#today i spoke to a lot of people who just refused to see from another person’s perspective simply out of blind ignorance

[sehunniepotwrites]

with a little pixie dust | mk.l

It’s just a little faith and trust, and with a little pixie dust, your wildest dreams will be yours.

SYNOPSIS. There are so many ways your friend group could have chosen to celebrate your graduation from university but they chose the one way that fit their childlike antics most of all–going to Disneyland. With all the screams of joy and laughter filing the atmosphere, you see why people call it The Happiest Place on Earth. It’s where magic comes alive, hearts soar to the skies, and where dreams come true. With your dream job already lined up for you once you get back from this vacation, you wonder if your last and wildest fantasy–the one that carries Mark Lee endearingly close to your heart–will take flight. (But don’t worry; your best friends, with a little help of pixie dust, are determined to make it come alive by the end of night.)

GENRE. Fluff, Comedy, Best friends-to-lovers!AU, Theme Park!AU, Disneyland!AU, meddling/matchmaking friend group, all the romantic tropes that come with a theme park setting

WORD COUNT. 11.9k

WARNINGS. a lot of Disney references (movies, songs, parks, etc.), profanity, food/drink consumption, theme park rides, nothing too crazy tbh

PLAYLIST. 200 - Mark | Popcorn - D.O. | Dreams Come True - NCT 127 | Angel Eyes - NCT 127 | Fireflies - NCT Dream | Amusement Park - Baekhyun | Candy - Baekhyun | Sh-Boom - The Chords

PARK ANNOUNCEMENTS. I understand that not everyone has been to Disneyland. Because I want to paint the perfect picture in your head as you read through the fic, each scene will be titled with the land/area they are in and a picture of the land/area will be hyperlinked with a visual. It's unnecessary to click them but it would be a lil helpful! <3 DISCLAIMER. This is work of fiction. I do not own the people/characters and concepts I have written about. You cannot translate or copy my work.

Your graduation commencement came and went. The spectacle flew by so slowly but so quickly at the same time. You can’t exactly describe how you’re feeling now that you’ve graduated–relief is mixed in with panic, happiness mixed with dread. It’s a jumble of emotions you can’t quite comprehend but alas, that is the wonder of adulthood.

The happiest takeaway from your college experience is not the expensive degree you earned but the special friends you made. Karina was the first friend you made in college because she was your roommate. She introduced you to her high school friend, Jeno, who then dragged you two to the ginormous welcome event. It was there you met Donghyuck and last but definitely not least, Mark Lee. 

The other two boys were attractive, yes, but there was something about Mark that drew you to him. Donghyuck talked as much as him, sure, and Jeno’s attractiveness was on another level than Mark’s but that boy immediately caught your attention. Maybe it was the way he spoke and never completed a thought or the way he’d laugh so unabashedly, losing all control of his body that got to you. He was so incredibly endearing that your heart just claimed him.  Years later, when the friendship is stronger than ever, that beating muscle in your chest refuses to let Mark go. 

One morning the summer after graduation, you wake up in a hotel room with an alarm blaring at 6:00am. You roll over and groan, blindly reaching to stop the device. Karina is rustling inside the sheets next to you, hoping the noise will go away. Jeno and Donghyuck are on the other bed snoring up a storm. Mark, on the other hand, rolls uncomfortably on the pull-out couch. 

On normal days, the alarm set for six in the morning would be a sin but today is not a regular day. It is the day your group saved up for. 

The five of you, with your similar interests in movies and theme parks, wanted to go to Disneyland together for years. After graduation, you finally had the money and freedom for it. 

Your hypothetical plan finally made it out of the group chat—that is your driving force to get up. While doing so, you hit Karina’s side and she grumbles in response. The two of you agreed you’d wake up earlier since it would take you longer to get ready. The guys, however, could sleep in. 

As you quietly pass by the couch, Mark asks, “Is it time to get up already?” He must’ve heard the shuffling. There's darkness under his eyes. You can tell he didn’t sleep well last night. On top of his eyes struggling to open up, his voice sounds incredibly hoarse and filled with fatigue.

“No,” you answer, patting his messy head of brown hair. His body reacts positively to your touch, eyes closed and neck stretching to meet your touch. He releases a relaxed sigh as your fingers card through his thick strands. 

Lowering yourself to his level, you continue to play with his hair. “Sleep well last night?”

“Nah, not really, like dude, this shit really isn’t comfortable,” he complains with a deep exhale, “but I volunteered to take the couch so…”

“Move to mine,” you tell him, gesturing to the unmade bed. You hear the water running and figure that Karina jumped into the shower to help wake herself up. “Try to get a little more sleep, I’ll wake you up in a bit.”

Too tired to fight back, Mark languidly moves towards the bed. Once close enough, his body drops onto the mattress and he wiggles his way under the covers. You watch him until his breathing evens out. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep; after all, he did most of the driving on your road trip down to Southern California. Satisfied, you move to start your morning hotel routine. 

The fresh smell of coffee hits you as you do your skin care, apply your makeup, and brush your teeth. Karina’s done in the bathroom shortly after and you claim it to change into your outfit of the day. When the final touches of your look are finished, forty minutes have passed and it’s time to wake up the rest. 

You wake Jeno first because he’s the easiest and whisper that there’s fresh coffee waiting for him. Donghyuck throws a bit of a fit when you shake him awake, stuffing his face in his pillow. He gets up after a few threats from Karina, whining over how mean she is to him. 

Part of you wants to let Mark rest for a little bit longer, especially after knowing how exhausted he is. There’s the option of letting the other three go first while you wait for Mark to wake up naturally. The other half of you, however, thinks about two things: how much money you all spent getting these tickets and how you promised each other to be at Disneyland from open to close to make your splurge worth it. Being Mark’s best friend, you know how disappointed the guy would be if you stayed behind with him. So with no choice left, you wake him up.

You do so gently, your hand immediately going back to his unruly hair. You comb back his bangs and hold them in place. “Mark, it’s your turn now, everyone else is almost ready.”

As soon as he hears your voice, he stirs. Mark blinks the sleep away, and suddenly, you are the first thing he sees. With you sitting on the bed next to him and your hand still in his hair, Mark thinks he’s still dreaming. “Hmmm?”

“It’s your turn, Spidey,” you say, taking a sip of coffee. “We’re all ready.”

He buries his head in your lap for just a second, wanting to keep this little moment with him a little longer. 

“Okay,” he finally says a minute later, before slipping out of bed. 

Karina claims her rightful place next to you on your shared bed, still warm from Mark’s little nap. She shoots you a look and you ignore her knowing stare. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” she challenges you, perfectly drawn eyebrows raised in question.

“That,” you gesture to her face.

“Oh, you mean the look I’m giving you when you share a little cute moment with your best friend who is most definitely more than a best friend, fine,  I won’t do that,” Karina pretends to give up, her hands raised in surrender.

You shush her at once, looking over to the boys that are currently fighting over the sink. Mark’s already dressed in some black cargo pants and an oversized Spider-Man shirt. He’s in the midst of styling his hair, struggling with one strand that will not stay in place. You hear his frustrated huffs and puffs while Jeno and Haechan chuckle at his antics. 

“Does my baby need help?” Donghyuck teases, reaching for Mark’s hair. 

“Yo, dude, no, stop! You’re gonna mess it up!” Mark shouts, backing away from him. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

“But you can’t do it on your own, my sweet baby, I’ll help you,” Donghyuck continues with the bit.

You remove yourself from Karina’s conversation and break the two idiots up. 

“C’mere,” you gesture towards Mark. 

He instantly comes to you, dipping his head down to your level as you lean against a piece of furniture. Your fingertips curl that one strand just the way he likes it, framing his forehead, and smile when it’s all finished. So focused on his hair, you almost don’t notice how close his face is to yours. Your breath hitches and you lean back to create more distance. 

Removing your hand from his hair, you smooth the non-existent wrinkles on his baggy tee.“There you go, not hard at all.”

“Right,” he murmurs back, body frozen in place but his large, pretty eyes still aimed at you. 

You clear your throat. “I, um, need to–”

“Oh yeah no, sorry,” he stumbles over his words, moving so you can get through. You shuffle past him, pretending to do a last minute check of your crossbody bag. His stare lingers on you as you fuss over your belongings and put on your Mickey ears.

You try to shake away your thoughts but Karina won’t let you. She slides up to you with a playful smile. “Not even eight in the morning and you’ve already had two little moments. When’s number three happening?”

“In your wildest dreams,” you snap back with a hiss, slinging your bag over your shoulder. Wanting to avoid the conversation from moving further, you open the door. “Let’s move, slowpokes, we gotta go!”

“Or yours,” Karina takes the last word as she exits the room. 

You can’t argue with your roommate because she’s right. You've been wanting to be with Mark and calling him yours since your first year. Yes, there were times in the past when it seemed like he wanted the same–moments just like the two you just shared–but nothing was explicitly said or done. Feelings were left unsaid. They lingered in the air until the romantic vibe fizzled out and the moment ended.  To love and be loved by Mark Lee is your wildest dream. It’s the one you’re sure will never come true. However, there’s a sort of magic in the air in Disneyland–a magic that will make even the impossible possible. You wonder if that bit of magic will apply to you, too.

✨ TOMORROWLAND

7:45am arrives and your friends are following you like little ducklings following their mother. Without you, they would be lost causes. 

It’s not your first time in the parks so naturally, you are the one who takes charge. You have all the tickets on your phone, scanning them one by one at the main entrance gate as your friends go through the turnstiles. They wait patiently until you are the last one through the gate. 

Karina holds your hand, giggling as you stroll through Main Street, happily taking in the sights and sounds of Disneyland. Mark, Jeno, and Donghyuck are behind you, phones out to capture anything and everything in sight. You hear them excitedly discussing the map, mentioning things that they want to do, and you mentally take note of them all. 

At exactly 8am, the ropes held by the cast members drop, signaling the official opening of the park. You quickly lead your friends towards the right of the famous castle and fight your way into Tomorrowland for Space Mountain. As one of the most popular attractions, it’s not so bad in the mornings when you’re one of the firsts in line. Jeno mentioned this ride in the past and you are determined to get him on it. 

The crowd is packed like sardines and Karina links her arm through yours as people shove their way through. Amidst the craziness, someone grabs hold of your free hand from behind. From the way his hand fits in yours, you can tell exactly who it is. Jeno’s hand is much larger than this one and it’s a lot rougher than Donghyuck. 

You turn your head to see Mark who asks you a question with a simple look. He knows you’re not too fond of crowds and is using this silent exchange as a check-up. You appreciate the gesture, much like how you appreciate every other way Mark looks out for you, and reassure him with a squeeze of his hand. You’ve frequented the park many times over the years so despite the mass of people, you know the theme park like the back of your hand. Mark returns the action and brushes his thumb against your knuckles. He doesn’t let go as the crowd dissipates into the ride queue and you don’t mind that at all.

As much as you love this dark roller coaster, you partially dread going on the ride, or any ride for that matter. The uneven number in your group guarantees that one person will be a single rider throughout the day and you are certain that will be you.  Jeno and Karina have been dating for a while now, so it makes sense that they ride together. Even with Mark’s hand still in yours, you’re certain he’ll sit with Donghyuck. When it comes to Mark, Donghyuck loves to cling to his best friend, no matter how annoyed the older one gets. It’s their thing and has been since childhood so who are you to get in the way of that? 

The wait goes by quickly, especially with the entertaining debates your friend group comes up with while queued up. It takes your group a mere thirty minutes to get to the front of the line. Once assigned your rows, you wiggle your hand out of Mark’s grip and silently move toward the last gate to make room for Donghyuck.  

“Wait, where are you going?” Mark masks his hurt with a confused tone.

“To the back,” you say like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Oh,” his tone drops and you can barely hear him through the echoing sounds of the ride. “I thought–”

“Huh?” you shout from the back row.

Seeing you in the last row, Donghyuck pauses for a second as if contemplating on where to go. “Wait. Why are you here?”

“What do you mean? Are you saying I can’t be here?”

“No. You’re supposed to be–” Your mischievous friend is cut off by the gates opening and the employees instructing you to enter and lower your lap bars. You do what they say and Donghyuck sighs before moving to sit with Mark.

You notice the frustrated look on Donghyuck’s face and an exasperated one on Mark’s but it’s too loud in the room to hear whatever serious thing they’re discussing. You try to lean in closer to catch a glimpse of their conversation but by the time the safety checks are done, you’re launched into darkness at a high speed with the ride soundtrack and Mark’s screams of terror filling your ears.

The ride ends quickly and you all rush to find your photo. Everyone in your vehicle looks like they enjoyed the ride minus Mark, who hid his handsome face in Donghyuck’s arm. The green-eyed monster makes a short appearance in your mind and you wonder how it would’ve been if you stayed with Mark. Would he cling onto you like that too, with his arm looped through yours and his face buried in your neck?

“Why didn’t you tell me this was a roller coaster?” Mark whines as you take a picture of the screen. You immediately send it to your group chat and Giselle, the one person missing on this trip, reacts to it right away.

“Because I knew you’d try to get out of it, you scaredy cat.” 

“Rude,” he scoffs, clinging onto you as you lead them to a breakfast spot. 

“Spidey, it’s really not that bad.”

“Yeah, says the thrill seeker,” Mark pouts at you, which makes you pinch his cheek. It’s not as soft as it used to be, his baby fat from your first year long gone. It’s replaced by the prominent bone structure that only highlights the features that you secretly want to kiss. “Warn a guy next time.”

“Okay, okay but you still did it! I’m proud of you!”

“Yeah but…” His voice trails off.

“But?” You echo, wondering what Mark wants to say.

He looks shyly at you, a faint redness painting his skin, “Can you sit by me next time?” He asks because you make him feel brave even when he isn’t. 

Mark’s timid request has you grinning from ear to ear and your heart beating faster than any roller coaster you’ve been on. Your best friend is expecting an answer, you can tell by his teeth sinking into his thin bottom lip and brown boba eyes widening with each second. 

“I mean, you know, like, sitting with Hyuck is cool,” Mark stutters when you don’t answer, trying to explain himself, “but I’d–well, I thought you were gonna sit next to me?” His voice raises at the end due to nervousness and you can’t help but giggle. 

“You mean, you were gonna leave poor Hyuck all alone?” you poke fun at him.

Mark deadpans, “He’d survive on his own.”

“I mean, I’ve been here before and it’s everyone else’s first time. I’m okay riding by myself,” you push back with a frown, trying to convince Mark and yourself for that matter, “I just want to make sure everyone is having a good time.”

“I get that but–”

“We’re here!” you cut him off, stopping in front of a quick-service restaurant. You gesture to the door and the others go inside. 

Donghyuck, Jeno, and Karina make their way in. You move to follow them but Mark stops you with a hand to your wrist. He hesitates, his mouth opening and closing, and you patiently wait for what he needs to express. The boy lets out a long exhale. 

“Look, what I’m trying to say is that riding with Hyuck is fun and all but I…” He pauses again. Mark has this habit of not finishing a full thought and you think this is one of those times. Despite that, you listen attentively. “I want you to be my ride partner today, okay?”

And again, your heart shoots to the moon. Its fuel is the adrenaline that runs through your veins as you process his words. A hint of a smile begins to peak out as Mark fuses in front of you.

“I mean, like, I’ve been to theme parks with Hyuck since we were kids, I’m not missing much with that and I just–I kinda–you know–want to experience things with you today.”

The way he confesses this, like every other thing Mark does, is adorable. You hope your forgetful brain will store this memory along with the rest of your core ones. He’s about to go off on another rant, you can tell by the small puffs of breath he takes and the redness that’s flushing his ears, so you end it before it starts. 

You cup a hand over his cheek to stop him from going even further and your fingers sense his rapidly beating pulse. “Okay,” you reply softly. 

That one word alone has Mark’s expression changing from an unsure one to the brightest face you’ve seen him make all morning. He rivals the sparkles on top of the castle and the bright sun that’s shining over you. 

“Really?” He perks up.

“Yeah,” you giggle at his change in mood, “now let’s get some food in you, Spidey boy.”

✨ THE CASTLE

“Get out, Hyuck! Why are you like this?” Karina yells from her spot beside Jeno, clearly frustrated with your friend. 

Karina and Jeno stand at the side of the castle, far enough from the crowds but close enough to still get their picture with the iconic landmark. Donghyuck is just out of frame, ready to jump in to ruin whatever adorable shot the couple is trying to take. It doesn’t really matter since you’re continuously snapping away on Karina’s phone. Knowing those two, more than one picture will turn out beautiful. Looking at them, how could they not?

“Because you’re taking too damn long and I want pictures too!”

“You already got yours!” Completely used to their bickering, you shake your head behind the camera.

She’s right. You’ve already taken everyone’s solo pictures at this picturesque spot–Karina taking the longest–and now there were requests for group or partner shots. Jeno, being the perfect Instagram boyfriend, helped take the shots of you and your girl best friend with no pointers needed. You thought you were almost done with this photoshoot but you guessed wrong.

“Not with Mark though!” Donghyuck shouts back, pulling Mark to his side.

“Yo, wait, what?” Mark squeaks.

“You got good enough shots, so move!” Donghyuck has no shame when shoving the resident couple away and dragging Mark to the exact place they stood. You shoot Karina an apologetic look, handing her phone back, right before you grab hold of Donghyuck’s device.

The younger of the duo, as affectionate as he is, has no problem hugging Mark tightly for a picture. Mark sighs but goes with it without much of a fight. You take pictures of Donghyuck hugging Mark from behind, clinging onto the older’s arm, forcing him into making a heart and standing back-to-back. As this goes on for several minutes, you endlessly snap pictures, not even looking at the screen anymore. While doing so, you miss the hushed conversation that happens at the other end of the camera. 

“Why am I doing this with you?” Mark hisses in between a grin. His arm around Donghyuck tightens and the younger one almost chokes at the sudden attack. “Are we done yet?”

“Why? Is there someone else you want to take pictures with?”

“Shut up.”

“I will not,” Donghyuck whispers under his breath, wiggling out of Mark’s grip. His volume raises as he announces, “Mark, catch me!” With that, the mischievous kid jumps onto Mark’s back and the elder of the duo has no choice but to do what he says.

Mark groans, “Why are you so annoying?”

“I will continue to be annoying until you man up,” Donghyuck nuzzles his forehead into Mark’s hair with a smirk. “I could keep this going or–”

With that, Mark lets go of his friend’s thighs and Donghyuck slides down with a helpless yelp. The boy is dramatic while dropping to the ground but Mark pays little attention to the action. Instead, he smiles shyly at you.

You raise an eyebrow at the duo’s suspicious actions. “Are you guys good or can we move on now?”

“I–um, actually–” He’s stuttering over his words more than usual, a red tainting his normal skin tone. You know he’s embarrassed but you can’t figure out what’s making him feel this way. The chaotic duo is up to their usual antics of Donghyuck being irritatingly touchy and Mark slowly losing his patience with it all so there’s no visible variable in your eyes. So, what’s the difference in this situation?

“What’s up?” When he doesn’t answer right away, you take that as a sign to keep moving. You turn your body away from him, adjust the straps of your bag to feel more comfortable, and get ready to move on. The park app on your phone is open to all the current wait times and you note that Fantasyland has low numbers, determining the most logical choice for your next destination. 

You open your mouth, preparing to spill out your plan to explore Fantasyland when Mark’s feeble voice breaks the silence. 

You don’t quite hear him the first time, leaning towards him in hopes that will help you focus on his voice alone. The excitement around the area only increases when the park marching band makes their way to the center of the castle for their afternoon set. Mark huffs in frustration when you fail to hear him for the second time. 

But as they say, the third time’s always the charm.

“Take a picture with me!” he yells when the band goes silent. The flush on his face increases tenfold and you almost coo at how flustered he is. His eyes were wide, almost begging for you to grant his request. His ears match the color of his Spider-Man plush hanging on the belt loop of his bottoms. 

Wanting to tease him a little more, you say, “We already took a group picture, Marky.”

You hold back your laugh when his hand goes back to fumble with his hair. He muses it, the strands now messy, making him look even more endearing than ever. 

“Yeah but–you know what I mean,” Mark’s voice drops at the end, his lips forming a pout. How desperately you want to peck his cheeks but you refrained, still scared of crossing that line. His brows furrowed. “You know what, never mind, dude, let’s go.”

Just as he began to walk away, you tugged him back into place. “I know what you meant, Spidey, I just wanted to mess with you.”

“You’re so mean to me,” he sulks and your fingers reach out to pinch his cheeks. It’s not quite a kiss but it’s close enough. 

You run your fingers through his messy hair, quickly fixing it and Mark just lets you, enjoying the little touches you are so willing to give.

“Hyuckie, can you please?” Donghyuck knows exactly what you’re asking of him, taking the phone out of your hands. He sets your phone to 0.5, bends down to get a better angle, and begins to snap away. All the while, you and Mark are a bit awkwardly standing side-by-side for the pictures. Your bodies are stiff--his hand is barely around your waist while his other hand is holding up a peace sign. You copy his pose, your fingers automatically making a V. 

“You guys,” Donghyuck sighs, grabbing the attention of Karina and Jeno, “at least act like you’re having fun with these pics. We’re at fucking Disneyland right now.” 

Karina laughs at how hopeless the two of you are. She takes pity on you and jumps in to give directions on how to improve your poses. “Mark, if you can just tighten your grip around her waist–”

Mark gulps, his nerves at an all-time high. Your best friend underestimates his own strength as he does what he is told. It happens a little too abruptly and you’re suddenly lurching into his body. Your head lightly hits his chest and you place a hand on the spot to create a little distance. He immediately fusses over you, looking down to check if you’re okay and it turns you into a giggling mess. 

“I’m fine, it’s fine,” you reassure Mark with a bright smile on your face.

Once he notices that you are nothing but smiles, the curve of Mark’s pretty mouth matches yours. It brightens his handsome face so much that it matches the glitter found at the castle tops. You take a mental picture of the face he makes, eyes and nose scrunched up with happiness, and the golden glow of the summer sun illuminating his beaming aura. 

Mark shakes his head and chuckles, pulling you into a hug. You sink into his hold, your chin perching on his shoulder. 

In your mind, Mark Lee is your (awkward) Prince Charming. While you stand together by the castle, you cherish every second he makes you feel like royalty.  He rocks you for a couple of seconds, swaying to the song playing in his head, and then pulls away. His stare, however, never leaves yours. You don’t dare break the connection. Your eyes curve up into little crescent moons and your hands drift back down to his chest. You feel the slight heaving from his laughter and it makes you giggle even more. 

“Stop laughing at me,” he says with a smile.

“Never,” you reply, sticking your tongue out at him.

The two of you are so caught up in your little moment, that you forget that your friends have phones in their hands, documenting everything that just occurred. 

“Oh, that one’s cute,” Karina says, snapping the two out of your shared reverie. Jeno and Donhyuck’s heads peak over her shoulders to look at the picture she’s talking about and they hum in reply. Then, she lifts up the phone to your eye level. You and Mark lean forward to take a closer look but the boy refuses to let go of you as you scroll through the selection.

Your finger swipes through what feels like thousands of photos before landing on one that catches your eye. In the photo, you’re so consumed in your laughter, lids closed happily and your dazzling smile half-covered by your hand. Mark holds you in his arms, fondly looking at you with sparkling eyes.

You stare at it a little too long, taking in the way he looks at you. You steal a glance at him and he’s wearing that same soft smile as he scans the photo. It made you wonder if your best friend always looked at you that way. You wonder if this was your first time making note of it. 

You pull yourself out of it, knowing that if you ruminate on it anymore, you'll sink into a deep neverending ocean. Your finger taps the bottom of the screen and the heart fills up, adding the picture to your favorite album. You just know this is a picture that had to be included in your photo dump.

“I like this one,” you muster out, fighting the urge to make eye contact with him.

You feel a squeeze around your waist, one that lingers for a moment, and hear him whisper, “I like this one too.”

Mark says it with certainty and with a hint of longing like there’s a deeper meaning behind his words. 

There is, of course, a message buried in his words. Mark likes how it’s just the two of you in the picture. He likes how it encapsulates how happy the two of you are in each other’s company. He likes it because it shows how in love with you he is. Mark especially likes it because it has you in it.

Mark Lee likes–no, loves–anything with you in it.

Mark loves you. 

Point blank.

Mark loves you.

And Mark hopes that by the end of the night in this magical place, where anything can happen, he can gather enough faith and trust in himself to tell you how he truly feels.

✨ FANTASYLAND

While strolling through Fantasyland, where all things fairy tales come to life, you make a pit stop at a store filled with costumes for princes and princesses. Your friends were amazed to see that deeper into the store, there was a salon that catered especially to children. All the kids sitting in the salon chairs were beaming with excitement as they got their hair and makeup done while dressed up as their favorite characters.

Karina coos as a little princess dressed as Rapunzel passed by her. She ran her fingers through the skirt ends of the costumes, admiring all the different dresses, while the boys immediately reached for the plastic weapons and shields. You hear their dramatic noises as Donghyuck stabs Jeno with a sword. Mark’s familiar laughter bounces off the walls as the fight continues, his hand shakily recording the ridiculous exchange.

“What is this place?” Karina asks curiously, turning to you for an answer. You knew she would love this place–the girl, although people perceived her as a tough girl, loved anything that had to do with princesses. 

There’s a sparkle in her eye, which only brightens when she approaches the section belonging to her favorite princess. Karina grabs hold of a pretty character headband, removing the one that’s on her head and tries on the new one. She spins to face you, silently asking if it looks good on her, and you nod enthusiastically, giving her a thumbs up. 

“Welcome to the Bippity Boppity Boutique,” you reply happily. Pointing to the cast members working on their guests, you continued, “They’re called Fairy Godmothers in Training. They help the kiddos with their makeovers.”

“Have you done it before?” Mark pops up out of nowhere, a little out of breath from the play fighting he did with the other two. He must’ve joined in the little spar after taking some pictures.

“Yeah, when I was little. I was Cinderella,” you laugh, remembering how pleased you were to be in the chair. You remind yourself to look for those photos; it’s been a while since you’ve seen them. “Can’t do it now as an adult though. Sorry, Rina.”

“Then why’d you bring me here?” She pouts at that, “To torture me? That’s mean. There goes my dream of being a princess.”

Mark bites back a chuckle at her bitter response and Karina has no trouble slapping his shoulder to shut him up. You choose to ignore the childish exchange.

“Well,” you start to say, inching towards the counter where a cast member eyes you curiously. “We can’t get full makeovers but we can get pixie dusted.”

“Pixie dusted?” Mark echoes, tilting his head in confusion. Your fingers twitch and you fight the urge to pet his head.

“The fairy godmothers have wands with them and they basically sprinkle glitter on top of your head while you make a wish. It’s really cute!”

The light in Karina’s eyes glows even brighter than before. “Really? Oh my god, can I do it?!” she asks, bouncing on the heels of her feet. 

“I knew you’d like it,” you giggle.

“Babe!” She calls Jeno over. 

His head pops up over a display, resembling a puppy hopping out of a hole they just dug. “Yeah?”

“Get pixie dusted with me,” Karina requests, reaching out for him with her wiggling fingers. 

Jeno quickly sets down the toys he was playing with, leaving a whining Donghyuck behind, and follows his girlfriend’s lead blindly. 

You and Mark watch them silently, both with smiles on your faces, as the couple holds hands and closes their eyes. The worker mumbles a little spiel as she taps her wand, the glitter raining down on their heads. Your camera is at the ready, finger holding down on the burst button for this special moment, capturing Karina’s tiny squeals and Jeno’s chuckles as the pixie dust settles in their hair and on their skin. 

“Anyone else?” The Fairy Godmother in Training asks politely, looking at you expectantly.

Mark nudges your side. “You gonna do it?”

“Of course. I’ll never pass up getting pixie dusted,” you say matter-of-factly, stepping forward.

“I want to do it, too,” Mark proclaims, stepping with you.

You laugh and warn him, “You wanna deal with glitter in your hair? It’s going to stay there for days.”

He shrugs, “They grant wishes, right? Maybe I need mine to come true.”

“Oh, yeah? And what wish is that, Spidey?”

He holds a slender figure to his lips. “If I tell you, then it definitely won’t come true. And I need all the help I can get with this one.”

You eye him suspiciously and when he doesn’t give it up, you sigh in defeat. Preparing yourself for the glitter, you bow your head down and close your eyes with your fingers linked together in the tightest hold. Your best friend nudges his forehead against yours and you let out a surprised giggle.

Just like Mark said he needs all the help he can get. He isn’t wishing for any regular thing. He wishes for something more precious than that–your heart. 

Sure, this is most likely playing make-believe but Mark Lee wants to believe in it. Maybe this is the little bit of magic he needs. Some might say he’s too old for this sort of thing but he wants to believe in fairy godmothers. He wants to believe in the shiny powder that they call pixie dust. He wants to believe in the magic that you do.

So when the glitter pours down on him, Mark shuts his eyes tightly and grips your hands with all his might. 

Mark wishes for your wish to come true,

Mark wishes for your happiness.

But most of all, Mark wishes to be yours.

Your next stop is quite the staple in the park and it’s a must-do on your list. Luckily, they all agree with you and suddenly, you are in line for the iconic teacups. For the summer, the wait isn’t too long–a mere fifteen minutes before it’s your group’s loading time. Before getting on the ride, the five of you decide to break into two groups instead of all squeezing into one tiny spice.

In their excitement, Karina and Donghyuck rush to claim a vehicle. Donghyuck lightly shoves Karina’s side when he realizes they are both aiming for the same cup, causing her to lose her balance. She groans once he hops into the pink teacup with hearts decorating the sides and scurries to grab another pink cup. 

“Why are you two like this?” You shout after them, shaking your head.

“When are we not like this?” Hyuck shouts back, his arms already spread across the rim of the cup. He calls you to join him and you do, closely followed by Mark.

Once you are seated and the door to the vehicle is closed, Donghyuck’s expression changes. “We need to spin this baby as fast as we can and we need to last longer than”–he sends a playful glare towards Jeno, whose hands are already resting on the wheel–“them.”

“Oh god, not this shit again,” you roll your eyes. 

The boys have an ongoing competition when it comes to spinning rides like these. Whoever spins for the longest period wins; the losers have to treat the winners to a prize of their choice. In the past, it’s been food, plushies, and anything else you can think of. 

“Can we just be normal for once?” 

“Bubs,” Mark laughs, “when are we ever normal?”

“Touche.”

Donghyuck dramatically drops his hands on the wheel, “Are you ready?”

There’s really no point in this competition. Although Jeno has a stronger build than you, Mark, or Donghyuck, there are only two of them in their cup as opposed to the three of you. There’s a clear winner. Despite that, you copy your mischievous friend’s actions,  a smile breaking through your unamused facade. “Alright, Hyuck.”

The spiel is blasted over the speakers, the music begins, and off you all go. Laughter surrounds you as the ride begins to spin. Your hands speedily make work and giggles spill out of your mouth when your hands pile on top of Donghyuck. Your friend matches your enthusiasm, his face crinkled in concentration as he turns the wheel, his whole body moving along with the teacup. You steal a glance at Jeno and Karina; seeing them only fueled your competitiveness and motivation to win this useless contest.

Mark, on the other hand, did not add to the spinning. He just watches his best friends, phone in hand. The device captures the most candid moments of you—smile wide enough to hear your laughter through the screen, hair flying in the wind, hands either gripping the wheel or Donghyuck when the cup goes a little too fast. 

Mark snaps a picture of you and Donghyuck cackling, bodies thrown over each other in the height of their fun. Even when your gorgeous smile is aimed at his best friend and not him, jealousy isn’t coursing through his veins. A warm feeling does instead—Mark just loves to see you happy.

He captures one last picture of you, your bright grin shining at him, and your hand reaching towards his camera. If someone were to play that Live Photo back, they would hear the giggles living in your voice as you call Mark’s name to join in on the fun.

This picture is the one he saves in his favorites folder and of course, in his heart.

✨ AVENGERS CAMPUS

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” you ask Mark although the answer is obvious. Ever since you got in line, the boy beside you fidgeted with anything and everything possible. When he wasn’t playing with the keychains on your bag, he messed with the drawstrings of his cargo pants. He had a hard time staying still.

“No one asked you, Bubs," Mark hisses. His voice softens a moment later when he apologizes for snapping. The fussiness he exhibits is adorable in all kinds of ways and you fight the urge to mess with his hair in the meantime. You know it would only make him feel worse.

“It’s okay to be nervous, you know,” you reassure him as the people in front of you step forward. “It’s not every day you meet your childhood hero.”

“Isn’t this–I don’t know–a bit childish of me to feel like this? I mean, it’s just a guy in a suit.” 

“Hey,” you say, hating the way your best friend tried to bring himself down, “we’re here to let our inner child out. If you’re nervous or excited or whatever you’re feeling, just feel it.”

Mark sighs as the line moves again. “Right. You’re right.”

You laugh, ruffling his hair, “Aren’t I always?”

The boy groans, fingers immediately rising to fix his fringe. “Don’t mess it up, dude, it’s almost my turn.”

A soft giggle escapes your lips instead of an apology. You’re so fond of him. “You’re too cute.”

His cheeks flush with a bright red which only increases his cuteness factor. Mark, flustered as ever, opens his mouth to ask what you mean by that. His sentence is interrupted by the character attendant calling for the next person in line. Your best friend’s nerves are at an all-time high at this point and he looks to you for support.

You shake your head negatively and gesture to the phone in your hand. “This is all you, I have to take your pics!”

Mark sticks his tongue at you in retaliation before taking a deep breath. He approaches the awaiting figure with a cautiousness you’ve never seen from him. But with all due respect, Spider-Man is standing right there in front of him. If your favorite comic book and superhero character of all time stood in front of you, you’d probably react the same way. 

“H-hey,” Mark stutters out. You stifle a laugh as you snap the first picture of Mark and Spider-Man shaking hands.

“Hey, man, what’s your name?” Spider-Man greets enthusiastically. He gestures to Mark’s Spider-Man shirt, “Love the shirt.”

“It’s Mark,” he manages to say, “I’m a big fan. We just went on your ride and it was so cool.” Mark gestures to the building behind them, which housed the ride. It was an interactive ride that tasked the riders to help Spider-Man save the Avengers-themed area by shooting webs with motion-tracking technology. “My arm’s kinda tired though, I don’t think I could shoot webs like you.”

His rambling comment makes Spider-Man chuckle, his voice muffled through the red mask. “Yeah, I guess slinging webs isn’t for everyone. But hey, maybe if you train more, and go on the ride a few more times, you’ll be just as good as I am. We’re always looking to recruit new members to the team. You look like you’d be a great addition.”

Mark’s eyes glow with delight as the actor continues to shower him with compliments. “Yo, wait, that’d be so cool!”

“Should I show you some poses to start off with?” Spider-Man excitedly suggests. Mark easily complies and happily follows all the instructions the superhero gives him. While doing so, they stare right into your camera and you snap several photos of each pose. 

The joy radiating off of Mark’s face is enough to make your heart soar to a new height. The merriment he and your other friends exhibit as they make their way through the park is why you keep coming back. Disneyland brings everyone’s happiest self out and you will never grow tired of seeing people’s youthfulness shine through. 

“Got ‘em!” you shout from your place, giving the duo a thumbs up. 

You laugh as both of them return the thumbs up with a lightning-quick speed. Many people pointed out Mark’s speedy reactions, calling them his Spidey senses. Seeing Mark stand tall right next to Spider-Man himself, reacting the same way the character does, makes the term all the more fitting for your friend.

“Hey, you wanna jump in with us for a picture, too?” Spider-Man calls out to you. 

“Oh!” you exclaim, not expecting that at all. Your sole goal was to take Mark’s picture with his hero.  The thought of you joining in for a picture didn’t even cross your mind. “Sure, why not?” you grin, quickly handing the phone to the attendant on standby.

You swiftly shuffle into position, copying Spider-Man’s iconic pose, as the cast member takes a couple of shots on your phone. They prompt you to pose for the professional camera they have on hand as well and the three of you switch up your poses. The wide smile on your face is identical to Mark’s as the flash goes off. A feeling higher than contentment floods your entire being. You’re happy, incredibly so, to be in this moment with Mark and his hero.

You’re happy.

You see Mark dive right into another rambling burst with the prettiest little sparkle in his eye and you’re in love.

You’re happy and in love with Mark. 

Standing by for just a second, you see Spider-Man turn to you and nod his head in acknowledgment. Wordlessly, you open your arms to ask for a hug and the character accepts. “Thank you for making my Spidey’s day,” you whisper as Spider-Man squishes you to his side. “It means a lot to us.”

The actor catches onto the nickname and comments, “He’s your hero, huh?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s my everything,” you confess under your breath and your face immediately heats up upon realizing what you said to a complete stranger.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” 

The moment passes so quickly, that Mark doesn’t even grasp that two of his favorite people held their own side conversation. You give Spider-Man one last wave, retreat back to the attendant who hands you your phone, and stand off to the side to swipe through the pictures. Mark stops his little rant to watch you with a slight tilt of his mouth.

“She’s a good one,” Spider-Man brings Mark out of his thoughts, “We could use a recruit like her too.”

“She’s really special,” Mark lets out a fond laugh as you happily show your friends the pictures you’ve captured. “She’s my MJ, man.”

The character beside him laughs, not out of ridicule, but because of the similarities the two of you share. “Does she know that?” 

“Nah,” Mark’s hair ruffles with the breeze as he shakes his head. “Not yet.”

“Better let her know soon then,” he pats Mark on the back, gently pushing him in your direction. “And don’t let her go once you have her,” his hero adds as an afterthought. 

Mark turns back to give Spider-Man one last smile, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Mark Lee doesn’t have you in the way that he wants to, at least not yet, but once he does, there is no way he is letting you out of his sight. He may be the one who carries the heroic nickname but you are the one who has caught him in your web of love. Wherever you go, you have his whole heart. 

You are his whole heart. 

How can Mark Lee ever live without his whole heart?

✨ CARSLAND / SH-BOOM

“Hurry up, hurry up!” you call to your exhausted friends, who drag their feet behind you. 

“But we’re tired,” Karina whines as her steps grow heavier. She’s stolen her boyfriend’s hat to beat the heat but has little luck doing so. Jeno, noting this, turns his portable fan to face her. She wearily smiles at him, squeezing the hand conjoined with hers to thank him.

Donghyuck echoes Karina’s sentiments but you ignore their complaints altogether.

There’s no time to slow down, you think, as you make note of the time. The sun is about to set and your group still hasn’t reached the spot you want–no, need–to be in. You understand their exhaustion because you feel the same way but deep down, you know the hustling will be worth their while. 

“You guys, just do what she says,” Mark comes to your defense, giving you a reassuring glance, “I mean, she hasn’t let us down this whole day. I’m sure whatever she’s rushing us for will be worth it.”

You weave and bob through the crowds with ease and your friends fall in line behind you. You pass through the entrance of Avengers Campus and lead them straight into Carsland. A mass of people are gathered at the entrance of the land and you cringe at how packed it is. But upon hearing Donghyuck gasp with excitement, you grin and bear it. In the past, your friend mentioned that Cars was one of his favorite childhood movies. Since you’ve found that out, you’ve gifted him a Lightning McQueen present every year for his birthday.

“Holy shit, bro, I’m in Radiator Springs,” Donghyuck clutches your arm, “This is the best thing ever.”

“Oh, believe me, Hyuckie, it gets even better,” you say, pulling your friend along with you. You giggle at his reactions to every little detail you point out–how everything is built to scale, that all visitors are meant to be cars, how every third blink of the traffic light is slower just like the movie–and his brown eyes widen in childlike wonder.

Once again, Mark stands back as you take care of Donghyuck. He appreciates all the thought you put into this trip–making sure you know everyone’s specific interests and adjusting the day’s itinerary to meet everyone’s wishes. Jeno wanted to get on every thrill ride possible, so you purchased the Lightning Lane express passes to guarantee he had a good time. Karina wanted to feel like a princess, so you took her to the Boutique to get pixie dusted and scheduled time in the Fantasyland area to take as many pictures as she wanted. You spent a bit of time in Avengers Campus so Mark could get the entire Spider-Man experience. And now, you’re expertly guiding Donghyuck through Radiator Springs, equally excited as your friend who’s experiencing everything for the first time.

When everyone else voiced how worn out they were throughout the long summer day, you kept the spirits up and took care of each and every one of them. You may have not outwardly mentioned how spent you were but Mark caught onto the signs. While you were busy tending to each person's wants and needs, Mark found himself taking care of you. You’ve done so much for the group, he wonders what exactly he could do in return.

“Alright, stop right here,” you stop in the middle of the land, granting the group the perfect view of the land, “and face this way.” 

“Why are we stopping? Isn’t the ride right there?” Donghyuck points to the end of the area. “I thought we were heading there.”

“Yeah,” you reply, “there’s something we gotta do first.”

“What’s everyone standing around for?” Jeno asks, hugging Karina from behind. 

The others take a look around to see that a large crowd has formed in this area of the park, all facing the same way. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the same thing you are, their phones propped up in the air. You take another peek at your weather app and it deems it around one minute before sunset. Perfect. 

“Well, my good sir, you are about to find out,” you answer cryptically.

You squeeze Donghyuck’s hand. “You ready, Hyuck?”

“For wha–” His sentence is cut off by the area loop music increasing in volume. Everyone around you cheers as Sh-Boom by The Chords starts to blast through the speakers. “Oh my god.”

The rest of Donghyuck’s sentence is trapped between his teeth as the neon lights, starting from the furthest point of the area, begin to light up. It’s an exact replica of the movie, the lights flickering on with the beat of the old-time music. The bright lights resemble your friends’ expressions, the giddiness of experiencing this iconic moment apparent on their faces. Donghyuck is practically glowing with childlike wonder, bouncing on the balls of his feet. You snap a photo of him as he continues to take it in. Jeno sways Karina back and forth, his arms wrapped around his girlfriend’s waist and chin resting on her shoulder as she records the whole thing.

Smiling, you turn to look at Mark whose eyes are solely trained on you. His phone is in hand, aimed in your direction, and you assume he took a picture of the lit-up signs behind you. “Isn’t it so pretty?” you ask, hands gesturing to the entire area.

Mark’s gaze doesn’t falter, doesn’t leave you when he answers, “It’s the prettiest.”

A heat spreads to all parts of your face and body at his flirtatious response. You turn away from him, too embarrassed to meet his soft stare. “It’s one of my favorite times of the day. My family always came here at sunset just to watch it. It’s fun watching everyone’s reactions and seeing people dance to the music, like them”–you point to a dancing couple, the man spinning his partner and the woman laughing gleefully–“I dunno, it just makes me happy.”

“I can see why,” Mark chuckles.

Your gaze lingers on the duo and Mark spots a look of longing in your eyes. Your best friend sees a chance, one as clear as day, and with all the bravado he can muster, Mark takes it. He tugs you towards him and you gasp at the sudden movement.

“What?” you whisper.

Mark sticks out a hand for you to take and bashfully says, “Dance with me.”

“What?” you repeat in shock, eyes dropping from his face to his outstretched hand.

“You heard what I said,” your best friend chuckles, “Dance with me.”

Instead of waiting for a response from you, Mark takes your palm in his and gently places his other hand around your waist. Your breath catches in your throat, anxious eyes meeting his own, and the boy shoots you a reassuring smile. He takes the lead, guiding you through a few swing steps as you dance on the street. You’re a little unfocused through it all, your mind wandering from the warmth of his touch to his unfaltering look. 

“Have you always known how to swing?” you ask as he leads you into a spin.

Mark dances with an ease you don’t expect from his clumsy self. You’re used to his harder, sharper style of dancing he exhibits when you all go out dancing–the lighter style catching you completely off-guard. It makes you fall for your best friend a little more than you already have.

He nods as he catches you in his arms before turning you around again. “Yeah, I learned from watching my parents dance. I only really danced with my mom, though. I guess I was just–” Mark coughs, shaking his head.

“Just what?” You egg him on, wanting to hear what your crush has to say.

“No, never mind, it’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing to me,” you quip.

“Nah, it’s stupid,” Mark tries to dismiss it, distracting you with another spin.

With him being the perfect leader, your sneaker-clad feet move in time with him, following wherever he goes. “Nothing you say is going to be stupid,” you add, squeezing his palm.

You know you’ve won the argument when Mark sighs. He’s so close to you now, you can feel his breath hit your face. There’s a hint of fresh spearmint, coming from the gum you offered him earlier. Any closer and your lips can press right into his, completing the romantic moment that you could only dream about. 

Mark gulps nervously as you look up at him with confusion. The words come tumbling out before he can stop himself from making a fool, “I guess I was just waiting for the right partner.”

There’s more to Mark’s sweet reply than meets the eye. Once again, you burn up at the implications. You shouldn’t assume the meaning behind your crush’s words but something about the way he said it makes you believe that you are the partner he is waiting for. To be deemed worth waiting for is a girl’s deepest fantasy and your heart swells in your chest at the thought of it all.

Despite the rapid thoughts running through your head, the only thing you can spit out is a quiet, “Oh.” 

Mark renders you speechless at the favorite part of the day and in your favorite place in the entire world; he pockets this as a big win. With his warm hand resting at your waist and the other clutching your calm, Mark leads you into a flurry of sequential moves. Never once does he bump into another person in the crowd, he navigates through the small space you’re granted so gracefully. Dancing with him brings you to such a natural high, you feel lighter than air. 

The laughter that spills from your lips fills his heart with joy and as the song reaches its end, the arm at your waist tightens enough to usher you into a dip. As your torso lowers, his body follows your own. He keeps you in this position, his pretty brown eyes glued onto your shaking pupils. He’s so near, that your sight triangulates from his eyes down to his grinning lips. You notice the pink that tickles his skin, from his squishy cheeks to his pierced ears.

As Mark pulls you back up, you circle your arms around his neck and give him the biggest hug in existence. You whisper a light and heartfelt, “thank you,” in his ears and Mark responds by pulling you closer.

While the song that played through the speakers announced, “Life could be a dream,” Mark Lee deems that his life already is. To him, his life is a dream and that’s because you’re in it. 

✨ FIREWORKS

The sun has set and your entire group is tired but the day’s not quite over yet. The five of you are amongst the throng of people seated on the asphalt, bodies splayed in all sorts of configurations. Karina and Jeno are in front of you, whispering happily as they go through all of their pictures together. Donghyuck has no problem taking a nap on the floor, using some plastic bags as his makeshift mattress and Karina’s new plushie as a pillow. Mark, on the other hand, is seated on your right and silently playing a game on his phone. 

The extent of your tiredness didn’t hit until you sat on the floor, a groan leaving your mouth as you fought to find a comfortable position. The ground really isn’t the best place to sit but you have to camp out for the best view of the castle and the fireworks. You find yourself hugging your legs and resting your face on your knees to keep yourself warm. The weather is a lot cooler than it was earlier in the day and the slight breeze has you shivering. 

“You okay?” Mark asks, still looking at his phone.

“What makes you think I’m not?”

“You keep moving around like you’re uncomfortable or something,” Mark pauses his game and notices the goosebumps on your skin, “Bubs, are you cold?”

“Yeah, just a little bit but I’ll deal with it.” You leave out the fact that you’re tempted to buy a sweater from a gift shop, just as you do every single time you get cold in the parks. It’s an expensive tradition you need to break. Plus, there’s no more room in your closet for more cozy crewneck sweaters. 

Another quiver runs through your body as the winds blow through the area. Mark frowns as you tighten the grip around your legs. He immediately shrugs off the zip-up he wore, draping it around your curled-up shoulders. The warmth of the fabric combined with the smell of his cologne hits you all at once. 

“Mark, I told you I’m okay,” you pout at him as he gets up from his spot. He stops you from taking it off, his palms firm on your back. “You’re gonna get cold.”

He disagrees, pulling the hood over your head. “Nah, I run hot anyway. I don’t want you to get sick or anything so just leave it on, okay?”

“But–”

“For me?” Mark pushes. He smiles when you pout even further, knowing there’s no way you can beat him in this conversation. “That’s my girl,” he adds, a hand coming to cup the back of your neck. A sudden urge comes over him and before he even places what he's doing, Mark plants a tiny kiss on the top of your head. You feel the slight pressure of his lips between the fabric and your head is reeling the second he pulls back.

“I’ll be right back,” Mark whispers before setting off into the crowd.

You’re frozen in place, the ability to respond nonexistent in your mind. You simply watch as he fades away and then, the shyest smile breaks through. There are no clouds left in the sky but you’re officially on Cloud 9, your heart beating rapidly in your chest, and your face buried into the sleeve ends of his jacket.  

True to his word, your best friend returns fifteen minutes later with a plastic bag in one hand and a hot drink in the other. Mark pulls out the coziest Disney-themes blanket you have ever seen, folds it in half, and then places it onto the floor. He motions for you to sit on it and you smile even wider. “Better?” he asks as you settle crisscross on the soft fabric. 

A relieved sigh slips past your lips as the soft material rubs against your skin. “So much better.”

Mark plops himself right beside you. His bare arm presses against yours in an attempt to fit on the blanket. There’s lots of space left but you don’t mind, snuggling right up to his side. He chuckles at your action, draping his arm around your hoodie-clad shoulders to pull you closer. “Got you a hot chocolate too, passed by the cafe across from the gift shop,” your crush gently places the drink in your hands.

“You really didn’t have to,” you mutter, hiding your smile behind the drink.

“Wanted to.” 

“Thanks,” you reply in between your tiny sips.

“Anything for you, Bubs.”

With his arm around you and your body cozied up to his side, the time passes quickly. You’re in your own world, your quiet conversations drowned out by the chatter of the large crowd surrounding the castle area. The cocoa is passed back and forth between his hand and yours, an indirect kiss shared each either of you takes a sip. You laugh over things that happened throughout the day, from Mark’s burnt tongue to all the hideous ride pictures your friends took while wholeheartedly enjoying themselves. 

When Mark takes a big sip, you crack an unexpected joke that leaves him choking on the drink. Your roaring laughter attracts the attention of the others around you but you are so into Mark, you don’t even notice.  He’s a sputtering mess, with the hot drink all over his cheeks and hands. You help him through it, one hand patting his back and the other reaching up to wipe away the liquid with his sleeve. 

“You’re so silly,” you whisper fondly as your thumb rubs against his soft cheek.

“No, you just caught me off guard,” Mark replies, nuzzling into your hand. The moment feels a little too intimate, especially when his fingers reach up to connect with yours, but you don’t want it to end. It finally feels like something good is happening. It feels like the dream you’ve kept deep in your heart is coming true and you don’t want to fight it. 

You pay no attention to the way your friends are staring knowingly at you like this was all meant to happen. Your eyes are solely trained on Mark and how he holds you so delicately as if you were a bubble about to burst. Mark keeps you tucked into him until the five-minute before the fireworks announcement blasts through the speakers. 

Mark is the first to get up off the blanket and you hate how easily he does so. The feeling of pins and needles travel down your legs as you try to get up. You moan in pain, struggling to get up. When you finally rise from the ground, your knees buckle and you lose your balance. A little noise slips out as you stumble, your clumsiness almost leading you straight into another person. Strong hands from behind immediately fly to your hips to keep you steady and you fall right back into Mark’s sturdy chest. 

His hands remain at your hips as you turn to look at him. You mumble an apology and he clutches your waist a little harder. “Who’s the silly one now, huh?”

“Shut up.”

Even as the moment ends, Mark’s hands stay in place. The only movement he makes is a minuscule tug that molds you into his chest. He hears no complaints from you, just a pleased little sigh, that signals you’re one hundred percent okay with what is happening. 

The surrounding lights dim, projections on the castle come alive, and music that could only be described as magical begins to play. It’s the scene of your dreams–you are in the hold of someone you love as fireworks light up the sky. The show’s just begun and here you are, wishing you can stay in this moment forever.

Seeing as how he’s made it this far, Mark puts on his bravest face and circles his arms around your waist. You hum in approval, resting your hands right above his. He replies by tangling his digits with yours and you smile so widely, it’s brighter than the pyrotechnics shooting off above you. 

The soundtrack isn’t new to you; it’s the show the park features every summertime, so you find yourself humming along to every section and transition that passes. By the time the love-themed section bleeds through the sound system and the castle glows with pinks and reds, you tell your best friend, “This is my favorite part.”

He says nothing in response, too busy admiring you instead of the show. Mark rests his chin on your shoulder, his gaze directed at the side of your face. He takes in the sight of the glow the lights cast on you, your lips curled up as you mouth each and every lyric.

It’s quite obvious that he’s staring at you. Even if you didn’t catch him from the corner of your eye, you feel Mark’s steady breath hit your neck and cheek. Your entire body radiates heat upon this realization. You sink your teeth into your bottom lip to calm the hopeless romantic inside you. 

You want to look at him, you really do, but you’re scared of what will follow after you meet Mark’s eyes. But when he whispers about your favorite song playing, your heart swells at his great memory, and you turn. 

The tip of Mark’s nose grazes yours after your sudden movement. You’re right there, less than a breath away from him, and his eyes are filled with immense tenderness. In your years of knowing Mark Lee, you’ve never seen him look at another person the way he’s looking at you at this moment. It’s a look filled with endearment and affection, leaving your heart swelling in your chest. 

You barely hear the boom of the fireworks shooting off, not when Mark’s eyes flitter down to your parted lips. He’s captivated your heart and soul, you can’t help but nudge your nose against his as you inch closer. It’s a silent signal, one he understands without further explanation. Your best friend shuts his eyes, calls upon the glittery pixie dust that sits in his hair and makes his final wish of the night. He wishes for the strength to make his next move. 

Mark’s soft lips touch yours most delicately; the press is merely there, and it throws you for a loop. The kiss makes you so incredibly giddy, that you turn your head even more and your hand anchors itself to his cheek. It keeps you steady as he dives in for seconds, this one more eager than the first. With your favorite love song in the background and the fireworks booming in the distance, you are happier than ever.

You are so happy that your wide grin and little giggles cause Mark to break away for a short moment. He plants another peck amid your laughter and soon he’s chuckling too. The arms around your waist lock you in place as he burrows into the crook of your neck, placing the tiniest kiss where your pulse hammers against your skin. 

Mark’s feet are on the ground but he feels like he’s flying. His heart has grown wings, allowing him to soar to new heights. He feels like he can touch every little star in the sky. Kissing you in this land of make-believe, underneath the fireworks, feels like a miracle and he fears that he will never come down again.

He’s pretty sure the gleam in your eyes mirrors his own. It’s so pretty and bright and magical–it encompasses all the emotions stirring in his chest. They start from his heart, bubble up through his neck, and the words he’s been meaning to say spill out as a crescendo booms throughout the area. “You’re my wish come true.”

Turning in his hold, you circle your arms around his neck. You draw him closer, your lips ghosting against his to say, “And you are mine,” before closing the sentence with another kiss. 

You’ve always loved fairytale endings–how the prince always gets the princess at the end of the story. When he grins against your lips, you realize you’ve been in one the entire time. The story of you and Mark is more than a dream that filled your head. It’s more than something you wished upon a star for. Your story is the slowest burn that led to the greatest happy ending. 

All it needed was a little faith, trust, and a whole lot of pixie dust.

TAGLIST. (tagging my gen taglist and friends that I think will be interested in it hehehe) @winwintea @johtenrecs @lavendersuh @itsapapisongo @nctsworld @hotdogct @smileysuh @suhnnyskiess @jaemdonuts @haetrack @bat-shark-repellant @bebsky

FINAL PARK ANNOUNCEMENT. Hey everyone! Long time no post. I think the last time I posted a fic was in either December or January? I'm happy to be back for a hot second. This fic was inspired by many things: Mark calling his fans "his MJ," my personal visits to Disneyland over the years, and especially the trips I've gone on with friends that I've met on this site. Hehehe. I really hope you all enjoy this rainbow of magic and fluff. Please let me know what you think of it. Your feedback keeps me going! Love always, Nikki <3

© SEHUNNIEPOTWRITES, 2024

[starillusion13]

Hi! can I request an ateez 9th member poly au but the scenario is they make her feel left out, being mean and entertains another girl from another grp and she was painted as the villain by that girl! so they gang up on her, she suddenly left the group and now they’re chasing her back!!

Missing Piece

Pairing: Ateez!ot8 x f!reader

Genre: Idol au, Angst, Mature

Warnings: ignorance, tired, mention of drugs( just a rumor), leaving the group, feeling left out, light arguments, anxiety, evil intentions(a pick me not y/n), a mess of emotions nothing more.

W.C: 6.9k

Note: please I want to thanks to people for reading and reblogging. Reviews are always appreciated. Spread love not hate. After writing this fic, I realized that I don't know how to write 9th member fics😔. I hope this what you wanted anon<3.

Network: @cultofdionysusnet @k-vanity

Now let’s take a moment to appreciate my dear friend @dreamsoffanfics Thanks for helping me out and being my proofreader. A dear friend indeed <3.

"Congratulations Ateez!"

Whenever this phrase echoed, you always felt proud and satisfied with yourself for coming a long way. It's obvious that your hard work and determination made it possible for you to stand strong and shine on this ground.

But, a wave of emotions was running inside you today because of the feelings that are itching your mind.

The scandals you are in lately.

The staff and other idols who are passing by while making your way towards the private room are constantly congratulating you and the members of your group. They all are having a wide smile across their faces but you just hesitantly smiled towards others. You know very well that everyone is aware of the scandal you are currently dealing with.

You excuse yourself from the washroom and Hongjoong notices you stepping away in another direction. He called out your name and asked where you were off to but you didn't reply or turned back.

All the members were gathered in front of their room to enter but when they saw their leader---the captain was standing in front of the door and looking in a particular direction. They all looked towards your fading figure into the hallway.

"Where is she going now?" San asked the captain but quickly noticed the anger on his face.

Hongjoong slammed open the door and others followed him inside the room, "I don't know. She didn't reply to me when I asked her. She is really becoming stubborn."

"What's her problem? Isn't she acting so childish all the time?" Mingi slumped down on a cushioned chair and closed his eyes when placing himself comfortably.

Jongho shook his head while removing the mic and earpiece from around his neck and placing it on the wide desk in front of the mirror. "What about the updates on her scandal? The way she is sneaking around here and there, I feel like believing those are not just scandals."

"No. I don't think that's possible. I don't see a sign from her taking any drugs." Seonghwa stated and looked at the leader who was leaning against the wall after removing all the unnecessary items from him. When he caught his eyes, the one standing sighed.

"But she didn't even deny it." Hongjoong said and raised a brow.

Yeosang nodded and spoke up, earning others attention to his words,"When the manager asked her to explain the matter she remained silent and was staring down as if she was high on drugs. Even when the company tried to answer the question about her on the internet, she refused to make a statement."

Some of them nodded and others had confusion visible on their faces.

Wooyoung pointed at your bag beside his and asked, "why did she bring this bag again?" He lifted the bag and found it to be the same bag which you're carrying everywhere, "it seems like she has a lot of stuff inside it."

"Open it." Hongjoong orders the younger one but he hesitated to the command. "I said open it. I am asking you for it and she has no say in this."

"But it's a girl's bag."

"Don't act like we don't stay together. Even if I ask her about bringing this bag, she won't reply. And if something inappropriate is there then we would apologize to her later."

The younger nodded but before he could open the bag. The manager entered. Hongjoong signaled to put the bag down.

It was always a bit challenging for you to be in a group where you are the only female member. All the fans accepted you very willingly and gave you lots of love on the day when it was announced you would be the last member of the debut line. Yeah, the competition had always included the five girls with the boys but you didn't expect back then to be in the lineup of the final showdown. As you were very sure of Minnie to be debuting with them. Her talents and looks are always remarkable and you admired her dance moves and vocals so much. And, you're sure others loved her more than you. They have a strong friendship with her even after her debuting in a different group 'Stray Kids'.

But your members never made you feel left out or different for being a girl. At first they were a bit hesitant to have you as the member but gradually you all became close and had so much fun together during the first MV shooting. Your debut was memorable with you all traveling to a different country and experiencing several new things.

Moreover, your members treated you like the baby of the group. They pampered you so much and of course, they won't leave a chance to annoy the shit out of you. You felt closer with Jongho because he was around your age so you were always paired up with him. And that's how the deep friendship started between you both.

Ateez are very close with Stray Kids and for that you all often meet them to dine out and hang out on off schedule days and after encore and promotion stages. You loved Minho's company a lot because you both clicked together perfectly. But there was something you noticed: San doesn't like you spending time with Stray Kids and sometimes, he and the others often drag you away with your members telling them that they need to hurry back to the dorm because something urgent came up. Only for you to get scolded later by Hongjoong that being so friendly with others would lead you to get into a lot of scandals.

What about them?

They often can be seen talking with Minnie after the performances or concerts and even two or three of them hanging out with her. Did you ever say anything? No. Then how come the dating rules only apply to you? You had enough one day and screamed at her and them, telling them that because of her Ateez would soon be under controversy but she quickly apologized to you and cried to them.

That was not the end. Because of her Hongjoong treated you really badly. He and other members used harsh words on you and others supported him on the fact that you had overreacted for no reason. They really started to go out alone without you - you were already used to it. But after the incident, they purposely made you feel left out. That didn't even stop them being friendly with her. They even did the new dance challenge with her and the way she was leaning on Seonghwa's arm made you glare at the video longer until the manager announced the practice time.

All these struggles really made you exhausted day by day and it's even showing in your performances and interaction with others. One afternoon, you were in the middle of the preparation for the comeback when you suddenly got to know about something trending under your name on all social media platforms.

'Is y/n really taking drugs?'

And the comments under the post - some supporting your side saying it's fake but you were shocked to see the amount of people believing the post and making strong comments that your recent appearances do look like you are under its effects. You ignored the news, you ignored everyone. You thought about the trainee days and then after debuting. You had lots of fun with Ateez. There are a lot of good memories and there are a lot more than just memories which couldn't be revealed everywhere. You tried to talk with others but never had the courage so you kept everything to yourself. Whenever you were asked to clarify on this matter, you remained silent.

One day, finally you had a talk session with your manager to discuss the ongoing situation. Many of your fans went against you and you accepted their opinions because you didn't make any strong denial statement on it so it's obvious for people to suspect you. You are being a bad influence on the industry.

"Are you sure about this?" the manager had concern and worry etched across her face but you just nodded and sighed when she kept staring at you.

"I don't want to change my mind. I have come up with this decision after thinking a lot."

She opened a file on her tablet before passing it to you to read, "read this. And, what about them? This is a big decision so please think carefully."

"I know."

"Will you be fine after this? People might blame you more."

"I don't have any other option. Even if I have, this is the only thing that seems right to me right now."

She just nodded in acceptance.

.

.

.

As the manager entered the room, she noticed Wooyoung placing your bag down to the side of the chair. Hongjoong stepped forward to greet her and she sent a quick smile to everyone present in the room, also noticing your absence there.

"You all don't have any more upcoming schedules this week so hurry up, we have to leave for the dorm. You guys look so tired. You all didn't got enough rest the last few days." She announced and stared at Hongjoong who seemed to want to ask her something.

"Do you want to say something?"

He nodded, "Y/n is not here since we came back from the stage. She went towards the stairs and I asked her but she seemed a bit lost. Where is she? Do you know about it?"

She sighed, "she is probably in the restroom, don't worry."

"Before the day of the comeback, she had a talk with you. What did she tell?" Seonghwa asked, who was now wearing a black t-shirt with just a washed face. He wasn't wearing his stage outfit anymore.

"You all will get to know about it tomorrow morning."

"What is it that you can't tell us now?" San asked her curiously.

She shook her head, "it's not like that. I can tell you but she doesn't want me to tell you. Don't get your hopes up. Just know it's nothing good." She handed over the food bag to them so that they could feed themselves inside the van while going back home. She asked the last two members to quickly change into a comfortable outfit and took your outfit to the restroom.

.

.

As soon as she handed you the outfit, you thanked her and asked her to wait outside. Changing into the comfortable soft fabrics made you sigh in relief. But you felt tears welling up in your eyes while staring down at the mic, earpiece and the stage outfit in your hand. A lot of emotions coursing through you but your mind was only focusing on the fact - this was your last stage performance.

You wiped your tears and put on a fake smile before exiting the door. the manager took the things from your hands but before you could step forward, she grabbed your wrist and looked at your face, scanning the smudged eyeshadow and liner. You were crying and she caressed your hand.

"Y/n, you are not okay with this. Please, I would suggest that you change your mind."

You shook your head before removing her hand. "Trust me. I will be okay without all of these problems." She watched your retreating figure until you took a sharp turn.

When you reached the door of the private room, it was expected to hear their loud laugh or them having weird singing competitions that could be heard from outside. But now, it's so quiet. Are they that tired? Or did they already leave for the dorm without you? That's not possible, the car was for you nine so it won't leave until nine of you have entered it.

You tightly held the handle before pushing the door open only to find them gathered around the couch but staring at you. You noticed Wooyoung holding a bag at the end of the couch.

A bag, wait, your bag. No!

You hurriedly went over to the couch to find it was your bag and the things were already scattered on it. You tried to pull the bag from his hold until Yeosang grabbed your wrist and turned you around.

"What is this?" he asked you in a demanding tone.

You licked your lips before prying his hand off from your wrist, "nothing. you don't have to know." You snatched the bag, "and why did you even touch my bag without my permission?"

"Since when are we asking each other to touch our things?" Yunho asked and got up from the chair to make his way towards you. You tried to pick up the things and place them inside the bag but Hongjoong blocked your hand and signaled Mingi to take the things away from you. The tall man finally stood in front of you, "and you better explain what all these boxes are for?"

"Nothing..."

Yunho exhaled sharply and grabbed your biceps tightly, "Y/n, what are you hiding from us? what is it that you can't tell us?"

Mingi was glancing between you and the things which he was putting inside the bag. Seonghwa stood beside the man holding you and stared at you sharply, "are these the drugs?"

"Please just shut up!" you screamed at them.

They slightly flinched at your sudden outburst but it was not noticeable by you as your teary eyes blurred your view. You put your palm over your ears and closed your eyes tightly.

"Please shut up. I can't hear any more of this. I know you don't trust me like before but please don't blame me every time. Because of me, this group is already under so much controversy and I'm really sorry for that."

You were going through a lot and having them all cornering you in the room, confined to a little space was too much.

San pushed Yunho so that he could hug your crying form, "It's okay, y/n. No one is blaming you. But why are there so many boxes containing various pills in your bag? You can tell me if those are distractions." he continuously rubbed your back.

You were crying in his hold, clutching his white t-shirt tightly. He didn't care that his fresh t-shirt was getting wet because of your tears when you were crying helplessly. It was breaking their heart to see you like this but what could they do. If you are doing something wrong then they must solve it and for that they need to talk to you but here you are not telling anything and always ignoring them since the incident happened between you and Minnie.

Realizing you were holding San tightly, you quickly removed his arms from around you and glared at him. Everyone observed your sudden change in mood and Hongjoong held your biceps to turn you towards him. At the tight hold you said harshly "let go of me."

"Y/n, enough. What's wrong with you suddenly?" His demanding tone was obvious and your glaring eyes didn't faze his expression. "Don't show me that look."

"Then leave me."

"Joong, leave her hand. We are all tired and we need to go to the dorm. We can ask her about this there." Seonghwa said calmly and placed his palm on the younger's shoulder. the latter sighed and you snatched your hand from him.

Everyone's eyes followed how disheveled you were looking while picking up your things and no one tried to stop you as you were all going to the same place after all. When you pulled the zip of your bag, Wooyoung stepped forward to offer you the food but you rejected it and went outside the room, slamming the door. They flinched at the loud noise but no one noticed your tears and emotions while exiting the private room backstage for the last time.

"I will be good without all of them." You have repeated this line to yourself a lot of times but still you felt the emotions to return back all over again.

Wiping your eyes, you raised your head only to find Minnie standing in front of you with folded hands and innocent eyes, the way she always looks at others. She was still wearing a faerie stage outfit and smiling at you. Ignoring her presence, you tried to turn around but her voice made you halt.

"Are you carrying those drugs in the bag again? So should I post it clearly that you are being spotted taking drugs?" she was smirking when you turned around.

"What are you saying?" You gripped the bag tightly when she glanced at it and chuckled. Stepping forward to you, her smirk grew wider, "it was me who posted that about you. and even if you say this to anyone, no one is going to believe you."

"It was...you." you watched her in disbelief when she lightly laughed and twirled a strand of hair between her delicate thin fingers. She pouted and blinked at you, "you shouted at me in front of them so I had to take my revenge."

"And it's just-"

"It hurts my pride." She made a disgusted face at you and bumped against your shoulder, "well, thank me for not doing something else but....I just ruined your career. Goodbye!"

You saw her walking like on a cat walk towards the corridor and smiling innocently to everyone in her way. She turned a little and smirked at you before taking a turn leaving you there in shock.

"Y/n...you're still here." You heard Jongho's voice and then saw others exiting the room but before they could ask you something, you ran towards the elevator and fortunately it just opened for the staff members queuing in front of it and you got inside with them. They were all glancing at you because of your weird behavior and you being alone with a sad look.

As soon as the ding sound indicated the arrival to the ground floor, you wasted no time and speedily walked towards the car. You got inside and sat in the far back, waiting for others to come.

.

.

After they got into the car, they found you sleeping peacefully at the back. "She is sleeping." Yunho told others and placed your head on his shoulder while adjusting in the seat beside you.

"Let her sleep. She is extremely tired." Hongjoong said and scolded Wooyoung who was about to say something loudly.

Seonghwa shook his head, "but she has to eat."

"I will feed her after we reach home. Leave her for a while. Let's not ask her anything more today." Yeosang started and closed his eyes while leaning back.

Yunho kept stroking your head so that you don't wake up and he felt you nuzzling into him and he smiled while looking down at you.

>>>><<<<

You stretched your arms, you heard their voices coming from a distance. You groaned and rubbed your eyes. Your body was aching so bad that you felt like going back to sleep again. But then you remembered your plans for this night.

You got up and stepped outside the room, their voices were coming from the living room and when some of them caught your sleepy figure entering the room they sent a smile towards you.

"Y/n come eat with me. Others have already had their dinner and I will accompany you while the rest keep doing whatever they do at the moment." Yeosang called you from the table and patted the chair beside him. You were hungry but you didn't feel like eating anything because of all the emotions you had inside.

Is my decision okay?

You shook off the feeling and walked towards the table. Some returned back to discuss the topic they were busy with and the youngest of the two joined you both at the table.

"So, as we don't have a schedule this week. How about we go on a trip somewhere?" Wooyoung suggested and Yeosang nodded before urging to start eating.

Your heart ached when you heard the joy in his voice and how they were planning for the week.

"But can we not spend time inside the dorm? I don't feel like going out." Jongho whined.

"What do you say, y/n?" Yeosang asked and you glanced at him to your side but remained silent.

He shared a glance with Wooyoung before the younger one spoke up: "Hey! Do you want to stay inside or go out? We will decide after what you say."

"I......whatever you all will agree on." You mumbled softly.

"But-"

"I said whatever you guys will agree on! It doesn't matter what I say. You all will be off on your own." You stood up from the table and took deep breaths, "have fun without me. Whatever you guys do, enjoy yourself and live a happy life."

"Y/n...if-"

"Yeo I don't want to hear anything. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."

The moment you had to pass the couch where others were sitting but their attention was on you after you shouted at the table, Mingi grabbed your hand, "Are you okay?"

You glanced at the grip and to the others.

"You all are always meant for each other. The eight of you are soulmates and I'm just an extra character who acted as a villain in the group and destroyed your success with my scandal."

Hongjoong stood up, "Don't think like that. We can sort this out together."

"No. People already hate me for this and even if I try to claim myself innocent then all the fame I have already lost is never coming back. I'll still receive more hate. It wouldn't have happened if you guys really cared for me." You whispered the last line.

San scratched his neck and spoke up, "But you have us. Even if they hate you, we will show them that you are the best."

"But you don't have me. I can't do anything in return so it's better for me to move away from the scene so that you don't have a problem on your way to success. There's still a long way to go and I can't stop you all from that."

Seonghwa shook his head, "You are not stopping us. You keep us motivated, Y/n. You'll always be with us like the final missing piece of the puzzle."

"Sometimes there's an extra piece to distract you and confuse you and I'm that extra piece. You are already complete without me."

"Why are you thinking like this?" Mingi asked you softly.

"Because you all made me feel like this." You sighed and turned back but before stepping forward, you said loudly, "Just remember that even if I'm not with you all in this journey you all will move forward and achieve everything. You deserve a lot and on top of that, be happy. Don't let yourself fall apart because of a missing piece."

Your quick steps led you to your room and you fell on your bed. Cries getting muffled by the sheet and you pushed your face into it more. When you were saying those words earlier, you stood strong but deep down, your heart was heavy.

Time passed and you didn't realize when you fell asleep. A figure stepped inside your room, he smiled at your sleeping figure, his dimples peeking out even in the dark and his sharp eyes staring at you softly. He adjusted your body to a comfortable position and pulled you closer to him, lulling you to sleep. You mumbled something in your sleep and he smiled and patted your head. Soon, he fell asleep with you in his arms.

Now, this is the secret that nobody knows yet. You're dating all of them. Since the day of the debut you all found comfort in each other's arms. This can't be mentioned in the public media and nothing can be obvious if you are really dating one of them - let alone all of them. They're always so protective and showered you with love, making your heart warm and a wide smile visible on your face.

In many shows and interviews, you've referred to them as your strongest pillars of life and that you would be always thankful to them for being with you.

But lately it turned into a disaster after you all met her again after a year at the show when Minnie introduced herself to them and they became friends quickly. You didn't mind the friendship at first but when they started to blame you on whatever she tells them, they started pointing out her right proving you wrong in every aspect.

She really had to destroy your career---even your relationship with them.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

"You are here?" Yunho yawned while nodding his head and rubbed his eyes while making his way towards the table after greeting the leader. "I thought you're the one sleeping with her."

Yunho shook his head before gulping down the water, "No. San told me that he wanted to sleep with her." Hongjoong nodded and turned his attention back to the food on the table.

The rest of them soon started to gather around in the living room. Wooyoung saw San coming last into the wide space but all alone. He creased his brows and asked him, "Isn't she coming for breakfast?" He put down the plate on the table.

"It'll soon be lunch time." Jongho said and laughed. Yeah, it's true that they woke up so late that they have passed the morning and it's already noon but they're still preparing breakfast.

San, who was still rubbing his eyes, looked at him and then around the room, "She isn't here?"

"No..."

"When I woke up, she was not in the bed."

Hongjoong stood up and took the phone in his hand before watching everyone in confusion,

"Did she tell any of you where she is going today? Does she have something to do?"

He dialed your number but the line was dead.

Mingi skipped to your room to see if you had left any sticky note but nothing was there. Wait. Not even your things were there. Only a few items were there but the photo frames with a few boxes were missing too. He went back into the living room to inform the others about it. They were so lost and confused about the situation when suddenly the doorbell rang.

Jongho quickly opened it to be greeted by their manager whose appearance was more serious than usual. She walked inside and looked at everyone before sighing and sitting on the chair near her, "Have you checked your phones?"

When they shook their heads and told her that they had just woken up. She turned her phone screen around to take a look at it.

'Y/n, the member of Ateez is leaving the group...'

San snatched the phone from her hand and scrolled down the whole post only to find out the news was announced by their own company and there was also an apology letter from your side posted. So many things happened just in the morning.

"What is this? Where is she?" Hongjoong demanded a clarification of this situation from her but she only shook her head before brushing some strands of hair back.

"She has already left the place. These past few days, you were busy and didn't notice her preparing for this day so I was there to help her collect everything. I tried to change her decision, make her understand but she had already lost hope in this. She was so disturbed with the whole scandal and all."

"Can't we contact her?" Wooyoung asked her while tears were threatening to fall from his eyes.

"No. Your company has banned you from having any contact with a former member. I don't think it's good for your image."

"I don't care about my image. I want her back. How can she leave the group? And she didn't tell us anything about this the whole time..."

Seonghwa looked at the leader and sighed, "That's why she was saying things like that last night."

And now, they realized how they have ignored you all these past months just to believe that girl whom they had befriended and trusted so much that they doubted you on taking drugs and being jealous of others too much.

But their career can't be stopped here. They need to move forward on this journey - even if that means with a missing piece in their group.

>>>><<<<

[2 years later]

"8 makes 1 team...Hello we are Ateez."

The whole audience in the arena cheered. Ateez with wide smiles and sparkling eyes were watching their fans from overseas greeting them by shouting out their names. They felt so loved at that moment that they forgot the pain inside their heart, not getting to be loved by you anymore.

They love their fans a lot but your love was the precious one and when Yeosang realized that you were not there beside him in the choreography, tears fell from his eyes. It's already been 2 years but still everytime he cries during this step where you are no longer smiling while spinning with him in the center.

The concert went for two hours and they quickly changed into some casual wear afterwards and decided on takeout for the day.

The next day, at night they planned to stroll around the city and take in the view of the new place overseas and enjoy the place. They were not given any schedules for the vlog so they were free to roam around.

"I have seen this place just across the street that has a good variety of foods. Let's try it out." Yunho stated his search for this place and others agreed quickly.

All of them entered the big glass door of the restaurant and eyes roaming around in appreciation of the new place. The things decorating the tables, shelves and each corner with the soft melody of the overflowing music with the right amount of warmth and light were a perfect setting. Many customers turned towards them, a table with four girls recognized them but the rest just watched them curiously as they were standing awkwardly until a waiter offered them a helping hand.

They opted for a table at the very end as it was a bit away from the other tables and a bit hidden by a wooden rack.

They all settled down and the waiter waited for them to order. After a lot of complaints, whines, bickers and scolding, they had decided on the menu to be ordered finally.

For the time being, they were waiting for the food to arrive. They gossiped on a lot of stuff, few scrolling through Instagram and taking aesthetic pictures of the place but they don't forget to see any update from your private account. nothing. Jongho sighed and switched off his phone.

"Here is the food!" A cheerful voice made them look up at the person with two others trailing behind her. The girl didn't look at their faces but the eight boys from around the table were staring at her. she was joking with the girl beside her while placing all the bowls down the table. the other two left her when she turned around, "is there some-"

her voice got lost in her throat when she finally locked eyes with the ones watching her intently.

"y/n. you are here."

oh. they're having tours in this country. you're so busy these past few days that you didn't notice that they have announced the tour dates. yeah, even if you have left the group and moved away to a different country, you keep yourself updated with them.

you just can't get over them and this kills you inside.

"uh...um...congratulations on the comeback."

"Why did you leave the group? You don't even contact any of us." Hongjoong asked you from just the opposite direction from where you were standing.

"Isn't it obvious that I left the group not to keep in touch with you all?"

"But why?"

"Now your group is free from scandals and under no controversy. You all are having comebacks and your fans even forgot about me and giving you all the love you guys deserve. So what's the point of me being there." You chuckled in an unamused way.

Wooyoung stood up and suddenly hugged you catching you off guard, "you don't know how much we missed you. Everyday we thought that you'll call one of us or will show up to the front door. But you totally disappeared."

"It hurt us, baby. It hurts to not wake up to your side. It hurts not to see your smiling face and you walking around the dorm. Heck! I watched all the videos of you to hear your voice." San bit his lip to prevent himself from crying.

It hurts me too...

You just curled your fingers, wanting them to stop or you might break down in front of them. You thought after joining at your friend's restaurant that you won't ever come across your past life but who knew after two years here, you would be facing them again.

Licking your lips, you pushed Wooyoung off from you and eyed him before turning to them, "but you all became used to ignoring me then why suddenly you all are acting like this."

"No it's not like that."

"Really Mingi? Are you sure you're not the person who blamed me that for me all your hard work will be gone."

The chatters around the place increased with the entry of some more customers. Little did you know, your friend noticed the current situation you were in and she told other workers to take your place and not mind anything at the end table.

Jongho glared at Mingi but still he also knew that the news got them all shattered because it was their first accusation after the debut and they knew very well the cause of any controversy regarding a group. They all feared for their dreams to be crashing down.

But they were also worried for you. They all asked you about it but you're not the outspoken type and you remained silent and refused to talk to anyone. You distanced yourself from them when they hinted their anger towards you and it really scared you.

and that girl Minnie really played her wicked games with them at their weakest moment. "I'm sorry. Please forgive us for not being there for you. We-"

"Jongho, there's nothing to forgive or forget. I had some great memories with you all and I loved every moment but for me I don't want someone's dreams to end."

You weakly smiled at them.

"But what about you? How are you?" Seonghwa asked you while he approached you and held your hands in his, he caressed the soft skin and stared down.

"Honestly, I don't even know about myself. I'm totally living a different life. People don't recognize me after dying my hair and not wearing makeup and I don't come out often to serve the customers but unfortunately today I did and...."

"And what about the......drugs?"

"Joong-"

"It's okay Hwa. He is just obeying his rules being a leader." You bit your lip when retreating the hand from the hold, "those boxes in my bag were not drugs. Those were my anxiety pills. I used label-less boxes so that people won't know about my problems but that only led to some bigger problems."

Yunho stepped forward, "you had anxiety?" You nodded.

"What caused you this? I swear y/n tell me what happened to have this happen?" He was furious and you watched his impatient hand brushed his hair back.

"Yunho.....it's you guys. You all did this to me." After voicing out the words, you stared at them blankly.

"Us?" Yeosang asked you but also to himself.

"The ignorance. The blames and accusations adding up to the online comments on my posts were stressing me out and I had a consultation with my family psychiatrist." You sighed at the end of the sentence.

San suddenly asked you, "what about your dreams, y/n? You shared so many things with me with us. You planned a whole future with us. What about that?"

"I really wanted to spend my whole life with you all. To create so many memories together but I think those will just remain as dreams because of the rumors. Even if I want to get back. I won't because it would hamper your future and dream."

"But who spread the rumors on drugs?" Hongjoong sat down and held his head.

"It's-... it's..." you bit your lips and proceeded, "it's nothing. You don't have to worry about it now. I'm out of this whole thing and you are all free from all controversial posts."

You tried to smile but the tears falling from your eyes betrayed you.

"You are not coming back to us?" Yunho held your hand, he held it so dearly as if you were a delicate person. He didn't want to let it go but still somewhere in your eyes he saw the distance between you both.

There was no sign of love from you.

"No."

Jongho came in front of your view, "but please we need you. It's no more the same feelings without you. There's really a missing piece in our life." He gulped the lump of sadness and continued, "and, It's you, y/n."

"No you are a perfect team even without me. Eight makes a perfect team like you." You looked over all of them.

"And nine makes the perfect family." Seonghwa said in a hushed voice.

You shook your head, "then work on your teamwork and make it a family. I hope you will find a better girl for yourselves."

Wooyoung pushed aside Seonghwa and cupped your cheek and Hongjoong just stood behind him, watching you keenly.

"Please, y/n don't do this to me. I got to see you after two years and...and just for you to say leave me again?"

"Woo, people might be watching."

"I don't care."

"But I care. I have to work unlike you who will go back to your country after the tour ends. I have to stay back here and face these customers again and if somehow this scene got to the media then it'll be a new situation to handle. Please, I beg you. I don't want to be in a similar situation again."

You inhaled and continued, "and this time it won't be because of me but because of you. So stop before anything happens again."

" but you can stay with us. We can move out from the dorm and stay somewhere else. Also, you don't have to be with us for the sake of being a group member but as our girlfriend." Hongjoong said the words very precisely but you just laughed at him.

"You have lost the right to call me that way before. Don't say that word again. I hate it. I don't want to stay with any of you."

"But-"

"The food is getting cold. They worked hard in preparing this."

San held your hand when you stepped back, "At Least eat with us. Last time, you didn't even eat properly with us."

"Y/n, I miss you a lot." Yeosang looked at you with a longing feeling but you just ignored it.

I miss you all too...

And I know I shouldn't...

You took deep breaths, "I'm telling this to all of you. And it's my final wish to you so please kindly keep it. Just forget about me. You all have a long way to go to achieve success. Don't get stuck in the past. Pretend I never met you all. I was never a part of your life."

San gripped your wrist tighter.

Hongjoong said in a low voice, "this is impossible for us to do. How can we forget you? How can we forget all the memories of us?"

You stared at the grip and glanced at his face. He had changed a lot in these two years and the maturity in his voice and demeanor was visible.

He stared at you helplessly and waited for your response. You removed the grip and turned around.

"Enjoy the meal!"

How can they just eat now? They all have lost their appetite after this and the way you didn't even turn back to them for the last time left them staring at your direction until you disappeared behind the door beside the desk.

You entered the door and tears slid down your cheek and whispered to yourself, "pretend I was just a missing piece of your dream."

[I just realized that I don't know how to write 9th member aus like what did I write here. It could have been better but still I tried so appreciate me🥹]

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[open!]

[dreamescapeswriting]

Stray Kids Reaction || How You Meet [Mafia Edition]

⤜Copyright: © DreamEscapesWriting - September 2023

⤜MASTERLIST

TW: Mentions of violence and guns

A/N: I had so much fun writing the next lot of reactions, you have no idea!!!

CHAN:

There was something in the air today, something that was fucking up your life and you weren't enjoying it. It was as if the world had looked at you today and decided that it was your turn to have the worst luck in the history of the universe. You'd gotten fired, fallen into the canal, and got an eviction letter all in one day and yet the universe was still throwing curve balls at you since you'd just almost gotten hit by a car.

"Are you okay?!" Your friend questioned as you stood against the brick wall your head resting against the brick as you did your best to calm down your racing heart. The car had been inches away from hitting you until she pulled you away and you would have been dead if she wasn't with you. Your hands were shaking as you tried to take in some deep breaths and steady yourself a little, Your eyes scanned the road as you saw the car that almost barrelled you down pulling into the layby next to you.

"Listen! Creep! If you're going to yell at her for being in the road maybe you should drive like a normal person!" Katarina said before you could stop her, the man stared at her before disregarding her entirely and staring you down. He was almost 6 foot tall, bald and had a giant scar running down the left side of his face,

"Don't stare her down! It might work on other people but Yn here isn't going to back down, we'll sue you! You were driving over the speed limit! We could have you arrested," You put your hand on Katarina's arm trying to get her to cool her jets,

"Leave it, Kat, he didn't hit me." You begged as you shook your head, as soon as this day was over the better. All you wanted to do was go home to bed and sleep it all off like nothing had happened but you wouldn't go back to a bed, you were going back to Kat's sofa bed,

"I won't leave it! He could have killed you!" She yelled out drawing attention from those around you when you heard another car door shut, you glanced in the direction of the car to see a man making his way toward you.

"What do you want?!" Katarina yelled out making a few of the women that were watching the exchange gasp out.

"Are you okay?" The question was directed at you by the man who spoke with an Australian accent, your eyes stuck on him as you took in a small intake of breath. The man was stunning to look at, his eyes felt as though they were piercing into your soul as you stared back at him, slowly nodding.

"Are you sure? It must have scared you." The man stated as he continued to look at you, searching for any sign that you might be lying to him.

"I've told him countless times to drive the speed limit around here but he never listens," He admitted to you, though it was only partially true. When Chan needed to get somewhere he would, he didn't care who was on the roads but after seeing you so scared there was something inside of him that scared him, the aching urge to want to protect you took over his body.

"Y-Yes, fine. Just shook up," You admitted as Kat stared at you, narrowing her eyes at the man and then at you before she smirked a little. It was obvious that you were attracted to the man, though it was lost on Kat as to why since his driver had almost hit you.

"She would be better if you took her for some tea, you know, to make up for your driving almost killing her." Your eyes shot in her direction but she refused to look at you, instead, she chose to stare at the man that was apologising to you,

"Kat!" You hissed out, was she out of her mind? One second she was ready to fist fight the person who had almost hit you and now she was attempting to set you up.

"She's right, I should take you for some tea to steady your nerves. It's the least I can do," Chan said as he watched you, his eyes hadn't left your face since the moment he got out of the car and you swallowed the lump that was forming in your throat.

"Text me when you're done," Kat winks at you, walking away so that you can't decline the offer of tea and you whimper a little.

"I'm Chan, it's lovely to meet you...?" He stated his name so that it wouldn't feel too weird going to get something to drink with a stranger.

"Yn." You told him as he took your hand in his and gently lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently as you felt your body warm at the whole interaction.

MINHO:

You would have to be stupid not to know who the man standing inside of the animal shelter was right now, you'd also have to be stupid to be the one serving him and yet here you were. In fairness, you'd been the only one brave enough to stay and see what Minho could have wanted in a place like this. It wasn't every day the local mafia leader walked into a cat shelter and began looking around for something.

"Could I help Mr Lee?" You quizzed walking toward him and trying to remain as calm as possible. He was alone here, no guards following him, none of his men looking out for him it was just him and it worried you. Was he going to put this place out of business? You hoped not, this was your favourite job ever and you didn't want the cats to have to suffer,

"I'm looking to adopt," He told you without looking at you, instead he was staring into the crate of a sleeping set of kittens. 

"They were abandoned a few nights ago, I found them on my way home." You admitted,

"How could anyone ever abandon something as cute as a cat?" He sighed standing up straight and turning around to face you, you smiled up at him warmly and his breath was completely taken away from him. You were beautiful, there was no doubt about it as he stared down at you,

"I do have some older cats though, if you'd prefer some older cats." You suggested, pointing behind you at the countless cages that lined the walls all filled with at least one cat.

"Do you care for them all?" He questioned, taking out his phone and making sure he could have everything that needed to be done, done as soon as possible.

"Yep. I do it with the help of my workers, we want to make sure every cat has someone that would love them in their life," You smiled at yourself, it was something you'd stood by for years and always would stand by.

"What if they don't get adopted by a certain time frame?" You knew what he was asking and you hated it, you'd always hated shelters that took that option.

"They stay, as long as they need." You told him plainly, you stared him down waiting for him to ask you what he was trying to ask you properly.

"You don't..." He swallowed nervously, "You don't kill them?" He questioned and you shook your head, there was no way you could ever cause harm to another animal's life.

"I could never." He nods at you, smiling brightly as he thinks about it all.

"I wish I could take them all." He admitted and you instantly let out a giggle before slapping your hand over your mouth.

"What's so funny?" He arched a brow at you, you seemed so relaxed around him which was something he wasn't entirely used to and he was enjoying it.

"I just wouldn't expect someone of your...profession, to be so fond of cats." He eyed you up a little and let out a small chuckle. If there was anything this interaction was teaching him it was that he wanted to spend more time with you,

"There's a lot you don't know about me." 

"I suppose." You shrugged, looking down at the clipboard as you thought about a cat that would be perfect for him. You would have preferred an elder cat go with him rather than kittens, Everyone wanted a kitten but not many people considered caring for older cats.

"Something you could get to know if you really wanted." He told you before your head shot up and you stared at him a little confused as he smirked at you.

"We'll discuss our date once the work is done," He told you before putting his phone away, once he got the confirmation that everything could be done he was ready.

"The work? Our date?" You questioned, completely shocked by both of the things he'd thrown at you.

"I'll take every cat," He said plainly as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"What? Where would you keep them all? I need to do some background checks, and house checks to make sure everything is okay for the cats." You told him but he shook his head and smiled warmly at you. He knew he would never pass a house inspection and the only answer was for them to stay here,

"They'll stay here and we'll have to make some changes."

"Changes?" You quizzed, following him as he walked through the small room you were single of.

"Yes, if we're going to let cats live here then we're going to turn this into a cattery. A huge place for them to explore, I can have my contractors here earliest by next week."

"But-" You tried to say something but he was already quick on the ball with it.

"I'll pay for everything."

"That's not what-" You were more worried about whether or not you could stay, or your workers. What did all of this even mean?

"You'll keep your job, anyone you want to stay will stay." He told you before you glared at him, he might have scared everyone else but not you.

"Do you have an answer for everything?" You asked snarkily, placing your hands on your hips,

"I don't have an answer about our date." He told you before you eyed him up,

"I won't date my employer."

"Good, because I'm not the employer. You work at the cattery where I just happen to own all of the cats," He smirked at you making your whole body burn,

"You won't give up...Will you?" He shook his head and you sighed, rolling your eyes before agreeing to the date with him. After all, it was just one date. Right?

CHANGBIN:

You clutched the strap on your bag pressing it against your chest, keeping your head down as you walked under the street lights and in plain view of the stores so that if you went missing, someone would see. You were doing everything right, you didn't have earphones in, and you kept yourself aware of your surroundings without looking anyone in the eyes. Living in a dangerous city you knew every rule that there was to keep yourself safe and you were following it all to the T.

"Hey, pretty lady!" Someone yelled from in front of you but you didn't even acknowledge it, you kept moving and ignored the way he called after you. 

"Don't fucking ignore me! You're not better than me!" He slurred, clearly drunk and that terrified you even more. Drunk men didn't care about anything but themselves,

"Talk to me!" He yelled out, he was quickly gaining on you and you didn't want to run, if you ran it would ensure a chase and the last thing you wanted was to be sprinting and getting tired. So you headed in the direction of a local bar, the one you worked in and you knew you'd be safe there. It might have been owned by one of the scariest men in the city but it was also the safest place for women...well for everyone. Changbin would make sure everyone who worked there or even entered was protected it was one of the things you admired about the man. You were seconds away from reaching the door but none of the bouncers were on duty right now. 

"Don't fucking run away from me!" A hand was clasped around your wrist and you were shoved roughly against the wall, you let out a small high-pitched groan and the man smirked.

"You can't go anywhere now." He told you, leaning down and looking at you as you glared at him. All you had to do was buy some time, you could eventually kick him in the dick and slide into the bar but right now it was a waiting game. Waiting for him to fuck up.

"I suggest you leave her alone before you lose your hand," A voice said from the left of you, your head turned to see Changbin staring at you with a very unimpressed look on his face.

"Leave me and my girlfriend alone," He grumbled but you looked at Changbin with pleading eyes. It was obvious this wasn't your boyfriend,

"Last I checked, Miss Yn here didn't have a boyfriend. In fact, she's due to be on stage in a few minutes." You were a little taken aback. Did he know you? You worked for him sure but that didn't mean he knew the details of your life.

"Who do you think you are?!" The man slurred, and you stared at the side of his head. How did he not know Changbin? That was neither here nor there, you took your opportunity while he was distracted to draw your knee in between his legs as he grunted letting go of you so you sprinted toward Changbin who was smirking at you impressed by you.

"Good move, beautiful." Your body flamed at the compliment coming from Changbin. This was the first time you were officially meeting him, you worked for him but the two of you had never actually spoken until tonight.

"I'll fucking kill you!" The man grunted, standing up straight as he made his way toward you but Changbin grabbed his wrist and within seconds the man's chest was pressed against the wall with his arm pinned between his shoulder blades.

"You owe the lady an apology. You already tested my patience enough tonight." Changbin told him with a small growl in his throat, the thought of someone hurting you drove him wild.

"Fuck. You." The man was released and Changbin let out a cocky smile, looking at you,

"Turn away princess, I don't want you to have to see this." You did as you were told and heard the familiar sound of a gun going off before two men moved to go to Changbin. When it was finally clear for you to turn around Changbin was smiling,

"You have tonight off, let me drive you home." You nodded as he wrapped his jacket around your shoulders and made his way over to the black bently that was waiting for him.

"I'll come and get you every night from now on. I don't want anything to happen to you," He suggested as you got into the car, your eyes on him as you smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Mr. Seo," You sat down and did up the belt as Changbin smiled at you, he was going to woo you and he didn't care how long it was going to take.

"Call me Changbin, please." You nodded and smiled a little, the two of you heading in the direction of your apartment.

HYUNJIN:

Your hands graced along the paint brushes in front of you, You were trying to find some new painting supplies and the brushes you'd purchased last week weren't good for you. The bristles were falling out and staying on your paintings and you needed something better, which was how you'd ended up in one of the most expensive painting supplies shops in the city. From the moment you walked in you could feel eyes on you and it was making you completely uncomfortable, did they think you were going to try and steal from them or something?

"I recommend these." A voice said as he reached out for a boxed set of brushes, your eyes slowly looked up at him and you let out a small gasp. This man was beautiful, truly, You could barely believe your eyes as you stared at him. Seriously, was this man from a painting? You could have sworn people this beautiful only existed in paintings or fictional works.

"They're by my favourite painter and they're perfect for everything. The bristles have minimal fallout, if any, I've never seen any in my work." He told you as you continued to stare at him with your mouth hanging open a little, it was incredible just to look at him. You must have looked insane to anyone watching you so you quickly snapped from your trance,

"Thanks." You smiled looking at the price tag and your face fell a little, there was no way you'd be able to pay for these today or maybe if ever,

"I think I should look somewhere more in my price range though,  ₩2M is a little out of my sights." You laughed a little awkwardly and he chuckled a little, they were a little bit on the expensive side but they were certainly worth it.

"How about I get them for you?" He suggested making you laugh a little until you realise he was serious about it.

"Why would you do that? I couldn't pay you back."

"You could, by letting me take you to dinner." You were a little shaken up, a man was offering to buy you expensive brushes and take you out to dinner? Where were the cameras? Because you were pretty sure this was some kind of prank.

"That's very sweet but you don't know me, I don't know you." You shrugged at him, you weren't going to accept a date from someone you didn't know.

"I'm Hyunjin, there...Now you know me." He smiled warmly at you as if this was something he did all of the time and maybe it was, but this wasn't your thing. You didn't date random men from paint stores, nor did you accept gifts from them.

"For all you know, I could be some kind of serial killer." You told him making him laugh as he looked at you,

"Oh, I think I'd know about that," After all, he knew everything and everyone who lived in his city. If there was a killer on the loose he would know about it and you certainly didn't look like the type.

"Mr Hwang, your car is ready." Hyunjin nodded and smiled at the worker,

"Thank you. Please make sure my friend's paintbrushes and anything else she touches, or looks at is paid for by me." The women behind the tills nodded and you shook your head, there was no way.

"What? No." You laughed a little but it was clear he wasn't going to take no as an answer to this,

"I'll see you around," He winks at you smirking as he heads out of the small store and you look at the other workers that were glaring in your direction clearly not happy with how that had transpired.

"Do you even know who that was?" It was obvious by her tone that she was annoyed by you,

"N-No." You stuttered, watching as the man got into the back of a car and disappeared from your sight.

"Hwang Hyunjin. Good luck, he's relentless when he sees something he wants." Before you could ask what she meant she was going toward the back of the store while you looked around nervously.

JISUNG:

The storm wasn't supposed to come for hours yet, you thought you had time to quickly head out and get everything you were going to need for the power cut but clearly not. You were practically Olympic sprinting through the streets trying to find somewhere you could hide out from the lightening. You pushed yourself into a bar and the group of men all stood up and stared at you, your eyes scanned over them all as you waited for them to say something,

"S-Sorry." You coughed out, looking at them all as they all had their hands placed on the waistbands of their pants where there were guns sitting, and your eyes widened. What the fuck had you just walked into?

"Stand down. It's clear the girl is cold and wet." A voice said as you looked around at the men who slowly sat back down and their hands removed from their guns.

"Come in, can I get you a hot drink?" Your eyes landed on the man sitting at the head of the table, dressed in a sharp suit and smiling warmly at you. You knew who he was instantly and now you were starting to regret walking into this bar, you should have braved the storm. There was no way you were going to stay with Han Jisung and his men, you knew better than to try and brave out a mafia leader.

"I'll just head out-" Before you could finish your sentence you let out a scream as the thunder boomed above the bar and the lights shut off.

"Someone put the battery generators on. Make her a hot chocolate," Jisung ordered as he made his way over to you, taking your jacket off and handing it to one of his men who left with it.

"You're soaking, we should get you in some warm clothes," You looked at him as he smiled down at you, you knew who he was and you knew he was a man that wasn't meant to be trusted. A man who you'd heard horror stories about and yet he was being so kind and caring toward you right now.

"I'll be okay," You shook your head, you had no idea why he was being so nice to you and you didn't want to stick around and find out.

"Nonsense. Get her some of my clothes!" He snapped at his men and you stared at him as he sat you down in a booth, the two of you pressed close together and he smiled down at you again.

"I'm Jisung, but judging by your hasty attempt at an exit you knew that," You nodded at him and he chuckled a little shaking his head, he hated that you seemed so scared of him. The rumours about him were harsh and hardly any of them were true.

"I'm Yn...I-I heard you didn't like people bothering you so I didn't want to get into trouble." You stuttered out and a hot chocolate was placed in front of you, Jisung took your hands and placed them around the cup trying to warm you up.

"You could never get in trouble with me, drink up." He told you as you smiled a little, relaxing as he sat back in the seat and waited for his men to come with some warmer clothes for you.

"We'll get you dressed nice and warm and we can have another talk," He suggested as you nodded, thanking him for the drink in front of you and trying not to get too nervous about him or the storm that was still happening.

FELIX:

Your eyes scanned around the room as you tried to figure out why you'd been called into the office of your CEO and why you were left alone without someone watching you. All you knew was that there was a very huge man waiting at your desk this morning asking for you to follow him and now you were inside of the CEO's office bouncing your leg nervously. There was no escape, Goliath was manning the door from outside and even if you somehow got passed him there were over 50 flights of stairs to get down.

"Ah! Miss YLN, lovely to see you." Your eyes landed on your boss who had a giant smile on his face and it made you more nervous. You did everything within your power to stay hidden inside of your job, you did everything mediocre so there was no chance of getting noticed, no chance of being seen and brought up to the office. Clearly, that plan had failed you.

"Mr Russo, it's nice to see you. But, could I please ask why I'm here?" You swallowed the lump in your throat but before Dante Russo could answer you the door opened and shut again,

"Good luck," Dante whispered before practically sprinting out of the room and leaving you alone with the man who had just walked in and you knew exactly why you were there.

"Yn, I've heard a lot about you," Felix said as he smiled at you, your whole body was suddenly burning as you stared at him.

"Mr Lee." You said as you got up from the chair and shuffled your back toward the desk. If you weren't nervous before you certainly were now and with good reason. Last week you broke into Felix's bank account and you thought you'd done it successfully and undetected but you were wrong.

"Don't look so scared. I just want to talk to you." He suggested as he walked around the desk and took a seat in your boss's chair, you were quick to sit back down and watch him. Maybe it was possible he didn't know about the money. There was so much of it in the account you could be sure he wouldn't know the exact amount anyway,

"What can I do for you?" You quizzed as he looked at you, smirking a little. He enjoyed that you were trying your best to stay confident given the situation,

"What did you do with the money? I assume you didn't keep it since you still work here," Your breath caught in your throat and you eyed him up. He looked back at you, giving you no indication that he was angry or even annoyed at you for it and there was no use lying to him.

"I gave it to people more in need of it." You shrugged trying to play it off as though your heart wasn't ready to leap from your chest and run away.

"Hmm, smart." He smiled a little and let out a small sigh, something had to be done but he wasn't here to punish you. Far from it, he knew that the hacking into his system was easy and you'd been one of the best hackers so far. Hardly left a trace, the only reason you were even caught was because of the pattern of hacking, Every hacker had a signature and yours was all over his bank account.

"I don't regret it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, your security system sucks." If you were going to get killed for breaking in you were at least going to tell him the truth.

"Which is why I'm hiring you to fix it." He said plainly,

"And another thing- What?" You stared at him completely dumbfounded and he let out a laugh,

"You're one of the best, I want to get you to fix it. Fix every computer issue I have and we'll forgive this little...impass." He told you as your mouth fell open a little.

"Work for you?" You weren't sure if this was some kind of trap to lure you into a false sense of security so he could kill you or not.

"You'll be handsomely paid." He shrugged but you were still a little confused as to why he would hire someone that stole from him.

"You're offering me a job? I thought you'd kill me."

"You took less than most would have and not for selfish reasons...I'll hire you, but if anything else goes missing I won't be so lenient. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir." You nodded as his smile grew larger, it was going to be a pleasure doing business with you.

"Perfect, let's head to my car then," He smiled as he waited for you to stand and leave with him.

SEUNGMIN:

"Everyone out!" Someone bellowed before a gunshot sounded making people scream out. You clutched onto the dress you'd been trying on inside of the changing room and slid down the wall. What the fuck was going on?

"Now!" Another voice screamed, you grabbed your bag trying to search through it for your phone when the curtain was pulled back and a gun was aimed at you. Your phone dropped to the floor, shattering instantly as you bit down on your lip,

"Didn't you hear me? Out!" You looked at the man who continued to aim a gun at you, there was no way you could leave. The dress wasn't done up meaning your back was bare for everyone and if you tried to go outside there was a chance your breasts would be out for anyone to see.

"I'm barely dressed, p-please...Just let me get changed." You hated that you were begging but you weren't about to walk into the streets in a dress that wasn't done up and showed off your cleavage. 

"No." He grumbled at you before a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"John!" A voice screamed from behind the man in front of you,

"Allow the lady to get dressed." Your eyes looked behind the giant man in front of you to see Kim Seungmin standing there. You'd heard stories about him, but you'd never seen him in person.

"Are you okay? Did he scare you?" He questioned, pushing the man out of the way and holding out a hand for you to take, you carefully took it and stood up. Your eyes stared into Seungmins as you tried to find the words to speak but you couldn't, you were too stunned by how handsome he was. The photos didn't do him any justice.

"Miss?" He questioned again once he realised you hadn't answered him.

"O-Oh...I'm okay," You stuttered looking down at the floor, kicking yourself for looking like a fool in front of him.

"You look very beautiful. Did you finish trying the dress on before you were interrupted?" Your eyes met with his once more and you shook your head,

"Spin for me," He spoke softly and you nodded, holding the fabric tightly against your chest as you turned around. One of Seungmin's hands came to rest on your hip while the other did the zip on the back of the dress until it was completely secure. Your whole body tingled and you could have sworn every hair on your body stood to attention as you caught his gaze in the mirror.

"It's stunning, this colour suits your skin tone beautifully." He told you as you nodded at him a little shy about what to say in response to him, 

"Where will you be wearing this?" He quizzed, interested to know if it was a date you were preparing for or if he had a chance to take you out on it himself.

"Erm...I have a charity event I'm attending this week." He nods at you,

"Perfect, you'll be the most beautiful woman there." He told you before looking at the cashier,

"I'll be buying this for the young lady and anything else she'd tried on before."

"But-" You couldn't protest him as he smiled, holding your hand in his.

"Please, it's my way of saying sorry for our rude interruption. There was no need for my men to burst inside," You nodded at him and he ran his hand over your cheek a little.

"Save me a dance at the event," He whispered before leaving you staring at the place where he had once been standing, your mouth falling open again as you thought about it all.

JEONGIN: 

"This is outrageous! I demand to know who thinks they can just walk in here and buy this place right from under me!" You slammed your hands on your desk and stared at the two brutes who had walked into your office carrying three briefcases and telling you that they were buying you out.

"Our boss would like to remain private." The shortest one said as you smirked cockily at him, There was no way you were going to lose this place. You weren't in any money troubles, the hotel was doing better than you could have expected it to after you bought it from your uncle.

"And I like to have my hotel remain in my ownership. Either you bring your pussy of a boss in here or you leave with bullet holes in your head." You took the gun from your top drawer and placed it on the desk to let them know that you were serious. You weren't a killer, but it was always nice to put on a front to anyone who thought that they could mess with you.

"I'm not a pussy, they just like to screen my business opportunities before I come in." Your eyes landed on the man standing in the doorway and you instantly regretted getting the gun out. Yang Jeongin. Never in a million years did you think he would be standing in your office.

"Mr Yang." You didn't let yourself stutter, you weren't going to show weakness in front of him.

"Out. Both of you." He snapped as the two men left the room leaving you and Jeongin alone, he made his way over to your mini bar and poured himself a drink,

"Your hotel is lovely and what my two men didn't explain is that I won't be buying it out from under you. I want to go into business with you," You eyed him up, why would someone who owns half of the city want your hotel. It was a skipping stone in his ocean,

"This place isn't worth that much. It's nothing."

"Ah, but it's everything. It's my favourite place to stay," You looked at him, you'd never have him stay with you. You would have known about it since you checked almost every standing account that you have on record. The only time you knew Jeongin had stayed was years and years ago,

"My father stayed when your uncle owned this, I remember playing in the foyer as a child. If I recall I played with a lovely young lady too and we were the best of friends."

"You remember that?" You were a little stunned. You hadn't expected him to remember someone as small on the scale as you. The two of you had been allowed to play together since his father stayed so often and you always hung out together since you were always here.

"I remember everything," He sat down in the chair that was in front of your desk and smiled.

"Now I would be happy to negotiate the price and details with you." He told you as he relaxed in the seat, taking a sip of the bourbon he'd poured for himself.

"Lovely, let's start." You took out a pen and a pad of paper ready to hash this all out with him but he chuckled and shook his head. He wasn't going to do business here, he wanted to wine and dine you first. 

"Over dinner. Let me take you out."

"Jeognin." You rolled your eyes, ever since you were kids he'd had a crush on you and it was obvious it had stayed with him growing up.

"I do business better with food." You sighed at him but nodded your head, you knew he would only continue to ask until you agreed and free food was harmless.

"Fine. I'm free tonight. You can pick me up from here."

Tagline: @chiisaiblog @hanasonmi @sw33tnight @taestannie @acciocriativity @scarletemeterio @halesandy @aerastus @laylasbunbunny @critssq @lenfilms @btsiguess-kpop @meowmeowisdaname @imafivestarkpopstan @lost-leopard-beanie @djeniryuu @backintomykpopphaseagain @choisoorin

[themorningsunshine]

Brownies

Pie eyed over you : Chapter 2 

Mafia - Baker AU

Masterlist                        Series Masterlist

Previous Part

Pairing - Mafia!Bucky x Baker!Reader

Summary - When a new baker in town refuses to abide by his rules, Bucky has no option but to go and take care of it himself. But nothing could prepare him for what stood on the other side. Nothing could prepare him for you.

Warnings - Nothing in this one

Word count - 3.9k

a/n - And here is the second part to the Pie-eyed over you series. I am SO grateful for the love all of you have shown to the first part and I am really excited for you guys to read this. This will (hopefully) not be a very long series but I haven’t decided on how I want it to go so updates might be slow. Please bare with me.Also, let me know what you guys want to see in this story :)

He looks around once before stepping out of the car.

The area is as lively as the last time he had seen it.

Not a lot of changes in 5 days, Bucky 

He can see the bakery from where his car is parked.

He didn't have a reason to be here. For some reason, he hadn't demanded the money last time he was here and he was pretty sure it won't change this time either.

But there was something about this bakery.

It's the cakes. He tells himself, but his suddenly quickening heart tells a different story.

He walks towards the bakery and sees you standing behind the counter, with a small smile on your face, which seems like your default setting, looking at the registers. And just like last time, Bucky's steps falter for a moment before he takes a deep breath as if his lungs had suddenly been deprived of air before walking again.

As he opens the door, the bells above his head jingle and notify you of a new customer.

.

When you look up from the register, your smile grows and turns into a slightly teasing one as you look at the man standing in front of you. You were relieved. Was it okay that you kinda hoped he would come back?

As he walked towards the counter, you spoke up, "Can I say, 'I told you so'?"

Bucky rolled his eyes but couldn't help the way his lips were turning slightly upwards. "Come on, sweets. We both know you wanted me to come back."

Your breath hitches in your throat at both the nickname and the comment. You clear your throat, willing yourself to speak, "Of course I did. It's good for business, you know." You tried to sound composed but the smile on your face gave it away.

Bucky chuckled as he took the seat beside the counter and looked at the case full of sweets in front of him. It was still the early hours of the day and there weren't a lot of people in the bakery, except for a couple sitting in the corner and a teenage girl sipping coffee while working on her laptop.

"So, what do you want today?"

You. Bucky's eyes widened as a voice from inside him replied almost instantly and he had to look up to make sure he hadn't said it out loud. What the hell was happening to him? He clears his throat and replies, "Surprise me"

You smile at him before bending to pick up a couple of brownies from the case putting them on a plate and passing them to him. "Just made them. Try and tell me how they are." There was a glint in your eyes and Bucky knew that he could never not like anything you made.

He picked up a brownie and took a bite. As it melted into his mouth, a perfectly sweet taste filling his senses, he closed his eyes and moaned.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and clenched your thighs together at his reaction. "Sweets, this is the best damn thing I've ever had."

You chuckled as red color crept up to your neck at the praise. "Glad you liked it, James."

"Liked it? I love it, sweets." He spoke before taking another bite from the brownie.

You stood there for a moment, just looking at him. There was something about him. A rough exterior, covered in dark clothes from top to bottom, but there were moments like these where you saw just how soft he was beneath all that and for some reason, you just couldn't take your eyes off the man who was eating your brownie as if a second without them would kill him.

The sound of the bells jingling at the door brought you out of your daze. You looked at him once more before walking towards the other end of the counter to the middle-aged woman who had just walked in.

When Bucky finished one of his brownies and forced himself to not instantly reach for the other one, he looked around. The bakery wasn't that large. A small, cozy place with a few decorations. Filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies and cakes, it was warm and inviting. It was so you.

Bucky's eyes landed on a shelf beside the counter and his feet brought him to it before his mind could catch up. It was a small shelf but lined with books.

The books looked old as if they had been read over and over again but well kept. Cherished. He brought his flesh hand to one of the books and slowly picked it up.         To kill a mockingbird

He stared at the cover for a moment, before walking back to his seat, with the book in hand.

As he opened the book to the first chapter, the words brought him to a time long gone. An easier time.

He used to read a lot, as much as he could anyways. He liked books. They were an escape. The stories made him forget about the struggles of his own life.

But that was a habit long gone. Another thing he loved that was lost to time.

He starts reading it before he knows what he is doing and instinctively reaches for the brownie on the plate, taking a bite.

You look up from the cash drawer, eyes drifting to the man who has been occupying your thoughts more than you would like to admit.

He is engrossed in a book and his furrowed brows as he focuses on the book and the soft look in his eyes as he skims through the pages has your heart fluttering. You notice the brownies on his plate are almost gone now and trying your best as to not disturb him, you place another two on the plate and watch as he reaches into the plate without looking away from his book and takes a bite. You smile to yourself before getting back to the kitchen to prepare an order of cupcakes.

＊*•̩̩

Bucky looks up as he feels eyes staring at him, only to be met by your y/e/c ones.

"Finally, and I thought you will finish the whole book in one go." You said, letting out a chuckle.

Bucky narrows his eyes. Sure, the page he was on and the feel of the chair proved that he had been there for long, but it couldn't have been that long, right? "How long has it been?"

You smile at him before tilting your head towards the little clock adorning the walls and Bucky's eyes widen. It had been 2 hours. What the hell had happened to his sense of time?

He hadn't felt this at peace in ... a very long time. He looked down at his plate which still had a small piece of a brownie left and he could swear he could still taste it in his mouth. How many had he really eaten?

Your voice brought him out of his thoughts. "So.." You kept your head on your fist and leaned on the table with a teasing smile on your face and it was becoming difficult for him to focus on the outside world. "And this is a wild guess. Like, completely random. You like reading?"

He let out a chuckle before thinking about your question. "I used to." 

"What happened?" You ask with genuine curiosity. He looks at you and realizes that you're not asking just for the sake of it. You want to know. You want to know him.

"Life. Life happened." He replies, only because he can't get himself to lie to you.

"Come on, James. If we are not able to find time for the things we love, are we really living?"

He looks at you as if pondering over your words. It wasn't that easy.

"I know what you should do." You stood before taking the book away from him, dog-earing the page before sliding it back towards him. "Here, take this book with you."

When he narrowed his eyes, you continue, "Take it with you and read it. When you're done, come back and return it to me." You explain as if it was the simplest thing in the world. As if giving him one of your favorite books that you had cherished for so long wasn't a big deal at all.

Bucky shook his head. "Nope, no, sweets. I am not taking it."

"Come on. You don't leave a book in the middle if you like it. It's a crime."

"Then I'll just buy it from the bookshop. This is yours." He said before sliding the book back towards you.

"We both know you won't do that. Come on, James. Just take it."

He picked up the book and slid it into his metal hand, knowing that there was no use in arguing with you but said with a smirk. "Careful there, sweets. Or I'll think you're giving me this book because you want me to come back."

As if on cue, the bell of the entrance dings notifying you of a customer. So, you turn back to look at him for the last time before saying, "Maybe I do."

And Bucky really hopes it's true.

*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*

He comes back a week later.

And the week after that.

He comes to the bakery every week until it becomes a routine. A part of him. A part engraved in his life as if it had always been there. It's simple.

He would come to the bakery, the book you gave to him last week tugged under his arms. Sometimes he would be finished with it, other times, he would just promise to return it the next week. You didn't mind. Not till he kept showing up.

He would sit beside the counter, ordering whatever it was you recommended. When you asked him how it was, he would always reply with 'The best damn thing I've ever had.' and he could swear to god he meant it every single time.

The both of you would talk, as much as you could anyways and Bucky found that being around you was the simplest part of his whole week, and the most precious too. It was his little escape. A time when he didn't care what was happening. About the people working for him or the people behind his life, he couldn't care less. All that mattered was that he was there, in the middle of a little bakery, eating sweets and talking to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

You didn't mind either. Somehow, every single time the bell of the entrance jingled, you silently hoped it was the same beautiful blue eyes that you just couldn't take your mind off.

The only trouble was, it is really easy to get distracted from running a bakery all alone when you have a guy like him sitting there, carefree and yet intimidating as if he owned the place. It was very distracting.

And one day, you let him know exactly that. It had been a month since he had shown up at the bakery for the first time. A book on the table and a plate of cookies, talking to you as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist.

You walked back from the cash register after handling a customer before speaking up, "You know, I have a bakery to run, James, and you are pretty much the most distracting person here." Even though your words were borderline harsh, you let him know through your teasing tone that you were just kidding. Him stopping to come to the bakery was the last thing you wanted.

"Aww, come on, sweets. We both know I am your favorite customer." He replied with a smug look on his face and you didn't know if you wanted to slap it from his face or kiss it. Definitely the latter.

"You wish, James."

.

As if on cue, the bell of the door jingles, and Bucky looks that way to see a young pregnant lady with a blond man standing at the door.

He looks back at you to find you grinning from ear to ear and watches as you practically run from behind the counter towards them and engulf the woman in a big hug, angling yourself so as to not hurt the evident bump.

When you do the same with the blonde man, the air surrounding Bucky suddenly thickens and he realizes he isn't going to like this man much. But it was just because he is blonde. Bucky has never liked blonde guys.

You say something to the both of them before bringing them inside towards a table near to where Bucky is sitting and helping the pregnant lady on a chair. You still have the widest grin on your face when you turn toward him.

"James, this is my best friend, Wanda, and her elder brother, Pietro." You said before pointing towards them.

"He is literally elder than me by 13 minutes." The brunette points at you accusingly as you snicker.

"Still older." The blonde replies with an accent just like his sister.

"Guys, this is James." You point toward him and Bucky watches as something flashes through Wanda's eyes and her lips turn into a teasing smirk.

"So, he is THE James Barnes." She brought her hand towards him to shake before continuing, "She has told me so much about you."

At this, Bucky turns towards you with a smirk on his face and raised brows and watches as your cheeks turn red. Just then, the oven dings and you thank heavens for the distraction, "That's my cue."

You turn back and walk towards the kitchen with hurried steps as Bucky's eyes follow your form, just like they always do. When you disappear into the kitchen and he finally takes his eyes off and turns back, he finds Wanda looking at him with narrowed eyes and a smirk as if she could read his mind.

Bucky cleared his throat, "So, how do you know y/n?"

"We met years ago when she came to visit here as a kid. Have been friends since."

Bucky shook his head but clenched his jaw when she still didn't remove her accusing stare from him.

Pietro, sensing the slight tension between them, tried breaking the silence, but Wanda cut him off, "Where have I seen you before?"

Bucky's breath hitched in his throat. You still didn't know who he was and if it was up to him, he would keep it like that for as long as he could. You looked at him as if he was human as if his hands weren't covered in blood as if you weren't scared of him and he would do everything he could to keep it that way.

"I don't know. You must be mistaken." He took a breath to calm himself down. He couldn't intimidate this woman the way he did with his people. He wouldn't give her a reason to doubt him. She clearly meant a lot to you.

As Wanda opened her mouth to speak, you came back from the kitchen, interrupting the conversation.

You looked towards Pietro before speaking, "The boxes are in the back, and please be careful this time."

Pietro brought his hand to his chest as if your words had somehow hurt him. "You hurt my feelings, y/n. When am I not careful?"

You brought your finger to your chin in mock thinking before replying, "Let me think. Off the top of my head, maybe whenever you drive your bike way past the speed limit. I swear to god, Pietro, one day, your speed will ruin all my sweets."

"Ouch, you care about your sweets more than me?" He said as if your words had physically hurt him this time.

This time, Wanda replied, "Pietro, my dear brother, even I care about her sweets more than you."

The both of you chuckled as Pietro huffed and stomped off towards the back.

You looked at James before explaining, "He does the deliveries for me, as a favor. Believe it or not, it's difficult to deliver stuff in a town you know nothing about."

Bucky lightly chuckled before replying, "Tell me about it."

He then looked at Wanda once again and saw that she was staring at him with the same glare from before, but thankfully, you didn't notice.

He knew he had to leave soon. He wouldn't give her enough time to put the pieces together. "Sweets, I should go."

"You, sure? You could stay. I am sure Wanda wouldn't mind."

"No, I know. But I will leave you to it. Bye, sweets. Bye, Wanda." He turned towards the door quickly as if he couldn't get out of there sooner.

"James, wait." You called out to him and he stopped midstep. He will never get tired of how his name sounded on your lips. "Here. You forgot this." You handed him the book he had been reading for the past week and look up at him with a smile on your face.

Yeah, he definitely didn't want you to find out.

As he walked out of the bakery, you turned back towards Wanda, the smile etched on your lips and a soft look in your eyes. "So....." Wanda started in a teasing tone.

"Don't say it. Don't say it."

"He is hot."

You rolled your eyes at her. "What would Vision think, Wan?"

"You know what I mean."

You bit your lips before looking at her. "It's nothing like that. We are friends. Or at least I hope we are."

"Yeah, because going around calling people sweets is the new thing men do."

You plopped yourself on the chair opposite to her before burying your face into your hands. "It's just a nickname that stuck."

Who were you lying to? You couldn't hide from your oldest friend the fact that every part of you knew that him calling you sweets was the best sound in the whole world. She brought her hands to yours and removed them from your face and you looked up to be met by her serious gaze. "Just be careful, y/n. Something about him just doesn't seem right."

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙

The corridors of this building always seemed darker when he came back from the bakery. He already missed how warm and inviting it was. The book tugged under his arm the only reminder that he had been there.

He heard some voices coming from his office and as he walked closer, he recognized the voices instantly.

He opened the door to his office, only to find Steve and Sam standing in the middle of the room.

"You're finally here." Sam almost exclaimed with relief as his eyes landed on Bucky. "What, couldn't handle this place for a few hours without me, Wilson?" He looked at him teasingly.

"Shut it. Stark called, asking about you. I had to make some half-ass excuse to him. But I am pretty sure he knew I was lying. That man is too smart, I am telling you." "Don't worry about it. I'll give him a call. Will schedule a meeting with him."

Sam crossed his arms across his chest. "What, you're not even gonna tell us where you were?"

Choosing to ignore his question, Bucky walked and sat on the couch. "How's Carl? Alive?" He asked as if he couldn't care less about the answer.

"He is still in there. Breathing." Steve replied before contemplating his next words. "Buck, do you think you were maybe a little too harsh on him? A week in the dungeon filled with our enemies is not really a vacation."

"He got what he deserved, Steve. We can't go easy on them."

Sam looked at Bucky with an accusing gaze before speaking up again. "So I lie to Tony Stark and handle all the chaos in here for the whole day and you just conveniently ignore my question of where you were."

Steve gave Bucky a once-over before smirking. "Let it go, Sam. Bucky has got a lot on his hands."

Bucky narrowed his eyes at Steve before looking down, only to find crumbs of cookies still sticking to his hands.

He not-so-subtly rubbed his palms on his trousers before looking up and ushering the both of them outside the room with a lame excuse.

.

He placed the book he had brought with him on his table and opened it, only to find something in the middle of two pages. He opened it to find a small flower kept gently between two pages. A little pressed, but fresh, telling him that you had sneaked it in between today.

He picked up the flower, oblivious to the smile on his face when his eyes landed on a small note sticking to it. In swift handwriting, it read                                                To my favorite customer

Bucky couldn't help the way his heartbeat quickened or how he just couldn't remove the smile from his face. But he couldn't care less.

He had no idea how much time had passed when he heard knocks on the door to his office. Tucking the flower and the note inside the book, he turned towards the door and called out for the person to enter.

When the door opened, his eyes landed on one of his men. "Walker, what do you want?"

"Sir," He said bowing his head a little to him. Bucky never really liked John Walker. He always tried to show himself to be more than what he actually was. But he got the work done and he hadn't given him a reason to not trust him.

"Sir, I checked the collections for this month and I noticed something."

Bucky nodded his head, not really paying attention to whatever he had to say.

"The new Bakery." Bucky's eyes shot up and he tried his best as to not look too interested. "That baker hasn't paid this month too, sir and we can't ignore this. She is trying to rebel. Has no idea what she is trying to go against."

Bucky didn't like where this conversation was going. "It's okay. It doesn't matter. It's just a bakery."

Walker narrowed his eyes at him. When had the most ruthless mafia boss gone so... soft? But maybe he just didn't care for some stupid baker.

"Sir, this sets a wrong example. People will try to imitate her and that is never a good sign."

Bucky was growing impatient now, This isn't how it was supposed to go. "Just let it go, Walker."

"It's okay, sir. I understand that you don't want to get your hands dirty. Please let me handle this. I promise I wouldn't disappoint."

Bucky should have ordered him to not do anything. Should have just given him some other thing to do. But he didn't want to gain suspicions. He couldn't show that he cared about anything. It would always go against him.

He knew this wasn't going to end well, but he nodded his head at Walker. There was no way in hell he would hurt you or anyone without his permission but it didn't mean he was letting Walker anywhere near you without him around.

But among all this, one question lingered in his mind.

Why did he care so much?

Next part 

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[byo-fic]

Fanfic | Into You

— Lee Soohyuk x FemReader

syn: A cafe owner secretly in love with his part time staff.

(ii)

Lee Soohyuk looked around the cafe. He didn't see you anywehere.

His forehead starts frowning. "Where's Y/N?" he asked.

"She on leave today."

One of the staff answered.

"On leave?" Lee Soohyuk, frowned.

"I told her to inform you..." Sora chides in.

Lee Soohyuk just nodded.

He knows you are not wrong. Even tho he is the owner, he is not frequently in the cafe as he has another few branches to look after. Sora is the manager, and any staff should inform Sora or get her approval for leave. But he thought you and him are close.

He chose an empty table, at the secluded area and place all the cafe reports on the table. Before he starts working, he pulls out his phone..

You go to the hospital today? - he sends a text to you. He knows you sometime take leave for your hand physiotherapy.

___

You look at your phone. Feeling guilty to not telling Soohyuk about your whereabout.

But thinking back... he is your employer, and you are just his part time employee.

"You move out from your apartment without telling me," - a man sitting across you spoke.

"Why should I tell you?" you asked.

The man sighed. His face mixed with feeling guilty and frustrated. "I know you are mad-"

"I'm not," you cut him off. "I already move on." You give him a small smile.

The man across you is your ex-fiance, Minho. Your engagement with him broke because of his family blame you for the accident happened with his little sister. His little sister hurt her head, but you know his family hates you and use the accident as a proof that you are a reckless woman. They have been showing their bias towards you since the first day Minho introduce you to his family.

"Fine, at least tell me where you live," Minho said in a calm voice.

You chuckled dryly. "I don't want to tell you." You look at your phone and type a simple reply to your boss...

No. I'm meeting an old friend.

Minho look at you. "I thought you said you are not mad, but seems like you still mad-"

"I just don't want you to know where I live," you cut him off again before continuing "There's nothing between us, not even my family know where I live now so why should I tell you."

Your phone vibrates, another text from your boss...

You should tell me. I can drive you there.

You smiled reading his text. Typical Lee Soohyuk, always kind.

It's far. I take bus. - you replied.

Minho across you just watching how you are smiling texting on your phone. "Who is that?" he asked.

You look up at him "My boss. I forgot to tell him I'm on leave today."

"You are working?" Minho asked again. He knows about your hand, and he knows you stopped drawing. He thought you are focusing on healing your hand.

Another text come...

Bus? the nearest bust station is 15 minutes walking distance from your place. Let me know when you finish, I will go fetch you.

You read the text a few times. This is not the first time Lee Soohyuk offer to drive you from one place to another. He always fetching you from the hospital after your physiotherapy session.

"Yeah, just working part time." You replied to Minho. Then you look at the time on the phone. You plan to visit a few stores after meeting with Minho. You calculate the time in your head.

Fine. I want to buy few items after this. I will be at XX shopping mall. - you replied to Soohyuk. You know there's no point refusing his help, he is persistent once he offered you help.

"What kind of work?" Minho asked, he felt bothered looking at you not focus on him.

"Secret." You answered with a smile. You know Minho won't believe it if you tell him you are working at the cafe.

The you that he knew is someone who prefer to work by your own. and with less people. The you that he knew is someone who prefer to work from home. The you that he knew is someone who love drawing a lot.

When you received a reply text from Soohyuk telling you that he will fetch you and telling to wait for him, you decided you should quickly end your meeting with Minho.

"I have somewhere to go after this. Say hello to your sister." You pack your things.

"Where? I can go with you..."

"Please don't, you will make me uncomfortable." You said, honest.

Minho sighed. Already familiar with your straightforwardness. He can only see you leaving the restaurant. One day he hopes you can open up to him again like you used to.

___

Lee Soohyuk noticed the shopping mall you told him in the text is in the same city you live before and it's 1 hour drive from his cafe.

He wonders who you met. He can't help but to know more about you and the people around you. But he also noticed how you hardly talking about your family and friends. The only person you always talking about is your grandfather.

He looks at his wristwatch, then he closed the files on the table.

"I need to go somewhere..." he walks to Sora who busy at the counter with other few staff. "Just email me the sales report like usual," he left the cafe without waiting for answer.

[belli5]

hii i was wondering if i could request an aj fanfic where the reader and aj are friends and the reader is to go on a date with a guy but aj gets jealous to the point he confesses to the reader? thank you in advance, i already love your work so far! youre doing amazing ! :)

Hidden feelings — Aj Shabeel

Pairing: Aj Shabeel xfem!reader

Summary: reader trying to distract her feelings from Aj, going on a date with a guy, Aj getting jealous and confessing to her.

Contains: friends to lovers, jealousy, idk what else, you lmk 😭

A/n: thank you so much, I really appreciate it 🤭 also i fw Aj’s this curly hair so much. Btw like I said, I’m gonna write other people requests but maybe not today because I’m not home. So please please be patient!

Masterlist

I’ve been talking to this guy named Louis, i met him on instagram atleast 2 weeks ago, it wasn’t Aj, but it was something.

The guy was tall, he had curly hair, he was nice, he was everything you could want in a guy. But did you actually want something? You weren’t sure.

But when he asked you on a date, there wasn’t a reason to not accept the offer. 1st he was a nice, good looking guy, 2nd you’d gladly get to know someone new, distracting yourself from Aj.

Aj didn’t pay attention to you at all in a flirt way or more than a friend way, but still you both were really close.

The date was tonight, you were kinda excited, Aj was over your house and you didn’t tell him you had a date, but you had to tell him one way or another.

“Uh Aj?” You spoke, he was sitting on your couch scrolling through his phone. He looked at you “im going on a date with someone.”

“What?” He said, putting his phone away, because where did this all come from so suddenly? You didn’t tell him about anything. “With who?”

“A guy?!” You said in ‘duh’ tone, “i met him on instagram like two weeks ago.”

“And you’re gonna go out with a guy who you’ve just met?”

You didn’t understand if you were being delusional that he’s jealous or he’s actually worried about you going out with a random guy, well he wasn’t just a random guy..

“Aj, it’s not a big deal,” you hold yourself back from rolling your eyes “you can stay here and wait for me to come back.”

He just shook his head “Y/n, you can’t go out with a random guy..”

“No, im going and that’s it. Can you please help me choose what to wear?” You refused to lose another chance with a guy, just because he worries.

“Fine.” He just said, not only you had the audacity to cancel you plans with Aj tonight hanging out by a date, but you also asked him to help you choose your outfit.

You both went upstairs to your room and opening your closet, Aj looked at it, you had a lot of clothes but one that he liked was from white fox ‘settle for you pink ivy’

“Oo i like that one, it’s so cute.” You smiled at him and went into bathroom to get changed, he would lie if he didn’t choose that dress because he wanted to see you in it on y’all’s date.

You stepped out of the bathroom with the dress, going over where your jewellery was and picked out necklace and bracelets and putting on makeup.

I got a notification, I looked at my phone and saw unknown number “I’m here.” It must’ve been Louis, he gave me his number but I didn’t even bother saving it.

“I’m sorry Aj I had to tell you last minute about this.” You said feeling guilty for real, also feeling guilty of just leaving him like that.

“It’s fine I guess, you look beautiful..” he said shyly, at that you blushed, you hugged him and said you won’t be long.

He took you to a nice restaurant, the date was going good, he was such a gentleman, but not even this could keep Aj off your mind.

In fact trying to replace him, made you even want him more for some reason. He just wasn’t Aj, little did Louis knew that you prayed for the time to go faster so the date would be over and you could go back to your house and see Aj.

He kept asking you all kind of questions, like “how long have you been single?”

“Uhm, I’ve been single for a quite a while now,” you told him, “what about you?” You tried to keep yourself interested so he wouldn’t think that you’re bored, not that you aren’t..

“I’ve been single for 6 months.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for me?”

You finally both finished the date and now he was driving you home, when he drove infront of you house gate, he kissed your cheek to what you just smiled.

“Thank you, Loui, I really enjoyed my time with you.” Lies.

Unlocking your door, you went into your kitchen seeing Aj sitting on a chair again scrolling through his phone, “Hey, I’m back.”

“Hm, how did your little date go?” He asked, why is he acting like this?

“It was good I guess,” you lied again, it was Aj, you could tell him the truth.. “he took me to an restaurant nearby and when he dropped me home, he kissed my chee-“

“HE DID WHAT?” Aj stood up, “why would you let him..?”

“Even th-” he tried to tell him that you didn’t want to, but he cut you off again.

“Y/n, im so sick of hearing about you going on these dates with those guys,” he says, he doesn’t even let me talk “How do you not know that I’ve had a crush on you for years. If you weren’t so obsessed going out with other people-“

“Why didn’t you tell me, you like me?” Does he actually like you or he just doesn’t want to see you with someone else?

“I wonder why..” he says back, “this could get real messed up, I didn’t mean to say that.” He says walking away, not wanting to ruin the friendship.

“Wait, I like you too.”

“How can you like me, if you went out on a date?” He asks confused.

“I don’t even like him, the whole date I was thinking about you, and it was boring. And if you would’ve listened to me I was trying to say that I didn’t want him to kiss me.” You said rolling your eyes.

“Actually? Uhm..” he asks avoiding eye contact, “do you wanna go on a date with me then? I can take you to a better place than that guy Lewis..”

“His name is Louis and I’m sure you can. Of course I want to.” You laughed. You both went to sit on the couch, you found a photo of Kenny and Aj to post on your story so maybe that way Louis would leave you alone.

You quickly went to your room to change into comfortable clothes, when you walked back down Aj said “somebody texted you ‘delete my number’”

You were confused, “who?”

“I don’t know, it’s unknown.” He said, as you took your phone from him and opened it, you saw a message before “im here” you straight up knew it was Louis

“Oh it’s Louis,” you texted him back ‘Ima be real with you, it was never saved so ion even know who this is’ Aj saw your message, “you don’t have his phone number saved?”

“No, I couldn’t bother saving it.”

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Roling Kaloti

Published: Aug 19, 2024

I remember a couple months ago when Michael Shermer, a historian of science and an Atheists for Liberty advisory board member, tweeted an article written by Kate Cohen titled, “America doesn’t need more God. It needs more atheists,” which he directly quoted by stating:

      “Say it: ‘I’m an atheist.’

      ‘The more I say I’m an atheist, the more other people will feel comfortable calling themselves atheists. And the stigma will gradually dissolve.’

      Can you imagine? If we all knew how many of us there are?

      It would give everyone permission to be honest with their kids and their friends, to grapple with big questions without having to hold on to beliefs they never embraced.’”

Biologist Bret Weinstein replied to Shermer by saying, “I don’t call myself an atheist, and won’t until atheists generally accept that religious faith is an evolutionary adaptation. Absent that, atheism is scientifically incoherent.”

I read this and thought, “Oh God, another one.” It seems like a weird habit by a few intellectual types who, despite clearly fitting the definition of an atheist, still refuse to use the label simply because of certain people they personally don’t want to be correlated with. It comes across as cowardly, but he’s far from the only one who does this.

The astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson spoke a lot about his refusal of the atheist label. On Big Think, he explained seeing his wiki (which he did not create) claim him to be an atheist, which he attempted to change, only to find the wiki changed it back a week later. After adjusting it to say he is claimed by atheists but is actually an agnostic, it was changed yet again. He went on to say that an agnostic and an atheist are not the same thing.

“Atheists I know who proudly wear the badge are active atheists,” he explained. “They’re like in-your-face atheists and they want to change policies and they’re having debates.  I don’t have the time, the interest, the energy to do any of that. I’m a scientist. I’m an educator. My goal is to get people thinking straight in the first place, just get you to be curious about the natural world. That’s what I’m about.  I’m not about any of the rest of this.”

A couple of years later on the Joe Rogan Experience, he again expressed his dislike of the atheist label.

“You can look up the dictionary definition of atheists, and it kind of applies to me. But what is the definition of atheist in practice? It is what leading atheists do, and it’s their conduct, and it’s their behavior, and it’s what they say, and it’s their attitude. That is what an atheist is today. Because they’re the most visible exemplars of that word. And most of their conduct, I either don’t agree with or simply don’t engage in.”

The fact that Tyson is acknowledging that the definition “kind of applies” to him, and only criticizes behavior and attitude shows he acknowledges he does not believe in a higher power, which means he’s an atheist.

The conservative author David Horowitz has also criticized atheists and repeatedly identified himself as an agnostic. He tweeted in 2016, “Militant atheism is a religious belief that happens to have led 2 the deaths of several hundred million people,” and added afterwards, “Just to be clear. I am an agnostic. My point is to induce some humility in atheists.”

If we go further back on June 2015, Horowitz wrote an op-ed for the Washington Times about his memoir, You’re Going to Be Dead One Day: A Love Story, discussing his views on faith, spirituality, and atheism, where he stated:

“I am an agnostic, a believer in mysteries that we cannot solve. Being an agnostic does not mean I am closed to faith. On the contrary, it is the humility to recognize that we do not know the answer to the fundamental questions of our existence—whether there is a Divinity that shapes our ends or whether life has no meaning other than that it stops. Atheists are closed to faith. Or to put it more accurately, atheists are devotees of a faith that God does not exist. The atheist faith fosters contempt for religious belief and denies itself the ability to understand why religious people believe as they do other than that they are credulous or mentally disturbed.

“Since atheism is also a faith, the only meaningful question is how this faith—or any faith—affects the lives of its believers. Does it enrich or diminish them? Atheism constricts the vision of its adherents and flattens their thought, denying them access to many inexplicable dimensions of human experience. Agnosticism is skeptical but also keeps the mind open, making its adherents curious about the impact religious faith can have on the meanings of individual lives.”

Horowitz seems to be intentionally ignoring how a large number of atheists are actually from a religious background. Very few of us had an upbringing where we were told that God is a fairy tale and religious people must be oppressed. If you do find someone who was raised like that, then I think a safe bet is they’re communists, and that’s the problem, not atheism. But based on some of his previous comments, I’m not sure if he’s fully aware one doesn’t automatically lead to the other. I think it’s also worth noting that the vast majority (41%) of self-identified agnostics, according to the Pew Research Center, said they don’t believe in God, while only 13% said they don’t know. Therefore, by definition, most agnostics are atheists.

Now let’s get to one of my personal favorite examples, the psychologist Jordan Peterson. He’s very influential and I believe he has good intentions, but on the topic of religion and atheism, he desperately tries hard to avoid looking like a nonbeliever. He claimed on British GQ that he “acts as if God exists,” which is how he defines belief in God. He referred to the “divine place” as the highest place of the value hierarchy and what’s in the “divine place” should be characterized by using fiction, then referred to God as “the ultimate fictional character.” When interviewed on the National Post, he was asked if he was a Christian and if he believed in God, to which he replied, “I think the proper response to that is no, but I’m afraid he might exist.”

He’s complained before that the “Do you believe in God” question is an attempt to box him in because “the question is asked so that I can be firmly placed on one side of a binary argument. And the reason I don’t like to answer it is because A: I don’t like to be boxed in, and B: Because I don’t know what the person means by ‘believe’ or ‘God.’ And they think they know. And the probability that they construe ‘belief’ and construe ‘God’ the same way I do is virtually zero. So, it’s a question that doesn’t work for me on multiple levels of analysis.”

This is the same issue as Weinstein. He effectively just doesn’t like the way some atheists behave. However, this does not change the definition of an atheism. It is not an attitude; it is not a philosophy. It is a disbelief. Atheist organizations nor atheist activists own the word atheism. Atheism is not a hive mind. Some atheists are New Atheists, which IS a movement. Some atheists, like Douglas Murray, are Christian atheists because even though they don’t believe in any God, they still see Christianity as important for society. Others might be apathetic to the question and don’t see it as relevant. Some atheists might believe we’d be better off without religion. It doesn’t matter because different atheists will have different opinions. The only thing we all have in common is a disbelief in Gods, just like everyone I discussed in this article.

==

"Agnostics" are atheists. They're atheists.

Someone tell them that they're all doing the same retarded "identify as" identity politics as "they/them"s. As if you have to "identify" as a thing, rather than simply being the thing by definition.

[mayg-b]

@sbk-zgvlt @psycheprincess

Chapter 2 of my fanfic :)))

Chapter 2

Welcome to your new life

Sebek was looking at the potrait in denial, it was his litteral proof to doom 

 

"it must be a dream, Im probably in some kind of coma and my brain is playing tricks on me, something like a lucid dream...that must be it

 

sebeks tense shoulders visibly relaxed, since it was a lucid dream he could atleast have a bit fun right?

..its not like all of this is real right?

 

knock knock

 

Sebek looked towards the door

 

"Come in"  he said quietly 

 

Maid from earlier opened the door, she looked like a cat got her tongue. But she didn't stopped at her place and came near Sebek and offered the cup of water to him

"h-here is the cup of water you...requested young master.."

Sebek took the offered cup and held it with both hands

"Thank you, are you alright?"

"Y-yes!...umm may I ask how are you feeling today"

 

"I'm feeling well, but I want to stay alone for a while"

 

"As you request?..."

Maid left, looking weirdly awkward

Well, not like Sebek can blame her or something 

 

•Sebek Zigvolt, the main antagonist of the book was a loud character, a bit too loud for a lot of people's liking, he lived alone with his grandfather Baul zigvolt., for to train as a knight , Sebek didn't lived with his family, he lived with his grandfather, why?•

 

 • because his grandfather was a high ranked soldier who retired, perfect person to train with. And for some reason that book never explained, Baul and Lilia hate each other,

desperate people made tons of fan theories for the reason, most popular being "Baul betrayed Lilia in war, but never got caught and Lilia never talked about it" 

While least popular and the most stupid being "they were ex-lovers" it came after novel illustrations 

Like, who thoughts that? People really should stop shipping just because the looks of the characters

 

• anyways Sebek was a hard-core Malleus fan in the book and wanted to be his guard...it was his litteraly only dream. He already had bad feelings towards the main character even from the start of the novel because he heard Silver was a human. Sebek despited humans. Due to racist reasons and war obviously. he didn't even joined Silvers welcome back party, a party Lilia prepared at the castle of all of the places. That alone just showed how close Vanrouge family was to royalty.•

 

Sebek pursued his lips

 

•Sebek refusing to attend made the already hate relationship between Lilia and Baul worse than before•

 

you already hate him tho, why get more mad when he and his family doesn't attends?

 

See readers, just another stupid plot hole definelty.

 

Sebek moved his head up and down as if he just made sense to something

 

since I'm only lucid dreaming, what should I do now?, showering would be nice actually...but before that...

 

when, the same maid, came to check on her young master. Who seemed to be a bit late for breakfast time (well, not late actually but Sebek always came 5 minutes early.. til now..) she lost it..

 

Okay, him being unusually quite was something she could understand. Sometimes his throat hurted to a very bad degree that he couldn't scream, that's why she already prepared medicine too actually.

But this? This was....unimaginable! Unbelievable! 

What was it you ask?

 

His highness crown prince's portrait! It was! It was!-

 

Covered by a white sheet!?

 

'World must be ending'

Thought the Maid as she sitted down due to shock

 

creaaak 

 

bedroom door opened and Sebek, who finished showing came outside, when he saw the Maid in that state, he slightly bowed his head to side and spoke

 

"is something wrong?"

poor Maid fainted, poor one indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

At the dinner table, Sebek was eating alone, of course there was various butlers and maids and some knights but he was the only one eating, seems like Baul was busy

 

'Isn't that Maid overreacting tho? I just covered the portait...I wanted to take it out but Eh, what if it comes off as a disrespect to the royal family?'

"..."

 

'Well I can't really blame the Maid, this Sebek did said he would go as far as to illegally camp outside of the castle doors if he couldn't become a knight...'

 

Sebek sweetdroped as he remembed the second-hand embarrassment he felt while reading that scene..

Well he really did not had a problem with this character like some others, really! He didn't minded that this character was loud and sometimes annoying, he was even sometimes happy that this character was proudly showing off his dreams and idol! 

And no! He definetly didn't hated Sebek of this world before reading the book just because his siblings never-ending teasing for having the same name! Definelt not! Where did you get that idea??

It just that..sometimes Sebek took his hate with Silver and fanboying with Malleus a bit too far but he won't be like that.

 

Not in his lucid dream that's it! 

 

 

Right now, Sebek was walking around the mansions garden, 

'the faces of the knights when he said he won't be training today will never not be funny'

but can you blame him? The garden looks very peaceful.

While walking he came near a deep pond and he looked at his reflection

'now that I think about it...Sebek was a crocodile fae wasn't he? But he looks so much like a human...I didnt saw anything while showering either, Eh, maybe he has some kind of transformation or something'

while Sebek was watching his reflection and thinking, a pair of hands pushed him into the pond 

'!?!?'

sebek, who was in shock, tried to swim back to surface but the water was too cold and his new little body wasn't used to swimming...

'Its scary! Its scary! But- I'm dreaming anyways, wouldn't I wake up if I die?....'

Sebek fainted as a Maid, and 2 knights hurried over to the pond while 2 other knights ran after the assasin..

 

End of chapter 2 

( I'm done with chapter 2 what do you think??)

[am-i-obsessed---maybe]

Mother Of Shadows (Shadow Of A Bluejay Ch. 7)

A lot of backstory in this one and you know what that means... It's oc time! I like to think of Lady Lilith having just a nice evil british accent, real classic villain vibes. Anyway we're getting closer to the end. We've passed the halfway mark at least so don't forget to tell me what you think of this series so far in my ask box👍

I really wanna get some feedback on how it's going so far, especially if you read the original SHadow Of A Bluebird

Series Masterlist

Wordcount: 2.1k

Star City September 21, 14:30 PST

The final bell couldn't have rang soon enough. Today had been miserable. A physics pop quiz, english presentation day and you'd been up late the night before on patrol and to make it all worse it was hot. So very hot.

You were sweating as you walked out of school only to hear a loud honk when you tried to cross the street.

You turned around, trying to find the moron who honked only to see Roy waiting in one of Ollie's less flashy cars.

You ignored him and tried once again to cross only for him to honk again. This time people were looking.

You weren't typically the self conscious type but it was getting really uncomfortable so you gave in, walking over to Roy if only to tell him to shut it with the horn.

As you approached he lowered his window.

"Hey—" He tried.

"What are you doing here?" You questioned.

"I'm picking you up" He said.

"The first day of school was almost a month ago so I'll repeat. What are you doing here?" You asked again and he groaned.

"Just get in the car will you?" He asked but you stood your ground.

"No. Why are you here? You refuse to answer my texts, you don't pick up my calls, you walk off when we try to invite you onto the team and then when you need help you call Kaldur. You didn't even ask me, you went straight to him so why all of a sudden do you wanna see me?" You questioned and you heard another car behind him honk. He was holding up the parent pick up line.

"Will you just get in the car?!" He exclaimed and when you heard the start of another honk you gave in yet again, slamming the car door behind you as you buckled in. Roy drove off and yet no answer.

"Are you seriously gonna make me ask you again?" You asked, you'd taken a seat in the middle of the bench in the back.

"I wanted to say..." His volume fell off as he spoke.

"What?" You asked.

"I wanted to say I was sorry. I shouldn't have ignored you" He said. You weren't expecting that, though your heart hoped for a long time to hear those words. Three months to be exact.

"And the mission with Kaldur?" You asked.

"I called the cave, he was just the one there" Roy said.

"Yeah, so you went and unified the Rhelaias with him." You grumbled

"will you get out of your own ass for a second, this is important" Roy said and you rolled your eyes one last time.

"yeah, you're apologizing, not a common occurrence" You said.

"And I wanted to show you something." He said and turned into an empty parking lot and pulled out a file, handing it to you.

"what's this?" You asked.

"Open it" He said and carefully you did.

It read:

Mother Of Shadows

Project Iteration A-15

"Where did you get this?" You asked. You hadn't heard that name since Dinah took you in.

"I've been investigating the Shadow's dealing since I went solo, found that in an old lab." Roy said, "Now do you wanna get in the front so we can figure out what to do about this together?" He asked.

"You mean like, a mission? Just the two of us?" You asked and he nodded, smiling.

"Just like old times" He said.

Himalayan Mountains

September 22, 04:53 PKT

You looked out over the snowy mountain peak, snatching the binoculars from Roy.

"Are you sure the rest of the file is here?" You asked him.

"Yes. According to my info this is the base they moved their medical facilities to. Since I found the first file in the remains of their previous base the rest has to be here." Roy explained. He covered his usual suit with a white parka to protect from the cold and try to blend in while you simply used your polar stealth suit.

You nodded, giving him back the binoculars.

"Race you to the bottom of the base" You said and jumped down the mountain side.

"Hey, no fair, you got a head start" He complained, shooting a grappling arrow down to the base of the base and grappling down after you.

When Roy first gave you the file you were skeptical, you didn't want anything to do with the League Of Shadows especially Project MOS, the project that created you.

20 years ago Ra's Al Ghul went looking for a way for his shadows to be able to go toe to toe with the super powered heroes that appeared. The original heroes, the Justice Society didn't bother Ra's. But the Justice League, that was an issue. They thwarted him and his plans and he couldn't have that so he tried to create his own super powered shadows. He recruited a team of scientists who slowly found and isolated a group of genes. They had dozens of test subjects. None of them were successful. Not until you.

To no one's surprise you won the race.

"Beat ya" You said cheekily and Roy rolled his eyes.

"You cheated and we both know it" He said but the smirk on his lips told you it was all jest.

The two of you snuck your way in, working together like a well oiled machine. Three months had passed since you'd so much as had a full conversation with him but the two of you worked as if it'd only been a few minutes.

You made it into the records room without raising alarm and began to look through the filing cabinets.

You groaned, having gone through another row of files, "I can't tell what kind of organizational system this is, we can't just spend hours sifting through this" you said.

"Stop complaining and just look" Roy said and you huffed. The next few minutes were quiet and then the sounds of a body hitting the floor.

"Red Arrow—" You said and gasped as you saw what was in front of you.

Shadows filled the halls, all standing behind a woman, Roy's body unconscious on the floor below her.

You took a step back and collided with the filling cabinets.

When Ra's Al Ghul found his team of scientists he put one of his own in charge, after all he had to make sure that this crew stayed loyal to him with their findings. The woman he placed in charge of Project A- Mother Of Shadows was a woman by the name of Lady Lilith. A Geneticist who claimed she could find the purpose of any gene.

"It has been a long time, my child, have you finally come home?" The woman asked.

"What have you done to him?" You asked, fear flowing into your posture and voice.

"He is only knocked out. He will be fine. You on the other hand... I thought I taught you better than to get caught" She said.

After 14 failed attempts to create her own superhumans Lady Lilith decided that the only way to succeed was to use new donors. Until that point they had only used eggs and sperm from specimens that held the group of genes they discovered were responsible for the development of superhuman abilities. None of the tests born of those specimens survived long enough. Instead they used Lady Lilith as a donor. She did not possess the superhuman genes. Instead She spliced together multiple of the previous donors to create a viable embryo.

The woman motioned for the shadows to enter and two took hold of your arms.

"Come now child, we have tests to run" The woman said. "And bring the other one, we would not want any harm to come to him"

Infinity Island 5 years ago

You stood panting and sweaty in your black stealth suit, the rest of the combatants lying dead on the ground of the training room floor.

Lady Lilith stood on the balcony above, watching happily.

"As promised Great One, a superpowered shadow at your disposal" She said, pointing at you.

You fell to your knees in exhaustion. Still panting heavily. You were only 10 years old. Your body wasn't designed for such extreme exertion though perhaps it was made for it.

"And is flight the only ability they have developed?" Ra's asked.

"Do not misunderstand Lady Lilith, this quite satisfactory but I only think, what use is flight alone against super strength or speed?" He continued.

"Give it time oh, Great One. It is still early and the genetic potential for more remains" She said.

League Of Shadows Base, Himalayan Mountains September 22, 07:07

You'd been poked, prodded and examined since the shadows brought you into what appeared the be the base's lab, strapped down to the table. Beside you Roy was laid out, the same tests were being done to him, or maybe they were different, you weren't sure but he too was poked and prodded.

"Alright child, up you go" The voice of Lady Lilith said over a speaker as the restraints around your wrists and ankles opened. You sat up slowly and looked beside you to Roy.

"What do you want mother?" You asked wearily.

"Oh stop asking these silly questions and get up" She said.

She led you out to a training ground where she pushed you down the stairs. As your body fell you jumped into the air, landing niceley at the bottom.

"Let's see just what Canary has taught you darling" She said and clapped her hands, a dozen shadows running out onto the training grounds around you.

The first one tried to tackle you. He failed miserably.

The next attacked with his sword, it soon became your sword and on and on it went, all the while Lady Lilith stood above and watched.

When the final shadows laid unconscious on the ground you looked up, panting.

"What are you doing to Red Arrow?" You asked and Lady Lilith smiled.

"It's so sweet how much you care for that boy, he came all the way here with you so I assume he knows your history, what a surprise how fine he is with it" She commented.

"What do you want mother?" You asked, disheartened.

"Oh it's not what I want dear. It's what you will give" She said.

"I won't come back!" You told her, surprisingly boldly.

"Oh darling we discontinued project MOS ages ago. We work with mercenaries now. Of course someone with your abilities can always come in handy" She said and you understood.

"And what would you do if I said no?" You asked but Lady Lilith laughed.

"well will you?" She asked.

"I'm not the person you trained me to be" You told her and her smile was eery.

"Darling child, if you want to believe a few years with some heroes can undo years of training as well as genetics be my guest but I'm sorry to tell you that unlike the surprisingly accepting Red Arrow the rest of your team may not understand as much" She said, slowly coming down the stairs.

"How do you?" You asked but she tutted and shook her head.

"You didn't think we'd just let Canary take you off without keeping a watchful eye? Before you decide think about what Aqualad would say about your past. What about Kid Flash? Or Robin?" She asked. Once she was close enough she took your face in her palm.

"Do you think the Justice League would trust you if they knew just how many people you've killed?" She asked and you tried to look away. The only ones who knew everything about you were Dinah and Ollie and this was exactly why it was important that it stay like that.

"What about Red Arrow? Does he know? Does he accept you anyway?" She asked and tears began to flow down your cheeks under your mask.

"Please just, don't tell them" You whispered.

"Of course not my child. I would never" She said and placed a small device into a pouch on your utility belt.

"Now, I think it's time you took your sidekick friend home, don't you?" She asked.

Half an hour later you were helping a barely conscious Roy back up a Himalayan mountain.

"We can't just leave" He tried to say but you shook your head.

"I don't care about the file. We were lucky the shadow that got you didn't have time to alert anyone else" You lied.

"Now come on, we're going home" You told him.

[corvusalbus93]

Reunited

Spoilers if you don’t know how the campaign (so far) ends. A short taking place right after the cutscene in which Alleria and Anduin save Khadgar, in which Khadgar and OC are reunited:

Was it over?

Light had returned to Beledar, the cystal once more glowing with the warmth of a sun. Narami walked up the stairs to the priory’s doors, the Broken Queen behind her.  After the long battle, the monk’s limbs felt heavy, but she steeled herself for whatever was waiting inside. Alleria and Anduin had gone in to face Xal’atath, and though the light had returned and their enemies were retreating, the night elf worried for the two.

When her hands touched one of the handles, a muffled voice could be heard from within. “Easy, we’ve almost made it.”

Anduin! And by the sound of it, he was supporting a wounded Alleria. Not wasting another second, Narami threw open the priory’s portals, only to nearly run into a surprised looking King of Stormwind.

“Narami. Are you alright?”

“Nothing worse than bruises and scrat...” Her words died on her lips, when she saw not two, but three people leave the priory. No, Anduin wasn’t supporting Alleria. Between the two of them was perhaps the last person she’d expected to see. Quickly, she stepped out of the way as they helped him over the threshold and eased him down, so he could lie more or less comfortably on the cold stone.

Narami was on her knees beside him in but a moment, heart and thoughts racing. “I thought I’d lost you,” she breathed and removed her cloak, folding it into a small square to serve as a temporary pillow.

Khadgar managed a weak smile, as she placed it beneath his head. “Forgive me, for not keeping my word.”

We’ll be right behind you.

Narami shook her head. “Never mind that. You’re alive; that’s all that matters.” Part of her couldn’t believe it, even as she gasped one of his hands and gave it a gentle squeeze.

He returned the gesture, but there was no strength in it. “You have Alleria and Anduin to thank for that,” he muttered.

Of course, how could she forget? “Thank you. Both of you.” And she meant it with all her heart, however they had managed to bring him back. Something to inquire about later. She looked to Anduin, who kneeled down beside them. “Does that mean you’ve found back to the light?”

“Yes...I believe in a way I have.” There seemed to be a lot on his mind, but he was smiling softly. It was good to see him like this. Narami placed a reassuring hand on his arm, the other still holding Khadgar’s, refusing to let go.

One questions yet remained. “What of Xal’atath?”

“Retreated; I believe she’s suffered a significant setback today.” Alleria’s eyes turned to the hills and caverns beyond the priory, likely thinking of Turalyon. “What of the battle?”

“We’ve beaten them back. From what I’ve been able to see from up here, the fighting is dying down everywhere and the surviving nerubians are retreating.”

“Then fortune smiles on us today.” She actually did sound relieved, something akin to hope lingering in her voice. “Traces of Xal’atath’s presence linger in the air. In time, she will strike again. But for now, I believe we’ve all earned some respite.”

“I’ll have Kazrah open her best cask.” Knowing her Brewmaster friend, the orc surely had one stashed away somewhere ,just for such a celebratory occasion. Khadgar shifted beside her into a more comfortable position, the sight all but confirming what Narami had already feared. “You can’t move your legs.” It wasn’t a question. She’d seen the others carry him, and while lying here, he had moved everything but them.

“A small price to pay, all things considered,” he assured her with another gentle squeeze, his thumb brushing across the back of her hand.

Though he spoke the truth, it hurt to see him pay yet another hefty physical toll. Was he in pain? He certainly looked exhausted. Restoring him, if such a thing was possible, was beyond her abilities. She was no Mistweaver, only basic proficiency with the healing arts. Enough skill to be of some aid perhaps.  Narami pulled her hand away from Anduin’s arm, to frame her beloved’s face instead, feeling him lean into her touch. Jade energy soon enveloped her hands as she tried to expel as much negative chi from him as possible. “Permanently?”

Khadgar exhaled, already looking less pale. “I’m afraid so, though only time will tell. I’ll explain later,” he promised, his voice growing quieter with each word.

“We’ll figure something out; until then.” Narami leaned closer and tenderly kissed his forehead, his skin a little cool against her lips. “I’ll be right beside you, my love.”  

He hummed, his eyes flickering, as if he was struggling to stay awake. He deserved to rest. For a while she sat with him, guiding the flow of chi, despite how tired she felt herself, Anduin beside them, Alleria keeping watch.

“You think he’s stable enough for transport?” the young king asked after some time.

The monk hoped so; she was no true healer and Anduin had only just regained his connection to the light, not to mention the toll the battle had exacted from all of them. “Khadgar? You’re still with us?”

“Just resting my eyes, dear,” he affirmed, if wearily so.

“Think you can handle the journey to Dornogal?” Alleria asked him, still worried for her old friend. “It’s quite a way, even with the aid of wings.”

“I’ll manage.” His eyes flickered to Narami. “Besides, I won’t be alone.”

The two elves exchanged a glance and Alleria nodded. Narami pulled out a whistle, the sound it emitted not audible to the human ear and quiet even to an elf. But it was not meant for either. It took a few minutes until Narami spotted a blue speck above, quickly growing in size. He spotted them as well, roaring to announce his approach. The highland drake circled the priory twice, before landing on the staircase to avoid hitting any of them, walking the last bit.

“Glad you could hear me, Thyellagos,” the night elf greeted her companion.

“I admit I almost didn’t; sounds travel strangely in these caverns,” the young drake confessed, before his dark eyes spotted Khadgar on the ground and widened. “Is that...?”

“Yes, which is why we need to return to Dornogal as swiftly as you can carry us.”

"Of course. Get on.”

Thyellagos laid down as low as he could go. Narami got into the saddle first, Alleria and Anduin helping Khadgar onto the drake after. When it was done, the archmage was leaning with his back against her, one of the night elf’s arms securely wrapped around his mid, to help keep him in the saddle.

Narami gasped the reins with her free hand, turning to the others one last time. “What about you?”

“Don’t wait for us. Khadgar still requires care. We’ll catch up.” The void elf promised, before smiling at Khadgar. “I know he’s safe with you.”

As long as she lived and breathed. Narami nodded and turned to her blue drake. “Thyellagos; gently, not a single spin today.”

The young one huffed, as if insulted she would think of him as so inconsiderate. Both Alleria and Anduin stood back to give him space as he flapped his massive wings, getting into the air much more slowly than usual. Narami held Khadgar close, making sure he couldn’t slip from the saddle. As if sensing her tension, he placed a hand on her arm in turn.

She smiled and inclined her head, letting it rest upon his shoulder, even as the wind began to howl in her long ears when Thyellagos soared. Part of her was still processing the last half hour. He was back, alive, here in her arms. It almost seemed too good to be true, like a fleeting dream. But she felt him, his weight against her body, his chest rising with each calm breath. Khadgar shifted ever so slightly in her embrace, his nose brushing against her cheek, followed by a feathery kiss. Her heart leapt for joy, warmth spreading into every fibre of her body, driving away the fatigue, which had plagued her. To share a moment like this again. It felt like a second chance and she would not waste it.

...

Bonus Thyellagos, 'cause he's a good boy:

[faerunsbest]

but more dramatic

a secondary version of this post

i thought about what if Rolan has different clothes and such for when hes out in the field versus at home in the tower or working. So maybe while in his rather grubby field clothes he runs into his lost love and shes overjoyed to see him. Hes over the moon cause he thought he would never see her again.

they get to talking and she says shes passing through town for work and shes gotta hurry back home...to their son. at first rolan laughs and says his son is at home studying so he just stares at her before it dawns on him what shes saying. he knows she had no way to find him to tell he had a son he isn't mad at all, hes stunned and since he said he would be in her town for some wizards event where he has to take all his apprentices she offers for him to come and meet their son.

he of course does.

from the sons point of view his mum is a spectacular woman who never let anyone bring her down or make her feel like she wasn't enough. she always fought to provide for him, shes always taken care of him. He still wonders and when he asked, she spoke so kindly of him that he didn't believe her.

he still gets mocked and bullied for not having a father to teach him how to be a man. and that is just what was happening to him right then, his mother had raved to him that he would get to meet his father FINALLY!

now everyone knew, he was looking for his father in this big rowdy crowd many of which were people he knew, and didn't like. They mocked him laughing that his father probably still the poor farmer that was left in Elturel and now he didn't even have any land. The boy grunted as he was shoved about while they mocked him, until his mother showed up,bright warm and strong she stepped in to his defense.

"I do not understand how you lot have it in you to mock someone you've never met. He's a good man and that is what is MOST IMPORTANT!"

her son rolled his eyes, for a moment he looked out to the arena. patting his mums arm.

"What did you say his name was?"

"It's rolan, and hes not farmer anymore. Hes a wizard, I'm sure hes very good- he's a very smart man you..."

the crowd of bullies as well as the mother and stared out as various wizards were introduced , with all their titles and trailed by their apprentices. most with one or two and few with five apprentices on their heels. both her and hers sons jaw dropped when they heard his name AS BELLOWED BY THE ANNOUNCER.

"ARCHWIZARD ROLAN, MASTER OF RAMAZITH TOWER, HERO OF THE GATE"

More astounding than the list of titles was the full class of 23 apprentices that walked in perfect sync behind him. They fanned out on either side of him, looking like pride itself, though directly beside him was one who looked exactly like him, much smaller though with the same fierce eyes. The mother and son stared at the boy then back to each other, that must be his son as well.

Right then the boy looked across the arena to an aged reflection of himself and was astonished. when the event went on a strange way for most wizards to show off their skill and talents, to show what they offer to the realm. To prove their place in all of Faerun, it was here on these bizarre grounds that apprentices faced off in a contorted version of the events original purpose.

The boy watched as every bit of the ranking board was overtaken by Rolan's apprentices except one. The one directly beside him did not step in... but why?

The boy and his mother would have to find out another day and today's events were complete. Now, now the boy gets to meet the man with so many titles... to meet his father.

The pair fought their way across the crowd to locked doors where security refused them entry until his mother raised her voice. The door opened outward and the last apprentice leered at the guard.

"They are to enter-"

"I'm sorry but-"

"My brother and his mother will enter and you will move or I will move you."

The boy and his mother looked at the young apprentice surprised by the way the guard flinched and moved to let them pass. the unknown son looked at the apprentice as he walked in.

"So he told you...about me?"

the apprentice blinked at him seemingly with little interest as he shut the door behind them.

"naturally"

"So... whats your name?"

"I am Rolan the second."

The went down a hall and the boy with his mother found themself looking into a wide lounge where many of the apprentices stood as Rolan checked them over for injury before being allowed to leave. Soon is was just them, just the four of them. Rolan stood before a massive arched window, looking imposing as backlight threw his shadow forward across the room.

"So, you are my son. What shall I call you?"

The boy stared in shock taking in the image of the man there, tall with a sharp face and broad shoulders all draped in gold and silk. His mother put her hands on his shoulders.

"His name is Roam, he's not usually so shy-"

"FARMER MY ASS WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Roam immediately clapped his hands over his mouth, surprised when the room was suddenly filled with a deep warm laugh. even off to the side, a small muffled chuckle could be heard while Roly curled a knuckle over a hidden smile.

[tavyliasin]

ATG 10 - Cat? Claw

In which the master of the house comes home.

Pairing: Haarlep/Tav /Raphael SPICE Rating: 5/5 - this is my peak, loves. Content Warnings:  Sex, BDSM, Power Play, group sex, voyeurism,   

Spoilers Act 3, House of Hope Canon Compliance Canon Is....boring. There's very little hint of canon here, it's purely indulgent. Other Notes (from the original release) I don't have more for now it's just a continuation of 9 and I let all my hinges go for you darlings it's out there now and I'm in my smuttiest era.

Post release note - mmhmm well indeed, my era continued from here, I'm still loving it~ Thanks, Past Lia, you did wonderfully~

Song/Mood Move Your Body by My Darkest Days "The two of us will fuel this fire No way in hell we're slowing down tonight Then just for fun take your tongue and run it over my lip And gotta love the way she does it for the hell of it We're in positions that most people only say they know. You got your hand on a landmine, ready to blow But the devil can hear you when you say... C'mon and get up (get up), move your body Use your body, lose control. Rub it right up, against my body Use my body, make it yours."

----- FULL CHAPTER BELOW THE CUT -----

Raphael frowned across the table. This should have been an easy contract to make, a simple soul wanting to save his business making shoes or watches or… Raphael did not care. It didn’t matter. It was a simple thing to grant a little talent, to pull a few strings and manipulate the world to turn in favour of his designs. Just as easy, too, to pull it all away again should the debtor refuse to hold up their end of the bargain.

Today, however, his mind was being intruded by unwelcome thoughts. Across the planes, a heat kept prickling his skin. Even in his human guise, he felt moments of sensation in the place his tail would be. Haarlep. He allowed his personal incubus their proper name only in his thoughts for now. They enjoyed it too much if he spoke it aloud in their presence, so he withheld it from them as their prize for doing a good job. The kind of good job that he was thinking about now instead of whatever this peasant was rambling on about.

He cursed under his breath as his knee struck the table, another reaction to whatever Haarlep was doing with his body at home. For hells’ sake, wench, can you not wait until I return? Even his thoughts were laced with the venom he was preparing to unleash on the unruly incubus. There was an agreement about when and where they were allowed to use him and today was not on the agenda.

“Yes, yes, everything you want will be yours in short order, Korilla will fill you in on the details. Now, if you will excuse me I have other business to attend to.” He stood without waiting for the peasant’s reply, barely registering the look of perplexed frustration glaring daggers at his back as he stepped out of the dusty little shop. It didn’t take long for him to reach the brothel, quickened steps threatening to break the wood of the staircase as he swept into the room he kept for more important deals and cast open the portal.

Stepping through the shimmering magic and into Avernus in an instant, Raphael absent mindedly licked his lips, the hint of heat there was about to make a lot more sense.

In front of him, he could see that mirrored image of his own back, wings spread wide and shielding him from seeing the full scene.

“Well, well, well,” the master of the house spoke with a practiced air of calm irritation, “I don’t believe we had any scheduled guests today. And what, or rather who, the FUCK do you think you are doing, Harlot?” He spat out the greeting, the calm slipping away word by word. He was just about ready to dispatch whoever it was who had the audacity to lay in his bed, using his personal incubus. The very same who now folded their wings and turned to face him, fingers still buried deep in the body that lay bound on the bed, arms back, legs open, on full display and not even looking in his direction.

“Little Mouse?-”

---

Tav couldn’t hear anything that was going on around her. Her entire mind and body had given over to Haarlep’s control, and gods did it feel so good. Even now their tongue had ceased lavishing its lies of affection, the ground itself warping beneath her with the intensity of pleasure that pulsed through her, she barely noticed the emptiness it left. Fingers were still slowly, methodically teasing out the core of her desire…but the heat within her was spiralling out of control. Dangerously. But perhaps not as dangerous as the wave of rage that washed through the room with the presence she was incapable of noticing.

---

Haarlep stared defiantly back at the intruder. Well, intruder wouldn’t be quite right, this was his house, but he was not the master in this room. But with their guest upon the bed, appearances could be a problem. “She doesn’t know you’re here, not yet.” They warned, idly licking the still heated taste of her from their lips, fingers continuing their work. “Luckily for you, she’s enthralled. Unluckily for her, she took a little too much of a taste of my saliva.” “I do not recall giving you permission to play with my toys.” Raphael stood still, arms folded, though his eyes kept drifting to Tav’s writhing body and away from the incubus’s amused smirk. “I certainly did not give you permission to break them.” “Well then Archduke, might I humbly suggest that the master of the house deal with his own problems?” Haarlep stared defiantly, reaching down to touch themselves in just the way that Raphael would feel it. “If she isn’t sated, that fun little mind might just burn to a crisp.” The cambion stood, unmoving, still in his human form. “Enthralled, you said?” “Yes. Entirely. All she can feel,” they punctuated their point by drawing another moan from her throat. Raphael swallowed involuntarily. “All she can see, hear, is me. Of course it would be the matter of a moment to release her attentions-”

“No.” He replied far too quickly. “No…” Much slower that time, drawing it out as he stroked his chin in idle thought. “Not yet. As you seem to have been enjoying yourself so far, perhaps you should continue whilst you explain exactly how this came about. I shall decide what to do based on your answers.” Haarlep might have been surprised by the shift from Raphael’s usual combative tone, but they knew him far too well. He was calculating, intrigued, and the possibilities were delighting Haarlep no end. They didn’t have any need to fear the wrath of the master of the house, they knew exactly how many lines they could cross without his ire burning them like so many foolish debtors. No, with a new player on the board the game had only changed. They weren’t sure whether to pity or envy the writhing elf, moans increasing as they pressed a thumb precisely where it was needed to draw tiny circles around oversensitive nerves. Oh she was going to prove to be quite the banquet, they might even feel sated for a full week after this.

They quietly observed Raphael, who simply reclined himself in a lavish armchair facing the bed. Ah, so that’s how he wants to play it, they mused. “So, your permission? Nicely, or I might change my mind and make you do all the work.” “Fine, Haarlep, you may have her at your leisure. She did ask for it, did she not?” Raphael was feeling unseasonably generous. This could work in his favour after all, and he didn’t even mind watching the incubus’s wings fluttering in delight at hearing their proper name. The bitch might just earn it. “So very generous of you to give me exactly what you want~” Haarlep gave him just the slightest hint of a wink as they finally stopped working their fingers inside Tav. She lay there breathless, skin flush with heat and longing, not quite able to form words yet. Haarlep looked the master of the house directly in the eye now, licking the flavours from their fingers with well practiced seduction, sliding their other hand inside the lower part of the harness and gripping tightly.

Naturally, Raphael’s bond was stronger when they were in the room together. Instead of the fleeting whisper of feeling, he could now feel the clawed talons gripping him, taste the hint of the Little Mouse’s lust on the tip of his tongue- “Do not leave her long, now. Break her, and I assure you that you will regret it.” “As you wish~” Their reply was playful, but they felt the weight of the threat. “She seemed disappointed that I wasn’t you, you know. But she was more than willing, for all of this, just to learn a few petty little secrets .” They bent down between Tav’s still bound legs, gripping her hip with one hand whilst the other worked themselves - and by extension, Raphael - thrusting their tongue inside to savour every shudder of pleasure they could wring from their new favourite plaything.

“And you kept your mouth shut?” Still in his human form, he began to loosen the fine silks that were beginning to feel like a noose. His ears burned as a low wail reverberated through the room, the almost pitiable mortal writing and shaking as another climax was coaxed from her burning body. Haarlep raised their head slowly, allowing their horns to rake a path along Tav’s inner thighs. “I was not born last century, Archduke. ” They pressed their own clawed nails into themselves, barely registering the pain as Raphael hissed between clenched teeth. “Now do enjoy the show, won’t you?” ---

Tav’s head was spinning. All she could see before her was the sea of flame red skin taut over rippling muscles, wide wings spread above her, wicked horns and hair that was still somehow completely smoothed. They had been looking…somewhere…saying something.. None of it had registered over the waves of aftershock still coursing through her entire being. If it weren’t for the vines still holding her tightly in place, she was almost certain she would have ascended through the ceiling itself some time ago.  

Haarlep bent over her now, gripping her chin and forcing her to look directly into their eyes. The whole plane seemed to be consumed in their gaze, their voice travelling directly from her ears to somewhere far lower. “Found your voice again yet, Little Rat? I told you when we began, you would have use of my name. Tell me, clearly now. What do you want?” Her voice was hoarse, but she forced her tongue and lips to form the words of her desires. “I want you, Haarlep.” Their wings shuddered an approval, drawing a slightly frustrated sigh from somewhere on the other side of the room. A noise that had no chance of reaching Tav’s ears as Haarlep tightened their grip on her chin. “Oh I’m afraid you’ll have to do better than that, Rat. You want me to what ?”

“I want you,” she rasped, “to fuck me. Ruin me. I can’t…” Her voice left her, as her desperate eyes sought approval, confirmation, reassurance that she would get what she needed . “Good, little rat, good. You are doing so very well~” They spoke to her, through her, with a voice dripping with seductive approval. They had her exactly how they wanted her. Helpless, desperate, yearning and oh how they did love to taste it all. They breathed deeply, drinking it in like the finest of wines. But they would not ignore a plea, not when she had begged so beautifully for them.

Raphael watched silently, attention completely captured by the sight further unfolding. Haarlep removed their harness with a wave of their hand, magic was always so much easier than wasting time on buckles. He respected that, even as he sat with his shirt half open, focused entirely on every move his perfect living mirror made. They knew how to seduce him, and watching it work on the Little Mouse, well that was new, it was enticing. Usually the fiend simply concealed himself in another part of the room, reading a book and lazily allowing the sensations to pass over him and through him without getting involved. His invited guests got what they wanted, sex with his body, but he didn’t have to bother with any of the effort or showmanship. Haarlep provided all of that, and fed on the energy they made. A fine contract. But this was not a time he was content to sit back and ignore the proceedings. No, seeing Haarlep running his hands - no, their hands - across the Mouse’s body, drawing forth gasps and moans as they teased her, pressing against her but denying her the satisfaction of entering her until she was almost completely broken. Watching her struggle against the vines that held her, even as Haarlep’s first thrust filled her entirely with his - no, their… The line between his own body and the copy that filled his senses with the experience he should have only been witness to, that line was fast becoming a blur. This was…different. The feeling of being utterly filled by Haarlep whilst the echoes of his own muscles tightened around him was not the same as only having the phantom of her gripping, squeezing, the lewd sounds of her ragged breath and desperate whimpering only making him more…more what? I’m not fucking jealous, I don’t want-

---

Tav rolled her head back as another orgasm swept through her. She didn’t know how long they’d been here, she barely remembered how she even got here, if someone asked her name she would likely get it wrong . But, gods, it did not matter. Not now. 

Above her, Haarlep was relentless. Changing their rhythm every time she thought she was used to the pressure, the friction of hard ridges stimulating nerves she didn’t even know she had. Their voice filled her ears with praise, assurances, everything she didn’t know she wanted to hear as the sound shuddered through her body directly to her core. Tav lit up again, the fire rising, swelling, and bursting in a wave of ecstasy. She strained against the vines, writing for more friction as she rode out the orgasm for the…well she had no idea how many it had been now, she was the beach and their waves kept crashing over her time after time after glorious fucking time. The last corner of her mind clinging desperately to reason, was screaming danger , yelling into the eye of the storm that giving over any further would mean certain death, crying out for a saviour to pull her from the depths of bliss before it swallowed her whole.

---

“Enough.” Raphael stood beside the bed, unsure of how his feet had carried him there, but completely certain of his command. “She isn’t done, you know.” Haarlep tilted their head towards the still all-too-human for their liking Raphael. “Should I release her?”

“Not yet.” He made a swift gesture and an aura of darkness surrounded them. Only the fiend and his incubus could see through the magic, see how Tav blinked in the dark, pulling harder to reach where she last knew Haarlep to be. “Now.” Haarlep released their concentration, allowing the effects of the Enthrall to fade away. Had the darkness not been cast, she would’ve been able to see the look that passed between the devils above her, the silent mouthing of words, the nod of understanding.

---

Tav heard the voice again, breath hot and close to her ear. “Do you want more, Little Mouse?” There was no touch, only sound, and it did nothing to ease the burning ache of need.

“P..please…” Only a single word left her lips, not a thought behind it, not even realising her nickname had changed.

“All our Little Thief wants to do is take .” The sound from the other side, Tav turned her head in vain trying to reach the source. “Then it is about time for the Mouse to take the bait .” She turned again, confused, wanting, unable to untangle her lust enough to see the truth. The next time the voice… voices spoke, it was in an infernal stereo, the heat from two sets of lips burning at her ears and finally bringing her to a very distinct realisation. “We will end your delicious suffering, soon.”

Tav’s mind damn near folded in half as she felt not 2 but 4 hands seeking every oversensitive nerve in her tormented body. It didn’t matter that she had been completely caught in the trap, found in a room she didn’t belong, because the owner of that room had stepped out of her wildest dreams and into shudderingly vivid reality. She wished she could see, but she could tell by the difference in their fingertips that Raphael was still in his human form. Cherries, she could smell them now as lips pressed to her throat. Greedy, messy, devouring. Cinnamon still drifted through the air from Haarlep too, though it seemed they had moved to her legs, alternating between massaging her muscles and digging their claws in to draw blood. Pleasure and pain, everything they had promised, with the greed of the house’s master- Between their ministrations she could hear moments of bickering, instructions passing to and fro accompanied by insults. By the time they release her from the vines that held her, she wasn’t sure which one she wanted to reach out for. But it was human lips that stole a passionate and needy kiss, while his hand took a firm grip around her throat. Tav nearly choked on the tongue that seemed to want to draw her soul out with pure avarice, but she held on, following where she was lead as the pair pulled her up to her knees only to press her back down on to all fours. “Go on, behind, at the back where you belong. You will work for what you want, whether you like it or not.” One voice snapped, a clear command but hard to make sense of who exactly it came from when they shared the same intonations.  But the order was not for Tav, it was for… Well that was surprising. Cherry scent gave way to cinnamon, clawed hands caressed her neck, lifting her chin.

Haarlep’s thumb pressed on her bottom lip, encouraging her to open her mouth for them, just as she felt the vines coil around her body once more. This time her wrists were held firm, with the vines reaching further up to help her arms support her weight. Her legs, however, were not bound alone. She felt the heat of bare skin, the pressure of him behind her, his knees between her own where she knelt on all fours. The vines coiled around them both, thighs pressed together with maddening heat, a final whipping noise from somewhere in the darkness behind her not striking her own flesh but drawing out a tortured groan as he sank deep into her in a swift and brutal motion. Tav gasped, almost choking at the shock of being filled in a split second, but as soon as her mouth was open she had a new reason to choke. Hardened ridges of hot skin grazed her tongue, enticing her to taste. Behind her, vines creaked and whips cracked in the hot air punctuating each thrust with a punishing rhythm. Fingers grasped at her hips, her back, trying to find purchase anywhere just to hold on as the incubus’s infernal laughter echoed around the chamber.

---

Tav’s moans were muffled, but music to Haarlep’s ears. This could hardly be a better day for them, they even decided they’d leave their deal off the table…for now. Raphael was right, this toy was not one they wanted to break. All the potential they saw was now blooming brightly even within the haze of magical darkness that blinded the eyes trying to look up at them. “Don’t stop now, Little Rat, that’s it…feel everything.” Their hands caressed her hair with a deceptive care, right before their tail whipped around from behind them to strike her between her shoulder blades, gentle fingers now clawing into her scalp to keep them in her mouth even as she moaned around ridged flesh.

They cast their gaze back to Raphael, his expression somewhere between a white hot rage and undiluted lust that was destroying his sense of reason.

“Satisfied, Archduke?” They asked, not giving a single care for the answer. They knew. They knew he could feel himself enveloped by her, feel himself filling her entirely from both sides, but they would not let him release yet. Too soon and it may not be enough to soothe the heat of the single kiss that took everything too far. Or perhaps that was just their excuse to keep this going as long as they could, searing it into their mind with every exquisite detail. Haarlep’s wicked mind worked fast, their own toes beginning to curl at the prospect even as the lewd tongue flickering around them tried to drive them to their end. Not yet, they hissed to themselves, the practice of subduing their own climax as easy as blinking. Not so for Raphael, however. The incubus raised a hand, a few motions from their fingers weaving a new design. The latest vine rose up and caught the fiend at the base in a moment between tortured thrusts, the mage hand lashing the whip with precise intervals to keep his pace. The binding would be enough to hold him from release until the true master of the room allowed it. “Harlot.” The fiend complained, the insult little more than a word swallowed by the other sounds being drawn from his throat. It was the kind of complaint made in vain, however. He was greedy, desiring to find release, but he would enjoy it more if made to wait for permission. “Now, if you please, Archduke,” the incubus commanded, the last part of this plan sliding into place, “assume your true form.”

---

Tav was enveloped, consumed, the heated thrusts filling her entirely from in front and behind. She had long since given up on listening to them talk, only letting their voices wash over her and through her, a lullaby of lust as she sank into the sensation. She could feel the sting of fresh bruises from the tail lashing down on her spine, fingers clawing into her hips, the vicious crack of a whip with far less gentle care than the blows on her own flesh driving the fiend to take her entirely. Then she felt the change. The growing, the friction of new ridges of hot and hardened flesh grinding against nerves so tightly bundled that she would have screamed if she had the breath to spare.

It was divine. She was desperate and between them they filled every needy little desire burning her up.

---

“Just a little more, sweet Thief, and you will take everything you wanted~” Haarlep spoke quietly this time, their words meant only for one set of ears. For the other, they sought their reward. “Tell me. Is this everything you desire?”

“You are well aware-” the reply was cut off by another crack of the whip, a firm reminder of what was expected now. “Haarlep, enough-” They glared at him now. A second and much sharper blow cut his voice down to a keening whimper. “Haarlep, please.”

“Very well, Raphael. Do as you wish.” They released the vine holding back his climax, and threw their head back, allowing the senses to rush into them, filling them with the most delicious banquet they could have hoped for as a symphony of pleasure played the melody of their own composing.

--- Tav felt the final climax throw her over the edge and almost entirely out of her body. Clawed hands held her head as she swallowed, while behind, below, a powerful pulsing sent waves of bursting light through her entire being.

She barely noticed the vines receding, the strong arms that caught her torso before her limbs could give way. The whole world was so far away, but nothing mattered. The heat was finally quenched, whether she recognised how close she had come to turning to ashes or not her body finally cooled. Tense muscles released, but bruises were beginning to swell angrily, interspersed with blood flecked claw marks.

---

“You went too far.” Raphael snarled, pulling Tav’s body towards him and leaning her against his chest.

“I went as far as I had to go. I told you, she took too much from me because what she really wanted was you . I gave her that much. You also seemed to enjoy yourself quite thoroughly~” Haarlep laughed, stepping off the bed and walking a little ahead towards the wide open bathing pool on the other side of the room. A small power move, tail swishing happily as they swayed their hips in a mockery of seduction.”She will be fine, bring her over.” Without much choice in the matter, the fiend scooped the exhausted elf up against his chest, tail guiding her weak arms to wrap around his shoulders. To an outsider, it might’ve looked like a lover’s carry, tender arms hooked under knees that had long since gone limp, one hand holding her head against him as she made soft noises now, a barely conscious mess in the aftermath of unbearable lust.

Clawed feet clicked on the hard stone floor, careful footsteps finally arriving at the water’s edge. It was cool, soothing, from the first moment his toes broke the surface. The cambion lowered himself gently into the bath as his incubus scattered scented petals through the water, preparing soaps, oils and salves.

“Such a beautiful canvas, don’t you think? And so wonderfully painted~” Haarlep purred happily, completely satisfied, as they sank into the water beside Raphael. They caressed the hair of their new favourite toy with a smile. “Next time-”

“Next time? Have you forgotten whose home this is? Whose-” The angry snarl was cut off by a sigh from within his arms. The water was beginning to do its work. “Now, now, you can bicker with me later.  Now how about you take proper care of your Little Mouse?” They stroked the wounds they’d inflicted on the cambion’s own back, digging a talon in one moment and soothing the swollen welts with balms the next.

For his part, the master of the house was carefully holding Tav in his lap, letting the healing pool slowly do its work, watching as wounds knitted closed and allowing her to relax further until only her head was above water.  “I could so easily just drown you right here, Little Mouse, and you’d never even know.” He mused, mostly to himself. There was as little chance of her hearing him as there was actual intention behind his words. “Oh you would never.” Haarlep laughed, not letting the chance to mock their so-called master slip through their clawed fingers. “Let her up a little again, that filthy hair needs a wash. Even a Little Rat should get clean now and then.”

“Rat,” Raphael tested the word, deciding it felt entirely wrong on his tongue, “where did that come from?”

“Never you mind about that,” they deflected his comment easily, pouring a little scented soap into their hands and working it into Tav’s hair, carefully massaging her scalp. “Just wash her body down, and use that salve on the bruises, if you please.” Her eyelids fluttered a little, but he could feel her body had yet to regain its strength, muscles completely relaxed in the most dangerous place she could possibly be…and yet she could also be no safer than held between two fiends in the middle of Avernus. The irony might have amused her, had she been able to form a thought yet.

---

Tav was somewhere. Drifting, her consciousness afloat in another space, barely aware of the soothing feeling of gentle hands and healing waters. One by one, her senses returned to her. She moaned softly at the feeling of claws gently combing through her hair, the scent of the soaps warm and delightful. The other warm thing was the…pillow? Wall? Whatever soft and firm thing it was that she was laid against.

“A lost little mouse, scurried through the house, looking for all the things she should not find. Footsteps, tippy tap, the mouse tripped the trap, leaving all her dreams behind.” The rumbling of the deep voice vibrated through the wall…no, the chest, her head was leaning on.

Her eyelids fluttered, the world still a blur of ambient light, the feeling of cool water becoming clearer as she moved her fingers to test if they were still there at all. All present and accounted for, she thought, relieved. There were places on her body that stung and ached, but this seemed to be dissolving away.

“Slowly, Little Mouse, do not run too fast. Trip now, and the fall could be your last.” The voice was closer now as she became more fully present in her body.

Tav suddenly realised who it belonged to, a swell of panic rising up from her guts as that little part of her mind that had been screaming danger for hours finally made itself heard. Oh fu-“Drink up, Thief. You might as well enjoy the spoils of your adventures to the full~ Oh, and consider the deal on hold, for now.” The owner of the second voice came into view, holding out a large chalice. “Drink first, there’s food after. You did so very well, I’m almost impressed.” They understated their satisfaction, unwilling to give too much praise to a mere scrap of a mortal…yet not withholding their smile either.

“We can discuss exactly what in the hells you were doing here later. I look forward to hearing your excuses, Little Mouse, so do make them entertaining.” His voice was cold and flat, yet his arms remained around her, not yet willing to cast her aside even though she was recovering.

---

Several hours later, Tav had been allowed to leave on the most infuriatingly awkward walk of shame in all her days. She was loathe to explain exactly what had taken her so long, though she had the distinct feeling that perhaps she didn’t need to. She had entered a bedroom through a broken balcony dressed in rags, and left through the front door smelling of delightful lotions, her hair still slightly damp, and wearing a well tailored - if plain - leather and silk outfit that accentuated every curve of her body.

At least her companions had spared her the questions she dreaded. Although she did note Astarion mouth the words “Rule Four” at her with a sly wink. Fine, she thought, I will have to record this in that damned book… I doubt they will let it happen again, anyway. Might as well preserve it in my own memory, at least. ----------- ----------- ENDING NOTES ----------- -----------

Ah, one of my favourites~ Finally letting the three play together, even getting some soft Raphael in there at the end with the aftercare. It might not be natural to him, but he can be all too easily pushed by Haarlep into doing exactly what they want of him. In this case, it's ensuring their new favourite toy will be able to play again. I need to write more of these three at some point, naturally. Perhaps some shorts, though they tend to run long as this was all meant to be in one chapter until it became two~ Well, until the next chapter loves do take care, and enjoy your stay in Avernus~

[bountyhaunter]

TIMING: Mid March LOCATION: The Grit Pit PARTIES: Felix @recoveringdreamer and Daiyu @bountyhaunter SUMMARY: Felix comes across Daiyu storming out of an office at the Pit, after she's refused to hand over her bounty. A lot of conflicting emotions swirl between the two, but one thing is sure: the Grit Pit sucks! CONTENT WARNINGS: Abuse.

She really didn’t set out to make enemies in life, it just happened. Like today. Daiyu had marched into the location supplied to her at The 3 Daggers with a trio of unconscious beasts in a small travel crate, excited to collect her reward and get on with her day. It was best not to think about the rest of it all — why someone wanted an alive creature rather than a dead one, why they were willing to pay more than seemed fair. She wanted to get herself a nice meal (a burger) and a nice drink (a cherry coke) and maybe another treat (a tub of ice cream). 

Upon arrival at the address, though, something had rubbed her the wrong way. That gut feeling had proven right when she’d found out what this place. The so-called Grit Pit, a place where creatures and shapeshifters fought. No wonder something was constantly tugging at her stomach as she moved through the building. This place was filled with prey, made into predator, made into the personal profit of whoever was on top.

She was different, she told herself: she scraped together the money she needed to get by through hunting. She hadn’t built a company or legacy on her bounties. She wasn’t like these people, just as she wasn’t like her family, who’d gotten richer and richer off the backs of beasts and shifters alike. She was, wasn’t she? Her frustration with it all made her prickly, caused her to cuss out the person who she was supposed to make the exchange with — someone who seemed human but so glib that he might as well be a vampire with how he was draining her energy.

Daiyu had slammed the door when she’d left, throwing one more expletive over her shoulder and leaving with the still snoozing Aniukhas. “Fucking unbelievable, this town can —” Her muttering was interrupted as she felt another tug in her stomach, eyes flaring up to see a normal-looking person peer at her. “What?!”

—

Someone had taken sympathy on them tonight. It was a rare occasion, but Felix had been ‘working’ a lot more often lately. With the combination of their brief absence after their altercation with Parker and the fight they’d thrown for Beau, the higher ups at the Pit hadn’t been particularly happy with the balam for a while now, and the fight schedule had reflected as much. First it had been back to back fights, then they’d been scheduled for less in a way that made it harder and harder to pay the bills, then back to back again. It made it impossible for them to catch their bearings, hard to predict what their next week would look like. 

But today, they’d only had a couple fights. Easy, but not so easy that the pay was bad. There was an unfamiliar feeling of optimism as they gathered their things, a nice sensation that things might be looking up just a little. They had time to get groceries, and money to buy them with. Wasn’t that all they could really ask for? Felix looked downright pleased as he made his way towards the door, stopping only when someone slammed the door to one of the offices, storming out into the hall.

They didn’t mean to stare, really. It was just… kind of a commotion, was all. Felix blinked at the stranger, eyes going from her face to the creatures she was carrying. “Uh, sorry,” they said when she spoke, glancing down. “I was just… Are you okay? Um, do you need… help? With that.” They nodded to the creatures in her arms, uncertain.

—

They stared daggers at the shapeshifter, wishing they were some kind of magic thing that could do that literally and not just figuratively. Daiyu didn’t like being perceived in moments like these, moments where she was wearing her emotions on her sleeve. Her anger, even if it was so easily provoked, was something personal, something that was intwined with the past and inner battles. 

It made it easy for others to undermine her, didn’t it? Vissarion egging her on when she was already enraged, Inna pressing on the sore spots to make her more angry and her father pulling the rug from under her as he reminded her that her anger was nothing but a feeling. And feelings, Daiyu, they’re a waste of this fiery energy. She knew she was burning a bridge right now, that it would be better for her position as a local ranger to keep ties with a place like this — and she didn’t want to be seen in such a passion. It made her appear weak, didn’t it? To be so conflicted, so hypocritical, so easily angered.

“Yeah, I’m fine, this is just a bullshit place,” she bristled at the shapeshifter, wondering what they were, what position they held here. A bullshit one too, probably. “With bullshit people.” She held the cage closer. “No. This is coming with me. Tell your people to find their Aniukhas somewhere else, yeah?” She’d have to figure out what to do with them now. Kill them? Try and find someone else who might like a trio of Aniukhas and get her coin? She despised herself, which made her despise everyone around her too. Including the shifter across her.

—

Felix found it difficult to argue with her assessment of things. The Grit Pit was a treacherous, predatory place full of treacherous, predatory people. They wondered absently if she’d been forced into a contract of some kind or another, if her anger was due to her learning that something had been taken from her. Had they felt a similar anger when Leo revealed the cruel nature of his intentions? When he’d laughed at the idea that Felix thought love could save a man who’d never needed saving to begin with? Or when he’d tried to leave town only to find that awful bind twisting him up inside, showing them just how far the pull of the Grit Pit could go?

They weren’t sure anger had ever been the right word for what they’d felt. Felix wasn’t as good at anger as they wanted to be. They were much more skilled in grief and mourning, in quiet acceptance. They wanted to fight back, wanted to set the world on fire with their rage the way this stranger looked ready to now, but they’d never quite managed to burn hot enough to do so. They always came up short. Too small, too meek, too forgiving. They wished they could be different, but they didn’t know how. 

“Oh. They’re not really, uh… my people,” Felix admitted, looking at the creatures — Aniukhas, she’d called them? — with mild curiosity. “I think it’s good. That you’re taking them. They — They shouldn’t be here.” While Felix’s contract was cruel, less-sentient beings like the ones in her arms now suffered an even harsher fate at the Grit Pit. At least fights between shifters and other humanoid species didn’t tend to be of the ‘to the death’ variety — after all, the Grit Pit had to keep a good supply of fighters if they wanted to make good money, and that was what they cared about the most. “What are you going to do with them? You’re not… I mean, you won’t hurt them, right?”

—

From what she had gathered about this place, the Aniukhas would be outnumbered. They were vicious creatures, sure, and had to be taken care of properly, but compared to some of the other creatures this place boasted to have in the ring? They stood little chance. Daiyu’s mind crawled with images of the rodents devouring a shapeshifter and rising from its corpse, though, their numbers multiplying and turning on the crowd. She imagined a wolf crunching down on the creatures with furious jaws. All to line someone’s pocket.

She tried to recall whether her father had ever kept Aniukhas. Probably — he’d let them procreate from decaying corpses until having something else take them all down, a perfect example of the food chain among the bestial. That’s how it often went, at home, whenever the Volkovs were in an entertainment mood. Slaughter upon slaughter, with the hunter always on top of the food chain. Lest they forget that their superior humanity made them stand above them all.

She considered the shifter, at what they were saying. Not my people. The fuck did that mean? “So why’re you here then?” Daiyu followed their gaze and the small beasts, still so peaceful in their slumber. “Nah, they shouldn’t. Nothing should. Violence isn’t …” What wasn’t it? Who was she to condemn violence of any form, when so often she felt most like herself when covered in sticky blood? “Whatever. This is bullshit.” 

The question of what she was to do with the Aniukhas was a good one, a stab in the gut. She should kill them. They were predatorial and pestlike, could spread their bloodsucking ways by multiplying. But Daiyu had never been good at going round the house and killing a creature. She did it in the heat of the moment. To sedate them and slay them after — it took a kind of detachment, a vicious coldness she lacked. She could stab these creatures in the eye without second thought when they were awake and dangerous, but now? What should she do, get a bucket, drown them so they’d die in their sleep? She wanted to kick in the door she’d just slam shut and yell some more. “Dunno. They’re dangerous. Look cute now, but they’re not. I dunno.”

—

Why’re you here, then? It was a much more complicated question than it should have been, and Felix wanted to laugh at the absurdity at it all. The idea that this would become their life hadn’t been something that had occurred to them at all when they’d lived in the woods in the stifling house their father built to keep them safe, and not just because they hadn’t known of the Pit’s existence. The idea that they’d ever leave that house had seemed preposterous, like an impossible thing. They’d been so sure that they’d stay there for the rest of their life, so sure that the safe space their father insisted upon would be their prison in the end.

Escape should have been a good thing, shouldn’t it? It should have been celebratory, exciting. Instead, all Felix had managed to do was trade one prison for another — a worse one, really. At least in his father’s house, he’d been able to tell himself that every terrible thing was done for love. Their father had wanted them safe, even if the only way he’d known to achieve that was to keep them secured. But the Grit Pit? Felix was here to make money for strangers who would throw him to the pretty literal wolves if it meant they could stuff a few extra bills into their wallets at the end of the night. 

So why were they here? Because they had to be. Because every other option had been taken from them by force. Mostly, though… “I’m under contract.” It was all they could say without risking consequences from the bind, and consequences weren’t worth risking to explain themself to a stranger with an armful of Aniukhas. Even if they did find themself agreeing with the stranger more and more. They nodded, looking down at their feet. “Yeah,” they said quietly, throat dry. It was stupid. They knew it was stupid.

He looked at the unconscious creatures in her arms, feeling a cold discomfort spread through him. They thought of Parker, of the sedatives on his belt, of the terror of losing consciousness in one place and regaining it somewhere else. “I can take them.” They didn’t know why they blurted it out, but the words were out of their mouth in a tumble and they had no desire to take them back. “I can take them and — and find somewhere to let them go. Where they could be… safer.” 

—

There was something pitiful about the shapeshifter in front of her. Daiyu hadn’t been made to feel pity, especially not for those that made her guts churn with recognition, those that her kind were intended to hunt — but she had always come up short. Not just in height, but in the department of emotions too. There’d been a period where she’d refused to eat Snicker-Snackers because their illustrations in her family’s books had tugged on her heartstrings. She’d been forced to sit at the table until she’d fallen asleep with her head on the mahogany. Her father had smashed a plate next to it to wake her up.

But her uncle had always applauded that heart. Told her to cherish it. To cling to it. Even if it made her feel weaker than her siblings. As she stared at the shifter looking at their feet, murmuring something about a contract, Daiyu felt there was something afoot here. Asking bounty hunters to do their dirty work, locking up creatures to make them fight. Beasts had animalistic instincts, didn’t know a fighting ring from a forest floor if there was a predator opposing them — to them it was all survival. But shifters had sentience, to a certain degree. They knew what a fighting pit was, what was happening with the profits. They had a contract to sign. Something was sinister about it. Wrong.

She didn’t understand magic very well, but she knew there was more binding things than legal documents. To be fair, she didn’t know a lot about legal documents either. Daiyu had never had a proper job and though some bounties required a signature of sorts it was never something that could be brought up in a court of law, anyway. “Ohhhh, right. Under contract. Like … temporary contract or like permanent?” She didn’t sound empathetic. Something always went wrong when words went from her heart to her mouth.

The other spilled out empathy as if they were leaking it. An easy target, she thought, and then banished the thought. It was a cruel and ugly thought. But to feel something so soft for creatures like these, it was … interesting. Foolish. Understandable. “Are you … sure? They’re really not ... they deceive, their looks. They can be right trouble. Don’t want them to spread.” Daiyu should do the right thing. Go out to the woods and kill them, before they multiplied and took more effort to be taken out. She had half a mind to set them loose on the owners of this shitty place. 

—

They could feel her looking at them, in a way that had very little to do with the jaguar’s instincts in their chest and much more to do with the quiet anxiety that thrummed beneath their skin at all times. Felix had never much liked to be looked at. It was one of the many things they hated about their job at the Grit Pit, one of a multitude of reasons they felt sick just thinking about how they spent their nights. When you were in the ring, everyone was looking at you. All the time. You were a spectacle, an exhibit. Felix had never wanted to be that. 

But, of course, Felix had never wanted any of this. Like the creatures this woman had thought better than to give to the people behind that door, Felix was a commodity here. A product, a thing bought and sold. But there was no one to take him out to the woods for freedom, no one who had second thoughts about the life they were forcing him into. It was stupid to feel jealous of creatures that hardly seemed sentience, but a hint of envy rose up in their chest all the same.

They shrugged listlessly at her question. “Permanent, I guess.” There were only so many ways to escape the Grit Pit’s clutches, and Felix wasn’t sure they could stomach what any of them meant. With more desperation, maybe they could bring themself to trade their contract for another, but… On some level, they hoped they wouldn’t. They didn’t want to be that kind of person, didn’t want to take advantage of anyone else the way they had been taken advantage of. There were lines that didn’t feel right to cross; this was one of them.

Glancing back up, Felix let their eyes settle on the creatures in her arms and shrugged. “I’m not exactly how I look, either,” they admitted. It didn’t feel like much of a confession. If she was here, with these beasts in her arms, she knew what this place was. She knew that anyone who worked here must have something under the surface. “They shouldn’t… I mean, obviously they shouldn’t be here. If I take them out in the woods someplace, far away from town, they can… I don’t know. Live like they’re supposed to, I guess?”

—

Her father would balk at the idea that a shapeshifting fighter should be allowed to walk around freely. Of course, the way her family tended to pit creatures and beasts against one another was vastly different from this place. Less organized, more akin to the way regular humans made dogs or bulls fight. Beasts were problems that could prove solutions — in their duty to eliminate them, the Volkovs turned a profit. Letting a shifter roam free was laughable, especially when they didn’t even want to be somewhere. Bad business.

Daiyu didn’t agree with that notion, though — that it was laughable, that there was even a business mindset to apply here. What she did think of it all, she didn’t know. It just pissed her off. All of it. Like a thunderous cloud rolling over her mind, it took away all other conscious thought and just made everything into one very simple thing. Anger.

“Permanent, cool. Set for life.” Her own voice sounded estranged to her. She wasn’t sure what it was the other was implying, how this place functioned. They didn’t look very happy about working here, and yet they did. “That was sarcasm. So what, you’re like … trapped? Or is this just your general thing where you’re working for a shitty employer ‘cus of capitalism?” She supposed she understood that. But she’d at least managed to create some distance between herself and her family, right?

She looked at the sleeping aniukhas, their red eyes hidden as their lids remained closed, and then looked at the other. “So what are you? Werewolf? Bearish? Or something else?” It was mostly those she found around here, but one could never be too sure. Daiyu reconsidered the others words. “Yeah. Maybe. They drink blood, so keep ‘em from the trails, where the people come. I guess they’re fine on the foodchain, but best to keep regular humans from messing with them, they don’t know how to … handle them.” They’d kill them easy enough, not knowing what kind of infestation they might be starting. “They like it cold.” She was still clutching the cage, not yet convinced of handing it over yet. “Woods are good.”

—

Set for life. That was how the Grit Pit drew some people in, Felix knew. There were plenty of fighters who were in it for the money — plenty who wanted to be here, even. Wyatt didn’t seem to hate it, and Samir even seemed to rely on it to some extent. But Felix? This was never something they would have chosen for themself had they known exactly what it was they were signing up for. If they had any choice in the matter at all, they wouldn’t be here now, wouldn’t be stuck fighting night after night for a paycheck they felt dirty collecting.

But it wasn’t something they could explain to this woman here and, even if it were, it wasn’t something they were sure they would want to explain to a stranger. After all, what did the truth offer beyond a look into just how stupid Felix had been? There was no way out of it, even if someone did know how thoroughly they were trapped. Plenty of people had promised to help him — Wyatt, Zane, others — but what good would it do? The only way to free themself from the chains was to place them on someone else’s wrists, and Felix couldn’t stomach the thought.

They let out an uncertain, forced laugh as she clarified her sarcasm, nodding their head. “Um, not like the second thing. I can’t — I’m not allowed to say too much.” Even saying as much as they had already left an acidic taste in their mouth, the promise that bound them rearing its ugly head in protest. Discomfort flooded over them, and they worried their lip between their teeth thoughtfully. 

There was another moment of hesitation as she asked what they were. Was it suspicious, the way she seemed to only suggest shifters as options? Should Felix be concerned? But they looked to the creatures in her arms, the ones she’d been unable to hand over to the people behind that door, and they felt some naive sense of trust. “Balam,” they replied with a shrug. “Um, jaguar. In case you… don’t know what a balam is.” Some people didn’t. They were a little less common than werewolves or bugbears, after all. “Yeah. We can release them someplace where they won’t hurt anyone. Except for, you know, on the food chain.” Living in the woods for as long as they had, Felix had become very comfortable with the natural order of the world. Animals had to eat other animals to survive. There was nothing wrong or evil about that, even when the animals in question didn’t look like the ones people were used to seeing. “There’s a mountain where it snows a lot,” they offered. “Maybe we could take them there. You could… come with. If you wanted.” She was clutching the cage pretty tightly, after all; maybe she’d feel more comfortable witnessing the release of the animals.

—

The concept of a contract for a shifter to fight in a shady place was something that made Daiyu twist with discomfort. Just being in this stupid place made her squirm in a way she didn’t often do any more. She wasn’t sure if she felt phased or if it was something else — if she was just grappling with the weight of legacy and history or it went deeper than that. She was often grappling with those things, after all, and they didn’t always make her feel as unearthed as she did now.

She had always been too emotional, which wasn’t untrue — it was just confusing because Daiyu had no idea what she was feeling half of the time. She just knew she wanted to kick something. She knew that she thought this place sucked, and not just for the reasons her father or family would disapprove of it. She knew she didn’t want to unpack that. She knew she shouldn’t trust a shifter to take care of beasts that were dangerous. She knew as well that she couldn’t leave them here and that she would find only ugliness in killing them now. Her hands itched. She wanted to kick another door.

“So.” She squinted, trying to recall what she’d said. “Trapped?” Maybe that’s why he was allowed to roam free, why he wasn’t shoved in a cage he was only allowed to leave to perform. Daiyu understood metaphorical chains in a sense. Sometimes she’d receive a text from her father where he asked how Maine was even though she hadn’t told him where she was. But that was different. “Shit. Don’t tell me anything you can’t.” Trusting her with something like that was a waste, anyway.

As the other revealed what they were, Daiyu found herself staring a little more intently. She didn’t come across a lot of balam — they were rare as it stood, and then the climate her family tended to favor wasn’t one balams frequented. “Oh,” she said. “Dip. Don’t see a lot of you.” She had certainly never hunted one, though she’d heard the stories. Stories were like medals among her family, as were the trophies brought home. And here she was, holding a cage of blood-sucking beasts and considering handing it over to a beast who could be worth a lot. Wasn’t money supposed to be her motivator?

She blinked. Her hands continued to itch, her urge to kick something continuing to grow. She was conflicted and that wasn’t how it was supposed to be — Daiyu charged forward without little thought. She didn’t think before she acted as that saved her a lot of grief, and yet here she was. Considering the offer. “Yeah. Okay.” She clenched her jaw, stared down at the beasts to make sure they were still alive. Her father would make her kill them slowly if he saw how she was on the precipice of granting them freedom. She didn’t want to think about what he’d do to the balam, but the thoughts leaked through. There was so much to gain here and she was throwing it all for what — conscience? Sticking it to the man inside that stupid office? Maybe that was it. Maybe she could brand this as rebellion and be okay with it. “I’ll drive. You point it out to me.”

—

Trapped. It was such a small word, but it felt bigger in the moment. Like a cell they were locked inside, a pair of handcuffs on their wrists. Felix didn’t like to let themself think about just how confined they were here. They liked to pretend they had more freedom than they did, as if they hadn’t discovered the end of their chain half a dozen times over the years. They’d tested the limits of the bind, run their fingers over the links one by one looking for weaknesses, and they’d never found any give. The Grit Pit was meticulous with the binds they tied their fighters into — it kind of had to be. After all, the people in charge weren’t particularly physically imposing, while the fighters, as a general rule, were. The tightness of the binds allowed the people in charge to protect themselves.

It also made Felix feel next to helpless.

They shrugged at the question, unable — and maybe unwilling — to answer. If they could tell her about their contract, would they? Felix was often accused of being too trusting, and maybe there was some truth to the accusation. After all, wasn’t that how they wound up bound in the Pit? Hadn’t trusting Leo ruined everything for them? They weren’t a paranoid person. There was no part of them that suspected she was associated with the Pit, even given the way she was walking freely within its walls in a place where spectators weren’t allowed to venture. But they still weren’t sure they’d tell her everything, even if they could have.

She seemed to look at them a little closer when they admitted what they were, but Felix was used to that. People would squint, sometimes, when you told them you were a shifter. As if by looking close enough, they might see the animal lurking beneath your skin. “I guess we’re, um… Not as common as some of the others.” Balam couldn’t be turned like werewolves or lamia, nor could they be born anywhere and from any background the way sirens or selkies could. Felix’s mother used to take pride in that, claiming it made them special. Felix wasn’t so sure he believed it anymore. It was hard to think that anyone was more ‘special’ than anyone else based only on how they were born.

Hesitantly, Felix nodded. “I, uh… I can’t go right now,” they admitted. “I’m still at work. But if you — If you want to meet up later, I can help you. Or you can leave them here, and I’ll take them myself. It’s… Whichever works better for you, right?” They weren’t sure they should let her leave with the beasts, but… she hadn’t hurt them yet, had she? She was doing more than anyone else probably would have to make sure they weren’t hurt. If nothing else, Felix thought that probably made her trustworthy where the little guys in the cage were concerned.

—

She disliked the place more and more the longer she stayed. The balam said little on the topic of being trapped and Daiyu battled with the feelings of compassion that always tried to force themselves into her mind. Her uncle had once told her that was her strength, that she should try to hold onto that heart of hers — but how could she? It was ruinous, to feel deeply. To feel for these creatures in a cage, for the balam in a metaphorical one, to feel for herself. She could tolerate any of it. 

It was why she lived as she did. She let herself by moved by something that had no emotional value, only material ones. She let money dictate what targets she chased and spent the rest of her time on distraction. She no longer went home, where her compassion was dragged out and beaten only to rise again. She didn’t feed it either, letting herself be guided by that heart her uncle had told her to hang on to. She let it wither, because otherwise she might drown in the shame and sadness. 

And yet it stirred in her now. She’d never been very good at self-control, after all. Most of the time this untouched compassion turned into something sour, something angry — but when she was unable to throw or kick something, she tended to just be weighed down by it. So there she stood, shoulders sagging at the situation. She wasn’t even excited about meeting a balam. (That, maybe, was a good thing — she wasn’t supposed to be excited about such things. At least not in the way she tended to be.)

“No, you’re not.” Which was probably why they were what they were. Trapped. Daiyu stared at the sleeping creatures, pressed her lips tight together. She despised the stupid things for putting her in this situation, but it didn’t lead to her wanting to wring their stupid necks either. 

She considered her options. “Fine, finish your shift, or whatever. Come find me later. Tell me what time and I’ll drive by. I’ll keep ‘em in my car.” Daiyu didn’t want them to remain here, where the people in charge of this ugly place might get their hands on them anyway without her getting her money. “Sound good?”

—

When they’d first come into this ‘job,’ they’d fought back far more. They’d thrashed against their metaphorical chains, yanked against the leash, threw their body against the bars of their proverbial cage. They’d been a wild thing, biting and snapping at anyone who came too close, who tried to control them. It made them feel better at first. It made them feel as though they still had some power, some control. But it was an illusion. It was a fairytale, an invention they’d crafted all their own. Felix had no power here. They could thrash and yank and bite and snap, but it would never amount to anything. Someone else was in charge.

Someone else had always been in charge. Felix had never had any agency of their own in any kind of way that mattered. Their father was the one who called the shots in that cabin, where the bars of their cage had been pretty but still iron. Leo had controlled them even before there was a promise bind tying them together, using smooth phrases and empty reassurances to make Felix docile and easy to shove down. A jaguar was an apex predator, with a strong jaw and a deadly bite. But Felix? Felix was small. Felix was stupid. Felix was whoever they were told to be. And they hated that. They hated themself for being it.

What would his mother think if she saw him now, he wondered? She’d been so proud to be what she was, what they were. Balam were uncommon, were sacred. The woman in front of them now was surprised to see one, the Grit Pit were proud to own one. And what had Felix done with it? They’d let themself be locked away, allowed someone to collar them. It was shameful. Surely their mother would think the same.

They couldn’t do much to break those chains. All their attempts in the beginning had amounted to nothing but pain and threats that were anything but empty. But they could help this woman and the little creatures in her arms. They could save something, even if they couldn’t save themself. They didn’t know what it would amount to, but they thought it must amount to something. It had to.

Their eyes rose from the creatures to the woman holding them, and they met her gaze with a hesitant nod. “I… Give me your number, and I’ll text you when I’m done here.” They didn’t know what time it would be; the fights in the Pit finished when they finished and started when they started. “We’ll make sure these little guys are taken care of. I promise.”

[caesarandthecity]

Love in Prison: Seeking Affection Behind Bars

Gay for the Stay. That’s what they call straight men who, during their time in prison, decide to enter into a relationship with another man, being “gay” only while they’re behind bars. Can you imagine how amazing my life would be if I could just decide to be gay for a while, then not be, and then turn it back on whenever I wanted? Like flipping a light switch on and off. I’ve always been gay, never changed, and I suffered a lot until I learned how to survive.

In the beginning, in criminal prison, I behaved more cautiously, which made me an easy target, prey that was easy to spot. And believe me, there are so many men in there looking for someone to live with in a cell as a couple. I won’t deny, some of them were very attractive. Think about it: many were Latino, tattooed, in shape, just looking for someone to exchange affection and care with while in prison. It’s fascinating to see how humans, in this case, men, can change in the search for affection, in the search for love.

And I fell in love. I had my heart broken more than once in prison—multiple times, to be honest. One of the first was Chad. He was special, beautiful. His eyes were an incredible shade of blue. When I first arrived at the psychiatric ward of the prison, Chad came to greet me. And when I saw those eyes… “Chicos, those eyes!” I knew something would happen between us, and it did. We never kissed. We got so close once that our lips almost touched. He looked into my eyes, and I looked into his, and then we pulled away.

We were two madmen locked up in the psychiatric ward of the prison. And you know, they say that mad people don’t realize they’re mad. Deep down, we were just two people desperate for affection. We spent our days together, talking, laughing, sharing stories. When I met Chad, he had no money to buy food at the canteen, and neither did I. We helped each other whenever we could; if one got extra food, we shared it. Chad would talk about all the drugs he’d done and how heroin was his favorite. He would tell me how he loved living on the streets, always saying, “It’s a lifestyle, Bro!” Something inside me believed I could save him, that he deserved saving.

Sometimes, Chad would come to my cell, sit next to me, and just stare at me with those deep blue eyes. We would play-fight with each other, a way for us to touch without anyone saying anything. Someone started putting money in Chad’s account, and he began to gift me sweets and food. Sometimes, other prisoners got jealous, but Chad didn’t care, and neither did we. But Chad was very jealous. Once he realized how much I was into him, he started to change. He would complain that I walked around the block too much, that I didn’t want to sit next to him, that I talked to Scotland, that I didn’t play with him. Many times, out of jealousy, Chad would refuse to share food with me, doing it on purpose.

One day, Chad snapped out of jealousy and tried to attack me, saying he was just playing. The guards decided to lock down the block, and Chad refused to go back to his cell, so he was taken to solitary confinement. And just like that, Chad and I never spoke again. Maybe it was for the best. Many other inmates told me real stories about him that scared me and opened my eyes.

Chad was the first, but many more would come after. The interesting thing is that during that time, I never questioned Chad’s character. I never evaluated his actions towards me, and now, almost two years later, I can look back and see it all—and most importantly, see myself too. Remembering all this only made me realize how desperate I was in my search for love, not knowing that I should never have been searching for it because love isn’t something you search for; it’s something you build from the inside out.

I was desperate to love, to be loved. In my mind, I thought I could take Chad out of that life. Today, I know that no one leaves drugs for someone else. We only leave when we want to, and for ourselves. And I allowed myself to be close to someone who was toxic, violent, just because he said he liked me. Today, I understand the reason for my solitude.

[ewfilthymundane]

Time Together

Ace x G!Reader x Marco

Modern!AU 

@onepiece-reader-exchange for @cyborg-franky​

Apologies in advance, it’s been awhile since I’ve written anything so it might not be that great

It had been far too long since you and your boyfriends had managed to go out together. Whether it was work, families or studies you had all just been missing each other. Only able to enjoy each others company for a short while before one of you had to leave again. Or in most cases, not seeing each other at all. You had finally put your foot down and told both Ace and Marco to clear their weekends.

As much as you loved spending time with your boyfriends individually it was always between when it was the three of you. Sitting in the back of the car you smiled widely to yourself at the two men in the front. Marco behind the steering wheel, the only one who actually knew how to get the three of you there and back in one piece and Ace in the passenger seat. The two of  them disagreeing about what was the best beach location. Leaning forward tapped Marco’s shoulder, his eyes meeting yours for a second before returning to the road.

“Yes love?” he asked, a soft smile forming on his lips as he continued to concentrated on the road.

“Lets go to a new beach altogether,” you said with a lazy smile. 

“But what if it’s shit?” Ace groaned. “Remember last time we went to a new beach?!” he demanded.

You and Marco laughed at Ace’s annoyance. The last time you’d all gone to a new beach Ace had gotten stung by a jellyfish or two and to this day he refused to let it go. Despite the amount of affection and love he’d received from both you and Marco. 

“I know, but it’d be fun to go somewhere new, like a mini road trip,” you grinned at your boyfriends. 

Ace sighed, looking away from you. He couldn’t say ‘no’ to you, especially after all the hassle he knew you went through to organise today.

Leaning forward you pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Thank you babe.”

Ace’s frown instantly melted away, his cheeks tinged with a shade a pink. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Once you guys arrived at the beach you smiled happily, the sound of the waves rolling onto the sand. The birds flying overhead, looking for chips or food to steal from people there. Carrying the one of the beach bags you followed both Marco and Ace down the hot sand, your thongs doing very little to protect your feet from the heat. Ignoring the heat you smiled as Marco laid out the beach blanket, the two of you were quick to step onto the blanket. 

“Ace you’re a freak of nature, is the sand not burning your feet?” you asked, looking at your boyfriend in horror as he sat on the sand. 

“I’ve told you I barely feel the heat,” he said with a shrug, a goofy grin on his face.

Rolling your eyes you walked over to him, pressing a kiss to his lips.

“I’m just worried one of these days you’re going to burn your feet off,” you teased him. Ace just grinned up at you, his hair an unruly mess as always despite you seeing him brush it this morning. Unable to help yourself you pressed another kiss to his lips.

A shriek left your lips as a pair of arms wrapped around your waist, picking you up and into a strong chest.

“Sorry love, but I want attention too,” Marco laughed, his smile wide as he pressed a kiss to your lips.

“Heeey!” Ace complained, clearly upset that he wasn’t getting your affection anymore. 

Marco laughed as Ace stood behind you, squishing you between the two of them. Craning your neck to look up at them you could feel the heat rushing to your cheeks. You knew your boyfriends were handsome, but right now seemed different. Perhaps it was the smell of the sea, or the way the sunlight made them seem otherworldly you weren’t entirely sure.

“Ya know, I love you both a lot right?” you spoke breathlessly. 

Marco and Ace smiled knowingly at each other, both of them pressing a kiss against your check. 

“We know,” Ace whispered, grinning widely.

“We love you too,” Marco replied, his eyes staring down into you. 

“Come on I’m starving!” Ace declared, moving away from the two of you. Smiling at Marco you grabbed his hand, the two of you following after Ace,

“You pack plenty of food for him right?” you asked, looking up at Marco.

“I hope so,” he admits with a chuckle, his hand running through his hair. “But we better start eating before he gets a chance to finish it all.”

Marco grinned down at you, his hand releasing from yours to wrap around your waist.

“We should do something like this every weekend,” Marco said as the three of you sat together as Ace started handing out plates and food.

“Definitely,” Ace agreed, already digging into the food.

“You know what, how about we organise a road trip next time? See as many beaches as we can and go on an adventure?” you suggested, getting food for yourself.

“Agreed,” Ace and Marco said in unison making the three of you laugh. 

[livfastdieyoung69]

Bones, Body, Soul.

(A Jeff Hardy Story. Ch.4)

WWF was great. In the six months Lemmy had been there, they had made so many friends and couldn’t be prouder of the success their boys had on the tag-team side of the roster. Most days they wandered around backstage and waited for cameras to go off, happy to have a match even if it wasn’t aired. But recently, they hadn’t even had dark matches.

Lots of new talent was slowly filling in from WCW who were already classified as great wrestlers with great careers, so they went straight to the top of the roster, immediately making it on the card every time and shoving those who were finally getting a push way to the end of the long line of superstars hoping to get their in. Plus, no matter how much Lemmy tried to fight with the executives, they refused to let them wrestle anyone but the Women’s roster which hardly got pushed on a normal basis let alone with all the WCW stuff.

But it didn’t matter. They were having a great time, and Jeff and Matt were just doing so good- they had even held the titles already! They would seem ungrateful if they said anything about it. Right?

Today, just like any other day, Lemmy sat backstage with the Hardys, waiting for the night to be over so they could go to the next city, or the next state, or wherever the hell they were going next and watch their friends perform in front of crowds of thousands, drawing even more to watch from their TV, just so the crowds could file out and the TV’s would turn off, and Lemmy was performing in front of no one- again. If they even got to.

What was the point of signing a year-long contract with a multi-million dollar media company if it refuses to share the millions or the media time?

Jeff breaks them from their hateful thoughts as he laughs at one of Matt's bad jokes. The sound echoed against the almost empty hallway, bar from the trio and E&C. Lemmy looked away from the brick and mortar they had been glaring down at as if the wall was the one that put them in this position. Christian and Adam were laughing too. They were all talking about their upcoming match at SummerSlam, four days before Jeff’s birthday.

“Enough about that, you got anything going on Lemm?” Christian spoke up, trying to bring them back into the conversation when they stopped death-staring the concrete. Lemmy’s eyebrows shot up at the sudden attention, eyes glancing around the other four.

“Oh! Uhm, no, not really. They might put me in dark matches again next week.” They looked down to the floor as they spoke, almost embarrassed about how little they had come compared to the two tag-teams besides them main eventing SummerSlam.

Jeff nudged their feet with his wrestling boots, shooting a small smile their way. Lemmy didn’t look up to see it. They just stared at his wrestling boots, the shiny white and black of the leather and their sneakers. DC’s. The big, chunky ones meant for skating. Impossible to wrestle in, and Lemmy knew so, once they had forgotten their wrestling boots back in OMEGA’s gymnasium days and had to wrestle with no shoes. But they still retained their championship, and the crowd loved Karma and their ally Willow as much as they usually did. Now here they were- no Willow, no partner, and no wrestling. They were trying so hard to not be negative about the situation, but sometimes you can’t help but feel jealousy. In Lemmy’s case, it followed with guilt.

“I don’t get why they don’t give you time on the screen, people loved your debut! I’m really sorry, it must suck not wrestling with how much you put into this.” Christian had always been good at comforting people, but it didn’t seem to be working right now. Lemmy only offered him a shrug and a shaking smile, a hand coming up to scratch the underside of their face- another one of their nervous habits Jeff was quick to catch onto.

“Well, y’know, at least I’ll get to wrestle next week.”

“Hey, how come they don’t put you on anyways? You’re a great wrestler.” Adam asked, finally gearing a bigger response from Lemm. Shaking hands moved furiously, picking, itching, anything for a distraction. A watery laugh left them, and they looked Adam in the eyes.

“I’m on the women's roster.”

Nobody had heard from Lemmy all night after their interaction with The Hardyz and E&C. Matt and Jeff searched every corner of the arena, asked every single staff member and superstar, hell even random people just walking around outside, and nothing.

Jeff had never been more worried, but Lemmy had left their bag in the locker room which consoled him a little. Nonetheless, the distraction the Hardyz faced caused them to lose their match, which sure, was frustrating, but their best friend was missing so they had bigger things to worry about.

“Has anyone seen them?” Matt asked the first staff member he saw the second he walked backstage, eyebrows crinkled with worry and his breath heavy. The man stuttered over his words before quickly giving up and shaking his head at both of the boys who rushed past him and to their locker room, E&C shortly behind them. Christian and Adam had become great friends of the trio, and were pretty worried for Lemm too.

“Guys, I think we should just take a minute and breathe. I mean you’ve known them for so long, maybe if you just sat down for a sec you could think of where they might be?” Christian, always the smartest in any group, spoke to both of the Hardyz, but his reasoning only seemed to reach Matt, who took a quick breather as his hand moved to his forehead, rubbing back and forth.

“Okay. Okay, where the hell would Lemmy be?” Matt stressed from his place on the wooden locker seat, Jeff throwing himself onto the bench as well. The room filled with silence, E&C with no answer, and Jeff too worried to even think of one. Matt quickly noticed his brother's growing anxiety and spoke up again.

“Jeff.” He only sighed, leg bouncing and hands wringing together as his eyes burned holes into the floor underneath him. “Jeff, buddy, Lemm’s gonna be okay. We’ll be able to find them faster if you’re able to help us.”

Jeff gave his brother no response, and instead his head shot up, his body following shortly as he dove for Lemmy’s duffel bag and quickly started going through that.

“Should..should you really be going through that?” Christian asked, still standing next to the bench, Adam trying to peak at whatever Jeff was doing from beside his best friend. When Jeff didn’t answer, Christian looked over to Matt and pointed his hand in Jeff's general direction with an exasperated look. As close as E&C are, they’ve always fought like the brothers they are when one of the touches the others things.

“Oh, it’s fine, half of it’s probably his anyway.” Matt waved off, but his attention quickly returned to his brother stumbling up and towards the door. “Jeff? Jeff!”

The arena was right next to a boardwalk, covered in creaky wood, here and there a patch of new concrete and colorful sidewalk chalk of visiting children’s artwork, almost impossible to see but the moon shined brightly that night. The tides were high and the wind was strong, pushing the waves and the smell of freshwater onto the rickety benches, as old as the dead wood lifting up from under the feet of tourists in the daylight.

But there were no tourists, not this far into the night. Now, it was only Lemmy who sat with the cold metal outline of one of the wooden benches digging into their back, shaking hands holding a small blue book in one and a cigarette in the other. A sigh matching the stature of their hands leaves Lemmy.

Lemmy had found water calming for quite a while. They didn’t have to necessarily be in it, they just liked to appreciate the beauty of it. As a teenager, they had spent most of their days at the “Hardy Compound” as the boys like to call it for whatever odd reason, and late nights filled with campfires and dirt bikes always ended with someone being tossed in the mud filled pond. Or even if it was just Lemm and Jeff, they sat with their feet in the water and watched the stars, murmuring silly thoughts and questions as the frogs croaked.

Maybe that’s why Lemmy liked the water. They never did as a kid. They didn’t like much before North Carolina, except wrestling. The heat of their cigarette grew closer to their fingers and drew them from their daydreams. They took another drag before stubbing it out on the bench and placing it next to them, refusing to litter as if they hadn’t just blackened their lungs.

The crowd cheered from inside the arena.

Lemmy sighed, bitter in a way they wish they weren’t. Their neck fell back against the prickly, curved wood and their eyes fell upon the stars before closing with another sigh, wishing Jeff was there to watch the stars with them one more time. The hand that once held the cigarette grabbed the other end of the blue book, more of a journal really, trembling hands flipping scratchy pages in search for a specific page.

Lemmy pushed up from the bench and stalked towards the old pay phone, grabbing cold quarters from their jean pocket, trembling fingers pushing them into the machine with a clank and dialing the numbers in their little journal.

The phone rang for a couple times before rustling was heard on the other end along with a rough, muffled voice mumbling a questioned greeting.

“Uncle Scott?” Lemmy sounded desperate, voice raised in the way it gets before tears start pouring. The man on the other side answered quickly, clearly concerned.

“No, no, I’m okay, I promise.” They paused again, listening to the other end. A quiet, short laughter left them. “The boys are okay too, promise. I just, um, I just need your thoughts on some stuff.”

Jeff frantically pushed the arena’s metal door open, quickly being greeted by the cold breeze and the loud clanking of the door locking behind him. Still in his ring gear, the leather on his feet shined bright under the glare of the moon as they led his body to the brink of the boardwalk.

He stared down at the start of the wood and the contrasting concrete under his aching soles before he looked up to the darkened sky and let out a sigh. The stars were out- Lemmy probably was too. The stars were always theirs, the two of them. He scanned the edge of the boardwalk- with nothing but darkness in his view he spun, a silhouette outlined on a park bench now in sight, thighs to chest and chin to knees. The posture gave it away, his Lemm sat cuddled up by themselves with nothing but the blue book that had been missing from their duffel sat next to them.

“Oh, Jesus, Dallas.” Jeff cursed under his breath, already jogging his way over.

“Dallas!”

Lemmy’s head left their knees and whipped towards his voice as it quickly grew closer, rushing to their feet as he lewers in on them. Jeff's hand reaches for the back of their head, roughly pulling them to his body and causing Lemm to stumble back, Jeff moving with them.

“Oh, God, man, you scared the hell straight out of me, Dallas Austin.” His words were shakey as he held them tightly, afraid they would disappear if he even thought of letting go. Lemmy breathed in, enjoying the comfort of the washing waves and Jeff’s embrace, and the dark sky with its beautiful stars, and wrapped their arms around him, holding him just as tight as he did to them.

“Don’t ever do that again. Please.” He whispered into the harsh wind as Lemm shoved their face further into his neck.

“M’sorry. Know I shouldn’ta left like that, just had to-had to get outta there.” Their voice was muffled against his skin, growing tighter as they stuttered through an apology. Jeff loosened his grip, hands moving to gently grasp their upper arms, all of his worry obvious on his face.

‘Is this about whatever that was earlier? You wanna talk about what's goin’ on now?” His voice was gentler than it seemed like it ever could be. Lemmy’s eyelids crinkled shut, head frantically shaking. They refused to look him in the eyes and lie like that.

“I’m fine, promise. I’ve been upset ‘cause of booking, I just needed a cool down.” Not necessarily a lie, just not all of the truth.

“You sure, Lemm?” Jeff dipped his head down, now at their level as his concern grew at their refusal to look him in the eyes.

“Really, I’m fine, Jeff. It’s just a little upsetting not getting booked and I’ve just been missing home n’ Uncle Scott so I thought I'd give him a call.” Again, not the truth but also not a lie.

“Alright, I guess.” Jeff finally relented but was obviously still skeptical. He brought them back into a hug with a deep, worried breath. “Y’know, you scared all of us pretty bad. You’re important, Dallas. Don’t forget that.”

Lemmy’s eyes held a glint of something he couldn’t recognize, conflict hidden beneath their resolve.

“I know. I know, I just needed to call Uncle Scott.” Lemmy repeated their alibi but their words were shaky, hinting at the emotion lingering behind. Jeff only hums in response, pulling Lemmy closer as he shivers in the wind.

Noticing his tenseness Lemmy pushed their hands under his shirt- not that it was much, he had run out in his ring gear which had only consisted of one of the mesh shirts that night- and pressed their palms to his lower back. Their attempts to make Jeff warmer clearly didn’t work very well, he only arched away from their unknowingly cold hands and screeched their name.

“Sorry! Sorry, I thought my hands were warm, sorry, Jeffro.” Lemmy laughs, genuine happiness for the first time in much longer they would’ve liked to admit. “Maybe we should go back inside before one of us catches a cold.” They muttered into the harsh fabric of the bright yellow mesh covering his shoulder.

Before Jeff could even consider moving inside, the metal door clinkered open. Matt with E&C following shortly behind him shuffled out from it in much more comfortable clothes than what Jeff still wore, his shirt making it very easy for the duo to find Jeff and Lemm.

“You guys suck.” Neither could tell if Matt’s exclamation was sarcastic or not.

“We asked just about every single person if they’d seen either of you leave! We even asked Mankind, do you know how weird that guy is?” Adam playfully scolded the two with his usual grin.

“Hey! Mick might be a little…unusual, but he’s real nice!” Lemmy stuck up for their old friend, playfully yelling back. Matt and Jeff’s confusion was obvious, eyebrows furrowing.

“How do you know that guy, Lemm?” Jeff asked.

“Oh, uh, my dad wrestled with him for a bit in ECW. I’ve met him a couple times.” Lemmy brushed it off with a shrug.

“They were in ECW at the same time? I thought your dad left to come over to WWF just a couple months before Mick returned back to ECW.” Matt and his all-knowing wrestling knowledge questioned.

“Oh, really? I must have confused him for someone else then.” Lemmy spoke almost frantically with a nervous laughter attached. An awkward silence blanketed over the five as Lemmy looked down to their hands, picking at the already chipping nail polish Jeff had haphazardly painted on (so they could be matching). The others stared over at them, still confused.

“Um, anyways, we should probably get heading to the hotel. We brought your guys’ stuff so we wouldn’t have to go back inside.” Christian spoke up, taking Lemmy’s duffel off of his shoulder, Adam doing the same with Jeff’s. Jeff and Lemmy said their thanks while grabbing their bags. Jeff took Lemm’s from them before they had the chance to put it over their shoulder and held it with his own.

“I can carry my bag, dude.”

“I don’t want you runnin’ off on me again, Lemm. Now come on, I’m tired, man.” Jeff threw the bags over his shoulder and started walking to their car. Lemmy rolled their eyes from behind him before stumbling to catch up and bumped their shoulders together, sending both of them wobbling in opposite directions. Jeff grabbed their arm closest to him and pulled Lemm back to his side. The three men watched from behind them as Lemmy cackled while they tripped over their own feet and fell straight into Jeff, his own laughter quickly adding to the mix.

“Y’know, I thought they liked each other but I didn’t know it was this bad!” Adam looked at Matt with an exasperated smile, Christian agreeing from his side with laughter.

“Oh, yeah. You’ll get used to that too. They've been like this since Lemmy got to junior year, I think.”

Finally arriving at the hotel, Jeff and Lemm- who are both very bad drivers, Lemmy out of recklessness and Jeff out of blindness- pile out of the back with everyone’s bag while Matt goes to check in with the receptionist and E&C roughhoused out beside the car. They had played a game of rock paper scissors earlier to see who had to be shoved in the back, back seat and Edge lost, like he always does.

Jeff stared up at the sky, admiring the stars with Lemmy’s hand carelessly in his, every once in a while pointing out a constellation to them with a tug to their hand. Lemmy stared down at the ground with sleepy eyes, head leaning against Jeff’s shoulder- much more comfortable now against his thin, black sweatshirt than before. As much as they loved the stars, having Jeff was enough at the moment.

“Matt booked the rooms right?” Christian asked through a yawn and a sleepy grin, gaining the two’s attention. Jeff nodded at him, confusion once again finding its way to his face. “He mentioned something about two rooms and I figured that it would be you three and us that would get roomed together ‘cause, I don’t know, that’s just how it is. I just wanted to make sure that’s what’s happening” Christian explained, Adam snickering at his rambling from besides him.

“Yeah, that’s all good. That’s what we usually do anyway.” Lemmy spoke with a smile, happy with the arrangement. “Actually, usually we only get one room and we all shove into it with a couple other guys but I guess it’s a special occasion. Or Matt just wanted his own bed for a night.” Jeff and Lemmy always shared, they’d just been doing it for so long it became weird not to. At first Lemmy got shoved into both of the boys’ beds and they switched every week, but Matt had grown sick of their endless moving and sickled them on Jeff. E&C clearly didn’t think it was as normal as they did, Adams eyebrows raising at their casualness of the subject while Jeff shoved Lemm under his arm as they spoke, the cold reaching him again.

Matt walked back to the car with two keys, throwing E&C one, who are quick to scatter to their room after a quick goodbye, the trio doing the same.

Lemmy opened the door and practically fell on one of the beds, Jeff shortly doing the same right on top of them. Matt tossed his backpack onto the other bed and announced, though probably unheard through Lemmy’s groans under Jeff, that he was going to take a shower.

“Jeffro, there’s a whole ‘nother bed, you ain’t gotta be on top of me.” Lemmy muffled into the bed under them. Jeff groaned but moved over, leaving the both of them squished on the twin bed meant for one.

“S’too cold for that, man.” He pouted over at Lemm, who only laughed at his brattyness.

“You’d think all of those North Carolinian winters would make you a little more warm blooded. C’mere, quit bein’ a baby.”

“M’not bein’ a baby, it’s cold, man!” Jeff pouted some more, but did as Lemmy said and moved back on top of them but this time with Lemmy not being suffocated. Jeff searched for their hand under the blankets, fingers locking in between fingers. His hand was as warm as they always were, but Lemmy didn’t say anything about his claims of being cold.

“Night, Jeffro. Love you, buddy.” Their free hand traveled up his back, trailing back up and down in a soothing pattern.

“Night, Lemm. Love you, too.”

Jeff fell asleep quickly, just as quickly as he always managed after a long day. Light snores left his lips from his seemingly comfortable spot, resting on their shoulder. Though Jeff slept seamlessly, Lemmy didn't at all. Instead, they thought. They thought of their career, and of The Hardyz. Of the new girl joining Matt and Jeff next week, Amy. Of WWF, and E&C. Of Karma, and Willow, and the nights in gymnasiums with no shoes. Mostly, they thought of Jeff.

They thought of what would happen when Jeff and Matt’s career continued to soar and they were left behind, far, far behind. Maybe Jeff would replace them with someone more…normal. More attractive, sweeter. Less complicated. But when Jeff took a deep breath in his sleep and the hand held in theirs grabbed just a little tighter, the future didn’t seem to matter much anymore. Lemmy watched the stars out of the window for the rest of the night.

I know this took me forever but I also have some of chapter eight done and the body of chapter nine figured out. I feel like I’ve definitely grown as a writer since the last time i wrote for bbs but idk might just be feelin stuff. Anyways, ignore the whole mick foley and stone cold not being in ECW together they were but shhhh its for the plottt. Also very tempted to start an mjf series but i have this and a Nikki sixx series already that I’m bad enough at keeping up with so i think I’ll unfortunately stick to one shots for now. Might keep my inbox closed for just a lil bit longer so i can breathe for a sec lol i hate school

So Y’know how sometimes when you write something and it comes out completely diff than what you wanted? That’s kinda what happened for Lemm’s backstory at first, so I did go back and change some things that didn’t really make sense or just things that I wanted to change loll for instance, uncle Scott is now a thing and if you dont wanna go back and reread this shit that’s ok cuz i also wouldn’t want to it shouldn’t be that different. Should i write more about Lemm’s back story? Or just give y���all like a basic run down? Get in my inbox rn and talk to me 😡 idc ab what just talkkkk to meeeeeeeeee

I actually hate the ending but i am tired and over this y’all