#uni is kicking my ass so I could do this between tomorrow and never

[batmess]

fighting demons (the urge to do a quick rewatch of p101 just to write a bllk idol au fanfic)

I already have many ideas but the one about reo not not making into the final lineup (and then going solo) is the one that keeps me awake...

oh and otoya DEFINITELY gets on eternal hiatus due to dating scandals

+ isagi is the dark horse that stole the show

++ bachira all rounder

+++ RIN SITS IN THE #1 CHAIR IN THE FIRST CHAP BC OF COURSE HE WOULD

[runicarbiter02]

could you do an enemies to lovers type thing with keegan. like the reader and him never got along since the reader joined the ghosts. if not that completely fine 🫶🫶

I'm so sorry it took so long to get to this, darling! Uni has been kicking my ass this year, but I'm moving back home tomorrow, so I'll have a lot more time to answer requests! Requests are open if any of you wish to send anything in, and I love you all very much! <3

---------

You'd worked your ass off to become a part of the Ghosts. Years of training, busting your ass, standing up for yourself, and proving yourself were so, so worth it when you found out you'd be transferred onto the team.

Or... so you thought.

Keegan doesn't take kindly to new members. The Ghosts are a tight-knit group who've been through a whole lot of shit together. They'd bled and screamed and cried and grieved together. They're brothers. And you're an entirely new variable that throws his meticulously and perilously balanced routine and norm off kilter.

It doesn't matter if you're masc, femme, something in between, or not anywhere near: you're an unaccounted for and uncalculated variable.

He's standoffish and condescending with you, especially if you're ranked below him. He is extra hard on your during drills and training, and he always shuts down your ideas, never giving you the chance to shine.

Overall, he's a major ass.

Hesh constantly chides him for it, while Logan ends up being a silent pillar of support for you. He knows Keegan is just wary, not wanting to see another get killed, and he knows Keegan is also afraid that you will get one of his brothers killed.

Logan and you grow quite close. Keegan hates it. He always fears the worst.

Eventually, however, he begins to sing a whole different tune. He's not sure how the mission had gone wrong, but it did. Their intel had been way off, and they had met far more enemies than expected. At exfil, he's taking a head count and he feels his heart leap into his throat when he realizes that two are missing: you, and Logan.

When he sees you finally lumbering to exfil, his first instinct is to tear into you, chew you up, and spit you out. But, he stops when he sees you're practically dragging a limp body with you.

He races over, helping you support Logan's injured body, and he looks at you as if seeing you for the first time. You had gone back and put your life on the line to protect one of his brothers, one of which he's most protective of. He sees the terror in your eyes, not for yourself, but for Logan. And it's like a switch flips.

He knows when he needs to own up for his mistakes. He stops at your bunk that night after everyone had been to medical, had showered, eaten, and had time to wind down a bit. He apologizes; a genuine, honest apology. He explains himself, not to justify his actions, but merely with a hope you'll understand.

He begins to watch your back. He searches for you in every room he walks into. Sees flickers of you in the smiles of his brothers, in their warm eyes when you make a joke. He sees you.

He's never one to hesitate, and when he realizes what he's feeling, he knows it's better to lay it out then let it fester like an untreated wound.

He sits down with you, looks you in the eye, and tells you everything he's feeling. Whether you return those feelings or not, he'll respect your decision. He can be professional, and all he'd really like is for you to be safe and happy.

But, when you give him that sweet smile and admit you feel the same, the look of relief upon his face is immediate. All he can do is smile, boyish and shy, and he gently takes your hand.

He'd lean in and press the gentlest kiss to your forehead, far gentler than he thought himself ever capable of.

"Never heard better news in my life, sunshine."

[jaybird-redhood]

propinquity

wc: 2.2k

pairing: jason todd // gn reader

The first thing you think when you see him for the first time is that he has the cutest smile.

That’s a lie, the first thing you think it that he is so incredibly in shape, and it looks great on him, but the smile thing sounds better in your head.

He's moving into the apartment across from yours a month after you moved into yours. Weird, because the two people in your building closest to your age are 2 and 63, respectively.

You suppose that some wicked twist of fate must’ve brought this upon you for missing your cousin’s birthday party last week, because the guy standing across from you is crazy hot. And looking right at you. And you are in the huge neon Wonder Woman t-shirt that your best friend got for your birthday last year.

Yeah. Karma.

“Nice shirt,” the guy offers, holding in a grin. “You’re really making it work.”

“I-”

“See you around, neighbor.”

And with a shut of a door and an awfully charismatic smirk he’s gone.

The next time you see him is a week later, and this time- luckily, you think- you’re dressed somewhat put together. You run into him while unlocking your door.

"What's got you in a twist?" he asks.

"Um," you start, "I just. Ugh I have so much to do. Like 3 hours of homework, a lecture tomorrow that I cannot skip, and I'm completely out of bread and eggs and can't even you to the store until, like, Thursday at best."

Once you start rambling you can't seem to stop. You slouch against your door. You're not entirely sure why you're telling a stranger all this, but he seems to be listening, so you suppose that’s a good sign

"I get the feeling," he offers, and you look up at him. "I'm majoring in English Lit and my classes are kind of kicking my ass."

You give him a small smile, "Glad to know someone in this building is struggling as much as I am."

"Jason," he says, and he reaches his hand out to you. "My name."

You shake it and tell him yours.

As you both turn back into your respective apartments you think that he maybe isn't as intimidating as you thought.

~

The next day goes by with a really boring lecture and another 3 hours of work you need to do.

The ride home from uni isn't that long, but it's long enough for you to contemplate all the ways that your life went wrong after moving to Gotham. And, maybe as payback for thinking mean things about the city, rain that you think should belong to a category 3 hurricane starts to whip around your car 10 minutes into your drive.

Your clothes are dripping water in literal puddles by the time you get back to your apartment.

Groaning, you start fishing for your keys in your purse while walking up the last flight of stairs.

When you get to your door you stop. Right in front of it there’s a grocery bag. Picking it up and looking inside you see a loaf of bread and a small carton of milk.

You pick it up smiling.

“Jason?” you ask, knocking on his door.

No response.

You shrug and turn around. Remember to thank him the next time you run into each other; you think.

~

That next time doesn’t happen to be that long and thank goodness for you.

“You know, we really need to stop meeting like this,” he says to you.

You’re sitting on the floor outside of your door looking rather pathetic, and he’s giving you the most awful smirk you’ve ever seen. (Not that it looks bad on him though. You seem to think that nothing could really look that bad on him)

“I swear I’m usually more put together than this,” you sigh to him. “You moving here jinxed me!”

“Yeah yeah. You’re locked out, aren’t you?”

You give him your best withering I’m going to kill you stare, but it must not be working because he just laughs even harder at you.

“This is completely not my fault it’s just I lost my second set of keys like right when I moved in and then today when I got home, I accidentally left them in my car, but my second set of car keys is in my apartment so now I can’t get them out, stop laughing at me!”

“God you’re a mess,” Jason says- finally finished laughing at you and maybe taking a bit of pity on how disheveled you look. “You couldn’t call anyone to get you in?”

You shake your head.

“My friend is the only other person with a set, but they’re out of town, and our landlord is being a dick and telling me it’s my fault in the first place, so I need to deal with it. I’ve been sitting out here for like an hour.”

“All I’m hearing is that it is your fault and now you’re just moping about it feeling bad about yourself.”

You tilt your head against the door so hard that it makes you wince a bit.

“Ok fine,” he says crossing his arms.

“What?”

“Wait right here.”

He goes into his apartment and comes back out with a skinny metal thing you don’t recognize.

You look at him in confusion and he just motions for you to scoot out of the way as he sticks it in your locks and starts to pick it.

You sigh in relief.

“Thank you thank you thank you. For everything. I swear I will get my life together, so you don’t feel like you have to keep cleaning up my messes.

“I don’t mind,” he says with a small smile, “Take your time.”

And with that he opens the door to your apartment and turns back to his.

“By the way, you should really get better locks. That was way too easy.”

You make a note in your head to get that done sometime. As you’re lying on your couch that night, you’re AirDropped a photo on your phone. Saving it up you see it’s a piece of paper with neat handwriting on it: a phone number and a smiley face, Jason’s name at the bottom.

You smile too and add the number to your contacts.

~

Over the next few weeks, you and Jason start talking more, both over text and through the various times when you run into each other outside your doors.

Each interaction is better than the next, and you soon start to realize that Jason isn’t just some hot guy with no brains. He’s sweet and charismatic, has a whole wall full of bookshelves, could probably quote any classical novel by heart, has incredibly good taste in music, and best (or worst) of all, would make incredible friend material.

It’s just that as you become closer friends, you start to realize that that might not be all you want.

It’s a stupidly cold Friday morning when he texts you, and you’re covered in blankets and wrapped in sweatshirts in your bed. Movie at my place tonight?

You text back your approval and a quick be there at 6 before getting ready for classes.

The day goes by slower than you hoped.

It might be the anticipation of seeing Jason again, or more likely the hours of lectures you have to sit through, but you’re elated when your final class for the day gets let out.

The hours in between are a blur.

A blur which leads to the two of you sitting on his couch watching Romeo and Juliet together, a blanket thrown over your bodies.

You have the obligatory bowl of popcorn resting on your legs, and every few minutes Jason reaches across your lap to take a handful.

The way you’re laying half on top on him is completely deliberate, as to take as much of his body heat as possible. Your landlord had turned off heating 3 weeks prior to ‘save money’ or some other bullshit.

Jason’s not complaining though.

Once your popcorn bowl is finished and your head is in his lap, he runs his fingers through your hair absentmindedly. It might be the nicest feeling you’ve ever felt.

Throughout the movie you exchange snide comments about the plot back and forth. You start trying to say funny things whenever you can just to hear how sweet his laugh sounds to your ears.

By the end of the movie, you’re only slightly in tears, or so you tell yourself.

“Are you crying right now?” Jason asks incredulously, wearing a teasing smile.

“It’s not my fault,” you half say half moan, “Leonardo DiCaprio just has that effect on me.”

He just laughs and pulls you upright until you’re sitting on his lap.

His eyes are a shade of blue green that you’ve never seen before, although you could swear their getting greener by the second.

You watch his gaze drop down to your lips before staring you right in the eyes again.

“Can I kiss you?”

“God yes,” you tell him, and kiss him right back.

~

The next week is somewhat uneventful, even though you and Jason had been meeting each other almost every night, rotating apartments based on whose house was warmer each particular night.

Tonight is your night, and you’ve been waiting the whole day to show him the film you had rented to watch together.

The walk up to your door is easier than usual, and you have a bounce in your step that’s making you feel even more elated than normal taking out your keys to unlock your apartment.

You open your door and your bag drops. The keys clatter when they hit the hardwood, and the silence that follows is deafening.

“You’re bleeding on my carpet,” is the first thing that comes out of your mouth.

There Jason is, bleeding quite profusely, and using your kitchen counter to keep himself vertical. He’s wearing what looks to be a torn half of a domino mask and an extremely hot leather jacket.

(Not that this was the time for noticing his fashion choices, but you filed that thought away for later.)

What really catches your eye though is the huge red bat symbol on his chest, and the red helmet next to it sitting on your counter.

He shifts a little to the side before stumbling through saying, “Um, so, I know this isn’t ideal and I’m really sorry to put you in this situation, but I seriously do not feel like bleeding out tonight and-”

“Oh my god this is great,” you cut him off with. “I thought you were a hit-man!”

“Wait what.”

“Shit no that’s not what I meant- kind of, hang on we should probably stop you from dying before having this conversation.”

You walk over to him to get a better look at his wounds.

“God Jace, you look like death warmed over.”

He just stares at you.

“You have a bunch of stuff in your bathroom, right?”

At least this elicits a reaction. He grimaces in pain but gives you a nod of his head in conformation.

“Ok I’ll be right back, don’t move.”

He gives you a look that says seriously, where would I go.

3 minutes later you’re back with a needle and thread, and some sterilizing spray.

“This should be fine,” you tell him, “I took a first aid class last year with my friends and passed with flying colors according to the nurse.”

“Just try to keep them tight and neat. I trust you,” he says, and your heart pounds just a little harder.

You respond with a nervous laugh but take a deep breath and start working.

~

An hour and a half later you’re done.

The combination of pain meds, bandages, and a whole lot of stitches eventually led to you and Jason laying in your bed together, both completely exhausted.

He turns his head to face you.

“Could we maybe go back to the hit-man thing?”

“Oh uh. Well I saw a bunch of shirts covered in blood in your laundry in the bathroom, not to mention all the weirdly specific first-aid you had,” you tell him.

“And also the assorted guns and knives you have hidden all over. I guess I just assumed? But the whole Red Hood thing is so much better,” you reassure him.

“You found all my knives?”

You smile up at him.

“I love that that’s thing you chose to focus on.”

“And you’re really not mad that I didn’t tell you about the whole vigilante thing before?” he asks.

“Jay, I had already resigned myself to life forever with some shady hit-man that also happened to be incredibly good looking. Red Hood is ten times better than that. I’m not going to run away from you just because you’re incredibly intimidating and probably could kill me. I see that as an added bonus,” you say, with as much charm as you can muster without yawning.

“Just. Be careful, ok? I’d hate to make this a routine.”

He responds by pulling you closer to his body.

“I promise,” he whispers into your head. “You really to remember to get better locks by the way, breaking in was still way too easy.”

You let out a small laugh and finally you let yourself give into sleep.

[aliaisreal]

( 🧺 ) i am so sorry for the late reply 😭 uni has been kicking me in the ass lately - thank goodness, we will be having a two-day academic break tomorrow!!

shit's gonna go down . . . you mean everyone hiding away once gojo satoru brings his blindfold down. his bright blue eyes sparkling with violence and danger. yet somehow he still looks so angelic while threatening and dominating some people.

junpei deserved better 🥺 i'm so so so glad that you created a fic with him. his dynamic with mizuki is so beautiful. speaking of mizuki, do you have any trivial facts of her clan? 👀 they seem really interesting!!

no bc the image of mizuki and her friends using her as a lie detecter against satoru threw me out 😭 they'd call her in the oddest hours of the day just to make her detect satoru's lies.

👀👀👀 maybe give me a what-if scenario of what satoru could've done. unhinged and feral gojo is one of the best gojo's out there.

your satoru hc has me weak . your satoru should be acknowledged . he doesn't send you text messages anymore, he straight up just voicemails you. your conversations with him consists of you typing out your replies, and him voice-mailing his.

no, thank YOU, alia! 🥺 your gojo hcs made my night. he may be a dumbass, but he's our dumbass. <3 i hope you have a lovely day/night!

Ahhhh nonny! Don’t apologize! I’m just glad that you guys are allowed to take a few days off to rest from a hectic week! Woohoo! Be sure to treat yo self with a well deserved rest! Lengthy post ahead so might as well put it under the line.

Satoru’s got a personality of a devil but got an appearance of an angel so when shit’s gonna go down, you better make yourself scarce and hope whoever’s at the end of Satoru’s ire is already praying for their lives… while the rest of his friends watch amusedly- possibly while eating popcorn. (They actually did this once but like, drinking coffee and not popcorn)

Junpei really deserved better! I’m trying to put on a follow up fic where he builds his friendship with the rest of the first years. 🥺 Already got the idea down now I just need some words… y'know- to create the story. 😅

AND! I do agree with you when you said what Junpei got with Mizuki is beautiful- she may not be his biological mother and no one could even replace her but he can trust Mizuki to be there for him for as long as he wants her to be. (The road to healing is never an easy one, after all.)

Random Fun Facts about Mizuki’s clan:

Originally, the presiding clans of Jujutsu were dubbed as the Big Four, with Yukimura clan as its fourth clan. However, because of the discord sown in between the three, they chose to step away from the fight- secluding themselves at the countryside.

That doesn’t mean they were exiled- on the contrary, their nobility and influence actually grew after they decided to isolate themselves.

They were the overseer of justice and fairness. As the clan whose inherited technique has something to do with time and destiny, they had to be objective with their decisions, making sure they are not disrupting anything within the pre-ordained time and the rest of the clans had to respect that- albeit, begrudgingly.

Probably why they have their own court of justice within their ancestral home. The court comprises of seven elders of the respective virtue they uphold, the Head of the Clan, and the future head- the inheritor.

If the Gojo Clan have Six Eyes, the Yukimura Clan have Fleeting Memories. It’s got something to do with the eyes and why Mizuki had to wear glasses all. the. time.

You know, nonny? Their friends actually never used Mizuki as a Gojo lie detector. Shoko and Suguru always had advised their kouhais- and even their senpais to never try to ask Mizuki if Gojo’s telling the truth. Nanami made the mistake of asking her once, and it almost cost him getting a detention from Yaga-sensei.

Chances are, she’d go along with whatever shit Satoru is pulling… she may be even more convincing than Satoru cause come on, her Clan values honesty for heaven’s sake!

What if scenario coming up! May be posted in my writeblr. 😅

And yes! Your late night routine includes you typing in the darkness of your room while giggling at Satoru’s low whispers coming from your headphones. It’s like…having a personal ASMR. 😅😌

I’m glad you liked these little HCs nonny! They are amazing and I’m having fun with our conversations. It’s fine if you send more or if you spam me- I really don’t mind. Just make sure to prioritize yourself okay? If you’re not feeling well, don’t push yourself and always remember to take rests!

[catboymingi]

mirror, mirror on the wall - veninder chap. 8

navi/masterlist

story masterlist

pairing: mingi x reader

genre: slight angst, fluff; soon best friends to lovers

word count: 6.2k

warnings: language

det har været et problem / siden vi blev alene / [...] / det er kærlighed, det kan være svært - it’s been a problem / since we were alone / it’s love, it can be complicated

mingi had no right to be as cute as he was, still running his fingers through your hair as you were about to start another movie, something that was only interrupted by a message to the group chat.

[san]: he either managed to fix things or y/n broke all his bones

[san]: no matter what it is i support you @y/n

you looked at the redhead with an expression you didn’t even know how to interpret yourself, because you didn’t know what exactly was going on in your head; looking at him had been more of an instinct than anything, but apparently it looked questioning or curious, because he started explaining.

“they almost beat some sense into me. i just really didn’t realise that you didn’t hate me until san was about to kill me, so that’s probably why they suspect you might’ve done the same. not that i wouldn’t deserve it.”

and even though the tiny mean part of you agreed that he did deserve it - maybe not to have his bones broken, but some kind of angry outburst - the much bigger part was able to tell that he was clearly still feeling horrible about it and knew that he hadn't meant to hurt you, and that part shut his self deprecation down right when it started.

"you don't. don't say that. you don't deserve to be hurt at all." your hands had gone back to rest on top of his which were still crossed in front of your body, giving them a small squeeze to show that you weren't angry and didn't harbour any thoughts of hurting him in the slightest.

"thank you."

his forehead was resting on your shoulder and you knew he wasn't just thanking you for saying that he did not, in fact, deserve an ass beating, but also for having accepted his apology so readily. as if there'd ever been any doubt about that, but apparently to him there had.

"what do you want to watch now?", you tried to change the topic, because while you weren't angry or upset with him you didn't exactly want to be reminded of being ignored for so long and also the reason why that had even happened in the first place. you wanted to forget that in this moment, just wanted to enjoy his presence and his warmth and that he was there.

"i don't know. do you have a recommendation?"

you thought some, and you did have one, but you weren't sure if you should suggest it. you'd watched random romcoms with him before, but that had been less a matter of recommending and more a matter of just accepting what netflix suggested. you felt a little awkward recommending a romcom, especially now that you were… in a weird emotional situation. or maybe it wasn't weird, but it wasn't one hundred percent clear where exactly you were, either - you were best friends with feelings for each other and an inability to act on them before you could be certain it wouldn't ruin things. were romcoms appropriate in that context?

"you're overthinking." of course he noticed, and you nodded.

"it's silly, but i feel like it's a little different now that there's… like, not even unspoken feelings, but feelings, in the air. i don't want to, i don't know, lead you on? even though it's not like i wouldn't technically want to lead you on, it's just… i don't know how to say it."

he hummed in reply, because while he didn’t worry about anything of the sorts he could understand why you did.

“just try not to worry. what do you want to watch?”

you didn’t want to overthink anymore, didn’t want things to be awkward, so you told him, even though part of you still felt a little odd. it was the first time you were even remotely close to a relationship, so you didn’t exactly know how to act, but you tried to do as mingi said and not worry too much.

“to all the boys i’ve loved before. i’ve watched it like seven times already, and there’s a sequel, too.”

but you still didn’t move to put it on, so he leaned forward, squishing you in a little between his chest and your legs, and put the movie on.

“it’s this one, right? everything is in finnish”, the last part almost a whine because it was near impossible for him to navigate your netflix.

“mhm”, so he put it on, leaning back again and pulling you with him because he wanted to be close to you and he wanted to hold you. then you stayed like this, watching the movie, in comfortable silence except when one of you let out displeased sounds at the main characters’ inability to figure out their feelings or their dumbass behaviour. you watched the sequel, too, and then more movies that were on your watchlist because mingi honestly didn’t care much about what you were watching as long as he got to hold you, first interrupting your spontaneous movie marathon to eat a little. that was the first time he actually had to let go of you that day, and he didn’t like it, but you had to eat so he accepted his fate.

it was getting somewhat dark about one third through the next movie, something that made you feel very cosy and somewhat sleepy, the screen of your laptop being the only thing that was illuminating your room. it wasn’t late enough to sleep yet, and you weren’t tired enough to sleep yet, but you were aware of the fact that you’d be incredibly tired quite soon, and you wanted to ask mingi if he wanted to stay the night, not if he was still awake enough to go home.

“mingi?” you were surprised that you already did sound somewhat tired - it was probably just because you were so comfortable, and also because crying all week had exhausted you.

“hm?” his voice came from above you, his chin resting on your head as it had for most of the movies.

“where do you want to sleep tonight? we have uni tomorrow.”

“can i stay here?” his voice made it clear that he half expected you to say no, but you wouldn’t.

“if you want to? that’s why i asked.”

“i’ll text the boys to bring my bag. or we could go fetch it together?”

you thought for a moment, then made a decision.

“can we stay at your place? i kind of want to go over when i’m not crying. and your bed is bigger.”

not that you’d need a lot of space - whenever you shared the bed you were wrapped so tightly around each other that you might as well be a single person -, but he agreed. the boys would probably be glad to see that you were doing better, and it might spare him an ass kicking if he brought you over without having broken your heart.

“which movie is this? we can finish it there.”

you texted him the name, then replied to the boys, whose previous messages you had ignored and who were making bets on whether or not mingi was still intact.

[y/n]: were coming over soon and i want ice cream

where the ice cream idea came from, you didn’t know. you just knew that you wanted ice cream now. it was a spontaneous craving, but one that the boys seemed to be willing to fulfil.

[yunho]: which flavour?

[san]: and do we need to plan for mingi too or did you knock out his teeth?

[y/n]: wouldnt he need even more ice cream if id knocked out his teeth tho?

[y/n]: but hes fine

[y/n]: and surprise me

“i don’t think san’s going to let me live this down anytime soon”, the redhead almost whined, and even though you hadn’t even done anything you felt like you should apologise.

“sorry he’s so angry at you.”

“don’t apologise. he just really cares about you, i can’t blame him”, then, to distract you before you’d start overthinking again, “let’s go.”

you shut down your laptop and grabbed your university bag along with your wallet, keys and phone charger, and then you left to the boys’ place, almost falling asleep on the train ride, but if you had your best friend would’ve carried you without hesitation. since you managed to stay awake he opted for carrying your bag instead, holding your hand all the way just so he could be sure you’d stay there with him. sure, the risk of you randomly running away was small, but never zero, and he wasn’t about to risk anything. and he just really enjoyed holding your hand, now having full permission to simp because you were apparently simping as well, though he wouldn’t call it that for you. you were cute, he was embarrassing, or so he felt.

“my favourite!”, san greeted you as soon as you entered, forcibly removing you from mingi because he decided it was necessary to hug you tightly even though he’d last seen you this morning. your linked hands hadn’t gone unnoticed, though, so his next words were him asking you if that meant he had to sleep by himself again.

“i’m sorry, sannie”, and you genuinely seemed to be, because he had been there for you all week and you felt a little bad for “ditching” him like this, even though he’d never blame you or be actually upset. he’d just threaten mingi to wait and see what would happen if he dared to break your heart again, because as much as he’d enjoyed having you there to cuddle he most definitely hadn’t enjoyed the fact that you’d been crying your eyes out on the daily.

“just give me half of your ice cream and i’ll forgive you”, and “deal” you said because it felt like a fair compromise.

“no bones have been broken?”, seonghwa, who had now entered the living room/hallway area as well, asked, and the tall idiot shook his limbs (and managed to kick your lower leg in the process) to show that he was still entirely intact.

“yet”, san warned, glaring at his friend because he’d noticed you flinch when he’d accidentally kicked you.

“don’t hurt him, he needs to dye my hair on tuesday”, you tried to convince the black-haired boy to leave your best friend alone, and that worked as a distraction, because now he was excitedly asking about which colour you’d chosen.

“technically, i chose”, mingi felt the need to make known, because while he wasn’t going to reveal the embarrassing almost-kiss and the following rejection he did want to somehow let the others know that he was still special, still your best friend. like a kindergartener arguing about who was cooler.

“which colour did mingi choose, then”, san repeated his question with the slight alteration, rolling his eyes but smiling because things seemed to be okay again.

“red”, you informed him and the other boys that were now all gathered in the living room and about as curious as san about your soon-to-be makeover.

“is that why your hair looks like this right now? preparation for a whole new look?” yunho hadn’t asked with any malice, but you’d honestly forgotten the mess your hair was whenever you brushed it, especially if you went outside after having brushed it, any humidity higher than 2% leaving you looking like your hair had exploded.

“that’s just what it’s like when i brush it”, exasperated because you were scared they’d think it looked bad - your parents, who had the straightest hair you’d ever seen (which had frequently left you wondering if you maybe were adopted), had always thought it looked bad and told you to straighten it to fit in better, even though there was absolutely no use to straightening it because if you didn’t empty an entire can of hairspray on your head the humidity would make it explode again in no time.

“if you do this in red that’s going to look really cool”, jongho told you, and you were strangely relieved. your hair was quite a source of insecurity, so you were glad they didn’t hate it.

“where’s the ice cream?”

your cravings were still going strong, you wanted ice cream now, and you also wanted to change topic from your hair to something with less focus on you.

“we got several flavours, so you can pick and the rest has to accept whatever you leave for them”, and because yunho had been the one to get the ice cream the boys didn’t even have the right to protest when he explained the rules of ice cream division.

“san, do you like banana?”

the boy in question nodded, so your choice was made. mingi fought for the right to be the next to choose and picked the second tub of banana flavour, and the rest managed to solve it a little more democratically. san was considered the least democratic, however, seeing how he not only had his own but also a third of yours (he’d been joking when he said he wanted half of yours, but you wouldn’t leave him alone until he’d accepted a third of it, at least), and mingi turned out to be more democratic than expected, having fought for the second tub of banana so he could share with you and avoid you getting less ice cream than the rest when you’d been the one to ask for ice cream in the first place.

once the ice cream was devoured everyone moved to do their thing, which, in the case of mingi and you, was finishing the movie you’d started at your place. rewatching, rather, because you couldn’t be bothered to look for where you’d left off. after that you decided to sleep, having to borrow clothes from your best friend again because you’d forgotten to bring a pyjama. he was glad about it, secretly, though he’d never admit it, because he thought you looked cute drowning in his clothes, it made him feel soft.

“goodnight, teddy bear”, laying half on top of him because you’d missed sleeping in his arms and because he was warm and comfortable.

“goodnight, y/n.” and though it wasn’t quite how it should be yet, though you weren’t his, he was happy.

//

having to leave you alone for class was the worst thing life could possibly demand from him, but life didn’t care. he (and the other boys, but that didn’t matter much to him) got to spend lunch with you, though, and you still hung out after university, even though you didn’t need to teach him anymore. monday was over fast, tuesday was almost there, and he was hardly able to fall asleep even though you were again half on top of him because he was so excited to get to dye your hair.

“you’ll look so cool tomorrow”, he informed you when you wanted nothing more than to sleep, but you couldn’t even be mad at him keeping you up because he seemed so excited. more excited than you, even.

“only if you do a good job”, you teased, head on his chest and able to hear his heart race.

“i definitely will.”

“what do i get if you don’t?”

it was just jokes, but he took his chance to make some sort of advance, because while he did want to show you that he genuinely did like you a lot he was still nervous about actually acting on it. what if you’d think he was stupid?

“a cinema date, and i get you all the snacks you want.”

“will you sleep if i say okay?”

you were trying to hide the giddy feeling in your chest by teasing him like this, but you were also starting to get incredibly tired - the clock had already crossed the line between monday and tuesday, and you just wanted to sleep. class wasn’t all too early the next day, but both you and mingi would have to get up early since you were planning to buy the hair dyeing essentials before university, so you needed the sleep.

“fine.” he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep right away, but he could try, at least. and stop moving so incredibly much.

“okay. now sleep, you need to do a good job tomorrow.”

“goodnight”, pressing you tight to his chest because he’d just scored a second date with you.

//

“can you please just turn off your alarms, just one single day?”, the redhead whined out the next morning when it was 5am again and he was forcefully removed from the land of sleep by the tone he’d come to hate because it did this every single morning he woke up with you, and you just plain refused to turn your alarm off by this point.

“maybe if you ask really nicely. good morning.”

then you crawled out from his embrace to turn off the alarm for now, looking at him with a smile on your face. he was still so tired - he’d gotten maybe four hours of sleep because of your inability to get up at a normal time -, and he looked adorable, rubbing his eyes for like ten seconds just to force himself to be a little more awake.

“good morning”, he replied, even though he was still somewhat grumpy at your alarm. he just couldn’t not say it.

“today’s the big day”, the day where you’d finally go back to looking more like you, and also the day where you’d match with the sleepy idiot in your bed. though he seemed significantly less sleepy as he realised that he’d be dyeing your hair today, sitting up so fast you wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d lost balance and fallen off the bed.

it seemed to be pure torture to have to wait for a more appropriate time to leave the flat, seeing how he was constantly checking his phone for the time, but it only left him all the happier when it was finally time to leave. he’d gotten dressed hours ago, in an attempt to get time to pass faster because maybe it would if the time gods saw that he was ready to leave - which it, much to his dismay, hadn’t at all, but it didn’t matter anymore now that he finally got to leave.

the store was near university and he bought everything for you, not wanting to let you pay because it felt like it was a treat for him that you were letting him dye your hair so he didn’t want you to spend money on it, even though you were just as excited. then you went to class, and you were relieved he was there with you when one of the girls approached you when you were about to sit down.

“oh, you went back to the old boytoy? didn’t like the one we picked?” her voice was sickly sweet, and if you hadn’t been clinging to mingi’s hand the way you were he probably would have done something he’d regret later.

“this boytoy is more than ready to do things you really wouldn’t want me to do if you try shit like that again”, steam coming out of his ears if that were anatomically possible, “so i suggest you fuck off.”

you were glad he was towering in front of you, protecting you with his body from someone that was supposed to be your friend, because while the girls hadn’t left you alone since the party reminders of it still hurt. and they’d especially hurt last week, when the redhead hadn’t been there with you, something that hadn’t gone unnoticed and given them a reason for even more teasing. you just wanted to forget all about it and you didn’t want to see the smug expression that would without a doubt be on her face.

“you’re no fun”, but she did leave and you visibly relaxed, the grip on the red-haired giant’s hand loosening.

the class went okay with him there, lunch with the boys was fun (they were teasing a certain redhead about how he seemed to be attached by the hip to you), and the last class of the day went by without any major happenings, either, and then, then it was finally time to go home and dye your hair, something mingi’d been waiting for ever since you told him he could do it. the train ride felt way longer than it usually was, and he decided to pick you up and run with you because he didn’t want to be so slow, a plan that was quickly discarded because running with you on his back did prove to be slightly more difficult than anticipated. he still urged you to hurry, though, and because you were physically unable to not do what he asked you to when he was excited like this you ran the last hundred metres to your dorm’s building, laughing loudly when you were at the door.

once inside he immediately beelined for the bathroom, wanting to start right away, but you told him you’d have to brush your hair first if you wanted a decent dye job.

“can i do it again?” and of course he could, because he was, admittedly, better at doing so without hurting you than you were yourself.

his movements were careful and he once more managed to get rid of all the knots without any major pain, running his fingers through your hair to make sure he hadn’t missed anything before going over to his bag and getting out something that looked suspiciously much like one of his t-shirts.

“i always wear this when i dye my hair, and since it’s already dirty i thought i’d bring it along”, he explained himself, throwing the shirt towards you so you could put it on.

“let me in when you’re dressed.”

your best friend put on the plastic gloves in the meantime - he’d had to buy new ones because your hands were definitely much smaller than his, and so were your plastic gloves -, waiting for his cue to start the dyeing ministrations on your hair. he most likely had a worse case of nerves than you did, because you knew how to treat your hair and he had no idea and he was scared that he’d mess up big time and you’d violently kill him for ruining your hair.

“get to work, teddy bear”, you told him when you opened the bathroom door, and you didn’t need to tell him twice. he prepared the bleach (with some help from you because if the bleach wasn’t just the right texture your hair simply would not accept it and dyeing wouldn’t work), then he carefully spread it on your hair, starting with the tips and working up so your scalp would get a break and you’d be spared the bleach sting for as long as possible. he was careful and you really enjoyed the feeling of his hands in your hair, the attention he was paying to his job, making sure he didn’t miss a spot.

you looked absolutely silly with the blueish paste in your hair, but that was half the fun of dyeing hair, looking like a complete mess until the job was done. because of the amount of hair and bleach you waited in the bathroom rather than doing something else until it was time to wash it out, mingi checking how light your hair was every now and then.

when both of you were pleased with the result he told you to lean over, carefully kneeling next to you, who was now on all fours with only your upper body leaning into the shower, and checking the water temperature before he went to wash out the bleach. his movements were slow and soft, making sure every last bit of bleach was gone before he handed you the towel that you’d used before whenever you dyed your hair black and which was, as a consequence, already covered in colourful little splotches of badly washed out dye and residue pigment that was coming out after showering. when he realised that you wouldn’t be able to grab it without either dripping onto the bathroom floor and all over yourself or landing face first on the shower floor he started drying your hair for you, too, attempting one of those towel turbans but not very successful at it.

“thank you”, you said once you’d sat up, smiling at him. he smiled back, then told you to dry your hair so he could see what you looked like blonde and finally put the red in.

“you’re so impatient”, but you were laughing because it was kind of cute, if you were being honest.

“yes, so hurry up.”

you had no choice but to comply, drying your hair as much as possible with the towel before asking him if he was ready for the big reveal.

“just show me”, the so far still lone redhead whined, and you finally did as he’d begged you to, showing him what you looked like blonde.

“so?”

he didn’t know what to say, because he thought you looked stunning, but he also didn’t want to embarrass himself by saying so when you weren’t even going to keep this hair colour. but maybe one day he’d have to go blond with you.

“if we weren’t going to match i’d tell you to keep this” was how he decided to let you know that he really liked it without seeming all too whipped. but maybe it was time to be whipped, because he did want to show you that the feelings you seemed to doubt were genuine, from his side. so, he added: “you look really beautiful with blonde hair.”

“let’s hope i look good with red, too.” he’d flattered you and you were a little flustered, so you tried to get his attention away from your looks and back to the task.

“you will.”

he first noticed that he hadn’t opened the dye when he was already wearing the plastic gloves, sending a sheepish grin your way and asking you to please open it for him. you did as asked, handing him the little tube so he could continue, and he once more carefully put the dye in, trying really hard to not miss a spot and spread it evenly. then you waited, again, until it was time to wash it out, which he did with the same amount of care as the first time.

once it was all washed out, however, he near caused you a heart attack.

“i think i messed up”, mingi informed you, and your head shot up in fear without caring about the fact that you’d be dripping all over the bathroom floor, because you half expected your hair to be falling out. you rushed over to the mirror, trying to see just how bad it was.

“what are you talking about? it looks great!” relieved that you would not have to rock a buzzcut again, because growing your hair out after the first had been a pain and you were so glad that it was as long as it was again, chest length and still going strong.

“no, i definitely messed up”, and now that you were able to look at him you saw the playful glint in his eyes, “so i owe you a cinema date.”

“you’re a fucking idiot”, heart still racing from the moment of panic he’d caused you, “if you scare me like that again you’re not going to get any date, ever.”

his expression quickly changed from playfully teasing to a very specific emoji, one with big, sparkling eyes, as he apologised.

“i’m sorry, please forgive me, please don’t do that”, something that only worked because you were so incredibly soft for him, especially when he looked like that.

“fine, i forgive you. but you can just ask for a date instead of near killing me.” how you managed to act like the butterflies in your stomach weren’t doing somersaults was beyond your comprehension, but you stayed cool, something you were happy about. relationships were weird and somewhat intimidating, as were feelings, and you didn’t want to make it even more intimidating and embarrassing by showing him just how excited you were about the idea of going out with him.

“let me try again, okay?” and before you had a chance to reply he continued: “will you let me take you out on a cinema date this week?”

“yes, but now we need to dry my hair before i ruin your shirt”, because the dye-water mixture that was dripping from your tips was leaving small stains already.

“it’s fine, that’s why i brought this one.”

but he still dried your hair for you, carefully, before looking at the finished makeover.

“do you like it?” you were nervous, fiddling with his shirt because what if he regretted his idea now? what if he thought you looked stupid?

“yes! you look cute, but also really cool, i don’t know, but it suits you so well.”

“i’m glad.” then, grabbed by the sudden desire to hug him, you wrapped your arms around him tightly.

“thank you for dyeing my hair.”

even though your hair was still moist and a little uncomfortable against his cheek he held you just as tight, happy that you seemed to like your new colour.

“do you want to go to my place? show the boys.”

you wanted to keep hugging him, but you’d have to stop that sooner or later anyway, so you might as well.

“okay. but you help me decide what to wear tomorrow.”

he followed you to your closet, and for the first time since he’d known you did he notice that it was divided, in a way, that you had two shelves for pants, shirts, skirts and so on. you pointed to one side of the closet - the shirt shelves were next to each other at the same height, as were the others -, telling him that this was where you kept the remnants of your alternative phase.

“can i take some clothes out? so i can get a better look.”

you nodded and soon half your closet was spread on the bed because he wanted to try putting together different outfit combinations.

“hold on, i have something i just remembered”, you interrupted him, walking over to your closet and fetching something from a drawer he hadn’t dared to open because he suspected he might be greeted by your underwear. you didn’t fetch underwear, though, instead throwing several pairs of fishnet tights at him, then a pair of what he assumed to be socks, and then, the biggest surprise, thigh garters.

“maybe this helps spice things up”, and it did, because you also owned a pair of red fishnets, something he chose as the base for the outfit. then, black high-waisted shorts with a distressed hem, an oversized black crop top (that crop tops could be oversized was new to him, but he imagined it would look cute), and of course, the socks that revealed themselves to be thigh highs and the spiked thigh garters that had almost cost him an eye when you’d thrown them at him carelessly.

“this?”

the redhead was curious to see what you’d think of his amateur alt attire - he had no idea if you’d like it, but at least he knew you weren’t opposed to the clothes as individual items because they were quite literally yours.

“i think you have a secret alt girl hidden somewhere deep inside you, and she broke free when she saw my clothes”, you joked, though obviously approving of what he’d picked out.

“just don’t like her more than me”, joining in on the joking, pouting at you before a grin spread on his face because he wasn’t able to hold it in anymore.

you collected the outfit he’d picked out, some makeup and your pyjamas, then you texted the boys that mingi was coming with a surprise.

you hadn’t bothered to change out of the hair dye shirt, your hair was still slightly damp, and your friend had red splotches on his forearms from where the gloves hadn’t covered his skin. it was pretty obvious that he’d just dyed your hair, which the two of you thought was kind of fun; maybe it was just the excitement from your first somewhat-date, but both of you were full of energy still, even though the dyeing was done already.

when you were in front of their door mingi texted the boys, telling them to gather in the living room and keep their eyes closed - he’d check, he informed them -, and while you were kept outside until he’d checked you luckily didn’t have to wait for long because they’d done as asked.

“open!”

you were the surprise, sporting a bright red hair colour and your hair looking straighter than they’d ever seen it, even though it was slowly regaining its regular curliness and puffiness.

“you look like you’re way too cool for us”, yunho decided, and the others agreed.

“that’s because she is”, mingi let them know nonchalantly, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulling you against him. he hadn’t considered how that would leave him unable to decently walk, though, starting to waddle towards his room while gently pushing you to move along with him.

“we’re going to watch a movie”, and off he went.

“what movie are we gonna watch?”

you were half sitting, half laying on his bed, watching him as he got out his laptop and joined you, motioning for you to make room for him so he wouldn’t fall off. his bed was big, sure, but you had to actually make use of that space, which you were very much not doing, leaving barely enough room for him if he were to lay on his side, which wasn’t the best movie predicaments. you readily scooted closer to the wall, though, sitting up more so you’d be able to watch him choose the movie.

“i don’t know, it feels like we’ve already watched so many.”

he was right; you’d watched about a dozen different movies by now, maybe more, so you were slowly running out of options.

“we could listen to music? just relax a little.”

“but we’re not going to listen to those songs you put on at the pyjama party”, he told you. “they weren’t exactly relaxing.”

“you can pick.”

he did, selecting some random relaxing lo-fi beats playlist on youtube. and because you were going to relax he put the laptop on the ground, laying down and making some grabby hands-adjacent movement at you so you’d come cuddle with him. and you did, wrapped yourself around him the way he’d been wrapped around you during your first movie night, an arm and a leg slung around him and your head not on his shoulder, not on his chest, but the space in between, and both of his arms were around you. he drew on your back, nothing in particular but just because you’d told him once that the movement relaxed you, switching which hand he used when the current arm started to feel heavy but not stopping even for a second. this situation made him happy, having you there and everything being calm; he wished it could last forever.

“are you tired?” mingi didn’t know why he’d asked - maybe because you weren’t moving at all, maybe because your breathing was slow and even, maybe because he was a little bit tired himself.

“mh, not really? just cosy. you’re like a big soft teddy bear.”

he felt so warm when you told him that, full of joy, full of soft feelings. you hadn’t talked about your feelings after that embarrassing and incredibly emotional situation at your place on sunday, but knowing that he did hold a special place in your heart, that you did like him the way he liked you, was enough to already make his heart grow to twice its regular, anatomically correct size.

his hands continued roaming your back, taking turns, sometimes trying to draw an actual shape, a heart, on your back, thinking you wouldn’t notice because you didn’t expect him to actually try to draw, but after several secret hearts you did notice that sometimes his movements seemed more coordinated, and then you noticed that he was drawing a heart, something that made you smile. he obviously wasn’t expecting you to realise what he was doing, so it was a genuine display of affection, not at all to convince you that he did like you but just because he wanted to.

even though both of you were convinced that you weren’t actually tired your eyes started feeling heavy about an hour into the playlist, despite the fact that it was barely past nine, and even though you maybe shouldn’t be sleeping in your street clothes you couldn’t be bothered to change, especially not when you realised that getting changed would mean waking up the gentle giant, whose movements had stopped and who was snoring just a little bit in your arms. you couldn’t possibly wake him up, and you couldn’t possibly bother him to turn off the laptop, so you just rubbed your cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt and closed your eyes, ready to doze off as well.

[onlycags]

Night Off | Çağlar Söyüncü

Hey em, my anxiety has been through the roof atm because of uni and stuff and I was just wonder if you could could do something where caglar comes home from training to find you stressed and anxious doing your work but he makes you talk a night off and just spends it taking care of you and making you feel better. I totally understand if you don’t feel comfortable writing this just kinda need something to distract me at the moment. Love you 💙

I love you too Anon 💜 and this is 100% something I’m comfortable writing. I hope this takes your mind off your anxiety and distracts you for a little bit - my inbox/DMs are always open if you need to talk 💜

- - -

Çağlar had thought something was off but he hadn’t asked you about it, figuring you would tell him about it if you needed to talk. He knew uni was probably kicking your ass right now, but between your classes and exam prep and his training, neither of you really saw each other except when you went to bed and when you woke up together.

He came back from training early, exhausted but excited to see you for more than an hour before bed.

You hadn’t heard him come in, trying to focus on three different subjects at once - each one was due on Sunday at midnight and your procrastination had you doing it on Friday night so you could have some semblance of a weekend.

“FuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK!” you screamed, your anger and frustration getting the better of you as you swept your hands across the table and scattered your textbooks and papers on the dining room floor.

That’s how Çağlar found you, sitting in the middle of your papers and textbooks on the floor, tears streaming down your face.

“Oh, baby,” he murmured, dropping his duffle bag to the ground and racing over to you. He took you in his arms, whispering soothing Turkish words as he traced circles across your back.

You fell apart in his arms, holding onto him for dear life as your anxiety got the better of you. “I just-” you started, but the rest of the sentence never came as you dissolved into sobs.

“It’s okay,” Çağlar said, his voice reassuring as he held you tighter. “I’m here.”

When you finally calmed down, you were able to tell him. “I just…I started to work on my stuff that’s due on Monday and I didn’t know where to start first and everything is not okay and I’m so stressed and anxious and,” you sighed, burying your face in the crook of his neck. Your voice was muffled as you said, “I’m just so tired.”

“Turn around,” he ordered, giving you a look when you started to question him.

You let out an involuntary moan when Çağlar’s hands started to massage the knots in your neck and shoulders.

“You’re so tense,” he said, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. “How stressed have you been?”

“Uh,” you tried to come up with a believable lie but the truth was on the tip of your tongue and it came out before you could stop it. “Pretty much since the semester started. This workload has been heavy and it just never seems to stop. I’ve been meaning to create a more organized schedule but I never seem to be able to.”

“It’s okay,” Çağlar  said, his thumbs sliding down your spine and you shivered. “I have a plan - we’re going to take the night o-”

“No. I can’t, Çağlar!”

“You can and you will. When are all your projects due?”

“Sunday.”

“Perfect. So we are taking the night off and you’re going to relax with me. When was the last time the two of us just sat around and ordered your favourite takeaway and watched a dumb movie, huh?”

You giggled, remembering the last time. “It feels like it’s been forever.”

“Exactly. Which is why we’re going to do just that. No more thinking about uni work or talking about it until you wake up tomorrow, okay?”

You tilted your head back so you could look at him and gave him a goofy smile. “That sounds perfect.”

The two of you did just that. While you were waiting for the takeaway to be delivered, Çağlar ran you a warm bath and poured you a glass of wine. You almost convinced him to join you, but he wanted to set everything up for the rest of your relaxing night in.

With the takeaway served and the second bottle of wine opened, it was time to put on the movie. Çağlar put on a comedic movie he knew would make you laugh and he grabbed a blanket for the two of you to share.

“This is so nice,” you said, snuggling into him as you put your head on his shoulder and your legs across his lap.

“You deserve it,” he replied, kissing your temple. “You have to promise me, though, that next time you’ll tell me the first second you get stressed or anxious so we can take care of it before it gets this bad, okay?”

“I promise,” you whispered, running your fingers through his hair before taking his face in your hands and kissed him. You poured all your emotions into the kiss, hoping he knew just how much you loved and appreciated him.

[lallemcnt]

go ahead and watch my heart burn (part four)

“When you look at him you see dark night opening, giving way to dawn.”

— Ibn Said al-Maghribi

-

“Talk to me.”

“You shouldn’t have to reassure me all the fucking time! I’m so sick of my brain and how messed up I am!”

“You’re not messed up, Lucas.”

Lucas is perched on the arm of Eliott’s sofa, head bowed and arms shielding his body. Eliott sits on the edge of the sofa at its other end, the exasperated expression on his face mirroring Lucas’ voice. The distance between them, a sofa separating them, feels like miles upon miles, an impossible space to close. Lucas understands his frustration, he even feels sorry for him, sorry that he has to deal with Lucas when he gets like this: frustrated and insecure, when Eliott hasn’t done anything to incite these feelings, when he has been nothing but understanding, nothing but absolutely caring, nothing but a flame in the dark on the days when Lucas’ anxiety has been particularly debilitating.

He knew this was going to happen, that he would mess it up, he just didn’t know he would only have a month of being with Eliott before it all blew up in his face. Abruptly, the frustration drains from him and he is tired. He moves towards the door, stuffing his feet in his trainers and pulling on his jacket. Eliott gets to his feet, following Lucas to the door, asking in a beseeching voice, “You can’t just leave, we need to talk.”

Lucas doesn’t turn around to address him, simply opens the front door and lets out a quiet: “Let me go” before shutting the door behind him and trudging down the stairs into a chilly late summer day. His shoulders instantly hunch up and he’s blowing hot air into his hands for warmth, not sure where he’s going exactly. Going, he scoffs to himself, more like running, like the coward you are. But the knowledge of his cowardice is not enough to make him go back to Eliott and explain.

Lucas recalls a conversation they had a few days after he told Eliott about his father. When Eliott asked Lucas about his anxiety and how it affected him. He didn’t push Lucas to speak about it or set up some kind of intervention. They had been watching reruns of shitty TV at Eliott’s, as usual, eating popcorn and drinking some kind of nasty-ass beer Lucas has brought over when Eliott had asked him:

“I- Can I ask you questions about your anxiety? I’ve been reading up on it and I know I’ll need to do more, but would you…would you mind that? Because I know it is different for everyone.” His voice was tentative, his hands clenched around his beer bottle as if he was scared he had crossed an unspoken line, entering into unknown territory.

It was completely out of the blue. Lucas wondered if this had been on Eliott’s mind the entire evening, he, himself, felt slightly uncomfortable and nervous, because talking about it never ended well, it only ever crushed his mood, his soul, leaving him disappointed. However, he knew, in his heart, that if this thing between them had any chance of survival Eliott had the prerogative to know, to decide for himself if Lucas was worth all the work, and to make this decision he needed all the facts.

Turning down the volume on the TV, Lucas had shifted to face Eliott, because he could be strong. Hadn’t all his years of quiet survival proven that? He could look Eliott in the eye when he inevitably concluded that it was all too much. That Lucas was not worth it.

“You need to understand that you can’t fix me, okay? I’m always going to be dealing with this and I want you to know that I won’t blame you or hate you if you decide to leave, okay? It is a lot. I know,” Pausing for breath, Lucas had taken a swig of his drink before continuing. “Sometimes I’ll get irritable for no reason, at myself and at you. I’ll be snippy. I won’t want to talk to you. When we’ve planned to go to a party or out for dinner, when the day comes round the thought of going may make me feel physically sick and I won’t want to go because I’m terrified of meeting new people or being left alone at a party with nothing to do or no one to talk to. Sometimes I’ll put off doing things and stay home for days because the idea is a lot more peaceful, comfortable and safe than going out.

“And you have to know, it won’t be your fault. I just need space sometimes. There’s something else, too. It’s hard to explain why…there are times when I think it’s because of my father, but I can be touch averse too, casual touches will annoy me and turn my mood sour. I used to be this really affectionate kid, and I still crave touch, but I also hate it at times.”

Eliott nodded thoughtfully along as Lucas spoke; being given the opportunity to explain how he feels and be heard was everything. Everything and more. More than he ever imagined he would be lucky enough to experience.

He doesn’t even know how this afternoon’s argument got heated so quickly, but when he reaches that level of frustration he can’t be talked down, no placating words can calm him, and Eliott contradicting him, telling him he wasn’t messed up made him more angry, and Lucas also knew that while his head was telling him to yell and slam the door and tell Eliott that he will never understand, that he doesn’t get it, that this will never work between them, his heart was whispering for him to get out of there, to cool off, before he said something he would regret.

He knew why Eliott was frustrated, Lucas had been closed off for the past week, refusing to confide in Eliott who had asked him several times what was going on. He was clueless, unsure if he was the problem. Lucas could have easily reassured him that it wasn’t him, but he was feeling mean and bitter. Communication. The age-old issue that tore couples apart on the daily. He knew Eliott would be struggling to understand if the issue was anxiety-related or if Lucas was just being an asshole, which he was want to be every now and then, but that only made Lucas more irate.

Walking along the Seine, Lucas kicks out at a rock and then another, physically exercising his annoyance. The thing was, deep down is wasn’t just anger he felt, it was fear and shock and insurmountable shame, and even the thought of explaining this to Eliott- it is enough to make him sink down on a bench in fatigue, because hasn’t he told enough secrets for once? Hasn’t even opened himself up to pain over and over again these last few weeks? So, seeing what Lucas saw in conjunction with someone else being worried about you and constantly asking if you are okay when you most definitely are not is too much. To be worrying about someone else’s feelings when you are consumed by your own mounting despair is enough emotional grievance to knock you out for a lifetime.

Today at 13:15

Le gang

yann: my dudes who’s up for a night of gaming at mine? bazzz: HELL YES I’M IN arthur: idk i’ve got this huge essay to get done by tomorrow arthur: and i haven’t started yet bazzz: yikes arthur: lucas!!!!!! have u done it yet?? bazzz: come on we haven’t hung out in ages bazzz: are you’ll really choosing work over spending time with ME?! yann: i have bEER arthur: bold of you to assume i’d bunk of uni work for beer bazzz: we’ve got arthur! yann: lulu! where u at? arthur: lulu! bazzz: lulu!

Lucas clicks off the chat, puts it on silent and pulls up Manon’s.

Today at 13:27

Manon

lucas: hey u around? Manon: hey!! Manon: yeah i am Manon: what are you thinking? lucas: ummm wanna go for a walk? Manon: i’d love to

After deciding where to meet, Lucas begins to stroll across one of the many bridges that cross the river. In an attempt to clear his mind of Eliott and their argument, he marvels at the beauty of his city, at all the history that these old and ornate buildings must contain; the grey water washing by them, dividing banks and creating islands. He walks by children already wrapped up in coats and hats but licking away at vanilla ice-creams. There are two men in suits locked in a heated exchange, jaws tight and eyes narrowed. A couple up ahead leans against the side of the bridge, entangled in each other’s arms, blonde hair whipping against their faces: Lucas looks away quickly at the surge in his chest. And just beyond them, he spots a red pea-coat: Manon. Dressed in woolly tights, her brown hair tied in a loose braid, she clutches a paperback book in one hand, her elbows rest on the off-white arm of the bridge, discoloured by the grim of urban life.

When they meet, Lucas falls into her outstretched arms as though this place, here, is a refuge amidst a storming sea. He doesn’t cry, but he remains there for a while. If Lucas had to describe Manon he would wax poetic about her. She’s closer to a sister to him than a friend, but then who ever said a person couldn’t be both to you?

Drawing away from each other, they smile and return to look over the bridge where Manon rests her  book. Lucas observes the cover and the authors name as recognition hits and he’s turning back to Manon, incredulously, as he exclaims, “No way! What the hell? Is that the last book?”

Manon is grinning and holding it up to Lucas’ face. “Yep! Had to pre-order it and everything. Just went to pick it up from the shop, actually.”

“I can’t believe it. We waited, what, five years for it and now it’s actually here? Fuck.”

When they were twelve, there was this fantasy book series everyone was reading about magicians and vampires, empires falling and rising, quests for lost artefacts and stolen celestial swords. Suffice it to say, Lucas and Manon were obsessed; they would queue up outside the bookstore for midnight releases with Manon’s older brother and parents, they would have reading parties together on weekends, but it was also one of those series where the last book kept getting pushed back until it’s release seemed a fallacy, but after seven years, the final book was out.

Lucas grabbed the book proffered to him and scanned the cover and back, flipping the book open like a fan. The smell of newly printed pages ready to be devoured and loved was an inexplicable bliss. He placed it in reach of Manon whose back was against the bridge’s sides and face directed towards Lucas, her blue gaze is searching. He pretends to be interested in the boats disappearing beneath him, but he’s forgotten Manon can out-wait him, she has the patience of a saint. What’s more is she has always thought of Lucas as a younger brother despite their birthdays only between two weeks apart — one week, six days, two hours and 19 minutes exactly if you ask Lucas — making her infinitely more willing to spend minutes, hours in silence until he is ready to open up or can’t stand the silence so he fills it meaningless words which eventually unwinds into the deeper stuff, because Manon makes the time to be there for everyone she holds dear. Lucas is one of those lucky people, he knows that.

In this way, while the wind insists on dispelling summer in favour of autumn, as Manon waits out Lucas and the sky grows grey in alliance with the wind and the Seine leads its placid journey, winding around the city, Lucas voices what has got him all twisted up inside for the past week, the catalyst for this argument with Eliott.

“I think I saw my father last week. At uni.”

This shocks Manon. Although he isn’t directly looking at here, out of the corner of his eye he sees her blanch at his words, she turns around, standing beside him as though in solidarity, as if she would be able to protect him from what has already happened. His heart clenches at this.

“How are you feeling?” She asks.

Bringing his hand up to chew his thumb nail, Lucas shrugs, which is ridiculous because he knows how he feels, he’s been sinking in this tumult of negativity for seven fucking days.

“You know what I wanted to do? I wanted to go up to him. I wanted to look him dead in the eyes and see if he would even recognise me, to ask him how he could do what he did and claim it was love? How you can do that to someone you’re supposed to love unconditionally? What did I do exactly to make him hate me so much? What did I do? I want to know so I never do it again, so I don’t provoke that kind of behaviour-”

“Listen to me, Lucas. No,” Manon is shaking her head and holding Lucas own between her hands so he is forced to look at her while she speaks. “You did not provoke anything, you hear me? I can’t explain to you why he did what he did to you, why he hurt you. But I do know one thing for certain, and I know you’re tired of hearing me say it but I will say it forever if I have to, this is all on him, nothing you did was wrong. It was all him. All him.”

Biting down on his lip, blinks back tears. “I don’t even know why he was there, and I didn’t want it to become this big thing but Eliott caught on to my mood, I mean, how could he not? And I didn’t feel like talking about it, not after telling him about my father, my anxiety. It would’ve just been overboard for him, you know?”

“No, I don’t know. Lucas, he’s there, right? Wanting to be with you. In relationships there are times where you don’t want to say how you feel and you don’t want to express the messy shit, but Lucas, if this is going on for an extended period of time you have got to let him in. It’s unfair otherwise. You’re part of a team now.”

Lucas sighs.

“Unless he’s been an asshole and said something-”

“No! He hasn’t-”

“-because then I’ll be having words with him.”

That brings a smile to Lucas’ lips. Hearing Manon threaten someone — even thinking it sounds ridiculous in his head — is always a shock because she’s Manon, always flocking to make sure everyone is okay, wearing their coats when it’s cold, ensuring everyone has a ride home after a night out.

“No, he’s great. I’m the asshole, but what’s new, right?”

Throwing an arm around Lucas’ shoulder, easily done because they’re the same height, Manon frowns. “Just talk to him, my love. For him, for your relationship, but, most importantly, for yourself. Now, say this together with me ‘I am not an asshole’.”

Lucas rolls his eyes but Manon is serious. She begins to open her mouth and when Lucas makes no effort to join her she stops and glares, full force, at him until he obliges with another sigh.

“I am not an asshole.”

“And again.”

“I. Am. Not. An. Asshole.”

“Whoop! That is so true, Lucas. You aren’t. Alright, let’s hobble along somewhere, it’s kinda chilly out here. I think my toes are about to stop working.”

“Okay, okay.”

Linking arms, the two friends find a coffee shop to sit at, a feat on days such as this when everyone is seeking the warmth of the inside, clutching warm mugs of hot chocolate between their hands they speak of lighter things, less serious but just as important.

-

By the time eight o’clock rolls around, Lucas is feeling hopelessly guilty about leaving Eliott’s place that afternoon. Manon’s words play on his mind: You have got to let him in. It’s unfair otherwise. You’re part of a team now. But because he’s the king of avoidance, Lucas has agreed to go to Yann’s for a gaming night and he’s rationalised to himself that that is okay, because he hasn’t seen the boys in a while and he misses them and Eliott is probably off hanging out with Idriss and Sofiane, so he’s okay and they can speak tomorrow. It can all be sorted out tomorrow.

On his way over to Yann’s, he begins typing an apologetic text to Eliott, it screams pathetic and cheap, everything he should say in person. Cursing in frustration, Lucas deletes it all, at least he tries to and he does erase most of it but his thumb slips onto the send button in his frustration.

Today 20:04

eliott

lucas: i’m

FUCK.

He shoves his phone into the front pocket of his grey hoodie, and of course this happened, he really can’t catch a break can he?

He gets no response. Radio silence. Hopefully hanging with le gang will be distraction enough.

For the first hour Lucas is caught up in the fervor of his friends’ excitement about a new season of a TV show about a family gang in Birmingham, England on netflix. They settle on Yann’s sofa, pulling up beanbags and lazy-boys to rest their feet on; despite their apparent enthusiasm they talk through the entirety of the first episode, making poor imitations of the Birmingham accent, Baz laments about how attractive the leading male is and Lucas can’t do anything but agree.

As the night goes by, however, Lucas becomes restless, he plays one game with Yann and then a team game with Arthur and Basile. He drinks flat coca-cola and chooses the music they listen to, but there, in the background of everything is Eliott’s face when Lucas left. When he is choosing the next song to play he thinks back to the many nights when they would talk on the phone before bed and Eliott would play Lucas the piano music he had grown to love, sometimes falling asleep to it, lulled by tender notes and impossibly smooth melodies. He should be there. With Eliott.

So he leaves, apologising profusely, promising to meet them at lunch on Monday, his mouth agreeing to anything while his one-track mind retains its steady focus on one boy. He is running in the dark, the sky jet-black where weeks ago the sunset was only beginning be set. Impossibly, a few stars peak through the light-pollution endemic to most cities and the moon is there, coaxing him on his way, as if to say hurry hurry you’re almost there. Out of breath and surely sweating Lucas does not stop. He doesn’t text Eliott; he will wait outside his place until he comes home, he will wait forever if that is what it takes.

Lucas is anxious now. He presses the buzzer for Eliott’s door, hoping against hope that he will be forgiven for walking out.

“Hello?”

“It’s me. Lucas.”

Silence.

Lucas is there on the steps, panting from his run, his heart galloping in his chest for more than one reason he can count. It feels like an eternity before he hears the tell-tale sound of the front door buzzing and he’s pushing it open, climbing up the stairs to Eliott’s door. It is down the end of the corridor, the last one on his floor, and Eliott is there, in the doorway, watching Lucas as he walks towards him and it is agony: he can feel the guilt’s full force curling in his stomach. Lucas is suddenly self-conscious, he wants the floor to swallow him up. His steps are hesitant. He stops a few feet away from Eliott. Wanting to hug him.

“Can I come in?” His words are stilted, coated in uncertainty.

“Why are you here?” Eliott looks tired.

“I want to talk.”

“Okay.” He doesn’t budge a single inch.

Looks like Lucas is going to have to do this here. In the hallway. Where any number of people can just walk by. At least Eliott hasn’t shut the door in his face.

“I’m sorry. For shutting you out, refusing to talk to you. For being mean,” At this, Eliott’s composure starts to falter, Lucas understands then that his annoyed posture was all an act, possibly an attempt to guard himself from hurt, and that nicks at his heart a little. “For walking out earlier, I should have stayed. I’m just really sick of feeling vulnerable all the time, I feel like I can’t catch a break and then I take it out on you by being cold.

“I saw my father last week, unintentionally, he was at uni and it’s the first time since he left that I’ve laid eyes on him. It brought back all the shame and humiliation. I wanted to walk up to him, like I’ve imagined doing multiple times over the years and confronting him, but all I could do was run the other way. I hate that this man still has this power over me. Anyway, that’s not the point, the point is that I hurt you-”

Eliott is stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Lucas, pulling him into his apartment and holding him against the door.

“Please don’t be mad.” Lucas’ voice comes out muffled against Eliott’s chest.

“I’m not mad. The truth is I’d rather be annoyed by you than not have you at all. I want to know when you’re in pain and why. And you were, I could see it and it hurt to know you were fighting something on your own. I am so sorry, Lucas.”

“You have nothing to apologise for.”

“Remember what I told you, yeah? You are not alone.”

Lucas’ heart clenches at those words. How does Eliott think of and say things like that, so sincere like it is effortless, like it costs him nothing but the air he breathes to say them.

He pulls back from Eliott, head tilted up against the door. “You need to stop that.”

“Stop what?” Eliott cups Lucas’ face

“Saying those romantic things.”

“And you need to know that you have nothing,” He says fiercely. “To be ashamed about. You are not what happened to you. You are magnificent, and I can’t believe how lucky I am that you choose to be with me.”

“I love you.” The words slip out, Lucas widens his eyes and Eliott is laughing at Lucas’ brazenness. Simultaneously, his eyes shift and brighten, as if Lucas’ confession has changed the very colour of Eliott’s eyes, as if those three words have changed him.

A kiss, soft and tender. ”Not as much as I love you.”

Another kiss just as tender and slow, torturously slow. “Yeah, yeah. Now carry me to your bed, please.”

They stumble there, stripping off their clothes as much as they can while kissing and touching each other. As soon as Lucas hits Eliott’s bed though he is enraptured by the softness of his duvet and pillow and he sighs contentedly.

Eliott looks up from where he was kissing down Lucas’ chest and lets out a disbelievingly laugh when he sees Lucas snuggling into his pillows. He crawls up Lucas’ body until he is caging him in and looking directly down at him. Eliott, straddling Lucas’ hips now, plants a hard, searing kiss on his lips which Lucas is all too happy to reciprocate, clutching Eliott at the hips.

“You are ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously into you.” Lucas winks.

Eliott rolls over, laying his head on Lucas’ chest. “You’re tired.”

“Yeah…Your bed…Morning sex, instead?”

“Sure.”

From his position on Lucas’ chest, Eliott caresses Lucas’ lower stomach, running his fingers lightly over the skin, raising goose bumps in their wake.

Je t’aime.

Moi aussi.

[shall-we-imagine]

And I'll still love you. (Klaus Goldstein x Reader *AU*)

Sequel to Mess me up.

In which Klaus gets back with his ex.

Jk I'd never 😂👌🏻

Genre: Angst/some fluff?

A/N: This is long, and I mean long, so strap yourselves in I guess? CuZ iTs A lOnG aSs RiDe (A Mark Lee tribute 👌🏻)

Also guys we have a lil Cedric (from BIR) cameo here so um idk there's that ig 😂😂

(Second Person Point of View)

"Okay, one day left till finals; you guys know what that means!" Zeus smirks, though the only one that knew what that means was apparently Luca.

"This time; we're not getting kicked out of the VIP lounge." Luca points an accusing finger at Zeus.

"It's not my fault you lied about our identities without letting me know that I was a famous producer and not just a fucking college student!" Zeus growls.

The intense argument only grew louder from the two opposite sides of the table, isolating you and Klaus from the rest of the group in a strange way. Everyone knew to ignore when Luca and Zeus started arguing, so Amelia and Guy - on the other side of the table - were already having a separate conversation, leaving you and Klaus in an awkward silence (If you ignore the two yelling dorks, of course).

As frustrating as the awkwardness is, you'd already decided to ignore the blond ever since the incident, and no amount of awkward can change that.

It'd been around five days since you even looked him in the face, and he didn't seem to be planning to fix anything. Sure, he constantly looks uncomfortable, and you're sure he knows he fucked up, but that doesn't change his lack of attempts to even apologise properly.

"Hey, what's up, you guys?" Scarlett beams, sitting next to you. Elias, Yukiya, and Augustus take seats around the table as well. "Sigurd's still busy with some work at the library, but he'll be here soon." She announces.

"Anyway, this time we're not going into the VIP lounge; you can get kicked out alone if you want to, but I'd like to keep my dignity!" Zeus crosses his arms.

"Which club are we visiting anyway?" Luca looks around the table.

"None! We're supposed to be studying!" Klaus snaps, earning confused looks from everyone. Sure, it was a logical statement, but his sudden outburst left everyone at a loss of words.

"Don't be such a killjoy." Sigurd's voice is followed by a chuckle. He places himself in the empty seat between you and Klaus; however, you could still feel Klaus stare at you for a bit after it.

"He's right though. Finals start in like two days.." Yukiya states, to which Elias nods.

"Yeah, I need to revise." The younger blond agrees.

"It starts in a week for Amelia, Guy, Augustus, and I." Scarlett shrugs.

"Yeah, we're in." Guy grins.

"Sorry, guys, I don't think Yukiya and I will be joining; we still have stuff to study." Elias gives one of those polite frowns, where you know he's not disappointed about missing out on any of that. Knowing Elias, you can tell he's probably pleased to spend his day in a library instead of a club, and normally, you'd agree; you enjoy peace, and it's never too fun to be in crowded places.

However, you need to do something fun to get your mind off of Klaus. If he's gonna be a dick then so be it; you have to move on.

"I'm coming." You shrug. Part of you wanted to turn to check Klaus's reaction, but you stayed composed.

"What?!" He semi-shouts, but immediately clasps his hand over his mouth, clearly embarrassed by his accidentally loud reaction. He clears his throat, "I mean, you're in the same uni as these dumbasses and I; you start finals the day after tomorrow! What do you mean you'll go clubbing today? You should be studying!"

"What makes you think I have any studying left? I'm already done." You weren't gonna bring it up. You really weren't. Not in front of everyone too, but before you could think it through, you found yourself quoting him from that night. And it wasn't a lie either, you spent your days binge studying to keep your mind busy, so at this point, you really needed something else to keep you occupied.

Something flashes in his eyes, recognition maybe: you weren't sure, but either way, he stays silent. And perhaps you should've left it at that, but the built up anger inside you is now clawing its way out.

"Plus, even if I haven't finished studying; what is it to you?! Who even are you to object and involve yourself in my life?! Mind your own business!" He, once again, doesn't respond, but this time it wasn't because he was caught off guard. He just seemed slightly broken, but in the midst of the fury and anguish you felt, you couldn't care that much.

"Um, what's up with the weird tension between you guys?" Zeus lets out a nervous laugh. If Zeus was giving nervous laughs then it was definitely obvious to everyone how serious whatever is between you and Klaus.

"Haven't you two been ignoring each other a bit too? Like you guys used to be super close." Augustus points out.

Amelia's eyes meet yours, and she immediately gets the memo. "You guys are crazy; they're fine! They've always argued a lot; it's how they are! Can we focus on who's coming and who's not?" You give her a small smile, as to say thank you.

Scarlett catches on to the silent conversation between you and Amelia, immediately joining in. "Yeah, don't worry too much; we've seen it happen a lot! So, yeah, let's just focus on what's important here."

"Uh, sure." Zeus lets it go. Luca, Guy, and Augustus were smarter than that, unfortunately; they remained skeptic. Regardless, none of them make any further comments.

"I've also done my studying, so I'm good to go, as well." Sigurd shoots you a wink, earning a giggle in return. A genuine one, which you were thankful for. It made you relax a little after that rage you let loose on the blond jerk.

Klaus slams his fist on the table, "Fine. I'm coming too."

"Man, could you fucking chill; you're starting to sound scary. More so than normal." Luca complains but moves on to deciding the time and place to meet.

Your eyes drift to Klaus, who was already looking. You quickly look away, unsure why your heart suddenly leaped into your throat.

You avoided looking in his direction for the rest of the gathering.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"You're not gonna tell me what's up with you and Klaus?" Scarlett glances at you before looking back at her own reflection and applying highlighter.

Amelia sticks her head out the bathroom door, one eye lined perfectly till the wing while the other was left with a random stray streak as if she rushed to the door at hearing Scarlett's statement, and in the process fucked over her left eye. Of course you know that's exactly what she did.

"Um, excuse you? I think you mean us??"

Scarlett sighs, "You're not gonna tell us what's up with you and Klaus?"

"Nothing." You apply your favourite lipstick, absolutely pleased it goes perfectly with your dress. At least one thing is going right here.

Scarlett frowns slightly, but doesn't push it.

"You're so full of shit." Amelia chuckles before pulling herself back inside.

You roll your eyes at her, but a small smile tugs at your lips.

"Who's picking us up?" You wonder.

Scarlett clears her throat. "Well, we initially asked Sigurd, I swear, but...well, um, Klaus insisted..."

"That's fine." You put on your best nonchalant expression.

As if he calculated exactly when to arrive, Klaus calls Amelia's phone the second you're done fixing your hair, aka the last step to getting ready. Excluding shoes, of course.

"Can someone pick up? My hands are busy!" Amelia yells from the bathroom.

You glance at Scarlett. Also still busy.

Not wanting to sound even more suspicious, you force yourself to pick up. "Hello?"

"He-..(Y/N)?"

You swallow awkwardly, "um, yeah, they're not done yet. Are you here? Like, um, to pick us up?"

"No, I'm here to hand you your mail, (Y/N)." You don't need to see him to know he's rolling his eyes.

"I meant are you here already?"

"Yeah."

Amelia sticks her head outside the bathroom again, this time with both eyes looking perfect. "Invite him up here." She smirks, wiggling her eyebrows. "Unless, of course, you have a problem with Klaus being in your apartment."

You throw a pillow, and it barely misses her face.

"Hey! That could've ruined my make up!" She yells but doesn't come back out again.

You considered inviting him like she said, but just the thought of it brought back too many unwelcomed memories. You blushed and immediately decided against it.

"Hello?"

"Oh, sorry, um, I'll just come down and keep your company till they're done, okay? Bye!" You hang up, leaving him no chance to reply. It was already awkward enough.

You slip your feet into your high heels, grab your purse, and head outside- not forgetting to remind the girls to lock the door before leaving.

If it were for you to decide, you'd let the jerk rot in his car as he waits for the three of you, but for the sake of letting things go smoothly, you decide it's for the best to try to make it seem like you don't wanna punch Klaus in the face.

Quickly enough, you spot his car. Also quickly enough, you notice the familiar fluffy, blonde curls you were so used to running your hands through. He looks as handsome as usual, but that hurt you in a different way this time. Sure, everytime you noticed how attracted to him you are, you'd be upset, solely because he's not yours to admire this way. However, today, it hurts you because everytime you look at these perfectly drawn features, a few written words come to mind.

He notices your presence but says nothing. He just stares at you with an unreadable expression.

Not wanting to look odd just standing in front of your building's door, you stiffly walk to his car as fast as you can without face planting into cement.

You take a back seat and say nothing.

Klaus lets out a slight, humourless laugh. "What's that? A back seat? You always call shotgun."

"Wasn't feeling it." You shrug and pull out your phone, using it as your own personal don't talk to me sign.

Unfortunately, Klaus doesn't care about any signs you're giving if it doesn't match his desires. "You look pretty, but with a dress like that, people will mistake you for a prostitute. Couldn't you wear something more revealing??" His voice dripped with irritation, an irritation you couldn't understand.

"Excuse me? My dress is fine; not everyone is a pervert, but you wouldn't know, would you?!" You clap back, not in the mood to let him take out his anger on you.

"Are you trying to call me a pervert?" He laughs in disbelief.

"I didn't say that, but, hey, if the shoe fits, feel free to wear it."

"That's what I get for trying to make sure no one hurts you?" He complains.

"Well, too bad you already did." You spat, tears blinding you momentarily. You hated yourself for letting this escape your lips, but it ended up silencing both of you for a few moments, allowing you to regain composure before the girls hop into the car.

"Uh, what's up with the weird vibe?" Amelia raises an eyebrow.

Scarlett sighs from the front seat, "I don't even know anymore."

Neither Klaus or you respond, so, naturally, the conversation died, leading to a rather quiet ride, excluding Scarlett and Amelia's countless attempts at making it less awkward.

"Finally! I felt like I'd suffocate inside from the tension!" Amelia stretches her arms happily once she leaves the car. It's safe to say...she wasn't the only one happy to exit the metal cage of awkward.

You meet up with the rest of the group before going inside, which wasn't all that helpful, since you lost each other fairly quickly.

Thankfully, Amelia and Scarlett were still with you, and finally, you were ready to block all thoughts of a certain blond and enjoy your life for the time being.

As planned, the three of you were already singing and dancing your hearts out after a few drinks, not a care in the world. You didn't have time to think about what Klaus is doing or how much of a dick he was to you.

Well, until a familiar guy approaches you. And perhaps Klaus shouldn't have been the one your mind drifted to, but that didn't stop you from letting the blond you'd ignored all year try to flirt with you for the billionth time.

"(Y/N)! Didn't think I'd see you here!" Cedric yells over the music.

You tried your best not to roll your eyes, "Yeah, me neither."

"Wanna dance?"

"I'm sure you can see I'm already danc-" both girls nudge you. "Sure. I'd love to dance." You force a smile, not skipping glaring at the girls before following Cedric a little further away from them. You weren't sure why he dragged you away, but you also couldn't care less; being near him was already annoying enough, so it really didn't matter.

The only reason you found yourself agreeing to this nonsense is that you know how much Klaus dislikes it when Cedric flirts with you. He always claimed that Cedric only cares about looks and that you should stay away from him, which normally you do. Mostly because you don't enjoy his personality, or the lack thereof.

However, something about being with the guy Klaus would most hate for you to be with just made you feel pleasure. It was like you wanted to piss him off, even though he really couldn't see you anyway, but you so desperately wish he would.

The dancing got really awkward really quickly. Cedric was already getting touchy, and he didn't seem to catch on to how uncomfortable you felt.

"Could you not fucking do that?!" You aggressively push his hand away from you.

He frowns, "Do what? We're just dancing together. You agreed to that."

"I didn't agree to you groping me though, did I?"

Before he could respond, your eyes drifted to Klaus, who was sitting at the bar. He'd just spotted you.

And maybe common sense would say to just ignore him.

But no.

You look Cedric in the eye, pull his face closer to you, and smash your lips together. You can tell he was confused but quickly recovered, using both hands to pull you closer to him by the waist.

This could've went on for longer if you weren't harshly yanked away from the blond.

"What's wrong with you?!" You try to pull your arm away from Klaus's grasp, but the furious male didn't budge. He didn't even respond; he just pulled you away.

"Klaus! Let go!" You try to wriggle your arm out of his grip. As annoyed as you acted, a huge part of you was extremely giddy. You can tell he's furious, and as sadistic as it sounds, it makes you happy. Your mind didn't seem to catch on to how awkward it would be next time you see Cedric; all it could focus on was that Klaus is jealous.

He only lets go of you outside the club; the sudden change of temperature causes your skin to tingle with goosebumps. You rub your arms to keep yourself warm.

"Bloody hell. I told you that dress wasn't a good idea." Aggressively, he marches to his car and opens the trunk. He pulls out a jacket and wraps it around you.

Blushing lightly, you clear your throat. "Um, thanks."

"I'm not done. What the fuck were you doing with Cedric, (Y/N)?!"

You roll your eyes. "Exactly what you saw."

He nods, letting out a humorless laugh. "Okay. Let me rephrase that: why the fuck were you kissing Cedric?"

Smirking, you poke his chest and whisper, "Because I wanted to."

He grips your hand, "No, (Y/N), you didn't. You hate that guy."

"Well, why does it matter? Why do you care?" You pull away.

He stares at you in silence for a few seconds. "Get in the car."

Not even waiting for a reply, Klaus walks over to the driver's seat.

"What?!"

"I said get in the car. Passenger's seat this time." He shuts the car door.

You snap out of your confusion when his engine roars, pestering you to get moving. You rush and follow his instructions of not sitting in the back seat.

"Where are we going?" You ask.

"You'll see." And with that, neither one of you spoke a word to the other.

***

"I'm not going for a swim with you, Klaus." The moment your gaze met the familiar lake, you were ready to bawl your eyes out, but you kept it together.

Leaving his seat, Klaus sighs. "Calm down. We're here to talk. Like we always do."

Leaving his jacket in the car, you take a deep breath and try to hold yourself together. You can't just break down now. You block away the memories of every other time you and Klaus came to this place.

You sit down on the grass but make sure to keep a distance between you and the male.

"Because it wasn't obvious enough that you're mad." He sighs.

"What do you want, Klaus?"

He looks away, "It's more about what I don't want...I don't want to lose you."

The butterflies went wild in your stomach, leaving you with a clear shade of pink on your cheeks. However, this isn't enough for you to move on and forgive him, so you do your best to keep a stern look.

"Why did you lie to me, Klaus? You don't have feelings for me, and...and I already knew, but part of me wanted to believe you, and you weren't making it very easy to reject you. You could tell I had a crush on you, and you decide to manipulate me into having sex with you?! And you have the guts to criticize Cedric? You're even worse!" Well, there goes your perfect make up. Perhaps raccoon eyes could be the new trend; you can totally pull that off.

His eyes glisten, and you almost want to take back everything, but you have to stand up for yourself. He can't just walk all over you like you're the old weelcome doormat some unknown person placed in front of your apartment door. Who the fuck misspells Welcome? Why the fuck would anyone buy that? Why place it in front of your apartment? Why haven't you thrown it away? All unimportant thoughts you'd rather talk about right now than have to deal with Klaus and this emotional mess.

"I didn't lie to you. And you went out of your way to kiss that douche bag, didn't you? You wanted me to see."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Klaus?! You're trying to make it sound like I'm wrong now?!" You push yourself off the ground, the blond immediately following.

"Listen, okay? This isn't what I meant! I just- I'm still being petty about it, alright? I wanted to punch him square in the face."

"Well, you have no right to be even mildly annoyed. Leave me alone." You start walking away, but he gets a hold of your arm.

"(Y/N), could you just let me explain myself, please?!" He snaps.

"No, Klaus, all you do is blame me; fuck off." You push him away. What you didn't prepare for is stumbling backwards towards the lake. High heels deciding to join The Klaus Movement of Being a Dick to (Y/N), you quickly find yourself falling off the edge.

Panic-filled eyes follow your movements. Klaus's reaction came late, and by the time he grabbed you, he was already falling into the freezing cold water with you.

Surrounded by fear of drowning, you involuntarily call out for Klaus.

"(Y/N)?! (Y/N)!" Klaus's nervous voice echoes around you, but in the middle of trying to stay afloat, you couldn't decide where he was.

So, naturally, he had to be the one to find you. His arms wrap around you, trying to pull you closer to him, but the way you kept flailing your arms wasn't helping him. "Hey, hey, (Y/N), it's fine."

Eventually he was able to snap you out of it and hold you close to his chest. "There, it's okay. You're safe with me. You know I'll always make sure nothing hurts you."

You'd begun to calm down, you'd begun to forget about the dumb note, about him manipulating you; you'd started relaxing in his embrace, but his last statement brought you back to real life. "Let me go, Klaus." You try to pry yourself away from him.

"(Y/N), you can't swim! What are you doing?!"

"Just let me go, Klaus! I'm fine!"

"Didn't seem like it when you started calling for me!"

"It was a mistake! Just let me be!" You begin pushing him away again.

"(Y/N), fucking stop! You'll hurt yourself!" He grips your wrist tightly.

"Fine!" You stop struggling. "Just take me to the edge."

He remains silent. "You're not gonna leave the second I put you back up on land, are you?"

"What? Of course I will! I can't stand looking at your face." You turn your face to the side.

"That so?"

You roll your eyes and begin facing him. "Ye-"

He forces his lips onto yours, leading you to push him away with all your force, this time allowing you to break free from his grasp and latching onto the edge.

Furious, you find extra energy to easily pull yourself up and onto the grass. Unfortunately, your strength was immediately gone after, and this is when you couldn't take any of it anymore. You lost it all.

"Why do you keep ruining my life? I never asked for this." You sob. "Tonight, all I wanted was to have fun and forget about you, but no, you had to ruin things for me again! Look at me! My hair, my make up, my dress, my whole fucking night is a mess! And it's because of you!" You point an accusing finger at him.

His head drops in shame, and he slowly climbs to the edge near you. You start to get up but stop when you hear his shaky voice.

"Wait! Please..." His voice cracks, "I won't touch you anymore. I will drive you home. Just please...please let me explain first; hear me out."

"Get it over with, Goldstein." You cross your arms. You were starting to feel cold again, but you made sure to not make it obvious this time.

"Listen; I didn't lie. I genuinely felt attracted to you; in fact, I have been for the longest time. It's just that I'd already accepted we were merely friends, and I had to move on, and I figured the only way to truly stop viewing you romantically is to commit to someone, so when I found someone I was remotely interested in, I took it as a chance, but then suddenly, everything was gone. I didn't have her; I didn't have you. I didn't have anything." He takes a shaky breath. "And...and I came to you for comfort, but before I knew it, I was trying to get you to do what you clearly didn't want to do. It was selfish; I know. And by morning, I felt disgusting. I knew you wouldn't wanna look me in the face, so I left. I wanted to apologize, but you continued to ignore me, and if I'm being honest, I was also scared to confront you."

"Klaus-"

"Just let me finish." He sighs. "I'm not trying to say I'm not wrong. I am. I just want you to know I would never intentionally hurt you; I was just confused. I was heartbroken; I still had feelings for you; you let me have my way with you. I never knew you were actually into me as well. And when you ignored me, I just wanted to do anything to get your attention. Even if it meant to piss you off...which I suppose you got back at me by getting with Cedric, but that's not the point. You're right I don't have the right to be mad over it. It's just- everything just ended terribly, and I know everything is a mess, but I promise you I never meant to hurt you."

"I don't want to lose you." He starts sobbing, but Klaus being his prideful self, he quickly does his best to hold back.

You shouldn't brush everything off. He was wrong, and he hurt you. But seeing him trembling like that, you couldn't stop yourself from taking him into your arms. "I forgive you." You mumble.

"You do?" He perks up, looking at you with wide eyes.

"Yeah...I understand. Feelings can be confusing at times." You shrug. "Also...you never forced me into something I didn't want to do...I thought you knew I liked you?"

"Me?" He furrows his eyebrows.

"Yeah? You literally said it?" You let out a confused laugh.

Klaus pulls away from you. "When did I ever say that?"

"You were drunk; you said you knew I like you."

"Oh...that's just something I say...to everyone...when I'm drunk..." He rubs his temples in embarrassment.

You laugh. "Well, it's not like you're any less narcissistic when not drunk anyway."

"Hey! Watch it! I could still push you back into the water!"

"Shut up. You literally freaked the hell out when I fell the first time." You get off the grass.

He follows. "Not true."

"Yes true."

"Nope."

"Yup."

Well, maybe two stubborn people shouldn't be friends because this went on for a while. You were glad, however, that the tension between you guys was gone, and you two were back to normal again.

"Wanna go back to my apartment this time?" Klaus smirks before quickly adding, "Promise you won't be waking up to any notes this time...?"

Your face heats up. He was still recovering from a break up. This was still a bad idea. You should just decline and take things slow.

"Sure."

[anothers-trash-my-treasure]

32 + 34 for snafu?💖

*Alright folks I have no idea why this turned out the way it did but I’m rolling with it. I put this in a Uni Students POV because I am one lol so just roll with it and picture they’re high school sweethearts or something. K thanks enjoy btw there’s some slight steamy content ahead*

Merriell’s marriage proposal to me was not your standard proposal. It was... a hot mess to say the least. 

It had started as most things with Merriell do; Hot and Messy. He had come to visit me in the school library while I had a few hours to kill in between classes. He’d greeted me with a quick kiss on the cheek and a ‘hey babe’ before he proceeded to ask me about my day and what I was working on.

I talk wildly with my hands, gesturing and pointing to different books when I noticed his eyes flicking back and forth to my lips and biting his own.

I pause my rambling, my hands flopping down onto the table with a thunk, “Really Mer?” 

A smirk spreads over his lips and he shrugs, “Not my fault you decided to look so goddamn hot today.”

The next thing I know, I’m being pressed up against the wall of a single-user study stall, Merriell’s lips on my neck and his hands down my pants. I can feel his erection through both layers of our pants and I could feel the heat pool between my legs.

“Baby girl,” he breathes, “You are drippin’” 

I moan softly at that, biting at his bottom lip, “not my fault you decided to look so goddamn hot.” I smirk, mimicking his words from not 5 minutes earlier. 

His hands are everywhere, rubbing my clit through my soaked panties, gripping my ass and trailing back up and under my shirt to grab my breasts in a way that never fails to make me whine, all the while his lips attack my neck and jaw. His touch is so intoxicating, the world around us disappears. My hand drifts to the front of his pants, cupping and stroking him through the rough fabric of his jeans.

He grunts around my neck, leaving hot opening mouth kisses there and I know there’s going to be marks, “baby,” he moans, “Please...need you.”

I giggle softly, “we can’t here”

He shoots me a look, “Ya I know that but lord baby, I’m so hard I need somethin’.” 

I’m about to respond but before there’s a knock on the door.

“Study cubicles are for school work only. Not for fornication.” A stern voice comes from the other side, “I suggest you make yourselves presentable and take it to a private location off campus.” 

I push Merriell away from me as the footsteps retreat. He pouts and I can see an argument forming on the tip of his tongue.

“No.” I say, pointing a stern finger at him, fixing myself before exiting the cubicle and walking back to my table with my head down low, flush high on my cheeks.

“Babe,” I hear him trailing behind me, “ya can’t jus’ leave me like this.”

I sit down in my chair, glaring at him, “You brought this on yourself. Maybe we wouldn’t have gotten caught if you been able to keep your hands to yourself!” 

He smirks and I feel irritation bubble in my chest, “Y’know I can’t do that.” He reaches across the table to take my hand in his and it takes everything in me to not rip my hand away. I’m embarrassed and humiliated and unjustifiably angry with him, “Still on for dinner tonight?” 

I purse my lips and untangle our fingers, “No, I’m mad at you now.” 

“Wha-” he stutters, “you’re mad at me?!” 

I regret saying it, full well knowing this means he’s going to be a shit about it and start an argument for argument’s sake. I get ready, preparing my ammo mentally and readying myself to get kicked out of the library. 

“Nooo, baby, ya can’t be mad at me.” He near whines, draping himself on the table and looking at me with pleading eye, “not today.”

I blink.

This reaction is not what I expected. I squint at him, “since when do you care if I’m mad at you? And why today of all days.”

He looks away, starting to fiddle with his own fingers, “No reason,” he lies, eyes darting around the room nervously, “please baby, we gotta go out tonight.” 

I shake my head, he may be stubborn but so am I, “No, Merriell, I don’t want to tonight. I have class late and this essay due tomorrow and I’m mad at you.” 

“Can I make you dinner then?” 

“I’ll probably just eat before class.” 

“Fuck, y/n.” he swears, “Just let me fuckin’ take you out. Ya gotta.”

“Why?!” 

“Because!” He yells, before running his hands through his hair and huffing. He digs in his pocket and pulls out the last thing I expect from him. He opens and sets the tiny blue velvet box down in front of me with a soft thump on the table. 

My breath is caught on my throat and he’s looking down at the table, insecurity rolling off of him in waves as I stare at the beautiful diamond ring sitting in front of me.

“That a good enough answer for ya?” He mumbles.

I let out a watery laugh, my eyes quickly filling with tears, “Merriell Shelton, You’re a dumbass, but you’re my dumbass.”

[lawssword]

ZoLu~ Meetings, Jealousy, and Marines

Info: awwe Zolu, i love them so much here's a little drabble that i desperately wanted to write <3 The story takes place after Wano probably. The meetings between the Strawhats and Hearts are rarely, if ever, dull.

Rated G

4.4K words

Zoro smiled as Luffy pulled away from him. Not much could make the day better. The breeze was in their favor and the ocean was calm as any sailor could wish it.

"Well, good morning to you too, captain," Zoro smiled up at Luffy. He was still foggy from his nap and Luffy kissing him as soon as he opened his eyes wasn't much better.

"Shishishi, Zoro, it's afternoon, almost evening," Luffy corrected with a smile that always lightened Zoro's mood.

"Screw time," Zoro muttered. He took hold of Luffy's shirt and pulled him into another kiss. Zoro bit hit captain's lip and Luffy fell into Zoro's lap. Luffy ran his hands through Zoro's short, green hair. Luffy pulled away from Zoro's lips.

"Your hair is so soft," Luffy said. Zoro brought his hands to Luffy's waist and pulled him closer so their chests were pressed together.

"You say that every time you touch it," Zoro stated, it was true, almost. Zoro was sure Luffy ran his fingers through it while Zoro slept.

"Well, it's true, every time I touch it." Luffy countered. Another kiss was shared. This one was much shorter. The two interacting like this was far from unusual. Luffy was the kind of guy that liked contact, the crew all too used to it by now. In fact, Robin and Usopp would often poke fun at the two. They weren't alone in it either.

"Anything planned for today?" Zoro asked.

"Yep," Luffy nodded vigorously. "Nami said we're gunna be coming up on the island we're supposed to meet Torao at tonight."

"We're hitting land soon?" Zoro asked. Luffy nodded. "Good, we're almost out of booze."

"Are we?" Luffy tilted his head.

"Mhm," Zoro hummed.

"Luffy!" Usopp shouted, running down the steps, onto Sunny's grassy deck. "Brook said he saw a seaking, let's go catch it!"

"Sanji can make the best dinner with a seaking!" Luffy said, moving out of Zoro's lap.

"One second," Zoro muttered, pulling Luffy back down and kissing him.

"Shishi, see you," Luffy climbed off Zoro and ran to join Usopp on the railing across the deck. Luffy nearly crashed into Usopp and knocked the fishing rod off the rail.

"Oh!" Luffy stretched out to catch it just in time. Try as they might, Usopp and Luffy couldn't catch a single thing all day. It was like the seaking outsmarted them or something! Luffy told Usopp as much. Sanji started making dinner before they could catch it.

"C' mon Luffy, there's no way the seaking is still around," Usopp said.

"We'll catch it!" Luffy insisted.

"Give it up Luf," Usopp sighed.

"Dinner's done!" Sanji called.

"Oh! FOod!" Luffy gasped and dropped the fishing rod and ran into the kitchen, leaving Usopp to clean it all up. Could he blame Luffy, though?  Sanji's food was always the best! The crew gathered in for dinner and sailed on.

Now, when Nami told Luffy soon, Luffy thought they'd hit landfall at right after dinner. Or, even better, during dinner. But that hadn't been the case. The Thousand Sunny docked alongside two fishing boats at dusk. The colors of sunset had given way to the dull blue of a darkening, cloudless sky.

"Let's go explore!" Luffy declared, already heading to the ship's railing. Nami took hold of Luffy's infamous strawhat, the string tightened around Luffy's neck and Luffy dash for land fell short.

"I already told Law we were here, he's at the bar up the road with the rest of his crew, that's where we're going," Nami said.

"I wanna explore the town first!" Luffy argued.

"You can do that tomorrow, we have to stock up on supplies so we'll be here a few days," Nami suggested, letting go of Luffy's hat. It fell against Luffy's back.

"Fine, Torao's cool anyway," Luffy gave. With that, the crew made their way off the ship. It was late, and the docks were quiet. The only noise came from the ocean's breeze blowing between the fishing rigs and dingies floating on the choppy water. Further, into the town, lights were on in houses and the faint smells of already cooked meals lingered in the air.

The bar was only down the road a ways from the dock, sailors never wandered very far from their ships, and sailors enjoyed a drink when they were on land too. Of course, the bar was close by. The little bar that the strawhats came to was small, humble, but professional. The building was old but clean and well kept. Luffy pushed the door open to an atmosphere that he didn't expect based on the exterior of this building.

It was loud, loud and full. Full of pirates. Specifically, the pirates that were strangely adorned in the Jolly Roger of Luffy's ally, Trafalgar Law. Sure there were others too, locals probably. They were just faces in the crowd.

"No weapons in the bar," the bartender said. Zoro sighed but relinquished his swords.

"Those are important, take care of 'em," Zoro said.

"Will do," the bartender agreed. The rest of the strawhats emptied their weapons unto the bartender too. Nami's staff, Usopps slingshot, all of Franky's ammunition, and Brooks sword.

The others started to join Law's crew. Usopp and Chopper were already talking to Shachi. Nami was giving another guy the cold shoulder. Sanji was fawning over Ikkaku. Jinbei and Brook seemed to be in a meaningful conversation with Uni. Robin and Franky were at the bar with Penguin.

"There's Law," Zoro pointed out, gesturing to a corner of the bar. Law sat alone at a table with a half-empty plate in front of him, sipping from a glass when Luffy laid eyes on him.

"Oh, I see him," Luffy said. Zoro pressed a kiss to Luffy's temple.

"I'm going to the bar," Zoro said. Luffy expected nothing less.

"Don't drink too much."

"Not in my vocabulary," Zoro stated as he walked away. Luffy made his way through the bar, greeting some of Law's crew as he went until he made it to the table Law sat at.

"Hi, Torao! I hope you didn't go on any adventures too fun without me!"  Luffy greeted, sitting across the little table from Law. It was old and worn down at the edges. It still left clean and smooth when Luffy leaned onto it.

"Probably nothing you'd consider fun," Law replied, his voice professional.

"Awe, you can have some fun without me," Luffy chirped.

"I'm well aware." Law turned to Luffy, tucking his legs beneath the table. Law took a sip from his glass and met Luffy's eyes. Luffy really was something else... Law had no qualms admitting his attraction to the younger captain. At least no qualms admitting that to himself.

"What'd ya wanna meet for?" Luffy asked. The truth was simply that Law has wanted to see Luffy. But Law couldn't just tell Luffy that. Luffy was with Zoro and there wasn't anything Law could do about that. So Law would just have to get over this little crush of his.

"I think some of Kaido's men have been tailing my ship, I'm not sure how," Law said. That wasn't entirely wrong... someone had been tailing the Polar Tang. It just wasn't Kaido. But Law couldn't use that as an excuse to see Luffy. It was probably just some bounty hunters.

"They haven't attacked you, right? I'll kick Kaido's ass all over again!" Law chuckled at Luffy's words. Maybe he had been drinking this scotch a little too much.

"No, nothing like that, I just wanted to know if you had something similar going on," Law lied. "Since I knew we'd be close to crossing paths, it was a decent enough reason to meet up. I didn't want to use the snail in case they were tapped."

"Nami hasn't said anything about being followed," Luffy said.

"That's odd, I wonder what he's planning in that case..." Law thought out loud and stared into the space beside Luffy.

"Eh, who cares? It doesn't matter unless he tried to fight us," Luffy decided, stealing a fry from Law's half-eaten plate. Law frowned but didn't say anything to the Strawhat's captain.

"I suppose, but it's unsettling that he can even track me, we travel underwater after all," Law rested his jaw against his closed fist and glanced about the lively room. Mostly lively because the pirates weren't cooped up on a ship anymore.

"Oh yeah! How is he doing that?" Luffy asked, not really asking Law, but the question was there nonetheless.

"Tracking my transponder snail's signal, probably..." Law trailed off in his thoughts, taking another sip of his scotch.

"Hey, hey Luffy!" Penguin hooked his arm around Luffy's shoulders. Law frowned at that."Don't let my grumpy old captain keep you from having fun, here have a drink and join us when grandpa lets you go."  

"What is that?" Luffy asked, looking at the brownish liquid in the cup Penguin had sat down.

"It's Brandy," Law interjected.

"Oh, I don't like booze," Luffy declared. Penguin stared at him a moment.

"Okay, then I'm just going to leave that there." Penguin sauntered off. Luffy tilted his head, looking down at the glass.

"You want it Torao?"

Well, Law couldn't let a good spirit go to waste. He finished off what was left of his scotch and took a sip from the Brandy. "Thanks.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Essentially," Law confirmed.

"Ah, okay, I'm gunna get some food, I'm starving!" Luffy took off, darting between the tables and people.

"Of course you are," Law said to no one but himself seeing as Luffy was gone. The night went on and Law drank, mostly by himself, he was joined later in the evening by Bepo. Zoro drank too, but Zoro was always drinking. Once Luffy had stated his hunger, he demanded Brook play something at the small piano in the corner of the bar, near the bartender. Of course, Brook complied with his captain's orders.

That sailor's shanty started an old one. Bink's Sake. As old as it was, and as young as they were, neither crew missed a beat. Luffy was the loudest of all. Singing off-key without a care in the world.

Zoro joined in, at the parts his drunken brain remembers. He slurred some of the words, but most of them were slurring words so that didn't matter.  When that song was over, Zoro found Luffy sitting in his lap. Whether or not Luffy put himself there, or Zoro had pulled Luffy into his lap, was not information Zoro was privy to.

Still, he held his arm around Luffy's waist and drank his booze while Luffy found some chopsticks. Which really meant one thing.

"Zoro, let me go!" Luffy squirmed around, pushing on Zoro's arm.

"No, mine," Zoro mumbled into Luffy's ear, hugging Luffy to his body.

"You're starting to stink like booze," Luffy said, pushing Zoro away as he leaned in to kiss Luffy. "I take that back, you already stink."  

Zoro sighed in defeat and relaxed his arm. "Alright fine." Luffy grinned and stood up. Luffy turned to Zoro and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I'll be back," Luffy assured, Luffy took the chopsticks, gathered a few more and ran off calling for Chopper and Usopp. The room broke out into laughter when the three climbed up onto some tables, dancing and singing very badly. Even the bartender was laughing his ass off at the idiots. Luffy only came back down from the table when Brook changed to a slower song. Law had made his way to the bar for another glass.

Luffy came running to the bar, knocking into Law. "Do you have orange juice?" Luffy asked.

"Plain orange juice?" The bartender asked. Luffy nodded. "Yeah, I'll get for ya."

"Strawhat-ya, watch what you were doing," Law grumbled.

"Huh?" Wow, Law was standing really close to Luffy.

"You ran into me," Law said.

"Oh, sorry!" Luffy smiled at him. That stupid fucking smile. Luffy really was an oblivious idiot.

"Whatever," Law muttered. The bartender set Law's drink down just out of Law's reach on Luffy side. Law leaned over Luffy to grab it. It was just Law's luck that someone happened to bump into him while he was doing that. Law fell against Luffy, pinning him between the surgeon and the bar. Law caught himself on the bar, arms outstretched on either side of Luffy.

"Torao?" Luffy muttered. Fuck, Law was really close now. Their noses were almost touching. Law took a step back.

"Sorry," Law muttered. Someone bumped into him again, shoving him into Luffy.  Law was pressed up against Luffy's body and wow that was too close, their noses were inches apart.

Zoro wasn't very far away. He noticed Law on top of Luffy. Zoro ignored it the first time, knowing Luffy would correct the situation. But then Law was still close and Luffy wasn't doing anything, or he tried and Law wasn't listening.

Zoro made his way over to them. "Trafalgar!" Zoro bellowed. The room fell silent. Law moved away from Luffy. Zoro didn't give him time to even think. Zoro took Law's shirt into his fists pulling the captain away from his captain. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Holy fuck- Roronoa-ya you must be wasted." Law turned his face away from Zoro's because he really did wreak of alcohol. That probably wasn't wise to say to an angry drunk.

"I'm not wasted enough to beat your ass!" Zoro barked.

"Hey! If you're gunna fight you'd better take your asses outside!" The bartender shouted over them.

"Over what? A fucking accident?" Law scoffed and tried to push Zoro's hands away. Zoro didn't budge.

"Oh, don't give me that shit, I've seen the way you look at him!" Zoro snapped, getting up in Law's face. Given the smell of Zoro's breath, Law really preferred if he didn't.

"I don't have damn clue what you're talking about," Law lied. Zoro pulled Law forward and shoved him back against the bar. Pain shot up Law's spine, fucking christ.

"Take it outside!" The bartender hollered, "I'll have the village guards here in less than five minutes!"

"You're lucky I the took my fucking sword." Zoro, let go of Law only to throw a punch that hit Law square in the nose. The whole bar broke into chaos. The Heart's crew started shouting, Sanji was making his way over.

"Hey!" Luffy shouted, over everyone, his concur's haki all but shook the building. It didn't faze Law or Zoro a bit. Law pushed Zoro back and Zoro stumbled into a table, knocking it, and all that it bared, onto the floor. Zoro charged at Law, and both of them went flying over the bar, almost into the bartender.

"That's it!" The bartender pulled a transponder snail from beneath the counter.

"Those are my friends!" Luffy snapped, grabbing at the snail.

"Luffy, let it be," Sanji grabbed Luffy's arm before he could stop the bartender. The guy made the call. Law punched Zoro in the eye. Zoro threw Law onto the bar. Punching him one, two, three times.

Law rolled to the other side and took a few steps back. Blood dripped from his nose. "That all you got Pirate Hunter!?" Law taunted. Zoro jumped over the bar and charged at Law again.

"Room." Law's room engulfed the bar and Zoro was traded in for a table. Zoro crashed directly into a wall.  

"Why'd you do that?" Luffy shouted at the bartender.

"Luffy, he's just doing his job, it's not his fault his bar is full of dumbasses," Nami said.

"He didn't have to go and call the guards, now they're both gunna get arrested!"

"Don't worry about it kid, bar fights happen all the time. They'll be held overnight and released in the morning if someone comes to get them," the bartender explained.

"Trafalgar, you low life bastard!" Zoro growled.

"If I'm a lowlife, what the hell does that make you?" Law retorted. Zoro threw a table at Law. It stopped mid-air and fell to the ground.

"Stop hiding behind your devil fruit you fucking coward!" Zoro yelled from across the from.

"Devil Fruit users, of course, entitled bastards," the bartender muttered. The bar door burst open and guards filled into the room.

"The dark-haired one's a devil fruit user," the bartender warned. One of the guards pulled out something that looked a lot like a gun.

"Hey!"Luffy shouted, marching over to the guards. "Don't you use that on my friend!"

"Luffy!" Nami yelled. "Sanji, stop him." Sanji jumped into Luffy's path. The guard shot the gun and a net fired out, engulfing Law. The room fell and objects clattered to the ground.

"What the fuck!" Law yelled. The other guards restrained Zoro.

"You can't just take them!" Luffy shouted. Sanji lifted Luffy onto his shoulder.

"You heard the bartender, it'll do 'em good to sit in a cell overnight," Sanji grumbled.

"That's our captain!" Shachi shouted, getting onto his feet to intervene. Jinbei stuck his arm out to stop him.

"You'll only make it worse," Jinbei said.

"Oi! Sanji!" Luffy pushed on Sanji, squirming to get away from him.

"Luffy! Cut it out!" Sanji snapped. "Let's get back to the ship, we'll get them in the morning."

"Hang in there Zoro!" Luffy called, outside the bar. The crews collected their weapons and went back out to the docs. The breeze was much gentler than earlier in the night and the fishing boats weren't so creeky. The Strawhats and Hearts parted to their respective ships and called it a night.

In the meantime. Zoro was cursing out Law.

"Shut up, you big, drunk idiot," Law muttered. He had had enough of Zoro's shouting and cursing to last a lifetime. The man really could curse like a sailor. It's not like the seastone shackles Law was in made the situation better.

Zoro fell silent, which came as a surprise to Law. Zoro was in the cell next to Law's. There would be no more fighting tonight. Zoro didn't say anything else to Law. And it wasn't very long until Law could heat Zoro snoring in the dark cell. There was no way Law was sleeping tonight. Law watched the soldiers come and go, he had drunk a fair bit last night and he could feel the headache settling between his temples. It wasn't until Law could see traces of the rising sun that sleep finally overcame him.

Zoro woke early, maybe. He wasn't sure. He could hear talking but the words were hard to focus on over the hangover he had. Zoro may have a high tolerance for booze, but he had greatly overestimated it last night and he had a blurry memory of whatever the hell had happened. He knew he got into a fight with Law, but he hadn't a clue what it was over, and had no idea where he was. A cell of some sort.

It was dark, only a window on the opposite end of the building. A window Zoro could only see as a result of an open door. There was also a desk Zoro could see, or part of one anyway. There were people speaking there, guards Zoro assumed.

"-Surgeon of Death-" the familiar name caught Zoro's attention but that's about all Zoro caught. Then, "-Strawhat Luffy-" Shit. If they knew who they were, that couldn't be good.

"Law," Zoro muttered. Just that made his head pulse. Still, Zoro moved closer to Law's cell. He was leaning against the wall of the building and the bars that separated their cells, asleep. Zoro grabbed Law's shoulder and gave it a shake. "Law."

"Hm?" Law mumbled, adjusting his hat and stretching out his legs.

"I think they know who we are now," Zoro said.

"What?"  

"The guard mentioned the name on your bounty, and Luffy's," Zoro explained.

"Shit," Law murmured. Zoro nodded, thought Law didn't see him. He had his back to Zoro.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Law replied, he shifted, sitting up a bit more. "I can't use my powers, and neither of us has our swords..." Law trailed off. Thinking.

They were screwed.

_

"Luffy, there are marines in the harbor," Robin said, she had just come down from the crow's nest.

"We'd better hurry and go get Zoro and Law then," Nami said.

"Oh yeah!" Luffy declared. Usopp gave him a skeptical look.

"How do you forget your boyfriend is in jail?" Usopp asked.

"Let's go get them!"

"Make sure to get Bepo before you go," Nami said. Luffy nodded and left the ship.  Luffy found the Polar Tang docked a little way down the docs from the Thousand Sunny. He banged on the door that led into the submarine.

"What the hell!?" Shachi answered the door looking tired and annoyed.

"I'm going to get Torao and Zoro," Luffy stated.

"Oh, shit," Shachi muttered. "Right, guess I'll go with you then." Shachi stepped out and closed the door.

"Nami said we should hurry since there's a Marine ship coming into the harbor," Luffy stated, already leaving the submarine.

"A Marine ship!?" Shachi's eye widened and his eyebrows rose.

"Uh-huh, let's go." Luffy and Shachi made their way to the guard's station. The little town was quiet, almost too quiet. No kids playing outside, very few people hustling between sales stands. It was the quietest Luffy had ever seen a port town. A few directions and turnarounds later, Shachi and Luffy found the guards station.

"Hello?" Luffy called as he walked in, Shachi right behind him. A guard came from another room, closing the door behind him. She wore the same long coat the guards were wearing last night, so the assumption wasn't a bad one.

"Can I help you?"

"We're here to get our friends," Luffy said.

"We're they arrested?" She asked.

"Yeah, those two dumbasses just drank a little too much last night and got into a fight," Sahchi spoke up before Luffy could. "We're not from here and we're supposed to be leaving the harbor in a few hours."

"They were arrested, that means they'll be stuck here, from the damage they caused at the bar, it'll be until they can pay it back."

"That's no-" Shachi elbowed Luffy's side.

"Money's not a problem Ma'am, how much?"

"They're bounties worth," the woman said with a smug grin. "And his."

"No way in hell!" Luffy snapped. "Where are they?"

"Luffy!" That was Zoro's voice, it came from the other side of the door. Luffy walked up to the guard that stood between him and the door.

"Get the hell outta my way," Luffy challenged.

"Hey, Strawhat, you wouldn't punch a woman-"

"If she doesn't get outta my way I will," Luffy snapped.

"You're not going anywhere, Monkey D. Luffy," the woman said. She pulled a gun from her coat. Luffy smirked.

"That won't work." She shot the gun and is burrowed into Luffy's arm. Stretching out his skin and ricocheting into the wall behind her.

"Devil Fruit user?" She asked. her cocky disposition fell and she took a step back. Luffy moved to step around her but she stopped him.

"That's my first mate you have in there, now move!" Luffy's demand was so intense, so demanding Shachi fought the urge to move from where he stood.

"Your tricks don't work on me, demon." She stuck her nose in the air and pulled that cocky demeanor back together. Luffy pushed past her.  She moved to attack Luffy.

Shachi hit the back of her neck, he may be without a bounty, but that doesn't mean he was someone to ignore. She dropped to the ground on her hands and knees, shit, he didn't hit her hard enough. Shachi did it again before she could get back up.

"Thanks," Luffy said, glancing back as he went on into the room.

"My captain's in there too," Shachi said.  He followed Luffy.

"Zoro!" Luffy called.

"Here, Luf," Zoro said from the cell. Luffy ran over to it.

"Are you okay?" Luffy asked. Zoro got to his feet and met Luffy at the door to his cell.

"Captain!" Shachi yelled, running into the room too. Zoro and Luffy ignored him.

"I'm fine, no thanks to you leaving me in a cell all night." Luffy stuck his hand through the bars and grabbed Zoro's.

"Nami said I'd make it worse!" Luffy argued.

"Uh-huh, just get me outta here."

"I guess we need keys for that."

"One step ahead of you," Law said, motioning to Shachi who was re-entering the room with a set of keys in hand. Zoro and Luffy were so focused on each other, the didn't even notice Shachi or Law. Shachi Unlocked Law's cell before tossing the keys to Luffy. Luffy let Zoro out and didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Zoro.  

"There are Marines in the harbor," Shachi told Law.

"In that case, we should get out of here, I'm too hungover to deal with Marines today," Law said. "Coming Strawhat-ya?"

"Yup!" Luffy chirped. He pressed a kiss to Zoro's cheek.

_

Luffy pouted as he watched the island get smaller and smaller on the horizon. Zoro slipped his arm around Luffy, making Luffy jump just a little bit.

"What's the matter?" Zoro asked he pushed Luffy's hat off and it hung around Luffy's neck. "Pouting 'cause you couldn't cause any problems?"

"I wanted to explore the island and I didn't get to!" Luffy leaned against the Sunny's railing and sighed. Eyes glued to the spec of an island.

"So cause problems?" Zoro asked he rested his chin on Luffy's shoulder.

"No! I just wanted to explore!" Luffy was almost whining and Zoro couldn't help but find it cute.

"Sorry for cutting our visit short," Zoro kissed Luffy's cheek. Luffy smiled and leaned into Zoro "What did me and Law even fight about?"

"I'm not sure, I think you were mad that he was really close to me," Luffy said.

"Hm." Zoro wrapped his arm all the way around Luffy and hugged him close. "Well, there's always the next island."

"I still wanted to explore that one," Luffy huffed.

"Even you can't always get what you want." Luffy turned his head to face Zoro. Luffy kissed him and Zoro tried not to smile into Luffy's lips.

"I will when I'm the Pirate King!" Luffy declared once they parted. Zoro squeezed Luffy in his arms a bit.

"We'll see about that."

[optimizche]

One And Only You (Park Jinyoung/Reader)

Clusterfuck.

That was the only way to describe how your day was going.

Allow you to list the reasons.

Firstly, you hadn't had more than a grand total of two hours of sleep last night, as a result of which, you were exhausted beyond belief. And the only thing that seemed to help was consuming coffee like your life depended on it.

Secondly, you had recieved your grades for your latest assignment. And you had failed. Miserably. Resulting in your professor summoning you to his office and personally giving you an earful about how you needed to up your grades or else you were going to end up failing the semester.

And thirdly, you had just realized that you had another report due. Tomorrow. And you had only managed to finish half of the first draft.

Stressed out of your mind for all the aforementioned reasons, you sat in the library, your head in your hands, your tired, bloodshot eyes staring at your laptop. Listlessly reading through the half draft you had managed to write up.

Come on, you encouraged yourself. You can do this.

There was one, solitary silver lining to your day: tonight you were going to have a night in with your roommate. Park Jinyoung.

Now, Jinyoung and you. You two shared an equation that was equal parts easy and complicated.

Sure, he was your roommate, and had been for the past six months. And you both were great friends. You never fought, cooked together, cleaned together, paid for the utilities together. It was a running joke among your mutual friend circle that you and Nyoung (your nickname for him), lived less like roommates and more like a married couple. That is how well the two of you got along.

Which led you to the more complicated part of your relationship with Jinyoung. The obvious and ever growing sexual tension between you two. It sprung out of nowhere, in even the most innocuous situations.

He'd be going laundry and you'd walk into the laundry room with a basket full of your own clothes, only to stop in your tracks and drool over how peachy his ass looked in his sweatpants as he bent over, loading the machine with clothes. Or when you'd be getting out of the bathroom, freshly showered, a towel wrapped around your body and you'd catch him pausing to gawk at you while you made your way to your room. Or when you both would be having one of your epic Netflix marathons and you'd turn to grab a handful of cheese popcorn from your shared bucket, only to find him looking at you. And then his gaze would flit to your lips for a second, before catching your eyes. And you'd find yourself doing the same, silently admiring how plump and rosy his lips looked and how they'd feel against yours...

Neither of you had acted upon your desires. Yet.

Perhaps neither of you wanted to ruin the friendship that you had with the other.

Or perhaps he wasn't as interested in you as you thought. Perhaps you were overthinking. Misreading the signs.

Whatever it was, your friendship with Park Jinyoung remained just that. A friendship. Nothing more, nothing less.

And for the time-being, you were perfectly okay with it.

Thinking about him so much prompted you to reach out into the pocket of your jeans and pull out your cellphone.

You quickly typed out a text for him.

You (14:09): Hey, Nyoung! I'll be back by 6. You want me to pick up some jajangmyeon for you on the way back?

You knew that the black bean noodles from the deli round the block were his favourite. He could never say no to them.

He replied right back, your phone buzzing as the notification popped up. And your lips turned up into a grin. Yep, he couldn't say no to some jajangmyeon.

But when you picked up your phone and began to read his actual message, your smile vanished.

Nyoung (14:10): About tonight... I'm so sorry, princess. I won't be able to make it. I've gotta go to Jaebum's. Group assignment to complete.

Your heart fell upon reading the text and your eyes began to fill up with frustrated tears as you stared at his words.

Granted, crying over a cancelled night in was an overreaction on your part. But considering how crappy your day had been going so far, you had really been looking forward to a chilled night at home with Jinyoung.

You swallowed the sudden lump in your throat and began to type out a reply to Jinyoung, but your phone buzzed with the reception of another text.

It wasn't from Jinyoung.

Mark (14:12): Don't look so glum, pretty girl!

Your head shot up and you found Mark, sitting two tables away from you, his eyes on you.

When your gaze found his, he smiled.

A wave of warmth filled you up and you began to type a response to him instead.

You (14:13): Its been a shitty day, M.

He replied immediately.

Mark (14:13): I know, babe. I know. Anything I can do to make you feel better?

You smiled at your phone, reading his words. Mark Tuan was a classmate of yours. And he had the infamous reputation of being a fuckboy. But despite his notoriety, you knew him to be a really, really nice guy. And the fact that he had noticed your sadness, even from two tables away in this deathly silent library, it meant that he cared for you on some level.

Another text came from him.

Mark (14:15): You free tonight? Maybe we could go out and grab some drinks?

You replied immediately, jumping at the opportunity for hanging out with someone who could distract you from your worries. Especially after Jinyoung had bailed out on you.

You (14:16): I'm in. Name the time and place.

Looking up, you saw Mark read your message, a grin spreading across his own lips.

Mark (14:17): Perfect! I'll meet you outside the uni main gate at 7?

You quickly replied in the affirmative, your heart swelling with happiness. Perhaps tonight wasn't going to be a waste after all.

You were just about to keep your phone aside and return to your assignment when your phone vibrated again.

This time it was Jinyoung.

Nyoung (14:18): I'm really sorry, princess. Reply to me, please? You want me to pick up some chocolate ice-cream from Ben and Jerry's for you when I get back? Maybe we could have a late night movie session?

You knew that Jinyoung was genuinely feeling bad and was trying to compensate for cancelling on your night. But you really couldn't help the frustration that had been bubbling up inside you ever since he texted you to cancel.

You (14:19): Don't bother. I'm going out with Mark.

Your reply to him was curt. Clipped.

That should do it, you thought. That will show him.

And sure enough your phone began to buzz as texts from him began to pour in successively. You knew Jinyoung did not like Mark. But you liked him well enough. And you weren't going to let Jinyoung's dislike for Mark ruin tonight for you.

No sir.

You quickly silenced your phone and shoved it back into your pocket.

Taking in a deep breath and another long sip of your iced coffee, you returned to your class work.

______________________

The day hadn't turned out to be as bad as you had been expecting.

By the time 7 pm rolled around, you had finished typing out your essay and emailed it to your professor for submission.

And when you met Mark at the uni gate, your night became instantly better.

Mark had brought along Jackson and Bambam. And your quartet had decided to paint the town red.

You accompanied the boys to their favourite bar, proceeding to get completely sloshed. It was a riot. Lots of laughter and jokes. And the drinks kept flowing. The four of you bought rounds upon rounds and you didn't even remember how many glasses of tequila pineapple rum punch you had drunk.

Losing track of time with the boys was easy. And when all of you finally boarded an Uber, wasted beyond belief, you glanced at the little clock on the cab's dash.

2:56 am.

"Holy shit," you mumbled to yourself before turning to the guys.

"Guys, can you drop me home?" you asked and they all groaned.

"Nooo, ___________," Jackson said, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. "Don't go yet! We've gotta go to that diner, remember? The waffles and burgers are to die for!"

While the idea of some good and greasy food, especially after drinking so much, felt tempting, you wanted to go home. To the comfort of your own bed.

"I'm sorry guys," you said, apologetically, leaning into Mark as the car took a turn around the corner. "I've gotta go..."

______________

It was around thirty minutes later that you finally reached home.

Turning the key in your front door lock, you opened it and entered, before quietly shutting the door behind you. You didn't want to wake Jinyoung.

You kicked off your heels. The balls of your feet were in pain after being in heels all night. Just as you turned to walk into the kitchen to grab a bottle of cold water, you heard a low voice.

"So. You're finally back," came Jinyoung's voice and you jumped in surprise.

You let out a starled squeak and turned around. "You scared me!" you said, placing a hand on your chest to steady your hammering heartbeat. "Why are to still up?"

He walked toward you and you noticed, in the dim light of the living room, that he was wearing only his sweatpants, that hung low on hips, and a deep frown set between his brows. He looked fucking delicious. But you pushed away that thought.

"I couldn't sleep. I was worried about you," he said.

You rolled your eyes at that. "I can take care of myself," you replied.

Side-stepping him, you were about to head into the kitchen for some water. But his hand around your wrist stopped you.

He whirled you around and pushed you against the nearest wall, eyes suddenly filled with an anger that you hadn't ever seen before.

"What the fuck, Nyoung?"

"That's what you wore tonight?" he asked, voice dropping an octave as he eyed your tight, low-necked top. "Were you trying to impress Mark? Lure him into your bed?"

You didn't know where this sudden possessiveness was coming from. And in your drunken state, your defiance rose tenfold.

"So what if I was?" you replied spitefully. "You didn't want to spend time with me. I'm not going to sit at home waiting for you. You're not my boyfrien-"

You were never able to finish your tirade because his lips came crashing down upon yours, silencing you effectively.

The pressure of his lips upon yours was fierce and possessive. And when his tongue coaxed your lips apart to lick into your mouth, you could taste vodka on him.

He was drunk too.

Your hands threaded into his hair and you pulled him to yourself your mind screaming at you all the while.

It is happening,the voice inside your head roared in triumph. It was finally happening.

Eager to give as much as you got, you kissed him back, reciprocating his ardour. Tongue lashing against his, lips moving together with his, teeth biting down on his plush bottom lip.

When it became absolutely necessary to breathe, you broke away from him and he seized the opportunity to grasp your head by the roots, tilting your head back to press open-mouthed kisses into your exposed neck.

You clung to his shoulders, your knees weakening steadily.

"Fucking hell... I need you..." Jinyoung groaned against your skin.

"My bed?" you asked, and he nodded, grasping your hand and pulling you along.

Once you were in your bedroom, you both turned to each other, hands frantically working to undress the other between kisses.

He practically tore away your clothes, an urgency in his motions that mimicked your own.

Once you both were finally bare before each other, Jinyoung pushed you down on your bed, where you landed with a huff.

He ran a hand through his hair, eyes hungrily raking over your body. Appraising you.

"How are you so beautiful, princess?" he said, crawling up the length of your body, settling on his knees between your legs.

"You're not quite bad yourself, Mr. Park," you replied, eyeing his broad shoulders. His strong arms. His sculpted abs. His muscular thighs. And his-

Oh god, he was magnificent.

Between his legs, his length stood erect, rigid with arousal. Tip flushed a deep red, oozing precum.

Raising a hand, you took him into your palm, stroking him leisurely. All the way from base to tip.

"Princess..." he groaned, teeth biting on his lip. "Don't. I want to be inside you."

You knew exactly what he felt. Because you felt it too. Your need for him was apparent in the wetness soaking you, dripping onto the sheets beneath you.

Both of you had wanted this for so long that right now, you just wanted to get to it.

Languid explorations of each other's bodies could wait.

Right now, you just needed each other.

"Fuck me, Jinyoung," you said to him, spreading your legs on either side of his hips. Showing him how turned on you were for him. How wet you were for him.

Wasting no time, he delved in with two fingers, making you hiss in delight while he explored you. He was testing you, seeing if you were indeed prepared to receive him.

Whether it was the effect of the alcohol, or the effect of him, or both, you were drenched. And his fingers slid into you with minimal resistance, your slickness granting him an almost effortess access while he breached you with two fingers.

"Jinyoung," you whined, unable to keep your restlessness reined in. While his fingers felt good inside you, it was his cock you were after. "Get inside me. Now."

He chuckled at the needy inflection of your voice, but withdrew his fingers immediately. He didn't want to tease you very much right now either, wanting to be inside you as well.

With one hand, he grasped the base of his length, aligning himself with you, his other hand holding you in place, resting on your hip.

When he sank into you, you both let out an wordless sound of absolute relief. After pining for each other for months, here you were, finally one.

There was the slightest sliver of pain, while your walls became accustomed to his size, but by the time he completely bottomed out, you were in heaven.

"Fuck..." you breathed, letting your head fall back onto your pillow. The feeling of him, hot and throbbing, nestled snugly within your sheath, it was already too much. "Move, Nyoung..."

He let out an airy laugh, and began to chastise you condescendingly. "Patience is a virtue, princess-ah!"

You never allowed him to finish his sentence, clenching hard around him, causing him to choke on his words.

"So that's how you want to play, you brat?" he asked you, withdrawing from you, almost all the way until the tip. Before surging back in.

"Yes..." you moaned, when his hips snapped into yours, a sudden burst of pleasure erupting within you.

Jinyoung had a dark, determined look on his face and he did seized your wrists, pinning them down on either side of your head while he hovered above you, his thrusts rough and deep. Hitting all the right places within you.

"Yes, just like that!" you cried in pleasure, relishing in the vigorous friction that his cock created against your velvety walls with every thrust.

Your walls sucked at his girth with an eagerness that made his breath hitch. "Shit, princess. You're so tight. Fuck."

The sounds of wet flesh slapping and smacking on each other filled the room, accompanied by your moans and his groans.

He could feel his restraint slipping away with the way you clenched around him and with a deep growl, he released your wrists, falling atop you.

"I won't be able to last long," he groaned into your neck, burying his face into your hair. "Tell me you're close, princess."

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, nails digging into his skin. "I am. I am," you sighed.

It took a total of four more thrusts for him to finish, and he shot his load inside you, moaning your name over and over again.

The moment his sticky, hot seed spilled within you, you felt yourself let go as well, your walls spasming around him, milking him for every last drop he could give.

For a long while, you both laid there, intertwined in each other's arms, thinking about what you had just done. Panting. Gasping.

Eventually, he pulled away from you, lying down beside you.

His eyes never left your face.

"Do you regret it?" he asked.

You shook your head, reaching out to cup his cheek. "I've wanted this for so long."

He grinned widely upon hearing your admission. "Me too."

Leaning in, you pressed your lips against his for a chaste kiss, before pulling away. "I'm tired."

He smiled fondly, stroking your sweat-dampened hair away from your face.

"Go to sleep, princess," he whispered. "When you wake up tomorrow, I'm not going to let you leave this bed. I'm going to take my time with you."

You placed a kiss on his cheek as an affirmation. There was no other place you wanted to be.

[paradisobound]

I Want It, I Got It: Chapter 22

Summary: Phil Lester was a worker for the BBC in London. Working in the advertising department, he was content being alongside his friend and fellow coworker PJ during every shift. However, the BBC is temporarily being used as a film set for a new movie staring Hollywood ‘It’ star, Daniel Howell. Being stuck as an extra on the set, Phil finds it’s hard to ignore the famous star. And maybe, just maybe, Dan finds it hard to ignore Phil as well.

Word Count: 3.4k (this chapter)

Warnings: Occasional swearing 

Rating: Explicit

Updates will be every Sunday around 1pm EST

**MASTERLIST | READ ON AO3 | WATTPAD**

A/N: I’m heading off to see Endgame so you get the chapter 3 hours early! :) 

Phil didn’t know what sadness truly was until he was walking through London Heathrow airport with his tail between his legs and his bag on his shoulders, dried tears on his cheeks. 

It had been the saddest goodbye he’d ever had to give someone and frankly, he used to say that was definitely when he had left his parent’s home to go to Uni in Manchester. 

But he’s hurting and he feels like he left a bit of his heart in Los Angeles with Dan. And as he steps foot into his flat, jet lag kicking his ass, he cries harder than he allowed himself to in LAX after leaving Dan behind. 

He feels a bit ashamed about it. He feels like he shouldn’t be crying over leaving Dan in Los Angeles because Dan found out the night before he’ll be in London in a few weeks time for a movie premiere. But as Phil thinks about the way Dan cried at the airport as he said one last goodbye in the car outside, he cries that much harder. 

He’s supposed to go pick up Spike from PJ but he feels lousy and like he needs a day to recuperate. But he also knows that PJ is going to want to hear about Dan and LA and he’s not quite sure if he wants to speak about that yet. 

When the last of his tears stop and he texts Dan to tell him he made it back okay, he takes a cool shower to wash off the stench of airplane and then gets dressed and heads out to the nearest tube station to go to PJ’s. 

PJ answers the door when he gets there and Spike is immediately attacking Phil’s legs, trying to get his attention. Phil didn’t realize how much he missed his energetic pup until he was picking him up and cuddling him against his chest as he squirmed. 

“How was he?” Phil asked, running his hand through Spike’s fur. 

“He was great!” PJ said, opening the door wider so Phil could walk inside of his flat. “Only destroyed one slipper but I got it from Poundland so no harm done.” 

Phil let out a snort and let his pup back down on the floor so he could continue to sniff and run around Phil’s legs. 

“Do you want any food or a drink?” PJ asks, moving quickly towards the kitchen. “No offense mate but you look a bit sickly.” 

Phil shook his head and followed PJ to the counter where he sat on one of the stools. PJ passed him a glass of water and Phil picked it up, taking a long sip of it, not realizing how dehydrated he felt. “I’m pretty jet lagged if I’m being honest.” Phil answers finally. “These time zones are kicking my ass.” 

“How was Dan?” PJ asks, seemingly out of the blue. Phil doesn’t know why it catches him off guard but it does. 

“He’s fine.” Phil says. “I mean, he had a few things he had to go to that I went with him to but other than that, we mostly just stayed in.” 

“Any saucy details?” 

Phil looks up from his glass of water and sees the way PJ is smirking at him. Phil feels his face flush as he thinks about the night before―was it the night before? Time zones are confusing…where he and Dan shared such intimate moments together. His stomach tingled at the thought of having sex with Dan and how glorious it had felt. And they had sex twice. The first time and then another time later that night before they went to sleep. Phil was honestly never forget the sight of Dan coming undone above him as he rode him so well. 

“I’m not getting into them.” 

“No?” PJ picks. “Didn’t go dancing in the sheets?” 

Phil blushed and hid his face as he laughed nervously. “Peej!” He cried. “I’m not talking about my sex life.” 

“Oh!” PJ exclaimed, poking a finger into Phil’s arm. “So there IS a sex life to be spoken about! How was it? Did you both…rock each others worlds?” 

Phil groaned and put his hands back down as he cocked his eyebrow at PJ and shook his head. “I’m not saying.” 

“But you’re blushing!” 

“Maybe so.” 

PJ gave him an all knowing smile and then rested against the counter on his elbows. “I talked with Louise a bit and she was saying how she has some new projects for us to work on when you return back to work.” 

“Like what?” 

PJ swatted his hand in the air. “I don’t know…probably some bloody useless thing that Louise is too lazy to do herself.” 

Phil groaned again. He wasn’t fully in the mood to go back to work and he wasn’t fully in the mood to deal with anything Louise was going to throw his way. Especially when he’s been struggling a bit with thinking about the BBC in context with his future ever since he had that conversation with Dan. In fact, it’s been gnawing at him a bit. 

“I really am not ready to go back.” 

“When is your first day?” 

“Tomorrow.” Phil answers. “Louise only gave me a week, including traveling. I didn’t get a lot of time.” 

“That sucks mate.” PJ says. “Suppose I shouldn’t keep you then so you can go back to your flat and relax for the evening.” 

Phil nodded, standing up and pulling down his sweatshirt that had come as he sat. He bent down and picked up Spike in his arms before walking with PJ to grab Spike’s things and put the backpack onto his back. 

Phil took the tube back to his flat and as soon as he walked inside and let Spike go, he clambered over to his couch and laid down, shutting his eyes and falling nearly immediately to sleep. 

***

Jet lag fucked Phil over. 

It fucked Phil over because it was currently 3am and he was sitting wide awake with a mug of coffee in his hand as he scrolled through his social media on his laptop. He’d taken about a six hour snooze that afternoon and was paying the price now as he struggled to fall back asleep. He pretty much gave up a half an hour ago and resided to just staying up. 

He’d tried texting Dan but he knew he wasn’t going to answer because Dan was currently flying out to New York for the next few days to film one final scene for his movie before it goes into post-production. 

So Dan was honestly probably on a plane somewhere else and he wouldn’t get to talk to him until tomorrow. 

Fuck, he missed Dan so damn much. 

His eyes well up a bit again and he wills for himself to not cry. He’s done enough of that. He’ll be seeing Dan soon. He has to keep reminding himself of that. Dan will be back in London in just a few weeks and they’ll be here, in Phil’s flat. It’ll be okay. 

He sets down his mug of coffee on his night stand and lays back down in his bed, shutting his laptop screen. He closes his eyes and tries to get himself to maybe get a few more hours. 

They don’t ever come before his alarm goes off at seven but he still wished he could have. 

He dresses and leaves his flat, giving Spike plenty of hugs and kisses and belly rubs on the way out to make up for not being around much. He manages to get himself onto the tube and then get to the BBC without anything major happening. 

He gets let into the building and then on the way up to his office, he finds himself the be the product of stares and even a few glares. He shakes them off and tries to ignore them as he makes his way to his office. 

Phil takes a seat and digs out his laptop and his little keychain that he bought for Darcy and sets them on his desk. When he looks back up, PJ is looking at him with an intense stare that doesn’t quite compute with the same warm greeting he had gotten yesterday at PJ’s flat. 

To say he’s confused is an understatement. 

“Why is everyone staring at me today?” Phil finds himself grumbling. “I don’t understand.” 

“Have you not seen literally all of the stories on social media?” PJ asks, his voice a bit higher in octave. 

Phil shakes his head. He honestly hasn’t posted much on social media, nor has he been on it. The last he posted was to say he was posting a new video this week. 

“Mate, your pictures with Dan are literally slapped all over Twitter. Even the tabloids that are hitting the shelves have you as their cover photo.” 

“Excuse me?” Phil asks, feeling his stomach twist and knot within him. 

He immediately pries open the top of his laptop and opens up Safari. He googles Dan’s name and immediately is bombarded with 50+ search results for stories all about him and Dan’s day out in LA…one of the tabloids even got a photo of them eating alone, in private. 

“You look pretty cosy with Dan.” PJ says. 

“What about it?” Phil asks, feeling his voice rise a bit in tension. 

“Nothing, really but are you and Dan dating?” 

Phil felt his skin heat up and his face flush a bit in a mix of anger and also anxiety. “Yes.” He says, his voice wavering a bit. “Dan’s my boyfriend.” 

“Is this just recently or…?” 

“PJ, you know this this. Dan and I just got together when I was in LA.” Phil says, his voice laced with some disbelief. He didn’t even know where this was coming from. “These pictures, PJ, were taken without Dan and I’s permission. They were taken by some low-life paparazzi’s who want to sell their photos of famous people to tabloids to make money.” 

Pj threw his hands up and sat back in his chair. “I don’t want you to get angry.” PJ began. “I just simply wanted to know―friend to friend.” 

Phil felt his blood cool down a bit as he relaxed back into his own seat and let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry, PJ. That wasn’t fair to snap at you…it’s just, now that I’m beginning to see what Dan goes through each day, it’s hard to not get defensive when something like this happens.” 

“I know.” PJ says. “I also didn’t mean to suddenly get defensive either. I know it’s not my place to know about you and Dan. I honestly just think I’m still a bit shocked at the entire thing if I’m being honest.” 

Phil let out an incredulous laugh. “It is all a bit mental when you think about it. Like who have thought last year at this time that looking forward, I’d be dating the world famous Daniel Howell.” 

“It’s right crazy.” PJ says. “But, as long as you’re happy, I’ll be happy.” 

“I’m happy, Peej.” Phil adds. “Dan has to come to London in a few weeks for a premiere that he needs to attend. Maybe we can arrange a time for you to come over to my flat and properly meet him? I think you’ll really get along well with him.” 

PJ smiles at him and nods. “I’m sure Sophie will be excited for that.” 

Phil forgot how much Sophie fangirled over Dan. 

Just as he opens his mouth to speak something more about it, the door to Louise’s office opens and Phil looks up just in time to see her poke her blonde hair outside of the frame. “Ligouri and Lester, come to my office so we can discuss your next projects!” 

Phil gives a glance to PJ who gives one back and Phil stands up, picking up his laptop and the key chain before he follows PJ to Louise office and they shut the door behind them. 

***

“New York is cool and all but it’s cold and a bit damp and I really want to be back in the sun.” 

Phil chuckles as he reads Dan’s text out loud to himself. 

Phil: You’ll never make it in London 

Phil types back his message and then locks his phone and sets it beside him on the couch. Spike was at his feet, gnawing on a play bone that Phil had gotten him in consolation of leaving him for so long. Phil was supposed to be working on his new project that Louise had given him and PJ. But he honestly felt like he couldn’t be bothered and he didn’t know whether or not that a good thing at the moment. 

He was busy working on editing his video when his mum called and asked about LA so he told her all about it. And then his brother called right after and he got sidetracked when Dan texted just now. 

He had promised his subscribers that he would get out a new video this week with someone special and they already figured out it was Dan and now they’re even more excited for the video. So the pressure on him right now was pretty great. 

But he honestly forgets all of that when Dan texts him and it’s like he placed back into an alternate reality. 

Dan: guess well just have to live in LA then :(

Dan: you’re also forgetting that i used to live in wokingham lol 

Dan: i just like the sun of LA

Phil’s heart picked up speed. Did Dan just reference them living together? He felt a bit foolish, getting his hopes up so high when they’ve barely been together. He already can feel that Dan is his person but that still doesn’t help the anxieties that plague his mind. 

Phil: Don’t want to move to London and live with the queen? 

Dan: Move to LA and you’ll be with trump? 

Dan: fuck nevermind lol ill move to London 

Phil lets out a snort and rolls onto his side on the couch, Spike’s head picking up a bit as he looked at Phil to see what he was doing. He did feel a bit restless. The jet lag was still sitting heavy behind his eyes. Maybe he’d take Spike to the park. 

Phil looked down at his pup, who was now rolled onto his back. He bent forward and rubbed Spike’s belly, causing Spike to jerk and look at him. “Want to go to park?” 

Spike immediately rolled over and stood up, prancing. Phil chuckled and got up, pushing his phone in his pocket long enough to walk to the closet and grab Spike’s lead. 

He bent down and hooked it on him before grabbing the necessary items like a doggy bag and stuffing them into his pocket. He walked out the door with Spike practically dragging him and headed down the street to the park. 

He continued to text Dan the entire way, only stopping when Spike nearly pulled him into a light pole. When they got to the park, Phil found an empty bench near an open area of grass, currently unoccupied and let Spike off from his lead to run around a bit. Spike never went far, and if he did, a simple call of his name always brought him back to Phil. 

Phil watched his carefully and eyed the people around him. He didn’t know why, but he had an uneasy feeling creeping under his skin. He couldn’t quite place in his mind where it was coming from, but the instinct to look behind him overcame his thoughts and he turned his head, only to see no one even around him besides a young couple and their child, walking down the dirt path. 

He let himself relax as he enjoyed the slight breeze in the air as Spike eventually ran his energy out and he was back at Phil’s feet, huffing and puffing and whining for a treat. Phil reached in his pocket and pulled one out, sneaking it to Spike. “You’re a good boy, but I need to stop giving you so many treats.” 

He ruffled Spike’s fur a bit before re-hooking his lead and getting up from the bench. They walked towards the exit of the park and Phil was just deciding he might take Spike to the new pet-friendly cafe just a few blocks away when he heard it. 

The click. 

He thought he was imagining it at first, his anxiety getting the better of him. But then there was another…and another…and suddenly, he turned around and there was something with a camera, crouched down at the ground, taking photos of him. 

Phil panicked. What does he do? Does he say something? This has to be just a paparazzi? 

“Phil Lester!” The man called out, lowering his camera. “Do you mind telling me where Daniel Howell is?” 

Phil quickly shook his head. “No. I―.” 

“Are you and Daniel Howell dating?” 

Phil bent down, picked up Spike in his arms, and ran. He doesn’t know how far he ran or where he even went, he just did. And he eventually landed way farther than he had intended with his flat on the complete other side of the park. 

He let down Spike, but not before taking a few deep breaths into his fur to calm him down. He still doesn’t know what that was. He doesn’t even know what to do. He feels his chest tighten and he wills himself to stay clam. 

It was just paparazzi. It was just paparazzi. 

He finds himself reaching into his pocket and calling his mum as he takes Spike’s lead in his hand and starts walking him in the correct direction. 

“Child!” His mum said. “What’s going on?” 

“Mum, a paparazzi just took photos of me and Spike at the park and he started asking me questions and I didn’t know what I could do so I ran and I don’t even quite know where I am all that I know is…” 

“Phil, honey, calm down. Please take a breath!” His mum soothed. “What was the paparazzi asking?” 

“They were asking about me and Dan.” 

“And did you say anything?” 

Phil shook his head. “No. I panicked and I just said no to their first question and ran off.” 

“I told you we should look into getting someone, Phil. Someone who can help you out.” 

“Mum,” Phil finds himself saying. “I don’t think getting someone like that is going to help. I’m not even sure what that was that just happened.” 

“It was a paparazzi trying to get into yours and Dan’s business, sweetheart.” 

Phil felt his heart de-flat because he knew that. He wasn’t stupid. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t bother him or it shouldn’t bother him. 

“But what do I do?” 

His mum sighed on the other end. “Sweetie, I’m not sure I have the answer for that question.” She said gently. “Why don’t you talk with Dan about it?” 

Phil sighed. “I don’t know if Dan is who I should be talking to about this.” 

“Well, it’s his lifestyle that you’re getting mixed up in, Philip.” 

Phil bit his lip. He didn’t want to get into this right now. He called for advice and a little bit of coddling and he wasn’t ready to get a full conversation handed to him about “Dan’s life”. 

“I don’t want to get into this right now.” 

“I know, but I don’t want you hurt, Phil. I really don’t.” 

“I know, mum.” 

He finds himself already at the door of his flat and he sighs in relief as he fishes his keys out of his pocket and pushes himself inside. 

He let’s Spike in the flat first and let’s the little pup fly through the flat towards his food and water dishes in the kitchen. He says a quick goodbye to his mum with a promise to call her later and then feels himself fall onto the couch. 

Maybe watching some TV for a little bit will help him out? 

He reaches for the remote to this TV, which he doesn’t use that often, and turns it on, flipping through the channels. He’s about ready to press the Netflix button on his remote when a finds himself on some entertainment news station that he’s never paid any attention to before. 

But his mouth drops open and he feels like he’s going to vomit as he watches him and Dan walking together in The Grove on his very screen in front of him. It was when they were walking from the restaurant to the little place where they ate their food. And as if Phil couldn’t feel sick enough, the headline on the bottom read: 

“Daniel Howell SPOTTED with His New Beau in Los Angeles!” 

[prosaicswirl]

Day 13 of @short-story-slam! Only one more day left??!? Anyways, today, I go back to my fluff romance roots, with this oneshot, and... yea wow, I’m a little outta practice, huh? This is a teen romance (kinda, you’ll see) that mainly deals with being oblivious to the kinda obvious flirting and the confession afterwards. (~1.7k words)

Warnings: Pining (Kinda mutual? not really?), Unresolved ending.

“Hey! Hey, do you need help? Can you get out by yourself?”

There was no response, and there was no attempt to reach for the flutter board I threw to him.

“Hey, Dana, I need you to stay here, I’m going in!”

I jumped in, grimacing at the cold water before making it to where he was thrashing around. The rescue tube was behind me, though a quick tug on the string brought it to my front, and I swam beside him, making sure to wrap the tube around him as I did.

“Hey, try to stay still, I’m here to help,” I was breathing hard, but at least with him in the tube, I wasn’t directly carrying his fat ass. As I started to swim back to the exit point, I had to go through the mandatory questions. “What happened?”

“Aw, shucks, ma’am,” he chuckled, enjoying the easy ride. He even dared turn and stick his tongue out at me. “I’m afraid I’m just real dumb. I don’t know how to swim, but gosh darn, when my brother told me to jump in on this side, I did it!”

I have a harsher tug as I reached the wall, and enjoyed watching him get jostled a little. “Can you get out by yourself? Or do you need—”

“I think I’m gonna need some help, I’m still a little shocked as to how everything happened, you know?”

With the most withering glare I could manage, I had Dana come and pin down his arms while I climbed out, and all but rolled away from the edge before going back to help. We were both smaller than him, but we managed. It didn’t help that Revan was giggling the entire time as we struggled with him. Whoever thought it would be to put Revan and Dana in the same group was an idiot. Still, we had a recert to finish.

“Alright, Group Five is done!”

I walked on numb legs over to where our examiner was waiting.

“Overall,” she looked down at her notes, flipping through a few pages, “it was very well done. The only thing I would ask you guys to fix was the time between the first guard entering the water and getting him out. BUT I know—” Too late, both Dana and I were glaring at Revan, who must’ve planned this all along considering how much he was laughing – “the size difference played a difference between both of you. Still, there will be guys heavier than Revan, and you and Dana are often shifted together.”

“Alright, thanks,” I managed to say, and we walked off.

“I don’t weight that much, do I?” Revan kept in pace with me, leaning down with those sparkling eyes that too often that not promised mischief. “C’mon, I’ve been working out!”

“I realized when you didn’t float.” My flat voice caused another giggling fit from him, and I just shoved him into the nearest pool, getting one of the lifeguards from the next group to whistle and tell me off.

Eventually, after I had enough of chasing him around with a pool noodle, and the current guards were tired of telling us to clam down, I finally managed to snag the hippo mat and was seated quite comfortably. Revan was making it up to me and towing the mat around the pool as we watched the next situation.

“I haven’t seen you in forever,” he said, breaking the silence as we judged the new guards.

I turned to see his elbows on my mat, and I slowly raised my eyebrows, causing him to slide off again with a small smile. “It’s not like I told you to ditch the Friday shift.” I laid down on the mat so we were at the same eye-level.

“I know, but I needed a supervisor shift, and you have a pretty tight hold on the Friday one.”

“Oh, come on, you don’t want me to supervise?”

“I’d rather you be in the water with me.”

And that dame sparkle should’ve given it away, but it didn’t process in my mind. With a few mighty kicks, he over turned the mat, and wrapped his arms around me. Between the two of us, my lighter skin stood out against his much darker brown, which, really, made the rescue a little easier.

It was just like Revan not to tell me that we were supposed to be a victim pair pull a stunt like that. Still, I trusted him, so no harm done.

“Need a ride home?” he asked.

“Nope, I drove today as well. I came here straight from school.”

“Oh?” he paused halfway through pulling his shirt on so they stayed stretched out, but not blocking his chest. “Was it school, or school?”

“I broke up with him,” I shrugged, and watched him as he let go too early of his hsirt and get his head and arms lost in the shirt. He gave a muffled plea for help, but I took my time tying my shoelaces first.

“God,” he stumbled against the lockers, and ended up leaning there to get his shoes on. “I thought things were going on fine?”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “But he’s been getting super clingy recently since it’s our last month at school before uni. He already calls everyday, and even though I told him I’m not ok with it, he keeps insisting, and I just got tired and snapped.”

I sat on the bench while he got the last of his things ready. “Well, you wanna talk more?”

“Online?” I raised a brow. “I assumed you’d be going to the gym or something.”

“Nah, let’s play some games. I’m tired,” I glared at him and he shot back a smile. “Plus, you can fit my bike in your car.”

By the time we actually left the office, him having to stay behind to lock up, the stars were already out, though slightly diminished by the street lamps in the parking lot. There was a cool breeze, and I watched the leaves start to fall, causing me to shiver.

“Cold?” he teased.

“Never.” Still, he wrapped one arm around me and led his bike to the trunk. And all the way, he kept it there, until he physically couldn’t anymore.

Once we were in, there was the ceremonial period of silence, where the first one with their phones out got to connect to the Bluetooth. “Mine today,” he murmured, setting his phone in the cup holder and taking mine out of my hand.

I stuck my tongue out at him, just earning that smile of his again. “You’re the worst.

“Nah, you still love me anyways.”

“Keep this up, and I might not…”

“Maybe.” For someone who asked about it, he sure didn’t seem keen on quizzing me about my ex.

Turns out, he had something else in mind, but waited until I was in front of his house before saying anything. “Look, I’m happy you left him. You two didn’t seem like a good match. Everyone at the pool said it too.”

“Yeah, I see it now,” I scoffed, reaching for my phone. He stopped my hand thought, holding onto my wrist. “Revan, it’s late and I want to go home.”

“I know, but…” he swallowed before even looking me in the eye. “I like you, and I think I’d be a better match.”

We both just stared at each other. I didn’t know what to say, and he was waiting for an answer.

“Maybe.”

His brows dipped and wrinkles appeared on his forehead. “Maybe?”

“We make good friends…” I twisted my hand so our fingers were laced together.

“Yes…”

“We work together…”

“Yes…”

“We’re even going to the same school this fall…”

“I know.”

“But you’ve never been in a relationship before…”

“No…”

“So you have no experience…”

“No…”

“And we aren’t perfect together…”

“We aren’t?”

I ignored that. “So, overall, a maybe.”

He blinked once… twice. “I’ll take that for now then. Hope to catch you online.” He then stepped out and onto the sidewalk.

“Hold on,” why does this sound so cliché? He looked so hopeful, but… but I couldn’t… “Your bike.”

“Right.”

I started lifting up the trunk, and he stood behind me, purposefully taking the bike out in a way that would keep me there. Funny. The first time we did this, I remember him struggling with the bike and the sheer distance he had to lift it. That had changed this past year though, and… Huh.

“Did you start going to the gym to impress me?” I sat on the edge of the trunk, and he stayed in front of me.

“Well, I was pretty unhealthy, but I guess you were a big motivation for me, even when I got super tired of it.”

“The supervising shift on Friday…”

“I technically had seniority, and I knew it was a toss-up between you and me, so I chose to be taken off so there’d be no conflict. Either way, one of us was going to get Friday and the other, Saturday. I just know you prefer Sundays.”

“And that night?”

The night where we sat on the swing set until three in the morning just because he called me and I happened to be crying. I still remember the unfamiliar sweater on my shoulders, carrying that familiar scent. And the sound of shoes on gravel, oh how thankful I was that they covered up my sniffling. Then, when I was finally done and better, I remember how warm his hands were when they led me home.

“I’m sorry for your loss. I know you loved your grandmother, and I just needed to be there for you.”

“Does that tilt the answer towards yes?” I asked, reaching for his hand. He gladly gave it to me so I could sap his warmth again.

“Only if you say so. I don’t mind, you know? I’m happy being your friend, and I’d be happy as your boyfriend. My happiness is on you being in my life, not our relationship status.”

I pressed my lips against his knuckles and let go.

“Let’s go for lunch tomorrow. I still owe you a pizza from last time,” I offered. He smiled and nodded. Then he left. 

[5saucefanfic]

Rookie of the Year: 7 - L.H

Super late. Kinda short, but it’s here. I promise the next one won’t take that long. I’ve already started working on it. This series will end at part 10 though. Be prepared.

“Luke stop,” she said giggling trying to push the large man off her as he nuzzled his face into her neck, beard scratching at her skin lightly as she giggled louder with his arms snaking around her waist, Calum groaning from the other side of the room, perched at his desk turning the music up louder through his headphones drowning them out as he tried to finish an assignment due the next morning, only to have her giggles exceed how high he was willing to turn up the volume. He wouldn’t mind usually, except lately they’d been getting more handsy with each passing day and it was obvious what both wanted, even if they wouldn’t act on it.

“Can you two just fuck already?” The sexual tension is out of this fuckin world” he groaned looking over at them as the two blushed looking back at their Maori friend, Luke’s hands under his girlfriend’s shirt holding onto her bare skin. “You know what? I’m just gonna go to my girlfriends. Have a nice night. Make sure to use a condom.”

“Cal, I’m sorry,” Luke said letting out a small laugh, a little grunt leaving his lips when she ran her fingers through his hair scratching at his scalp, eyes involuntarily fluttering closed. It was easily one of his favorite things, being perched between her legs, head on her chest as she played with his hair, the two talking about nothing and everything all at once. He was easily head over heels for her, ready to let the “L” word slip from his lips, and he couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Uh huh. I’ll see you two tomorrow,” he mumbled as he quickly packed a bag, eyes never returning towards them again as the two shared secret looks trying not to let giggles slip from their lips. She giggled slightly after he finally left the room before looking down at the mop of curls that just seemed to be making himself comfortable resting on her boobs, fingers dancing their way under her shirt once again, trailing along her skin softly leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“So, what’s the plan with Nick in the morning?” she asked softly pushing the curls away from his face before pressing a kiss to the top of his head inhaling the scent that was just all Luke.

It was the topic of discussion at dinner after Jack had asked about her family, only giving them the brief version of why it was just her and Nicky. She wanted to keep the dinner positive and not play the sympathy card, quickly turning it around asking their advice as to how to stand up to her brother so she can happily date Luke without getting him kicked off the baseball team. Jack had been the most helpful, apparently having gone through a similar thing with his girlfriend, Celest, who had gotten into a tiff with her own brother about dating his best friend.

“Maybe take a breakfast trip down to the diner near the condo,” he said shrugging slightly, hand rubbing her side in slow circles as she relaxed more into his touch. “Or we just corner him in the apartment and just kinda say ‘fuck you’.”

“Oh, yes. Let’s just tell my brother to go fuck himself,” she said rolling her eyes slightly as he pushed himself off her chest to get a better look at her. “I want him to be okay with it. Not hate you in the process. But I don’t wanna drag this out. You know? I just wanna tell him what I’m doing and that I’m gonna do it with or without his approval.”

“He can hate me if he wants to. Just knowing that my family loves my girl and that you’re all mine is what makes me happy,” he said softly rubbing her cheek. “I know this is important to you.” she nodded slightly looking up at him before leaning up pressing her lips against his softly, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he kissed her back just as soft.

It wasn’t a secret between the two that he wasn’t as pure as she was, having overheard a conversation the boys were having in Ashton’s living room as she was making her way back to Ashton’s room after a shower one day after she left the condo. He’d had a few kinky flings the summer before he was shipped to LA, basking in the glory of being the popular boy from his hometown that was on the road to going pro.

His first semester in uni hadn’t been much different, girls coming up to him left and right wanting to know just how good the new freshman really was.

And then he met her, or so he says. But she willed herself to stop listening when the questions turned too raunchy for her virgin ears.

She tangled her fingers in his curls, lips wedging his open slightly so she could slip her tongue into his mouth, rubbing the muscles together slowly causing a slow moan to leave him as he adjusted the way he was leaning over her, body sliding up hers fitting between her legs properly making sure not to crush her frame.

“What’s gotten into you?” he mumbled softly as she bit his lip tugging on it as she pulled back a bit from him. “Getting me riled up.” She blushed slightly knowing what he was talking about, since it was exactly what she was aiming for. She’d been teetering on the edge of this for awhile now, having brought up her dilemma to Ashton who only told her to do what felt right, when it felt right. The problem was, it always felt right. She just wasn’t sure how to convey it to the man currently hovering on top of her.

“I want you riled up,” she whispered, eyes flicking up to look at him as he studied her words carefully, watching as she became flushed and slightly embarrassed as she tried to push through the sultry she was trying to portray, only seeming more innocent than before not used to trying to be vulgar.

“I don’t think we’re ready to go there love,” he said softly, watching as she became more flushed with embarrassment as he shut her down. “But I’m more than willing to still make you cum if you want.” A small smirk came onto his face as one of the hands resting along her hip ran down to her ass giving it a small squeeze massaging the flesh through the thin panties she had on.

“Why can’t we go there?” she asked softly, Luke leaning in a bit to press soft kisses along her jaw, a small sigh leaving her lips.

“When you can look at me and properly ask me to have sex with you, then we’ll go there” he said against her skin, feeling her skin heat up for the third time in forty-five seconds. “Now, can I taste you or not?”

“Since when are you so fuckin vulgar,” she mumbled softly, but brought her hands down trying to push the fabric from her bottom half.

“Oh that’s nothin angel. Ask me that again when we’re actually fucking,” he said pecking her lips softly before sliding down between her legs getting situated with his arms wrapped around her thighs as started in on her slowly.

~

“Hey,” Nick said softly seeing the two standing at his door, mostly surprised to see his sister there in general than he is to see Luke by her side. He had heard the rumors of her and Luke spending a lot of time together, especially since she had been staying with him.

“Can we come in?” she asked softly, seeming a bit intimidated by him, and it stung, hit him deep in the pit of his stomach as he nodded, stepping to the side for his little sister and his freshman pitcher. He clearly knew what was going on just from the simple fact they showed up together, Luke standing a little too close for someone that would of just been her friend.

“Want something to drink? I have the kettle on.” She shook her head as Luke sat down on the couch watching her carefully. She’d been very adamant that morning that she was gonna be the one to stand up to her brother and he was going more so like an emotional support buddy.

“I’m fine...just wanna talk,” she said softly sighing. “I’ll make it quick, because we have plans with Ashton at ten...but I just want you to know that Luke and I are together. And I know you aren’t fond of the idea of me dating your pitcher, but I wanna take baseball away from this for a minute. Pretend he isn’t your pitcher, and you aren’t a coach. You’re just my brother, not my parent. I really, really like Luke. He’s ridiculously funny, kind, a pain in my ass sometimes, but only because he’s looking out for me and my best interests. In fact, i really don’t deserve him,” she said looking over at the blond on the couch giving him a small smile, “but he’s the best thing that’s happened to me, and I haven’t been this happy since mum and dad passed away. I don’t need you to like that we’re together. I don’t even need you to acknowledge it. But, I need you to respect it, and respect him...because I want my brother back, but i’ll sacrifice our relationship for him,” she said softly watching Nick’s face carefully, not sure how he was going to react.

“Only if you come home...I miss you,” he said softly as she shook her head slowly, making him frown slightly. “No?”

“I’m moving in with Ashton after the semester, into the town house. Him, Luke, Cal, Michael, and I...and then the other three’s girlfriends. I’m saving up money from the job I got so I can pay rent.”

“Cmon, y/n, just move back in here. You’ll go back on the squad,” he sighed trying to bargain with her as she shook her head.

“If you really wanted me back on the squad Nick, it would’ve happened...I’m packing up the rest of my things in May after finals week.” Luke watched the two siblings seeing how this was tearing them apart, but he knew it’s what she wanted to do. She wanted to make the separation from her brother and make a point that he didn’t have control over her anymore. She wanted to show she could make her own decisions, and he admired her for it.

“So, I’m not getting my sister back?” he asked scoffing a bit as she frowned slightly. “Cmon, y/n. It’s you and I...we’re supposed to get a ring together.”

“And that’s all it’s been, Nick...but this is what you pushed. You wanted me to find something besides baseball that made me happy. And Luke’s what makes me happy…” she said shrugging slightly. “We can have lunch next week and talk more about it, but I’m just letting you know that this is what’s happening…” she said softly as she looked at Luke “Cmon. Ash is expecting us soon”

Luke nodded as he stood up going over to Nick sticking his hand out politely for a handshake. “See you at practice, coach,” he said softly, looking Nick in the eye as he did. He watched as Nick hesitated slightly, seeing the uncertainty flash through his eyes, but inevitably stick his hand out shaking Luke’s letting them both breathe a sigh of relief at how smooth it had gone.

“See you at practice, Freshman.”

[caffeineivore]

M/N fic for Wils!

For @nelwynp aka The Ebil Enabler. I actually wrote this longhand on a notebook as is my habit during long plane rides and so on. Recently got back from a two week vacation to Spain and Portugal so... there was a lot of plane time. Also chilling time post-evening sangria. I managed to write a few ficlets during this trip, and will tag them all under “travel ficscribble”.

Set in a ficverse not yet really published, but the same as the last few things I posted. Will eventually compile everything after the main fic is published for the @ssrevminibang.

Prompt: M/N, “Buffoon”, “I hope you’re miserable”

**

“You great buffoon! Why in the names of all the saints would you attempt to keep up with me Uncle Murphy, then? It’s tea and dry toast for you this morning, and possibly into this afternoon, too.”

There’s an army of mad leprechauns doing an Irish step dance in the space in his skull where his brain used to reside before it was pickled to death by a gallon of Guinness last night. His mouth tastes like the Sonoran Desert, scorpions and lizards and all, and Noah is pretty sure that if he attempts to move his limbs, they might fall off. Had it been any other person than Mary Kathleen talking to him and breaking the silence of the room, he might have cussed them out. Or at least made plans to do so sometime in the near future once the room stopped spinning. 

“Your Uncle Murphy was the one who kept refilling my cup! I wasn’t trying to start anything with him! Does he hate Americans or something? I mean, we are kind of a bunch of assholes, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t personally do anything to him.”

Mary Kathleen tsks at him, but sets down the tray of toast and tea on the nightstand by his bed. Noah is not above admiring the glimpse down her shirt as she bends over. He might be suffering the Hangover From Hell, but the day he couldn’t find the wherewithal to appreciate Mary Kathleen’s incredibly fabulous boobs, he’d have to be blind, dying or both.

Not that he thought of her in some sort of sleazy, disrespectful, sexual object type of way. And certainly not anything he’d admit to, aloud. Mary Kathleen was a friend-- they’d kept in touch since meeting each other at her graduation two years ago-- and besides, he wasn’t going to discount the fact that she could quite possibly kick his ass. Or at least make his life a complete living hell. Nor was he about to make things awkward, particularly on her home turf.

It’s his first time in Ireland and certainly it’s a pretty big departure from America. Mary Kathleen’s family comes from a tiny village that looks like something out of a postcard, and just the other day, they were stuck behind the local idea of a traffic jam-- a flock of sheep taking their sweet time to cross the road. The land is a bit hilly, but lush and green, with a great deal more rain than he was accustomed to. But he could hardly complain. Not when it never came close to the downright dangerous temperatures of a sweltering Arizona summer, and especially not to Mary Kathleen’s exceptionally friendly family.

She’d told him, perhaps a year ago, that she’d lost both parents in her teens to a plane crash, and that she’d been taken in by an aunt and uncle afterwards, who’d lived in London at the time. They’d since moved back to Ireland after Uncle Murphy had retired, and though the sleepy little village of her youth certainly offered less by way of employment opportunities, there was no other place she’d rather be in the summers between school terms.

And so, as her friend, and as Zack’s unofficial babysitter, here he was. At least, that is to say, he got Zack safely into the UK and dropped him off into the competent hands of Amy, then embarked upon this little detour. And though he hadn’t exactly done anything super exciting thus far, it was worth it just to see this side of Mary Kathleen’s life, in her natural habitat, as it were.

He was never going to spend an evening at the pub with Uncle Murphy again, however. Everything that people said about the Irish and their alcohol tolerance was true.

About two hours later, Noah is roughly human again, after about four slices of dry toast, three cups of tea and two cat naps. He blearily makes his way towards the direction of the bathroom, which is tiny and adorable and had lace curtains on the windows, but also a shower about the size of a shoebox. The water pressure leaves something to be desired, but at least it does get good and hot. He sweats out the last little bit of alcohol left in his system, gets dressed, and wanders outside in search of his elusive hostess.

He finds her-- or at least a pair of very long and shapely legs that definitely look like hers-- sticking out from underneath a rusted, ancient jalopy of a car in a shade of brown-green usually associated with bird droppings or guacamole past its prime. The car is parked in a neighbour’s yard, and the neighbour in question seems to be a fairly ancient man wearing a sweater and a cap, who calls out when he sees Noah approaching.

“Yer Yank’s here, Mary Kathleen, and sure and he’s looking a lot more lively now than last night.”

“Me Yank’s a great buffoon who can’t handle his drink, but at least he conducts himself well enough when he’s half-pissed. I remember the time when Fergus McLean ran bare-arsed through the village singing ‘Whiskey In The Jar’, and if he wasn’t a walking advert for the evils of over-indulgence, I’m sure I can’t think of a one who’d suit it better.” Mary Kathleen, butt wiggling in her well-worn jeans, shimmies out from underneath the fugly car, a streak of black grease on one cheek, and grins up at him from her prone position on the ground. “I’m changing the oil of Flynn Malone’s car for him. He’ll be giving me some fresh eggs and a loaf of his wife’s soda bread for tomorrow’s breakfast, and perhaps if he’s feeling particularly generous and kindly, a pot of fresh butter as well, for none make better bread and sweeter butter than our Bridget Malone, aye?”

“‘Tis why I married her, to be sure,” Flynn Malone says agreeably, even as he gives Noah an unmistakable side-eye. “Now, my Bridget’s Da was fit to string me up by the bollocks, he was, when he caught me singing for her at her window in the moonlight before we were married. Our Mary Kathleen’s quite the prize herself, and I’d be happy to stand in for her Da if a lad comes sniffling after her and doesn’t do right by her.”

“I’m pretty sure if I did anything untoward in her presence, let alone directed at her, Mary Kathleen’s completely capable of kicking my ass herself,” Noah remarks in as polite a tone as he can muster, considering the conversation topic. “Therefore, I’m not going to try anything funny. I want to live.”

“Oy, yer smarter than ye look,” Flynn Malone guffaws as Mary Kathleen ducks back under the car to finish up. “We had our doubts. A body who makes a living getting pictures taken of his naked chest doesn’t always have a great deal going on upstairs.”

“The Yank’s working on his post-graduate in Physics at his Uni, and I’d thank you to be nice to my company, Flynn Malone.” Mary Kathleen reappears out from underneath that car. “Don’t be troubling him too much, or I’ll be tying a knot in your fuel line.”

Mary Kathleen wipes her hands and face clean with a damp towel, and Flynn Malone hands her a covered wicker basket full of the agreed-upon bread and eggs and butter, and after bidding her neighbour farewell, she and Noah head back to the house of her Uncle and Aunt.

“So, you never answered my question.” Noah carefully steers clear of any implications of his intentions towards Mary Kathleen. Not that they’re dishonourable, per se, but why bring a beautiful friendship into an awkward and potentially disastrous direction? Mary Kathleen, he knew, would never consider getting on a plane to even visit the United States, let alone move over there. “Do people here hate Americans, or do they just enjoy messing with me? I mean, I’m not mad. Just kind of curious.”

“Oh, you’re not from around here, and moreover you’re a male non-relative visiting my home. This part of Ireland is still quite traditional with things, so me neighbours probably want to make sure you’re not here to shag me and whistle off on your merry way, leaving me pregnant and unwed.” Noah’s eyes go wide at the last part of her explanation, and to his chagrin, Mary Kathleen blithely misinterprets his expression. “Not to fret, lad. I know you’ve no interest in such a matter. You’re quite safe from the parson’s trap. In the day and age of Flynn Malone, a man and a woman could scarce smile at each other without threats of the Banns being read, but I’m expecting naught from you of that sort.”

“Sure. I’m safe with you. Just not with any other number of people who’d like to see me miserable. Sounds good.”

“Maybe you should improve your constitution before we visit the pub again.” Mary Kathleen smirks up at him. “At least you no longer look like you’re fit to go to the Devil. You’re not quite to shirtless kilt standards, yet, but perhaps a nice walk in the fresh air will help you.”

“As long as I don’t step in any more cow shit.”

“I make no promises. You should have been more careful and watched your step.”

Noah says nothing about the fact that he’d been distracted staring at the freckles on her nose, and the glint of gold in her green eyes, and the way her t-shirt clung to her in a way white cotton had no business doing to anyone at any time, and follows her down the lane. He’d perhaps die in Ireland, but at least he’d die happy.

[katelides]

Bechloe prompt - “I think our friends are catching on that we’re dating. Let’s mess with them.” :)

I reallyhope this is something you were thinking about when you gave me this idea ://// 

Uni life has been quite literally kicking my ass lately and my mind has beeneverywhere :( if this sucks I’m sorry and let me know, I’ll give it anothershot with a different idea in the future!!!

Bechloeprompt - “I think our friends are catching on that we’re dating. Let’s messwith them.” :)

One Shot 10

Something didn’t feel right. Not in the sense that somethingbad was going to happen, not at all. It’s more something like the weird lookher friends were giving her the past few days. Chloe is never really paranoidor something like that but since she started secretly dating Beca somethingfelt off. The couple has been together for 4 months now and no one has figuredit out… or at least that’s what she thinks.

“Hey Becs, can you help me with the popcorn?” Some giggleserupt between the other Bellas when Beca gets up with a sigh. The brunette isused to it so she just shakes it off. “Sure Chlo, any of you want some drinks?”Beca asks before following the redhead. “The usual.” Stacie says with a smirk.Now Beca is starting to get an uneasy feeling.

It’s movie night and as always all the Bellas are interestedor at least more interested than Beca. The brunette huffs when the guy finallygets the girl… again. The only goodthing about all this fuss is that she gets to cuddle with Chloe, not that shewill ever admit it though. “You guys want another movie?” Stacie asks when theend credits start rolling. “Hell no Stace, I promised one movie now I’m out ofhere.” Beca wants to get up but gets pushed back by Chloe.

“Come on Beca, it’s 8.30 PM on a Friday night, we have to dosomething.” Beca shakes her head. “No, I have work to do and if you haven’tnoticed yet… I hate movies.” Becapoints at the tv with annoyed growl. “It’s not that bad, what if you choose…”

“No Chloe I’m done, for three years you guys have forced meto watch stupid movies and now I’m done.” Beca gets up and leaves a bafflesgroup behind. “Beca we don’t have to watch a …” A loud slam cuts Stacie offmid-sentence. “Please tell me that was the bedroom door?” Chloe’s voice isshaky and tears threaten to spill her eyes. “I’m sorry red but that was thefront door.” Chloe gets up from her position. “I’m going to look for her.”Stacie gets up from the floor with a sigh. “I think she went to the club intown, she always goes there when she’s in a bad mood.”

“You’re right, I’ll go apologize.” Chloe wants to leave buta hand on her shoulder stops her. “We all have to go, this is all of our fault.We never really do what she wants and maybe it’s time we listen to ourcaptain.” Chloe smiles at Stacie and sees the other Bellas get up. “Let’s getour captain back.” Amy shouts.

-,-,-,-,-

A good half an hour later the girls enter the club becausesomeone *cough cough* Stacie *cough cough* had to change into a more ‘suitable’outfit. “If you see Beca give the rest a sign…” Chloe freezes when she seesBeca. “What’s up Chlo? Did you find…” Stacie stops in her tacks when she seeswhat Chloe’s looking at. A tall blonde is flirting with Beca and it looks likeBeca doesn’t mind at all. Everyone knows that Chloe has feeling for the tinybrunette and know that this sight is killing her inside.

“We can talk to her tomorrow Chlo, we don’t need to…” Theredhead cuts Stacie off. “No, we’ll find a time to apologize. Let’s have somefun.” Chloe makes a beeline for the bar leaving her fellow Bellas behind. “Weneed to do something you guys.” The girl agree with Cynthia Rose and decide tostick with Chloe for the night. Just in case Beca does something stupid.

Beca on the other hand has seen the Bellas come it. It’s notvery hard actually, she will always notice Chloe entering a room. The moodalways changes the second she walks into the room, any room really. She alsosaw the sad look on her face and it did break her inside. She excuses herselffrom the conversation and walks up the redhead but gets blocked by the rest ofthe Bellas.

“What the hell guys…” Beca is not in the mood for whateveris going on and just wants to talk to Chloe. “You made yourself clear Beca, whydon’t you just go and have fun without us. Seems like that’s what you wantedall along… right?” Beca glares at Stacie and sees Chloe look at her with a sadexpression. “You know what screw this, you guys have fun with whatever. If it’sgonna be this way I might as well quit being a Bella.” Beca turns around andstorms off in the direction of the blonde she was talking to before.

“Beca?!” Chloe shouts after her but the music is too loudand the brunette can’t hear her. “It will blow over Chlo, it’s Beca she won’treally leave.” Chloe shakes her head. “I have to talk to her.” Chloe gets upfrom her chair and walks over to Beca who is now grinding against the blonde.“Can we talk?” Beca glares at Chloe but nods shortly. “I’ll be back, I need totake care of something.” The blonde shrugs and goes on a search for someonenew.

The two go to a more secluded, quiet place so they can talk.All while being followed by 9 sets of eyes. “What do you want Chloe.” The toneBeca speaks in cuts through Chloe like a knife. “I wanted to apologize, pleasedon’t stop being a Bella. We need you… Ineed you.” Beca sees the tears pouring down the redhead’s face and wraps her inher arms. “I didn’t mean what I said Chlo, and for the record I will always bethere for you. No matter what.”

“Do you want to get out of here?” Beca asks with a shysmile. “Sure, let me warn the Bellas tha…” Beca cuts Chloe off swiftly. “Ithink they’ll notice us leaving.” Beca points at the Bellas who are stillstaring at them. “You’re right, let’s go.” The redhead pulls Beca away by herarm, giggling the entire way out. “So, do you think they still think we’redating?” Beca shakes her head thinking back about their talk in the kitchen.

-,-,-,-,-

Around 2 AM Beca and Chloe walk into the house as quietly asthey can. They walk into the living room but are met by the rest of the Bellas,waiting for them. “Do you have any idea how worried we were?” Stacie is thefirst one to speak up. “Stacie it’s fine, everything is fine.” Chloe smiles atthe tall brunette but the latter shakes her head. “No it’s not, we’re all sofreaking sorry for the way we treated you Beca. We should have listened to you,we will listen to you.” Beca tries to cut Stacie off but fails.

“You can be mad at us for as long as you need but pleasedon’t give up on us.” Beca bursts out in laughter. “Alright Chlo I can’t takeit anymore, we have to tell them.” Chloe chimes in with the laughter andmanages to squeeze out an ok. “What’s so funny?” Fat Amy asks confused. “Weknow you guys know.” Some guilty expressions can be found between the Bellas.“We kind of assumed you know.” Fat Amy throws up her arms awkwardly. “I heardyou sneak off so many times and you’d be back in the morning.” Beca nods herhead. “Yeah, we’ve been like dating for months.” Chloe kisses Beca’s cheek.

“I’m so glad we did this tonight.” Beca bursts out inlaughter once again. “Wait what are you talking about?” Stacie asks, voicingthe thoughts of all the Bellas. “Everything that happened, it was a setup.”Beca answers casually. “How?!” All the remaining Bellas half shout-scream atthe couple. “Well, it happened when we were in the kitchen making popcorn.”

*Flashback*

Beca quickly followsChloe into the kitchen. “Chlo, I think our friends are catching on that we’redating.” Beca’s voice is filled with worry. “Yeah, I think so too… what do youwant to do?” Chloe asks while preparing the popcorn. “I really like you andhonestly I see us dating for a very long time. Maybe even…” Beca stops talkingwhen she realizes what she’s about to say. Chloe turn around with wide eyes anda smile brighter than the sun. “Anyway, I was thinking that maybe we could messwith them?”

“What did you have inmind?” Beca leans forward and whispers her plan into Chloe’s ear. “What if wemake a scene and one of us storms off? I know a cool club in town where you canfind anyone to  flirt with. If they knowor think they know we’re dating they’re going to be really protective over us…especially you.” Beca smirks with a knowing look in her eyes. “Oooh that’s agreat idea.” Chloe smiles with a hint of slight evil in her eyes… oh who am Ikidding, Chloe is the furthest thing from evil. “So you know what to do right?”The redhead nods. “Great, now let’s get this party started.”

*End Flashback*

“Hold up buttercup…you faked all of this to see our reactions?” The angry look on Stacie’s face isthe only thing that stops Beca from laughing. “Well, yes and no… Look, I loveChloe and I would never hurt her and seeing how you all protected her from me‘fake’ cheating on her made me happy. It means that whatever happens she’ll bein good hands. That’s all I want for her, I want her to be safe and happy.”

The brunette completely missed the shocked look Chloe wasgiving her while she was talking. “Y-you love me?” Beca’s eyes widen when sherethinks her words. “Well-I-you know-you and me-I…” Beca’s utter nonsensebabbling gets cut off by Chloe kissing her on the lips. “I love you too.” Chloemanages to mutter these words in between the two long kisses that wereexchanged before the Bellas.

“BHLOE FOR THE WIN!”

The cheering that comes from the Bellas makes the two girlspull apart. “What the hell’s a bhloe?” Beca asks with raised eye brows. “You’reBeca and she’s Chloe and together you’re Bhloe.” Fat Amy says while pointing atthe correct Bella each time. “You know, now I wish I hadn’t asked.”

“Does Aubrey know about you two?” Stacie asks in amusement.“She does but honestly I think she might have wanted to find out in differentcircumstances.” Beca says with an evil smirk. “OH MY GOD she walked in on you?When? How? Where?” The couple shares a look and takes a seat because this wasgoing to be a very long night.

I DO NOT OWN PITCH PERFECT!

FOLLOW ME ON TUMBLR FOR SNEEK PEAKS FORUPCOMING CHAPTERS –katelides

Let me know what you think, feedback isalways fun to have :D