#we are going against the odds here people

[gojo-mochi]

Dear Softy 💐 I come to humbly (&on my knees) ask for any sort of continuation to the 5 times nanami was sorry piece. I'm not a rereader, but I've read yours so many times I lost count, and nothing else hits the same. :(

HAHA Thank you for continuing to enjoy that fic <3 I still think it's one of my best works, so I'm glad someone likes it that much.

This part wont have reader in it! It set in before reader and Nanami had sex. But from Nanami POV now. So you get to see a little bit more from his mindset and what he’s like out of work hehe.

Part of this fic 5 Times with Nanami...

Satoru changed the group name to “The Skibidi Squad”

Suguru: … do I even want to ask

Ieiri: I’m too tired to even change it back, whatever

Yu: I saw some people in last night’s game say that in chat! 

Ieiri: Yu stop playing those games with Gojo and Geto, it's bad for your brain and mental health tbh

Yu: :c 

Suguru: Hey! Don’t lump me in with Satoru like that, we would have won that game if we didn’t have a monkey for a jungler…

Satoru: Alright, now that I gathered everyone here… (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Ieiri: You didn’t gather anyone.. This is a group chat

Satoru: ANYWAY! I have serious news that need addressing right NOWW 

┬─┬ノ(ಠ_ಠノ)

Suguru: I’ll bite, what is it

Satoru: I know you already bite ( •̀ω•́ )σ

Ieiri Kicked Satoru out of “The Skibidi Squad” 

Suguru Added Satoru back to “The Skibidi Squad”

Ieiri: Of course you would

Suguru: If I didn’t I would had to deal with him whining about it for hours

Satoru: First off, Rude. Secondly, NANAMIN HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AND HE DIDN’T TELL US ( ≧Д≦)

Yu: :0

Ieiri: We know

Suguru: ^^ Technically not his girlfriend yet I think, but she’s pretty cute

Satoru: You guys all knew and didn’t tell me??!?! Traitors! 凸(｀0´)凸

Shoko: I knew because Nanami asked me advice on what kinda cologne girls would prefer

Suguru: I saw him ordering more than usual at the bakery and it was easy to put 2 and 2 together ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yu: I didn’t know :c

Satoru: Haibara, it’s you and me against the world (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Nanami: …

Satoru: Well, well, well… the traitor finally shows up

Nanami left “The Skibidi Squad”

Satoru: WAITIIITSKDJF

Satoru: WHA- HE BLCOKED ME SOMEONE ADD HIM BACK

Ieiri: Yu don’t add him back

Yu: Oki! C:

Satoru: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Nanami sighs to himself and pinches the bridge of his nose. Silencing his phone and pocketing it as he walks on forward. He was already close to his destination and didn’t need to look at the map anymore or be spammed by Gojo’s annoying pestering. A quick turn into a shady alleyway, and Nanami was soon greeted by the neon lights welcoming sign of a bar called “The Devil’s Chainsaw”, an odd name with an even odder bartender. 

Shoko liked coming to this bar though, and this is where he agreed to meet with her tonight, so he had no complaints as long as the alcohol was good. As Nanami stepped inside the bar, he was instantly met with the smell of cigarettes. Shoko peered over to him; she was sitting at the end of the bar, dressed in slacks and a dark sweater. She waved him over with a hand as she finished her conversation with the bartender. 

The redheaded bartender looked over to Nanami as he took the seat next to Shoko; her strikingly odd eyes were a stark contrast to her soft, dulcet voice. 

“What can I get for you, sir?”

"Just a whisky sour would be fine.”

The bartender nods and leaves the two to converse among themselves. Shoko lightly taps Nanami’s knee with her hand and smiles at him. 

“So, Lovebird, how’s the seducing going?”

Nanami’s eyebrow twitches at that, and he turns to look at Shoko with a withering stare. Which she paid no mind to, just taking a long drag of her cigarette, waiting for his answer. 

The bartender comes back with two drinks for them, a whiskey sour and a black russian. Nanami takes his drink and gulps down half of it, his heart feeling unusually tight tonight. 

“Don’t call me that, and I’m not sure how the... seducing is going.”

His tongue rolls over the word “seducing” like it was a foreign language to him. Shoko hums in response, swirling her drink softly as she leans back in her chair. The light jazz music fills in the silence between them, a comfortable silence that these two were used to. No annoying laugh or taunts from a certain white-haired man to dampen the mood. 

After a while, Shoko spoke up one more, with a question that had been on her mind for a while now. 

“So, tell me, what was it about her that made you fall in love with her?” 

Nanami jumped a little in his seat, feeling his ears burn at the question. He calls the bartender down for another drink and slams down the rest of his drink before even thinking about an answer. 

Once his new drink comes in, he takes a hard swig and sighs deeply. Looking down at his drink instead of Shoko so as not to feel embarrassed while remembering the story of why he fell in love with you.  

Flashback cutscene woooosh

It was back during a very important work event—a collaboration with a different company right before Christmas. Everyone was praying on this event going well to secure the deal with this company and go back home with a smile and a big fat holiday bonus. And Nanami was appointed to lead this event—to greet all the higher-ups, plan the itinerary, and basically do all the work. 

Everything was riding on Nanami’s shoulders, all the pressure from not only his bosses but his fellow coworkers as well. Even just a tiny slip-up will make everyone turn to him with disdain in their eyes. At least, that was what Nanami felt like at the time; he needed to make this event work and make everyone happy, at the cost of his own sanity. 

And with little to no sleep, countless nights planning the event down to each second, and a fake happy-go-lucky attitude he put on, the work event went amazingly. Everyone was happy, toasting and drinking the night away. Nanami managed to sneak away during all the merriment, stumbling his way to a nearby park and slouching down on a bench. All the tension in his body still wounding up his insides as he takes off his glasses and throws an arm over his eyes.

Ignoring everything around him, just wanting a moment of peace for himself for once. To throw away his mask for this brief moment where no one’s watching. The bench underneath him was hard on his back, but Nanami ignored it, focusing on the surroundings around him instead, the wind brushing past the trees, the rustling sounds of leaves, and the smell of frost in the air.

Just being in a suit did little to combat the chill, but Nanami couldn’t be bothered to go back inside right now; he was gonna risk being sick over having to do small talk again. He huddled his jacket as close as he could to his body and pretended he wasn’t shivering a little from the cold. Laying his head sideways on the wooden bench with his knees bunched up to his chest. Squeezing his eyes shut, trying to to will himself into a slumber. 

Sleep overtook him like a haunting lullaby; the weight in his shoulders still ache, the wind never slowed down, but soon the chills and the murmurs of the air around him felt almost comforting in a way. 

Nanami didn’t know how much time had passed by the time he woke up, but he knew something was off, though. His head was resting on something much softer than a wooden board; he felt warm and cozy, and even his shoulder’s pain had lessened somehow. 

He groaned and shifted his head around to see what was happening around him. He was still in the same park he fell asleep in; he shifted around again when he heard a noise coming from right above his head. He blinks away his grogginess, trying to see what was in front of him. 

“Nanami-san?”

A voice calls out to him in a soft tone, so pure and sweet to his ears that he almost wants to close his eyes and fall asleep again while listening to it. 

“Nanami-san, are you alright?” 

Nanami grunts in response, knowing that he shouldn’t be falling asleep again, especially in front of a stranger, no matter how angelic he finds their voice. His eyes adjusted back to normal finally, and he found himself looking up at not a stranger, but his coworker. 

“L/N-san?”

He rasps out, finding his throat and lips to be dry, he reaches to rub at his throat. You also reach out, placing the back of your hand on his forehead, trying to feel for a fever. Nanami leans in to your palm, almost feeling disappointed when you pull away; you don’t notice anything, though. 

“You don’t seem like you have a fever… Are you feeling alright? You were gone for a bit, and I got worried. The others told me not to worry, but I came to check anyway.” 

Nanami didn’t respond, causing you to worry even more; he was just staring at you with a quizzical look in his eyes. You reach out to him again, calling his name in a soft tone, which makes Nanami's eyes shoot wide open. With his senses flooding back into him all at once, Nanami realizes a few things. 

One, that he actually did fall asleep in a random park with no fear for his safety on a cold winter night. Two, not only did he decide to sleep in a random park, he also did it during a large celebratory party for his company, without saying a word about leaving to anyone at the party. And lastly, he was resting his head on the very soft lap of his coworker in the middle of the night. 

As much as he wanted to jump up and run away and forget about this embarrassing moment. Nanami calmly sat up, looked down, and realized that you had given him your jacket, returned said jacket to you, and got up from the bench. 

Facing away from you, so you don’t see the blush covering his face, Nanami thanks you for coming to check on him. 

“Thank you, L/N-san, for the jacket and everything.” 

You got up from the bench as well, putting your jacket back on and going to stand next to Nanami. 

“Of course! I still seriously can’t believe no one else wanted to come find you. Honestly…” You huff and shake your heads, remembering how everyone brushed your concerns off back at the party. 

“Still, are you sure you’re alright, Nanami-san? This wasn’t like the usual you, you know?” You pause and shuffle on your feet for a bit before saying the next part. 

“Ah, sorry if that was too personal of me to say. This event was a really huge deal for us, and I want to say thank you.” You turn to face him with a bright smile and a soft blush on your face. 

“Thank you for working so hard for us, Nanami-san. I-..we really appreciate it, and I hope you know that.” 

Feeling a tinge awkward for saying that, you immediately turned back around and started heading back to the hotel first, waving back to Nanami, telling him not to stay in the cold for too long. 

Nanami stood there in that spot for a while after you left, his brain etching every single word that came out of your lips, how your hair looked, the colors of your lips, the scent of your perfume. It was like Cupid came and stuck him in his heart at that very moment. Nanami never heard praise for doing a good job before; it wasn’t like he needed it; at least he thought he didn’t. The results should be enough for Nanami and everyone to be happy. But seeing your bright smile and your kind words being directed at him, that changed something in Nanami that night. 

Flashback end :) 

“Helloooo? Earth to Nanami?”

Shoko’s voice shakes Nanami out of his head. She raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. 

“Are you gonna tell me the reason why you like this chick now or what?”

Nanami smiles to himself, swirling around his drink in his hand and simply said. 

“She has a cute smile, that’s all.”

[vaya-is-dead]

Hour two of my delusional city

Let's talk about Timebomb

* arcane act three spoilers under the cut don't read it if you haven't watched it you have been warned*

HOUR ONE HERE FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE

*Note* I am not personally a Timebomb fan. I don't really care for it, but I think there is a lot of nuance that can go with it, especially considering that it happens in an alternate universe.

As a sidenote to the whole jinx might be alive thing. I wanted to touch upon the now sort of canon ship TimeBomb. I say sort of purely because it became real in an AU.

I see a lot of people complaining about it, becoming Canon, but I think this is a good demonstration for Ekko and Jinx as characters.

Think about it this way, in the AU there is no jinx, there is only Powder. Everyone but Vi lived. This means, specifically for Jinx, she didn't have to go through some of the most traumatizing events in her life. This allowed her to fully become who she was probably meant to be. A brilliant young woman named Powder with ideas that would change the world.

In the main timeline, Ekko and Jinx are at odds there is no room for the relationship that could've developed to be there. Even after the fact, after Ekko talking to jinx and convincing her to do one final strike with the fireflight (think the name might be wrong. Please excuse it.) Jinx is still extremely traumatized and at this point, her goal is to make sure her remaining family, Vi , to be happy. in her mind that means without her.

So I think Ekko and Jinx would never work, at least not with an intense amount of therapy or self-discovery for Jinx.

But as we see in the AU, it works with powder.

Powder is what jinx could've been, had given the chance to live a normal life. She still has the same sass and charm, but instead of it being a coping mechanism, it becomes just something that naturally is a part of her personality. She is still deeply hurt by the loss of her sister, but she has the network to cope and to heal while still remembering her, which gives her the room for a romantic relationship in her life.

And as for Ekko, there is a flashback to a time where he actually killed jinx on the bridge but he rewinded time (it might've been a hallucination too, so correct me if I'm wrong)was this just reaffirm that he still cares for her and hasn't given up on her like he's so claims to. It is a show of his compassion for others and for the cause that he fights for. There is also the parallels between season one episode seven "boy Savior" which gave us the fight scene of The fireflight against Vi and jinx which gave us older Ekko, and episode seven of season two which gives us an explanation for where he's been for majority of season two.

On a sidenote, I also wanted to add that I think the talk with Ekko, made jinx realize that Isha sacrificed herself for her to live. And I like to think that maybe somewhere in her mind, she thinks that it would've done a disservice to Isha's sacrifice for her to die. (yes this is relating back to my delusional our number one theory.)

[gayferrari]

one of the reddit people here: yes carlos was asked by his race engineer to pick up the pace, the speculations are fair.

adami saying do not slow charles before the swap and then the absolute weirdness after. just odd

hiiii fellow redditor 😎 we were probably lurking in the same thread. Idk if I'd call it odd necessarily, just like... the how was strange but I understand the whys, you know? I think the overtake specifically it was a case of Carlos choosing to do his thing since every podium he gets might be the last for a while. I see his side (looking out for himself) I see Charles's side (feeling like his teammate is going against established strategy which is presumably to obey the pit wall, and getting worked up about it because it happened on top of a race where he expected a lot and didn't even podium)

ultimately as a fan it comes down to whose side you support the most, because people are never going to agree on team orders. EYE am choosing to filter it through the lenses of RPF because that's how approach most things on tumblr but if I understand why some people take it more seriously, and why others think it's just a stupid thing to even focus on.

[rylem33]

The Solaris Prism: Red

This is a follow on story to The Solaris Prism: Yellow. You should probably read that one first. Enjoy!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Detective Rose Parker knocked firmly on the door, pausing to glance back at Jake Collins, who hovered uncertainly behind her. “First lesson, Jake,” she said, her voice steady but warm. “A quiet apartment doesn’t mean an empty one. You always stay alert.”

Jake straightened, pulling his hands out of his pockets like a kid caught slouching in class. “Got it, Detective,” he said, flashing her an eager grin. “But, I mean, what are the odds? Some delivery girl turned amateur thief? Probably ditched town already.”

“Maybe,” Rose admitted, her tone measured. “But we don’t assume. Stacey Hart was seen on camera leaving the museum with the box, and this is her last known address. We start here and follow the trail.”

She reached for the handle and turned it. The door clicked open, the faint creak of the hinges breaking the quiet.

The apartment was clean but cluttered, the kind of mess that came from someone who didn’t have the time, or energy, to keep things perfect. A couple of half-empty coffee cups sat on the counter, and a folded pile of laundry teetered on the edge of a chair

“Delivery driver, huh?” Rose muttered as she stepped inside, her sharp gaze scanning the room. “Not exactly the setup I was expecting.”

Jake followed behind her, glancing around. “Yeah, it’s… pretty normal.” He tilted his head, eyeing the small stack of unpaid bills on the table. “You’d think someone pulling off a museum heist would be living it up, but this? This is, like… student-hustling-to-pay-rent vibes.”

Rose gave him a look, her voice calm. “You’re making a lot of assumptions, Jake. Stacey Hart’s doesn’t seem like a seasoned thief.  She’s just a delivery driver who took the wrong thing at the wrong time.”

“Yeah, but a delivery driver with an empty bank account doesn’t walk out with a priceless museum artifact just for fun,” Jake countered, gesturing toward the stack of mail. “She must’ve had a reason. Desperate people do desperate things.”

Rose nodded slightly, acknowledging the point. “Fair. But it’s not our job to figure out the ‘why.’ We’re here to find evidence and bring it back. Let’s stay focused.”

Jake wandered over to a shelf, his hands stuffed back in his pockets as he examined an ornate wooden box sitting on the edge. “This fancy thing look like a lead to you?” he called, pointing at it with his elbow.

Rose turned, crossing her arms as she surveyed the box. “Looks promising,” she admitted. “Go ahead and bag it.”

“Bag it?” Jake echoed, reaching for the box. “Detective, I don’t think this thing fits in a Ziploc—whoa, this is heavy!” He nearly dropped it, fumbling as he tried to get a better grip.

“Careful,” Rose chided, though there was a hint of humor in her voice. “That’s evidence, not a bowling ball.”

Jake set the box down gently on the coffee table, wiping his hands on his pants. “Yeah, yeah. Evidence. Got it.”

Rose’s attention, however, was no longer on the box. Something on the couch caught her eye. She tilted her head, stepping closer. “Hang on,” she murmured, crouching down. “What do we have here?”

Jake leaned over her shoulder, squinting. “What is that?”

Rose reached into the couch, her fingers brushing against something smooth and cool. She pulled out a small, glassy object. It was about the size of a hand-held mirror, its surface flawless and mesmerizing.

“Is that… a crystal?” Jake asked, his voice skeptical.

“Looks more like a prism,” Rose replied, holding it up to the light. As she tilted it, it refracted the sunlight into a sudden, searing flash of red.

“Ah!” Rose hissed, stumbling back. The prism slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the hardwood floor. She pressed her hand to her eyes, blinking rapidly as the afterimage burned into her vision.

“Whoa, Detective, you okay?” Jake asked, reaching out to steady her.

“I’m fine,” Rose said quickly. She straightened, rubbing her temple. “It just caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting it to… react like that.”

Jake crouched to pick up the prism, turning it over in his hands. It looked completely inert. “React? It’s a chunk of glass,” he said, frowning. “Weird.”

“Put it in an evidence bag,” Rose instructed, her tone calm but firmer than before. She reached out and took it from him, her fingers brushing against the surface again. A strange warmth spread through her chest. She blinked, brushing it off.

Jake hesitated, his brow furrowing. “You sure you’re okay? You look a little… flushed.”

Rose waved him off, already sealing the prism into a bag. “I’m fine, Collins. Let’s get this back to the car and keep moving.”

Jake raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. He grabbed the box again, grunting under its weight as they made their way out of the apartment. 

As they reached the car, Rose paused, gripping the prism bag tightly. The warmth in her chest lingered, spreading slowly. She exhaled, brushing a strand of darkening auburn hair out of her face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The drive started in silence, the hum of the engine the only sound filling the police cruiser. Jake drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, sneaking the occasional glance at Rose, who sat stiffly in the passenger seat. She had barely spoken since they left Stacey’s apartment, her focus fixed on the evidence bag in her lap.

“You sure you’re good, Detective?” Jake asked, breaking the silence. “You’ve been kind of… quiet.”

Rose blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. “I’m fine,” she said with mild impatience. She shifted in her seat, the collar of her uniform suddenly feeling too tight. She loosened it with a quick tug, her fingers brushing against her throat.

Jake didn’t look convinced. “If you say so,” he muttered, turning his eyes back to the road.

The heat in Rose’s chest hadn’t subsided, it had grown. It wasn’t unpleasant, exactly, but it was distracting. A low, steady warmth that made her skin feel overly sensitive, her pulse quicker than it should’ve been. She rolled her shoulders, trying to shake the sensation.

“You think this Stacey girl planned all this?” Jake asked, glancing at her briefly. “I mean, stealing an artifact and then ditching town? Doesn’t exactly scream ‘impulsive crime of opportunity.’”

Rose pressed her fingers against her temple, massaging the growing tension there. “I don’t know,” she said curtly. “We don’t have enough to go on yet. Maybe she was desperate. Maybe she didn’t think it through. Either way, speculating won’t get us anywhere.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Okay, calm down. Just trying to make conversation.”

Rose sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just…” She cut herself off, unsure how to explain the heat building inside her, the way her skin seemed to hum with energy.

Jake glanced over, his brows knitting together. “Hey, uh… did you dye your hair red?  Sorry if I missed that earlier. It looks great. I should’ve said something.”

“What?” Rose snapped, letting the strands fall.

“I’m serious,” Jake said, his tone light but tinged with unease. “You’ve got this whole… redhead thing going on. It looks good, though.”

Her breath caught. She reached up, pulling the strands forward to inspect them.

Red.

Her brows furrowed as she stared at the color between her fingers. It couldn’t be right…her hair was gray, had been for years.

“What the hell?” she whispered, leaning closer to the mirror.

Her face was changing. Subtly, but unmistakably. The fine lines around her eyes and mouth had softened, her complexion taking on a faint, flushed glow. Her lips looked fuller, their natural pink hue deepening into a bold, almost crimson color. Her sharp, aged features had smoothed, replaced with something softer, younger… alluring.

“You okay over there?” Jake asked, his voice laced with concern.

“I’m fine,” she said automatically, her tone sharper than she intended. She pulled back from the mirror, running a hand through her hair again. The glossy auburn waves fell perfectly into place, framing her face.

The heat in her chest flared, spreading down her arms and legs like a wildfire. Her uniform felt tighter, the fabric pulling against her skin. She shifted in her seat, tugging at her blouse, but the constriction only seemed to get worse.

“Stop the car,” she said suddenly.

Jake blinked. “What?”

“Pull over,” Rose repeated, her voice low and commanding.

Jake hesitated, his hands tightening on the wheel. “Detective, what’s going on? You’re acting… weird.”

“Just pull over, Jake,” Rose snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument.

With a muttered curse, Jake guided the car to the side of the road, the tires crunching against gravel as they came to a stop. He turned to Rose, his brows furrowed. “Okay, seriously. What’s going on with you?”

Rose didn’t answer. She pushed open the car door and stepped out, the cool evening air hitting her like a shock. She exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest. The heat was unbearable now, every inch of her skin burning with a strange energy.

Jake followed, stepping around the car. “Rose? Talk to me. What’s happening?”

She turned to face him, and Jake froze.

Her uniform had changed. The once loose and practical blouse now clung to her body, the fabric shimmering faintly as it tightened around her curves. Her pants had shifted into sleek, high-waisted trousers that accentuated her long legs. Her sensible shoes had transformed into tall, black stilettos that clicked against the pavement as she moved.

“Detective?” Jake’s voice wavered.

Rose smiled, slow and deliberate. Her crimson lips curled as she stepped closer, the glow of her skin catching the fading sunlight. “Relax, Jake,” she said, her voice low and sultry. “I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”

Jake stumbled back a step, his heart pounding. “Rose, this isn’t you. Something’s wrong.”

Her smile widened, and she reached out, her fingers trailing along the front of his shirt. “Wrong?” she murmured, tilting her head. “I feel… amazing. Like I could take on the world.”

Jake swallowed hard, his back pressing against the car. “We need to get you help. This is…”

“Shh,” Rose interrupted, placing a finger against his lips. ”You’re overthinking, Jake. Just… let go.”

Jake froze as Rose’s finger lingered against his lips, her touch electric and overwhelming. Her lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile. 

“Relax, Jake,” she said, her voice low and honeyed. She tilted her head, her hazel eyes fixing him with a smoldering gaze. “I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”

Jake stumbled back a step, his heart pounding as she stepped closer, her heels clicking softly against the gravel. “Rose, something’s very wrong,” he said, his voice trembling but firm.

Her smile widened, sultry and predatory. “Wrong?” she murmured, tilting her head as her fingers trailed along the front of his shirt. “I feel… amazing. Like I could take on the world.” Her hand lingered, her touch sending jolts of warmth through him.

Jake swallowed hard, his back pressing against the car. “We need to get you help. This is…”

“Shh,” Rose interrupted, placing a finger against his lips again. Her touch silenced him, her breath warm against his cheek. “You’re overthinking, Jake. Just… let go.” Her voice was a whisper now, each word dripping with allure.

“Rose,” he managed, his voice cracking slightly as he grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her hand away. “This isn’t like you. You’re not acting like yourself.”

Her expression darkened instantly, her playful smile twisting into a scowl. “Not like myself?” she snapped, her voice sharp and fiery. “Who the hell are you to tell me who I am, Jake?” She stepped even closer, her presence overwhelming.

Jake blinked, startled by her sudden shift. “Rose, I…”

“Shut up,” she hissed, her voice low and dangerous, though her lips curled back into a seductive smile. “Don’t be so boring, Jake. Don’t you ever want to take what you want?”

Jake’s jaw tightened as he fought to maintain his composure. “This isn’t you, Rose. I think that prism did something…”

“Don’t talk to me about that stupid fucking prism!” she snapped, her voice rising with a fiery edge. “I don’t need anything to know what I want. And right now, I know exactly what I want.” Her hand slid up his chest, her nails grazing his skin through his shirt, sharp enough to make him shudder. She leaned in, her lips inches from his, her breath hot against his face.

“Rose, stop,” Jake said, his voice trembling. “We’re on duty. This isn’t right.”

Rose’s lips curled into a cruel smirk, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, of course. ‘Duty.’ The rules. The badge.” She snorted, pulling back slightly as her eyes flashed with irritation. “You’re pathetic, Jake. Too scared to let yourself go. Too scared to handle a real woman.”

Jake’s pulse quickened as her words cut deep, but he held his ground, even as she pressed closer. Her body radiated heat, her scent thick and intoxicating. “This isn’t about me. It’s about you. This thing is changing you, and you’re not thinking straight.”

Her smirk vanished, replaced by a fiery glare. “Don’t you dare tell me I’m not thinking straight,” she growled, her voice trembling with barely contained fury. “I’ve never been more clear in my life. You just can’t handle it.”

Jake flinched as she took another step toward him, her presence suffocating. “Rose, please. You’re not yourself. We need to figure this out before…”

“Before what?” she barked, her voice rising with fury. “Before I stop being your tame little mentor? Before I stop following your boring rules?” She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “Guess what, Jake? I’m done with rules. I’m done with you.”

Her fingers curled around the front of his shirt, balling the fabric into her fist. With a sudden, sharp tug, she yanked, ripping it open with a loud tear. Buttons scattered across the gravel as Jake stumbled back, his chest now exposed to the cool night air.

“Rose!” he protested, his voice cracking as he instinctively grabbed for the ruined shirt, trying to pull it back together. “What the hell are you doing?!”

She ignored him, her eyes dark with hunger. “You act so uptight,” she purred, stepping closer again, her heels clicking softly against the ground. “But I see through it. You’re just a scared little boy, afraid to lose control.” She leaned in, her lips brushing against his ear.

Jake froze, his breath hitching. “This isn’t you,” he managed weakly.

She smirked against his skin, her voice a low whisper. “This is me, Jake. This is me, right here, right now.” Without warning, she nipped at his earlobe, her teeth grazing it hard enough to make him wince. The sharp sting sent a jolt through him, but she didn’t stop, her breath hot and unrelenting as she whispered, “Does that scare you? Or do you like it?”

Jake shoved her back gently but firmly, his hands shaking as he put some distance between them. “Rose, enough!” he said, his voice breaking. “This isn’t right, and you know it.”

Her eyes blazed with fury at the rejection. “Right?” she spat, her voice trembling with anger. “Who the fuck are you to tell me what’s right?” Her chest heaved, her flushed skin glowing faintly in the fading light. “You can’t handle the pressure, Jake. You can’t rise to the situation.”

“That’s not true,” Jake said, his voice low, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it. “This isn’t about me. It’s about you. And you’re out of control.”

Rose’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Out of control? No, Jake. I’m finally in control. For once in my life, I know what I want, and I’m not letting you, or anyone, get in my way.” Her voice rose with each word, her anger bubbling over, ready to erupt.

“Rose, please,” Jake said, his voice quieter now, pleading. “You don’t have to do this. Just stop for a second and…”

“Stop?” she screamed, her fists clenching at her sides. “I’m not stopping, Jake! I’m done stopping for you, for the badge, for anyone!” She stepped toward him again, her movements sharp and purposeful. Jake backed away instinctively, but there was nowhere to go. His back hit the car, the cold metal pressing against his bare skin.

Her gaze darted to the evidence bag sitting on the hood of the car, and her expression twisted with disgust. “This stupid little prism,” she muttered, grabbing the bag and tearing it open. She pulled the prism out, holding it in her hand like it was a personal affront. “You think this thing changed me? No, Jake. It just woke me up. It made me see how pathetic I’ve been. How pathetic you are.”

Jake raised his hands in a calming gesture, his voice soft but firm. “Rose, don’t do something you’ll regret. That’s evidence, and it might be the only thing that can help us fix this.”

“Fix it?” she repeated, her voice dripping with disdain. “There’s nothing to fix, Jake. I don’t need your rules. I don’t need the precinct. And I sure as hell don’t need you.” Her grip on the prism tightened, her knuckles white as her anger flared.

“Rose, wait,” Jake said, stepping toward her, but it was too late.

With a furious scream, Rose turned and hurled the prism into the nearby pond. It sailed through the air, catching the last rays of sunlight before plunging into the water with a faint splash. Red light rippled across the surface, spreading in glowing circles before fading into the depths.

Jake stared in disbelief, his chest heaving. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” he shouted, his voice breaking with anger and desperation. “We needed that!”

Rose turned back to him, her face a mixture of fury and smug satisfaction. “No, Jake,” she said coldly. “You needed it. I don’t need anything.”

Before he could respond, she stalked back toward the car, her stilettos clicking loudly against the gravel. 

“Rose, don’t do this,” Jake called after her, his voice trembling. “We can fix this, just stop and think for a second!”

She climbed into the driver’s seat, her hands gripping the wheel tightly. She glanced at him through the open window, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “Good luck fishing it out,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The low hum of the stereo filled the room, a sultry bassline vibrating through the dimly lit apartment. Rose stood by the window, one hand resting on her hip, the other holding a glass of red wine that glinted under the soft glow of the pendant lights. She swirled the glass idly, her lips curling into a satisfied smile as she watched the man across the room.

“Nice place,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with a dangerous edge. He leaned casually against the back of her couch, his leather jacket hanging open to reveal the black tank top beneath. His arms were tattooed, a canvas of inked flames and skulls that matched the cocky smirk tugging at his lips. “Didn’t peg you for the cozy type, though.”

Rose let out a low laugh, her head tilting slightly as her auburn waves caught the light. “You’re not here for my decor, sweetheart,” she purred, taking a slow sip of her wine. Her eyes, fiery and gleaming, raked over him with unapologetic hunger. “You’re here because you couldn’t resist.”

He chuckled, pushing off the couch and taking a few steps toward her, his boots heavy against the floor. “You’ve got confidence. I’ll give you that,” he said, his tone teasing. “But let’s not pretend you didn’t notice me first. That little spin you did in the cruiser when you pulled over? Not exactly subtle.”

Rose shrugged, her lips quirking into a wicked grin. “What can I say? I know what I like. And when I see something I want, I take it.” She set her glass down on the windowsill, turning to face him fully. Her red dress clung to her body like a second skin. 

“And what is it you want?” he asked, his voice dropping lower as his eyes traveled over her. He didn’t bother hiding his admiration.

“You,” Rose said simply, her smile deepening. She took a step closer, her heels clicking softly against the floor. “Or maybe it’s more like… us. Something tells me you’re not the type to play it safe, are you?”

The man’s grin widened as he leaned down slightly to meet her gaze. “Safe’s boring,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “You know that, don’t you? You don’t strike me as the kind of woman who likes boring.”

Rose’s laughter bubbled up, bright and sharp as she reached up, her fingers tracing along the collar of his jacket. “You’d be right,” she murmured, amused. “Safe is for people with something to lose. Me? I’ve never felt more alive.”

Her nails grazed his collarbone as she pushed his jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. He didn’t flinch, his hands finding her waist as he pulled her closer. The heat between them was palpable.

“Tell me something,” he said, his lips brushing against her ear as his hands slid lower, over the curve of her hips. “Are you always like this, or did I catch you on a good night?”

Rose’s smile widened, her fingers trailing along his jawline before tangling in his hair. “You’re lucky,” she whispered, her voice low and dangerous. “This is me at my best.”

She didn’t wait for a response. Her lips crushed against his, demanding, as she backed him up against the couch. The kiss was a battle for control, both of them pushing and pulling, passionately.

His hands tightened on her waist, pulling her closer as she straddled his lap. Her red dress rode up her thighs, revealing the full length of her fishnet stockings. She didn’t care. All that mattered was the thrill.

“You’re something else,” he murmured against her lips, his voice breathless.

“You have no idea,” Rose replied, a wicked gleam in her eye as she pulled off her dress. 

[pm-my-beloved]

Durante Sin Predictions

I recall someone (I think @lu-is-not-ok) suggesting that the sins appearing in Durante are sins that both the attached Sephirath and the Sinner need/ed to learn to utilise in order to deal with their personal struggle at the moment and... Yeah I did a delve into that, and all of it just clicks WAY TOO WELL. Starting with what we have, Pigrita (sloth) for Hokma and Heathcliff. I think in this context, the thing they harness from sloth is "Acceptance"

Hokma in Lobcorp had to learn that he cannot be responsible for everything, that he can't take care of everything, and to just accept someones elses will for their path and the future Heathcliff had to accept several things, accept his past and let go of resentment with that, accept help of his companions, and finally, accept Cathy's decision.

Next, We have Superbia, Sin of pride, for Binah and Sancho. And as I said in some other post, Pride is "Conviction"

Binah in lobcorp had no conviction, she engaged in her tasks because it was required of her, until she finally had opportunity to go mad like she wanted to. But after her meltdown, she sees X's drive, part of her gains the Conviction that unlike what she believed, city may be changed. In Sancho's case, it is her needing to have conviction in the rightousness of her own dream, to be able to truly stand against her fathers will. So far it fits, so what do we have next?

I believe for Chesed and Hong Lu, we will tap into Ira, the Sin of wrath, which in this case, gives us strenght to confront the unjust.

In Cheseds case, the lesson he learned during his meltdown is, that nothing will change if people accept world as is, if they won't stand against injustice even if odds seem insurmountable. Simmilarily, for Hong Lu it would manifest in him finally having will to confront his family, rather than constantly be avoidant or accepting, he will directly approach the root of his issues, and possibly uproot them.

Gebura and Ryoshu in my opinion will be learning to use Morostasis, Gloom. For it is Gloom that lets us process our grief.

Gebura was unable to process her grief, her pain, so instead, she lashed out, she struck at abnormalities, and then at whole facility, but after her meltdown, she was finally able to accept the pain that came with her failures, instead of being a blindly striking blade. Ryoshu is escapism addict. If her backstory is accurate to Hells Screen, the core of her issue is grief over a lost child, yet she posseses no gloom. It's because she does everything she can to avoid thinking about it, avoid confronting it, but I believe that in her canto, we will see her come to terms with her pain and accept it.

Meursault and Tiphereth then, will have Gula, Sin of gluttony, one from which desire, hope and drive stems from.

Tiphereth had no expectations, she lived in now, fearing the future, but with her meltdown, what came was Expectation for better future, Hope for a better future, drive to achieve that better future. Meursault lacks such drive, he constantly adjusts himself to wishes of others because its more convenient that way, more comfortable that way, but that does not mean he lacks them. In his canto I believe he will be forced to acknowledge his wants, and gain drive to pursue them regardless of societal judgement

Next on the list is Hod and Outis, seemingly unlikely pick but, what they both lacked, is Invidia, Envy, which here translates into, Humility.

Hod may appear humble at first glance, but its a farce. Her false kindness and humility were not out of the goodness of her heart, but to feed her own ego, her belief in her own goodness, and only after her meltdown does she accept feedback of others, actually strives to improve from whom she was already. Outis also may appear humble at first, with how intensly she follows power dynamics, but that comes from her pride and sloth, she does not believe in her inferiority to her overseers, she's just following the Rightous chain of command. As we can see in the Sasha battle log, she completly and utterly refuses to accept other peoples perspectives. Because of that, I think she will have to tap into sin of envy to accept that sometimes, listening to other peoples perspectives, is needed to become better.

That leaves us with one last set, Netzach, Faust and Luxuria, Lust. This one is harder to succintly put into a single word, but I believe that for those two, Lust will manifest in appreciation of life itself.

With netzach he seems outwardly lustful, but he has no actual enjoyment of what he does, it's just one long lasting suicide attempt. But after his meltdown, and ESPECIALLY in his ruina appearance, he learns that life, in on itself, has value, that to live, is to experience, to laugh to cry etc. Its not just the ends that matter, but the process aswell. And so with Faust, with her access to Gesellschaft she is in constant state of ennui, completly bored. But as we see in warp train event, when separated, she absolutely is able to enjoy the process of learning, of discovery, it brings her happiness. So when her canto comes, I think she will learn to not focus only on results of knowledge accumulation, she will stop trying to achieve climax of knowing that would bring her satisfaction, instead, she will take joy in each small step of learning something new.

Also fast round with not theorising, In games code there is also Angst and Madness sin which can easily be thrown onto Yesod and Malkuth in that order.

[sylviabit-thehand]

OKAY so here’s the aforementioned essay. Keep in mind I am a bad writer, I do not edit, and I’m writing this through the power of caffeine and two hours of sleep.

So I wanna start with Grayson and Drake, kinda comparing. Starting off, we don’t get a lot of history from Drake. The guy exists mostly in the information we gather from Andrew and Higgins. He seems to have a great mom and Andrew called his dad “harmless.” Drake as an adult targets children. The classic disgusting predator. Besides Andrew we know he targeted six more kids after him. However we don’t know much about his actions before that. The guy was insane, going after everyone available.

Grayson is very different in a lot of ways. We get a lot more information about him because his little brother gives us information and Jean seems to know a lot about him. He doesn’t have any jarring details about his home life. But Lucas says that he changed after becoming a Raven. As Jean puts it, “he’s not your brother, he’s a Raven.” A very cult-ish situation. We all know coach Moriyama basically beat a bunch of kids into becoming his perfect cult of exy players, so it’s safe to assume Grayson didn’t have it easy. Somewhere along the way, he starts targeting Jean. It seems to start with the intention of gaining Riko’s favor. I think this motivation continues to exist, even after Riko’s death because he wants to be Perfect Court. He wants his cheek tattoo. Now I don’t know if it’s just me, but I think his attitude went from simply being ruthless in his pursuit for success to a desperate need for control. Maybe some sadism. Remember Jean notes that Grayson seems to take some pleasure in the fear he can so easily instill in him.

Now look at Jean and Andrew; Andrew has long escaped his abuser by the time we arrive at The Foxhole court. He’s going to therapy, he’s on medication, and despite the odd violent assault against the foxes, he’s healing. Andrew is very much a fighter. Not always for himself though. Remember, Andrew took the step of GOING TO JAIL to escape Drake once Drake threatened to harm Aaron. He also saved Nicky from getting a beating with that move.

Jean, compared to Andrew, looks very normal from the outside. He’s not having violent outbursts and threatening people with knives lmao. But by the time we get to TSC bro is a disaster. He hates Riko, he can’t survive without him. He hates the Ravens, but they’re all he has. Jean does not leave willingly. He is saved by the people who care about him. That’s a parallel in my opinion. Jean is saved by the people he loves. Andrew saves himself for the people he loves. Jean doesn’t want to speak to a counselor/therapist. He doesn’t want to tell anyone about anything having to do with him, but he doesn’t actually push back when people find the truth. That’s a parallel with Andrew, who may share information, but does not allow it to go beyond who he chooses to impart it to.

Okay are you still with me? We have four people(two Humans) who all have their own starting points in AFTG.

Now let me get to the moment of implosion Jean and Andrew both experience.

Grayson and Drake both return to inflict more trauma on their victims. For Jean, he thinks he’s going to have a sort of reconciliation with Lucas. Andrew goes to let Nicky have his reconciliation with their family. Both have similar goals, but again, Andrew is only doing this for his family. Jean is almost bullied into it. Unfortunately both of them get ambushed by their abusers. Interestingly enough, if we dig far enough, we can blame Riko for all of it. Grayson targeted Jean because of Riko’s Perfect Court. Drake goes back for Andrew because Riko convinces him to. For Andrew, he basically relives the trauma. In a huge way. Jean relives his trauma in a smaller way(note Grayson biting). Jeans reaction is to withdraw into himself, to go cold. Andrew’s first reaction is laughter. And then he immediately checks to see if his family is okay.

An interesting thing to note is Drake uses Andrew’s family against him. Grayson uses his OWN family against Jean. (I’ll touch on this again in a minute)

Something I find super interesting is almost immediately after both of these traumatic events BOTH men have to interact with Neil. For Andrew, he’s surrounded by his family. Neil, Kevin, Nicky, and Aaron. His twin, Aaron, has just murdered his rapist with Neil’s racquet. Jean is simply patched up and shipped home, where Neil picks him up and provides him with a LOT of peace one way or another. Andrew’s recovery process is basically “go sober up so you can properly heal,” while Jean therapeutically destroys the hateful messages the Raven’s left for him.

Now Id like to talk about the motives and underlying causes for Andrew and Jean’s lives. For Andrew, bro is actually very selfless. Everything he does is for family. He gives off “nothing to lose” vibes but in reality everything he does is for his people. This is something not even his own twin realizes until Neil points it out. I think Drake must’ve known this. He doesn’t corner Andrew somewhere, he uses his own family against him. Andrew protects Cass by not revealing her son as a rapist, protects Aaron from that rapist, and in general goes around making sure the foxes are safe and healthy. We see a measure of trust he puts in people. He gives Neil his armbands before he’s taken to the hospital, he has various foxes drive his car for him. Jean is quite the opposite. He has no one. And this is why Grayson’s methods for getting him aren’t super strategic. He simply barrels through a gate, his little brother, and attacks Jean. All of this to say that Jean has no one to worry about but no one to save him. When Neil reveals that they are now owned by Ichirou and NOT Riko, Jean doesn’t actually have any sort of joy from that. He’s lost, he’s confused, and even worse he’s angry. Throughout TSC it’s revealed that Jean is actually kind of Jealous of Kevin and Neil. Because they have people to live for. Jean feels kind of like a boat lost at sea. He’s not selfish in that he’s not throwing himself into danger like Andrew does, he just has no one. All he had was the Ravens. Everything he does is for himself and because of the whole “I am Jean Moreau, I have always gotten exactly what I deserve” his progress is slower than we may be used to. But honestly bro is doing so much. He’s got nothing, but he’s trying anyway. In a way he’s kinda right? Neil, Andrew, and Kevin are lucky. Because they have family. Jean is only existing for himself. Andrew and Jean are SO different but also there’s those shadows of similarities. Enough that even Jean sees it, as is revealed in the “So Drake wasn’t a biter,” line.

Lastly I’d like to consider the man the myth the legend Neil Josten. Because he has an important role in both of these men’s lives. Not to mention Drake and Grayson’s lives(or lack thereof) Now don’t get me wrong, Aaron deserves ALL the credit for bashing in Drake’s skull. But also let’s not forget Neil literally handed him the weapon. Neil witnessed the carnage of the death. And more importantly Neil learned a lesson on how devastating people like Drake and Grayson are. Even though he did not experience this particular trauma, he watched Andrew (the person constantly describe as a STEADYING person) crumble. So then Neil comes across Jean, the man who took Riko’s wrath in his and Kevin’s stead, the man who SHOULD have been his partner. And this guy reveals he has his own Drake of sorts. It’s safe to make the assumption that Neil can see Andrew in Jean. Only it’s worse because Jean doesn’t have anyone. There’s no twin carrying a racquet flying to his rescue. Jean is alone and his attacker is still out there, a threat hanging in the air. Neil, the FASTEST striker in the NCAA, was not fast enough to save Andrew. He was outrun but Aaron the midget. Well now it’s HIS turn to take out a rapist. 🥰 Only Neil isn’t much for smashing in heads. He’s a mafia kid, so ofc he’s gotta hire someone. Over DINNER no less. He provides Jean with support. Even better, he gives him discretion. Jean has just stepped into a very different world from Edgar Allen. TSC leaves us with the start of something that actually gives me shivers. Jean had no one. Now, he has the potential to have everything Kevin and Neil have. And not to be cheesy but I don’t think he’s letting that go any time soon.

THATS ALL! Didn’t expect anyone to read this but sorry for my scattered brain theories and ideas.

I could write essays on Drake vs Grayson and Jean vs Andrew.

[paperglader]

ok so we have one job this banner and one job only, which is to get jingliu in like 3 pulls, alright? last week i did not play cause ✨academia✨, I spent the last banner getting acheron 3 times and not getting her light cone in spite of endless pulling… I am not willing to spend a single dime, and yet with delusion as my only guide, I believe I can get this done. We have to manifest people. We have to make things happen, ok?

I am getting jingliu early.

I am getting jingliu early.

I am getting jingliu early.

reblog so that we all get jingliu early!!

[bandzboy]

i don't wanna sound like a conspiracy theorist that has various pictures on the wall with red thread connecting everything but it's so interesting how this met gala skz invite was so random...? i mean usually it is random but i feel like sometimes when idols get invited there are rumors going around like weeks prior or wtv but we just find it randomly because seungmin said it on a live and it was like..... okay? this brand collab and then the sudden "we are going to the met gala" thing are so weird to me i could be going crazy but it's a brand that is explicitly zionist so i mean.... to me it seemed so quick and in the out of nowhere that it almost feels strange??

[callmearcturus]

I said this elsewhere but

not to be That Guy but I don't really see the point of moving platforms anymore.

There is no where we can hide on the internet from the silicon valley bros. There just isn't. Patreon is VC-funded and could announce tomorrow that oh of course they've been partnered with Midjourney for months already. Twitter actively scraps everything for AI learning. And even if you trusted the other big players like FB/IG to tell the truth about shit, people are going to use these platforms for datasets anyway. They'll just do it quietly and hope no one notices.

And places like cohost or whatever-- honestly, if it makes you feel safer/better, go for it, but I don't think cohost has the sway or capital to build the type of legal team you need to fight against scrapers. Hell, you wanna retreat into private discords? Discord wants in on AI too.

Everyone big is already dealing in AI, and everyone small doesn't even have a seat at the table. In my opinion, we are all collectively holding out for Brussels or any of the many court cases to do something about this shit, because it's no longer a thing we can just hide from.

I'm going to keep my writing on the AO3 because they are the odd case of having an actual legal team in place for this shit. For artists, I have nothing but sympathy. I suggest glazing and nightshading literally everything you post.

But beyond that, I'm unsure what we can do. This is a matter for legislation. Silicon Valley doesn't care if we all go to cohost, and even less scrupulous data-crawlers will just grab our shit from there too.

So I'll be here.

[satori-runa]

—Pretty in color

Summary: You returned from work only to find your new boyfriend struggling with your make-up.

Tags: Established Relationship, Blissful Love Life Ending, fluff

Words: 1k

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

It was evening when you got home. The sky was already dark, and you had rushed all the way from work down the streets back to your flat, knowing that Mr. Crawling was waiting for you. You always felt terribly guilty whenever he couldn't come along, and you promised yourself you’d make it up to him by cuddling him all night.

But when you stepped inside, it caught you by surprise that he wasn't behind the front door, waiting as he always did. The small hallway felt strangely empty without his presence, leaving you puzzled.

"Mr. Crawling?" you called out, and before long, you heard the familiar giggle from the living room, sounding almost... proud.

You hurried in, only to step on something small. Was this... your lipstick? You lifted your foot, picking up the tube and frowning, wondering if you had dropped it this morning. But as soon as you looked up and met Mr. Crawling's face, you realized the truth.

His face was smeared with various types of makeup—lipstick messily smudged across his lips and cheeks, eyeliner drawn in strange places where it clearly didn’t belong, and streaks of your foundation unevenly spread across his pale skin. He continued to giggle, almost preening, as if showing off his new look. It was hard not to laugh, and you beckoned him over. Had he tried to copy your makeup routine from this morning? He looked ridiculous, but his effort was adorable.

"You trying to look like me?" you asked, amused, gently stroking his colorful cheek as he leaned into your touch with a pleased hum. "Would you like me to put make up on your face properly?"

You hoped he understood, because if he really wanted to imitate you, then you might as well help him.

He tilted his head, as if considering your offer. The giggle quieted, replaced by a soft hum of curiosity. You took that as a yes. Smiling, you guided him to the couch, sitting down and patting the spot beside you. He crawled over, careful not to knock anything over, and settled at your feet, looking up at you with what you could only assume was anticipation.

You reached for your makeup bag, pulling out a few items. "Alright, let’s clean this up a bit first," you said gently, grabbing a makeup remover wipe. You softly dabbed at his cheeks, wiping away the smudged colors. He sat still, surprisingly patient, his tall form hunched close to you, almost like a child getting pampered by a parent.

"There we go," you murmured, smiling as his face was slowly revealed. It was an odd comfort to see him like this—so unguarded, so willing to trust you. You believed that he had no eyes, yet you felt as if he was looking at you, his head tilted slightly, his expression almost tender in its strange way. You knew how easily he could frighten people, with his twisted, lanky form and the way he moved, yet here he was, letting you paint his face like it was the most natural thing in the world.

You leaned in closer, applying a light layer of foundation. "This will feel a little cold," you warned him, and he flinched ever so slightly before settling down again, his giggle returning, this time quieter, like he was enjoying the cool sensation on his skin. You couldn’t help but laugh softly, brushing your fingers against his jaw as you blended the makeup in.

"You really are beautiful, you know," you whispered without thinking, and he giggles once more for a moment before pressing his head against your hand, making a soft, contented noise like a purr. You had never seen him like this before, so vulnerable and sweet. It made your heart squeeze with affection.

Next, you picked up the lipstick. "This time, let me do it for you," you said, smiling. You carefully applied the color to his lips, smoothing it out with your thumb. He leaned forward as you did, pressing closer, almost nuzzling your hand. When you pulled back to look at your work, his lips curled into a smile—soft, genuine, as if he was pleased with how he looked.

"Me… like," he murmured, his voice hoarse and crackling like broken glass, but the words were clear enough. It was rare for him to speak in your language, and the sound of it made your eyes soften.

"You do?" you asked quietly, and he nodded, his tall form curling around you protectively, like he wanted nothing more than to stay like this forever. You reached up, cupping his cheek, and he nuzzled into your palm, his smile widening.

"I like you too," you said, feeling a warmth bloom in your chest. "You don’t need makeup to be beautiful, Mr. Crawling. You already are." You glanced at him full of love. “Me like you. You cute. You pretty.”

He let out a breath, almost like a sigh of relief, and leaned down, pressing his forehead to yours. You closed your eyes, resting there with him, feeling the cool press of his skin against yours, the way his form seemed to wrap around you like a shelter. He didn't speak, but there was no need to. His touch said it all—the way he held you so gently, like you were something precious, the way he stayed close, even though he could easily rise and tower above you.

"Rest together," you whispered, brushing your fingers through his hair. He let out another quiet giggle, nodding, his agreement clear without words. He shifted, curling up beside you on the couch, resting his head against your lap.

You stroked his hair, watching as his body relaxed, his tall form folding in on itself until he seemed almost small, almost vulnerable. He nuzzled into your touch, letting out a contented hum, and you couldn’t help but smile.

"Goodnight, Mr. Crawling," you whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. He let out a soft, happy sound, cuddling closer as he drifted off. You stayed like that, holding him close.

Maybe he couldn’t come with you during the day, but you knew he’d always be there, waiting for you to come home. And that was enough.

[moonstruckme]

It is I, person who asked about the bad car crash one. I have read the one you said! And while yes I think the car crash you described is bad I was wondering if you could do one that's... Worse-? Idk 😅 if not I totally understand lmao.

No I think I get you, thanks for requesting and hope you like it!

cw: car accident, concussion, mention of blood, I already know this is not very accurate, but I did not have it in me to do all the research when I wrote this. Sorry and hope it doesn’t hinder your reading experience </3

emt!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 1.2k words

Your own breaths are the loudest sound, which can’t be right. Surely there should be alarms, or screaming, or something. Up until a second ago, the screeching of tires and metal was loud enough to deafen you. 

Your car door squeaks brokenly, a sad echo of the racket from before. The air around you shifts as it comes open, and a moment later there are cold fingers pressing into your jaw. 

You make a low whining sound. “Hey,” you complain. Your lips move oddly, murmuring where you mean to speak. 

“Hi,” a voice behind you replies smoothly. “I’m Sirius, I’m with NHS. Is your neck or back hurting at all, gorgeous?” 

“No. You’re cold.” 

“Lovely. This is my friend Remus, he’s going to push on your hands.” 

A head appears in front of you, upside down and shooting an exasperated look towards the disembodied voice. You don’t understand how these people are moving around so quickly, without you noticing them coming. 

“Hello.” The other man’s—Remus’—gaze softens as he meets your eyes. “Can you tell me if you feel this?” He prods at your hand. 

“Yeah,” you breathe. Your heart is starting to move in your chest, thudding against your ribs like it wants to hurt you. 

“Alright. Can you try pushing up on my hands, please?”

You do. He nods approvingly, giving you a little smile. 

“Good girl. We’re good, Sirius.” 

The cold hands release your face, and you breathe a sigh of relief. It makes your chest ache dully. 

“Beautiful. We ready to move?” 

“Yup.” That’s a third voice, distinct from the others and somewhere you can’t see it. “We’re all set.” 

“Let me just—” Remus’ hands come up around your waist and back, his grip firm, near to bruising. “Okay, I’ve got her. We’re going to unbuckle you and lift you out, okay? Just stay nice and still for us.” 

You’re confused as to what he means, but apparently your silence is consent enough. You feel the buckle of your seatbelt click, and then you’re falling up, Remus’ hold tightening further as he stops your ascent to lift you sideways. 

It’s not until you’re out of the car that you realize you were upside down. Your head feels better, though not by much, and the sun glares at you like it’s punishing you for a wrong you don’t remember having committed. Your arm, suddenly and to your horrified surprise, is in agony. 

A pitchy scraping sound tears from your throat, what would have been a scream if you had the air for one. 

“Here we go, just—yeah—” the third voice speaks as something comes up under your back. “There we are. It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re alright.”

“We’ll get you on pain meds in just a second, doll,” Sirius promises. Someone adjusts your legs so they’re both on the cot, careful of your searing arm, and then you’re moving, the sky shifting above you until you’re looking up at a gray ceiling instead. Time is an odd, fluid thing, marked only by actions and various pains. 

“When did you get here?” you mutter, to no one in particular. 

The third voice is the one to answer you. It’s accompanied by a thick pair of glasses and a sweet face, eyes flickering between you and some equipment he’s messing with. “Just a few minutes ago.” 

“I don’t…I didn’t hear the sirens.” 

He smiles like you’re funny. “Yeah, I think you might’ve been unconscious for that part.” 

You wrack your brain. You don’t remember falling asleep. Only the screeching on the road and then being in your car. Then again, you feel half as though you could be dreaming right now. 

Something sharp bites into your hand. You whimper, the pain small but only adding to every other hurt that’s already far over your threshold. 

“I know,” Sirius shushes you, sticking something to your hand. “I know, babe, but this is going to help soon. You’ll see.” 

“So far I’ve got a concussion, open fracture of the wrist, several lacerations to the face and chest, and bruising around the knees.” Remus’ voice is an odd combination of soft and businesslike. You have a creeping sensation he’s talking about you. “Am I missing anything?” 

“Possible bruising around the chest,” Sirius says. “She was breathing funny earlier.” 

“Right. Hey, love,” Remus voice gentles as he addresses you, “I’m going to move your shirt down to see if your chest is hurt, alright? I’ll be careful, it won’t take long.” 

“Okay,” you manage weakly. 

“Thank you.” He uses both hands to stretch the collar of your shirt, tutting quietly to himself at whatever he sees. He lifts a stethoscope from around his neck, rubbing the metal on his hand for a moment before setting it to your chest. 

You don’t know what he’s listening for, but you’re distracted when the third paramedic—the one with the glasses—starts running what feels like a wet wipe over your forehead. 

“Just cleaning you up a bit,” he says brightly. “Figure we ought to have you looking your best for whoever ends up stitching you up, yeah?” 

“James.” Sirius’ tone is somewhere between chiding and joking and fond, an entanglement of meanings you quite can’t wrap your pounding head around. “Don’t talk like she’s not already stunning. You can hardly improve upon perfection.” 

“Too true,” the other boy agrees readily. 

“Take a breath in for me, please,” says Remus, seemingly ignoring the other two and seemingly also used to doing so. “Just as deep as you can.” 

You try. You do your best, and as your lungs expand the dull ache worsens and worsens until a sharp pain pierces your middle. The air whooshes out of you in a dry sob. 

The stethoscope leaves your skin, and Remus fixes your shirt collar, putting it back in place. Your chest radiates a terrible, throbbing hurt. 

“It’s okay,” James says. His finger brushes your cheek, swiping at wetness you didn’t realize was there. “Oh, honey, it’s okay.” 

“At least a couple of broken ribs,” you hear Remus mutter to the others. Somehow, impossibly, it makes the pain worsen. 

“What’s happening?” you choke out. 

“You’re in an ambulance,” James tells you kindly. “You were in a car accident, and I know you’re in a lot of pain right now, but we’re here to take care of you. We’re going to make sure you’re okay, and then get you to the hospital so they can finish fixing you up. You’ll be alright.” 

The explanation takes you a while to process, but even then your tears don’t seem to want to slow. Your chest pangs with each hitch in your breathing. Eventually Sirius starts talking you through taking slower breaths, trying to calm you down. 

Someone wipes at your face with a small square. It stings, and it comes away light red with your blood and tears. 

“I know it’s scary,” Remus murmurs, “but you’ve already done so, so well. We only have to splint your arm so it doesn’t move and clean some of your bigger cuts, and then we can go to the hospital. Can you let us do that, please? Will you be okay?” 

You take in a ragged breath. “Yeah,” you reply. 

“There we are.” James takes your head between his hands. Something about his grip reassures you. He touches his lips to your forehead, like it’s natural, like it’s nothing. “You’ve got this, sweetheart. Just need you to be brave for us a little while longer.”

[thewisecheerio]

Messmer's actually terrible at his job. (affectionate)

Messmer is a fascinating villain, because he is strangely compassionate. I would go so far as to argue that this same compassion that is so at odds with his villainy is the very thing that drove him to become that villain in the first place. Hang with me; this is a long post.

Spoilers for Elden Ring DLC. Obviously.

Messmer tells us himself that his purpose is to purge all those stripped of the grace of gold. "Yet...my purpose standeth unchanged. Those stripped of grace of gold shall all meet death...in the embrace of Messmer's flame." We can piece together who gave him this genocidal purpose from his armor set's description, which tells us directly that he's working on his mother's behalf *and also* taking all the blame for it.

So he's playing war criminal on Marika's behalf. And I do mean playing. I'm not downplaying the fact that he is a war criminal; he has murdered on entire people. But here's the thing: he's *terrible* at playing the sole part of the spiteful, hateful overlord. He's *awful* at reveling in war and its victories.

Why? Empathy.

Messmer is strangely empathic for what could have otherwise been a cut-and-dry villain:

1. His relationship with Gaius, an Albinauric: We learn from Gaius's Remembrance that he was Messmer's bestie. We also know that Gaius was an Albinauric both from his armor as well as the location "Albinauric's Hut" in the direction he comes from at the beginning of his fight. Albinaurics are despised by the Golden Order, but Messmer didn't seem to care. In fact, he cared so little that he gave Gaius command of either a huge chunk or perhaps his entire army, second only to him. And what is given as the basis of this friendship? The fact that they were "both cursed from birth", i.e. a mutual understanding of what it is to be despised. They're trauma bonded because they have empathy for each other's predicament.

2. His relationship with the Jar people: Even though the Jar people were used as weapons of war against his own people, he doesn't seem to resent them. How do we know? There is a hospital where the Jars and their innards are being cared for in the Storehouse, a stone's throw away from where Messmer spends all his time. There are even a few baby Jars running around in it. Strange thing to do to what is essentially an enemy of your people, unless you consider them to also be victims of the same conflict.

3. His relationship with his soldiers: Messmer shares his own flame with his army. Yeah, that absolutely could be interpreted as a utilitarian move for the sake of war. Power up the troops, boost your chance at victory. But it's a strange choice when he could have just armed them in the traditional way of handing them sharp, pointy objects and pointing in the desired direction of stabbing. Instead, arming your soldiers with your own power could also be interpreted as something you do when you care about their survival and are potentially working directly with them to ensure it.

4. The mourning of people who betray him: Speaking of his soldiers, Messmer gets betrayed by at least a few of them. We learn this from the ashes of Andreas and Huw. Huw's ashes further tell us that Messmer *mourned their loss* as brothers-in-arms. Weird thing to do to someone who has betrayed you, unless you care very deeply about them to begin with.

5. The implications of the Storehouse: Even though he is actively genociding Hornsent on Marika's orders, he somehow has preserved an entire library of their history. At first, I thought this was maybe just British Museum vibes: steal all the artifacts and refuse to give them back. (And that could still be a correct interpretation.) But in context of the rest of these points, if you're truly hellbent on erasing a culture, why would you bother to preserve any of it? Would you not burn the libraries along with the people? It's a fairly common thing to do in our world's wars--destroy the art and history to ensure full erasure. And yet, it seems he can't even bring himself to avoid some small amount of sympathy for the people he was explicitly tasked with killing. If you really *think* about the basis for his sympathy for Marika, this does make a lot of sense. Messmer is following Marika's orders because he knows about what the Hornsent did to the Shaman. Wouldn't it then also be the case that once Marika's reign became nothing but genocide, i.e. an exact reversal of what was done to her people, he would have the same kind of sympathy for them? Perhaps this is a form of harm reduction in the only way he could square with what he thinks is his purpose.

6. His own self-hatred: Messmer despises his own flames, which we learn from the Messmer's Orb description. If you were happy to be Doing a Genocide, would you not celebrate your weapons of war? Wouldn't you take pride in them as tools of power? Unless, of course, you're not actually as happy as we think and maybe having regrets and come to be filled with severe self-hatred. Woops.

So then, if Messmer is this guy running around with a lot of Big Feelings (and probably a deep need for a Prozac prescription), why does he even agree to this genocide in the first place? Isn't that an *odd* choice for someone who seems to care pretty deeply about people, even people despised by his family's governing order? Why does he carry out these orders even to the point of developing a deep self-hatred?

This is where Messmer's sympathy, one of his best aspects, also becomes his fatal flaw.

I mentioned above in 5 that Messmer has access to information about both sides of this conflict. As much as he might have sympathy for everyone around him--including weapons used against the Shaman like the Jars--that means he *also* has sympathy for the Shaman. So if you have sympathy for the other side and sympathy for your side, and you are raised by your own side, then what is the natural outcome? Your side wins. If you must choose a side, then you fight on behalf of Child Soldier Fostering Mother Marika. She raised you, after all. It's inevitable.

In the end, that same sympathy he seems to extend to others also is what causes him to do war crimes. Out of an abundance of sympathy for what happened to the Shamans, he agrees to take up arms.

At the end of the day, he's still a villain that needs to be stopped so that he'll stop oppressing an entire people on behalf of his mother's misguided attempts at revenge. But making his reasoning to agree to become that villain in the first place *empathy* of all things? Fascinating.

[heich0e]

keishin finally (finally) gets you into bed with him—well, onto couch with him, in his little one-room apartment in the back of sakanoshita mart—and he thinks all his prayers have finally been answered. thinks he's found some sort of cosmic apology for every misfortune he's ever suffered in how soft your lips are against his and how sweet you taste.

he knows he doesn't deserve this; that he hasn't done anything in his unremarkable life to merit how good you feel underneath his hands, or how dizzying those little noises you're making when he touches you are. but, against all odds, you're really here, you really want him, and he's determined not to fuck this up.

"keishin."

every time you say his name he feels like he's hearing it for the first time. like he's being blessed by it. it takes him a moment to process the way you've called for his attention as he suckles a little bruise against your throat, using every modicum of will he has left in him to pull away and meet your gaze.

you look so good underneath him on his ugly, ancient couch that it makes him ache. your lips glossy and swollen, your eyes heavy-lidded and yearning. you reach up and touch his cheek, and he can't tell if your hand is cool or his face is burning.

"do you have a condom?"

and all at once keishin comes crashing—violently, disastrously, crushingly—back to earth.

he blinks at you, wide-eyed, in the wake of your question. you seem to understand his answer even though he can't bring himself to say it.

"are there any in the shop?" you ask him, optimistic and gentle, with an encouraging smile.

keishin perks up—visibly brightening at your moment of genius—but as quickly as the hope uplifts him, he's deflating again. he pinches his bottom lip between his teeth.

"we're out right now," he murmurs sheepishly, suddenly unable to meet your gaze.

he only keeps a couple of boxes of condoms behind the counter at a time, since so few people ever come in asking for them. last week takinoue had showed up half-hammered two hours after closing, and banged on the shop door until keishin grumpily answered it. his drunk friend went on to explain that he'd gone out drinking with his colleague from work and she'd invited him home with her, but he desperately needed condoms. keishin chucked the last box at his stupid face, and yusuke swore up and down their next night out drinking would be his treat before skittering off into the night again with a grin from ear to ear.

he was going to kill yusuke with his bare hands the next time he saw him.

"keishin, it's okay," you say with a light laugh at the positively crestfallen look on his face. "we don't have to—"

"no!" keishin interrupts you before you can say the words he just cant bear to hear. not right now. not from you.

even if you promise him that this could happen again another time—that you don't have to go all the way tonight, that there will be other opportunities—he has no way of knowing if that's true. no way of guaranteeing it.

he's got a taste for you now. he knows what you sound like. he knows how you feel.

and he refuses to let this opportunity pass him by.

keishin pulls himself upright so quickly from where he'd been hovering overtop of you on his lumpy sofa that he almost gives himself whiplash. he stumbles up to his feet, brushing his bleached hair back from his eyes—he's not sure where or when he'd lost his hairband, but the strands are hanging freely now and falling into his gaze. he grabs his jacket from the floor where he'd hastily shucked it when the two of you stumbled through the door in the throes of passion.

"I'm just gonna run to shimada mart!" he says to you as he stuffs his arms ungracefully into the sleeves of his jacket, his words so frantic they're almost bleeding together. "it's only about 10 minutes away, if you just wait right here—"

"keishin."

"shouldn't be longer than 25 minutes! 20, even! i might even be able to get macchan to drive me back if—"

"keishin, wait."

your laughter makes him stop dead in his tracks, halfway to the door. he's only got one slide on his foot, the other still sock-clad, and in his haste he realizes he'd grabbed his television remote instead of his cellphone to shove into his coat pocket.

you've caught him by the sleeve of his jacket, holding the material pinched between your thumb and forefinger as you stare up at him from the sofa with the sweetest smile on your face. he's frozen as he peers down at you, his lips parted, his dick still half-hard in his jeans.

"don't go," you say to him, tugging him back towards you by your grip on his cuff. he moves easily, gravitating back into your orbit in spite of how gentle the actual pull had been.

"b-but,"—keishin casts a forlorn glance back in the direction of his apartment door—"what about the condoms?"

his voice cracks a little on the question and he has genuinely never wished so ardently for the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

you release his sleeve in favour of twining your fingers with his now that he's near to you again, your soft hand slipping easily into his own. that same dull ache in the pit of his core (and between his legs) throbs again as you blink up at him.

"i've been trying to tell you," you begin, a bit exasperated but not without its own fondness. you hesitate a little, looking away shyly before adding, "we don't... need one."

keishin thinks he might die.

really, genuinely die.

he wonders if maybe this is what the old man felt like when he almost keeled over from that heart attack last year, because keishin's pulse is pounding so violently in his head he feels like his vision is going a bit spotty around the edges—like when you stand up too fast after a night of drinking.

he's brought back to the moment as your hand squeezes his own—a gentle, questioning gesture.

your lashes flutter as you blink up at him, your head tilting slightly to the side. you smile a little at the dumbfounded look on his face.

"...if that's okay with you?"

(keishin pays for takinoue's drinks for the next six months, but never explains why.)

[luveline]

hey! i wanted to request r with a best friend!marauder, and she feels guilty for being a clingy/touchy bsf? eg. always holds hands and loops arms together and loves hugs. but said marauder comforts her? thank you jadey

The steps off of the bus feel especially steep on just four hours sleep. You’re not dizzy, but when James offers his hand from the ground, you accept it. Much less scary to know he could catch you if you slipped. 

“I’m surprised we weren’t holding hands already,” he says, giving yours a squeeze as you land, and pulling you to the side where the already departed rugby team and their family members wait for their luggage to be retrieved from the bus’ belly.

“Oh, I know,” you say. There’s an odd awkwardness to it that you’re trying to bury. 

James is used to you. Your hand in his is casual, perhaps a little too much for company, but it’s just hand-holding. You like feeling that he’s near, the slight chill of British summer more readily suffered with his palm against yours. He runs hot. 

He lets your joined hands swing gently with the wait, doesn’t bother letting it go until the luggage is all out. James grabs his duffel bag and your suitcase, and everyone makes their way to the hotel. It’s late —the team were expecting to be here much sooner but there had been a punctured tire, and then an accident on the M4. James will have to play the game tomorrow with less hours of sleep than intended, but he’ll play well. 

“You’re uncharacteristically quiet,” James says a little later, when you’ve shoved your suitcase under the double bed. He turns off the big light. 

“That is an uncharacteristically large word.” 

“Loser,” he says, pushing down the blankets to sit next to you. He rubs his mouth and nose, then he turns to you, all business. “You are quiet, though. What’s the matter? Still feel poorly?” 

“I feel fine.” 

“You look awful.” He winces at his own harshness. “You look upset, sorry. And you still have sleep in your eyes, let me–”

You sigh and tilt your head up for him to scratch the sleep from your eye. For a moment, it’s quiet, just your face in his hand, his fingernail against the delicate inside of your eye. “Do you ever think we’re too close?” 

“Not really. Sometimes when you kick me in your sleep, maybe.” He takes back his hands. 

“You don’t care that I’m, like, constantly on you? I don’t know, like earlier, when you helped me off of the bus. Most friends wouldn’t keep holding on to each other after, but we do.” 

“Most friends wouldn’t take a nine hour bus just to see me play an away game, so…” James gives you a little poke in the ribs. “But we aren’t friends, we’re best friends. So what if we want to hold hands? That’s our business.” 

You frown. “You really don’t care? Even when I’m harassing you for hugs and stuff?” Nausea sits in your chest, waiting for him to say, Yeah, actually, the hugging is a bit much. 

“Babe, I love you,” James says, his glasses slipping down his nose as he gives a shake of the head. His eyebrows are pinched in confusion, but his mouth is softening. “How long have you been thinking about this?” 

“I just don’t want to be a burden.” 

“You’re never a burden.” He opens his arms. 

You crawl into his embrace, reassured by his chin where it digs into your forehead, and his warm voice. 

“You don’t bother me. We bother each other, right? We fight like kids. I love it, I wouldn’t trade our friendship for anything.” He pauses. Hums. “‘Cept a Big Mac. I’m starving, I can’t believe we got stuck on the motorway like that.” 

“You’d trade me for a Big Mac?” 

“In a moment of weakness.” 

His smile curves against your head. His arms settle on your back. It’s the same as every other hug you’ve shared, warm and easy. “I wouldn’t,” he murmurs, “I don’t know why you’re worried about being too much, but don’t bother. You’re touchy, I’m touchy, we’re affectionate people.” 

“I spent too long on that stupid bus,” you say, dropping your flushed face into his shoulder. 

“You definitely did. Why would I care about you hugging me too much?” His hand moves gently up and down. “You give the best hugs around.” 

[naomiarai]

𝔸𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 — 𝙻. 𝙷𝚎𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚞𝚗𝚐

╔. ■ .═══════╗

➤ in which you’ve grown a liking to the roommate of the guy you tutor.

╚═══════. ■ .╝

➤ PAIRING — heeseung × fem! reader

➤ GENRE — romance, smut, fluff, comedy if you squint, f2l, college au

➤ WARNINGS — mentions of drinking, dom! heeseung, big dick! heeseung, sub! reader, unprotected sex, pet names (baby, pretty), oral (m.rec), vaginal fingering, doggy, manhandling, lots of kissing, creampie, multiple orgasms, spanking, slight nipple play, kind of public sex?/ semi public sex. [ lmk if i missed anything ]

➤ WC — 6.6K

➤ AUTHOR — reblogs and feedback are appreciated! (not proofread)

➤ [ enha masterlist ] [ taglist ]

You lift your head from the fiction book it was practically buried in, taking in your surroundings. The cafeteria was huddled with people, either stuffing their faces or babbling too much to care about their cold food. Reaching for your spoon, you fit the last of your rice into your mouth, chewing far too slow, with a sudden foul expression. You stare at Beomgyu, who weirdly stumbles his way towards you. What an idiot.

He makes his way to chair beside you, carelessly dragging it to sit down. You swallow expectedly, pulling a poker face. Beomgyu’s the last person you’d talk to, truly because he was a complete imbecile. The kind that if you were to tell him that he was one, he'd start fake crying and stick his very blue tongue out. (Yes he almost always has a blue fucking lollipop stuck in his mouth, and it TOTALLY irks you.)

Clearly not a big fan of him. So why would said Beomgyu come up to you?

He rotates his chair to completely face yours, letting out a deep breath; smiling at you uneasily. You arch your eyebrow, holding back a snort at how stupid he looks eyeing you.

“Uh..hi.. I’m Beomgyu, Choi—” he says; getting cut off by you before he could finish.

“Choi Beomgyu, I know,” you drawl. Who doesn't at this point?

He swallows nervously; eyes wandering away from yours, “Look, I know this is totally out of character for me, and I would kill to go back but, I kind of need your help” he whispers as if to make sure no one hears him.

Your face contorts into disbelief and confusion. Thats odd.

“Help? Why would you need my help?, don’t you have your buddies for that?”

Beomgyu's nervous, fidgeting with his fingers on the table. “Well, they could try, but it won't really help,” he confesses. “My grades are too low, I can't keep up the act of being okay, you know?” he mutters lowly.

You press your tongue against your cheek, getting what he’s trying to say.

“So, you're asking if I can tutor you?" you clarify, waiting for his nod. He quietly agrees. While tutoring isn’t exactly your specialty, you’ve given it a shot in the past. You could easily say no and leave him without help, but the opportunity to earn some extra cash is tempting enough to give it a go.

“Alright, what's the wage?” you ask in a relaxed tone. Beomgyu seems relieved, attempting to hide his grin.

“Thinking $10 per hour?” he suggests tentatively.

“Not quite what I had in mind,” you respond, unimpressed. Come on Beomgyu, you’re pretty loaded.

“How about $15?” he proposes without hesitation.

“Hmm, on second thought..”

“$25!” he interjects, irritation creeping into his voice.

You smile, content with the improved offer. “Deal.”

“Great, we can meet at my apartment, I just moved in last month; I need to be independent apparently” he says quickly. “Just a heads up, I have a roommate. I totally had to fight him for the apartment, so we’re rooming. He won't be a bother, we'll just have the place to ourselves in my room, he’s never home anyway”.

You nod in understanding and inquire, “Is he from around here?” Beomgyu nods and responds, “Yeah, his name's Heeseung, you know, the one thats’s boring AF?”

You take a brief pause, running your tongue over your lips as you wrack your brain for any sign of a Heeseung among your classmates. Surprisingly, you can’t seem to place him, which is unusual since you typically have a good grasp of everyone in your year. It's possible that Heeseung is just someone who prefers to stay under the radar, which might explain why you haven’t heard of him.

“Weird, I don’t know a Heeseung in our year” you say with confused tone.

Beomgyu shrugs nonchalantly, his eyes rolling in dismissal. “He’s always been like that. Anyway, I’m only still rooming with him because, well, he's almost never home and I can’t cook” he says, eyes bored.

The lunch bell rings loudly, abruptly halting your conversation. You glance at Beomgyu and manage a small smile. “I’ll drop by tomorrow; today's just too busy, you inform him. He gives a thumbs-up in response. With that settled, you start clearing your tray.

╰┈➤

Exiting the elevator, you walk down the corridor, each step bringing you closer to Beomgyu's door. He's waiting for you, his dark hair easy to spot in the hallway. You approach him, greeting him by waving your hand.

You quickly kick off your sneakers and step in, scanning the area with a keen eye. Everything looks neat enough, but the sight of a mop leaning against the wall and the freshly mopped floor makes you wonder. Did he just clean up right before you got here? Seems likely, considering he didn't bother to sweep before mopping. Looks like cleaning isn't really his thing.

Beomgyu gestures towards his room, pulling you out of your thoughts. You follow him inside, and as you step in, you’re greeted by a burst of color. The walls are painted a bold red, adorned with pictures and posters of basketball stars and iconic moments. You can't help but admire the shiny pictures that catch the light, giving the room a vibrant energy. “Cool room” you say, feeling drawn to the bright atmosphere created by all the basketball themed decor.

“Thanks” he says proudly, glancing up at his room.

You glance over at him, smoothly pulling out one of the chairs positioned by the desk, then lowering yourself onto its burgundy red cushion. Beomgyu follows your lead, exhaling audibly as he takes a seat beside you. He picks up a book from his cluttered desk and flips through it, his brow furrowed in concentration. Eventually, he slides it over to you, saying quietly, ‘I don't understand this.’

Examining the content, you meet Beomgyu's gaze with a bored expression. “Beomgyu, this is really basic," you remark casually, flipping through the pages without much interest. You know you’re being fairly annoying saying that. But if Beomgyu wants you to tutor him, he’ll have to deal with it.He gives you a dramatic eye roll and clenches his teeth, interrupting you with a sarcastically sweet tone, “Can we just get to the point already?” You stifle a chuckle, nodding in agreement. “Alright, alright”.

After spending about two hours tutoring, you're ready to wrap things up. Despite Beomgyu's jokes sneaking in here and there, you feel good about how it went. Plus, getting paid $50 is a nice bonus for your time.

You lean back in your chair, letting out a tired yawn. “Well, I guess it's time to head out,” you mumble, reaching for your bag. Beomgyu nods in agreement, rising from his seat. Just then, the sound of the front door being unlocked catches you off guard, causing you to glance at Beomgyu for reassurance. He seems unfazed. Oh. It must be his roommate, Heeseung, if you remember correctly.

You don’t think much of it, heading out of his room towards the door, Beomgyu following close behind. Glancing at the hand holding the door still, you stop on your tracks, awkwardly waiting for this Heeseung to enter. The soft creak of the door’s release draws your attention, as your eyes meet his, times seems to momentarily halt. Were people supposed to be this good looking or was it the lack of love in your life? God, he’s mesmerizing.

“_______”? You hear Beomgyu say, as your mind cuts your train of thoughts. “This is Heeseung, the one I was talking about yesterday” he tells you as you nod quietly in his direction, eyes still fixated on Heeseung.

Heeseung eyes you up and down, humming when Beomgyu introduces you as the girl from class who tutors him. You look familiar. You smile shyly, legs heading towards the end of the door. But what you caught on his face just as you stepped out brings red to your cheeks.

He fucking smirked.

It leaves you pondering, as you mutter a ‘bye’ to Beomgyu, not bothering to look at him. What was that? Did he do that to fluster you? You shouldn’t overthink it. Maybe he does that all time. Whatever, you’re not going to dwell on it. But it does leave you with more enthusiasm to come over to tutor Beomgyu. You’ll hope the only thing you’ll do here is teach.

It’s been about a month since you’ve been tutoring Beomgyu. You’re overall pretty satisfied with how it’s been going; you could see genuine improvement with him.

Other than the fact that you’re effort is going on the right track, you might also be taking advantage of your time there. Your suspiciously long ‘study breaks’ might have not always been for the said purpose. They might have been to make small talk with his roommate; when he arrived home earlier than usual. Or when the times up and you have to leave, delaying your departure so you can see his face atleast once a day. You can’t deny the attraction. Sure, the small talk might be slightly awkward but you atleast get to know him.

You walk out of Beomgyu’s room, on one of your so called ‘breaks’. Today's a good day. Heeseung’s home early!

You make your way towards the kitchen; you must say the counters are well done. They’re like a distraction if it gets awkward talking to him As the door to Heeseung's room swings open, the subtle movement sends a shiver down your spine, causing you to flinch involuntarily. You straighten up, hands crawling up a cabinet to find a glass for water.

You feel his figure behind you, somehow so close yet so far. “On break?” He asks, voice raspy. Must’ve took a nap. “Yeah” you mumble taking ahold of a glass. You turn around, drinking in his figure; oh fuck he’s in a tank top.

You almost stumble walking forward to fill your glass, just when you feel him grab your glass, “I’ll fill it for you. Grab me one too will ya?” he says grinning. Oh does he have to smile like that infront of you?

Nodding slowly, you walk back, getting another glass and handing it over to him. Heeseung mutters a ‘thank you’, proceeding to fill it up.

“Beomgyu tells me you don’t recognize me. I sit behind you in chemistry, silly , i was waiting for you to realise” he says with slight confusion laced into his words.

Your eyes become slightly wide, imagining yourself inside chemistry class. It ticks your brain. Of course, that’s why you must have looked familiar to him. “Right, sorry I never caught that”.

Before he can say anything you hear Beomgyu’s whiny voice calling your name, indicating it’s been far too long since you’ve been gone.

Now you’re on your way to Beomgyu’s again. It’s a Saturday, but he requested you to come. Just as you enter your cab, you hear the loud shrieking sound of thunder, indicating rain. Getting in, you sink into the cozy cab seat, the sound of rain tapping on the windows and occasional flashes of lightning outside creating a quite yet filled atmosphere. You gaze outside with a slight pout. It’s quite late as your leaving now, you hope the rain calms down by the time you have to go home.

Stepping out of the cab, rain pours down relentlessly. You dash towards the elevator, hands shielding your head from the downpour. Inside, you quickly fix your hair in the mirrored walls, hoping the rain doesn’t worsen. Looking into the mirror like walls of the elevator, you fix up your hair. God, you really hope the rain calms down.

The elevator’s soft robotic hum faded as you stepped into the familiar corridor, your feet moving automatically towards the well known door. With a sigh, you rang the doorbell, the sound cutting through the quiet. Taking off your sandals, you huff, waiting.

You hear feet walk up behind the door, unlocking it. But you don’t expect to meet eyes with Heeseung, white earphones stuck in his eyes and a song paused on his phone.

“Beomgyu’s not home..? It’s a Saturday anyway, you tutor him on Saturdays too? Geez” he says as you stand still, digesting what he just said.

Before you can answer him, your phone buzzes, a notification.

[Choi Beomgyu], 7:14 PM :

heyy im so sorry but uh i forgot i had plans today.. youve probably reached by now and its raining like crazy and I don't think its gonna stop so you can stay over for the night in my room, i’ll be at a friends’. use one of my tshirts or smtg. also heeseung's home so you wont get killed at night! again sorry!! </3

You internally roll your eyes. Seriously? But you can’t stay mad at him, he seems kind of genuine.

“I think I’ll have to crash here tonight,” you admit, your cheeks flushing slightly as you offer a tentative smile. As if on cue, Heeseung pulls the door open wide, ushering you inside with a dramatic gesture. “Beomgyu asked me to use his room, kay?” you explain, feeling a sudden surge of liveliness.

Heeseung chuckles at you, his eyes fixed on you as he watches you set down on your bag on the couch heading into Beomgyu’s room. You still feel captivated each time you enter his room; you wonder what Heeseung’s room looks like, you’ve only ever seen glimpses of it whenever he came out of it. Black walls or something.

You look around for his closest, quickly landing your eyes on the half-black, half-red wardrobe. Grabbing the handle and tugging it open, you start to look for t-shirts, thats’s something comfortable. And maybe some shorts as well. Yeah, you might look a bit awkward in it but it’s just for one night.

You frown your face, unable to locate any t-shirts. God, where does this man keep his things?

“What’re you looking for so interesting?” you hear a familiar voice say, flinching at it. You turn around to find Heeseung, arms crossed leaning against one of the open doors of the wardrobe. Dangerously close to you, you must say.

“B..Beomgyu asked me to use his t-shirt or something for the night” you explain, licking your lips. “But I just can’t find any”, you say with a annoyed sigh.

Was it just you or did you imagine the look of distate on Heeseung’s when you mentioned wearing Beomgyu’s t-shirt?

“They’re all in the wash, the idiot probably forgot, use mine,” he tells you, staring into your eyes with miniscule smile.

You can’t help but feel shocked by his offer, causing your heart to beat faster. It may seem insignificant, borrowing clothes, but it’s Heeseung. Your voice feels trapped in your throat, a rush of excitement running through your veins. It just feels special when it comes from him. But you definitely can’t say no, can you?

You reply in a quiet voice, trying not to seem overly enthusiastic, “If you’re completely sure...” He responds with a gentle smile while gently tugging at your wrist. Surprised by the gesture, you let out a soft gasp but ultimately decide to go along with it.

Entering his room, directly opposite Beomgyu’s, the matte black walls catch your eye, imbuing the space with a sleek, modern vibe. The abundance of books scattered; if arranged with proper shelving and space could make a pretty mini library.

As you find yourself in the midst of his room, you can't help but admire the coolness of both of your rooms. “You guys have such cool rooms” you exclaim, watching as Heeseung frantically searches through his closet. You hear his echoed chuckle as you walk towards him, taking a peek at his closet. He seems to have just destroyed its neatness. But you do notice the many t-shirts laying flat and wrinkled on the floor.

“There’s a like a billion one of those t-shirts you’re searching for on the floor, Lee” you tell him, bending down to pick up the two you see. “And a pair of shorts too” you add. Heeseung hums in response with a grin, sighing as he pulls out a pretty white t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. Certainly a little too big for you, sure as hell comfortable. Plus it’s Heeseung’s, makes it all the better.

He turns towards you, holding the t-shirt out in display. “I think you’d look nice in this” he tells you trying to contain a smile sheepishly. Did he do all this searching, messing up his well organised wardrobe, just because he thought this one specific one would look good on you? You would kiss him if you could right now.

You try to stay calm, trying to hide your eagerness as you thank him softly, taking it from him. Turning around, you move to leave; but stop on your tracks when you feel his hand on your wrist stopping you. Instinctively you look back, Heeseung’s face mere inches away from yours. If you moved any closer, your lips would touch his. And you don’t know if that’s a risk you’re willing to take.

“You forgot this” he says,handing you the black shorts, brown orbs still looking into yours. You feel some sort of relief when he says that, quickly taking it from him. “Right” you say in response walking away.

As you walk away, you think about what just happened; would he have kissed you back if you did first? Does he like you like that? Or is it just some occurring tension between you two? You don’t know but you’ll let it play out like this.

Standing before the bathroom mirror, you take a moment to appreciate the comfort and loose fit of your attire. The t-shirt drapes effortlessly over your torso, offering a snug yet relaxed feeling. The shorts fit good at your waist too, thanks to it being elastic. Heeseung was right about thinking it’d look good on you. And again, it’s his.

You step out of the bathroom, slowly walking your way into the living room. You spot Heeseung on je couch, a video game console in his hands and eyes fixated on the TV screen. Stopping on your tracks you watch him, completely not noticing you. From what you’ve seen, he’s not as boring as Beomgyu has told you before. You see a second console on the coffee table. It’s so obvious they play together.

“Mind if I join in?”, you ask, your voice brimming with excitement as you make your way over to the couch where he's lounging. With a playful bounce, you settle yourself down right beside him, looking over at him.

His eyes roam over you, and you feel your cheeks heating up. Is he pleased with how his clothes fit you, or does he see something off? Heeseung’s gulp breaks the tension, and he meets your gaze once more, leaving you uncertain about what his look truly means.

“Do I look weird or something?” you say, laughing awkwardly. Please say no.

He almost immediately denies your assumptions, “No, fuck you don’t,” he says swallowing once more, “You look..good, that’s all” he continues. No, that’s not what he wants to say. He thinks you look hot. But best left inside his head. You internally sigh in relief, thank god. Resuming back to what you said, you ask again giggling, “So can I play?”

He nods his head in agreement, grinning. Bending over to grab the other console, you shuffle into a comfortable seating position, hands on your knees. “Good luckkk” you drawl with confidence. Heeseung scoffs at you with a smile, he’d kiss that attitude out of you but he'll watch you play for now.

“I’ve experienced Beomgyu storming out in anger because he didn't win like five times in a row,” he tells you with a cocky smile. Alright, skilled gamer Heeseung. Although your confidence may have wavered, you refuse to let it affect you. Your main goal is to enjoy yourself during your time here.

“Beomgyu acts like you’re so boring, yet he seems to have pretty good friendship with you” you say softly. Heeseung hums in response, “It’s because I only play with him sometimes, not really so often. He’s just over-dramatic, really” he brushes off.

You nod in understanding, “Let’s play then, shall we?”

You don’t think you’ve ever laughed this hard at someone’s face before. Heeseung’s face when you swiftly went past him and won the game has you breaking into peels of laughter. His face is truly priceless.

“Did that hurt your ego?” you say between soft giggles. Heeseung stares at you, holding back a grin. The way you feel confident after winning over him, entices him; He wants to ruin that confidence, he wants to ruin you. “Beginners luck” he replies instead. You continue to giggle at him, laughter dying down as silence pierces through. It’s peaceful, not awkward at all as the both of you sit in the rather calming quietnesss.

The quiet room suddenly got noisy with your unexpected hiccups. You felt them like tiny jumps in your chest, making you stumble as you hurried to the kitchen, your steps clumsy against the relentless spasms. Opening up the very familiar cupboard, you tap against its inner floor, reaching for a glass. Gasping quietly as you land your feet from tip toeing; you lick your lips, turning to go fill it up.

You’ve always liked this kitchen. It gave you a feeling nostalgia; having such a similar one back at your parents house.

“You enjoyed winning so much didn’t you?” Heeseung says with amusement lacing his words. Gulping down the last of your water with an uncontrollable smile, you nod at him. You like having him slightly worked up. It’s entertaining.

Heeseung walks over towards you, suddenly caging you with his arms. Your hands instinctively grasp at the counter behind you, eyes darting down. His eyes look into yours sharply inching even closer, if you went just a little closer, your noses would touch and at that point you should just kiss. Temptation clouds your mind and ball of confidence strikes you; retrieving your hands from the counter, you pause before connecting your lips to his.

His lips freeze against yours; certainly was not expecting you to do that. But as soon as he hears your soft whine, his arms that once surrounded the space around you, grabbed at your waist. The soft feeling of his lips on yours melts your body into desire, but before you can fall under it, you pull away.Heeseung groans just as you cut contact, looking at you with an puzzled expression. What are you doing to him? You give him what he wants and blatantly take it away. That’s the game you play huh? You tip toe, bending your neck over his as you take a peek at the wall clock fixed in the living room, just next to the kitchen. 10 PM it read. Time does fly when you have fun.

“Sex this late night ruins my sleep” you tell him with a fake pout plastered on your face. “Maybe next time, Lee” you add on as you cup his face, only to kiss his cheek before slipping away out. Heeseung freezes, shock etched across his features as he replays the scene in his mind. He grapples with your intentions, wondering when this “next time” will occur. It’s clear you’re pushing his buttons, you literally kissed him for a hot minute and left him helplessly hanging. You’re good at switching up aren’t you? If he has to play this game to put you in your place, then so be it.

All confidence that resided inside you vanished as soon as you closed the door to Beomgyu’s room. God, did you actually do that? Your ego definitely seems to spike sometimes. You don’t know if you regret it; from the sheer look in his eyes and searing kiss, it was obvious he liked you too. You just might have left quite an impression on him, it was bold of you. The future of your actions lay flat for tomorrow.

You wake up to the noise of the front door being opened, assuming it was Beomgyu, you rub your tightly closed eyes open. Having slept fairly well last night, you quickly got out of bed, arranging the sheets neat. This wasn’t your bed or home to leave untidy, like you occasionally do. Although you think Beomgyu is no better than you.

Walking out you see Beomgyu, helping himself to a cup of ramen. You’d like some breakfast before you leave.

“Hey, got another cup?” you ask with grogginess evident in your voice. Beomgyu finally takes a look at you, pausing at your question for a few minutes before nodding. He turns back momentarily to grab another cup, sliding it over to you. You can’t help but turn your eyes over to Heeseung’s room. Is he still in bed?

“Where’s your ‘boring’ roommate?” you ask him with a hint laughter in your voice. Beomgyu gives you a sarcastic roll of his eyes, “He left for the gym right as I came in” he says replying to your asked question. Oh. You guess the only time you’ll see him again is on Monday.

Finally pouring in the hot water, you close the cup with the paper lid, waiting. As you sit waiting for your meal, lost in your thoughts, your mind wanders aimlessly. Suddenly, a sharp gasp escapes your lips as your attention is abruptly pulled back to reality by Beomgyu, who has made an odd noise while pointing his index finger in your direction.

You look at him with a confused expression, “I thought I told you use my t-shirt? That’s not mine” he says, staring at you for an answer. Halting for short second, you reply back “I looked through your closet, and Heeseung told me that they were all in the wash, genius. So he lent me his”

Beomgyu looks at you with squinting eyes, processing all what you said before he casually hums. Opening your lid back up, you mix your noodles before going in for a much needed savory bite, humming in delight you look up with happy eyes.

“So, What did you do last night?” Beomgyu questions, inching his elbows closer to you. The question is harmless and innocent if you view it the way you should, but in your case, there are only two things memorable — winning over Heeseung and kissing Heeseung. You can’t help smile internally remembering them, you still feel the feeling of his lips on yours if you think about it long enough.

Beomgyu waves his hand infront of you, as to pop your thinking bubble, “R..Right, yeah, I didn’t do much, just played some video games and went to bed, that’s all” you answer stuttering slightly at your words.

His eyes light up at the mention of video games, a grin fighting for freedom on his face, “Who won?” he asks enthusiastically. You’re sure Beomgyu’s hoping for you to say that you had won, recollecting that he always lost to his skilled roommate. Licking your lips in a swift motion, you press your lips together in a tight smile, gazing at Beomgyu.

The look on your face is all he needs to let out a sigh of happy relief, “Fuck yes! Somebody actually beat Heeseung” he exclaims with delight offering you a high-five, which you gladly receive. Slurping up the last of your breakfast, you walk over to throw in the trash informing Beomgyu on the way that you’ll head out after changing back into your clothes from last night.

As if remembering something important, he calls you again, “ _______!, just wanted to let you know, I’m hosting a party at my parents’ place on Monday you know, since the semesters about to end. And they’re not home anyway. Your’re invited if you’re up for it” he blurts out.

“Who's gonna be there?” you question, intrigued.

“Like practically everyone; Yuna, the girl with red glasses, Heeseung, me, duh and—

“I’ll be there, send me the address” you cut him off, rushing back inside and change before you leave.

You apply a coat of rosy lip gloss, pressing your lips together with satisfaction. You look good tonight, clad in a snug black mini skirt paired elegantly with a delicate white lace tube top and your hair down in waves. The top showcases just the right amount of skin, accentuating the look of your slender silver chain. It’s both sexy and cute.

The party’s at 8 PM, and you’ll be just on time if you leave right now. You take one more good look in your full length mirror, nodding to yourself, before finally heading out.

╰┈➤

You stare in awe at the house the party resided in. It’s truly beautiful, and big. The lively music and joyful voices coming from inside indicate that Beomgyu has invited a lot of people. It’s clear he’s gone all out to make sure everyone has a great time tonight. You enter with a soft sigh, clutching onto your baby pink handbag. The music is loud but quite enough to hear people talk to one another. Your eyes scan around the area; looking for Beomgyu. The large table with drinks catch your eye as you spot Beomgyu sipping on a can of beer.

He locks eyes with you as you make your way towards him, managing a small smile.

“Oh my god, you’re like two minutes late” he exclaims dramatically, holding up his phone in the which glowed ‘8:02 PM’. You give him an unimpressed look. That seems to shut him up as he gives you a small pout.

You grab a can of beer from the table, popping it open and taking a sip.

“C’mon, I’ll give you a house tour, you’re probably the only one who hasn’t been here” he tells already walking ahead.

You faithfully trail behind him as he leads you on a tour through each luxurious room, offering short descriptions of their purposes. The surroundings are nothing short of extravagant, soaring ceilings, intricate architectural designs, and an abundance of totally unnecessary paintings on the wall. The overall aura of the place resembles a palace, filled to the brim with people.

As you both progress down the hallway, the fading music suggests you’re approaching the final room. Each room you’ve passed has been bustling with at least five people, engaged in drinking, sleeping, or playing some sort of game. However, between all this, Heeseung’s absence stands out. You’re left to ponder where he is : Either he dipped out on coming or he’s inside the room you’re just about to enter.

Beomgyu gestures towards the door, softly remarking, “And here’s the last room, my childhood sanctuary.” With a gentle click, he swings it open, revealing a truly elegant space. Stepping inside, you instinctively search for Heeseung, your gaze finally settling on him. He acknowledges Beomgyu, waving at him before he buries his gaze on you.

You look away as soon as you make eye contact, pretending to observe the room instead. Other than Heeseung there are few other guys in the room, they’re all sitting on the bed; probably chatting before you came in.

“What are ya’ll doing just talking? The drinks are downstairs, come down!” Beomgyu tells them with annoyance evident in his voice.

“I’ll stay, not in the mood to drink right now” Heeseung mutters, his eyes still fixated on you. Beomgyu looks at you with bored eyes as if silently letting you know that the person who just spoke is infact really boring. You give him a small giggle before telling him that you’d come down in a bit too. You just might have a little talking to do. Beomgyu gives you an expression of ‘you too?’ before leading the other guys out down with him.

As soon as you turn your head from watching them leave to head down, you slightly flinch at Heeseung walking past you to swiftly lock the door. Safe to say you’re not surprised. You slide your handbag off your shoulder, mounting it on a nearby shelf. Just then you feel a gentle tug at your wrist and immediate contact with Heeseung’s lips. You halt for a second before you wrap your hands around his neck, pads of your fingers pressing into the nape of his neck.

His lips feel just as soft as the first time, addicting you must say. He seems just as eager as you are, slyly pushing his tongue inside your mouth with a grin you could tell he had on. You whine into his mouth, signalling him to pull away to breathe. He pulls away slowly, a string of saliva connecting your lips as you pant heavily. God you really need him right now. His eyes look into yours as you giggle at the lip gloss smeared over his mouth. He looks at you amused as you wipe then gloss off with a focused stare.

“What happened to ‘sex ruins your sleep at night’ ?” he asks you mockingly, running his hands over your ass.

“Your dick’s hard” you retort, hands coming down to palm his cock. He hisses as you do so, mumbling a curse.

“I’ll just go fuck another girl” he tells with a smirk, eager to see your reaction. He’s really trying to piss you off huh?

“No you fucking won’t” you tell him with a laugh, connecting your lips back together. He dosen’t complain, immediately melting into the kiss as you still rub his hard on, making him moan into it. You don’t think you’ll ever get over how good his lips feel against yours.

“That’s right, so suck me off will you?” he says against your lips.

And that's how you end up on your knees, holding onto Heeseung’s thighs tightly while he thrusts his big fucking dick into your mouth. You eagerly suck and twirl your tongue around the lower part of his shaft, making sure to cover it with your saliva. The grip on his thighs becomes even tighter as he pushes his cock deeper into your throat, his mushroom tip brushing against the back.

“J..Just like that baby, god you were made for this” he rasps with eyes closed shut, fingers caressing your hair. You let out quiet moans against his dick, your panties progressively getting wetter. You’re desperate for him inside you.

Continuing to suck him off, you decide to tease him a bit, after all he is, so close to coming. You pull off his dick, retrieving your hands from his thighs and grabbing at the base of it and giving his red tip kitten licks. He groans at loss of your mouth, eyes glaring at your doe eyed ones. “Don’t fucking tease or you won’t get to cum later” he warns you. The thought of not cumming when your pussy was dripping and pulsating like this sent shivers down your spine.

You almost immediately stuff his cock back in your mouth; but you pause when you feel feel Heeseung’s hands gripping your hair, fucking your mouth. It’s sloppy and messy; you feel hot tears well up at your eyes, falling down endlessly as he continues to fuck your throat deep.

“Thats’s a good girl, fuck, ’m gonna cum” he moans, his movements in your mouth gradually easing as he releases his warmth down your throat. Heeseung breathes heavily, his eyes widening with a smile as he gazes at your exhausted expression; cheeks flushed, eyes watery, and most likely a very wet pussy. He bends down to pick you up again, mounting you on his lap as he lifts your skirt, fingers dipping into your soaked cunt.

You whine into his neck, feeling him move your drenched panties to the side, filling your cunt with two of his fingers, sinking in and out of you painfully slow. Heeseung chuckles at your whimpers, finding them cute as he adds a third finger, picking up his pace. He starts pressing wet kisses into your neck, sucking on the shell of your ear which only fueled the building pleasure inside of you.

“Hah—! please, wanna cu..m gonna cum” you groan into his neck as you cream over his fingers, knot in your stomach free as you relieve your high, hugging Heeseung tighter. He brings up his coated fingers up to his mouth, licking them clean.

“Need to fuck you now, but let me eat you out next time, yeah?” he whispers into your ear, as you finally look at him again placing a kiss on your lips. You hum in response, a slight gasp escaping your lips as he flips you on your stomach, ass up in the air; removing the your skirt and sticky underwear. He takes a moment to look at your glistening cunt, slightly swollen from your previous orgasm.

You want to say something you know you shouldn’t, because one, it’s way beyond the truth and two, not when he has you under him like this, no control over him and pussy ready for him to slip into. But you like pissing him off and getting him worked up. Just as you feel his dick poke at your entrance, you whisper, “Small dick”.

You may have said it in a low voice but the way you feel Heeseung stiffen up behind you only confirms he had clearly heard it.

“Oh yeah? Enlighten me on the girl who was fucking choking on this small dick not so long ago” he spits out with amusement lacing his words, cock slipping into your folds whole without notice. You let out a string of choked moans, words breaking down into nothing as he pounds into you relentlessly. Falling face down onto the sheets, you tug on them tighter, body jerking and thighs shaking. To say he felt good buried inside of you was a huge understatement.

He hold your hips tighter, cursing at how you clench down at him each time he goes deeper into you.

“Look at you, cunts sucking me in so good, been desperate for my cock haven’t you?” Heeseung growls with a cruel laugh, leaning down to suck on your back as he still fucks into you. You don’t answer, mind fogged up with cock ruining your pussy as your eyes roll back. One of his hands pull you back up, then grabbing at your bouncing tits, rubbing at your nipples.

He slaps your ass, eyes watching it jiggle with each pound he gives. “Fucking answer me” he demands you, only making you moan louder as you feel his tip brutally hammer at your cervix, pushing you towards the edge.

“Yes! hnng!— fuck yes! gah- please” you blurt out, the need to cum again building up fast.

Heeseung lets out a shriek, cock swollen inside of you as he fills your cunt up with his cum. But he still fucks into you, getting you closer to your high. The way he filled you up only tightened the knot inside you, squirting out on his cock and coating. Your vision sees white as you pant heavily, head throbbing.

Heeseung slowly moves your tired body onto his lap, picking you all over your face as you get back into your senses. “What a way to finally say I love you” he tells you, kissing the crown on your head. You giggle at him, feeling a strong sense of euphoria rush through you.

“I’ve always liked you” you tell him, looking away and playing with his fingers. He chuckles at you, placing another kiss on your lips. “Good, I had a thing for you too” he whispers into your ear.

Suddenly you hear a stiff knock at door, you jolt up in surprise, “Can you please open the fucking door? I need to piss! All the others are occupied!” you hear Beomgyu’s voice outside, desperate to get inside. It makes you realise you literally fucked on his bed, and totally messed up the cheeks. The thought of cleaning it up burns red into your cheeks.

You look up at Heeseung, as if asking what to do. But with the grin he has on his face says otherwise.

“Wait just a little more, I’ve got to make _______ cum again!” he screams out at the door slyly spreading your legs again.

You don’t think Beomgyu has to use the bathroom anymore.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Favorite Guest | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

Visiting the controversial but fascinating zoo: Twisted Territories is something you finally got around to doing. Usually satisfied with the attached aquarium and petting zoo; it’s a bit of an adventure going into the very popular exhibit. 

“Here is our exhibit for our Nagas! If you don’t see them don’t feel bad they are a little shy. So if you like you may look up at the screen where we have some footage of our training with them–”

The zookeeper kept talking as the crowd made a makeshift line along the glass of the giant enclosure—moving awfully quickly because of the lack of action. Letting yourself fall into the back of the line you took your time admiring the grand enclosure. Much larger than any you’ve seen it was likely they could’ve been in plain sight camouflaging with the foliage inside it. Finally telling yourself to move on you take one last look at a specific spot in the bushes. Doing a double take you try to see if you saw the shimmer of someone’s eyes. 

“Mommy, when will I get a chance to see?”

Hearing the child’s whining you decide your time at the glass was up, writing off what you’d seen as an especially shiny plant in the exhibit. Pushing it to the back of your mind, the memory fades with the attraction of the merpeople and the wolf-hybrids who were much more present. It’s good enough to encourage you to come back, once again giving the Naga exhibit a chance. 

Spending a little while looking at the unreal nature, hoping you’ll find some hidden pattern of scales or a tiny bit of movement that reveals where the Nagas may be. It didn’t take long before your eyes were drawn to the open space right behind the glass. Only having time to look befuddled before a crowd of people started to form around you. 

“Look that snake-man came right up to the glass! Quick get your camera!”

As so many voices began to point out, a pale upper human half with a silver tail coiling behind him was right up against the glass. Hands-on the glass with his dark eyes trained on you, this Naga with a choppy bowl cut didn’t seem keen on moving. His intense eye-bags made it hard to tell if you were angering him or just entertaining him. You weren’t keen to find out. 

It took a while but you let the crowd take your place struggling to get through them to move on to the next exhibit. Taking advantage of the crowd’s excitement, when you looked back you couldn’t see the Naga which you could delude yourself into believing it was pure coincidence. Trying to enjoy the rest of your trip to the zoo, once again you tried to push your weird encounter into the back of your head. When that doesn’t work you settle for calling yourself ‘lucky.’ Who else has gotten such a close view of one of the illusive Nagas in the enclosure? 

This is why you internally scold yourself when you find a special invitation to that part of the zoo again. The email claims it's a prize for being such a frequent visitor and it makes sense that they offer a discounted price. If only to shake away the memories of the odd encounter you do again this time avoiding that exhibit for last, with plans to go at the end of your stay. You try to hurriedly rush through the path without incident.

The sound of a glass being banged and a muted hiss has you turning to look at the nagas exhibit. This time there are two–the grey one who’s tail was still on the glass and the other whose tail is a vibrant blue with hair to match. The blue one was coiled in on himself practically hiding behind the grey haired one–but he was also looking at you. Both leaning in tandem as you tested going further down the path. Once again the crowd was in an uproar surrounding the spot. You could see the blue one hurriedly retreat into the bushes of the exhibit while the grey one lingered. Through the surrounding crowd you found yourself locking eyes with dark grey ones. The glare was the same as before—a demanding sort of stare that weirdly made you feel guilty for turning away. 

Well…you were never coming to this zoo again.

__________________________________________________________

“Hi, can you please please come to the zoo again? I’m asking personally because legally that wouldn’t be right but there’s this neat grey area where I can–”

Cater couldn’t help but ramble as he spoke to the former frequent guest of the zoo. Tasked by his superiors to do whatever was needed to get the Nagas corporation. Since uniting the three specimens their murderous tendencies had increased. For a time there were vague signals of in-fighting but that quickly died down and suddenly their scientists and zookeepers were turning up dead. 

It seemed like there was no end to the carnage. 

Until (Y/n) came along.

In the zoo’s database, they were listed as a common face. An annual pass and accessories to match it was a matter of time before they visited the new mystical exhibits. What no one expected that it’d be them who got the Nagas to be active. With cameras placed on the ceiling and some trees, the scientist smart enough not to go inside could watch. But the Nagas were smart they knew precisely where they were and their intense strength didn’t help. Taking advantage of the terrain that didn’t need to be changed the Nagas made their supposed nest in a cave which meant that no scientists could see them even at rest. 

So it shocked everyone when they saw multiple dashes across the screen at the fifth big crowd of the day. Unlike some of their other creatures who had fun toying with the guests and were rewarded for it. The Naga s were never a part of this group usually ignoring guests or making themselves completely unseen on purpose. But now they were rushing to the edges of the forest without a care for the cameras or the eyes of amazed onlookers all to look at one person in particular.

“That one human. When will they be here again?”

Cater was the unlucky understudy who was finally spoken to rather than immediately suffocated for simply delivering food. He was shaking like a leaf as he promised to find out for them. It was a wonder they spoke at all let alone the biggest one of all. 

The creatures Twisted Territories had gathered were oddly enough quite close to one another. Already having split themselves into factions and hierarchies that fit with their species. But the greatest predator and the most feared was none other than the rumored dragon. Illusive and feared the only reason he hadn’t decided to end the organization was because he was looking for something specific. 

He said this after leaving nothing of an army of men and women. 

No bones. No blood. No survivors to speak of.

This is why it was a miracle that Cater was able to return to the guffawing scientists with a message at all. Bringing this up to the Superiors he was praised and tasked with making sure that their requests were fulfilled. 

Did these creatures have a type they liked to kill?

An interest in specific blood types or was it something else?

Was it a mating interest?

Competition?

The possibilities were endless and those superiors of his were hungry for answers. Granted it would come at the cost of this poor person’s life but he wasn’t in a position to argue. Not when he told the dragon he’d find you himself.

“I’m not really interested in returning anytime soon.”

That wasn’t going to work.

“I…actually would like to offer you an exclusive look at one of our exhibits. We’ll give you a free meal and some extra merch–”

“I’m sorry but I really don’t want to. Those Nagas really put me on edge.”

Cater’s heart sunk even deeper into his stomach. Letting his mind wander to the consequences of failing to get the subject to come willingly. His superiors would no doubt go to the extremes– buying the land around them, blackmailing, entrapping their family. It would be so much worse than a simple call. 

“I shouldn’t be saying this but the next time someone calls you about coming…there will be dire consequences.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know if they’ve already heard me…just pack a bag and come, please. I don’t know what they’ll do.”

Cater hung up the call, his heart aching in his chest. Looking at his feet he was acutely aware of the shadow that stretched in the doorway near them. 

He thought he was safe.

He thought he was essential.

The first one to speak to The Dragon without being dead.

Perhaps he wouldn’t get to deliver the guest to the dragon himself. 

Maybe you’d be better off on your own.

__________________________________________________________

“Welcome (Y/n) (L/n) to your official behind-the-scenes of Twisted Terrain. Is there anything I can get you before we start?”

“The guy I was talking to…where is he?”

“.....Right this way honored guest.”

You didn’t like how they deflected but it prepared you for what you may be dealing with. Despite the media denouncing it, you’ve been looking at the forums. Written off as hurtful conspiracies to zoos they provided their speculation about the zoo’s latest additions and how far their willing to go to keep them. Sadly it aligned with everything that’s happened so far; more people with suits surrounded you as you further traversed into the maze of staff-only doors. It didn’t make you feel so bad about scheduling a post about this thing. They’d take it down eventually sure but if you were never coming back it’d be best to warn others about this wolf in sheep’s clothing. 

“So here is the private extension of the Naga exhibit, where our scientists do their best to learn while taking care of our reptile friends.”

Seeing where this part of the exhibit expanded from the one the public saw was shocking. From a previous perspective, it already looked like a small forest, this larger part just made it so much larger. You realize this makes the Naga’s interest in one specific side of the glass that much weirder.

“Now if you’ll do me a favor and step up to the glass so you can have a closer look at their habitat?”

It wasn’t really a question, the slight inching of the others in suits said so. Adjusting your hold on the strap you were holding some luggage with, you step forward. In your heart of hearts, you almost hope that nothing will happen. That this would all turn out to be some ruse that happened to be triggered by the environment or the color of the clothes you wore. 

Like the feeling of realizing something so uncomfortable, so nightmarish, happening to you, and when you blink your eyes, you are not dreaming. The whole wood seemed to rustle as a long green tail much larger than the other Nagas’ you’d seen reached for the glass between you two. Almost caressing the glass. 

“Spectacular! I would’ve never believed it if I hadn’t seen it! Alright, let’s get them in there! Get those cameras ready I don’t want to miss an angle–”

“What?! Ahhh!”

The people in suits held you tight, maneuvering to a vault-like door where they took you and your bag inside. Feeling the bruises on your skin you tried to regulate your breathing and it was proving hopeless. The gaggle of people surrounding you in lab coats with cameras and notepads, it seemed as though they truly were prepared to feed you to these Naga. The feeling really sunk in when you were slammed into the dirt watching from over your shoulder as thousands of people watched like an audience of Colosseum—practically cheering for your massacre. Breathing in and out, you tried to ignore the burning ache of cuts on your hands and knees. You squeezed the handle of your bag as you walked into the forest, a glance back showed the gaggle behind the glass groaning and whining that you didn’t stand in the clearing the gate opened up.

You thought about flipping them off but this would have to do.

The second you stepped past the forest’s edge it was that same green tail that gently wrapped around your back guiding you through the forest. It was alarming but oddly comforting that the muscles underneath those evergreen scales were somehow softer than the humans who brought you here. 

“Where are you taking me?”

You continued to follow its light pushing and support over more rocky terrain. It eventually stops at the mouth of a cave, the tail disappearing into its darkness. Popping out again to imitate a finger calling you to come in.

You patted your pockets for your phone; coming up empty they must’ve swiped it while they were manhandling you into the enclosure. Figuring you’re better off relying on another sense you let your hand drag along one side of the cave, leaning on it as the ground dipped as you got even farther. 

“I can’t believe they brought you.”

Turning to the left of you, you were sure you heard a voice there. Looking in the darkness for any kind of movement you continued along. After that, you make sure to listen for some kind of sliding equated with the sound of Naga s slithering but you hear nothing. 

“D-did they put any wires on you?”

Turning again and seeing no one you put your back to the wall. Hoping that this will eliminate the directions someone can come at you. Shimmying along the wall you debate with yourself about how to react to these voices around you, whether you’d respond or swipe if only to prove you weren’t going insane. Before you could decide you felt something swiftly pull at your clothes.

“Ah!”

“S-s-orry it’s just that they did put something on you.”

“Uh, thanks?”

Whoever was the owner of this shaky voice made a sound you’ve never heard before. It sounded close but when you dared to reach a hand out you found nothing again. Continuing on your way, you wondered how far you’d get before you reached wherever you should have gone.

A cool sensation spread across your waist, making you jump. Thinking it was water or something you sent a speculative finger down to check finding what stopped you in your tracks was a Naga tail. It pulled you from the wall into a warm and lean chest; for good measure matching pair of arms wrapped around you trapping you against what you assumed to be one of the Nagas you were meant to meet. Seeing as the coils that wrapped around you were only moderately squeezing you figured you could let your guard down. 

“To think you had to be with those nasty humans this whole time makes me sick.”

That voice was the first you heard. The voice was smooth authoritative and a little snobbish you wondered which of the Nagas you’d seen was the owner. 

“Um, can I ask some–AcK!”

“Don’t squirm, I’m checking past these infernal coverings.”

The hands inspecting you were just as chilly as his tail which was maneuvering you in all sorts of ways to help remove the ‘infernal coverings.’ Trying to push the hands away proved to be nothing but a nuisance to the Naga who casually slapped your hands away to continue trying to remove your clothes.

“Wait don’t—”

“Stop whining! I can look better if you just stop–”

“Rollo, please.”

The voice that spoke from somewhere unusually close was deep, a baritone that practically shook the air of the cave. A command that had the Naga holding you stopping their attempt at removing your clothes, letting you rest in their coils.

The light draft of the cave became more intense, wafting against your cheeks in a cold thrush. A light brush became an intense whirl, making you shut your eyes from the dark expanse of the cave. There was the sound of something cackling like a fire and then the faint wave of light reaching through the cover of your eyelids. Opening your eyes to a whole new cave, a green flame burning on a torch being the main reason.

“You must be gentle. Their eyesight is much different than ours it makes sense they’d be  disoriented.”

The owner of the deep voice was a pale man with hair as long and dark as the cave, you’d entered. With a pair of horns on his head and evergreen scales trailing from his cheeks down his unclothed chest blending with the length of his tail. His tail was hard to see for its true color with the glow of the green flame but accounting for it you recognized the scales for the evergreen ones that guided you into the cave. Looking at the now illuminated ground it was that same evergreen tail that seemed to curve and coil all around. Trying to pinpoint the end of the tail to its beginnings led you to meet its owner. Resting on one of many coils of his, with a fanged smile you could feel the heat rising from the pit of your stomach as slitted evergreen eyes looked deep into your own. 

Taking a gulp you tried to speak,” You led me here right?”

 He was still smiling at you, making you wonder if he planned to respond to you at all. Unable to hold his gaze you found yourself looking away. 

“Haha, I did!”

His laugh reverberated through the cave sending shivers up your spine. When you dared to look again he was much closer. Seconds ago he was leagues away now barely a hair from your nose, it only served to make you turn away again in embarrassment.

“I am glad you found a way in here considering how dark it is for you.”

“T-thanks.”

“I don’t see what that has to do with checking you for wounds.”

The snobbish voice of your captor reminded you that he was there, finally looking over to put a face to the voice. He was the gray-haired Naga with tired eyes that you recalled glaring at you through the glass. 

“You!?”

“Is there a reason you're pointing at me like that?”

“You were the one who was glaring at me that one time I came.”

He sighed exasperated as though it was tiresome to recount the frightening experience. He crossed his arms upturning his nose at you as he turned his head, all the while keeping those grey eyes trained on you.

“I wasn’t glaring. I was watching.”

“Why’d you slam against the glass then!?”

“You weren’t looking, it was just a light tap to get your attention.”

“And the hissing?!”

“Well, I think it was wrong of you to just ignore me like that, especially after you left last time.”

“You freaked me out! Of course, I left!”

He rolled his eyes at you, “I don’t see why this is still important.”

The one with the black hair came close again, tilting his head in your direction. 

“First impressions are very important Rollo. If you scared them you have to take responsibility.”

“Y-y-yeah!” 

The Naga with the grey hair—Rollo rolled his eyes again bringing the tip of his tail to cover the bottom half of his face. Very badly hiding the sneer on his face.

“Whatever. You’ve been dodging the topic of those injured of yours. I think whatever I’ve done in the past doesn’t quite matter now.”

You immediately wanted to protest as the green-eyed Naga beside you gently grabbed your hands and opened them to reveal scratches from bracing your fall. Trailing up your wrist and to your arm gently caressing the bruises you could feel forming. 

For the first time since you’d met him, he wasn’t smiling. A neutral expression on his face but the sharp twists and twirls of his tail said otherwise. You turned to Rollo who was still holding the tip of his tail over his mouth, this time hiding a subtle act of gritted teeth. His tired eyes were also on your arms where the other Naga was still caressing. 

“Those in the coats did this to you?”

“Uh yes.”

Rollo spoke up again, his tail wrapping around you tighter, “Despicable humans! They can’t do a single thing right!”

Shooting him a look, he brought the tip of his tail down to fold his hands in front of him. 

“Don’t get me wrong. I adore you all the same. It’s just all other humans.”

As if that was any better. 

A flurry of sparkling lights flooded your vision bringing your attention to the Naga who was solemnly guiding the lights on your wounds. The dull ache coming from them began to dissipate as the open scratches closed themselves and the discoloration from the bruises faded away. 

“I think this is reason enough.” 

“I agree. I’ve been wanting to tear those humans apart the day they brought us here!”

“If I can take their tech that’s fine with me!” 

The third voice came from behind you, revealing the blue-haired Naga you saw shyly poking out that one day. Now he was smiling happily, slithering closer to the other Naga as he looked at your arms. 

“If they did that there’s no way they’ll be living another day.”

A lot of things were being said and they all pointed to an uprising against the scientists. There was just one glaring issue. 

“But why?”

It was like the scratching of a record. They all turned to look at you like you’d grown a second head. Rollo’s face looked almost offended. The blue-haired Naga’s jaw was dropped. Even the one with the horns had his green eyes widened in shock.  You feel your cheeks burn in embarrassment. Closing your eyes to block the image of their judgment being cast. 

Feeling the cool tips of fingers and elongated claws lightly caress your cheek and jaw; tilting your face upward, goading you to open your eyes. Doing so slowly you were face-to-face with the ethereal face of the Naga who healed you. Eyebrows knitted together with sorrow in his eyes, it felt wrong to look away.  

“You are our mate.”

Searching his expression, hoping he’d elaborate it didn’t look like he was going to. 

“Like imprinting?”

Rollo scooched closer to you lightly tugging you from the other Naga’s grip to put you in his own. Nuzzling his nose into your own, holding you firm when you naturally attempted to back away.

“Deeper than that. It’s destiny that you’re mine.”

“Ours.” The black-haired Naga corrected. 

Rollo huffed,” Ours.”

Coming close to him was the blue-haired Naga. Practically snuggling into Rollo’s side he let his tail coil on top of his, lightly shifting you into his hold. Bringing you close to him, he encouraged you to wrap your arms around his neck. Hugging you tightly with his arms you finally got to see his face. Framed by his wild blue tresses, golden eyes, and matching blue lips that were spread in an awkward smile.

“We were waiting for you this whole time.”

“Me? Are you sure?”

Rollo leaned into the blue-haired one this time, batting at some hair that got in his way. Turning to you with a smirk.

“We told you, didn’t we? You are ours. Guess that human side of yours has a problem with accepting the truth.”

Feeling a kiss on your neck, then a nudge of someone resting their head on your shoulder. 

Looking down the Naga’s green eyes practically glowed as he spoke, “Then we will have to fix that. Right, (Y/n)?”

__________________________________________________

“So what’s the plan?” 

After getting some much-needed introductions and a vague talk about the biological herrings of mates. You would like to be the voice of reason when it comes to this uprising they planned to do. 

Malleus took his head off your own to cutely tilt his head, “Plan? Do we need one?” 

Rollo’s claws dug into the sides of his hands which were folded on top of his coils. 

“I was going to just go for the ones that disrespected me the most.”

Idia let out that sound you equated with happiness, now that you could see his blue tail wiggle about in excitement.

“I’m so glad you asked–”

He held nothing back as he rambled on and on about the plan he had. While you were following for the first half you couldn’t keep up after he mentioned opening an interdimensional portal. Feeling the vibrations of laughter on your back you looked to Malleus who was doing just as you felt. Perching his head back on the top of yours, he squeezed you closer to his chest turning his head to whisper just above your ear.

“Can you tell now? We really do need you.”

You couldn’t help to chuckle along with him. Noticing that Idia had run out of breath and was panting over the schematics he’d drawn in the dirt. While Rollo looked disgusted that he was heaving so heavily. Clapping your hands to get their attention they turned to you. 

“Alright, so this is the plan….”

More!