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[arysstore0786]

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[arysstoreger]

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[arysstore]

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[weareravershq]

[mypoisonedvine]

#2 "where are you going dressed like that?" with Emmett! I miss your writing with Emmett and I miss your writing in general. Dinner Party is fantastic.

oh yeah that makes so much sense for him!!

warnings: smut (18+ only!!!), rough sex, d/s dynamics, established relationship, roleplay, dirty talk, daddy kink, implied age gap, hair pulling, spanking, kinda dumbification kink, no relationship to the movie/pre-apocalypse, no plot just filth!

You bit your lip with excitement as you saw yourself in the mirror, surprised by how well the look fit you. Who knew something Emmett picked out could end up being fashionable? Or maybe you just 'look good in anything' like he said, but that was surely just flattery.

You tried to act nonchalant as you walked past him towards the door, your heels clicking on the hardwood floor. He looked up from his newspaper at you, and you smirked to yourself when you heard the loud crinkle of him setting it down suddenly.

"Where the hell do you think you're goin' dressed like that?" he asked roughly, standing up as you turned around to face him.

"Like what?" you asked innocently.

"Look how short your skirt is," he growled, stalking closer to you, his heavy boots making a much more intimidating sound when they hit the floor. "You're hardly even wearing a shirt--"

"This is trendy!" you defended.

"How come I can see through it?!" he snapped. "What do you think people are gonna think when they see you like this? What do you think men are gonna think?"

"I don't know... that I'm fashionable?" you shrugged.

He stepped right up to you, making you blink up at him as you tried not to show your nervousness, or excitement, or arousal. "You look like a slut, babydoll," he explained lowly. You loved the way that word sounded in his voice: slut. Just the right amount of insulting and sexy all together.

"I'm sorry, daddy," you batted your eyes at him. "But I'm grown, I can wear whatever I want. See ya later!"

You didn't even make it one step away before he grabbed you by the hair and pulled you back, making you gasp and whimper. "Think just 'cause you're grown, you can act like a brat?"

You tried to shake your head, but he was holding it too tightly-- and then a second later, he was shoving you down and bending you over the couch, delivering a harsh smack to your ass (which was barely covered by the tight skirt). "Daddy!" you yelped in faux shock-- well, it wasn't entirely acting. Sure, you knew where this was going, but you didn't expect him to be quite this rough... not that you were complaining.

"If you wanna act like a big girl, you're gonna get treated like one," he warned, spanking you roughly again as your knees pressed together. "And if you wanna look like a whore, you're gonna get treated like one'a those, too."

He pushed the skirt up over your ass to reveal the lacy, Barbie-pink thong, and you heard him growl through his teeth.

"Knew this was what you wanted," he growled, rubbing his hand over your ass and groping it in that way that just made you tense up in anticipation of your spanking. "Only one reason a girl gets dressed up like this-- wanted somebody to put you in your place. You don't need to leave the house for that, honey, daddy's right here to teach you some manners."

He hit you again, and again, and again-- three hard slaps right to the curve of your ass that made your legs wobble and your hands grip weakly at the couch under you. "Fuck," you moaned, fluttering your eyes shut as the sting dissipated and your skin started to feel hot.

"Look't this pretty ass," he cooed, "think I should hit it 'til you've got a nice big handprint right here?"

"No, daddy, please," you begged, "I'll be good-- you don't need to hit me that much..."

"So then what do you need, princess?" he asked sweetly, grabbing a rougher handful of your ass. "What do you need to learn your lesson?"

"U-um..." you stalled, not sure what to say.

"See, daddy knows what you need," he explained. "So just shut up and take it."

He hit you until your legs were giving out, and you were crumpling down onto the couch under you with weak little sobs. You were crying out like it hurt you, which it did, but you were arching your back deeper, too.

When he stopped suddenly, you heard him opening his belt and you really didn't know if he was just taking his cock out or if he was going to hit you with that, too. All you did was try to straighten your legs again to take whatever he would give you-- like a good girl.

He hooked a finger into your barely-there panties and pulled them to the side, chuckling lowly at how wet you were.

"Soaked through this cheap lace, baby," he noticed proudly. "You like when daddy gives you some discipline?"

You nodded and bit your lip, but it fell wide open in a gasp when he roughly shoved his cock inside you, all the way. "Ow! Fuck, Em, s'too deep," you yelped, reaching behind you and trying to push his hips back, but he grabbed your wrist and held it down in front of you, only rutting into you faster and deeper in response.

"Nuh uh, babydoll," he scolded, "you're gonna take it all. S'what you fuckin' deserve-- you're gonna take all of this fuckin' dick."

You whined and tried to arch your back away, but there was no escape from how deep he was inside you, nor how hard he was fucking you.

Even though it did hurt, in a certain way, you knew it was what you needed. Each thrust made you whine and choke, until you finally went limp and accepted it; your eyes rolled back and your whimpers turned into needy moans. "There she is," he growled, "there's my little cockwhore."

You hated how much you loved when he talked like that. And he knew it, too, because he smiled as he felt you get even wetter where he drove himself into you.

"So fuckin' stupid for dick," he noticed with a purr. "Head's all empty now, huh? Just wanna get fucked, don't wanna think? Don't worry, baby, you don't need to. I don't give a fuck what you think. I just like the way you take my cock inside you, that's all that matters."

"Daddy," you panted desperately, legs shaking with the effort to try to hold yourself up. These heels certainly didn't make it any more comfortable.

"You look so fuckin' cute like this," he praised darkly. "Dressed like a bimbo, drooling for cock... I could just come in you right now and leave, then would you learn your lesson? Learn that all a cheap slut deserves is to get used and filled and left with come running down her legs?"

"Nooo, daddy, please," you pouted, barely able to string words together with how he was pounding you into the couch.

"Okay, princess," he offered sweetly, "I'll make you come first. But when I'm rubbing your poor little clit until you can't take anymore, and making you come until you pass out, you're gonna wish you'd taken me up on my offer when you had the chance..."

[kingkonoha]

FIVE HUSBANDS — THE TOUR

♡ — SUMMARY: This is a scene about Jean, Eren & Y/N during the Eldian Devils tour.

♡ — CONTENT: 18+ ONLY || MINORS DNI — smut & angst.

♡ — WC: 3.5K

♡ — A/N: Hi everyone! I just wanted to say that this scene is safe to read even if you haven’t read the recent part(s). Timeline wise, this takes place during chapter 2, and some of this is from the POV of 2 fans.

read the series here.

The entire stadium erupted into a fit of shrieks and screams, men and women alike tearing up in utter excitement as their dark surroundings were lit up by the enormous stage in front of them coming to life.

The concert was starting — and, god, how their arms and legs trembled from the anticipation of being able to breathe the same air as Eldian Devils.

Sabrina Rine had practically spent her entire life savings on floor seats and a meet-and-greet ticket.

She was tired of watching videos on social media, witnessing other lucky fans meeting her favorite band. She was sick of listening to their albums on Spotify instead of hearing them live.

The young waitress would surely have to pick up as many extra shifts as possible once she returned to work in three days, but it would all be worth it.

She stood there wearing her black Eldian Devils t-shirt, brown hair in a ponytail, her hazel eyes darting across the stage that had suddenly lit up with flickering white and red lights.

Her younger sister, Riley, excitedly grabbed ahold of her arm.

Unlike Sabrina, Riley didn’t care too much for Eldian Devils. She thought the drummer, Jean, was cute, and she was wearing a black crop top that said “KIRSTEIN’S WIFE” in red, bold letters, but truthfully, she was there to see the opening act.

The diamond-in-the-rough.

The cover artist from New York City.

The talented girl who once worked in the bakery.

Eren Yeager’s new girlfriend.

Those were all the titles that both trendy online articles and magazines sitting in the waiting rooms of dental offices had called you.

And while you hadn’t officially released your own music yet, leaving the internet to debate whether or not it was socially acceptable to call you an artist, Riley Rine was one of your biggest fans.

Riley’s cheap earplugs did little to protect her ears from the shouting fans surrounding her, but she didn’t mind, as she was screaming just as loudly once a pair of black, glittery, high-heeled boots appeared from behind a cloud of smoke.

It was you.

Her idol.

Your gorgeous black top and skirt — which was sparkly too, but not as much as your stylish boots — were similar to what the dancers posing at your side were wearing as well.

And Riley knew one thing for certain: she needed to find your outfit so she could dress up as you for Halloween this year.

Suddenly, the vibrating screams grew louder. Sabrina couldn’t contain her shocked excitement when, surprisingly, Eren Yeager appeared on stage by your side.

Both of you being on stage together defeated the point of an opening act, but only a bitter fool would care.

Eventually, the rest of the band joined you and Eren.

Sabrina raised her iPhone, turning it horizontally as she recorded the handsome rockstar grabbing your hand. At one point, he kissed you as well, and Sabrina could see the frantic tweets now from fellow fangirls clicking their thumbs against their phones as they typed frantically, raving on about how Eren never took his eyes off of you. How they wished for Eren — or any cute celebrity, truthfully — would look at them that way too.

However, as Sabrina zoomed in on Jean playing the drums in the background, wanting to get some footage of him for Riley to look at later, she couldn’t help but notice that he had his eye on you too.

And when Eren’s lips touched yours and the crowd shrieked and screamed in support, Jean’s soft grin slowly faded into a heartbroken frown.

—

Both Sabrina and Riley’s hands trembled, their fingers intertwined as their wobbly legs guided them backstage after the concert.

The equally excited-nervous fans surrounding them could hardly contain their shrieks, but who could blame them?

Every second that passed by was one second closer to meeting their idols — be it the gorgeous rockstar Eren Yeager with his long brown hair, perfect smile, black clothes, and just the right amount of tattoos, or you, the pretty upcoming popstar who was currently making headlines for simply existing.

The group of fans were escorted into a room where music played gently. There was a white backdrop with the title of the band plastered repeatedly across the entirety of it in the center of the room. Refreshments and water were served buffet style, but not one fan reached for a snack, much too nervous to eat anything.

They all simply waited for your arrival.

—

With his lips pressed against yours, Eren moaned softly. His thumbs graced your cheeks, tongue swirling around yours, and when your hands made their way into his slightly sweaty brown hair, he moaned once again.

As enormous as his dressing room was, it didn’t have a bed. He requested for at least a full-sized bed to be put in so he could fuck you properly. Levi immediately said no.

Eren didn’t care, though. He’d make it work with the stupid couch or the floor.

Truthfully, as he started to suck and bite at the soft skin of your neck, your lower body grinding against his hard bulge, he was more than okay with fucking you against the wall.

“You know how hard it is to resist the urge to drag you off stage and fuck you mid-show?” Eren whispered, his lips hovering over your jaw, his hand gripping your thigh, the cool material of his black rings pressing against your moist skin. “Have you been taking dance lessons? Who taught you how to move like that, huh?”

“‘Ren, we gotta go, we can’t- ah!’

Eren’s hand suddenly made its way to your ass, which he gripped as if claiming something that belonged to him. As he did so, he gently bit your ear and gave it a little lick.

“They can wait,” his warm breath patted against the side of your face. “We’ll be quick, I promise, baby.”

“Levi’s gonna be pissed,” you whined, and yet, you couldn’t help but continue to grind against him slowly, obsessed with the feeling of his dick, clothed by his black jeans, rubbing against your unexposed pussy lips.

“Then Levi never should’ve let us perform together.”

Eren’s hand moved from your ass to your skirt, which he lifted as much as he could. Then, he ran his fingers across your damp underwear. The sensation — it was too much. Feeling him glide over your clit, although clothed, made you gasp and grip his bicep, polished nails digging into his tattooed skin, and he smiled devilishly, emerald eyes staring into yours with a lustful gaze.

“Don’t tease me, we don’t have time for that,” a little whine slipped from between your lips yet again. “Hurry up. Hurry up and just touch me, please.”

Your desperation was understandable.

Watching Eren play guitar, brown hair hanging down around his shoulders, skin glistening with sweat; seeing him perform turned you on just as much.

“You know how hot you are when you get all whiny and impatient?” Eren’s fingers played with the top of your underwear. “You’re lucky I’m impatient too.”

He needed to feel how wet your clit was. He needed to feel your hole clench around his fingers.

But, as soon as he dipped his hands into your underwear and started to plunge into your soaked folds, Eren’s dressing room door swung open.

He never remembered to lock it.

Jean stood there. A look of relief washed over him, having successfully located you and Eren, but then, he grimaced with disgust.

He wasn’t at all embarrassed about catching you two in the act. After all, this was his third time walking in on you both. At least you both weren’t completely naked with you riding him like a cowgirl on a horse this time.

“What the hell are you two doing?” His heart pinged with jealousy. “Everyone’s waiting for you. Did you forget about the goddamn meet-and-greet? Jesus.”

“Dude, just give us five minutes.” Eren’s eyes darted away from Jean, and down at you, and he smirked a bit. “Maybe we only need two, honestly.”

“Eren!” You swatted his arm.

“You’re both disgusting,” Jean took a sip of his water bottle.

“Just give us a few minutes to finish- I mean . . . freshen up. Just give us a few minutes to freshen up.”

After rolling his eyes, Jean grabbed the door handle and shut it.

One minute and thirty-five seconds.

That’s how long it took for Eren’s clit-rubbing and hole-fingering combo to make you cum all over his fingers. Even so, you and Eren wouldn’t stagger out of his dressing room with sheepish, guilty grins until several minutes later, because Eren needed to take care of his painfully hard dick before greeting his beloved fans. And, well, the rockstar liked to take his time and admire the pretty sight of you on your knees in front of him, his dick slipping in and out of your mouth as he came down your throat.

Then, there was an additional ten minutes to add on, as you both needed to actually freshen up now.

Levi scowled at the popstar-rockstar couple stepping out of the dressing room. You and Eren’s little whispers and sly giggles abruptly ended once you both laid eyes on your pissed-off manager, who glared at you like a priest catching a couple of sinners fooling around during bible study.

“Do you two idiots know what happens to shitty celebrities who mistreat their fans?” Levi's voice was rough and low, brimming with anger. “They end up with a ruined name. And not anything like the little scandals that tie nicely into your bad boy image, Eren, but a real, bad name. The kind of name that ruins careers until you go from being a rich-ass rockstar to a Walmart cashier. There’s nothing wrong with being a cashier if that’s what you wanna do with your life since, apparently, being a famous rockstar with fans to please is too difficult, but if you’re stupid enough to keep your fans waiting — keep me waiting — then I doubt you’re smart enough know how to count change. And Y/N, you only have about five fans in the entire world right now. I suggest you get your shit together before you go from having fans at a concert to having customers at the bakery again. Keep this up, and your ass will be shoved on a one-way flight to New York in a fraction of the time it took you to come out of that room. Now, both of you, get your asses to the meet-and-greet.”

Levi walked off with one final glare, leaving Jean — who leaned against the wall, listening — to escort you both.

Jean wanted to rub salt in the wound, knowing it would have ticked Eren off even more, but when he saw the sad look on your face, he opted for a different idea.

“It’s okay,” Jean spoke softly. He discreetly reached down and tugged on a part of your skirt that was still raised too high from your intimacy session with Eren earlier. “He was pissed with me earlier for taking off my eyeliner before the meet-and-greet.”

“What’s up his ass today? ‘S not like anyone will leave. They’ll forget about how long they’ve been waiting as soon as they see us,” Eren frowned.

The three of you walked down the twisted backstage hallways.

“I just wish he wouldn’t constantly hold me being nothing more than a baker from New York over my head whenever he’s mad at me,” your low mumble made Eren look at you with curious, worried eyes. “I know he’ll apologize later, but-”

“I’ll talk to him.”

For a man who couldn’t say a word when he was getting scolded like a little kid earlier, he certainly sounded brave now. After all, knowing Levi had truly upset you was enough.

“No, Eren,” you waved your hand a bit. “It’s fine. Let’s not drag this out.”

“She’s right,” Jean said. “We gotta remember that all of our fuck ups just come back to bite him in the ass too. Being a manager is a stressful job.”

“I’m not fucking scared to stick up for myself like you are, Jean.”

Jean tossed his hands up defensively. “Woah, where the hell did that come from? What are you being an asshole for this time?”

Eren stopped walking. Your footsteps abruptly came to a halt as well.

“Guys, come on, we don’t have time for this,” you spoke pointlessly.

“I’m being an asshole because Levi didn’t know where we were until you ran and got him like a little snitch,” Eren’s brows furrowed. “And this is also the fourth or fifth time you’ve walked in on me and Y/N. You’d think by now you’d learn to knock on my dressing room door. I’m starting to wonder if you’re just a damn pervert who wants to catch my girlfriend with her clothes off.”

“Really? You wanna fight about this now, Eren?” Jean clenched his jaw. “You were in your dressing room, not fucking Afghanistan. Levi would’ve put that together as soon as he finished checking her dressing room. And you should learn to lock your door every now and then if you’re worried about someone looking at Y/N. Just let it go, alright? We’re about to go meet the people who pay your goddamn bills, and you think now is the right time to talk about this?”

“Don’t give me those shitty excuses, and stop trying to avoid the conversation. We’re already late, so let’s talk about it.” Eren took a step closer to Jean.

“Back off, Eren,” you tried once again. “You two have been at each other’s throats this entire tour. If people start noticing-”

“Why are you sticking up for him?” Eren questioned you, but he never broke his intense stare into Jean’s unwavering gaze.

“Because if you two start punching each other, you’ll both have to walk into the meet-and-greet with a bloody nose or miss it entirely. And either way, all three of us will get in trouble. I, for one, can’t afford to get in any more trouble, because I don’t have any money or real fame to fall back on if I get dropped as a client. So, I need Levi and CS Records or whoever to like me, okay?”

A moment of cold glares passed by, but eventually, Eren stepped away from his bandmate.

“You’re a pathetic piece of shit, Jean, that’s what I think. Stay away from me and my girlfriend, okay?”

“Says the bastard who goes around stealing partners, collecting women like they’re fucking Pokemons.”

Worriedly, and yet, defeatedly, you looked up at Eren, just knowing he’d punch his bandmate in the face for his latest comment.

“Sounds like you’re jealous because no one wants your ass,” Eren bit back. “You haven’t had a real girlfriend since the band was just you, me, Connie, and Marco making up lyrics in my garage.”

“Speaking of Marco,” Jean tilted his head a bit. “Is he the reason why you try to date everything that can breathe? To fill the hole he left when he died from a stupid stick game you started? Because if that’s the case, then you don’t need a desperate New York wannabe. You need to find a brown-haired guy with-”

“Shut the hell up! How can you say that to him?”

Your shout came from your soul. This wasn’t the same man who had just helped you write your first song a few nights ago, yet to be released. This version of Jean, you had no idea where he came from. Whether Eren was any better, you couldn’t be certain. Not only had he insulted you, but bringing up Marco was a new low. A new low for anyone.

Jean brought out the worst in Eren, and Eren brought out the worst in Jean.

“I’m sorry . . . I went too far,” Jean mumbled, dropping his head. “I didn’t mean what I said just now.”

Both you and Jean were waiting for Eren’s fist to connect with Jean’s jaw, but instead, a tear rolled down Eren’s cheek, one that he tried to quickly wipe away.

“It wasn’t like that, so fuck off and go to hell.” Eren’s words packed no punch.

It broke your heart into pieces, knowing that Jean didn’t make Eren angry.

He just hurt his feelings.

Eren continued to walk and frown. Frown and walk. But, as the meet-and-greet entrance came into view, his face softened, knowing he couldn’t greet fans with a face full of tears and attitude after keeping them waiting.

After taking a few deep breaths, the three of you stepped through the door with bright smiles, not showcasing anything that happened moments ago.

—

Oh my god.

It was you three. Eren in the middle, Jean standing to the right, you to the left.

Oh my god.

Sabrina and Riley screamed just as loudly as the rest of the fans. It felt as if the room started to vibrate, and she was certain the girl next to her fainted when Eren locked eyes with her for half a second.

Getting the fans into organized lines was indeed a chaotic, but functional mess. Luckily, there were only fifteen or twenty people who snagged the VIP passes within seconds of them dropping online. Sabrina figured that the company behind Eldian Devils was a smart business, as only having a few exclusive meet-and-greet slots meant there was an easier crowd to manage, fans got more time with the stars, and they were well within their rights to charge a fortune.

Where most celebrities quickly snapped a picture with their admirers after mumbling a short, careless greeting before sending them away, you, Jean, and Eren, would be able to talk to everyone for at least a few minutes.

It was wonderful.

After waiting for a while, it was Sabrina’s turn to approach the three celebrities standing in front of the backdrop. She made her way towards her favorite person first, her entire body trembling, tears streaming down her face.

Nervously, her wobbly legs led her to Eren Yeager’s side.

It was him. It was really him.

What if he was mean to her? What if she said something stupid? What if he refused to take a picture with her for some reason? What if she still smelled like all of the cheap restaurant food she had to serve to afford this opportunity? What if . . .

“Hi, sweetheart.” Eren Yeager smiled down beautifully at the shorter girl as if he had known her his entire life. “How are you?”

“Good!” Sabrina squeaked out, speaking between sobs as best as she could. Just her luck. She was meeting the Eren Yeager and she could barely see his gorgeous face thanks to the tears clouding her vision. “I-I love . . . I love you so-so much!”

“Aw, aren’t you sweet?” Eren wrapped his arms around his fan, rubbing her back gently. “I love you too. What’s your name?”

“Suh-Sa-” The girl couldn’t speak. She could only focus on the fact that Eren was hugging her. “Su-bean-a.”

Eren’s smile grew. He knew what the brunette girl was trying to say, as by now, he was a master when it came to understanding what his fans were saying while they sobbed.

“Sabrina? That’s a cute name. Wanna take a picture?”

She nodded as she sobbed, wiping off her tears and ruined makeup before turning and facing the camera.

“What pose do you wanna do, bean?”

Oh, she almost fainted when Eren called her that.

If Eren didn’t still have his arms around her, the young girl was certain she would have collapsed on the floor.

She couldn’t speak well enough to tell him what pose she had been planning in her head for months, so she showed him as best as she could with her trembling arms, but he understood.

Eren stood behind her, leaned down a bit, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

After the camera flashed, Sabrina turned back around to face Eren. Unlike other meet-and-greets, she didn’t have to move on immediately.

But she’ll be damned if she lets her nerves ruin her chances of chatting with Eren.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s okay,” Eren gently wiped her tears away with her thumb. “It’s okay.”

That only made her sob harder.

“Aw, she’s the cutest, isn’t she?” you appeared at Eren’s side, smiling at the crying fan. The fan who visited you earlier had wrapped up the photo and conversation rather quickly, as they were in a hurry to meet Jean next. That was understandable, being that it was the Eldian Devils tour.

That was when Sabrina’s younger sister — who was next in line — suddenly ran up to you and wrapped her arms around your waist. Unlike other fans, Riley showed up specifically to meet you, and she wouldn’t miss out on the opportunity because her dear sister was taking too long.

And, unlike her sobbing sibling, she was strong enough to hold her tears back so she could effectively communicate.

“I love you so much, Y/N! You’re so pretty! I love your voice, I swear to god, I’m your biggest fan!”

You and Eren exchanged smiles with each other, the both of you thinking: what an adorable set of fans.

You hugged the girl back, saying, “Thank you! You’re too kind.”

“Can we get a group picture? Please?” Riley pleaded, clasping her hands together.

You looked up at Eren, unsure if such a thing was allowed.

“Of course,” Eren spoke up. He didn’t know if it was allowed either, but he didn’t care.

You, Eren, and Sabrina huddled together, but Riley — who was wearing a Jean Kirstein shirt — ran over, grabbed the drummer’s wrist, and pulled Jean into the picture as well.

Fans in the background groaned with impatience and jealousy, but Riley and Sabrina didn’t care one bit.

This was the happiest day of their lives, and yet, one of the worst for the three smiling celebrities.

��: @consuming-karma @lilvampirina @okaystopwhore @chrollohearttags @nanamochii @bunny2612 @cupids-soul @crazychaoticizzy @ramonathinks @averysmolbear @seishirogf @6sakusa @levin4nami @chaotic-on-main @sad-darksoul @gwapbby @katestrophes @ventdavi154 @lovelyless-fiction @svftackerman @musegonemad @moonmalice @inciteterr0r @honeybleed @zeninsbitch @purple-milk24 @itzgabz22 @mooomuu @micafecitoconpan @beaniebanby @anonymousme23 @theitchbbbb @skit-brentfaiyaz @princessos-blog @elliesbabygirl @the-mrs-steve-harrington @kittenbabe00 @magictrump @hetalia-tumbler @hon3y-c0mb @bol0-de-morang0 @thisisketchy @yoongirecs @allofffmypeaches @sasha-glass @getwaves @deluluvibes @p3nislawd @emery-333

[chimcess]

Waterlog || pjm (2)

Pairing: Jimin x Reader Other tags: Olympic Swimmer!Jimin, Ex Olympic Swimmer! Reader, Swim Coach!Reader Genre: Strangers to Friends to Lovers!AU, Coach!AU, Swimming!AU, HEAVY Angst, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, fluff, eventual smut, I'm so soft for these two it's crazy. Word Count: 11.5k+ Synopsis: After a car accident ends her athletic career, Y/N has slowly started rebuilding her life again as a high school swim coach. That’s until she gets a request from an old friend and finds herself back in the spotlight as the new coach of Olympic swimmer, Park Jimin. Warnings: PINING, sexual tension, sad backstory, parental issues, more than likely bad swimming terminology, probably some bad work out advice, i'm trying my best lol, tae is too much but i love him, talks of past drug use (not reader or jimin), strong language, mental health things, medication use, allusions to depression, did i say pining?, reader is horny and awkward 99% of the time, can we blame her?, mood swings, i think they are so cute together, i promise more romance is coming soon A/N: Howdy. I know we're having a pretty slow start, but I think it'll be worth it in the end. I enjoy a good slow burn, especially when there's so much awkward sexual tension involved. Thanks for reading!!!

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Waking up the next morning, I was greeted by a loud knocking on my door. Stumbling, I told whoever it was that I was on my way. The knocking stopped but was quickly followed by Violet’s loud voice. My things were here, and I needed to let the movers inside.

“Christian and Kook are here already,” She added. “Managed to get an extra pair of hands, too.”

I changed into a pair of jeans and threw on a pull over. It was not supposed to be as cold today, but I did not think a short-sleeved shirt would be enough to keep me warm. Sliding into my boots, I opened the front door.

Violet was there, her hair in a braid again, wearing a blue plaid shirt and bootcut jeans. Beside her was Jimin, a large smile already on his face. Two other men were here. I was certain I had seen one of them before. He was very handsome with a heart shaped face and soft chin, large, asymmetrical brown eyes, and downturned lips. His hair was very obviously dyed, the blue so bright when the sun hit it my eyes hurt.

The other man was less familiar. His hair was black, styled into a trendy wolf cut, with his bangs pulled out of his face into a ponytail. He had a pure, youthful, and elegant look about him, and a few piercings. There was one on his eyebrow, one on his bottom lip, and so many on each ear I could not count them all. If I could describe him in a single word, it would be cartoonish. His eyes took up most of his face, large and doe-like, with all of his other features soft and small. Like the blue haired man, he was very handsome.

This upset me more than it should have, because despite how wonderful they both looked, all I could think about was how much I preferred Jimin. It was incomparable, actually. While they were certainly my type, I could only see how not Jimin-like their features were.

“Good morning,” I greeted them awkwardly, my voice scratchy. “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you both.”

“It’s such an honor to meet you,” The blue haired man’s enthusiasm caught me off guard. Despite me never making the move to shake either one of their hands, he reached for mine anyway. He reminded me of a labrador retriever, and I could imagine a tail wagging in time with his vigorous handshake. “I’m Taehyung Kim. I used to watch you, like, all the time back in the day.”

I knew that name. Studying his face a little more, it hit me. Taehyung Kim, a.k.a., The Seal of Michigan, a.k.a, V. I never understood why he had been given that last one, but it must have some sort of meaning to him because the guy lights up when anyone uses it. He was a famous snowboarder and had been to the 2020 winter Olympics. He was just a few months younger than Jimin.

“That’s very kind of you to say,” I gripped his hand back a bit more now. “I watched you at the last Olympics. You did great.”

He blushed and let go of my hand, “I didn’t win anything, but I had a lot of fun.”

That was true. The kid was brand new on the scene and let some of his nerves get to him. I had learned the hard way that hesitation could ruin a great performance, but I was sure he would do better in January. The Winter Olympics were always a few months ahead of summer, and I would surely be watching Taehyung this year. If I was going to spend time with Jimin then I would need to get along with his friends.

“It’s not always about winning,” I tried to comfort him. “I didn’t win every time either.”

That placated him. Jimin quickly introduced me to Jungkook after. He was an NHL player for the Red Wings. I admitted that I had no idea who he was and never really watched hockey before, but that only made Jungkook swear to make me an avid fan before I left Michigan. For some reason, I believed him.

It did not take long for the movers to get all of my furniture and boxes into the house. With the boys’ help, I was tipping the two men much earlier than I anticipated. All three of them insisted on helping me unpack despite me telling them I could do it on my own. The place was entirely too small for the four of us, but we managed to make it work.

I had told them my bedroom was off limits. I unpacked my clothes and put my underwear away. My room was the largest in the house. With enough space for my full-sized bed, nightstands, and dresser, I was pleased. The only downside was not having a closet, but I did not bring anything nice enough for it to really matter. It was inconvenient but not the end of the world.

I was, however, happy to see more color. My blanket was dark orange, pillowcases covered in baby pink cow print, and the otter plushie Namjoon’s mom made me was resting right in between them. I installed some simple shelving above my bed, warmly lit Christmas lights wrapped around the bars, where I displayed my books and a few of my plants. The rest were lined up on the windowsill beside the bed.

Brightly colored art now hung on the walls, a large mirror above my dresser, and a peg board for my earrings made the space feel lived in. Whatever books could not fit on my shelves got stacked and put on the nightstand. I still wanted to buy a rug and curtains, but that was on the bottom of my list of priorities.

The boys were all talking and laughing as they worked which helped me relax. I hated being trapped in quiet spaces. Finished with my room, I went to check in with them and move things around. I doubted any of them would get the knick-knacks just right.

“Don’t worry about the decorations,” I said, announcing my presence. Taehyung was staring at two of my paintings with mild panic. “I’ll take that.”

Snatching the photos, I smiled at him. The living room was coming together nicely. Jungkook pushed the dark green loveseat against the wall and all of my throws were on top of it. My largest potted plant was beside it and I decided then I would keep it there. Moving the throw pillows to the floor, I started to put my wall art up. Hoseok complained that I was going to become a hoarder if I bought any more shit. Andrea, however, said that I had great taste, so I listened to her instead.

“You’re a big face of Earthy colors,” Jungkook said, looking around the house. “Lots of plants, too.”

I shrugged, “My fiancé had a lot of succulents and stuff, so I guess it rubbed off on me after a while.”

In truth, Namjoon not only had succulents and cacti, but an entire apartment filled with plants. He had a small garden in the back, vegetables and herbs growing in despite the weather in Colorado making it difficult. The man had a green thumb and loved taking care of things. I had been in charge of them once we moved in together and learned to love it. Even after he died, I couldn’t imagine not having at least five plants in the house.

I noticed the room had gone eerily quiet. I realized then what I had said. It was the first time I had spoken about Namjoon with any of them. Knowing I had made the atmosphere awkward, I tried to break up the tension.

“What colors do you like, Jungkook?”

I could physically feel the mood lighten.

“Black,” His reply was quick. I groaned. He laughed. “What? I like the clean look.”

“It’s not clean,” I argued. “It’s depressing.”

Taehyung took my side, “My house isn’t as decorated as yours, but I have more going on than either one of them. I’m a huge fan of video games and photography so I have a lot of stuff hanging up.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Jimin chimed in from the bathroom. He placed himself in charge of getting that room squared away. “His place isn’t as nice as yours. It’s all cluttered and disorganized."

“Nu uh,” Taehyung argued childishly.

“Dude, you have stuff everywhere,” Jungkook shot back, handing me another picture frame.

“They’re lying,” Taehyung told me.

“You’re so full of shit, Tae,” Jungkook sighed.

“Literally the dumbest thing to lie about,” Jimin snarkily threw in from the bathroom.

“Bullies,” Taehyung was addressing me again and this time I could not help my chuckles. “They always gang up on me.”

As the boys continued to bicker, I worked. I finished hanging up the art above the sofa and got to organizing the throws. Taehyung had already pulled out my rug, and I started figuring out how I wanted to place all of the floor pillows. Namjoon never used the couch, no one in his family did, and I had become so conscious of their comfort that I always had a large array of pillows on the floor for them to use. After a few years, I had joined them, and I kept up the trend once I moved to the Springs. The sofa was little more than decoration.

“Damn, these are nice.”

Looking over my shoulder, I was surprised to see Jungkook holding up one of my medals. I was positive I had not packed it and the box he was hunched over was completely unfamiliar as well. Embarrassment and anger swelled up in my chest. I had placed Minho and Tilly in charge of coordinating with the movers so I could focus on work and training Hoseok before I left. If I had to guess, Tilly had thought it wise to ship over a large package of my most prized possessions for some God forsaken reason.

“I don’t know why those are here,” I hoped my voice sounded playful and carefree. I did not want another tense moment. “One of my friends must have packed them.”

“Holy shit,” Taehyung was now holding the medal. “These are heavy. You have so many.”

Walking over to the box, I took out the rest of the medals. Tilly had only packed four of the eight Olympic medals I owned, probably running out of room. Framed photos of me swimming, with the rest of my team, and my coach were also in the box. My swimsuit from the last Olympics I competed at was folded at the very bottom of the box, my goggles and cap wrapped up in the fabric, and underneath it was something I had not been expecting. A framed photograph.

I remembered that night as if it were yesterday. I was eighteen coming off the back of two major wins and making my mark in the athletic community. I had just moved to Denver; Victor had gotten divorced the year prior and his ex-wife moved to Colorful Colorado taking his daughter with her. My coach demanded he was close enough to see her every weekend. It really did not matter to me where I lived, so it was one of the easier decisions I had to make.

I knew Hoseok lived in the area, and we had always been friendly at the meets we had in common. I ended up getting his number from Ozzie and after getting coffee I knew we would be friends for life. The picture was taken at his New Year’s Eve Party. I needed to get laid, he had said, and he knew a few guys he thought I might hit it off with. That was where I met Namjoon.

He was a college student, fresh faced and stumbling over his words. I was charmed by him almost instantly, even if Hoseok was positive the two of us were too different to last. I could recall the smell of fireworks in the air, the way his voice cracked whenever another one would go off, and how excited his eyes looked whenever I asked him about his major. Namjoon spoke for hours about Philosophy, all of his favorite poets, and the way he believed the universe worked. He was so clumsy it was practically a disability, and the loud sounds were so nerve wracking, he flinched whenever the fireworks boomed.

Picking up the small picture, I smiled. It was taken right after midnight. Hoseok’s sister said we looked so sweet that she could not help herself. I had all but ripped Namjoon’s hair out when the countdown began, kissing him before midnight ever came. His hands rested gently on my hips, and he huffed like he had run a marathon when we finally pulled apart. His breath was hot when he went back in for more, panting into my mouth as I clung to him like an addict. It was a beautiful moment. It was a moment I would never forget.

Suddenly, I was no longer mad at Matilda. I was sure it had been her who did this. Minho would not go through so much trouble if he thought it would upset me. Either way, I was happy to have the picture. While I was no longer in love with Namjoon, my heart slowly healing itself and making space for someone new, I would never forget our time together. It was too perfect, too magical; too loving to forget.

“Is that him?” Taehyung asked. The way he said it told me that he knew what had happened. I doubted there was a person in our world who didn't know. “The guy who died?”

I nodded, “His name was Namjoon.”

“Damn, that’s rough,” Jungkook’s voice was very gentle, and I could hear the compassion in it. “Sorry to hear that. Hope you’re doing okay.”

I smiled at him and nodded, “It was a few years ago.”

Taehyung was the one who broke the moment this time and I was grateful for the reprieve.

“These aren’t all of them, right?” He pointed at the medals still in the box. "Olympic medals, I mean."

I shook my head, “No but I guess she just grabbed the ones I had at my house. The other four I keep at my school. They’re in a case in my office.”

The ones Tilly had packed away were from 2012. Andrea had been the one to convince me to bring my other medals to school. Before that I had them all stored in a box in the deepest corner of my basement. I hated looking at them. Hated everything that they represented. The only reason these had been hanging up was because I could not be bothered taking them down.

“Where should we put them?” Jungkook asked.

I shrugged, “No idea. Just keep them in the box for now.”

Truthfully, I had no intention of putting them anywhere. While happy to have the photo of Namjoon and I, my feelings on dragging these things around had not changed. I would be very upset if I lost or damaged any of this stuff. Putting everything away, save the picture, I closed the box back up and placed the photo on my coffee table. I would find a better place for it later.

Like all of the times I had been around him, Jimin bled into the background. I listened for his voice, waited for him to add something to the conversation, but he kept to himself. Even when he left the bathroom and joined the three of us, he only answered in one-word sentences and made sound effects to show he was listening. Taehyung and Jungkook seemed used to it, so I had to believe this was just how Jimin normally was.

“You should come and grab some drinks with us,” Jungkook smiled at me.

The boys were going out for a late lunch since we finished a little later than we had thought we would. I was appreciative that they had invited me out but declined the offer. All of them were disappointed.

“Why not?” Taehyung wiggled a large set of keys at me. I could not imagine what all of them could be for and the sound they made when they moved bothered me. “You worried the food’s going to suck or something?”

I shook my head, laughing, “No, it’s nothing like that. I just don’t feel comfortable going to a bar.”

Jimin smiled at me, a small, tight-lipped smile, and I almost laughed at myself when I realized I was holding my breath. I was being ridiculous. I would call Hoseok tonight to get my head screwed back on.

“It’s not a bar,” It was heavenly to hear his voice again. “Taehyung and I don’t drink. Jungkook just likes to sit at the bar so he can watch the games.”

“Oh,” I replied dumbly. “I guess I can come along then.”

Jimin offered to give me a ride while Jungkook and Taehyung rode in the hockey player's beat up Jeep. He was just as quiet on the ride to the restaurant as he was back at the house, and while I wanted to break him out of whatever shell he had put around himself, I had no idea how. We were supposed to work together and barely spoke. Ozzie was not going to be happy about this.

“What time are we getting your car?”

I jumped, not prepared for the question. His eyes were still on the road, and it looked like he was forcing himself to not look my way. It hurt my feelings, but I knew I would have to get over it. Whatever his problem was, it had nothing to do with me and I would not let it get in between our working relationship.

“Whenever you want to go,” I replied, going back to looking out of the window.

“We’ll pick it up after we eat. My mom invited you over for dinner. by the way. If you're up for it.”

This had been the most he had said all day, but his voice was off. It was embarrassing how quickly I had become attuned to his little mannerisms, but I was so sure that something was wrong with him it was eerie. His tone was flat and disinterested, and I knew I had done nothing to upset him. Something was obviously bothering him, and I would have to silently support him in my own way. I was not comfortable being more upfront and something told me that Jimin would not like my overstepping.

“I might,” I purposely kept my tone light, hoping he did not realize I could see the darkness in his eyes. Looking at him, I asked, “What is she making?”

“Beef and radish stew,” The mundane topic seemed to ease his frown. “She got a yellow corvina from the Asian market yesterday so she’s going to roast it. Do you like fish?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “It sounds nice. I’ll go.”

A ghost of a smile graced his pretty face and I felt like I had won the lottery. Carefully composed, I looked back out of the window, hiding my little smile behind my hand. He was quiet again, the only sounds in the car being our breathing, but it felt lighter. Finally, I let myself admire the scenery.

Taehyung and Jungkook were already at the bar when we arrived and as soon as we sat down, the snowboarder was quick to hog all of my attention. While Jungkook watched a baseball game on the big screens, Taehyung talked animatedly about his family. Jimin was quietly sipping on a Coke in the seat next to me. It was strange to see how easily his friends ignored him. Like they knew he did not feel like talking.

“My sisters are both in college,” Taehyung continued to ramble. “Twins. It was a nightmare being the baby brother.”

I nodded along and tried my best to keep up with him. I kept getting distracted by Jimin. He barely moved and seemed to be mindlessly watching the tv. He looked so sad it broke my heart. Still, no one else said anything so I kept my thoughts to myself.

“Oh!” Taehyung gasped, noticing a few people who walked in. “I’m going to go say ‘hi.’ It was so great meeting you.”

With a bright smile, Taehyung told the boys about the group and Jungkook decided to join him. Jimin did not even acknowledge he had said anything. Leaving us alone, the restaurant was loud and filled with their chattering.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, trying to make conversation. Picking up the menu the bartender had left with Taehyung when we first arrived, I gave it a quick once over. “We can split an appetizer.”

Jimin looked tired and sad, but I did not know what to say or do for him. We were not lovers, not even friends. We were a pair of strangers who were expected to work together. This seemed much easier over the phone. I took a nervous sip of my drink.

“What are you thinking?” Just the sound of him talking eased my anxiety.

“Uh,” I had barely looked at their menu and pointed to a random item. “Fried pickles?”

Jimin smiled lazily and looked at me, his eyes amused.

“You don’t sound very sure of yourself.”

I shrugged, embarrassed. “I just said the first thing I saw.”

Putting his cup down, Jimin grabbed the menu from my hands and laid it flat on the bar. We leaned over the small paper, our knees touching. I could smell his cologne now and my mouth watered. He smelled so good I struggled to focus.

“Most of the shit here is awful,” His voice had more life in it now and I was glad to see the corners of his mouth pulled up. “Only things worth getting are the chips and salsa, fried cheese, and pasties. The pizza is fine, too, but not worth the money.”

Talking distracted him from whatever had been on his mind, and it made Jungkook and Taehyung’s behavior odd. They were obviously very close, but if I could see how much happier he looked when he was shooting the shit, how couldn’t they? They probably knew something I didn’t, but it did nothing but rub me the wrong way. My friends would annoy me until I had no choice but to talk back.

“Chips are usually pretty safe,” We both agreed on it. “Do you just want chips? I don’t mind getting you a burger or something.”

He shook his head, “Like I said, most of the shit here is awful. Don’t waste your money.”

I ordered the chips for us, and the bartender was happy to help us out. This place was pathetically empty save us and the group Jungkook and Taehyung ditched us for. They were very loud and rowdy, something Jimin said was completely normal. Apparently, they all knew one another but he hadn’t felt like spending time with any of them.

“Are you feeling alright?” I asked, heart pounding. My anxiety over the question was ridiculous, but I felt like this was a good moment to ask. We were both comfortable and the tightness around his eyes was finally eased.

“Just one of those days,” He replied, voice soft.

I sighed, “I get them, too. They’re the fucking worst.”

He chuckled darkly, “It’s like you wake up and that’s already taken all of the energy you had for the day.”

“Why’d you come to the house?” I asked, flagging the bartender for a refill. “I wouldn’t have been upset if you bailed.”

Jimin flushed, “I said I was coming so I came.”

No, I thought, you thought I was going to be mad if you hadn’t shown up. Hamilton had this poor kid so fucked up and scared it pissed me off. As long as I knew Matt, he had always been an ass, but to think he had his trainee putting shit before his mental health and wellbeing made whatever sliver of respect I had for him vanish.

I took a long sip of my drink, “We can’t work together if you don’t talk to me. That will piss me off way more than you canceling on me.”

“Okay,” He let out a very large breath. “I’ll let you know next time.”

As we ate our chips, we moved into safer waters. Jimin was still less talkative in person, but nowhere near as tense as he had been all morning. I found that music was one of his favorite things, and I discussed my own interests in more depth and detail than I ever had before. Jimin’s taste was varied but stuck mostly in 90s R&B and soft Indie artists I had never heard of. At some point I ordered spicy wings and had to admit Jimin was right- they really were awful.

We left the other two behind to go and pick up my car. Jungkook and Taehyung seemed more than happy to watch us leave and the large table barely acknowledged my presence. Jimin accepted their happy shouts when he approached, hugging the ones who stood up to greet him, and forced one of his small, pitiful smiles at a particular brunette who kept batting her eyelashes at him. He introduced me but none of them seemed to really care. Especially the brunette.

“Let me get your number,” Taehyung said to me, holding out a hand for my phone. “We need to hang out again.”

I was nervous about giving him a way to contact me. He reminded me of Tilly, though ten times more energetic, and she always found a way to get on my nerves (the box being one of many examples). Taehyung had yet to overstep the imaginary boundaries I had, but his complete lack of personal space etiquette was astounding. He touched me more in one day than any of my friends in an entire year. He seemed like the type of person to text every day and send a million pictures of himself doing random shit. Even with that in mind, I handed my phone over. He was too nice to say no to.

“Do you like sushi?” Taehyung asked, handing me my phone. “There’s a great place in Detroit we can go to.”

The idea of being trapped in a car with the snowboarder for 45 minutes was not appealing. I could only imagine how much he could talk when he was really excited about something. I would entertain the idea if Jungkook or Jimin came as a buffer, especially if one of them could sit up front. Taehyung yapping away in my ear would give me the biggest migraine I had ever had, and my anxiety over not being entirely focused on the road would make me snippy and rude.

“Only if I can come,” Jungkook piped up. “You’re not going to Bash without me, dude.”

“Well yeah,” Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Y/N has to meet Milo and Darcy,” He looked at me, grinning happily. “I think you would really get along.”

I had no idea who either of those people were, but I did not want to ask any questions. Jimin was inching back towards me and telling the others goodbye, and I did not want to hold him up. Taehyung started making plans that I did not pay any attention to. He could always text me when he figured out what he wanted.

“We have to get going,” Jimin was back beside me. “Y/N’s car is sitting at the dealership. It was good seeing everyone.”

I waved at the table and started walking away before Taehyung could touch me. He was definitely a hugger. Jimin was quick to catch up with me, giggling about my “escape.” It had started to snow again, gentle flurries twisting and turning in the wind, and I had forgotten my heavy jacket at home. The long sleeve I was wearing would do nothing to keep me warm.

“Here,” Jimin taking off his jacket. “You need this more than me.”

Draping it over my shoulders, Jimin told me to zip it up. Stunned, I moved on autopilot and shoved my arms through the sleeves. Everything smelled like him, oranges and spice, and his warmth was still clinging to the thick fleece. I could not remember the last time someone had given me their jacket. Dazed, I followed Jimin out to the parking lot, eyes locked on his back. He was in nothing but a thin, black and white striped shirt.

“Thanks,” I said once we were both in the truck, already shrugging out of the light beige jacket. “You didn’t have to do that.”

He held up a hand, “Keep it. The heater is out.”

I shook my head, “What about you?”

He reached into the back and held up a purple hoodie.

“I’ll be alright.”

I put the jacket back on and buckled in. Jimin slipped into the sweatshirt and started the truck. After buckling up, he backed out of the parking lot. I caught sight of the brunette as we left. She was red faced, shouting into her phone. I looked away. Whoever she was angry with was definitely getting an earful.

“Wonder what Tom did this time,” Jimin mumbled.

“Hm?”

“Tom’s Annie’s boyfriend,” He supplied. “They’re always arguing. Worse than Jungkook and Darcy, they break up every other week, but Tom and Annie are at each other's throats every other day.”

I grimaced, “Sounds like my friends. They finally called it quits last year, but they were insufferable.”

Jimin chuckled, “So, what’s Colorado like?”

I talked to him about Andrea and Seokjin first, how we met and how much I loved their daughter. Hoseok and I’s friendship got quite a few laughs out of him, but those quickly died off when I brought up Namjoon. I told him about the day we met and the coffee date that happened a few days later, and that seemed to brighten up the mood again. Namjoon stories were bittersweet but took up such a large chunk of my life it was impossible to gloss over.

“When’s the toxic couple coming up?” He joked.

“I’m getting there,” I replied.

Hoseok and Matilda had known one another longer than the rest of us. Growing up together, no one was surprised when they finally hooked up in high school. It was, however, short lived bliss. Matilda got caught up in the wrong crowd and began doing drugs. Hoseok had tried to help her get through it, but they could never see eye-to-eye. That started their toxic cycle of getting back together, Tilly going to rehab, her relapsing, and them falling out again. It was not until she went two years ago that it managed to stick, but their relationship was too tumultuous to make it very far. They decided to stay friends and she became a constant member in our group.

“That’s crazy,” Jimin shook his head. “Happy she’s doing better now.”

“Me too.”

The rest of the drive was spent talking about Colorado and how beautiful it was. He stayed away from swimming, mostly wanting to hear about the school I worked at and the places I went to in my free time. He kept me talking for the entire 45-minute car ride, question after question keeping me on my toes. He did not like talking about himself, whenever I tried to switch the conversation to his own interests he barely responded before going back to his interrogation. Before I knew it, we were pulled into the dealership and getting down.

“You can leave,” I told him.

“I want to make sure you’re good before I go,” He replied.

The cashier was lovely, her voice bubbly and sweet as she helped me out. Jimin lingered longer than he needed to, helping me fill out my paperwork and making small talk with the dealer. I took my keys and went for a quick test drive before I was finally able to convince Jimin to leave.

The drive back was quiet. I was used to the silence when I drove, but Jimin’s voice had been soothing. Frankly, I was a bit bored without him around. I decided to call Matila and ask about my medals. She apologized but I doubted how sincere she actually was. After catching up with her, hearing all about the guy she went on a date with, and a five-minute rant about Hoseok spending way too much money on Minho’s birthday present, I hung up before she could give me a migraine. As much as I liked Tilly, she was someone I had very little patience for and her voice, high pitched and loud, was like nails on a chalkboard.

I got back in town a little after 3. Violet and Calvin were both home and watching some black and white Western. Calvin offered to make me lunch, but I was quick to decline. I just wanted some space.

As soon as I got in my apartment, I curled up in bed to take a nap. I was overwhelmed after talking so much and desperately needed to recharge. I set an alarm for 5 so I could make it over to the Park house in time for dinner. Quickly sending a quick text to Hoseok, I turned on thunderstorm sounds and closed my eyes.

Na-Yeon and James were both excited to see me, talking about their days and asking how I was settling in. Eloise was there as well, the twins in the back room playing again. Jimin was going to be late. He had gone for a last-minute swim with Milo. When I asked them who that was, it was Eloise who answered.

“That’s Vincent’s fiancé.”

“Who?” I was even more confused.

“Taehyung,” Na-Yeon answered. “You know he hates that name as much as Jimin hates his, Lou."

Eloise blushed, her entire face turning a bright shade of red.

“Sorry,” She scratched behind her ear. Looking back at me, she sighed, “We went to school together. Old habit.”

Now V made sense. It never occurred to me that Jungkook and Taehyung could have their own American names, and neither one introduced themselves that way either. James came to take the seat beside mine, the dining table more crowded then was reasonably necessary.

“Does Jungkook have a second name?” I asked.

“Ian,” Eloise replied. “He goes by both, so I don’t think he cares as much as Tae and Jimin. I know his girlfriend uses both.”

I assumed that was Darcy. Why else would Taehyung assume she would go with us on a day trip to Detroit?

“They call him Ian on the team, too,” James chimed in. “His name is too hard.”

Namjoon never had an American name, at least, not one I had ever heard. The only person I could think of was Hoseok. A lot of his friends called him Jay, something about an old nickname from school, but that was it. Seokjin just went by Jin, Namjoon went by Joon, and Minho went by…well, Minho. None of their parents used American-Friendly names, and Seokjin’s father’s English was still poor even after living here for so long.

“Y/N,” Na-Yeon brought me back to the conversation. “What banchan do you like?”

“My eomeo-nim made these delicious, braised potatoes,” I answered, thinking back on our dinners together. “Kimchi, of course. My ex made the best braised lotus roots. They were always yummy.”

Na-Yeon seemed pleased by my answer. James and Eloise started rambling about their own favorites. Unlike Namjoon, Mr.Park was a big fan of seafood. He grew up in Busan near the Jagalchi Market, which, according to him, was the largest seafood market in South Korea. Eloise talked a little about her favorite Korean dishes before jumping into what she grew up eating. Her father was Scottish and her mother French, so one night she was eating Scottish Pie and daube niçoise the next. It was fun hearing more about Eloise. I would have never guessed she was a first generation American.

“It’s something Tony and I had in common,” She added. “He learned quite a bit of French before he died. Unfortunately, my Korean is taking much longer.”

“Mine isn’t that great either,” I admitted. “Namjoon’s family spoke English and never liked to make me feel awkward. I can follow a conversation fairly well, but only if you speak slowly.”

James laughed, “I will remember that.”

The front door opened, and I could hear loud talking. Eloise sighed. Whoever was with Jimin did not pass her inspection it would seem. She and James seemed to have a small conversation with their eyes. The men were still at the front of the house. Finally, Eloise looked away and scowled.

“Must have brought Milo and Tae over,” She muttered. “I’m going to go check on the twins.”

Eloise left the table. James told me to ignore her. She and Milo did not get along for whatever reason and she chose to ignore him. It was not my business, so I accepted that explanation.

I prepared myself for a bad interaction. So far, Eloise was such a quiet and sweet person I could not imagine anyone actively disliking her. Then again, this was Taehyung’s fiancé, and he was the nicest, most bubbly person I had ever met. It did not seem likely that he would hang around bad company. It could just be a case of personalities clashing.

“Annyeong,” Taehyung greeted us brightly, immediately finding me. “Babe, come say hi.”

A massive, pale man followed in behind him. Milo was a good-looking guy, bright blue eyes and dirty blonde hair, with a solid build. He reminded me of the male swimmers I worked with, his huge size and bulging muscles intimidating. His fashion sense was not as good as Taehyung’s. Ill-fitting black bottoms and a Rick and Morty t-shirt that made me want to roll my eyes. I was definitely biased, my loyalties already in Eloise’s corner. I did not need to know a backstory to be weary. The dude looked enough like Matthew Hamilton to make me dislike him just off principal.

“Milo, Y/N,” Taehyung introduced, gesturing between the two of us. Behind him, Jimin snuck into the kitchen and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek as a greeting. He looked nice in his gray tracksuit. “Y/N, this is my fiancé, Milo.”

I managed a disingenuous smile, “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” He replied. His voice was smokey.

“Where’s Lou?” Jimin asked, coming around to greet his father.

“Checking on Harper and Cam,” James told him.

There was not enough room for all of us to sit at the table and I ended up giving up my seat to Na-Yeon. Jimin helped her set the table while I was put in charge of gathering Eloise and the kids. Walking down the hallway, I found the kids’ playroom and knocked.

“Dinner’s ready,” I announced, poking my head inside.

The room was bigger than I thought it would be. Each side was decorated in stereotypical boy and girl colors, Cameron’s bed and wall art a wide variety of blues and teals with dinosaur decals on the walls, while Harper’s was a mix up of baby pink and white. Her bed had more stuffed animals on it than I could count and all of them seem well loved. Their toys split the room in half, a large, circle rug in the middle of it all. Most of the toys were thrown on the floor and Eloise was telling them it was time for them to clean it up.

The children looked so cute in their little matching outfits. Harper’s black hair was braided down her back and the ribbon tied at the end of it matched her cream-colored overalls. Cam’s hair was on the longer side as well, falling to his shoulders with a slight wave. His bright red converse stuck out against the rather plain outfit he was wearing, and I had to assume he put up a fight behind them. Harper started to sing the Barney song as they cleaned.

“Feeling, okay?” I asked their mother. She was sitting in the chair on Harper’s side. “You ran off pretty quickly.”

She shook her head, “It’s nothing. We’ve never gotten along.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Do you want to eat here? I’ll sit with you.”

She smiled, “We can play nice, don’t worry. Thanks, though. I appreciate you asking.”

Dinner was as uneventful as Eloise said it would be. She and Milo greeted one another and then acted as if the other did not exist. I stood up to eat, Taehyung, Milo, and Jimin with me while the others sat down. Cam was excited to talk about school and Harper rambled on and on about her imaginary friend Butter Squash. They were both very sweet and it made me miss Dani. The last time I saw her was when we went skating the weekend before I left.

Taehyung was as talkative as ever. His touches also become bolder. By the time I left, he had an arm around my shoulders and his body pressed against my side. Milo was unbothered by our closeness. He and Jimin spoke the most and again the guy I knew when no one else was around seemingly vanished. This one was too put together, too closed off, and no one, and I mean no one, seemed to care. Every time he laughed half-heartedly or nodded along with whatever Milo was talking about, I felt more confused. Why was he so hot and cold all of the time?

During my drive back home, I tentatively attempted to listen to the radio. I only lasted around a minute or so before I switched it off. I needed silence. The Parks were such a lovely family, but tonight was too much. Between unpacking and Taehyung, I was drained. Hoseok had asked me to call him when I got home but I was going to wait. If it was important enough, he would call me himself.

I fell asleep as soon as my face hit the pillow, my medication making it a dreamless night.

The rest of the week was quiet. I called my friends back home to check in Thursday morning and was happy about Hoseok’s progress. The kids were really liking him, and he thought he may have a permanent job for next year if I decided to keep working with Jimin. I told him not to get his hopes up.

Jimin and I spoke through text daily. He was still going about his normal routine while I brainstormed training and scheduling. By Saturday I was ready to start testing out different ideas. We both seemed eager to get started, actually. Sunday, like I expected, was very quiet. That was his mom’s day, so I tried not to bother him. Violet and Calvin kept me company.

The Andersons were nice people. Violet was always coming to the back and inviting me to join them for breakfast, and her husband enjoyed asking me about my life. Calvin was far more personable than his wife was, but they managed to balance one another out. Sunday evening was the first time I noticed Calvin’s memory issues. He had no idea who I was. I came inside and Violet had to tell him I was their daughter Nancy’s babysitter. He was under the assumption that she was still 10. I left them alone when Violet asked me to pick her up from school. She came out back a few hours later to thank me for going along with everything, and I made sure that she had my phone number in case she needed me to help out if things got out of hand.

It was still dark outside when I left Monday morning. Jimin and I agreed to meet up at 6 am to start our day, but I wanted to get to the gym early. Time to set up and get myself in the right headspace was important to me.

The location he had sent me was more remote than I had originally anticipated. Jimin owned the little gym. It had been a swim school in the past and the place he had first learned he loved the water. He and his mom went to classes together when he was young. The place had been too expensive for the previous owners to keep up with and they were planning on selling it, but Jimin bought it off of them and converted it into a public gym/pool.

In our text exchanges he called it his retirement plan, but I was sure the place meant more to him than that. He had no interest in it until after the cancer diagnosis. If I was to over analyze it, I would say he was trying to hold onto a happy memory. This was their place before sickness and death ran through his family. I would imagine anyone would want to keep something that held so much sentimental value if they could.

Pulling into the parking lot, I was first struck by two things. One, it was open and there were people inside, and two, it was huge. Most of the building was nothing but windows giving me a great view of the muscled men inside. Bright fluorescent lights made my sensitive eyes hurt, and I could hear the faint sound of music coming from somewhere near the gym. The small group of men were together, all of them lifting and spotting each other while talking, and a sense of dread filled my belly.

I was always anxious when I went to a new place, but a new gym was a nightmare. I had bad experiences in the past. Overly friendly creeps who liked to stand around and watch me while I worked out. None of the guys inside gave off bad vibes, but I was still in my car and none of them laid their eyes on me. A woman in a gym was like a drop of blood in water. I had to hope they were not sharks.

Gathering courage, I grabbed my duffle and made my way inside. A pretty, dark-skinned, young woman was sitting at the receptionist desk, and I felt more at ease. If they left her alone then maybe they would not cause me too much trouble either. The music was louder inside, and I recognized the Ciara song. It was a great one for cardio. Fighting the urge to dance, I greeted the receptionist. She put down her magazine and gave me an award-winning grin. She had a nice, dimpled smile.

“Hi there,” She had a thick, Southern accent and I could not tell you where she might be from. I was awful at telling them apart. “Do you have your membership card?”

I laughed nervously, my grip on my bag tightening. “No. I’m here to train with Jimin Park. He said I should have something on file.”

She nodded, her smile unwavering as she looked at her computer and asked for my name.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” I replied, foot tapping along to the Lil Wayne song that came on. I had this one on my own workout playlist back in 2008. I could not help mumbling the words under my breath, “She-she-she lick me like a lollipop.”

“Found you,” The girl grabbed a few sheets of paper from a pile on her side of the desk. “Just fill these out for me and we’ll get your card printed. Your fees have been paid already so no need to worry about that.”

I nodded, half listening. This song was great. Why has it been so long since I last heard it? I went to the gym all the time. I needed to put it back on my playlist. Honestly, the entire Carter III needed to find its way back into my rotation.

“My name’s Giselle if you need anything,” The receptionist pointed to a cluster of chairs right at the front entrance. “You’re super early so Christian isn’t here yet, but I’ll give you the key to the pool room so you can do whatever you need before the boss gets in.”

I smiled at her, “Thank you, Giselle.”

“Anytime, ma’am.”

It took me a few minutes to fill the paperwork out and scan my ID, but Giselle made everything as quick as she could. One of the men working out had come by to ask for some wipes to clean off a few of the machines but left without anything more than a ‘good morning’ thrown in my direction. When we passed by the rest of them on the way to the pool house, we were completely ignored, so it was safe for me to say that they would not be a problem for me in the future. Creeps were never subtle about their creepiness.

“I have to double check with Christian, but I think I’m supposed to give you a spare key,” Giselle said, unlocking the pool. “I’m just going to be sure before I promise you anything. Don’t want to get fired.”

I could tell she was joking. Jimin did not strike me as the type of guy to fire anyone over something like that. It only made sense for me to have a spare key since we would be coming around so much, and I would feel bad about disrupting the staff whenever I needed to get inside. They did not get paid enough to deal with that on top of all of the rest of their duties.

“We keep it locked until 9,” Giselle continued, leading the way inside. “Then we close it back up at 5. Maintenance comes in every Tuesday to treat the water, so you’ll have to be out of here no later than 7. Boss man knows this already so you shouldn’t have any problems with that.”

The pool room was very bland and bare bones. The smell of chlorine hung heavily in the air while the lights around the pool walls illuminated the dark room. It was very big, and I itched to go for a quick dip. The coolness of the water would be nice against my skin. I had grown hot with nerves and gotten a little sweaty.

“We have a few other staff members that will be in around the same time the boss man comes in,” Giselle continued to give me the rundown. “I’m sure he’ll introduce you to everyone just in case you need anything. I’d say make nice with Yoongi first. He’s our in-house massage therapist.”

Pointing to a door on the far-left wall, Giselle let me know that was the pool locker room and the door right next to it was a shortcut to the back offices. Management, marketing, and facility supervisors were usually all back there and I would more than likely never see them. They were not the most social people and worked from home a lot. I could tell by Giselle’s voice that she did not particularly care for management.

“Drew should be here by now,” She checked her smart watch. “She’s the general manager. I’m going to go and grab her and see about that key. She might come back to say ‘hi’ but don’t hold your breath.”

I chuckled, “That bad?”

Giselle rolled her eyes, “Drew’s fine, but Dominic is usually following her around everywhere and he’s annoying. You’ll get what I mean if you ever see them together.”

I laughed, “I’ve had my fair share of weirdos. Thanks again. I appreciate you showing me around.”

She beamed, “It wasn’t a problem. You gave me a reason to get up from the desk, so I’d say it’s a win.”

We spoke for a few more minutes until a very large, bulky man popped his head in looking for her. His black t-shirt clung to him tightly and his shorts were a hideous neon pink color. He did have a nice smile, one that took up most of his face and teeth so white they looked fake. Giselle introduced me very quickly, and the man, Sam, turned out to be one of the personal trainers on staff.

“You’re the Olympian, right?” Sam asked. Jimin must really like people who talked a lot, because I had never met more outgoing people in my life before moving here. Everyone he surrounded himself with was just full of energy, and I wondered if it was purposeful. Jimin himself was a rather quiet and sad person. “Jimin talks about you all the time.”

I laughed awkwardly, face heating, “That’s me.”

“Sick,” Suddenly an image of Sam surfing in California flashed through my mind. He just seemed like the type. “Well, I have to go and help out a client, but it was nice meeting you. Gigi, can you go back up front before Drew pitches a fit?”

Giselle sighed heavily, “Tell her I’m coming,” Looking at me she asked if I was okay on my own. “Come and get me if you need anything, okay?”

After assuring her that I was fine, Giselle left behind Sam. The two of them bickered like an old married couple, and I wondered about their relationship. He did call her a little nickname. I shook my head. Regardless, I had other things I needed to take care of before I could get lost in thought about two strangers.

Unpacking my duffle, I threw on my whistle and stopwatch before getting to work on my schedule. I had brought a lot of my personal swimming gear with me like training bands, coach communicator, and forearm fulcrum. Back in the day, I was the brand ambassador for Finis, so I had a lot of their products. The tracksuit I was wearing was from Speedo, and I had so much of their stuff for the same reason. Being a famous swimmer had its perks.

I had planned on doing a lot of drill and some short-burst efforts with Jimin. He had been without a PT for a few weeks now, and while I trusted him to stay in shape, it was no secret someone would be performing less on their own than with guidance. I did not want to over work him when he was, for all intents and purposes, been on a vacation. So, while I wanted to rush head-first into training, I would try to ease into things a bit before going full asshole on the kid. Like Victor would say, “Three times a week for three weeks.” After that, he was going to be at my mercy.

It was just past 6 when Jimin walked into the pool room. I was flipping through my training plan for the day and humming along to the music blasting through the speakers, echoing off the walls. Whoever was in charge of the playlist had a thing for the early 2000s.

“Morning,” His soft voice brought a smile to my face. He sounded tired. “What do you think about the place?”

Stealing a look at him, I had to hold back the gasp that I wanted to let out. He was wearing a black tank top and shorts giving me a great look at his skin. Embarrassed by my reaction, I internally scolded myself. I needed to get over this crush already. I was about to see a lot more of his body once he went to the back to change. I bit my lip. I had no idea how I was going to deal with him in a speedo.

“It’s very nice,” I was happy with how nonchalant I sounded. “Wasn’t expecting it to be so big.”

I wonder what else is big… I nibbled on the inside of my cheek. I really needed to get my mind out of the gutter. Scratch that- I should have dealt with this problem the second I realized it was there. I was going to force myself to call Hoseok today. He would know what to do, and if not, at least I could vent a little.

“Sleep okay?”

I jumped out of my ever-degrading thoughts.

“Yeah,” I sniffed. “Had fun with your mom? I wanted to give you two some space, so I stayed to myself.”

He smiled and I melted. Yeah, this needed to stop. I was too grown to be acting like this around a man.

“I appreciate it. We missed you at dinner, though. My dad kept complaining that things were quiet now.”

I chuckled, “Eloise and the kids not loud enough?”

He shook his head, “She didn’t come over.”

He tossed his sports bag next to mine and pulled out his swim gear. I caught a flash of his speedo and quickly looked away. The visuals going through my mind were distracting enough.

“Do you want to go over everything before I get changed?” Asked Jimin.

I shook my head, “No, go ahead. It’s going to be a chill day.”

“You got it, coach.”

I did not breathe until I heard the locker room door slam shut. Tossing my clipboard onto my bag, I roughly rubbed my face. I needed to pull myself together.

My attraction was easy to ignore and forget about when he was not in my face, but the second I got my eyes on him it was all I could focus on. I was awkward and fumbling all over the place whenever he was around. I focused on him far too much, far more than I should be due to our relationship, and it was driving me insane. I needed to take a breather, but I did not have enough time and I did not want to make him worried. Jimin seemed like the type of person who would become consumed by anxiety if he thought I was upset with him in any way. No, I would have to suck it up and get through this training session like an adult.

The locker room door opened. Jimin’s bare feet were loud against the gray, stone floor. I refused to look at him. I wasn’t ready yet. Bending over, I grabbed the clipboard and cleared my throat. I was hoping to get him in the water first, and then I could safely conduct myself in a professional way. The less skin I had to see at a time the better. I pointed at the pool.

“Like I said, it’s going to be an easy day,” He was walking away from me, and I felt the tightness in my chest lighten. “You’ve been without a trainer for a bit, and I’m not sure how intense your workouts have been since. Your warmup is just 10 minutes of easy swimming, and then we’ll go over our main set.”

I heard him get into the water with a splash and relaxed. I could handle him in the water. No one looked good with those stupid goggles on. I walked to the edge of the pool, clipboard in my hand, and stole a quick look.

As suspected, he did not look as potent like this. His hair was hidden beneath a red and white cap, and blue goggles obstructed most of his face. It was impossible to make out most of his body as he glided through the water, but I got a great look at his arms. He was more muscular than I gave him credit for. He was smaller and more lean than other swimmers, but I could see why he was able to dominate.

He was very fast, but I could already tell he was pushing harder than I wanted him to. Blowing my whistle, I let him know I only wanted him swimming at 80% effort. Jimin pulled a face and lifted his goggles up. Now that he was stagnant, I got a clear look at his chest and swallowed thickly. He needed to start moving or else I might have a heart attack.

“Why?” He was incredulous.

“Like I said, I don’t want you to overwork yourself. You’ve been on a vacation for four weeks now and we need to work our way back up to more intensive sets. It’ll only be for a couple of weeks.”

He pushed back again, “I’ve been coming here every day for hours. I think I’m fine.”

I shook my head, “I’m not trying to be a dick, and I’m not calling you a liar, but I am skeptical of the quality of the training.”

“But-”

“I haven’t been here to see your routine,” I cut him off before whatever smart ass comment he was planning to say could even come out. Jimin’s annoyance was plain as day, and I was not about to put up with a tantrum. “I’m known for being a hard ass, and I’m going to push you harder than you’ve ever been pushed before. You can ask Coach Bunch about me if you want. I will make sure you’re in the best shape of your life this year, but not at the expense of getting you injured.”

He took a deep breath before responding, “With all due respect, I’ve been putting in a lot of work by myself. I don’t think I need kid gloves.”

I smirked, cocking my head to the side. “Is that what you think this is?”

“Isn’t it?” He shrugged, pouting.

He was cute when he was mad.

“Humor me,” I replied. “We do things my way for the week and if I think you’re good to go by Friday then we’ll get back to normal training. How does that sound?”

Jimin thought for a moment before smiling at me.

“I can live with that.”

I chuckled, “Good to know. Now, put your goggles back on and finish your warmup. We’re wasting time arguing.”

As I suspected, once we started our drills, he did not perform up to the standards I had for him. Even at 75% what he was capable of, I could already see the areas he needed to work on. His butterflies were beautiful, but I could pick apart his breast and back strokes. I was happy with his free swim at the end, and I was going to start there the next session. I was hoping by starting off with compliments that we could become more comfortable with one another before I had to get serious. Those breast strokes would drive me insane until he could execute them perfectly every time.

“How am I doing?” Jimin asked during a cool down, doing a few laps before we started our drills again. “I know my breast strokes aren’t that great. I’ve always struggled with them.”

At least he was self-aware, I thought.

“We definitely have stuff to work on,” I replied. “Don’t worry too much about that right now. We can start talking about it more next week.”

He sighed, annoyed, and I laughed. He was very grumpy when it came to his swimming. Not wanting to upset him again, I decided to give him something.

“I would like to watch you swim a bit more and make a plan before giving you my opinion. My coach used to do that with me, and I found it helpful.”

We trained until eight-thirty, and I looked over my notes while Jimin cooled down. We did not talk as much as I would have liked, but it was probably for the best. His body was distracting, and I did not think I was doing a very good job at hiding my reactions to him. He did not seem to notice, or he was simply sparing my feelings, either way he was happy to keep relatively quiet. We only talked about training while he was in the water, and I was grateful he was maintaining his professionalism.

“When will we be back again?” Jimin asked, his last few minutes running down on the timer. “You said Wednesday, right?”

I nodded absentmindedly, in my own little world as I flipped through my notes. I had more than I thought I would have, all of them having to do with fixing his form and how we could go about it. New exercises, grueling training days, and a few new tools that I was not sure he had ever used before, would mold him into a swimmer I would glow with pride over. Park had always been a talented man, but I wanted to see if we could reach for something more. Something bigger and better than he could have imagined. I wanted to make Matthew fucking Hamilton look like the incompetent bastard I knew him to be.

“We’re done for the day,” I sighed, clicking the alarm off. “Do you want me to come for your night swim?”

Jimin ripped the goggles off, rubbing his eyes and already going to release his cap. I bit down on the inside of my mouth. He was so pretty and soft, and the way his muscles flexed as he swam to the edge of the pool made my stomach flutter. I looked away before he hoisted himself out of the water. I did not need that image floating around in my already depraved head.

“You can come if you want,” He replied casually. “I’m mostly hitting the gym when I’m here in the evenings. I only take a dip for thirty minutes and leave.”

I hummed, fighting the urge to look at his body. I focused instead on my breathing and writing down what he had just said. I did not want to forget that. It might be useful for me in the future. If we could exercise together, it would give me an opportunity to guide him through some of my favorite tricks to help with swimming.

“Will someone else be with you?”

“Probably Jungkook and Darcy. They’re my usual gym buddies when Milo is working.”

“Darcy’s his girlfriend, right?” I wanted to see if my hunch from the other night was right.

“Yeah. They’ve been going out for a couple of years now. She’s alright. Not as shy as you.”

I snorted, “You think I’m shy?”

Then I made a critical mistake. Looking over at Jimin, I nearly choked on my own spit. His skin was perfectly smooth, not a blemish in sight, and cream-colored. His body was just as pretty as his face, smooth abs and a tiny waist that led to toned and thick thighs. The tiny scrap of red fabric covering his private area did not stop my eyes from glancing. I looked away before I started to stare.

Hoseok was going to have a field day with this.

“I know you are,” He teased, his voice so soft and sweet. I briefly wondered what he would sound like in bed. I fought desperately to rid myself of that imagery. This could not be happening right now. “You’re so shy you can’t even look at me right now.”

His cocky attitude should have annoyed me, but instead it only further fueled my lust. Every time I had seen this man, he gave me such tonal whiplash it was beginning to drive me insane. First it was this innocent little angel facade that quickly became sarcastic and witty when he decided he could play around without me getting angry. Then it was the whole sad puppy thing he had going on for the last week. Now here he was, practically naked and getting riled up over me telling him what to do, and puffing his chest with confidence I never thought he was capable of. It would have pissed me off if I did not find him ridiculously attractive.

“Go get dressed, Park,” My voice was clipped and too harsh. I winced and quickly worked to soften the blow. Getting defensive only made me look worse. “We can get breakfast if you’re not busy. My treat.”

“Sure, coach.”

When I heard the locker room close, I let out a deep sigh. My sexual frustration was getting in the way of my work, and I hated it. Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I sent Hoseok a text.

Me: I think I’m crushing on Park

Me: Help me get rid of it

The reply did not come until I was done packing up my things. The workout stuff I had brought with me had been useless today, but I was afraid of forgetting where they were the next time I might need them, so they never left the bag. My phone vibrated just as I was done zipping up my bag. I could hear the shower in the locker room and clenched my thighs together. I was still thinking of how pretty his belly was, the tattoo on his ribs pitch-black against his pale skin, and how solid his calves looked. I unlocked my phone and nearly cried laughing when I saw the response.

Hobi: HAHAHAHA

Hobi: Sex is always the answer

Hobi: Never thought I’d see the day you became a cougar

I have no idea why I thought he would be any help. So, I licked my wounds and messaged Andy (like I should have done in the first place) and knew whatever she had to say would be far more helpful than my stupid best friend’s word of “advice.” I just had to hope it would be enough to make all of these feelings stop.

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© chimcess, 2024. Do not copy or repost without permission.

[valend]

Do we know what kind of fashion styles (for their time) did hamburr have? Were they following whatever is trendy or doing their own thing

I love this question sososo much!

Unlike Jefferson, who was described as being unfashionable/old-fashioned, that his clothes were too small and that he wore slippers etc. we don’t have any similar descriptions for either Hamilton or Burr. On the contrary!!!

The most obvious proof of Hamilton being “trendy” is this from Chernow:

“From the time he started out as a young lawyer in postwar New York, Hamilton presented a dashing figure in society. He was trim and stylish, though not showy in dress. His account books reflect a concern with fashion, as shown by periodic visits to a French tailor, and his sartorial elegance is confirmed in portraits. In one painting, he wears a double-breasted coat with brass buttons and gilt-edged lapels, his neck swathed delicately in a ruffled lace jabot. One French historian remarked, “He belonged to the age of manners and silk stockings and handsome shoe-buckles.”He was as fastidious as a courtier in caring for his reddish-brown hair, and his son James recorded his daily ritual with the barber: “I recollect being in my father’s office in New York when he was under the hands of his hair-dress[er] (which was his daily course). His back hair was long. It was plaited, clubbed up, and tied with a black ribbon. His front hair was pomatumed [i.e., pomaded], powdered, and combed up and back from his forehead.”” [Chernow p. 187]

More detailed I remember one particular description of his clothes from Chernow’s biography again:

“When [Hamilton] entered the room, it was apparent from the respectful attention of the company that he was a distinguished individual. He was dressed in a blue coat with bright buttons; the skirts of his coat were unusually long. He wore a white waistcoat, black silk small clothes, white silk stockings. The gentle- man who received him as a guest introduced him to such of the company as were strangers to him. To each he made a formal bow, bending very low, the ceremony of shaking hands not being observed. . . .” [Chernow p. 334]

Hamilton was also really interested in the design of the soldier’s uniform:

“A chronic stickler for etiquette, Hamilton entered into the minutiae of protocol and dress, showing an unrestrained love of military matters. The most fastidious tailor could not have dictated more precise instructions for Washington’s uniform: “A blue coat without lapels, with lining collar and cuffs of buff, yellow buttons and gold epaulettes of double bullion tag with fringe, each having three stars. Collar cuffs and pocket flaps to have full embroidered edges and the button holes of every description to be full embroidered.” For Washington’s hat: “A full cocked hat, with a yellow button gold loop, a black cockade with a gold eagle in the center and a white plume.” For his boots: “Long boots, with stiff tops reaching to the center of the knee pan, the whole of black leather lined above with red morocco so as just to appear.” Hamilton’s descriptions of other uniforms were no less meticulous.” [Chernow p.564]

So it’s pretty obvious that Hamilton cared a lot of someone’s physical appearance therefore I doubt he would dress unfashionably.

Now for Burr I don’t seem to recall anything particular about his dress. Besides the silly rumour of him wearing that one bullet proof silk coat to the duel I don’t really remember anything else.

This is what I could find from a casual search (if I have more time I might look into it a bit more)

“Like Hamilton, the impeccably tailored Burr made an elegant impression, with his lustrous dark eyes, full lips, and boldly arched eyebrows.” [Chernow p. 192]

(no comment on the lustrous dark eyes, full lips and bold arched eyebrows bit, im completely ignoring it)

“According to eighteenth-century caricature, womanish men were fickle and disloyal, while as men of fashion, dandified politicians could be expected to change party affiliation as easily as they changed their clothes. By comparing the Burrites to beaux, dandies, and foppish boys, he associated them with prodigal dissipation and sexual indulgence—the twin vices of luxura and licentia, the antithesis of republican virtue.” [Isenberg p. 276]

I’m assuming since Burrites in general were described as looking like that then I believe it’s pretty fair to assume that same caricatured description goes for the man himself as well

There is also this description of his clothes, but in his defence he was on the run lmao:

“He wore a slouching white hat with a broad brim, sported a long beard and a checkered handkerchief around his neck, and a great, baggy coat tied with a belt. Hanging from the belt was a tin cup and a butcher’s knife. The outfit did not fit the profile of the dapper Burr, known for his stylish dress and genteel manners.” [Isenberg p. 353]

So from that description we’re able to tell that Burr was usually fashionable.

“Two prominent Federalists had loaned Burr $1,000 for new clothes, so that he could be tastefully attired in black silk for the duration of his trials.” [Isenberg p. 362]

I suppose silk would’ve been considered pretty fashionable for the time

Now, I might be misremembering this so if anyone has a source for this please let me know but I think I remember somewhere being mentioned that the way Burr was discovered and arrested in Alabama in 1807 was because his boots were too nice 😭😭😭

I genuinely have no idea if what I’m saying is true but apparently his boots were too trendy and polished and didn’t go along with the rest of his shabby clothes

[arysstore0786]

Unleashing Adventure: Trendy Men’s Boots, Wayks Gear, and Houdini Sportswear for the Modern Explorer

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[arysstoreger]

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[callmearcturus]

bro and i talking about if the rumor's true and S4 of the show is about the lady greyhounds.

a wishlist:

nate and ted both coaching the women's team. the HISTORY. the DRAMA. the way being surrounded by women who could kill him would debuff nate enough for him and ted to heal their relationship.

ted being unable to open his eyes in the locker room for a while, he cannot quit kill the puritan in his heart, that takes time.

re-do of the episode 1 scene where ted uses black tape to cover up nude posters in the lockers, then stops and calls keeley bc is he actually suppressing women's sexuality by doing this???? ted: "it just feels like i oughta not" keeley: "why? do you think women who shag women put up posters of naked breasts out of a sense of artistic appreciation or something?" ted: "you know, now that you say it, i hear the double standard. appreciate you."

the Believe sign doesn't need to be hung up, in the meantime since S3 and S4 it has been painted along entire walls of the clubhouse. the first time Ted sees a yellow wall and "BELIEVE" he stops in his tracks and almost cries

directly quoting @treeprince: "Ted realizing the whole team is gonna have one person come out as straight thats been pretending to be gay to fit in. a direct inverse to colin's episode"

the boot room is still where people go for important talks obvsly

ted has to break up at least 3x as many fights as with the men's team

on the other hand, ted actually vibing way more with the women's team because the higher median of emotional vulnerability appeals to him.

at least one player MUST be capable of lifting ted in celebration after a win. yes we know ted's a broad tall guy. i don't care.

nate becoming slightly concerned one of the hot, cool football ladies is going to seduce jade. bonus points for keeley specifically being friendly with jade making nate a lil competitive. double bonus is jade is fully cognizant of this and just enjoys the show.

just fucking steal the fanfic trope and make Trent the new press manager for AFC Richmond with Keeley focusing on brand outreach.

ted: i noticed the second edition got re-titled The Lasso Way trent: ah yes well marketing said the other title tested poorly ted: well i'll just hang onto my first edition. it's signed by the author and everything.

tree again: "there had better be at least one (1) scene of an older player going "when i was in uni you were 13, is that fucked up or what" and the youngin drunkenly asking for her to put her ciggy out on her"

running joke of the show: "wait, the gaffer's straight? are you sure?"

bonus points for, per tree: "it would be cute if they all think hes just too nervous to ask out trent cuz trent's like a proper queer lad, and hes got such great hair, ted's a divorced dad who still thinks his mustache is "trendy" and quips like if he doesnt say something American every time he breathes he might die, like a shark that stops swimming"

henry living in london bc ted deserves the same custody michelle had

michelle and ted no longer friendly bc ted did finally turn in dr. jacob bryanson for horrendous malpractice. they can heal their relationship over a few seasons' time.

[weareravershq]

[meltedbluecaterpillar]

Welcome to my blog where I talk about Ruggie Bucchi and clothes because I love clothes.

I think Ruggie is well versed in street fashion the older he gets. I will explain. I think... Money wise he doesn't prioritize brands. But he hangs out with Leona. I think... In my mind... Leona plays dress up with him because when they hang out... Ruggie looks homeless. So Leona feels irritated hanging around someone without swagsauce. I think Ruggie is fashionable (a lot of the Twst cast is) but he just can't afford his dreams haha.

I like clothes a lot. When I write fanfiction, I plan out fashionable clothes for my x Readers. I love the idea of a character I like wearing clothes I like to see them in or fashion that suits them out of uniform. In a fic I wrote, I mentioned a character wearing True Religion jeans. Because it makes sense for him.

Here are clothes I want to see Ruggie wear/I might mention in writing/I want to draw him in:

The Goofy Shirt x Shorts

So, I'm black if you did not know. As in African American (I am biracial but both parents in my life are black) and that means I grew up with a lot of black men in my life dressing like this. Me and my friend joined forces and agree Ruggie Bucchi is Afro Latino. He is pale because he is at school on an Island, he doesn't get cooked in the sun so he lacks melanin.

But he dresses like this. I like him wearing shorts because I like that Ruggie has long legs despite being a somewhat short guy. Shorts like this make him look taller (the illusion of baggy clothes also making you look thin) and I actually do like him in boots a lot. Firstly, when I write Ruggie, I write him as someone who's second home was the streets. Boots, especially steel toed work boots are heavy. I actually own a pair and I will explain. There is a bit of heel on work boots. So you get an extra inch of height. But they're heavy because of the steel put in them to protect your feet. In my mind, Ruggie get's into fights sometimes. Have you ever been kicked by someone in a steel toed boot? The bruise is giant and you could get something broken. In his dorm card he also wears boots so I think if she needs to, he can do what needs to be done.

It suits him to wear boots when he looks like he's on a lil' mission. (I will talk about other shoes on him later.) The goofy shirts is something I think he would like. Shirts with bizarre imagery on the front is something you usually would get secondhand and he is a thrifting guy. He goes to places like that for fire fits. They house personality so when I draw or write Ruggie I usually picture him with a weird shirt on.

It makes sense to me. And I hope you see my visions.

For brands I write/draw for him specifically? I will say usually it's older street fashion that is considered 'outdated but still trendy'. I will build him an outfit of what I think he would wear at some point.

Ed Hardy x (Thrifted) True Religion

I think this would be something he wears. At least since its so hot. It is my personal opinion so you don't have to agree with my post. Something like this while going out with a friend. I think he likes odd clothing like the shorts and they have the thrifted vibe. Especially since Ed Hardy is a form of 'street/punk' fashion. Motorcycles and all of your favorite plugs wore Ed Hardy. I think Ruggie's holy grail would be thrifting True Religion (anything) or anything luxury. He doesn't buy stuff like that for full price ever but he laughs knowing the rich toss this stuff out so easily. This can be paired with any basic steel toed boots and classic white socks. Accessories... I think Ruggie would like bracelets. Oh, I usually give Ruggie a think gold chain. Why? ... Growing up, my younger brother and my dad were obsessed with gold chains. It was a thing that made sense. Seeing a black boy smile over his first gold chain. It was a sign of... Adulthood almost. You get your first job and at the age of 15 - 17 every boy I've met has either saved to buy a car or a gold chain. It is a personal thing to me and I think Ruggie bought himself a chain. (This is also because Ruggie wears a traditional necklace from the Afterglow Savana made of wooden beads and stones I think) I think that he can't drive... So a car is pointless especially at NRC, so I think he bought himself a chain with his first check. He was told buy his granny to be selfish for once. To use what he earned for something he wanted. "Make one dumb purchase and then be responsible. Just once' so I think Ruggie 'grew up' buying a gold chain from a pawn shop.

It's culture if that makes sense. I think it's dope.

I will come back to this later, and I will add a second post of another style I think he would wear. I can do Summer, Fall, and Winter... Maybe... Thank you for listening to me ramble. I had fun.

[phvntomess]

OK list time. This is gonna be long so hope you dont mind scrolling

Shoes: 

Anthony Wang - unique shoes. pretty sure they're somewhat anime inspired? sometimes at least.

YRUshoes - shoes. does collabs and has some nice shoes

Demonias - gothic shoe store. has that one super iconic boot

Irregular choice - personal favourite. does very unique shoes.

Virtualshoemuseum - not a brand or shop but does show off some unique shoes

strangecvlt - footwear brand. halloween themed. might be connected to yru shoes?

cityboots - focuses on cowboy style boots

fluevog - shoes! very cute and unique shoes 

Clothes: 

Demobaza - does kinda like… idk dune style stuff? apocalyptic? idk

cipoandbaxx - streetwear. focuses on jeans

Trippnyc - has the tripp pants that the scene kids have sometimes

oceanusthelabel - swimwear and some nice dresses

shopsolani - not a whole lot on display but what is on there is super cute

shoptrashqueen - plus sized clothing. says its inspired by harajuku styles.

minna.shop - does interesting and unique dresses that have a sheer element to them

teutamatoshi - does cute gowns. i think her and lirika are sisters? fun fact if im right.

lirikamatoshi - the person who did the strawberry dress! also has a lot of other stuff on her site.

workfrombeachbelike - site says they're not regular clothes. handmade stuff.

cyberdog - does clubwear and rave stuff

hagoromostyle - wheelchair accessible kimono!

maria rinaldi - does dresses and such. does mention plus-sized clothing

LOEWE - Luxury brand. does leather stuff plus perfumes turns out

nobody's child - responsible fashion brand. specialises in womens clothing

zadig and voltaire - another expensive brand. features knitwear on their website so

STACEES - Focuses on dresses for formal/fancy events

modakawa - labelled as doing kawaii fashion. also has that trendy twitter dress

fashionclosetclothing - another general womens store site. not sure what the style is called but it has a certain style

devilinspired - focuses on lolita and ouji style clothing but has other styles as well

kawaiibabe - another general kawaii style store.

aelfriceden - streetwear!

incerunmen - focuses on mens fashion though has quite a bit of variety. though is a little shady when it comes to shipping clothes out apparently.

Modcloth - vintage style or vintage inspired clothing

chotronette - mostly dresses. but very pretty dresses imo

spaceisland - very colourful rave/streetwear clothing. also a little on the sexy side.

ellenithelabel - does cool hats. focuses on berets but also has other styles of hats

lazyoaf - also a general streetwear brand. has a style that reminds me a bit of another thing listed here

yarnoverng - yarn clothing. handmade too!

prayingg - made that top charli xcx wore one time. very odd

altamontapparel - currently under rennovation it seems like. might be worth it looking it up on other clothes seller sites

deafmetal - hearing aid jewellery!

shopsoftcore - plus-sized focused clothing. cute styles.

agashishop - a clothing shop with a sewing and diy section!

incontrolclothing - streetstyle and maybe also kawaii styles.

arcteryx - just general outerwear tbh

apatico - gothic fashion harnesses and other accessories

violentdelights - does gothic, steampunk and apocalyptic style clothing.

blackout-techwear - does techwear. mostly black. self-explanatory

onlychildstore - handmade jewellery.

kodes - also handmade jewellery. has a geometric style

missoma - also another jewellery site. sustainability aspect. also lab grown diamonds! interesting

mokuyobi - does colourful clothing and accessories. like very colourful

liminalwork.shop - conceptual streetwear it calls itself. is the maker of that keyboard jacket. has some other stuff as well

snagtights - does tights n such. lots of different styles

shirtz.cool - sometimes see this as a youtube sponsorship. does very unique and very online shirts 

unjustjewelry - nostalgic jewellery and clothes. Made that one wii sports icon bracelet

studiocult.co - interesting jewellery. Mainly earrings and rings

vapor95 - vaporwave aesthetic style clothes

Sites that resell other brands clothes:

nordstrom - another one of those sites that resell other luxury clothes

julian fashion - sells luxury brand items from all sorts of brands

brandavenue.rakuten - another place that resells other brands clothes? think the original site is like. coupons.

fcmoto - focuses on motorcycle gear mainly from all sorts of places 

No genitalia but still general sexy styles. make sure you're not in any setting where it would be nsfw:

self-xpression - sexy cltohing!!! woah!

yihfoo - feaetures sexy clothing on the front page but has other non-sexy clothing styles as well if you look at the pages

fleetilya - lingere!!! sexy clothes!!!!

jivomirdomoustchiev - more avant garde. also along the sexy end

likeadrugg - bikinis on the front page!!! also has other stuff as well but they're not on the front page

honourclothing - latex and pvc stuff! also generally sexy

bluebella - lingere!!! 

technically not fashion-related but i like sharing links: siren-pearls - does fairy wings and mermaid tails

mermaidlucia - does mermaid tails as well as some cute corsets and apparently now mermaid style regular clothing

coolcrutches - does some cool colourful canes n crutches. just want others to be aware of this site ngl

halloweencostumes dot com - Halloween costumes!

cosplayshopper - sells cosplay stuff. also has a lolita selection but id be hesitant using it as refereces for the lolita style.

miccostumes - does cosplay costumes. though it also has some unique pieces.

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