…” The name felt like a wound being reopened.

“Alys? Alys Rivers from Harrenhal?”

Inara could only nod in silent confirmation.

Margaery’s frown deepened, confusion flickering across her face. Quickly glancing at the door she leaned slightly closer, lowering her voice, “She’s not his wife anymore. God, that woman is a bit of a weirdo, if you ask me. They got divorced years ago, and she is still calling herself his wife?”

“Divorced?” Her mind struggled to process the information, she had been bombarded with.

“Yes,” Margaery confirmed, “It was messy. Let’s just say the family wasn’t exactly heartbroken when things ended. But she keeps lingering in his life, making it hard for him to completely move on. It is not the first time that she showed up here randomly.”

Inara’s nerves tightened even more in unease. The revelation did little to soothe her turmoil. If anything, it only raised more questions. Why had Alys acted so possessively, claiming to be Aemond’s wife? And why did Aemond not correct her?

Or did he correct her? 

“She’s a smart, self-made woman, no doubt. But, God, is she weird! Do you know she once introduced herself as a barn owl cursed to live in human form? I mean, what sane person says  that in a business meeting?”

Inara blinked, momentarily jolted out of the whirlwind of her thoughts.

Margaery, as if reading her the doubts surfacing on her face, pressed on,“Aemond and Alys have unresolved issues that have been dragging on for years,” she said, her tone laced with caution. “It’s a tangled mess and doesn’t make much sense to anyone standing outside it. Honestly, I’d advise you not to let this rich-people drama weigh on your mind.”

“I’m okay. I guess I was just too emotional about leaving, and she was a bit rude to me yesterday,” Inara said, her tone casual, though the effort to mask her feelings was evident. “You all have been so kind to me here.. it just… added up, I think.” She forced a nonchalant facade, steering the conversation away from her true emotions, unwilling to let them show.

“Right. Take care. Hope to see you soon, again.” Margaery gave her an encouraging smile and a pat on the shoulder before turning to head out. 

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Inara in the dim room.

 A distant rumble of thunder rolled through the air. The sound of rain began to patter against the windows, the storm outside mirroring the chaos inside her. 

-

It happened. The one thing Aemond had dreaded the most. 

The thought of Inara leaving, slipping away from him without a word, without closure after what happened the day before, was gnawing at him.

The ache to see her, to make things right, clawed at him. She was probably walking out of his life forever, and he was powerless to stop it. He wasn’t sure what was worse: the regret of not acting or the fear of losing her, her trust.

He had to see her. He had to tell her the truth. He had to tell her that he couldn’t let her go.

He needed her in his life. 

-

The sky turned wrathful as rain poured down in relentless torrents, drumming against the hood of Inara’s stalled car. She sat inside, soaked from her futile attempt to check the engine. She cursed herself for not charging her phone before leaving. It had died before she could even manage one attempt to call a cab. All she could do was wait—wait for the storm to pass or for some kind of relief to come. She still had an hour of distance left to cover before reaching her apartment, but in that moment, the road ahead seemed impossibly far.

Moments later, headlights appeared in the distance. A sleek, expensive car pulled up alongside her. Relief flooded her until she recognized the driver.

Jason Lannister.

The door to his car swung open, and he leaned out, his sharp features illuminated by the glow of his headlights.

 “Need some help?” he asked, his tone rich with smugness.

Hesitant but desperate, Inara nodded. “Uh, my car broke down, and my phone is dead. Can you please help in arranging a cab for me?” she spoke over the rain clattering over the metal of her car.

Jason stepped out, an umbrella shielding him from the downpour. He gestured to his car. “Come on. I’ll give you a lift.”

“i.. I'll manage with a cab. Thanks.” She hesitated.

“You wont get any cab in this weather, my driver will drop you at the nearest bus stop if it’s ok?” 

She hesitated but had little choice. Clutching her soaked coat, she climbed into the plush interior of his car. A scent of leather and cologne greeted her, a stark contrast to the rotten seaweed stench of the city, amplified by the storm outside. 

The conversation began innocuously enough during the ride with Jason asking her about the shoot and her time at the Red Keep production house. But his tone soon shifted, growing more and more condescending.

After a few minutes, Inara noticed the car veer off the main road and onto a secluded, shadowy path. Her pulse quickened, her unease growing. 

"Where are we going?" she asked sharply, her voice cutting through the tense silence.

"Shortcut," Jason replied, his tone disturbingly casual.

The car rounded a bend, and an abandoned warehouse loomed into view. Her heart was beating faster with every minute passing by, but she maintained her calm and stayed alert. Before she could process the place where she was, the driver brought the car to a halt, stepped out without a word, and disappeared into the rain and darkness.

“What is this place? Where is he going?” she asked, trying to keep the rising panic from her voice.

“Relax,” cooed Jason in a tone too-intimate that did anything but reassure her. “He’ll be back. And I’m right here, aren’t I? I’ll keep you company.” He raked his eyes over her, with an unsettling curve of his lips that made her heartbeat thunder in her chest.

“Please call your driver back.”

“He’ll be back. Why don’t we talk and get to know each other better in the meantime?” he said, shifting to face her. “You don’t really think Aemond Targaryen is the only one who notices you, do you?”

Inara stiffened. A knot tightened in her stomach as a cold wave of fear washed over her. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said evenly, keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Oh, come on,” Jason chuckled, the sound carrying an unsettling hint of his ulterior motives, “Don’t play coy. You think a guy like Aemond is serious about someone like you? You’re a distraction to him at best, or a dalliance.”

A wave of nausea swept over her. She was too stunned to respond. 

“I can give you a lot more than he ever could,” Jason continued, his voice low and dripping with mockery. “Not the silver hair or that dragon charm he’s got that drives women crazy, of course, but…” His hand slid onto her knee.

Inara recoiled instantly, slapping his hand away. Fury took over her senses and before she could second-guess herself, she struck him hard across the face.

“You bitch!” Jason snarled, grabbing her arm in a bruising grip, his other hand reaching for her throat.

Before he could tighten his hold, a rattling noise came from his door as someone attempted to unlock it from the outside. He froze, startled, but the distraction was brief.

Next moment, the driver’s side window exploded inward in a deafening crash, shards of glass scattering across the front seats. Jason recoiled in shock, his grip on Inara faltering.

A hand belonging to someone cloaked in a dark overcoat reached in and unlocked the back door with a swift motion.

The door flung open, and the same hand seized Jason by the collar, yanking him out with brutal force. Stumbling and soaked to the bone, Jason found himself face-to-face with Aemond. His hair clung to his face, rainwater dripping down his sharp jawline.

“What the hell, Targaryen?” Jason protested, but his words were cut off when Aemond slammed him against the side of the car.

“Consider yourself lucky that you’re Aegon’s friend, or I’d end you right here, Lannister,” Aemond growled, his voice chilling, rivaling the hot fury that twisted his face. His eyes blazed with an anger so intense it seemed to burn everything in its path.

The dam of Inara’s restraint collapsed, and she broke down as his voice reached her ears. Sobbing, she opened her side of the door and came out. 

Jason’s bravado crumbled. “It’s..it's a misunderstanding, let me explain..” he stammered.

“If I see you again in the city,” Aemond said, his grip tightening just enough to make Jason squirm. “I’ll make sure that you regret coming here.”

Jason nodded frantically, his face ashen. Aemond released him with a shove, sending him sprawling into the mud. Without a word, Jason scrambled to his feet. Aemond stood motionless, his piercing gaze fixed on him, as he fumbled to clean the driver’s seat.

He turned to Inara who stood at a distance, trembling in the rain. He approached her but she backed a few steps away. She looked fragile - shocked, disheveled, and lost in a way that made his heart ache.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice quieter, the anger gone.

Behind them, the car’s engine roared to life. Jason’s damaged vehicle screeched as it sped off, the grating sound echoing in the damp, rain-soaked air.

Tears poured from her eyes, mingling with the rain on her face. The adrenaline ebbed as Jason left the spot. 

Without answering his question, she started walking.

“Inara,” Aemond called out. 

But she kept walking, her steps slow and unsteady. She wrapped her arms around herself in an  attempt to shield herself - from the harsh weather, from the world around her that had become too heavy to bear. 

In just one day, two people had tested her patience and questioned her honor. She felt an overwhelming urge to flee, to disappear into some place away from this cruelty she faced. A place where she could erase her pain and never look back. 

She stopped, her shoulders slumping as she glanced around helplessly. She didn’t know that place - that desolate stretch where Jason had brought her. She didn’t know the way back to her apartment.

 If Aemond hadn’t arrived... if he hadn’t saved her…

Her thoughts spiraled, breath hitched.  Her legs wavered as a thick fabric was gently draped over her trembling shoulders, holding her in place. She flinched at first, but the familiar scent coming from the overcoat grounded her, and a shuddering sob escaped her lips.

“Please,” Aemond whispered, as though speaking too loudly or anything against her will, might shatter her completely.

He stepped away from her to return to his car. He opened the passenger door with a hesitant motion. Sitting behind the wheel, he waited - hoping, silently pleading, that she would come and  sit beside him. He would wait for her the entire night. He would wait for her his whole life, if need be.

A few moments later, Inara slipped into the car, pulling the passenger door shut. The soft thud was drowned out by the relentless drumming of rain against the roof. Drenched and defeated, she leaned back against the seat, her head tilting slightly as her eyes fluttered shut. Her voice, barely audible, broke the silence.

“I don’t want to be alone.”

The words, fragile and raw, pierced his heart. Aemond glanced at her, noting how her soaked hair clung to her face, tears slipping silently from her closed eyes.

He would never leave her alone. 

Aemond pulled out his phone, pressed a speed dial. “I’m sending you my location,” he said curtly, his tone all business, “Take care of any cameras or cameramen you find here.”

There was a pause as the person on the other end spoke. Aemond’s gaze flickered sideways again, at the sound of her quiet sniffles. Frustration boiled inside him as he regretted letting Jason escape with such ease. His jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white against the steering wheel.

“I’ll explain later,” he muttered into the phone, his voice clipped. He ended the call without waiting for a response, tossing the device onto the dashboard.

The engine of Aemond's car roared to life.

And Inara knew that she was safe now.

-x-

[tobesobri]

Traditions | 17.3k

a/n: it's been a while since I uploaded writing and for some reason I decided to sign up for this challenge and by some miracle actually managed to write something for it 🤯anyways, this is for the Valentine's Day Challenge by @1dffchallenges and it's honestly just a bit of fun, enemies to lovers little bit of angst and some smut! so i hope you enjoy! I'd always love to know your thoughts!! (also pls excuse any errors, I wrote this in a week with little editing lol)

prompt: doube date

dialogue: “So let me get this right. You want to hire me as your date for a Valentine’s Day Party?”

Pink and red were speckled throughout the entire office, whether it was a bouquet of chocolate roses, a banner of hearts, or stuffed bears residing next to bowls full of heart-shaped candies. Every employee’s section of the office had been filled to the brim with decorations as well. Pink and red ribbon taped carefully around the edges of their desktop computer, little store-bought balloons, also heart-shaped, grouped together and tied to desk chairs. 

And Y/N, dressed in her typical all black outfit, rolled her eyes as she paced through the office toward the one section in the back that was immune to all things heart-shaped, pink, or stuffed. 

She sat down at her desk with a loud sigh, her purse hitting the floor in its usual spot just before she slipped out of her jacket and draped it haphazardly between her back and the chair. It’d be wrinkled by the end of the day, but she didn’t care all that much, nor did she put much thought into the stains on her purse from leaving it on the floor. All she concerned herself with, after settling in, was getting straight to work… which was put on hiatus when she came face-to-face with both a pink and heart-shaped sticky note plastered onto the center of her computer screen. 

Groaning, she ripped it off and moved to turn her computer on before she bothered to read whatever was written on the note. She considered three potential suspects while she pulled her keyboard down onto her desk and logged in. There was Kayla, who worked front reception and was one of the main culprits of all the Valentine’s decorations. A strong contender. It could’ve also been Ines or Carmen, her closest work friends whom Y/N knew both owned a pad of pink, heart-shaped sticky notes. 

However, when she finally let her eyes fall to the note as her computer loaded up, the handwriting didn’t match any of the women she knew, and she was quite positive that none of them would have written was was sprawled out in black ink either.

Roses are red, violets are blue. I will fill your office with teddy bears and balloons, if you don’t send me your half of the proposal by two.

Harry.

She crumpled the note and tossed it into the bin under her desk. He could go fuck himself for all she cared. Sure, she was nearly done with her portion of the work and would be able to send it to him before then, but now that he’d pestered her about it, he’d be lucky if she even bothered to send it to him at all. 

She didn’t doubt the promise, i.e. threat, he made on the note, but being surrounded by teddy bears and balloons would be worth making Harry’s life just a tad miserable.

After opening all the apps she’d need to get her work done, namely Photoshop and Illustrator, she connected her drawing tablet and set up the rest of her work station for the day, both on screen and off.

Harry had worked at the company for about two years longer than her and she’d started off as an intern while she was still in college and, after graduating, was hired as a permanent graphic designer. They had never really gotten along ever since Harry—jokingly—asked her to get him a coffee once… or twice. Unfortunately for her, though, they ended up working well together and their boss had stuck them both on the same projects ever since. Especially after the month-long project last spring that had been their most successful one to date. 

While she came up with the design parts of client projects, Harry handled the more technical side of things and they’d never really argued much over each other’s work even though they clashed constantly at a more personal level. 

“I see your feeling festive.” Just as she’d gotten into the groove of her typical morning and had forgotten all about Harry’s stupid note, his voice interrupted her entire thought process. So when she swiveled around to find him leaning into her little office space, it was hardly a surprise when she glared at him, even though he feigned offense at her bitterness.

“You got my note, I presume.” He let himself into her space anyway, holding a mug of steaming coffee she was sure he’d just made in the workroom, and leaned up against the opposite side of her desk that housed a much larger, digital drawing tablet for when she needed to do more intricate design pieces. 

She just swiveled back around to face her computer again and went back to work as if he was no longer there. Pretending to ignore his existence proved to be quite difficult when the very particular woodsy, vanilla scents of his cologne met her nostrils and filled her entire office. Not to mention, the sight of what he’d been wearing singed the backs of her eyelids so that she still saw him every time she blinked. It was as if her brain refused to let her forget what he looked like in his white button-up, sleeves rolled to the crooks of his elbows, all tucked into his fitted black trousers that tended to get the imaginations going of all the women in the building. 

Not her though, of course. She was better than that. Obviously.

He cleared his throat, still very much present in her space and still very much giving her a migraine. “So will it be ready by two?”

“Well, I planned to send it to you before lunch.” She tweaked the spacing between letters of a potential logo for the millionth time. “But now… I think I might need the rest of the day.”

She heard rustling behind her and knew he was shifting his weight impatiently and running a hand through his hair as he often did when he was… displeased. “I told you I’m leaving early tomorrow and I need it no later than two.”

She cocked her head to the side, still staring at her computer screen and not giving him an ounce of satisfaction. “Did you tell me that?” She teased, an amused smirk lifting the corners of her mouth when she heard him groan behind her. “I must’ve forgotten.” Shrugging, she went back to her work.

“Unlike you,” he snapped, “some of us actually have a love life and I’d appreciate you not fucking up mine.”

She froze then, only for a split second, when his words sank in. Two thoughts raced through her head. The first a string of curse words because of his assumption that she didn’t have a love life. But the more prominent and worrisome part of his statement was that he did have one. And that he was leaving early tomorrow—Valentine’s Day—so he could get ready for a date.

Throwing both her prickly exterior and heartbreaking smirk up again, she turned to face him. “I’ve known you for three years now and if anyone has the potential to fuck up your love life, it’s you.”

He narrowed his eyes at her and her gaze fell to the hand that seemed to wrap a bit tighter around his Bugs Bunny mug. His knuckles whitened and she met his heated stare again, pleased with herself for getting him riled up before he’d even finished his morning coffee.

“So,” she continued before he get get a word of retaliation out, and sat back against her chair, crossing her legs confidently as she folded her hands in her lap. “Who’s the poor girl you’ve tricked into going on a date with you this time?”

Harry had a terrible track record. The longest relationship he’d been in lasted for two months, and that was well before she’d known him. Everything else he had was just a one or two night thing and nothing more. Sure, it was all more than she had, but she preferred it that way. Harry seemed to resent the fact that he couldn’t keep a girlfriend to save his life.

“You don’t know her.”

Her smile widened. “How long have you been seeing her?”

“Couple weeks.”

“Ooh, that just might be your second longest relationship, Styles.” 

“Well at least I’ve had one.”

His jab didn’t have an affect on her however, and he knew it wouldn’t because it never did. He knew she didn’t give a damn about relationships, or at least that’s what she claimed anyway. He couldn’t think of many twenty-four year old women who actually wanted to be alone. He actually couldn’t think of a mid-twenties anyone who wanted that.

“You’ll have to try harder than that.” She said nonchalantly, which irked him even more than he already was, and then swiveled away from him one last time, picking up her drawing pen and getting back to work.

“What’s your issue with relationships?” He went on and she knew he was headed right down a path intended to hurt her feelings just as much as she had his. So, she tensed slightly and braced for impact. “Is it a commitment thing? Or can you just not find anyone to put up with you for longer than five minutes?” 

She let his words sink their teeth in and then smiled to herself. “Hm. Seeing as you’ve been in my office now for,” she checked the time at the top right-hand corner of her screen, “eight minutes, maybe we should date.” She lifted a brow, awaiting his next response. 

It felt a bit like a cat-and-mouse chase bickering with Harry and since she was usually the cat, it brought her way too much pleasure fighting with him.

He scoffed. “Like I’d lower my standards for you.”

That one hurt, she had to admit. Not out loud or to Harry, but it still stung because it was true. He’d have to drop his standards to the floor to even consider dating her and she knew it. 

“Maybe,” she began, still half focused on her work, and ignored his comment all together, “some of us like being alone.”

“Nobody likes that.” He responded quickly and she heard a shift of his weight again and then his voice once more a few moments later. “It’s nice to be by yourself sometimes, yeah, but you can’t tell me you don’t want someone to come home to at the end of the day.” He crossed one leg over the other as he gripped the edge of her desk for support and just when she thought he was done, he kept going, “Someone you can vent to about your annoying co-worker.”

She glanced at him through the little portable mirror hanging above her desk—mostly used to make sure she looked decent before meeting with clients or, sometimes, Harry—and saw the tight smile on his lips. Almost as if that’s what he wanted, like he was talking about himself and not her. 

She’d slowed her progress down while he’d talked until she was no longer working at all. She no longer swiped her pen across the pad or had any idea what she was even doing when she focused solely on his words. Because, once again, whether he was talking about himself or about her, he was right.

“Yeah well,” she quickly hid herself back behind her wall and made her hands function properly again. “Some of us also don’t have the luxury of choosing whomever we want.”

She imagined him smirking at that one because, buried deep within her words was a compliment. That he was handsome enough to actually have anyone he wanted.

Instead, when she glanced at the mirror again and found him, there was the complete opposite of a smirk on his face, and as he stared down into his mug, clearly lost in thought, she wondered what the tightness in his jaw and the frown pulling on his lips meant.

She sighed and stole his attention away from his coffee. “I’ll have it to you before lunch. You can go now, unless you’d like to argue some more and slow me down by another…” she glanced at her clock again, adding up all the time he’d been standing in her office, “fifteen minutes.”

Without another word, she listened to the drag of his footsteps as he finally left her office space. And although she was glad to be rid of his distraction, the room felt so much bigger and so much colder and emptier without him in it. Shivering, she slipped back into her jacket and spent the next few hours doing nothing but staring straight ahead at her screen as she made final adjustments to her designs. 

Any other conversations with Harry were had over email as he worked in his own respective office, messaging her with every little concern he had in order to get his work done efficiently so that he wasn’t stressing to finish it tomorrow before he had to leave. Even though Y/N considered not responding to him a few times, just to spite him and slow him down for her own amusement, she found herself feeling guilty after leaving him hanging a couple times. Sure, she hated Valentine’s Day and everything surrounding it, but she’d almost hate even more the idea of both her and Harry being miserable tomorrow, so she inevitably gave in and cooperated with him. She’d probably regret it when he came back on Thursday spreading around the office all the gory details of his date, but at least he wouldn’t also be in a shitty mood. Her days were both boring and slow whenever Harry wasn’t having a good day. And although she’d blame it all on selfish reasons, it did also make her sad to see him frowning around the office and sulking when all she wanted to do was bicker with him and make him smile again, even just a little bit. But it was easier leaving him to his own devices than risk him finding out she cared about him enough to not wish sadness upon him.  

She couldn’t say the same for him. Harry probably relished in the days she came into the office in a sour mood. He probably celebrated and threw a party whenever she was upset, and, even so, it didn’t change how she felt about him.

The sun had long set and most of the office was gone by the time she finally called it quits and began packing up her things and giving her computer a rest for the night. There were still quiet murmurs from other workaholic employees, which comforting her knowing she wasn’t completely alone in the building, since the last time she’d done that, it took everything in her not to have a panic attack all the way to her car. 

Even though her boss told her countless times not to stay past five o’clock, as he told every other female employee that worked for him that he didn’t wish to see attacked after sunset in the city. Of course, when she was the only one who didn’t listen to him, he hired more guards and one of them rounded the corner into her office space, ready to escort her all the way down to her car.

“Figured you were still here.” He leaned against the walls of her cubicle and watched as she startled, twisting to meet his eyes for a moment before she settled and returned to slipping her belongings into her purse. 

“I don’t need you to escort me.” Zipping her purse, she rose from her chair, checking one last time across her desk to make sure she’d grabbed everything she needed to take home with her before turning to him as he still lingered in the opening of her little office. 

William had been hired a couple months ago, and was only a year older than her, but even so he was more than a foot taller than her and his biceps were about as big as her head. While the entire office drooled over him, she tended to keep her eyes and her thoughts to herself. 

“You say that every night you stay late. Just let me do my job and shut up about it.” He smirked at her and when her eyes met his again, sharply, glaring at him, she groaned and whirled past him toward the elevators. He followed swiftly behind, knowing she’d close the doors on him if he didn’t keep close enough pace with her, mostly because she’d done it before.

As he took his spot beside her and she pressed the button for the parking garage at the basement of the building, a familiar voice rang out through the office.

“Wait!” As if she wasn’t already annoyed enough with William’s presence, his stupidly large arm held the elevator doors open as Harry slipped inside a moment later.

“Thanks, mate.” Harry said exclusively to William as he caught his breath and stood wedged in the middle between the guard and Y/N, who was inching closer and closer into her corner to get away from Harry.

“You have any plans tomorrow?” Harry asked, his attention solely on William again while the elevator took off down through the levels of their building. Not fast enough for Y/N, of course.

William sighed, crossing his arms and trying to resist smiling. “Me and my girlfriend take turns surprising each other every year. And it’s her turn this year… so I guess I have plans, but I don’t know what they are.”

“Damn, way to make us feel incompetent.”

Y/N whirled her head to glare up at the side of Harry’s face. “Speak for yourself.” She warned.

Harry just ignored her though. “What did you guys do last year?”

Again, William stifled a grin. “I had been saving up for a while and took us both to Paris.”

“Shit.” Harry’s eyebrows rose and Y/N rolled her eyes away from him, watching the LED screen above the elevator doors as they neared the bottom levels of the building. She knew Harry and William had become friends, mostly because Harry was annoying and befriended everyone. Except her, of course. She heard his stupid voice again and wished she could just transport herself directly into the front seat of her car and be done with the both of them. “And now she has to do better than Paris.”

Y/N glanced around Harry just in time to see William smirk and she should have known what was about to come out of his mouth before it did. “Well, I don’t consider much better than her mouth ar—“

Y/N cut him off. “Ew! Are you serious?”

Both men eyed her curiously just as the elevator came to a stop and, with a ding, the doors opened. She flew toward them quickly.

“Y/N wait, I have to—“

Again, she cut him off, turning once she was out on solid ground. “I’ll be fine, besides trying to rid my mind of that image you just burned into it.” She turned on her heel and headed off toward her car.

William made a move toward her and Harry grabbed his arm, “I’ll walk her. Forgot she’s a bit of a prude.” They shared an amused look and Harry jogged out onto the concrete and asphalt until he reached her side.

“I heard that, you know… and I know for a fact your car is not parked in this direction.” She seethed and he just smiled to himself, happier than ever that she was in the mood to bicker with him, because he wasn’t quite in the mood to leave yet, where he’d have to wait till tomorrow morning at nine-thirty to see her again. And she wasn’t always the most talkative person on Valentine’s Day, either.

“Why are you the only female in our building not foaming at the mouth over him?” He asked instead, referring to William.

He heard her scoff. “Just because he’s attractive doesn’t mean I have to be interested… or want to hear about his girlfriend sucking his—“

“Cock?” Harry finished for her and within a second she spun around to face him, forcing him to stop in his tracks just inches from her now. His smirk only grew when he saw just how quickly he’d gotten her all flustered. 

And then, as they started each other down, the hardness in her face softened and she drew out a breath, forcing his eyes to fall to her lips and his smirk to fall from his mouth. He thought back to last spring, when there were numerous late nights with her just like this one. When he went home and couldn’t stop thinking about…

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked and he blinked a couple times before he lifted his eyes.

“Like what?” He furrowed his brows, trying to track down all the resentment he had for her but he couldn’t find it anywhere anymore. He couldn’t summon it and say something that would save his ass from being caught looking at her like he wanted to kiss her.

Like he wanted to taste her and feel her against him, and hear what she sounded like when he tugged at her hair for more.

“Nevermind.” She shook her head, silencing the chaos going on in his brain. And then she turned, continuing the walk to her car with or without him, but, when she heard the echoing click of his shoes against the asphalt once more, she knew she wasn’t rid of him yet.

“I don’t suppose you’ll give me a ride back to my car, will you?” He easily stepped back into place beside her like nothing had happened.

She didn’t say anything for much longer than he was comfortable with. And then, finally, they reached her car and she sighed. “Get in before I change my mind.”

As she went for the driver’s side, he took quick steps to the opposite side, watching her over the top of her little Honda as she unlocked her door, and then, after clicking the button, his door as well. They both slipped in at the same time and while she fastened her seatbelt and settled in for her drive home, he sat perched with his backpack in his lap, knowing he’d be out of her car within only a couple minutes.

He still glanced around at his surroundings as she backed out of her parking space. “Should’ve guessed your car would be as neat as your desk.”

She didn’t say anything as she drove in the opposite direction of the exit toward the section of the garage Harry always parked in. It was closer to the elevators because he always came in before her and snagged a prime spot. She preferred an extra few minutes of sleep over walking an extra fifty steps.

And he started up again when she continued to not talk to him. “Most artists I know of are super messy.”

“I’m not an artist.” She gritted out through her teeth as she came to a stop once she spotted the rear-end of Harry’s BMW. Although she knew it well enough to distinguish it from the other black BMWs in the garage, it also helped that Harry had an old, faded license plate cover filled with a collage of cute pictures of puppies. He’d said it won him bonus points with women, but she also knew his screensaver at work was a picture of puppies as well, and no women he was interested in ever saw that.

He peeled his eyes off his car and looked over at her. “I know you can draw, too.”

She paused, gripping her steering wheel. She did enjoy both art and design and she knew Harry knew the difference between the two. She just didn’t know why he always insisted on bugging her about it. 

“Yeah, well that doesn’t make me an artist.”

When he didn’t say anything, she glanced at him just in time to find him shrugging a shoulder like he was agreeing to disagree. Even if she couldn’t draw, he’d still consider her an artist because the things she managed to design always blew his mind and if that wasn’t art… 

She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to get out, or do I have to drag you?”

He grinned, and it was almost as if her eyes refused to see anything else but his dimples and the bright whites of his teeth, and the birthmark to the side of his mouth… 

“I’m going.” He assured, and yet he still hadn’t moved an inch. “Even though I’d love to see you try to drag me.” With her knuckles whitening on the steering wheel, he chuckled and unzipped the small pocket on the front of his backpack, withdrawing his keys as he finally swung her door open.

Once he was out, he gripped the top of the door and leaned back in to find her staring straight ahead. “Drive carefully, yeah? Would be quite tragic for your bitter ass to die on Valentine’s Day.”

She reached over and, despite having to brush her knuckles along the side of his thigh, grabbed the handle of the passenger door and yanked. His body remained in her way, however, and he was unfortunately a lot stronger than her.

Then she finally looked up at him, and those thoughts he had earlier surfaced again as much as he’d tried to bury them. This time though, he didn’t fight it as he glanced at her lips once more, then back at her eyes, which had widened slightly just before the dimples reappeared in his cheeks. “And I guess I would miss bickering with you every day.”

With that, he was gone and she retreated back to her seat as he shut the door for her. She had no idea what to think about what had just happened. Why he’d looked at her like that again. What that look even meant. 

By the time she reached the freeway, she’d convinced herself she was just seeing things. Harry wasn’t looking at her in any other way he had before when he was intent on pestering her. But, as she took in the scent of him still lingering in the cabin, she allowed a small part of her to hope she was wrong.

Her eyes fell on the man down the hall from her door as she slipped her key into the lock, her brows furrowing as she watched him. It wasn’t unusual for their paths to cross, as they tended to get home around the same time, but it was quite odd to see him sitting on the floor outside his apartment, his head in his hands. 

They’d said hi to each other a couple times in the mailroom, but she definitely didn’t know him well enough to go up and ask what his issue was or try to fix it for him. And after it was confirmed that he hadn’t, in fact, lost his keys, as they sat beside him on the floor along with his phone, she figured it best to leave him be. 

Turning her key, she pulled her gaze from him and disappeared from the hallway.

The second she was inside her apartment, she felt all the weight lift right off her shoulders, especially when her cat came racing up, screaming at her from the floor while also coaxing her toward the kitchen to fill the food bowl. Whatever was going on with her neighbor still very much on her mind, she tried to focus instead on relaxing and getting both her and the screaming Pretzel some dinner. 

She tried to remember his name as she heated up leftover pasta. She knew it started with an A, but her brain was coming up short. So, while Pretzel crunched on his food in his corner of the kitchen, she tried her hardest to remember. 

And it was no question why she cared so much. Her neighbor was someone she was actually interested in, and she had been since she first saw him. Of course, she was never foolish enough to think he was into her, but she still let herself fantasize. He was tall, nearly black curly hair atop his head always in a state of disarray, and he had the most beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen hidden behind his glasses. And, if she was being honest with herself, he was just a darker-haired version of Harry. Maybe that’s why she liked him.

The beeping of her microwave tore her thoughts from the dangerous path they’d been headed down. Harry’s voice rang in her head a moment later.

Like I’d lower my standards for you.

She’d needed to hear him say that, because sometimes her thoughts got carried away when it came to Harry and sometimes she did let herself be a fool who hoped. But after he’d said that one damning phrase, it was enough for her to stop. She didn’t meet a single one of his standards, inside or out. 

Still, she tried her hardest not to go back out into the hall and make sure her neighbor was alright. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to and it wasn’t like she was doing anything important. Even if she didn’t have a dumb crush on him, as she did Harry, she still didn’t enjoy seeing him in the state he’d been in.

Before she could work up the nerve, however, a knock sounded through her quiet apartment.

She held her breath as she opened her door, really hoping it wasn’t the boy from across the hall, since she was still blanking on his name, but she couldn’t imagine anyone else knocking on her door this late into the evening. 

So when she inevitably found him there, looking down at her through his annoyingly long lashes as she took in the horrible state he was in—red, inflamed eyes and hair that needed to see a brush rather than his hand—she completely lost her breath instead.

“Uh, sorry, I… saw you come in and I know we don’t talk and this is a weird thing for me to ask but…” He ran said hand through said messy hair and she found her breath again while looking up at him like she’d do whatever he’d asked just so he’d stop frowning.

He sighed, glancing down the hall toward his apartment and then met her curious and somewhat concerned gaze. “Can I come in?”

She recoiled. “Um… why?”

“Well, um, I was hoping you could help me with something and I’d rather not have the entire floor know about it.”

She was beyond confused now, but still, she stepped aside and let him pass, assuming that if he was actually a murderer he would have done her in a lot sooner than this. He had plenty of other opportunities. Plus, something in his face just… made her want to trust him.

She closed the door and turned to him, watching as his eyes scanned her kitchen and where her food still sat before he twisted around, eyes wide. “Shit, I’m sorry for interrupting.”

She shook her head. “It’s fine.” And after clearing her throat, she crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you, um… what do you need help with?”

He swallowed and she watched his Adam’s apple budge in his throat. “I don’t imagine you’ll like me very much after I ask but… I need a date.”

“What?” Again, she nearly flew out of her skin.

His eyes darted back and forth between hers, gauging her reactions and very obviously on the verge of seeing himself out and pretending this never happened. Instead, he stuffed away his pride and went on. “My ex… she, uh… well we broke up a few months ago and I saw her the other day and she’s seeing someone and we were talking and I… told her I was seeing someone too and so she invited me to go on this stupid double date with her… but the thing is… I’m not actually seeing anyone and I just told her that so she’d be jealous but she didn’t seem jealous at all and I don’t exactly have many friends to ask for help and I saw you and…” He rambled, but she managed to understand his predicament just fine. 

“A double date? With your ex?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know either. She’s… she does weird shit but… I still want her back.”

Y/N’s heart ached in her chest. As much as she detested relationships, she was a sucker for other people’s relationships and she was definitely a sucker for her beautiful neighbor, even if he was asking to use her to make his ex-girlfriend jealous.

“Not that I’m saying yes but… when? And where?” She finally asked after thinking things over for a moment.

“Tomorrow night… I can pay you. I will pay you, I mean… but, seriously, you don’t have to do it I just thought I would ask.”

“Where is this date at?” She repeated when he didn’t answer that part of her question.

“At this party… and bef—“

She cut him off. “Okay so let me get this right. You want to hire me as your date to a Valentine’s Day party?”

He lifted a brow, “Well, there’s more… she wants to get dinner before going to the party.”

She shook her head, looking away, “I don’t really do Valentine’s Day…”

“You wouldn’t have to do much. I’ll pay for your dinner, too. Whatever you want. I just… really need your help and you’re my only option.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You realize I’m not exactly…” she waved at her face and his eyebrows screwed together in confusion. “I’m not easy on the eyes and I don’t think taking me will make anyone jealous.”

He didn’t say anything for a while, just stared at her incredulously. She shifted her weight nervously and he finally opened his mouth. “You don’t actually think that, do you?”

Her features scrunched up and she kept her eyes planted on the middle of his chest. And then he realized that she, in fact, did.

“I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have asked you to do this.” He also realized that using her to make his ex jealous would possibly hurt her more than it would help him and he could no longer fathom putting her through that. “I’ll figure it out. I’m sorry.” He moved to walk past her, back to his apartment but she stopped him before he got far.

“No… I’ll help you.” And then she realized his identity was still somewhat of a mystery to her. “This sounds even worse than what you just asked me to do, but… I completely forgot your name.”

He breathed out a laugh. “It’s Adam.”

She knew it had started with an A!

“Y/N.” 

He smiled wider and nodded. “I know.” And then his face grew sad again. “I am really sorry I’m asking you to do this on Valentine’s Day, it’s definitely not my proudest moment.”

She waved him off. “I wasn’t going to do anything anyway. Just tell me what you need me to do.” She didn’t bother brining up the whole payment thing. She didn’t really care about being paid. He was nice, the only nice person she’d encountered in her apartment building and if getting him back together with his ex meant she’d never have to come home and see him in the fetal position on the floor again, she’d suffer through a date and a party on her least favorite holiday.

It was somehow even worse than it’d been yesterday. The decorations seemed to triple in size. Not an inch of the office was untouched by something pink and she prayed whoever had put up even more decorations had spared her little cubicle.

“Oh, hey, Y/N!” One of the receptionists most responsible for the overflowing decor, Kayla, called her over to her desk not even a minute after Y/N had arrived. And she stalked over until she saw the package Kayla pulled out that instantly lifted her spirits.

She stopped in front of Kayla’s desk and took the thin box from from her, already knowing what it was and thanking god for the timing so that her entire day wasn’t completely miserable. It was a new drawing pad she’d ordered, a bigger one that she hoped would be a bit more efficient to use than her current one.

Even with her back turned to the rest of the office, she sensed Harry’s presence long before he stopped beside her with his mug in hand.

He lifted a brow at the package in Y/N’s hands just as she reluctantly turned to look at him. “Getting gifts sent to the office? That’s a first.”

She rolled her eyes and stuffed the box under her arm, holding herself back from running off to her office to set it up. “Jealous?” She cocked her head.

And instead of his condescending smirk and a hateful response to go with it, the sparkle in his eyes seemed to fade as he eyed the box again, genuinely worried now that it was actually a gift from someone. 

Before either could say anything, they all turned to find a delivery man walking up to Kayla with a giant bouquet of flowers in tow. And so it began. Although, when Kayla took the vase from the man eagerly, a bright smile on her face because Kayla loved love a little too much, Y/N couldn’t help but think about Adam. About how the only time she’d managed to get a date on Valentine’s Day was when it wasn’t even real. Instead, she’d stupidly agreed to help her cute neighbor win back his ex-girlfriend in exchange for a free dinner.

It was… pathetic. To say the least.

She felt Harry watching her, too, while she eyed the bouquet of flowers as they departed reception with Kayla and made their way to their recipient. As stupid as she found everything about the holiday, she couldn’t help but want someone to send her flowers. To give her anything for that matter. To have thought about her for at least a second of their day. Harry cleared his throat and she tore her eyes away.

“So… what’s in the box?”

“None of your business.” She rounded him, heading to her office, but he grabbed her free arm to stop her short and didn’t speak until she met his gaze again.

“Can we meet up in my office to finish the proposal? Think it’ll be easier to get it done than over email.”

She had every reason to be suspicious of him. They almost never worked in each other’s offices. When they did work together, which was often, it was in one of the empty conference rooms and it was usually at the beginning of the process when they needed the space to plan things out. The last time they’d really been in each other’s offices was last spring. Figuring he just wanted to get things done so he could be out of the office on time, she let it go.

“Give me fifteen minutes.”

He watched her walk away, watched her even as Kayla returned and noticed his gaze and giggled at him as she took her spot back behind her desk.

“It was something she ordered for herself, by the way.”

“What?” Harry whipped around again, not having even realized the other woman until now.

“I know you two pretend to hate each other but I see the way you look at her, Harry.” Kayla lifted a brow at him as she began typing on her keyboard.

He feigned disgust. “I’m seeing someone, you know.”

“Are you?”

“Yes.” He insisted. “I have a date. Tonight.”

She lifted her hands in surrender. “Okay… I’m just saying.”

“I don’t look at her.”

Kayla suppressed a smile and snorted instead. “If you say so. I guess you didn’t also sneak into her office this morning, either.”

“I think all these flowers and stuffed bears and heart-shaped things have gotten to your head.” He pointed around to the decor littering her desk while holding his mug steady.

Kayla met his eyes and her smile slipped off her face. “Harry, please don’t mess with her.”

His face screwed up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If you don’t like her then don’t lead her on.”

“I don’t think she’s capable of being led on.”

Kayla froze for a moment and then nodded. “You’re right.”

He wasn’t sure what she meant by that either. “Why are you being weird?”

“Because,” Kayla sighed, brushing her curled brunette hair onto one shoulder and then lowered the volume of her voice. “I happen to know she doesn’t think very highly of herself and I’d rather not see her get hurt, especially not by you.”

Now Harry froze. The hand that gripped his mug tightened and he didn’t even flinch as it began to burn his skin. He heard Y/N’s voice in his head then as he drowned out his surroundings.

Some of us don’t have the luxury of choosing whomever we want.

He had instantly regretted what he’d said to her yesterday when she’d told him that. And now hearing Kayla, in a way, confirm what he’d read between the lines of Y/N’s words… his chest tightened in quite possibly the worst way ever. He’d hated himself most of the day after telling her he’d never lower his standards for her and he could say he was just bickering all he wanted, but he knew now for certain she took it the wrong way. And he wished more than ever that he hadn’t said something so horrible to her, especially when it was the farthest thing from the truth. 

And the real truth, that he was trying desperately to shove away with stupid remarks like that, was that he didn’t meet her standards. She wasn’t into relationships and he knew he wasn’t good enough to change her mind.

“How do you know that?” He finally asked.

“That Christmas party last year… she’s a really happy drunk until she’s not.”

He flinched. “Did she say something?”

“I don’t want to get into it, mostly because I don’t think she remembers and would probably kill me if I told you but… just leave her be.”

He hardened back up again. “She does’t have any interest in relationships anyway, ‘specially not with me.”

Kayla scoffed. “She’s a really good liar.”

Harry stood there for a few more moments, feeling as if his life had just gotten flipped upside down. He’d been in such a good mood mere minutes ago before his dumbass waltzed into reception all because he’d seen Y/N. Because, despite everything and despite the fact he was already attempting to date someone else, it was Y/N he wanted to be close to all the damn time. Groaning, he turned on his heel and left for his office, hoping she wasn’t there waiting for him so he could have a moment to himself to gather his thoughts.

In a hurry to open her package, Y/N slumped down into her chair tossing her purse on the ground at her feet and pulling out her box cutter in a rush of movements. She was so distracted, in fact, that she didn’t even notice the little stuffed frog, the box of chocolates and envelope sitting on the other side of her desk near her mouse. Instead, she unboxed her new tablet and began setting it up, not noticing the gifts until she went to turn on her computer. And then she froze.

With reluctant hands she grabbed the envelope first, her name printed on it in perfect cursive. She knew nobody in the office who had such good penmanship. Opening the card in hopes of finding out who had placed the items on her desk, instead, she just found it signed as ‘secret admirer.’ Rolling her eyes, she set the card down and realized it had to be from her boss. Sometimes he remembered to go around and give everyone little gifts on the holidays. Obviously he’d remembered this year. 

She dug into the chocolates as she set up her tablet and began calibrating it to suit her needs before finally testing it out in the little bit of time she had before she needed to make her way to Harry’s office. 

And once that time came, she left everything in its place, besides the box of chocolates, which she continued to pick at while she made her way through the room. What she didn’t notice while stuffing her face with candy was that… no one else had a stuffed frog or chocolates or a cheesy little card on their desks.

She rounded the corner into Harry’s office, which was a real office and not a cubicle that he usually shared with one other person who was thankfully out with clients for the day. She knocked on the doorframe to get his attention after just watching him focus on his screen for a moment. Harry was cute when he was focused.

But then he turned to her and his eyes fell to the box in her hand.

When he didn’t say anything, she held it out toward him. “Do you want some? I think Andrew was feeling generous this year.”

Harry’s eyes quickly panned up to hers and his brows furrowed as if she’d just punched him in the gut. And she couldn’t make out what that expression meant no matter how hard she tried. 

“He didn’t give me anything.” Harry motioned around his desk.

“Maybe he doesn’t like you.” She shrugged, setting the chocolates down on his desk while she grabbed his office mate’s chair and pulled it up beside him.

Harry sighed, turning to his computer for a moment and then watching her from his peripheral while she picked out another piece of chocolate. “I didn’t see anyone else with chocolates on their desks this morning.”

Y/N just shrugged. “There was a frog too. And a card.”

“And why do you think he’d give you all of that and no one else?” Harry hoped she’d get the hint but he didn’t hope too hard. She was still Y/N after all. And he really didn’t mean to sound so bitter… well, okay, he did. But he knew she’d misplace his bitterness, crushing what little hope there was to bits.

“Maybe he likes me better than all the rest of you.”

Harry scoffed, shaking his head as he put his attention back on his screen. 

“No one else in this office would give me a card signed as a secret admirer so… maybe I did something I don’t remember doing and he’s thanking me?” Now that she really thought about it, and if Harry was right… then it really didn’t make  much sense. It’s not like she was Andrew’s favorite employee.

Harry just lifted a brow and then pretended to lose all interest. 

Sensing the tension, she slipped the box closer to him. “Here. I think you need a knock-off Snickers if you expect me to work with your grumpy ass.” He made no move to indulge her, however. And so she went on, continuing to poke the bear. “Why are you in a lousy mood anyway? Isn’t this your favorite holiday? And you get to leave early.”

His eyes fell from his screen and he stared at the brick of sticky notes below his monitor before mumbling, “I’m sorry about what I said yesterday.”

Taken aback, she searched what she could see of his face for answers to what he was apologizing for. He’d said a few things she could imagine deserved an apology and yet, so did she. Maybe she should have been the one to apologize to him first.

“I didn’t mean to say what I did.” He finally turned to meet her face on. He’d hoped the frog and the chocolates would have been atonement enough, but considering she thought they were from their boss and not him, he just had to suck it up and actually say what he meant.

She shrugged. “It’s fine. I can be a prude sometimes.”

He searched her eyes for a moment and then shook his head, “No that’s not… I meant what I said earlier in your office… about lowering my standards. It was a stupid thing to say and not true in the slightest.”

But then she smiled and he grew confused. “Yes it is. It’s okay to have standards, you know.”

“I know that. But if we… I wouldn’t have to lower my standards. And it was cruel of me to have said that to you.”

She couldn’t stand looking at him any longer and averted her gaze, clearing her throat. “Well it doesn’t matter so… can we just get this proposal done?”

He’d wanted to spend how ever long it took to convince her that it did, in fact, matter, but Y/N was persistent, more so than him, and so he’d given in and they moved on to being productive with their time. And in less time than he’d anticipated their proposal was finished, being sent off to Andrew for approval before their presentation at the end of the week with their clients.

Harry sat back in his chair and she returned her own to the other desk where it belonged, all while he watched her. 

“What do you do on Valentine’s Day?” He asked, just trying to get her to stay longer, knowing that if those were his true intentions, then he was fucked. That he wanted to be around Y/N, even though he was seeing someone else, albeit for just a week so far, even though she’d never want the same from him. 

Maybe he was just as terrible with relationships as she claimed if he always chased after what he couldn’t have.

“That is also none of your business.” She grabbed her box of chocolates from his desk, his voice pinning her in place again though.

“Let me guess… it involves chocolate, your cat, and the most anti-romantic movies you can find?”

He would not think her very prudish if he knew what else she did on Valentine’s Day while alone in her apartment, but she figured it was best to keep that to herself. Instead, she smiled at him. “Something like that.”

He narrowed his eyes and threw his arms up behind his head as he laid back in his chair, watching her curiously like he was trying to figure her out. Meanwhile, she was trying to not make it obvious she was staring at his biceps as they just about bulged from underneath the sleeve of his pink button-up. He’d done it on purpose though, so as much as she tried to hide it, he still grinned with satisfaction when she became flustered.

“Well, have fun with that, then.” He nodded, and for a moment while she was lost in his eyes and growing embarrassingly hot, she wondered if he could read her mind. If he knew exactly what not-so-innocent things she did on Valentine’s Day. Then he brought his arms back down to rest his elbows on the edge of his desk, pinching his bottom lip between his fingers and watching as she rolled her eyes, held her chocolates close, and left his office. 

Adam arrived right when he said he would at five-thirty. It had given her plenty of time to change out of her work clothes and into one of the few dresses she owned, to at least seem somewhat convincing that this was a real date. She also fixed her makeup and put on a pinkish-nude lipstick before switching out her bulky purse for a smaller crossbody. 

When she opened the door to him, he most certainly did not disappoint. She almost let herself get lost in the delusion that it was a real date when she saw him dressed to the nines and cleaned up for the first time since she’d known him. And she especially got a little lost in it when he pulled a small bouquet of flowers from behind his back and handed them to her. 

“You didn’t have to—“

“I know.” He gave her a once over when she wasn’t looking. “You didn’t have to do this for me either.”

She quietly accepted the flowers and let him in while she found a vase and filled it with water. He leaned on the counter, watching her as she did so.

“You look… beautiful, by the way.” He blurted out once she had cut and placed the stems into the vase. Her hands froze, though, and when he met her eyes, he knew he’d made a mistake.

“You’re paying me to make your ex-girlfriend jealous. Please don’t flatter me.”

“Sorry.” He muttered, although he was beginning to wonder if the bigger mistake was not taking her out on a proper date that had nothing to do with his ex. 

She sighed and adjusted the strap of her purse. “Let’s go then.”

He went over all the final details on the Uber ride to the restaurant. Things about his ex he thought Y/N should know about. And he made sure she knew, for about the hundredth time, that she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. And she reminded him for an equal amount of times that she never did anything she didn’t want to do. So, settling that, he helped her out of the back of the Uber when they arrived and opened the door to the restraint for her as well. Everything that she’d expect from a normal date, which only left her disappointed when she reminded herself it wasn’t.

She waited quietly, and tried to catch her nerves, while Adam talked to the hostess and gave her his ex’s name for the reservation. The place was packed and anyone who didn’t call ahead surely would not be getting a table tonight. She’d never been out on Valentine’s Day, though, so it was like stepping into a brand new world for her. And as she followed both the hostess and Adam, she paid more attention to all the couples enjoying their meals than anything else.

Except for when he reached back and grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers just before they came to a stop. She blinked her eyes at their hands for just a moment before he gently pulled her around next to him. And whatever way she’d felt about holding Adam’s hand went right out the window when she locked eyes with Harry.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

The last thing she expected to find, while Laura, the gorgeous blonde ex-girlfriend, stood to hug Adam, was Harry fucking Styles. And what a fucking coincidence it was, almost as if this was her karma for feeling the need to constantly help people. 

Adam’s hand slipped from hers but she didn’t even notice it anyway. She and Harry still stared each other down and neither of them moved a muscle either. Well, besides the one in his jaw as it tightened. Then he did move, glancing over at Adam with a blank expression before landing his gaze back on her again. And then his eyes fell to the glass of water in front of him and she felt like she’d been released from chains he’d tied around her wrists.

“This is Y/N,” Adam’s hand went to the small of her back, guiding her forward to meet his ex-girlfriend and Harry’s current… whatever they were. 

Laura held out her hand, her smile a little too forced. “Laura. It’s nice to meet you. Please, sit.” She ushered them to the table as she took her spot beside Harry again. Adam, of course, took the chair opposite Laura, which left Y/N in the one opposite Harry. 

This would be a long, hellish night.

She couldn’t help but wonder what Harry was thinking. That maybe she’d come to crash his date. Or, even worse, that he’d already figured the whole thing out. That Adam was paying her to be here. She really hoped he’d never find out because it was just embarrassing enough to make her want to change her name and move across the country, thousands of miles away from him. Harry finding out that she couldn’t get a real date to save her life… beyond humiliating.

“This is Harry.” Laura motioned to him and he just barely lifted his gaze, nodding at Adam and ignoring Y/N entirely. “You know,” the blonde went on, glancing between Adam and Y/N, “I was a little shocked when you told me you were seeing someone again.”

Adam just shrugged.

“How did you guys meet?” 

Y/N left all the talking to him. Mostly because she was still in shock that she was sitting across from Harry. And she hadn’t even taken the time to properly take him in and realized he’d also changed his clothes since work. Swapping his wardrobe out for a fitted black button-up, that wasn’t buttoned all the way to the top as his shirts normally were. The sleeves were already rolled to his elbows. He’d shaved off the scruff along his jaw as well and fixed his hair so that it was combed back out of his face, although a a couple rebellious strands hung down onto his forehead. He looked… like absolute perfection. And he was being forced to be on a date with the ex-boyfriend of the girl he was seeing and his annoying co-worker. She felt terrible for him.

“Oh, uh, well we live on the same floor.”

Laura nodded, clearly anticipating more. “Is that it?”

Y/N felt Adam tense up beside her and so she took over, easily spinning a lie. “I ran out of milk one night a few weeks ago. He’s the only one who answered the door.”

She noticed a flash of movement in her peripheral and turned to find Harry’s gaze on her again, one eyebrow lifted curiously. He was either wondering how she hid it so well, or trying to figure out what to ask in order to reveal their ploy. He never said anything, though.

“Sorry, um,” Laura’s tone changed as she glanced between Harry and Y/N, both of them looking away when the other girl interrupted. “Do you two know each other?”

Harry grinned, sitting back against his seat and folding his hands in his lap. “Something like that.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “We work together.”

“Really?” Although her tone said otherwise, Laura’s face said everything about how she felt upon hearing that bit of information. 

Adam twisted his worrisome gaze to Y/N, but she ignored it. Harry, however, did not.

“Don’t worry, mate. I was under the impression she was celibate up until now.” With that, Y/N kicked him under the table and he sat forward to swallow the groan that very nearly left his lips after she’d jabbed him in the shin with the toe of her heels. “Guess she’s really good at hiding things, though.”

Adam just chuckled nervously and Y/N shot him an apologetic smile, trying to reassure him that this date would still work out despite Harry. 

“What a small world.” Laura laughed, trying to break the tension but dinner hadn’t even started yet. 

Sometime during the main course, Laura excused herself to the bathroom and Y/N almost, in a desperate attempt to flee both Adam and Harry, invited herself along. But she figured it’d be worse to be alone with Laura than with them. Laura might ask questions she wasn’t prepared for. So, she stayed put, as much as it pained her to do so.

“So, Adam, what do you do for a living?” Harry asked suddenly and she wanted to kick him again. Mostly because his tone was that of a jealous teenager and he’d waited until Laura was gone to pester her ex-boyfriend who most certainly did not deserve Harry’s pestering.

“Oh, uh, I’m an artist. I work for an animation studio at the moment but I’m trying to get into freelance.”

Harry’s eyes shot to the suspiciously quiet girl sitting across from him. “So is Y/N.”

Adam turned to look at her, but she just glared at Harry. “Oh, I didn’t know that.”

Harry titled his head as he narrowed his attention in on Adam again. “So you’ve known her for a few weeks and you never asked what she did?”

“Harry.” Y/N warned, trying to kick him under the table again but he dodged out of the way.

“Well… she said she was in graphic design… not art.” She had told him that, during their crash course yesterday while they got to know as much as they could about each other in a span of a couple hours.

“I think it’s the same thing.”

Adam just shrugged. “I guess. I don’t think I could be a designer, though. Most artists make what they think looks good, designers create things to appeal to customers.”

“Just ignore him.” Y/N advised and Harry was the one shooting her daggers and attempting to stomp his foot on top of hers under the table this time.

“You and Laura used to date then? She never told me how you split up.” Harry moved on.

Adam swallowed nervously. “She broke up with me.”

“Why?” Harry pushed and Y/N looked at him like she wanted to kill him, which he ignored.

“I, uh… I had a drug problem for a while. I was not the best person to be around sometimes. But after we broke up, she helped me with rehab and everything.”

“Guess that explains why you’re on such good terms.”

Now Y/N really wanted to do more than just kick him. 

Adam grabbed Y/N’s hand under the table and pulled her straight from her violent thoughts about Harry. And he didn’t lace his fingers between hers, instead, it felt as if he had just been looking for something to ground himself with. And her hand resting on her lap was the closest thing he could find. It didn’t, however, go unnoticed by Harry and his jaw clenched as he stared at the point in the table where, just below, there their hands met almost as if he was trying to set everything on fire.

Laura returned shortly after that. 

As promised, Adam paid the entirety of both his and Y/N’s bill, even though she attempted to snag it from him, seeing as the date had gone to shit and it was all her fault. Well… maybe it was also Harry’s fault a little bit too. But she definitely did nothing to make Laura jealous. Adam, on the other hand, did a great job at making Harry jealous just by existing and being Laura’s ex, whom she was still friends with. 

The four of them stood outside on the curb awaiting their Uber after dinner was over, agreeing upon splitting one car to get to the party instead of taking two. Laura was apparently very cautious about fossil fuel consumption.

Y/N shivered as she stood between Adam and Laura, wishing she’d bright a jacket instead of relying on a long-sleeve dress to keep her warm. Then an arm wrapped around her shoulders and Adam pulled her close, running his hand up and down her arm to form heat. She tensed up, though, forming into an immovable brick. She had no idea the last time she’d been that close to another person, let alone a member of the opposite sex. When he felt her go rigid, he leaned down until his lips were at her ear. “Is this okay?”

She just nodded and tried to relax. Which turned out to be quite easy because Adam was warm and he smelled nice. She, of course, didn’t let her mind wander off too far. He was still in love with his ex. He’d still shove cash into her hand at the end of the night for her troubles and go on with his life.

Adam let go of her when the car pulled up and quickly went to the passenger door to confirm with the driver. Then he opened the back door for the three of them to climb in, Laura going first, then Harry, and, at last, Y/N, while Adam slipped into the front seat beside the driver.

While the car took off, Y/N was shoved into the corner when Harry moved closer to her in order to find both his and Laura’s seat buckles in the dark. Eventually, he settled back into the middle and gave her some space again. When she made no move to do the same as them, Harry turned to look down at her. 

“Put your seatbelt on.” He whispered.

Her eyes whirled up to his. Wordlessly, and of course after rolling her eyes, she grabbed her seatbelt and he made room for her to buckle it in. Then she sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest while she stared out at the traffic through her window.

She would have stayed in that exact position the entire trip, too, if Harry’s knee didn’t insist on bumping into hers constantly. And she couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose or not.

When she glanced up at him, and found the corner of his lips curl upward, she figured it was, in fact, purposeful. So, with the hand closest to him as her arms were still crossed, she poked him in the side, right against his ribs, hoping it hurt.

“Ouch.” He whined, covering the spot with his hand dramatically. Everyone in the car glanced at Harry, all except for Y/N who snickered as she returned to staring out the window.

Harry wasn’t giving up, though. This time, with his arms crossed in his lap, and glancing at Laura to be sure she wasn’t watching, he walked his pointer and middle finger up the outside of Y/N’s thigh, close enough to her hip to make her squirm slightly when his touch tickled her. And as soon as he got her attention, he looked down at what he was doing and pressed his middle finger against her, meeting her gaze with a smirk.

In the same moment, the driver turned up the music in the car as they waited tirelessly at a red light. It was better than silence or listening to his passengers breathing. But Harry mentally thanked him and turned his attention back to Y/N, leaning into her slightly until his lips were at her ear and she shivered for an all new reason.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.” He whispered for her ears only. The music was especially loud in the back and he wasn’t sure Y/N had even heard him.

Especially since she didn’t respond right away. But how could she? Harry’s fingertips were still grazing her thigh, as if trying to emphasize the dress she had on. And his stupid knee was pressed right up against hers. She couldn’t think straight.

Though when she finally turned to him and whispered back, “Don’t get used to it,” he knew she had, in fact, heard him well enough. 

He leaned again, “Afraid I already am.” 

She hated that there were butterflies in her stomach. That he was saying such odd things to her when his date was sitting just on the other side of him. The date who most definitely met all Harry’s standards.

Huddling away from him, she stuck her eyes out the window and kept them there the rest of the trip.

It was just past eight when they arrived, a fifteen-minute trip up through the city taking half an hour due to all the Valentine’s Day traffic. Another reason she hated this holiday.

The party was being held by Laura’s best friend, who’s name Y/N did not care to commit to memory. In the elevator ride up to the penthouse, though, Harry stood close to Laura, his arm wrapped around her waist and Adam to Y/N, although he didn’t touch her. She wouldn’t have minded if he did, but she figured it was best to keep those boundaries in place anyway.

Pink and golden balloons littered the ceilings of the penthouse. The drink cups were also pink, as was the communal punch bowl that Y/N steered clear of, having no idea what was in it, or who had already spiked it. She knew nobody at the party besides who she’d come with, though she assumed both Adam and Harry were somewhat acquainted with Laura’s friends. 

It was most definitely not someplace Y/N ever saw herself being at, not only because it was a Valentine’s themed party, but also because she wasn’t exactly comfortable around so many people. Especially when those people were all so unfamiliar to her.

“Here,” Adam handed her a drink and then grabbed one for himself. She downed the thing in one go, needing to take the edge off. It might’ve been a slight mistake when the alcohol burned the back of her throat, but she didn’t care too much when she grabbed another.

Then he was leading her into the dancing pit of bodies where they huddled close enough so that his lips were at her ear. “Is it alright if I touch you?”

She glanced over at where Laura and Harry had been left, finding both her hazel eyes and Harry’s green ones glued to the both of them. She wasn’t sure what Harry’s deal was, but this was her moment to fix things and make Laura jealous, so, turning back to Adam, she nodded.

He eased his hands onto her waist as they began swaying to the music. And then he pulled her closer, his hands slipping to the small of her back as her arms wrapped around his neck, being careful with her own movements even though she desperately wanted to sink her hands in his hair.

And, god, he smelled so good as her head rested in the crook of his neck. And he felt good, too, as he moved against her body. She knew it wasn’t real, and that the alcohol was making skewing her perception of things, but it was still nice. Nice to be held and to just let go for a change.

Over Adam’s shoulder, Y/N caught Harry’s eyes again. His jaw clenched and he looked the same as he did back at the restaurant. Angry. And then she realized that maybe she wasn’t really trying to make Laura jealous anymore at all, but rather Harry.

It was dumb, she knew that. He’d have to like her in order for her to make him jealous. But… the way he was looking at her. The way he had looked at her. His eyes lingering too long on her lips. What he’d done in the car ride here. 

She heard Adam in her ear again. “I think it’s working. She just stormed off into the kitchen.” Then he pulled away and she realized she hadn’t even seen Laura. Just Harry. Harry and his stupid, obnoxious green eyes.

“You owe me more than just dinner.” Y/N teased but Adam grew serious.

“I know. And since you refuse to accept my money, I’ll have to figure out another way to repay you.” He smiled and then twirled her around so that she no longer had any line of sight toward Harry. He pulled her close again, one hand going to her waist while the other stayed locked to one of hers. “Suppose I could start with making your coworker just as jealous… although I think he already is.”

Confusion flooded her features as she peered up at him. 

“Oh, come on! He was ready to rip my head off when he realized I’d grabbed your hand. And when I put my arm around you? I thought I might be better off just giving you my jacket and freezing to death instead.”

“I don’t…” she shook her head in disbelief. It was one thing for her to be pretending to make Harry jealous in some delusional hope that it’d work. But this… this was a whole other thing.

“I’m actually quite interested to see what he does if I kissed you.”

She was shocked at first and then, possibly due to the alcohol, just as interested. “Are you asking my permission?”

“Are you saying yes?”

Y/N hesitated. “Is she back?”

Adam’s eyes scanned the room and Y/N realized he hadn’t asked to kiss her for Laura’s sake at all.

“She is.” He finally announced. 

Without any more second guessing, Y/N’s hand slipped to the back of his neck and pulled him in. As soon as their lips collided and she tasted the alcohol on him, she knew that she’d never agreed to this without it. Or maybe she would. Adam spun them back around again, deepening the kiss as her eyes opened and fell into the direction she’d last seen Harry.

He was still there.

Still watching.

His hands in fists. His jaw tightened into a crisp line. His nostrils flared. His eyes… sad.

She pulled away. Adam steadied her, grabbing her shoulders when she swayed. But, as she caught her breath, the dizziness went away. 

“I’m going to find the bathroom.” She told him and after he nodded, she left, forming a rift for herself through the bodies that danced all around them until she was in the clear. Then she was avoiding Harry as she walked past him, not so sure his gaze was still set on her. Maybe she’d gone too far. She didn’t often just kiss people for no good reason and that’s exactly what she’d just done with Adam. She barely even knew him.

She didn’t exactly need the bathroom, just an open, empty and quiet place. And so, she fell back against a wall in the foyer and ran a hand through her hair.

“That was quite the show.”

She startled at the sound of his familiar voice and looked up just as he stopped a few feet away from her. “What are you talking about?”

He lifted a brow. “You expect me to believe that that you, anti everything to do with this holiday and with relationships and romance, are actually dating that guy?”

“Is it that hard to believe?” She crossed her arms, willing to go as far as she needed to before she let Harry see the truth. That she was that pathetic. 

“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate to respond and she flinched.

“Well, I’m sorry that you have a hard time believing that someone may actually like me.” She had no reason to nearly be shouting at him and no reason to be saying what she was because Adam didn’t like her.

“That’s not what I said. It’s hard for me to believe you just dropped all your ideas about relationships for some guy with obnoxious blue eyes.”

“I didn’t.”

“So then what is this?”

Y/N hesitated. Hating that the truth was about to boil over out of her mouth for him to see all the embarrassing bits of it, but she had no other way of convincing him. And it didn’t really help that Adam was so far out of her league that it wasn’t even convincing to begin with. Nor did she want to convince Harry of anything either. It was clear now that he hadn’t been jealous, he was just trying to figure out when she stopped hating relationships so much.

And the truth of that was she never really hated them. It was just easier telling herself she didn’t want it than admitting no one ever actually wanted her.

She trembled, not even sure why, but he was making her incredibly nervous, so much that she wished she could rewind and stay squished next to him in the back of the car forever. Being that close to him... his stupid fingers on her thigh, whispering things in her ear that made her head spin. She’d much prefer that than standing in front of him now, seeing every ounce of judgment he was about to throw her way.

“What do you want me to say, Harry?” She shrugged and dropped her eyes to the white marble floors between them, focusing on calming her anxiety while she was no longer looking at him. “He needed a date and I felt bad for him.”

“What does that mean?”

Letting her head fall back against the wall, she stared up at the ceiling this time as her eyes burned with embarrassment. “He paid me to be his date so his ex-girlfriend didn’t find out he wasn’t actually seeing anyone. That’s what it means.”

Harry didn’t say anything.

“So, yeah.” She folded her arms, looking down at the floor again, still unable to meet Harry’s eyes and see the look that would be on his face. A smirk of amusement at her expense. Even probably his dimples, taunting her and turning her into the joke she already was. “You were right. I can’t find anyone to tolerate me, which is why I’m on this stupid date that isn’t even real.”

“Him kissing you seemed quite real to me.”

There was more exasperation than humor to her laugh. “It wasn’t.”

Harry seemed to finally understand. “He’s trying to make Laura jealous.”

Y/N just nodded. “I promise I didn’t know you were going to be there, that he was trying to get her back from you.”

“You still kissed him though.”

She couldn’t argue that, nor could she tell him the real reason she’d agreed to the kiss. That it wasn’t exactly Laura she was trying to make jealous. She’d never live that one down, if she ever managed to live any other aspect of this night down.

When she didn’t say anything, he stepped closer. “Why did you kiss him?”

“I’m sorry, Harry I just... I don’t know.”

He shook his head and took another step, making her eyes widen when he was close enough that she had to crane her head back to meet his gaze. “Seemed like you were trying to make me jealous.”

She swallowed, not exactly in the position to laugh it off and argue with him when he was this close and all she could feel were the traces of his fingertips on her thigh. Her voice was quiet when it finally came out. “Making you jealous would mean I assumed you liked me in the first place... which I’m definitely not stupid enough to assume.”

A crease formed between his brow and his stupidly perfect jaw hardened as if he was biting his tongue from saying something. And fuck him for choosing then to finally stop opening his mouth.

Just then, a pair of drunk guys, one on the other’s back, came racing through the foyer, screaming at the top of their lungs while a few others followed quickly after them. It was enough to force Harry away from Y/N again, enough for the both of them to step out of the little bubble they’d been in together the past ten minutes.

Once they were alone again, their eyes gravitated toward each other and just when she thought Harry might say something after all, he flipped around on his heel and left. And she watched as he turned the corner and mixed back into the party.

After a few moments to gather herself, she followed him, not exactly sure what she was going to do now that Harry wouldn’t talk to her and it felt weird being with Adam while Harry knew everything. But, whatever plans to keep herself occupied no longer matted when she spotted Laura.

Making out with Adam in the middle of the room. 

Without even thinking, she turned to locate Harry and he might as well have been a source of gravity because her eyes fell right to him within a second. And he was watching them too. He knew. 

He met Y/N’s eyes and she wasn’t quite sure if he was upset or not. She couldn’t really read anything on his face, and stopped attempting to when he moved towards her and she had other things on her mind, like where he was going and if he was going to bother taking her with him.

Shortly after he stormed past Y/N she made sure he wasn’t going to leave her behind and chased after him. She didn’t know Adam very well and definitely not Laura to want to stay with them. And everyone else in the room were complete strangers to her. Adam had promised he’d take her home, but he probably hadn’t expected to be making out with his ex by the end of the night, either.

Harry didn’t say anything, not even when they’d reached the foyer and Y/N asked where he was going. He just located his jacket and slipped it on before making his way out the front door.

And right when she thought he really was going to leave her behind, since she was the reason he’d just lost Laura to her ex, he held the door open and glanced over his shoulder at her while she still stood on the other side of the threshold.

“Are you staying?”

Without a word, she sprung into motion and trailed right behind him into the hallway like a lost puppy, letting the door shut behind her that cut them off from the music as it faded into the background behind them.

It was a silent trip down the elevator, mostly because she had no idea what to say that would sound sincere and he didn’t say anything at all. At least not until she followed him through the lobby until he stopped on the curb just outside the main doors.

She took up the spot next to him, eyes glued to the side of his face as he took in a deep breath of fresh air, or at least as fresh as traffic allowed it to be.

Then he spoke, and it seemed like the first time she’d heard his voice all night. “I’m the one who gave you the chocolates and the frog.”

She narrowed her eyes, both not exactly sure why he’d just said that or if he was even being serious. “What?”

He looked down at her. “It wasn’t Andrew, it was me.”

“Why?” She breathed and while she was positive she’d be freezing cold soon, the fresh air after being surrounded by so many people felt good. It felt freeing and she wondered if he felt that way too.

His eyes scanned hers before he looked away. “Well partly to apologize for what I said.”

“What’s the other part?”

Sighing, he turned his entire body to face her now. “Something else entirely…” He trailed off, only confusing her more as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at his feet. “I didn’t tell you because I know you don’t like all this stuff, but seeing you with him tonight... I wish I had.” 

“It’s not that big of a deal. It’s just a frog.”

He shook his head, grinning. “It’s not just a frog, Y/N... because the thing is,” he paused to catch his breath, “I’ve been in love with you for... a really long time… since last spring. But with you being the way that you are, I never thought you’d feel the same way.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it.

“And then you come in with that guy and...” He pulled his fingers through his hair. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more jealous in my life... because all this time I thought you weren’t interested in relationships, but you just weren’t interested in me.”

Inhaling, she summoned every ounce of courage she could fathom. “You were right about why I kissed Adam.” He lifted a brow, waiting for her elaboration which never came. “You were right about other things, too. I wish I had someone to come home to almost every single night I got to bed alone. No one—“ She cut herself off, trembling again as tears stung her eyes. “I pretend not to be interested so I can ignore the fact that no one’s ever wanted me.”

“That’s not true.” He had that same look on his face as before, when she’d told him she wasn’t stupid enough to think he liked her.

She just nodded. “And I’m sorry but... why would you want me when you could have someone like Laura?”

“Y/N...” He huffed and stepped closer to her, the heat from his body making her shiver. “This is not the first time I started seeing someone to get over you... in fact, all my relationships since I met you have been shit.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Well you’re very anti-relationships so I think I was justified in wanting to avoid you rejecting me… especially since we work together and it would have been really awkward.”

“I don’t, uh... I...” She stammered, not really sure what to say to him even though her heart was screaming at her in full volume. 

He held his breath and then, in almost a whisper, “Is this the inevitable rejection?”

“No.” She didn’t even hesitate that time and at this point, her mind no longer controlled the words coming out of her mouth as she let another organ finally speak for itself. “No, I liked you the second I saw you, Harry... and at no point tonight was I ever trying to make Laura jealous.”

The corners of his mouth began to curl into a smile. “That was very cruel of you to do to me.”

“I didn’t think you liked me at all twenty minutes ago, Harry.”

“Twenty minutes ago,” he fully invaded all of her space now, leaving the smallest gap between their bodies as he could get away with, lifting his hand to her jaw and rubbing his thumb over her cheek. “I was still on this date with the wrong person.” 

“I think the date is over now.”

“No,” his eyes fell to her lips just like they had before. “It’s not.” 

“You’re looking at me like that again.” She mumbled, out of breath.

He lifted a brow and didn’t once remove his eyes from her lips. “Like what?”

“Like…” she trailed off, not having the courage to say it in case she wasn’t right. 

“Like I’ve wanted to kiss you for a very long time and I’m tired of pretending?” 

“Something like that, yeah.”

He grinned, both of his dimples making an appearance just before he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. And once her brain realized what was happening, she sunk right into him, letting his arm wrap around her waist as his other hand tangled its way into her hair to bring her closer. She threw her arms over his shoulders and he hunched lower to meet her. She staggered back a step when he did, nearly losing her balance but he caught her instantly and then drew his lips back as he laughed.

“This is not how I expected tonight to end.” She couldn’t help but think the way he struggled to catch his breath was possibly the hottest he’d ever been. Not to mention the tiny bit of her lipstick smeared on his face. She could look at him just the way he was right there and then for days and be perfectly satisfied.

“It doesn’t have to end yet.” She fully blamed her sudden burst of confidence on the cold, but refreshing February night. And maybe she also just wanted to get out of it before it caught up to her and she would, yet again, regret not having a jacket.

“Oh?” She wanted to smack the mischievous smirk off his face and leave him there on the curb. “And here I thought you were a prude.”

“You thought a lot of things about me that weren’t true, Harry.”

He thought about that for a moment and after realizing she was right, he then wondered just how wrong he was when he’d called her celibate. “I suppose… I’d quite like to find out just how wrong I was.” He slipped a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear, which is where his lips ended up as he whispered softly, “And I’d also quite like to show you just how wrong you were about me not liking you.”

They stumbled into her bedroom in the dark, Pretzel racing out between their twisted feet in a hurry, screeching at them in the process. Harry giggled against her lips, “Your cat sounds friendly.” 

“Well, since I was supposed to be spending tonight with her, and chocolate, and anti-romantic movies…” She pulled away from him, watching as his smile spread further. Maybe she could actually believe he’d been in love all this time. 

“Right… I’d be upset too.” 

She shook her head and kissed him again, then pulled back a second later. “You know that’s not actually what I do on Valentine’s Day.”

He lifted a brow and waited for her to explain but she didn’t.

“And what is it that you do, then?” He finally asked, curiosity getting the best of him, although he had some inkling as to what she was talking about.

Her smile was devoid of innocence as her hands fell to his belt. Harry’s shirt had already been lost to the kitchen floor. Her dress hardly covering what it was supposed to once Harry had gotten his hands on it. 

“Maybe you’ll get to find out.” 

When she brought her lips back to his, after undoing the buckle just under his navel, he spun them around and led her backwards to the bed. He wasn’t sure how far it was, but hoped he was headed in the right direction. And because of that, when her knees did finally bend over the mattress, he practically came flying down on top of her. 

She squirmed out from under him, crawling back towards the pillows as she watched him at the end of the bed while he stood and removed his belt completely, trying not to drool at the sight of him. At the sight of Harry, her fucking annoying ass, perfect, beautiful, coworker standing shirtless at the end of her bed where he was also about to be…

He pushed his trousers down off his hips and they fell to the floor with ease, almost with the same amount of ease that her eyes fell to the tight boxer-briefs he wore underneath. She swallowed as he adjusted the waistband back into place, quite certain that, even in the low light, her eyes were not deceiving her.

The bed shifted at her feet as he joined her, and then it took all her willpower to not fling herself at him as he crawled up the length of her. As he settled himself between her thighs and she felt every last, very hard, inch of him pressed against her. She couldn’t be blamed for the whining moan that she let out in his ear as his lips became familiar with the shape and taste of her neck. She also couldn’t be blamed when her hips instinctively collided with his.

He just giggled again and shook his head, the loose strands of his curls tickling her forehead. “Easy now.” He warned in a hushed mumble, his lips vibrating right against the vein in her neck that pulsed so much faster the more his free hand began to wander up underneath her dress.

He left her speechless for multiple reasons, but the main one was when she felt his fingers tracing down her thigh and then, moments later, after he shifted his weight and used his knees to keep her legs open, she sucked in a breath of air as she felt him pressed against her clit, forcing her nails to dig into his back but he didn’t seem to mind.

Coming back down to kiss her, he began moving his hand in expert little circles, grinning against her mouth every time her body begged him for more. It wasn’t long that he complied, either, when he sat back on his knees between her legs and tugged her underwear off for good, throwing it to the depths of her bedroom floor. He wouldn’t have known where they landed even if he tried because his gaze belong to her only as he lowered himself to his elbows before her, kissing his way up her thighs until he reached her center.

When she squirmed away from him, he wrapped his arms around her thighs and pressed his hands into her hips after gently moving her dress out of the way. 

“You know when we used to stay late at the office working?” He asked suddenly and the heat of his voice against her made her squirm again, but he held on tight. “And you would get sick of sitting in an office chair and made me promise not to tell Jim when you sat on his desk instead?” She had no clue where he was going with it, but still, she nodded. “Every single time I turned to look at you, I thought about doing this.” Before she could get words out or even a coherent thought, she felt his tongue on her. And this time when she jerked against him, she nearly slipped out of his hold until he grabbed her again and pulled her back down, digging himself further into her as she struggled to breathe properly.

She dug her fingers into his hair when he brought her close to the edge and showed no mercy. And somehow, she’d managed to get the sole of her foot up onto his shoulder in order to kick him away, but it didn’t matter much because he never budged. Not that she wanted him to, but he just felt so good… 

“Harry!” She shouted, pulling at his hair and making matters worse for herself when he moaned against her sensitive bundle of nerves. He let her come, never once lifting his mouth from her even as her hips jerked off the mattress and she very nearly pulled his hair out. When she stopped screaming, her voice caught in her throat because she was lost to her own orgasm, is when he lifted his mouth, replaced it with his fingers and watched her as she came down. As her eyes fluttered shut and her chest heaved, her lungs struggling to get oxygen back into her system. Her hold on him loosened as she came undone around him, melting into his hands it seemed like.

And when he began rubbing his index and middle finger into her, once she was far and beyond overstimulated, and he knew that, she reached down with a whine and grabbed his wrist with what little strength she had in her and pulled him away. His hand fell to the other side of her hip, which he used to his advantage to pull himself up over her again, his other hand taking her dress with it until he was able to tug it over her head and toss it. Then he came back down to kiss her, letting her taste herself on her lips. He rubbed his thumb across her cheek and when he pulled away, found her looking at him finally. Although it was with heavy lids as she still struggled to regain her bearings.

Before they could get much further, a loud crashing sound from the other room made both of them nearly jump out of their skin. She shot up instantly, grabbing hold of Harry’s bicep before moving him out of the way and sliding off the edge of the bed. 

“It’s just the cat.” Harry would have probably said the same thing even if it was not just the cat, he’d say anything just to get her to stay with him.

“I know but it sounded like…” her voice trailed off as her feet hit the floor and the moment she went to stand on her own two legs, her knees buckled. He reached to grab her waist but she righted herself before he could. She didn’t see the way he hid his cheeky smirk at the fact that he’d been so good, she was still dizzy.

“You good?” He asked as she stumbled her way into a shirt. With only a groan in response, and what he was sure was her middle finger, she left him alone in her bed to investigate the noise. Sighing, he laid on his back and got comfortable amongst her pillows. And after about three minutes, decided to locate the remote to her TV to entertain himself. 

He flipped onto his side and felt around her bedside table, but his fingers never landed on anything remote-like. So, frustrated, he reached up and switched the lamp on. Again, he found nothing. Looking further, he realized the table had a drawer and so he pulled it open in hopes of finding the damned remote before she got back. 

But what he found instead was so much better than turning on late night news.

“Fucking cat knocked over my vase.” Y/N was back within ten minutes. Harry had left the light on, but made sure it wasn’t obvious he’d gone snooping into her drawer, at least not yet anyway. She crawled back into bed beside him and it was then he noticed the bandage on her thumb.

“Are you alright?” He forgot all about what he planned to tease her with when he gently grabbed her hand to inspect the damage.

“Yeah. I was in a bit of hurry trying to clean up the glass…” 

Harry rolled his eyes and dropped her hand. “I would have come help you.”

She just smiled up at him as he fit his arm around her shoulders, his bicep under her neck. “That’s alright.”

He shrugged. “It was for the best anyways that I didn’t.” When he smirked, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

“And why’s that?”

She followed his other hand as he reached for something and then, moments later, it reappeared with a very familiar pink object clutched in his grasp. “Because then I wouldn’t have found this.”

Her first reaction was to pry it from his snooping fingers, but when she reached across him to grab it, he way too easily held her back and, at the same time, held it far out of her reach. 

“So this is what you do on Valentine’s Day, then?” He flicked his wrist back and forth, waving her vibrator in the air as he taunted her.

“If you don’t give that back to me,” she reached for it again to no prevail, “you won’t be doing anything, least of all, me.”

He clicked his tongue. “Why would I give it back when I plan on using it?”

She froze and he chuckled at her reaction.

“Would be rude of me to break your traditions, wouldn’t it?” 

She swallowed, her eyes slowly meeting his again. The appearance of his right dimple told her he wasn’t playing any games. She had no idea how many times he planned to make her come tonight or whether or not she’d even be able to walk tomorrow at work. But, given the stupid look on his face, she almost began making plans to call out sick instead.

“Do you actually know how to use that thing?” She finally asked, glancing at the wand still held very firmly in his hand.

He looked at her like she was crazy moments before he pivoted and pinned her onto her back, settling himself into the position they’d been in before the interruption of the cat. 

Just, this time… he was clicking on her vibrator and watching her face as she began to regret her words. 

“‘Course I know how to use it. The real question is,” he brought his lips to her ear, the soft vibrations and the sound of his voice mixing together like sin itself. Even more so when he nipped at her earlobe. “Do you know how to handle it?”

[kodzuvii]

CLUB STUPID [24: yeah probably]

next [25: premarital hand holding]

PAIRING - SUNA x FEM!READER

GENRE - crack + fluff

warnings - spelling and grammar errors lol guys its 1am plz-

SYNOPSIS - Club Stupid, an anonymous podcast meant for the dumb and dumbest to send in unspoken and nonsensical thoughts about issues they face in their day to day lives and for Y/n to speak out and give her opinions and feelings. Normal feelings though, nothing romantic like how she thinks this lazy guy with questionable hair in the volleyball club is actually pretty cute.

a/n: as an executive member and proud representative of the suna simp club (jk lol idk) it is my duty, to keep my simps fed. you’re welcome. please listen to some cute wholesome shit. 

“Look at this Samu, Suna really his own breed, how does he manage to look more dead compared to how he usually looks”

“Well Tsumu, he ignored the same girl twice in the same week and also got confronted by her cousin who’s also his captain. Pretty sad if ya ask me”

The twins snickered to each other as they eyed the quiet middle blocker who stood by his locker. “Did you see his blocks today Tsumu? I was afraid I was gonna break his toothpick arms with my spikes” Osamu whispered but made it loud enough for Suna to hear. Atsumu nodded, “yeah Samu, totally lame if you ask me. Thank God Yn wasn’t watching him” he teased. “Oi,” Aran called out as he packed up his things on his back that was sitting on top of the benches inside of the boy’s change room. “Lay off of him will ya” he scolded but the pair shrugged and continued to change out of their practice clothes. 

“What’s even happening?” Akagi whispered and Riseki could only turn to him and mirror the same lost look on his face and give a clueless shrug. They both just sat back and watched the scene unfold in front of them. The twins were teasing and throwing indirect jabs and insults towards their middle blocker who looked as if he was going through an existential crisis with the dull look in his eyes. 

Suna was quiet, everyone knew that. Yet somehow in some way, everyone could feel his energy hit an all-time low. He still attended practice sure, but it was like practicing with a pole lamp. He just stood there and observed whatever was happening but even then, his mind was somewhere else. Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed by the coach who gave him an earful about the proper attitude to be having during their practices. Did he listen though? Nah. Listening to a lecture required too much effort. He was just tired and done for the day and the anxious and nervous feeling bubbling up inside of him wasn't helping either.

Suna was stupid. He knew that. His attention span outside of the court was never the biggest and his lack of energy never helped increase his intelligence. He was never the brightest in his class, and honestly, it never bothered him that he wasn’t. Everything he learned came through one ear and left the other. He retained the information for a test but simply forgot everything once it was over. He wasn’t the brightest, and it didn’t bother him not one bit.

What did bother him was his terrible habit of being oblivious towards other people’s feelings. Maybe it was due to his lack of energy or lack of interest, but he simply never put much effort into acknowledging how people felt. Yeah, he got vibes when people had on and off days, his teammates were the twins, you HAD to notice their mood swings and take necessary precautions. It just never occurred to him that more people could enter his bubble. A bubble that revolved around himself.

However, instead of someone finding a way to enter his fragile bubble without popping it, Suna willingly left his bubble when you came into the picture. It was no secret that Suna was whipped the moment his eyes laid on you. He’s been getting clowned about it ever since the twins found out and they never let a day go by without calling him a simp.

He had no clue what type of person you would be when you entered the doors of the Shiratorizawa gym. You looked sweet and bubbly, the smile you came in with never left your face unless you’d whine to your friends or roll your eyes at them. When you stepped into the room, people just naturally gravitated towards your positive energy and your good vibe. He liked that about you. Then again he still didn’t know anything about you at the time. All he knew was that you managed to attract his attention without even directly giving any to him. Every time he tried to look away and focus on whatever was happening in front of him, his eyes trailed back to you.

For a while after camp, you kept popping back in and out of his mind. It was quite ridiculous actually. He’d be taking a drink by the water fountains and he’d look over to the hallway and suddenly the first thoughts would be ‘what if I saw the redhead again?’ It never lasted long, maybe for a split second or two before he snapped himself out of it. He’d never see you again, what was he talking about? He was just being delusional.

So you could imagine the way his mind stopped functioning the night at the train station. Suna had to pinch himself 8 times when he saw you walk out of the train doors. ‘No way’ he thought. You, out of the 7 billion people in the world, was Kita’s cousin. He remembers seeing your tired face and your short stature clad in a big hoodie and loose sweatpants with your hair tied up. You were supposed to look like a mess, why did he keep thinking that you looked so pretty? This must’ve been the higher power playing a trick on him for slacking off during practice. So annoying.

Suna could keep his cool around school. You weren’t in the same classes meaning he didn’t see you at all. So you could imagine the kind of panic that crossed his mind when Kita told the team that he’d have his cousin staying in the gym. He learned later on that you started watching practices because Kita didn’t feel comfortable with you walking home. You were nice to the team, incredibly nice actually. Your easy-going nature made it easy for you to have a couple of conversations with his teammates here and there. While you were nice to Aran and Akagi, you had a little feisty attitude with the twins (mainly Atsumu) and he couldn’t help but admire how outspoken you were. You were blunt, to say the least. That was something you and Kita had in common. But he liked that about you, how you were always free to speak whatever was on your mind and keep a conversation going. 

Suna noticed early on that you rarely paid attention to their practice. He figured volleyball just wasn’t your thing and he couldn’t blame you for that. During water breaks, he’d glance up and watch you tuck back your hair and sometimes he’d catch you scratching your temple in annoyance because of some question you couldn’t answer on your homework. You never looked up, simply unphased by whatever was happening in front of you. 

Even so, he still put the smallest amount of extra effort into his practices. Jumping a bit higher and running a bit faster and spiking the ball with more force. He insisted that it was about time he would break some of his bad habits, but even the team knew that it was a sorry excuse. Truth be told, a little part of him was just hoping that if you ever looked up from your phone or your work in your lap, you’d see him and think that he looked at least a little bit cool. 

One day, on the rare occasion that he’d be listening in class, he remembers his teacher having a discussion with the class about an epiphany. 

The feeling of a sudden or striking realization that hits an individual out of nowhere.

It was late at night where Suna hit an epiphany. You were off to Miyagi, spending your weekend with your best friend and the Twins continued to bug him about his little first-year crush even though he had asked them multiple times to drop the topic. 

Suna came to the conclusion that he liked the way you made him feel. He liked the way he felt at ease when you were around him. He liked how you were so different compared to him, but it never stopped you from forming a friendship with him. You never pushed him to ever open up to you, you listened to the bare minimum he had to say and never took his lazy nature and blunt attitude to heart. He liked annoying you, the way your face would scrunch up when he’d take your bento’s the first couple times during your first initial lunch hangouts or the way you’d puff your cheeks when he comments on your height. He liked the way your eyes lit up when the smallest things caught your attention. He took notes on the songs you said you were currently listening too or the ones that reminded you about happy memories. 

Suna especially liked seeing you smile. Especially towards him. Something about it gave him the same feeling that was comparable to the way he would feel when he would see those jelly sticks on sale at the grocery store. The way you’d roll your eyes in playful annoyance when he'd come up to you and ask to bandage his fingers even though you both knew that he was capable of doing it himself. You would tease him, a playful smile gracing upon your lips, telling him that his fingers would probably break off if you weren’t there to bandage them up. Suna liked thinking that having you wrap them up made his hands feel a bit stronger with his blocks. But you didn’t need to know that.

He remembers a specific memory that lives rent-free in his mind. He was walking down the hallway, casually strolling and taking his time to get back to class after using the bathroom and he happened to notice you heaving a tired sigh as you closed the doors to your class. You looked quite frustrated, probably because it was your art class and you had been complaining days earlier about how creatively drained you were.

 Suna must’ve been looking at you for a moment too long because the moment your eyes met, he felt something tug at his chest by the way your eyes sparkled at the sight of him. Despite being under a little bit of stress, the same smile he grew to enjoy seeing made its way onto your lips and you waved to him excitedly before running up and rambling off about how much your class was pissing you off.

You two eventually got in trouble for skipping the whole period after being too caught up in your conversation. Suna thought it was worth it though.

After scrolling through his phone, listening to Atsumu’s obnoxious lovey-dovey playlist, and inevitably searching “how to know if you like or like like a girl” (there's a difference, he swears) on google. 

He came to his epiphany.

 Maybe before, when he barely knew you and you never knew him, maybe he was just infatuated with the idea of you. 

But it was different now, He liked you.

And that scared him.

It scared him how vulnerable he felt. Suna’s reserved and quiet nature gave him a hard time to open to others. Not that he really cared if he was being honest. He simply had the mindset that no one needed to know everything there was to his existence. Everyone eventually leaves anyways, what was the point?

When it sank into him that he liked you, it confused him endlessly. You never wanted to get out of his head and sooner or later he found himself doing the smallest things for you. The little black silk band was always on his wrist and if it wasn’t on his wrist, it would be tucked away in his pockets. Not to mention that he kept one in his pencil case for good measure. The bandaids inside in his backpack were sealed away in a ziplock bag just in case you ever got hurt because he knew you were a bit clumsy. He found himself keeping his eyes open for little souvenirs and trinkets that looked like something that you’d like wherever he went. 

At first, he thought that he just wanted to upgrade you from friend to best friend. Maybe this was a friendship that he had just been deprived of since his world revolved around constantly meaning to improve in volleyball. Yes, he did find comfort in the friendship he grew with you, but sooner or later he realized that he wanted more. The thoughts of holding your hand slipped into his mind and sooner or later hugging you from behind and resting his head on top yours flowed in followed by taking you back by peppering your smooth and soft cheeks with kisses. That wasn’t something that best friends did.

Kita was right about how his logic of ignoring you to suppress his feelings was stupid and that the worst things that could happen were that he’d get rejected. But he didn’t want to face the chance of him getting rejected, he’d like you for so long and he learned during his time spent away from you that he didn’t want to just stop talking to you. Suna knew himself, if he got rejected then he’d distance himself away from you and never talk to you ever again because the embarrassment would eat him up. 

He didn’t wanna lose you for that. He wasn’t ready. 

What a coward. 

He just really hoped you liked the flowers and read his note, he thought anything was better than a stupid “I’m sorry” text.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 

“Hurry up, I need to lock up the gym” Kita’s voice echoed throughout the walls as he stepped into the changeroom. Suna looked up from his phone, taking one last glance at your ‘see you soon :P’ text before shutting it off and shoving it into his pockets. As everyone began to leave one-by-one and bid their goodbyes to each other and their captain. The twins however didn’t leave until they both gave Suna a teasing punch on both of his shoulders. Suna only glared at them before proceeding to make his exit as well. 

Kita stopped Suna before he could exit and the look on his face seemed rather serious. With his voice low, Kita simply said “She needs to be back by 7. If she comes home hurt in any way, I’m benching you” he said sternly and that was enough for him to feel his skin crawl under his tracksuit jacket. Suna nodded, understanding that he really wasn’t kidding and that he definitely bench him. 

Kita turned around and opened the door for them both to leave the changerooms. They walked together side-by-side and from a distance, he could see your short figure walking up to both of them. You looked different today, your hair was sitting on your shoulders and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses he was yet to see was sitting on the bridge of your nose. You were clad in your uniform with an oversized pink knit cardigan overtop. Was that a new cardigan you were wearing? He’s never seen it before either. 

Kita smiled at the sight of you skipping up to them and he watched you two exchange high fives and he gave you a brief little speech about staying late. You nodded along and Suna stood by and watched Kita ruffle your hair making you whine cutely. 

He wanted to do that.

You waved goodbye to your cousin and Kita looked at Suna and gave him a firm nod before turning back and making his way towards the gym doors. You turned back and faced Suna, your hands behind your back as you made your way towards him with a warm smile. “Hey there” you greeted and stood in front of him, looking up so you could look at him clearly. Suna couldn’t help but look at you weirdly, why were you acting as nothing happened? Shouldn’t you be upset with him? “Hi, let’s go?” god, why was he so forward. 

You hummed and shook your head, making him furrow his eyebrows in confusion, “do you not wanna go anymore? I can drop you off if you want-” You rolled your eyes, “I don’t see you for a week and you’re already trying to get rid of me?” you questioned and narrowed your eyes at him. Suna felt his heart wrench as your lips pouted. 

He shook his head, “n-no” he stuttered. Your eyes perked up and you watch his cheeks heat up (potentially from embarrassment, but you're not going to assume) and look away. 

You chuckled and grabbed his wrist and pulled him to follow behind you. What made you so bold today? Probably from the unexpected pep talk you had with Goshiki that morning.

“You don’t need him Ln-senpai! If he thinks he can just look over you and all your greatness and beauty and not acknowledge how beautiful you are and how your very presence graces this dull world then send his ass to KFC! You are a woman senpai! A beautiful woman who deserves everything. Not a value menu that has a 20% off discount!”

Did his speech make sense? Sure. You’ll take it over Tendou’s “cut his dick off if he does you dirty queen” text message sent with the confetti effect on imessage followed by a bunch of knife emojis that was honestly more threatening rather than comforting.

You pulled him out of the gym and Shin gave you a look before shaking it off and locking up the gym doors. From the corner of your eyes, you could see the twins sending winks your way before snickering and walking off. You rolled your eyes and stopped when you reached the doors of the school. 

You turned around and faced Suna who looked very lost and confused. “Let’s not go to the convenience store today, let’s go somewhere else,” you say. Suna nodded slowly, “okay? Where do you wanna go?” he asked.

Just then, you lifted up your other hand and it was only then that Suna noticed you carrying a small pink lunch tote. You let go of his wrist and tucked some strands your hair behind you ear, “we haven’t had lunch together in a week and you had a meeting today again so we couldn’t do anything today either and well..” you trailed off and looked up at him and shrugged, “I figured we could make up for lost time” you muttered. 

Suna felt his chest tighten, not only because you were absolutely adorable and it was making him lose his mind, but it almost seemed like you were the one trying to apologize to him when you didn’t do anything wrong. He did.

You frowned as you looked at how subtly his face dropped. As upset as you were, you understood that he wasn’t ready to tell you whatever he was meaning to hide. He wasn’t obligated to tell you anything and you understand that. A small smile creeping up on your lips, “let’s go eat at the park near my house. The one we walk by all the time. Saves you the trouble of worrying if you’re gonna get home on time or not” you laughed slightly.

Suna couldn’t say no to you, so here were the two of you now. Eating and sitting in front of the other with the bento’s you had prepared on the table. The park was as busy as it usually would be during the afternoon. The atmosphere felt warm as the sky was slowly settling into hues of orange with peaks of pink seeping through. Suna watched you happily eat the bento you had prepared and listened attentively as you told him about everything he missed during your week and you did the same when he talked about his. 

A part of him couldn’t help but admire how pretty you looked in front of him. Suna was lying when he told the twins that you were a 7. You were beyond a 7 and beyond whatever scale they had given him. It was a rare sight to see you with your glasses and partnered with that oversized pink cardigan? You were adorable. 

You tilted looked up from your food and stopped mid-sentence when you saw him just look at you with what seemed to be a fond look in his eyes. But you could’ve just been mistaken, maybe you need to have your prescription checked again. “Rin, what’s wrong?” you asked. At the sound of his name, Suna blinked snapped back into reality and was met with your concerned look. “W-what?” You chuckled, “you zoned out Rin, everything okay?” you asked.

Rin.

He liked the way his name rolled off your lips. 

He shook his head, “I’m fine, sorry. This is really good by the way, I didn’t think you could cook” he said as an attempt to change the subject. You rolled your eyes but you looked away. “As much as I want you to believe I’m some great chef, Granny helped me with most of it” you confessed sheepishly. 

He chuckled and poked the sausage that was cut up into a little octopus with his chopsticks, “Well, you did tell me that you burned rice once so maybe I thought too highly of you to make a full meal” he teased. You scoffed and grabbed his bento, “if you’re not gonna appreciate the chef then you don’t deserve the food” you huffed. Suna rolled his eyes and grabbed yours, “guess I’ll have to eat yours then” he said and shoved some rice into his mouth. Your jaw dropped at his actions, “Hey!”

As the day went on, you both began to feel at ease and comfortable once again with each other's presence. The harmony that flowed around between you two was coming back and was settling into its familiar rhythm. You two continued to chat as if nothing happened. Laughing at anything and everything you found remotely hilarious under the sun. Suna felt warm. He was here, with you, and everything felt okay. With both your bento’s empty and tucked neatly away into your lunch bag and the sun settling down and giving a wake-up call for the stars to come out, it was about time for Suna to bring you home.

The walk back to your place was comfortable. There was no tension in the air or any awkwardness in the atmosphere. It was simply peaceful. You were walking beside him and rambling on about something that had happened to you in class that day. It was slightly cooler and the winds were colder and he had noticed early on that you kept pulling at the ends of your cardigan at an attempt to get some more warmth from it. It would’ve just been rude for him to let you be cold, Kita would kill him if you got sick.

It took you by surprise to see Suna slipping off his volleyball jacket and shoving it into your hands. He was wearing a hoodie under it anyway, he didn’t mind. A part of him was just curious about how his jacket would fit you too and what kind of fool would you be to reject an oversized jacket? It was just extra points that happened to be from the boy that you liked.

Suna nodded along to what you were saying, but he couldn’t help the sudden urge to just grab your hand out of his system. You were walking so close to each other. Your shoulders kept brushing past and your hands were right there. 

But with the events that happened this past weekend, he didn’t wanna overstep any boundaries. He was still too cautious that he would mess up and make you upset all over again. With the thought of his actions, Suna suddenly felt a little ball of guilt eat him up. He never stopped feeling bad about what he did. Kita’s words rang through his head, he needed to learn how to communicate better and not deal with everything all on his own. Maybe he really was a coward for letting such a dumb fear eat him up.

In the midst of your talk about how much you despise your math class, you turned to look at Suna and saw how troubled he looked. He didn’t even look like he was listening anymore and seemed to be having some sort of internal battle with himself. 

You furrowed your eyebrows and grabbed his wrist to stop walking. “Rin, what’s wrong?” you asked, concern lacing the tone of your voice. You both never really brought up what had happened. Maybe you were just too caught up in having a good time but you were honestly content with the reasons he gave you. If he wasn’t ready then he wasn’t ready. 

Suna however felt like he owed you so much more than his apology that he already struggled to explain. 

Suna stared down at you for a moment, the unreadable expression on his face that only made you more confused. It was quiet for a moment, the only sound to be heard was the wind blowing by and the trees rustling.

Nothing would have prepared you for the way he turned around and pulled the arm that was holding his wrist and pulling you into his chest. His hands wrapped around your shoulders as he held you just a little bit tighter. He was a bit stiff, but you couldn’t put that against. He wasn’t the type of person to initiate things like this.

“I’m sorry”

Your body froze, something about his tone was different. It was vulnerable.

You stayed quiet, letting yourself relax slowly in his hold.

“F-fuck, I’m really sorry. I said I wasn’t good with words right? S-so I’m trying to explain now because you deserve it but I don’t even know why I did it. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset at all, I was just caught up with myself and I didn’t consider what I was doing to you. You didn’t deserve that. I like being around you and I’m sorry” He pulled away and one of his hands dropped to your waist and fiddled with the material of his jacket. You watched as his free hand dug deep into his pockets and you watched him pull something out. 

“It’s kind of pathetic if you ask me and it’s also kind of ugly but-” he grabbed one of your arms and dropped the object into the palms of your hands. Your eyes widened at the little paper craft,

It was an origami strawberry.

It was small, it fit perfectly inside on the palms of your hand. You could see that he struggled with making it. The leaves were slightly bent and the tip of the strawberry was ripping off. There were lots of creases all in the wrong places and even the seeds were drawn on. 

But it still melted your heart. 

“I read somewhere about 1000 paper cranes for a wish and well, cranes are kind of hard and I didn’t have enough paper to make 1000 and-god this is so embarrassing-” he muttered the last part but gained enough courage to look up at you and meet your eyes. Your eyes were soft and patient. “I wished that you wouldn’t hate me. Or that, this wouldn’t y’know...make everything all weird between us. I like you-or well uh- being around you at least and I-I know you joke about it all the time but please don't-” 

Suna paused when he felt you wrap your arms around his waist once again, hugging him back but just a little bit tighter. The small confession not even going through your mind because your attention was too focused on the way his words were making you melt. 

“You’re an idiot” you mumbled into his chest and hugged him a bit tighter. Your words made his stomach drop, but that feeling went away when you pulled back and looked at him with a smile. A smile that said you understood. 

“I’m never gonna force you to tell me anything you don’t want to tell me” You repeated but this time it felt different, it felt warmer. 

“I’m never gonna hate you. I know how you are Rin, you’re not good with your words and I get that. You could've sent me a text but you didn’t. You went out of your way with the flowers and even the little note and this adorable fucking strawberry is more than enough” you laughed but you could feel your eyes watering up slightly with the overwhelming amount of emotions you were feeling all at once. “You don’t need to keep apologizing to me okay? I understand. Thank you,” you smiled. Suna stared down at you. Nodding slowly and you chuckled and fell into his arms once again.

This time, he was the one who held you a bit tighter.

“This side of you is cute you know, but It’s kinda ruining your whole tsundere image you’re going for. Bet the twins would make fun of you for being this thoughtful” you whispered jokingly, making him roll his eyes and huff a quiet “shut up” in annoyance. If only you knew the pain he endured for putting up with those twins. 

You both stayed like that for a little while longer. Holding each other and fitting so perfectly in the arms of the other. If it wasn’t for your phone dinging from a text from Shin asking where you were, Suna swore he would have held you there for the whole night. 

You pulled away first and tugged his hand, “come on, Shin wants me home now so let’s get going ‘kay? Don’t want you getting benched the whole season now do we?” you grinned and walked in front of him and tugged him along. 

Somehow in some way, your fingers slipped perfectly into his.

Suna could only feel the warmth rising in his chest, his daze fixed at the sight of his hands interlocked with yours. 

“Oh and Rin” you called out, making him snap back into reality.

Suna hummed, looking right back at you.

“Tell me when you’re ready, okay?”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 

“Text me when you get up in your room safe”

You turned around to him with a quizzical expression before letting out a chuckle, “I’m in front of my house Rin, I got here in one piece” you said and motioned your free hand towards yourself to prove that you were indeed, uninjured. Suna rolled his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek, “you’re clumsy remember, you might fall or something” he muttered and looked away.

You grinned and squeezed his hand, “Awe, look at you caring for me and my wellbeing. My ears might be deceiving me but it sounds like you’re in love with me” you teased and swung your hands together back and forth.

Suna huffed, his mind not properly functioning when the words fell out of his mouth.

“yeah probably”

Simultaneously, his eyes and yours widened and you both froze. 

Both you and Suna blinked at each other twice. Your eyes looked down at your hands that were still interlocked and looked up at his face that was fully drained of any colour. Your heart was beating rapidly against your chest and Suna began to question the very point of his existence.

“W-what?”

“Uh-”

“Y-you said-”

“A-ah I-”

“Oi!” you both jumped and instinctively Suna pulled you closer to him. You looked at up him briefly before turning around to see Granny waiting by the gate with an impatient but also teasing glint in her eyes. “It’s almost 7:30 Yn-chan! You almost missed bingo night! Kiss ya little friend goodnight and come in before Shin and I eat all the mochi we left for ya” she called out but you could hear the teasing tone in her voice.

“C-coming!” you yelled back. Your face was piping hot and you wanted the ground to swallow you whole from the amount of embarrassment and flusteration you were feeling at that moment. 

Granny nodded and walked back inside, and looked up at Shin who was standing with his arms crossed on the porch. Granny walked back to him with a victorious smile on her lips as she gave him a thumbs up. Granny knew what she was doing and she knew what she saw. She’s gonna call and gossip to your mother.

You gulped and took a step back and looked back at Suna. He was still frozen and his mind was racing at what just happened and he too, wanted the ground to swallow him whole. “I-I uh, I guess I gotta go?” you winced, but the tone of your voice made it sound like you were asking a question. Suna nodded, “y-yeah, goodnight I guess” he muttered as he looked away and you watched his face heat up. 

You were both so embarrassed but neither one wanted to let go of the others hand. 

Suna figured he couldn’t keep you out all night and just as he was about to let go of your hand, a sudden wave of confidence went through your veins and you just went ‘fuck it.’

You pulled his arm down towards you taking him back. His eyes widened, “what are you-” you stood slightly on your tippy-toes and kissed his cheek which made him shut up instantly. “That’s for today, thanks. goodbye.” you said frantically. 

Suna froze, too much in shock and his mind was still in the middle of trying to register what just happened and watched as you let go of his hand and covered your face furiously blushing and running off to your gate and slamming it shut.

He stared blankly at the gate door and blinked twice as an attempt to get himself back to reality. He brought his hands up to his cheeks that were on fire. His mind kept replaying the way your soft lips kissed his cheek and could feel the slightest residue of your lip gloss still on his cheek. 

Shit, you really had him wrapped around your finger. 

“Idiot” 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 

a/n: BYE STOP IM SO SINGLE THIS IS SAD AND I AM DEVASTATED.

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[ladyideal]

Garden of Love

Pairing: Aragorn x Queen!Reader

Word Count: 1623

Warnings: some curse words, but all fluff

Request/Summary: You also mentioned writing a drabble for Aragorn, don’t know if you’ve got ideas for that but maybe something along the lines of Aragorn comforting the reader’s insecurities about being Queen? I’m a sucker for realistic fiction and angst as you can probably tell lol. Perhaps the reader isn’t high-born like Aragorn or despises the idea of being in a very public position, as monarchs are expected to. by the anon

A/n: honestly, this took a longer than I hoped to finish. So all of yall go thank @asraime or this wouldn't have come out in time... or less of a disaster zone. First time writing Aragorn, think gonna need some work.

"Now come the days of the king. May they be blessed." Gandalf announced, delicately adoring Aragorn's head with the crown.

"This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world… that we may share in the days of peace," The newly crowned king of the reunited kingdoms spoke to the crowd in front of him.

You stood beside Eowyn, who stood beside Faramir, the now Captain of the White Tower, and cheered along with the people. As the king stood, you and the crowd bowed before him. In a few days, your union with him would be a solid four years, and even longer as friends. 

As a Ranger, you spent a good portion of the time with him, befriending Isildur's heir wherever he went. Before long, he had asked to court you. Being on the constant move in the North, there were lots to learn. 

He didn't care how low of a status you were, or how your father became the laughingstock of the kingdom. No, all he cared was you and your heart.

Time passed and soon, he was called to the Council of Elrond. Something evil was lurking in Mordor, an unmistakable force that would soon threaten the survival of the rest of the Middle Earth. Not wanting to tempt fate, he wed you the next day.

It was a hasty ceremony, no pomp or extravagance. Perfect for your liking, in your opinion. Your family and the handful of friends witnessed the brief happy time. There would be no time for honeymoon, as Lord Elrond sent a raven, asking him to return to Rivendell. Whatever would be agreed upon by the council and the half elf, meant that your husband would be taken away from you.

You were right.

On the eve Aragorn left to destroy the Ring with the rest of the Fellowship, you made him swear that he would come back safe and sound, and very much alive. Selfish, but you loved him deeply like no one else. He, in turn, made you swear that you would not follow him into the fires of Mordor, that it was too dangerous, that if something had happened to you, he would never forgive himself.

Thankfully, the Valars answered your prayers.

A pair of shoes appeared in front, and a pair of hands gently grasped your forearms, yanking you out of your thoughts.

"My love," Your husband spoke as you straightened up. "You have stayed by my side for as long as I can remember. Gondor has a King, but a king himself can not rule alone."

You held your breath as he paused, a faint smile on his face. 

"Gondor needs her Queen, to rule, to love, to take care of," Slowly he knelt onto one knee in front of you, adoration melting your apprehension. "And you are her."

All eyes turned to you, and in that brief silence, you knew that there was no backing out of this. You had married him, knowing full well that one day he would take his rightful place as King of Gondor. In front of everyone, you agreed to him with a shy nod.

"My lord," Javes strode forward, a silver bundle in his hands.

You watched as Aragorn turned to the man, and gently pulled on the ribbon that kept the package together. As the fabric fell to either side, a silver circlet glinted faintly in the sunlight. 

With a smile, Aragorn lifted it up from its resting place and turned back to you. Biting your lower lip, you knelt down in front of him, and bowed your head.

"My love, my wife, I have loved you since we first met as Rangers. I loved you as we scoured the land, fighting off the orcs and the darkness of Mordor. I loved you even more as you stayed behind in Gondor, while I traveled with the Fellowship across Middle Earth to fight against the forces of evil," Your husband announced. "I knew then that I wanted, needed you by my side for as long as I live. Y/N, so many years we have spent learning how to care of our people. Now we can finally put that to use, and rule together for the better of the kingdom."

Delicately, he lowered the circlet onto your head. You briefly shivered at the touch of the cold metal, but smiled in relief when the sun's warmth made it bearable. Grasping your hands in his, your husband brought you back up to your feet.

"King Aragorn and Queen Y/N!" 

Weeks went by, as you directed rebuilding of Gondor back to its former glory, spending countless hours pouring into making plans and keeping friendly ties with the other kingdoms that remained in Middle Earth.

As the new Queen of Gondor, you were busy. While Aragorn attended dozens of meetings, you were glad you were able to pull from past experience to help out your people. Taking stock of what was left, you dispatched farmers with grains, vegetables, and other raw goods from other kingdoms, promising them a quarter back of the revenue for their help. 

You brought in knowledgeable merchants, blacksmiths, and others from the corners of Middle Earth to bring their skill trades to the kingdom. There was nothing you wouldn't do for the benefit of your people.

Until the rumors reached your ears.

She is that daughter. Not fit to be queen. King Aragorn made a mistake. A whore, a slut. 

Behind your turned back, whispers of your lower status spread as fast as wildfire. Somehow, someone had dug out your past, a daughter of a bakery owner with the largest cheating scandal Gondor had ever seen. You escaped from that then to become a Ranger of the North, but the past was never meant to be shut away.

Seduced the King.

Groups of attendants gathered together in numbers of two, three, even four. The echoing halls left no room for error. Each hurried whisper bounced discordantly along the hallway, only stopping when you were within sight.

No noble blood.

Every pair of eyes sized you up, silently dressing you down for even existing. They had curtsied still out of respect, but you knew better. The eyes always gave away their thoughts.

Not good enough to be queen.

As you turned the corner, every judgemental stare lingered behind your back. And for the first time in your new home, there was no warmth emitting from the hearths. You tried to ignore it, you really did.

But as the whispers grew louder, and the words became bolder, you had enough. In an effort to avoid spilling your tears in public, you had abruptly left during one of your meetings with the treasury.

Instead of facing the problem, you promptly fled from the halls of your new home, away from all the whispers and the uncomfortable glances at your direction. You weren't fit to be of noble blood, much less to be queen. 

Blindly wiping tears away with the back of a hand, you hurried towards your garden. The plot of land was small, but you didn't care. Beautiful marigolds bloomed on the sidelines, vibrant blues and purple morning glories waved in the soft breeze, and snapdragons eagerly opened their petals. A small circle of lilies dotted in the center.

Slowing to a stop, you sat within the wooden swing, gently swirling your fingers through each and every flower that grew under your careful care. For a moment, you busied yourself into picking the surrounding weeds, and watering the rainbow assortments of flowers. 

It didn't take long before Aragorn came looking for you. 

"I notice, you know," A familiar voice spoke, stilling your hand. "What they say, how they act. Have you forgotten what I've said when we started courting?"

You frowned, staring at an unopened flower bud struggling to bloom. "I don't-."

"Let me remind you."

"I can't, Aragorn, I can't do this," You cried out instead, standing up abruptly. "I'm not of noble blood, I'm not fit to be queen. You've chosen the wrong person! I'm just a nobody, there are others that far deserve this power than I do. You hear what they say. I can't do this."

He took your hands in one of his. Gently, he tipped your chin upwards so that your eyes met. "The hardships in your past have made you, you. You can not control what you were born into, but you can shape your future into a better one."

"Aragorn, I can be your wife. I can be whatever you want me to be, but I can not be your queen. My father-."

"What your father has done, is his own undoing in his life. However, it does not define yours, Y/N," Your husband spoke, wiping a stray tear away with the pad of a thumb. "Let them talk, let them whisper all they want. Gondor does not have the time for the gossip when there are buildings to be repaired, family to be consoled, and the dead to be honored."

You broke the gaze, staring back down at your quaint garden, not knowing how to respond. 

"Aragorn, I-."

"No, Y/N. Your actions speak louder than words," He folded you into a hug, and gently squeezed you. "Let them gossip, but they'll see the truth for themselves. If you wish, I'll let them go."

"No, no. Let them stay. They need the money for their own families. I'll be okay, Aragorn," You pressed the side of your head against his chest, and peered up at him. "I just need some time to myself. Can you get off early tonight?"

"Of course, my dear, anything for you."

Reads Everything: @mournthewicked @asraime @aspiring-ginger

Taglist still open for those interested!

[soartssy]

Welcome to my ted talk.

So I just watched Catalyst episode(now one of my favs this season whole series) and I just wanted to share my thoughts about it and how this episode foreshadows certain things that might happen in the last episode..

Marinette faces the task of doing a “heroic deed” (even though she is Ladybug) for her classmates during heroes day. She makes promises to them about preparing an “effortful” tasting of different foods for the whole school (something about cakes, pastries,fruits and stuff..I just based it off the subtitles lol)

Of course the whole class is enticed by her idea especially Adrien (the smol bean really took the time to ask his father if he could go😭)

She tries to convince her parents to help her bake the pastries but their hands are also tied up as well (LB cake for the Mayor) and they couldn’t do anything about it. Marinette doesn’t want to be a disappointment to her class since she has promised them that she will do it.

“I made a big commitment to my class... Now I’m going to disappoint them all.”

Her mom advices her: “There’s still some time to tell them the truth. Your friends will understand.”

She replies along the lines : “that wouldn’t be heroic though”

But her mom tells her this:

“Having the courage to face your mistakes, that’s heroic.”

Instantly she replies back saying:

That’s right! There’s time for me to make these macaroons myself! (Not listening to what her mom just said, she ends up having burnt macaroons for the class. Yum)

My point is this:

Throughout the whole show, we’ve seen Ladybug performing the impossible, doing things her own way and never giving in to other’s opinion. There may be times that her actions depends on other people’s opinions especially when she is Marinette.

In certain episodes, Marinette is also naive and indescisve of her own actions. She tries to either ignore, forget or hide her mistakes which shows her being “human” at some point. SHE AVOIDS CONTRONTATION.

Like in Befana, she doesn’t want to disappoint her grandmother so she decides to hide her true feelings about going to the party while being unaware of the consequences of her own actions to her grandmother.

Or her descision to chicken out last minute when it comes to confessing her feelings to Adrien.

Or her indesciveness when it comes to choosing between Adrien and Luka (you had two hands gurl. CHOOSE BOTH XD. Or just be with Kagami instead XD)

This is contrast to her persona as Ladybug who always seems brave, confident and somewhat decisive in making choices.

And almost all of the time, as Ladybug, she plans things and does things her own way. Although Chat Noir does help her out (even Carpace, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee), she always in control from planning to capturing the akuma.

But unknowingly, a storm is brewing.

This is where Catalyst comes in. The episode initiated change. It is not the change itself but the one merely responsible for it.

This episode poses as a sudden threat to not only the mircaulouses but also to that promise that Ladybug made in the first season: “protecting and keeping Paris safe from harm”.

This will be the starting breaking point that will initiate and foreshadow all conflicts in the last episode of the season which I believe is to happen at the “gala” mentioned by Natalie to Gabriel in the latest episode.

Basing from the current episode, my prediction is that the part 2 “Mayura” episode will begin where it last ended: the heroes may have prepared something for the occassion (of course) in the last scene of Catalyst.

In Mayura, this is where we begin to see Marinette’s shy and indecisive persona mainly emerging from Ladybug as the heroes try to defeat Catalsyt and Hawkmoth.

During S1&2, Ladybug, with Chat noir by her side, had to save and defend Paris from any impeding threat especially Hawkmoth. From a simple task: That’s a heavy burden to carry.

Until now, she faces a much bigger threat and she has all of the heroes by her side (which is awesome since this is the first time we meet them all together in one scene).

Yes, although there would be more hands to help her defeat Catalyst and Hawkmoth. There is also an increase chance of casualties present within the circle.

ThINK OF It. If ever any of them is captured/seized, one miraculous could become a major point for Hawkmoth’s side. By just seizing one of the heroes, hawkmoth could find a way to rat out the others thus, endangering not only themselves but also their families and even the whole of Paris!

Edit: Chat Noir could be a likely candiate for being one of the casualties in the last episode since he didn’t appear in the S3 poster👀

So just think of the burden and pressure that Ladybug has on her hands. Everything has to be perfectly planned out. A single blip, miss/error could practically ruin their chances of winning the game.

So, in Mayura, we could possibly see Ladybug and her gang following the plan to capture and defeat Hawkmoth. Everything goes perfectly but then-

the plan goes wrong.

A rising confict they didn’t expect, has happened.

Whether it is a reveal between characters/ Mayura being introduced in the episode/Natalie or Hawkmoth taking advantage of the situation

this idea might happen before the gala & the gala might be the cliff hanger for season 3. im calling it but i dont want that to happen

Inevitably, the heroes’ plan fails.

Similar to the incident wherein Marinette promises to make the food-tasting a reality in the catalyst episode.

We also begin to see Ladybug in a state of denial during the Mayura episode. She tries to keep everything under control but the plan goes horribly wrong. She tries to convince the heroes to keep on fighting but they couldn’t do it anymore. Similar to the response that she recieved from her parents, they simply can’t commit to do it. Fighting the akumas and saving Paris has come to a maximum limit.

Then, we begin to see the main breaking point: ladybug conflicted, once again, if she is really upto the task of defeating Hawkmoth & Catalyst.

Like in zombizou, now, the task is entirely upto her to fix the situation.

REMEMBER WHAT HER MOM SAID: “There’s still some time to tell them the truth. [They] will understand.” AND “Having the courage to face [it], that’s heroic.”

This is a long shot but I think her mom’s advice will help her at a crucial moment. Because this time, in order to resolve the problem: defeating Hawkmoth. First, she has to confront him. This is where the leaks of Ladybug with Hawkmoth in the secret basement perfectly fits. The episode will slowly unravel long-awaited truths the fandom has all been dying for since the first season. Ultimately, preparing the journey for season 3.

Ladybug gathers up her remaining her strength. Somehow, she captures Hawkmoth and seizes his Miraculous, but not realizing he and his akumas are just the cherry on top. Now, she has to look for the creme of the crop. The queen behind the King: Natalie Catalyst Mayura

While some of the heroes are looking catalyst (who somehow managed to become Mayura at this point), seeing that they have accomplished so much: uniting against all odds and “finally” defeating evil, they decided at some point to call off the search for the mean time as they decide to celebrate (thru the gala) since this time, they have captured Hawkmoth. (Not knowing her true powers) and besides, it’s heroes’ day!

Once again, Paris is now at peace and thanks to the heroes, everyone is safe from harm.

Or at least it seems to be.

As the gala begins, Mayura makes her debut as she disrupts the event, causing chaos

THEN-

Credits roll-

See you again the NEXT SeAsoN! 🙂🙃

BeCaUsE tHatS hOW THE SHoW WoRKS!

Sounds depressing right? But seeing the latest episode. Chat Noir uses cataclysm on himself... is this even a kid’s show? I won’t be surprised if they pull of a cliff-hanger that will leave the fandom devasted. (I call dibs on this)

But I hope her pals would step in to help her and use all of their remaining strength and power to stop whatever brewing storm may be in the last episode and everything ends with a happily ever after. i dont want a cliff hanger pls

So basically my theory for the Mayura episode:

The episode will focus more on the heroes’ journey of defeating and discovering Hawkmoth’s true identity while setting up Mayura as the main villain for season 3

Details about the Miraculous, Gabriel’s motif behind the miraculous and Momma Agreste will be further revealed

This might be too early but i still want this to happen There will be a crucial point wherein heroes/villains may reveal their real identities to each other

The gala will either be the next main location in the episode wherein the heroes’ plan will take place or it will be the place wherein Mayura will be revealed after Hawkmoth is initially defeated by the heroes—cliffhanger for the next season

PS if my speculations are wrong, at least this idea could be a potential fanfic or something LOL

Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[fatestemptress]

Paramount Remembrances - Chapter 6

Summary: Dean Winchester has reached a point in his life where he doesn’t have many firsts left to fulfill.  Except maybe falling in love.  This is the story of how he got there. Warnings: Smut. Lots and lots of smut.  Oral (male & female receiving). Dry humping.  Backseat sex. Teaching/Guiding.  Rough Sex.  Mild Dom & Sub dynamics.  Angst. 18 Plus ONLY! Pairings: Young Dean x OFC, Dean x OFC, Dean x Reader (Eventually) Word Count On this Chapter: 6,740 (Sorry?)

Please note, this is unbeta’d.  Any and all grammatical errors are mine.  (And I’m sure there are PLENTY. :)) 

A/N: Sooo, it seems like I can’t keep these chapters short anymore.  Apologies?  LOL. 

Thank you to all that have liked, commented and reblogged. It truly makes my day and gets me so excited to continue. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dean was twenty-nine when he realized he needed to be in control…..and when someone taught him letting go was even better.

Dean knew all about pain, suffering, screaming in agony when no one would hear him.

Dean knew all about inflicting that same pain on someone else.

Dean also knew the shame of liking that pain and burying it deep inside of him under the proverbial lock and key, never letting it come to the surface of his life.

Because Dean had been in Hell.

And even though he was now out and about and mingling in the world of the living, he had to fight every day to maintain his sanity.  To push his worst nightmares somewhere in the back of his dark mind and keep up the façade of the old Dean Winchester.  

But Dean felt that pain every day.  

And every day he still smiled at his brother and flirted with cute waitresses and basically made an ass of himself whenever he could as he desperately tried to chase that darkness away.

It wasn’t until he and Sammy were on a case that brought them to an S&M club in Nevada called Purgatory that he realized that there may be something better to take the darkness away.

Standing in the closed club at nine in the morning, in his Fed suit, a pad and pen in his hand, he tried so hard to listen to the statement the chick with a leather bustier and a nose ring that had a chain that attached to an earring was giving Sam but his eyes kept straying to the rack behind her.

The rack that eerily reminded him about his time down below.

And it was taking everything in him not to shudder in a mixture of disgust and something else.

Something he would never tell Sammy or anyone for that matter.

Those dark feelings that never wanted to truly go away and seemed to rear their ugly head in the worst moments.

“Dean?  Dean you okay?”

His brothers voiced knocked him  out of his staring contest with what he knew was an inanimate object across the room but it may as well have been breathing and waving at him jauntily for all the life he was giving it with his mind’s eye.

“Uh, yeah.  Yeah, I’m fine.”  He turned back to Nose Ring and cleared his throat before asking, “So, to summarize, you saw nothing, you heard nothing and you happened to stumble on the body when it was time to close up shop?”

Nose Ring rolled her overly lined eyes and pursed her lips, “No.  What I said was I didn’t hear anything because the music gets pretty loud in here and the private rooms can get a little wild so even if I did hear something, I wouldn’t have suspected that someone was getting their heart torn out of their chest.”

“And what about security footage?”

Dean saw Sam give him a strange look as Nose Ring gave him an exasperated one, “Like I just said, Dude, we don’t have security footage in the hallway for private rooms.  What we got is footage over the doorway for that hallway.  That’s it.”

Exasperated with his inability to stop staring at the various instruments of voluntary torture surrounding him, Dean turned his anger on Nose Ring, “First of all, don’t dude me.  You can address me as Agent or you can address me as Sir, whatever the fuck you prefer.  Second, can the attitude.  A man died here last week and from what I understand no one can tell us a Goddamn thing as to who may or may not have killed him, so if I want to ask the same damn questions fourteen fucking times, I will.”

Immediately, Nose Ring’s eyes cast down and she pointedly looked at Dean’s chest as she answered him with a meek, “Yes, Sir.  I’m sorry, Sir.”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat for the longest thirty seconds of his life as he saw all the will drain out the girl in front of him.  

And damn him if his cock didn’t twitch in his pants at the sight.

Sam cleared his throat a little uncomfortably, giving Dean a look, “Uh, it’s fine, Natalie.  Please ignore my partner.  He, uh, didn’t have his coffee yet and it makes him a little cranky.  Who can we speak to about getting the security footage you do have?”

A door creaked open from behind them and a melodic voice rang out, “You can speak to me.  I’m the owner.”

Dean and Sam turned around to face the woman walking towards him.  Dean heard Sam take a deep gulp and he wondered if his dumbfounded expression mirrored his own.  

Long wavy auburn hair cascaded down her back and framed a pair of intense bright blue eyes.  But what caught Dean’s attention was the way her body was encased in a one piece leather catsuit.  Laces lined the sides at her hipbones revealing smooth creamy skin in between the criss cross pattern.  Matching laces criss crossed over her chest and framed high full breasts.

Sam’s mouth opened then closed as he stared and then blinked before he tried to look everywhere but at the woman in front of him.  Meanwhile, as Dean’s eyes finished their trek from the point of her black patent leather stiletto heels to the top of those breasts, he raised them up to meet her gaze head on.

“Miss Shayla!” Natalie squeaked, “I didn’t want to interrupt.  But these men-.”

Shayla flicked her gaze over to Natalie and he watched them soften, “It’s fine, Natalie.  Why don’t you see if Mr. Smith in room one needs more water before he leaves, hmm?”

Natalie nodded as she looked down to the floor, “Yes, Ma’am.”  She answered as she scuttled past them and through the door her boss had just come through.    

“So, gentleman, from what I heard, you are looking for security footage?  May I ask your names?”

Sam cleared his throat and scratched behind his ear before bringing out his Fed badge as Dean did the same, “Uh, yes, I’m Agent Young and this is my partner, Agent Bonham.”

Shayla glanced at their badges and nodded, “My apologies for not being here earlier gentleman.  I had an early appointment and was unaware that you would be coming in today to investigate.”  She gestured a hand towards her outfit, “Hence, the clothing.”

Dean licked the inside of his lip, “When you say appointment, you mean you had some poor sucker tied up in there actively asking for you to beat him and paying for it?”

Shayla smiled at Dean cajolingly, “When I say appointment, I mean, I have a client who asks for discretion and unless he is a part of this investigation, I suggest we move on to what you need.”

Oh, if she only knew what he needed right now.

Sam smiled, making sure to flash her a dimple, as he once again gave Dean a look of recrimination, “Of course Ma’am.  So, about that camera footage…”

The whole time Shayla and Sam pulled up the needed footage at the front desk of the club, Dean remained quiet and tried his best not to stare a hole into the lovely Shayla’s head. Between actively trying not to stare at the contraptions around the room and the exposed skin of Shayla’s body, Dean was giving himself a migraine with all of this ‘not looking’ he was doing.

“Thank you, Ma’am.” Sam was saying as he pocketed the memory stick he had downloaded the footage of that night on, “If we need anything, we’ll be sure to give you a call.”

Shayla nodded her head at Sam and as they both made their way to the exit, her voice rang out, “Agent Bonham?  May I have a word with you please?”

Sam stopped in his tracks as Dean raised an eyebrow at her in question, “Yeah?”

“Alone?”

Millions of thoughts ran through his head and he tried to figure out what she could possibly want with him.  He didn’t think his silence would equate as charm so it’s not like she was enamored by that.

Sam held back a small smile as he grasped his brother by the shoulder and gave it a pat, “I’ll, uh, be at the car.”  

Once Sam was out the door, Dean turned back to Shayla with a questioning gaze, “Soooo, what can I do for you?”

Shayla’s hips swayed as she glided towards him, her manner changing in the steps she took towards him, aggression suddenly leaking off of her curvy frame, “It’s not what you can do for me, Agent.  It’s what I can do for you.”

Some of his cockiness returned and he lifted his lips in a half smirk, “Oh yeah?  And what’s that?”

She stopped directly in front of him, so close he could smell the musky perfume she wore, “I saw you looking at the toys we have here.  And it was with more than a passing interest, Agent.”

Dean’s smile dropped, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She raised one delicate eyebrow as her fingers toyed with the end of one of the laces at her chest, “Oh yes, you do.”  She turned and sashayed towards the rack in the corner that had been taunting him earlier.

For the first time, he saw the back of her outfit and he took in the roundness of her firm, high ass encased in the leather she was wearing.  On anyone else, on any other day, he would have appreciated the show but when she ran her hands over the metal bars framing the rack, that thick feeling hit him in the gut again and he swallowed.  Hard.

“Is there something you want, Agent?”  She said in a low tone, before she reached down and ran her hands up and down the metal bars suggestively, her blue eyes burning into his, “Perhaps something you need?”

Dean took a deep breath, and forced his face into a scowl, “I don’t submit.  If that’s what you’re asking.”

Shayla gave him a dark smile and turned, leaning against the metal bars, “You sure about that?”

“Positive.”

With a contemplative smile, Shayla crossed her arms in front of her, “Well, I heard you make poor Natalie almost cream in her panties earlier.  That was very interesting.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“That twenty-something little darling that was here talking to you gentleman before?  She’s a submissive.  And she loves when a man gets all growly on her.  And when I heard you through the door, I thought for sure you were a natural Dom but then I come out here and you can’t keep your pretty little green eyes off of all of our toys and I wondered if it was all a cover up.”  She tilted her head in contemplation, her auburn hair sliding across the leather of her suit with a whisper, “Or are you that unaware of what you want?”

Dean lifted his lips in a sneer, “Listen lady, let’s get a couple of things clear.  One, I don’t pay for tail.  Two, if I want something, I go get it.   And three, I. Don’t. Submit.”

He could swear he saw Shayla shiver from her position against the bars as she hummed low in contemplation before glided back towards him, “I’ll tell you what.”  She returned to standing right in front of him, her body millimeters away from his, “Why don’t you come back here tonight as my special guest and I will submit to you.  No payment necessary.”

Dean gave her a suspicious look, “I didn’t think you could do that.  I thought you would be either one or the other.”

Shayla winked at him, “Show’s how much you know.”  Her breath quickened slightly as her eyes slid down to his lips, “I’m what is called a switch. I can happily do either or.  I just make my living off of being a Mistress.” She ran her tongue across her teeth, “You should also know that this isn’t always about sex.  It’s about release.  And I don’t mean just a physical release either. I myself don’t always have sex with my clients.  I’m very particular with who I do and do not allow to go there.”  She raised an eyebrow, misinterpreting his hesitation, “As a reminder, Agent Bonham, it is perfectly legal and regulated here, so you should feel safe in that respect.”

Dean looked down at her, staring into her eyes and noticing her pert little nose, so out of place with the aggressive nature of her body language and he couldn’t say he wasn’t a little curious.

Having her body splayed out for him, ready to take it as rough as he could give it….

He bit the inside of his lip as he held back the groan threatening to make its way out.

Oh, yeah.  He could do this.

“What time?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*

Dean was back at the club at 11:00 PM.  He had showered and changed out his black Fed suit and slipped on his blue back up one without the tie and the top two buttons of his white dress shirt open. After he and Sam had reviewed the security footage, it seemed all walks of life entered the club, but business men seemed to pay for the more pricier option of having a private room and since there was no way Dean was going to wear fishnets or leather, this seemed like the better option.

Explaining to Sam that he was going back to “investigate” the club during peak hours without him, proved to be more difficult than he thought.  Sam didn’t want Dean going to potentially hostile territory without back up and was being hot headed about it.  Finally, Dean had no choice to be semi-honest about his intentions.

“All right, fine,” Dean said with an annoyed huff as he looped his belt through his dress pants, “Shayla invited me back as a guest.  And if I’m gonna rock her world, I’d rather rock her world without knowing my little brother was waiting outside the door for me to finish.”

Sam’s eyebrows raised and he let out a low laugh, “Really, Dean?  Aren’t you a little afraid she’s gonna try and use a whip on that lily white ass?”

Dean pursed his lips and adjusted his suit jacket, “Aint nobody whipping anybody, Sam.”

“Suuuuure.  We’ll see how true that is when you’re walking funny tomorrow, Dean.”

And now, waiting in the main area of the club to be escorted to the room Shayla would be meeting him in, he wondered for the slightest of seconds just how far he was willing to take this.  Watching all of the many scenes being played out around him, noting some of the more intense ones which were not for him, and some of the tamer options that had his heart beating a little faster and caused a bead of sweat to start to form on his temple, left him contemplating what Hell had really done to him.  He knew every day since waking up that he was no longer the same.  He tried to be.  He truly did. But something was broken inside him.

And he didn’t think the strongest glue in the world was going to be able to put him back together.

“Sir?”

Dean was jerked out of his thoughts by the timid voice next to him and was surprised to see Natalie standing there, pointedly looking at his neck and not his face.

“Natalie.  Hi.  Uh, listen about earlier….”

She gave a small smile but didn’t acknowledge where he was trying to go with this statement, “If you’ll please follow me.  Miss Shayla is in room seven.”

Dean quirked his mouth but let the avoidance slide and followed Natalie down to the hall of private rooms.  A large security guard with an ear piece and wearing a suit stood outside the doorway and nodded his head at him before opening the door for the both of them. Another security guard stood on the inside of the door with a duplicate suit and ear piece.  This time Natalie spoke to him quietly, “Mr. Bonham is Miss Shayla’s special guest tonight.  She is asking not to be disturbed unless it is an emergency.  They will be in room seven.”

Dean noted with interest as the guard made a notation on a clipboard hanging off of a small table before following Natalie down the plush carpet to a mahogany doorway with the number seven etched into it.  She motioned to the door and started to turn away when Dean stopped her.

“Uh, Natalie?  Hold on for a second.  Has that guard always been on the other side of the door?”

Natalie shook her head, “No. Miss Shayla posted him here and started having them keep better track of the rooms after the incident.  Before, it was pretty much free reign here on club nights unless you wanted a private with one of the employees.  You and your guest found an available room and that was it.”

Dean nodded, “Thanks, Natalie.”  He said before turning to the door and opening it.

Dean wasn’t sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t Shayla sitting in a black trench coat in an armless red velvet chair with her legs and arms crossed, a small smile on her red painted lips.  Around the room were a large bed and various sex toys all new, packaged and ready to open. Some of them Dean knew what they were, others made his forehead scrunch in confusion.  But in the center of the room was a tame version of the rack outside that made his heart beat faster and his mouth go dry as a desert.   This rack was made to be lay on with a leather bench in between black metal bars with hooks and rings ready for various instruments.

Shayla stood up and started to glide over to him, “Hello, Dean.  Or would you rather, Sir for tonight?”

Dean let out a low hum at her words and couldn’t help but lick his dry bottom lip, “I, uh, I’m not…Listen, I’ve never done this before so I’m not sure what the rules are, if any.”

Shayla reached him and ran a hand over the lapel of his jacket, her bright blue eyes looking up into his with intensity, “Oh there are rules.  Plenty of them.  But we’ll keep it simple tonight and use a color code.  Red meaning stop, yellow meaning I need a break and green meaning fuck yeah, keep going.”  At Dean’s nod she continued, “I like it rough and am pretty much up for anything.  Any hole you want is yours ‘cause I like it all.” At Dean’s indrawn breath she smirked, “However, I do ask if you take my ass that you be gentle at first.  I didn’t take out the whips and canes because you are not a trained Dom and you may unintentionally hurt me and once I’m in a headspace I may not be able to say no immediately.  However, there are handcuffs, collars, nipple clamps, vibrators, dildos-”

Dean’s eyes closed briefly and took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly and interrupting her, his nerves getting the best of him, “Uh, okay.  I get it.”

Shayla smiled again, and this time there was an almost gentle quality to it, “You may not know this, but I can tell, you need this.  And it’s okay to need it.”  She pressed her body against his, her lips an inch from his own as her breath caressed against the dryness of his mouth, “Now, stop hesitating and take control.” She dropped her eyes and her arms fell by her side, “Sir.”

Dean groaned at the term and closed his eyes for the briefest of moments wondering to himself if he’d lost his damn mind coming here.  But something inside of him had drawn him in and if he didn’t let it out soon, he was going to explode.

Suddenly, his back went rigid and he felt his eyes harden slightly as he started to circle around her before stopping back in front of her.  His hands moved to the trench coat and he slowly undid the belt to reveal the black lace bra, thong and garters holding up the black silky stockings that were poured into a pair of black stiletto heels.  He hummed in pleasure before slipping the trench coat off her shoulders and threw it into a corner of the room.

“This….is fucking delicious.”  He groaned out before reaching up and sliding his hand into the back of her neck, into her hair, pulling on the strands until her face was tilted up to his, “Look at me.”

Shayla’s blue eyes tilted up to his as he licked his lower lip, “I want you to look at me when I talk to you, unless I say different, are we clear?”

Shayla nodded.

“Uh uh.  Speak.”  He growled out.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl.”  He watched as she visibly shuddered at the term and he had to swallow deep before continuing, “You wanna be my good girl, Shayla?”

“Yes, please, Sir.” She mewled out.

Dean leaned down and ran his tongue over her pulse point before biting down gently and then a little harder as he heard her moan.  He lifted his head and pulled her hip against his growing erection before meeting her eyes with his own, “Good girls don’t come until I tell them to.  Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He shifted his hips against her, growling at the friction, “But you can beg all you want cause I do love to hear my good girls beg.”

Shayla couldn’t stop the whine from leaving her mouth as she brushed her bra covered nipples over his suit jacket, making them rise into hard nubs.

Noticing what she was doing, Dean reached down and slapped one of her ass cheeks, relishing in her moan as he soothed against the sting he created and tsked at her, “No, baby, you don’t get to do that.  I only get to touch those until I tell you different.  In fact, you don’t get to touch your pussy either.  Now, go sit on the edge of the bed.”  

He watched as she followed his order and he let out a small moan at the sight of his handprint on her ass before biting his lip and reaching down, palming himself through his dress pants.  He was already throbbing with need and they had just started.

It scared him how much he needed this.  How the inner turmoil from all he had endured left him feeling broken and while this wasn’t going to heal him he could already feel it soothing a part of the rage that never seemed to fade.  

Shayla expected nothing from him.  Wanted nothing from him.  She was his to temporarily control.  And it made him ache in a whole new delicious way.

Her eyes met his from her perch on the bed and she waited patiently for further instruction, but she had kept her legs wide open and he could see that her thong was pulled between her bald pussy lips and she rocked forward slightly letting the lace rub against her throbbing core.

His eyes narrowed as he made his way over to her.   He reached down and pulled the thong up even tighter against her pussy and relished in her gasp as he moved it rhythmically against her, “Already being a bad girl I see. Trying to get around my rules?”

Shayla bit her bottom lip and squirmed against the pressure of the thong against her clit, “I’m sorry, Sir. I can’t help it.  Feels so good.”

Dean hummed before reaching down with his other hand, grasping the thin straps of her thong and ripping them off of her one side at a time, leaving the scraps to flutter to the bed as she gasped, “Such a bad girl.”  His fingers smoothed down the front of her pussy and he let out a sound of pleasure when he found her already soaked, “So fucking wet already.”  He rubbed against her clit with his thumb and playfully flicked it, “Only I get to touch.  I won’t tell you again.”

Shayla’s hips lifted into Dean’s caresses and she nodded, “Yes, Sir.  I’m sorry, Sir.  It won’t happen again.”  She gasped out.

Dean took her hand and brought it to the zipper of his pants, “Take out my cock baby girl.”

Shayla eagerly unzipped his pants and reached into his boxer briefs before bringing out his throbbing cock without unbuttoning his pants.  Her eyes widened at the sight and Dean felt a bead of precome slide out the tip. She rolled her eyes up to his, “May I please suck it, Sir?”

With a smirk, Dean grasped his cock in his hands and rolled the tip over lips, spreading the moisture before nodding, “Open.”

Her mouth opened eagerly and she rolled her tongue over the tip before swallowing his cock down her throat in one stroke making his eyes roll into the back of his head, “Fuck!”

She hummed over her mouthful and quickly started an up and down motion, letting out mewls of pleasure before she released him and used her tongue to flick over the sensitive head. Dean quickly released his belt buckle and button.  She helped him pull his pants and boxer briefs down his thighs before rolling her eyes up to meet his as she lifted his cock and ran her tongue all the way down to the base and nuzzled at his balls before bringing one into her mouth and gently sucking it.

Dean’s fingers tightened their grip on her hair and groaned, “Such a good girl.  Knows just what her Sir likes already.”  His fingers tightened even further, “Stop.”  He said firmly, his deep voice reverberating through the room.

Immediately, Shayla stopped, releasing him with a pop, “Yes, Sir.”

Dean shrugged off his suit jacket and threw it to the side before unbuttoning his dress shirt and sliding it down his arms.  He toed off his shoes before sliding down his pants and underwear and removed his socks. He watched Shayla’s eyes devour every inch of skin that was revealed and her body language was telling him she wanted to touch him but wouldn’t until he said so.

And God help him but it was such a fucking head rush.

Naked, he took her hand in his and brought it to the top of his chest, “Does my good girl wanna touch?”

Her blue eyes shimmered at him as she licked her lips, “Yes, Sir.  So badly.  Can I use my tongue?”

Dean took a deep breath in, “I don’t know if you deserve that yet.  Lean back on the bed and let me see how badly you really want it.”

Shayla shimmied back and leaned on her elbows, her legs wide open, revealing her wet core as it shined in the dim light of the room.

Dean gripped his cock in his hand and stroked it once, twice at the sight before squeezing at the base, “I don’t know.  It doesn’t look like you really want this.”

Shayla squirmed on the bed, rolling her hips wantonly, “Please, Sir.  Touch me and see how much I want you.”

Dean hummed and ran his hand up one smooth thigh, his finger hooking in the straps of the garter belt, “I think I need to taste just to make sure.”  

Kneeling on the floor, Dean threw her leg over his shoulder and bit at the inside of one of her thighs and heard her gasp into the air as her hips rocked up at the sensation.  He soothed the bite with a swipe of his tongue before sliding his tongue to her dripping pussy.  He gave her one long swipe from the bottom to the top and heard her moan as he flicked her clit with his tongue.  He brought his mouth back down to her hole and stabbed at it, humming as more slick slid out of her, “That’s much better.  Such a good girl getting yourself so wet for me.”  He heard Shayla whine and he felt her fingers against his nose as she starting rubbing at her clit.

Dean’s eyes narrowed and he stopped her hand as he clicked his tongue at her, “Naughty.  I told you no touching.  You’re gonna have to be punished for that.”  

Shayla bit her bottom lip and let out a sound, “I’m sorry, Sir.  I can’t help it.  Feels so good.”

Ignoring her, he grabbed up both of her legs and bent them at the knee, bringing them to her chest, “Hold your legs.  Don’t bring them down until I tell you or you’ll just make this worse.”  At her nod, one eyebrow rose at her as his lips pursed slightly, “Don’t you dare fucking come unless I tell you to.”

Shayla let out a rough breath, “Yes, S-.”

Dean roughly dived in her pussy and sucked the whole thing into his mouth.  Hard.  At Shayla’s cry, he took two fingers and shoved them in before massaging at the rough spot he found in there and brought his lips to her clit, alternating between rapidly flicking at it and laying his tongue roughly against it.

“Oh, God.  Sir!  Please!”

Dean hummed against her, before lifting his mouth and using his thumb to press down on her clit, watching as she threw her head back against the bed, her fingers grasping her legs so tightly she was leaving behind marks.

“Do you think you deserve to come?”  He asked as he rubbed even harder, “I told you not to touch yourself and you didn’t listen.”

“I’m sorry, Sir.”

Dean slapped at the side of her ass with his free hand and watched as she jerked up and moaned in desperation.  His cock gave a jerk at the sight and he had to fight to keep his own desperate groan from escaping.  “You want it so badly don’t you?”

“Yes!  Yes, please!”

He rubbed at her clit even faster, his fingers stroked even quicker, “You would love it if I stuck my cock in there right now and fucked you into this bed until you came screaming?”

“Yessssss.”

Abruptly, Dean took his hand off of her, “No.”  At her sob, Dean smirked, “Told you not to touch.”  

He reached down onto the floor where his discarded pants lay and pulled out a condom from his back pocket, quickly sliding it over his erection.  He nudged her legs down and reached underneath her as she lay gasping.  Her eyes glittered up at him and he flicked open her bra, releasing her mouthwatering breasts to the room.  He hummed at the sight, before leaning down and sucking one rosy nipple into his mouth.  His cock nudged at her opening and he rolled his hips, sliding it through all the slick.

He moaned around her nipple and flicked it with his tongue, before sitting up slightly, “Turn over.”

Immediately, she flipped herself onto her hands and knees with her back arched, “Please, Sir. Please fuck me.  Want it so bad.”

At her words, Dean slid a hand over the globe of an ass cheek, up her back and into her hair before he grasped it in his hand and tugged it back roughly.  He pulled her up to lay her back against his chest, his mouth at her ear, “So eager.  I fucking love to hear you beg.  It makes me so fucking hard.”  He bit at the lobe of her ear, “Are you ready?”

She tried to nod but Dean’s grip on her hair made it impossible and she let out a desperate whine, “Yes.  Yes, please.”

He pulled her head back even further, the column of her neck tight, “Yes, please who?”

“Sir.  Yes, please, Sir.”

With that, Dean pushed her forward and entered her balls deep in one smooth stroke, reveling in her scream as he immediately started to pound in and out of her roughly.  He could feel her start to tighten around him almost instantly and punctuated his words with rough thrusts, “Don’t.  You. Dare.”

Shayla let out a loud sob and he saw her bite down onto the beds comforter as she desperately held back on her orgasm, “Please!”  She begged, “Please, Sir, let me come.”

Dean’s eyes were starting to lose focus as her warm slick walls kept grabbing on to him in earnest. The squelching sounds of her arousal and his rough grunts started to reach a crescendo and he could feel his balls tightening up indicating he didn’t have long left before he filled up the condom with his come.

He slapped her ass with a loud smack and reveled in her scream as he rubbed away the sting, “Such a bad girl making me want to come so quickly.”  At his words, she tightened herself around him and he let out a strangled noise and he knew he was a goner.  He reached underneath her and started to roughly rub at her clit, “Come. Now.”

At his words, Shayla let out a hoarse yell and her walls started to spasm around him.  With a grunt, Dean fucked her through her orgasm before he gripped her waist and pounded into her so hard he saw stars as he finally released into the condom with a loud, “FUCK!”

Gasping, he rolled away from Shayla’s heaving back and lay on the bed next to her as she remained on all fours.  He watched as her glazed eyes cleared, her gaze flicking to his as she smirked at him.

“Well, well, Agent. Looks like you really know how to fuck a bad girl into submission.”  Her gaze hardened, “Now, get your ass on the rack.”

Dean’s eyebrows scrunched together, as his heart started to pound, “Pardon?”

Shayla rolled garter clad hips as she crawled to him and threw a leg over his waist, straddling him. She reached for both of Dean’s hands and with surprising strength she yanked his arms over his head and pinned them down with her weight, “Did you think that was it, Dean?  Did you think you were gonna walk outta here without getting your own punishment?  Silly, silly man.”

Dean felt his stomach clench in desire and maybe a little trepidation as he looked up into her burning blue eyes, “Wha-what are you talking about?”

A smirk lifted one side of her mouth and she licked at her bottom lip, “You fooled yourself into thinking that the release you needed was me being obedient to you and while you are very good at ordering me around, I think you’ll be even better at taking orders.  Now,” Shayla leaned down and licked at Dean’s neck before biting down roughly, “Get on the rack.”  

Dean shuddered at her tone of voice, her words bringing back feelings that he thought he had buried down into that twisted part of him that he never wanted to let out.  That part of him that clawed at his psyche every day and left a part of him a pitiful mess.      

Dean didn’t submit.  Not anymore.  He told himself that he would never be at anyone’s mercy ever again. No matter how much he may actually want it.

As Shayla stared down at him, some of the hardness in her expression faded and she took a deep breath, “I promise to take good care of you, Dean.  You need this.  You want this.  Let me help you find that release.”

Dean swallowed hard and blinked rapidly before he closed his eyes and let out a long deep breath, when he opened them he felt something in him give in and he nodded, “Yes…..?”

Shayla’s face shifted back to that intense stare, “Mistress will do fine, Agent.” Shayla shifted off of him and stood on the floor in her stilettos.  “Now get up.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Dean felt like his head was empty and everything around him was fading until all he knew, all he heard was his Mistress’ commands.  He lay down on the bench and obediently allowed her to cuff his hands and legs to the metal bars.  

She showed him where there were safety latches and at any point he could release himself, “But I doubt you’re gonna want that, right Agent?”  Without waiting for him to answer, she asked him, “What are your colors, Dean?”

He stared up at her, the blue of her eyes the only color he could sense in the room.  But he knew that’s not the answer she was looking for, “Red for stop.  Yellow, slow down.  Green, keep going.”

“Very good.”  She said as stepped out of his field of vision.

He could hear water running and he guessed there must have been a sink somewhere in the room.  She reappeared next to him with a wet washcloth and she quickly disposed of the used condom on his half hard member before cleaning his cock and balls with precision, “I like my toys fresh.”  She tossed the washcloth to the side and straddled his waist, “I already washed up at the sink, but I don’t think I cleaned it up enough.  I think my toy needs to stick his tongue way up inside of me and make sure I got every drop of my come out.  What do you think, Agent?  Will you clean me up like a good boy?”

Dean felt his cock give a jerk at her words before he nodded eagerly, “Yes, Mistress.  I want to clean you all up.”

Shayla pinched a nipple in between her fingers roughly, letting out a hum as Dean gasped, “Good boy.” She pinched his other nipple and let out a low laugh at his yelp, “Oh, yes.  My toy likes it when I pinch his nipples.  Maybe I should bite them next.”  Without waiting for him to answer, Shayla leaned down and bit down hard on a nipple before gently laving it with her tongue, making him cry out, “I love that sound.  Let me see how many times I can make you do it.”

Dean lost count after twenty-five times.  He knew for sure twenty-five times he yelled out in ecstasy at the delicious burn of pain that was on the precipice of pleasure.  After that, the rest was a blur of moans, slaps, and thrusting hips as he licked her out and ate at her with a hunger to appease her that he didn’t know he had in him. He had begged her to suck his cock faster, his hips lifting into her mouth before she grasped him tightly at the base of his dick, effectively stopping him from coming, over and over again.  

He was going crazy.

She was gonna kill him.

He hated it.  He loved it.  

And when she finally slid him inside of her and rode him so roughly his cock felt like it was going to break, she blessedly gave him permission to come.

And when he came, something inside of him finally, finally released.  It was more than pleasure. It was more than pain.  It was something he didn’t know he needed.  

He let go.

After, when he finally made his way back to a rapidly speaking Sam at the motel spouting off lore and his suspicions about it being Skinwalkers that were causing the deaths, Dean only nodded and smiled at his brother affectionately.

“Sure, Sammy.  We’ll go over the lore and see if we can find out where they’re holed up.”

Sam stopped his blathering for one second and looked, really looked at his brother for the first time since he walked in.  His eyes skimmed over his features before staring into Dean’s eyes in contemplation, “You….you okay, Dean?  You look….I dunno…almost….peaceful, I guess?”

Dean let out a small smile and placed his suit jacket over the back of a chair, “I’m good, Sammy.” At Sam’s earnest look, he let his smile drop and gave him serious eyes, “I’m….better.”

Sam’s eyes flicked over his face one more time before he released a long sigh, “That..that’s good. I’m glad.”

“So am I.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*        

Dean was thirty-one when he fell in love.  And it scared him shitless.

Chapter 7 - Part 1

@akshi8278 @curly-haired-disaster @chook007 @scorpiongirl1 @pisces-cutie @winchesterbroys

[japanessie]

Hey! I found your blog recently and I also just started listening to MFS and I really like their music. I'm a bit lost as to where to start to learn more about them and their motivation/thoughts behind their music since it's been a couple years since they've debuted. What would you suggest?

Hello (^^)v Welcome to the fandom.

I’m guessing you probably discovered them through their more popular songs like ALONE, 不可逆リプレイス or the more recent ones like Missing You. Firstly, too many people get caught up in singer Hiro’s family relations and ignore the other members. So, I would highly encourage a new fan to NOT follow that crowd XD

There are basically 4 aspects to MFS that all fans need to know OR you won’t understand the band and what diehard fans talk about:

1. Band members & the personnel changes.2. Their musical roots especially the main songwriter Sho Tsuchiya + their twin band named fromus.3. Hiro’s lyrics in relations to his life story.4. The important people in their team especially their boss GEN, A&R exec KTR (Kentaro Suzuki) from Japan Music System (JMS) & circle of friends. Also, their earliest mentor K ( Kei Goto) the late singer of Pay Money To My Pain (PTP).

BAND MEMBERS

1. Sho Tsuchiya ~ leader, guitarist, main composer (currently only functions behind the scene & as a non-touring member)2. Nob @ Nobuaki Katou ~ bassist3. Teru @ Teruki Nishizawa ~ guitarist (many like to categorize him as rhythm guitarist when Sho was in but I personally disagree because he played both lead & rhythm guitars even from the 1st album)4. Kid'z ~ drummer (officially joined on 3 Mar 2016)5. Hiro @ Hiroki Moriuchi ~ vocalist, lyricist6. Masack @ Masaki Kojima ~ drummer (officially left on 3 Mar 2016)

Note: MFS current members “deactivated" from public social media in early 2016. So, don’t bother looking XD

PERSONNEL CHANGES

Sho’s hiatus:Sho remains as a member. He announced his hiatus in October 2015. I won’t call it “inactive" like some people do because he’s still composing with them and most recently served as the Sound Producer for ANTITHESE. He’s just not a touring member for now. He didn’t give specific reason other than family matter.

Drummer change:Masaki didn’t state why he left but it looked like he didn’t want to be tied down to only one genre of music. He was active playing outside MFS before his departure. So, he probably wanted that musical freedom even though he loves MFS. But his decision was enough to badly crush the two youngest members at the time, Hiro and Teruki, from what I observed. Those two younger men were still emotionally dealing with Sho’s hiatus at that moment.  Kid'z is their friend / labelmate who had always got along well with Teru & Hiro. He had worked together with Sho & Nob before too. Co-incidentally, his band officially split up in Nov 2015. So, he was the natural choice to replace Masaki. But Kid'z was drumming as a sessionist musician for singer ナノ(nano) at the time MFS took him. He stopped using his real name and took on a stage name Kid'z* after that. 

* I personally don’t use his real name in public anymore out of respect for his decision. Understandably, he was initially worried about MFS fans’ reaction. Also, it was and probably still is an awkward situation for him regarding his former bandmates when their band split up and he went to their biggest rival band just a few months later. So, I chose to respect his wish to start anew.

THEIR BEGINNING

On my blog so far, the interview that tells their formation year story the most is this one from GEKIROCK.

MFS GEKIROCK Interview March 2016 Translation

The band did describe how they got together in this video interview around minutes 01:42 to 02:58.

My Japanese listening ability is not up to that point yet though, sorry. Hiro explained how he and Sho met at a PTP concert. Couldn’t catch what Sho said about Hiro & Masaki with the music playing in the background :-/ Hiro also said he and Teru knew each other when they were high school students. Well, the GEKIROCK interview is a pretty good picture of their history.

FOR OLD PHOTOS of MFS, check out these places:

My First Story Unofficial fanpage on FBMy First Story Thailand fanpage on FBex-drummer Masaki Kojima’s Twitter @kojimasa 

THEIR TWIN BAND fromus

Ignore whatever musical comparison people made about them and OOR. The real band to compare MFS to is their real twin band fromus, a piano-rock unit. I made an entry about them here.

http://japanessie.tumblr.com/post/140215899677/meet-fromus-mfs-real-twin-band

I personally feel that musically, MFS first two albums are the direct guitar edition fromus. Just take MFS, change the singer & then the guitars to piano. You’ll get fromus.

OTHER MUSICAL INFLUENCES

They do have influences from old school hard rock & metal. Sho and Nob are already in their 30s. Both men said they started on guitar with British rock legend Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water. Guitarist Teruki grew up with a heavy-metal-music-loving father and would often cite Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica as his early influences.

DISCOGRAPHY

If you want to see their musical & lyrical evolution, try to listen to their songs chronologically from the 1st album to the current work.

Albums & Singles

1. MY FIRST STORY ~ MV Second Limit & Take It Back2. THE STORY IS MY LIFE ~ MVs The Story Is My Life & The Reason3. 最終回STORY (Saishukai STORY)4. BONEDS (a joint 4-band project in which they contributed 2 songs)5. BLACK RAIL ~ MVs Black Rail & FAKE6. 不可逆リプレイス ( Fukagyaku Replace) ~ their breakthrough song IMO7. 虚言NEUROSE ~ MVs 虚言NEUROSE, Child Error & Someday (lyrics MV available on Livehouse iOS App & STORYTELLER website)8. ALONE ~ MVs ALONE & 失踪FLAME * 9. ANTITHESE ~ MVs The Puzzle (exclusive for STORYTELLER members only), Missing You (there’s another STORYTELLER-only version too) & Last Call

Update: 12 Jan 2017. Sorry I forgot the MVs from the ALONE single XD

They also have a special 2-track single dedicated to band leader Sho Tsuchiya, released to the public at the Budokan called:

We’re Just Waiting 4 You (available at MAGIC ROOM while stock lasts)

DVD Collection so far:

1. THE STORY IS MY LIFE Final at Shibuya Club Quattro (bundled with 最終回STORY) ~ the only official DVD released when Hiro still sported his natural black hair colour.2. The Ending of the Beginning at Ebisu Liquidroom.3. BONEDS Tour Movie (with AIR SWELL, BLUE ENCOUNT, SWANKY DANK).4. ITSUWARI NEUROSE Tour Final at Shinkiba Studio Coast.5. MFS at A.V.E.S.T. Vol.9 (released as a free bonus for ANTITHESE Pre-order)

TIDBITS Info (^_-)

Hiro called 虚言NEUROSE creation process as “creating a human-like superhero" & the sound as “listening to the radio in the city“. Does that make any sense to you? LOL. Read what he said in this interview:

Hiro’s Interview with Rockin’ On Japan magazine Jan 2015

HIRO’s LYRICS

Sho let Hiro be in charge of lyrics writing from the start (from an interview for Yamaha Music).

Hiro comes from a famous family thanks to his parents and his successful brother. As a result, he was heavily thrashed on the internet by people who disliked his “easy entry” into the music industry. Hiro used to be very active on Twitter but the criticism against him soon turned into cyber-bullying. I personally had seen the cruel things people wrote about him on Japanese 2ch forum.

I can only guess what happened that drove Hiro to leave social media. Other than abusive online comments, some people probably took advantage of his Twitter presence by sending inappropriate messages or even being intrusive about his brother Taka’s personal life. He tweeted an angry response about 2ch on 14 Feb 2013. Then he wrote on his blog on Ameblo (now deleted / deactivated(?)) that “people’s words can hurt". A few months later, he tweeted “I started blocking fucked up people" in English. Not long after, he tweeted his final tweet “Goodbye forever" and abandoned Twitter in Sept 2013.

He then channeled his anger through the song BLACK RAIL in 2014. He explained it in this interview.

Hiro MFS Rolling Stone Japan Aug 2014 Interview Translation

From then on, a lot of his lyrics reflected what he was going through while writing them.

It must be noted that the special project singles ALONE & 不可逆リプレイス (Fukagyaku Replace) were written for the themes of those projects. Hiro talked at length about ALONE around its release and there are a bunch of them that I posted on this blog.

For details on ALONE Project with HAL College, read these posts:

HAL Project Special Musician Interview with MFS Translation

MY FIRST STORY Flying Postman Interview Translation

Hiro’s ALONE Blog Translation

What is HAL Project & HAL College?

不可逆リプレイス / Fukagyaku Replace was made for the historical anime Nobunaga Concerto. Interesting to note that Hiro wrote the lyrics not from the main character Saburo’s point of view but the other guy Michi. The lines, “I don’t know why but you saved me ………… “ all the way to “I will follow you ….. keep you close to me,” were directly inspired by what Michi said to Saburo in the finale or Episode 10.

The lyrics of Someday are for the late K.Hiro said in Kaohsiung, Taiwan that “This is a very important song to me,“.

His blog entry translation on K’s death

ANTITHESE Lyrics & Hiro’s personal stories

The Puzzle & Tomorrowland are about his heartbreak over Masaki’s departure.Home is about his family who split up after his parents divorced.

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MFS TEAM1. GEN ~ boss, owner of INTACT Records, owner of Zephyren, organizer of AVEST Project, formerly of Subciety clothing brand.Twitter : @Zephyren_genInstagram : Zephyren Gen2. KTR (Kentaro Suzuki) ~ A&R + marketing exec of JMS, marketing exec of Deviluse clothing, regularly seen at MFS video shoots and concerts.Twitter : @kkktttrrr, Instagram: Kentaro Suzuki3. The late K @ Kei Goto ~ vocalist of Pay Money To My Pain (PTP), mentor in MFS early days.4. Nori (producer), Makiko (merchandising) but she’s better known now as the lady who covered Rassungorerai with Hiro XD

* Update (Jan 2018): I believe Makiko is not in the staff team anymore but she remains a close friend. Here is the YouTube link to the video of her and Hiro.5. Japan Music System (JMS) ~ the music distribution company specializing in indie music and the one that markets/promotes MFS musicYouTube Channel: JMSTVOnline shop for bands’ merchandise: MAGIC ROOM ONLINE STORE

5. Circle of friends among many:  Shirakawa-san (SAKAEYA clothing shop manager) ~ the members regularly visit his shop.Twitter: @sakaeyatenchonano, SWANKY DANK, AIR SWELL ~ artists they had musically collaborated with.

The funny interview with Hiro & KOJI about the Sink Like A Stone collaboration in which Hiro admitted the song’s high notes were difficult to sing is here.

STORYTELLER Fan Clubhttps://xxxstorytellerxxx.comAll MFS members let go of their individual public social media after the club was launched in 2016. If you’re interested to join, feel free to ask questions on how to do that.

In case you have an iOS mobile device ……..

JMS created a Japan-only iOS App called LIVEHOUSE where they feature videos from JMS artists. The videos vary from live performances, interviews, behind the scenes etc. However, if you create a different Apple ID specifically for Japan iTunes account, you can still download the App and watch those videos even if you don’t live in Japan.

*Update (12 Jan 2017): You will then get to watch videos like this one!

**Update (15 June 2017): JMS decided to stop the App by 31 May 2017.

Lastly yet very important, don’t believe any ridiculous claim about Hiro and his brother Taka hating each other because they don’t. You’ll find such comments at some point, I’m sure. These two brothers love and support each other away from the public eye and rightfully keep their family relationship private.

I hope that will give you a good start (^_-)