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evieelyzabethh · 2 months ago

Text

"soft"

⭒"baby do you wanna touch? look at how you make me blush"⭒ Arcane characters as different romance tropes {fem reader}

cast ✧ Vi, Ekko, Jayce, Viktor, Mel

cw ☞ slightly pervy jayce, lots of fluff

♞Vi ~ Opposites Attract♞

♞Vi really likes being able to be the protector. It's a bit too much pressure having to be a good role model, she struggles with the idea of people looking up to her. She's brash, she has a foul mouth, she can never seem to make the right decision, the only thing she feels like she's capable of is fighting. She's always rough, her hands are perpetually bloody and bandaged, her lip is cut, her hair cut is choppy and haphazard, she stomps when she walks. No one expects her to be with someone so soft

♞Not Piltie soft, not softness afforded to you because you'd never know suffering. Not soft like a downy blanket or a stuffed animal, soft like a worn t-shirt or like the petal of a flower. Something worn and broken down, something that rather than becoming hard or wilting away, it remained. Soft doesn't have to mean innocent, sometimes the softness is out of spite; out of determination to thrive. Softness as a form of rebellion.

♞ She would be in awe of you. Everyone in the lanes ends up fucked up. Overrun with shimmer, Grey, and cycles of violence, you don't have a choice in being hardened. Theories of evolution don't support softness; no good armor is gentle. And yet, the way you patch up her wounds, the way you communicate, the way you move, is all languid and smooth. You're like water and, for the first time, she isn't oil, she's ice. You aren't all that different, all she has to do is be willing enough to melt into you.

♞This isn't to say your helpless. You can throw a punch just fine but defense may just be the best offense. Turns out, knowing how to punch isn't as important as knowing when. You play defense, you bob and weave through physical situations and have a way with words that isn't often appreciated down here. In a world where everyone is always on high alert, shoulders tensed and fists clenched, you just breathe. It sounds simple, what if you just didn't fight? Not just through actions, but also through how you move. If stealing is inevitable, why not learn to grow? It's not just kindness, it's awareness. Why is stealing inevitable? Why do all of us starve? Why do we fight the neighbor; because the people who built the complex are too far.

♞Your softness brings out domesticity in Vi. Even though she still enjoys pit fighting on the side and the occasional bar fight, it's only because she looks forward to coming home. She enjoys the warm bubble baths and the shoulder massages, she's satisfied to see all the dirty and grime wash down the drain, she likes feeling not just clean but lighter. It's safe. Usually, she's the bigger spoon, but in your admittedly cramped tub, you sit behind her, and she allows her head to sink into your chest, the warm water sitting at her chin as she listens to you giggle as you kiss her sudsy neck and ask how her day was.

♞She indulges you when it comes to your self care days. She rolls her eyes as you slide the fluffy headband over her face, but she can no longer hide her content when you hold her hand to paint her nails after you use some sort of wooden tool to dig the dirt from beneath him. Every night with you feels like heaven after she just dug her way out of hell.

♞The perfect end to these nights is requesting you read something to her. It doesn't really matter what, it could be some cheesy romance or sciency textbook you swiped from Jayce's lab. She forgets how much she likes to read; she often doesn't have the time for it. And sometimes the words tend to swim around, floating through one ear and out the other, fighting to stick into the grooves of her brain but ultimately slipping right out, but even that does matter. It's the time spent. It's the hard cover and the soft pages. It's you and her.

★Ekko ~ Time Travel Romance★

★He is convinced you were made in a lab. He thinks it is impossible that you were just made that way, seemingly made just for him. Sometimes it's like you share the same brain, you think of the same jokes, you have the same ideas, it's like there some sort of bridge between both of your brains where even your synapses connect and blink in unison

★He's sure there's some sort of sappy saying that applies, one or two times of these occurrences just being a coincidence but after ten it's fate. What does it mean if these instances are innumerable, these moments of connectedness. Meeting you was a coincidence, sure, but you were always you before you met him. You laughed at the same things, you laughed in the same voice that from the start seemed to be in perfect harmony with his, the sound came from the same lips he's kissed thousands of times that practically fit together like puzzle pieces. In his mind, maybe even meeting wasn't a coincidence, with how perfectly you slot together, maybe even that was fate

★He was never even a big "fate" guy. He likes to believe that every one's choices are their own just as every one's consequences should be their own. The idea that his forever was already planned and picked for him, even if it was the most perfect pairing he could ask for, wasn't appealing because it wasn't his pick. His choice matters. His actions matter. He doesn't think of it in a "fate" way, he doesn't think he was always destined to pick you, he hardly even thinks of you as a separate entity

★Not to get existential or anything, but people are born from a hole and get placed into one after they die. Stars hit the end of their life cycles and from their ash come new stars. Every second someone dies and someone else is born. It's all so incredibly cyclical. Everyone ends up back where they started until forever. I mean, there's no proof for it, but surely the heat death of the universe would cause the spark that creates a new one, to be alive is to make life. The very act of breathing gives life to trees, the life of everything is in some way dependent on the life of another, all of which provides life to the whole. And surely our ash won't disappear, just as even the tiny neurons in our brain remember those whose voices, scents, and touch we can't remember. Essense never seems to leave. Your own is your own and it seems to have a never-ending magnetic urge to come back together and be whole. The cycle never ends because everything desires to be whole.

★That's how Ekko feels. With everything desiring to be whole, time is the throughway. It's the channel that brings everything together, not fate. You weren't destined to be together, you were made to be together, you had always been together. Two parts of the same whole which is part of an even bigger whole that has yet to be discovered and found, but you will together. The larger the magnet, the bigger its field of attraction, and you two will grow and grow until either you have become completely whole, or you shatter from passion in the process, the pieces of you mixed and spread to be reunited even stronger just a few moments later. Moments that could be seconds or millennia. When time is the only infinite and the desire to be whole is constant, what significance do those moments matter.

★Ekko knows better than to push the limits of time, so I use this trope very lightly. He does travel through time, but in much smaller ways. 4 second ways. It's a beautiful thing to not be confined to the parameters of time, even better to understand the sheer power of the second. This isn't to say he's never felt the urge to go back further, only that he knows that the universal and personal consequences would be even greater

★Thinking of it less like time travel, it's more akin to a replay feature. To go back further and change too much maybe wouldn't be a sci-fi disaster, but it certainly would be a disaster in his mind. Sure, bringing stopping Powder from blowing up that factory would have maybe prevented the death of Vander and even further instability in Zaun, but he would remember. The weight of his time would never leave him. What he changes in a matter of 4 seconds has changed the outcome of his entire universe, he knows that small time can matter just as much as big time. That big change certainly would change how you meet. If you two ever meet. He cherishes what you two have to even risk knowing what he left behind for the potential to make everything better. In his whole life of being selfless, this minutely selfish act he believes he's owed. He has absolutely no desire to push forward.

★Instead, he replays his little moments with you. Sometimes it's to prevent small mishaps, like dropping your favorite mug or the embarrassment of tripping in public. Sometimes it's just to relive you. It's a guilty pleasure of his when he can't stop you from leaving to replay your goodbye kiss at least once more until he's ready to let you go. Some may say he abuses his control of time, but he never takes what isn't his, so what can be the harm in elongating what's already eternal.

��Jayce~ She Fell First, He Fell Harder❂

❂Jayce is hard not to love when you understand him. Just visually he's appealing enough, but internally he's very endearing. He's dorky, and sweet, and one of the most intensely loving people you've ever met. It's a real skill to so thoroughly have faith in humanity. Yes, he's naive, and rather dependent, and maybe a bit of a perv, but he's also touch-starved with a deep desire to be affectionate. He's touchy; emotionally and physically.

❂ Things are always sweet, even before he really falls. He does all the gentlemenly things, he holds open the doors, he ties your shoes, he gives you his jacket when you get cold. They're noticeable actions, his consuming hand on your knee as he steadies himself while double knotting your laces, his large jacket swallowing you in his scent and warmth. Eventually, it gets smaller. He keeps hair ties on his wrists, when you can't decide on what you want for dinner, he knows for you, your music recommendations being to pop up on his playlists. Rather than consuming you, he's being consumed.

❂There is no such thing as being too close. He actually gets frustrated that he can't be even closer. His favorite moments are when he's wrapped in you, when he's listening to your music, when you hug him, when your thighs are wrapped around his head. He likes being consumed. He likes knowing how your brain works; what makes you tick. He likes to know what you like, what you don't like, what you think of his haircut, what you think of his projects, what you think of him. He's probably asked you that a million times. What was your first impression of him? Did you love him at first sight? Did you think he was handsome?

❂If he could crawl into your skin he could. Being a very touchy person, it's not a surprise to anyone that he enjoys having sex with you. It's how he feels most intimate; he likes to be inside you, it's how he feels most connected. It's not the simple fact that you feel good, he likes the warmth, he likes how you suffocate him, he likes to make you feel good, he lives for it, it's the fact that there is no clear separation between the two of you. It's not clear where you end, and he begins, whether it's his cum or yours leaking out of you, whether it's his moans or yours bouncing off the wall. He likes there being ways of separating the two of you, so thoroughly mixed, there's no point in pulling him out of you.

❂While you fell first, there was never a moment where he didn't love you. Certainly never a moment where he didn't notice you. It's kinda like you were always there, and eventually you coagulated into something so great he couldn't just ignore you anymore. You were always in his lab, always in the corner of his eyes, always looking out for him, always lingering. Your scribbles on his notes, the clicks of your shoes, your fingerprints on his machines. He never didn't like you, it's just that the like accumulated to love and, if you can believe it, the love became something else entirely. He's a scientist; The Man of Progress. If nothing else, he is an inventor. He used science to make magic, surely, he can make love into something even greater.

❂He draws you constantly. Your name lives in the margins of his notes, your face can be made from his pointless scrawls, your voice can be heard through his. Even when he's not thinking, he's replicating pieces of you. You are his brain's base state, that is how totally you consume him.

☽Viktor ~ Oblivious☾

☽Viktor is someone who never put much emphasis on a relationship. He liked to focus on his craft, spend all day in his lab, and go home to his empty apartment, maybe crack open a bottle and read near his desk lamp. He just never thought he needed it. Obviously, relationships with others are important, but he never expected to find what he wanted in a partner from Piltover

☽It couldn't be clearer that he was from Zaun. The way he dressed, the way he spoke, hell his illness is a byproduct of him living in Zaun. You can take the man from his home, but you will never take his home from him. This being said, he's no stranger to the cold looks and the effort put in to minimize his efforts. Jayce's name is on the patents, Jayce speaks to the people, Jayce is the man of progress, not Viktor. If he wanted affection and appreciation, he wouldn't think to look where he was at.

☽This being said, he is completely oblivious to you crush on him. It's not even a complete focus on work, it's because he wouldn't assume that of a Piltie. It's also not a self-worth thing, he has never been insecure of his home, and he has even less felt a desire to assimilate better within Piltover and beg for their approval. He is as prideful as he is stubborn, he has never thought he was less than. Due to the arrogant attitudes of the world around him, he assumed you were the same

☽He takes your kindness for pity as for. He assumes you tidy his space as a passive aggressive way of telling him he's a slob. He thinks your warm greetings are all part of some large joke. He assumes the snacks you try and share with him are out of obligation rather than sincerity. He never listens to Jayce when he tries to tell him that you're just nice. What would Jayce know? Everyone is nice to him because he's...well, Jayce. He's been to council meetings, he's seen the Lanes, he's heard the snide remarks since he got here, he knows that kindness to people like him is never just kindness.

☽Still, as you persist, he softens some. He finds that you're quite nice to talk to. The more you come around, the more he expects you to. Almost anxious, he's filled with something in his chest, maybe anticipation. He wants to know the ideas you have on the new blueprints he just drafted. He wants to hear about your studies. He wants to hear about that book you started reading. It's a breath of fresh air to have someone to talk to about non-work matters. A friend is what he thinks of you, and how he thinks you see him. Never mind how your eyes seem to dodge his gaze and your cheeks redden on the rare occasion that his hand brushes over yours or his knee grazes your thigh. He doesn't even try and make excuses for it because he doesn't even notice it.

☽He also doesn't notice a few things about himself. Mainly about how he puts a brush through his hair in the morning or how he straightens his tie while he waits for your knock at the door. His thigh bouncing is surely just because it's colder than usual in the lab. He doesn't notice how much he talks about you. How much he looks back over the notes you leave, both the meaningful ones and the small hearts and stars you leave on his pages. Even worse, he doesn't notice when you ask him to be your date to an upcoming gala

☽He thought you were kidding. Galas weren't at all his thing, he wasn't that smooth on his feet, and to be quite honest, he found most of those around him to be insufferable. He knew you enjoyed things like this, and strangely after mentioning his mind would infrequently wander to images of you all dolled up, but he didn't picture himself with you. Oblivious to your very obvious crush on him, he doesn't see himself as someone you would want in your happiest moments. So, when you asked if he had any plans that night, and he mentioned his lab, and you asked if you could meet him there to escort him to the party, he thought you were kidding. You were not kidding.

☽You looked beautiful. Viktor isn't often at a loss for words, but when he heard you knock and walked over to open the door for you, his bad leg nearly gave out, pushing himself further into his cane. He looks...disheveled. Glasses perched low on his nose, ink on his hands, hair in a state of disarray, wrinkled clothes. Even worse, you looked disappointed. You tried to make a joke of it, asking if that's what he planned on wearing, and he replied in a confused tone that he didn't think you were going to go at all.

☽You cry and for the first time he recognizes that the way he feels may not be as uncaring as he thought. He's bad at comfort, lightly tapping your shoulder as you confess through labored breaths that you really liked him and you thought he liked you back and if he really didn't want to be bothered with you, he could've just said as such. You push away from him, surprisingly, eyes puffy as you notice his shocked impression for the first time. "I didn't know." is all he can muster. He didn't know you liked him, and he certainly didn't know he liked you.

☽Even more surprisingly, as you dust yourself off to spend the rest of your night alone with a pint of ice cream, he pulls you in for a kiss. It's awkward and stiff, but when he realizes what he's doing, his eyes finally close and he holds your face as he wipes the tears from your eyes. He apologizes about the gala, not that it mattered all that much now. You had only wanted to dance with him, which you did all night long anyway.

☼Mel~ Friends to Lovers☼

☼Affections is something that has never come all that easy to Mel. She was always told that she needed to be the wolf, she was supposed to be cold, unfeeling, and ruthless. And while that never would've been her, affection is not her first instinct, receiving or giving. She has gotten quite comfortable with you over the years.

☼The friends to lovers would be so smooth that there is no place you could pinpoint when the friends became lovers. Even as friends, she spent more time with you than anyone else. You took your meals together, you practically lived together, you worked together. So many nights were spent just casually in each other's presence, slowly getting closer as you would move from her couch, then the chair by her bed, to being halfway up under her as you fell asleep sprawled on top of her sheets.

☼Even more than the close proximity, was the emotional and physical intimacy. Learning about her mom, her brother, hearing her question what she's even doing here in Piltover, listening as she dreams of a world with no rulers and no warring countries and just peace where she can live on her own little island and just sleep. A world where her mom feels at peace enough to stop making war, a world where there is no undercity, no topside, just the sun, the land, and peace.

☼And she tells you all of this and more. Simpler and lighter things, that new dress she saw when window shopping, the latest gossip, this new tea she tried a week ago, and she tells you with her hand casually thrown over yours or her head on your shoulder. She doesn't notice when she starts, but eventually her hugs become less sporadic. It's no longer startling for her to just come up to you and hug you, and when you ask her why, she just replies with a smile and says because she wanted to. She does a lot of things because she wants to, lightly running her hands through your hair, lightly bumping into you when walking side by side, plopping down right next to you as you finish work.

☼You two had been inseparable for a while now. While not sharing every moment of the day together, the moments that matter are always spent in each other's company. The hard moments after meetings with her mother, the tiring late nights after a long day of having to be social, the happy times of enjoying the hard work of a new recipe. Even before people started speculating if you had been dating, it was always Mel and You. You two were almost defined by each other, traits being compared in relation to who the other was. You were nicer but Mel was more talkative. You were always linked together in conversation.

☼Ambessa wasn't a fan of this, of course. She knows what it feels like for others to make you weak, and she may have a point when she tells Mel that to protect herself, she also had to protect you. However, Ambessa underestimates her daughter. She underestimates your bond. Mel has no qualms with being your protector just as you don't mind being hers. Mel understands love far better than her mother does, love isn't only having someone to protect but also having someone to protect you. You aren't some princess in a castle, and she is no knight who must keep the dragons from your tower, you can take care of yourself. If you need her, she's there. Love is her willingness to be there, it doesn't force her

☼Mel doesn't question anything about the two of you. She loves the way you both flow. She cares for you deeply. That's all there is to it. She never saw the point in putting any sort of label on it, she's been telling her she loves you since she realized that she did. There's never been any shame in that, because she does love you. What's the point in saying I love you as a friend or as a partner, she loves you in a way that transcends both those terms. She loves you deeply. So deeply it fills her, it fuels her, it makes her feel whole. Though, you've always made her feel whole.

☼So, when she starts referring to you as her lover, there is no big fanfare. The relationship had never really changed, how you felt certainly didn't change either, just the name you told everyone else to put on it.

#arcane #arcane fanfic #arcane x reader #arcane x you #ekko arcane #ekko x reader #jayce arcane #jayce x reader #mel arcane #mel x reader #vi arcane #vi x reader #viktor x reader #viktor arcane #arcane headcanon

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mrpenguinpants · 3 months ago

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Sakura, did they...set off your romance sensor?

— "Oh, listen, this boy here…whenever he senses anything romantic…he goes beet red in the face!!" - Tasuku Tsubakino (Ch.66)

— Hayato Suo, Hajime Umemiya, Jo Togame

[Masterlist]

Wow, my windbreaker brain rot has shot me into a whole new timeline where I can sit down and write. Not gonna lie, not my favorite but it is what it is. I've beat my first fic for a fandom nerves.

Hajime Umemiya

When Umemiya had called a rooftop meeting, Sakura had been through them enough to know what to expect. Umemiya would either show up late or be completely off-topic until someone, mostly Hiragi, stepped in to direct the meeting to its actual purpose. Most of the time, the distractions would be on his plants or his giddy plans of having another barbeque with everyone. It used to be annoying, Sakura once believed the reason why Umemiya was so unserious was because he didn't care. But he knows better now than to take that carefree smile on the surface level. Deep down, Umemiya is a great leader who knows when it's time to get serious.

But this...

Sakura's cheeks are already turning pink.

This is a bit too much for him. He hasn't leveled up enough for this.

"The Three Sisters is a method of gardening that involves planting corn, beans, and squash together. The corn provides support for the beans and squash, the beans add nitrogen to the soil, and the squash's sprawling vines create shade and discourage pests too. It's really quite fascinating, don't you think so Ume?" you ask, lightly petting the leaves of his most recent tomato plant sprout. Your eyes downcasted as you thumb away bits of dirt that happened to be blown by the wind onto the greenery. Perhaps it's because you're one of the few people who entertain Umemiya's rapid obsession with his garden, even going out of your way to tell him facts to better his plot and compliment him on his efforts. Heck, Sakura has seen Umemiya crying because Nirei has told him that his saplings look bigger each time. While Sakura does not doubt that those feelings and expressions were genuine, the look Umemiya is giving you, a look you're not even seeing, feels different. Umemiya himself is different.

"Yeah..." Umemiya responds in a soft tone, his voice almost a whisper. Their usually talkative leader who won't shut up for half a second, who talks over people, is currently so distracted that it's kind of embarrassing watching him. He's been staring at you, eyes zeroing in on your fingers as they brush against the leaves, almost entranced by the sight. Sakura would give anything to leave right now, this second-hand embarrassment is too much. Luckily, Umemiya finally seems to register that you and he aren't alone despite the fact he was the one who called the meeting in the first place. His head perks up confused, hands on top of his knees, as he's greeted with varying expressions from his grade captains. Hiragi in particular looks like he's having both a stomach ache and the urge to slap the back of Umemiya's head. The urge is only partially restrained when you also look up, sending them all a little wave. Hiragi isn't going to slug Umemiya if you're there to see it, it's the pride of a man to not get beaten up in front of his crush.

"Oh shoot, you're all here already? Why didn't you say anything?" Umemiya whines, standing up while dusting his pants free of any lingering dirt. He extends a hand to you, not before rubbing his palm furiously on the back of his shirt, to help you up, "I'll see you later?"

"Mm, sure. Good luck with your new sprouts. Remember to remove the bottom leaves once the plants are over 3 feet tall. I'll be upset if they develop fungus issues," you pat Umemiya's cheek gently, ignoring the way that Umemiya completely melts openly at the gesture. You turn to nod at the rest of them, offering another wave goodbye, as you pass them to exit the rooftop. The resounding sound of the door closing finally sets them back on track.

"We did," Hiragi speaks up as soon the vibrations in the air fizzle out with an exasperated expression, referring back to Umemiya's first question, "You were too busy staring. We've been here for almost ten minutes, you idiot."

"Sorry, sorry, my bad," Umemiya laughs easily, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. Although he's been clearly called out, Umemiya doesn't seem the slightest bit ruffled. Sure, he looks a little bashful but Sakura doubts that he'll tone it back much to the embarrassment of any onlooker. Maybe one day, he'll be able to look that happy with his own feelings on display.

A sudden clap has Sakura jolting back to reality, Umemiya's loud voice returning back to something familiar, "Now then, come sit! I prepared some snacks for us all to share."

Everyone else seems used to Umemiya's behavior and they easily follow him, completely disregarding your and Umemiya's interactions as if they never happened. Sakura doesn't really get it but if everyone else is unbothered, it'd be seriously uncool if he said anything. He lets out a sigh, whatever. It's none of his business anyway.

"Sakura, why are you blushing?" Nirei, the bastard, pipes up behind him. Suo, the even worst bastard, laughs behind his hand like he's some rich Victorian lady.

"Huh, no I- I'm not." Sakura's cheeks went from pink to red, now that he's been caught. He looks away, avoiding eye contact, "S-Shut the hell up!"

Hayato Suo

"Mr. Customer, if you're dissatisfied with our menu, you're more than welcome to leave."

Sakura blinks, head jerking up as he crosses the threshold of Café Pothos. Initially, he assumed those words were directed at him even though it wouldn't make sense. He quite likes the menu despite only ordering the same thing each time. But no, when Sakura looks up it's to a rather unexpected sight. Suo sits at the bar counter, back ram-rod straight and his hands folded in his lap, with that ever-pleasant smile on his lips. Across from him stands a worker Sakura has never seen before. He always assumed that Kotoha was the only employee, but today seems to be full of surprises. A green apron with white ties, sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and hands fisted against the hips.

"The bakery across the street would love to hear your complaints, Mr. Customer."

---

There is something about the new worker and Suo that keeps Sakura glancing back at them after he's sat himself in a secluded corner. Perhaps it's because it's a new face he has yet to meet at a place he frequents so often. It's normal to be curious right? Or maybe it's Suo being here alone. He's never seen the man "out in the wild" before. They aren't even looking at him, Suo hadn't even looked up when he first opened the door although Sakura is sure that Suo is aware of him. He's creepy like that. The new worker, however, whips an annoyed glance at Suo before letting out an irritated huff, arms crossing over the green apron, and glaring down at Suo’s smiling face. A face that would remain ever-pleasant in any given situation.

Regardless...

"Is this your version of service? It must be hard on the customer," Suo chuckles, a slight tilt of his head that bounces his tassel earring. Suo's laugh, however, causes Sakura to feel a hint of surprise. It's not a laugh he expects the man to give, yet at the same time, it suits him.

"That's because you're a terrible customer and a pain in the ass." The worker sneers, leaning in so the two of them are face to face.

Suo seems to be difficult for anyone to handle.

"It's busy today," Kotoha says, appearing out of thin air and scaring Sakura half to death. A plate of steaming omurice slides in front of him because he really does only order one thing here. It's not a great conversation starter, but it's nice of her to break the odd tension that has settled over the cafe. Kotoha is also looking to the side, watching the scene of her co-worker and Suo bickering and arguing. Passive aggressive comments are being flown out, scathing remarks padded with polite voices, so much so that the two of you don't seem to register anyone else around. Completely wrapped up in your world of irritation versus amusement.

"What…are they even arguing about?" Sakura chances to ask, his eyes still glued to the curve of Suo's smile, red eye focused solely on you. His hand idly reaches for his spoon, scooping up a bit of rice and egg, yet it hovers in the air ideally. Suo has his head tilted and is leaning somewhat in the worker's space. His eyes don't stray, watching each shift in facial expression carefully to gauge whether his words are having their intended effect. He looks like he's having way too much fun.

"Oh, that." Kotoha giggles, placing her palm on the table. She too looks like she's having way too much fun, "They always go back and forth like that. It's like a game of cat and mouse with those two. They're both stubborn as hell so it's a constant power struggle between them. Although, I wonder what they're arguing about this time. They always bicker at each other when we change shifts."

Kotoha shakes her head, a fond smile on her face. She glances briefly at Sakura before her eyes drift back to the other two. She raises her hand, finally cutting the bubble between you and Suo.

"Hey, I'm back from break. Thanks for covering for me," she calls, waving her hand in the air. The frown that was permanently on your face melts away when you break eye contact with Suo, returning to a more neutral blank look. You only nod to Kotoha, flashing up a thumbs-up, and you move to head back to the kitchen. But not before sticking your tongue out at Suo over your shoulder as you disappear through the doorway. Sakura blinked surprised, he had somewhat expected a different reaction than something so...tame. His eyes drift to Suo and he can feel his cheeks heat up.

He doesn't think he's seen Suo look happier.

Jo Togame

"See, you peel off the seal on the cap. Remove the ring from the little plastic piece you use to push the marble. Then, with your thumb, press down, and poof, the marble drops and you can enjoy!" you grin as you move slowly for Sakura to see your hands with each instruction. The fizz of carbonation and the clink of the marble hitting the glass amplified louder in the abandoned auditorium. A few other shishitoren members are loitering, but only you and Sakura are sitting up on the edge of the stage. After the embarrassment of not knowing how to open the ramune Togame had given him, he sought you out to explain it to him. Sakura didn't think he could stomach it if he went back to Togame again for help. He follows your movement, his fingers removing the thin seal. Popping the ring off the marble pusher, and with his thumb, pushes on the marble. His thumb slips a few times, but you're patient as you coax him to try again. With his third attempt, he feels the marble give, the rewarding sound of bubbles popping.

"Thanks..." Sakura mumbles, a faint blush on his cheeks as you cheer your ramune's together as you take a swig.

"No problem," you say nonchalantly, leaning your weight back on your arms. With the bottle held in your hand, you watch Sakura, who is intently staring at the drink on his own. The silence between you isn't exactly uncomfortable, but you can sense the slight embarrassment oozing off him. "Soooo... how's it taste?"

He gives a soft hum before taking a small sip, the fizzy liquid leaving a tingling sensation on his tongue. It's not as sweet as he thought it’d be. It's rather subtle for a soda. He takes a longer sip this time, the fizz tickling his nose and bubbles popping against his lip. Looking at you sidelong, he can see you already staring at him excitedly. You weren't kidding when you said you were a big fan of this.

"It's sweet, I guess," his voice soft as he shrugs. A few strands of his white hair fell in front of his face. His eyes glance up at you as you stare at him intently, waiting for him to continue. He awkwardly bites the inside of his cheek. It still feels weird having people who actually want to hear his opinion, even if it's as small as a drink. "A bit strange… The flavor is nice, but the fizz is new."

He takes another sip, careful with the angle he tilts the bottle lest the marble block the opening. He doesn't really understand the appeal of the marble. It's a nuisance. The fizz was the best part of the soda, but the clinking made it impossible to drink it quietly. Besides, he holds the ramune bottle out, how the hell do you even get it out? Does he need to throw it against a wall to break the bottle? He doesn't want to get broken glass everywhere since someone could accidentally step on it.

"Is the marble irritating you?" you ask, laughing quietly under your breath to not set Sakura off into another tomato-faced explosion.

"No!" he answers with a quick hiss, cheeks flushing. He can feel you stare at him as a smirk dances across your lips. He can already envision the teasing you’re concocting to make him react. He gives another soft huff, refusing to look at you, as he fidgets with the bottle. He doesn't want to ask you to help again. He already feels like a helpless idiot. Instead of commenting, you swing yourself upwards, planting your hand on your knee. The other hand, wrapped around the bottle, moves to your lips as you down the rest of your drink. The fizz of bubbles pops in the air while Sakura looks at you bewildered. Weren't you supposed to drink carbonated drinks slowly or you'll stomach hurt? Did you become immune or something from drinking so many?

"Come on, let's go. I still haven't finished my ramune 101 class," you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, winking over your shoulder which sends Sakura into another pink mess, as you slide off the stage.

"W- What do you mean we’re not done?" he stammers quickly, flustered as he scrambles up to follow you. He feels a bit dizzy from going from a sitting position to standing too quickly. He grips the bottle in his hand and takes a few quick steps to catch up to you as you stride to the doors leading outside the auditorium. You laugh again when he rushes to catch up. His quick reaction time betrays his small stature. It's kinda cute.

"It means I'm gonna teach you how to get the damn marble out, genius" you tease, shoving his shoulder as you reach the doors. Opening them, the two of you were met with the cool outside air. It's refreshing after being indoors for so long and the auditorium has gotten you both hot and stuffy. Hence the initial ramune drinks. You quickly take his hand, ignoring the screams, as you drag Sakura to the side of the building. "Togame! Are you sleeping still?"

"Huh?" a tired voice answers groggily from the other side of the wall. Togame is sitting on the ground next to the wall with his back against the auditorium. He has his legs stretched out, his head leaning back on the wall, rubbing his eyes to clear the ever-constant droop in his eyes. He looks as if he is napping before being rudely interrupted, "I was..."

"Oops. Hehe, sorry," you chuckle, hands raised up in a mock surrender although you don't particularly look apologetic. To be fair, Togame doesn't look upset either. Only gives you and Sakura a sleepy smile and nods as he raises his arm high to stretch. His green eyes drifted to the bottles of ramune in your hands with a curious tilt of the chin. In response, you beam at him, rattling the marble inside the glass bottle before handing it to him. "Please, if you could."

Togame snorts as he takes the bottle. There's a hint of playfulness in his tired eyes as he shakes the bottle a few times, letting the marble inside thump against the glass. It's funny watching the marble rattle around. It reminds him of a little toy marble maze he had as a child. He flicks his gaze to look at Sakura, who stands off to the side stiffly. The poor kid looks ready to bolt at any second when given an opening. His own half-finished bottle lays limply in his hand, the marble reflecting off the sun's light.

"You know you just have to twist the cap in the opposite direction right?" he says, wrapping his fingers around the blue lid and twisting the cap off. Turning the bottle over, he catches the marble from the opening into the palm of his hand. He extends his hand, sliding the marble into your waiting ones. "I know you're strong enough to do that."

"Yeah, but my hands get cramps and it's impossible to move it!"

"I don't think that's how that works...But if it really is too hard, you can keep coming to me."

Sakura stands by, feeling out of place as you go back and forth with Togame. Yet, he doesn't feel like an intruder this time, merely an observer. He looks down at his own bottle, hands moving to twist the cap off while making sure he doesn't spill the drink.

It's easy. It pops right off with barely any effort. Sakura has quite literally seen you throw a man double your size over your shoulder.

The marble reflects his face messily, but there's a shine of red glinting off the surface.

585 notes · View notes

jhyoos · 22 days ago

Text

Of Roses And Steel

chapter one : where roses bloom

knight sevika x princess reader

mentions : royalty au, medieval au, romance, strong reader (as in combat and intelligence), silco is king, reader is a heavy daddy’s girl, silco being soft around her daughter, sevika is only 5 years older than you, major character deaths, very long first chapter !

notes : let me know if you guys like the small text or should I go back to bigger words. another chapter will be released tomorrow!

↳ next chapter

The night of the queen’s death remained seared into your memory like a jagged scar, a moment that altered the course of your life—and the kingdom—forever.

Your mother had always been the kingdom’s heart, her kindness radiating like the sun, touching the lives of every villager, knight, and noble. She possessed an innate gift for seeing the good in people, even when they couldn't see it in themselves. When she had married your father, her warmth had melted away the rougher edges of Silco, a man who was once feared for his ruthlessness.

Before her, Silco’s reign had been efficient but cold, his focus solely on maintaining power and expanding the kingdom's borders. But with the queen by his side, something shifted. She softened him, guiding him to rule with compassion as well as strength. Under her influence, roads were built, trade flourished, and the kingdom prospered. When you were born, the union of their love, Silco seemed to find an even deeper purpose. He adored you from the moment he held you in his arms, his mismatched eyes filled with awe.

“She’s perfect,” he’d whispered to the queen, who smiled through her exhaustion. “Just like her mother.”

Your early years were filled with laughter and warmth. Your mother would sing to you in the mornings while brushing your hair, and Silco, despite his busy schedule, would often sneak away from his duties to spend time with you. He read you bedtime stories, his deep voice weaving tales of adventure and bravery. You were his reason to rule with integrity, his reminder that the kingdom’s future depended on more than power—it depended on love.

But everything changed the day your mother decided to visit the village alone.

You were six years old, clinging to her skirts as she prepared to leave.

“Must you go?” you asked, your voice small and pleading.

She knelt before you, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “I must,” she said gently. “The children in the village are sick, and they need help. But I won’t be long, my love. I’ll be back before the sun sets.”

She kissed your forehead, her smile warm and reassuring, and then she was gone. You spent the rest of the day waiting by the window, watching as the sun dipped lower and lower in the sky.

When the sun finally set and she had not returned, unease settled over the castle like a heavy fog. It was Sevika—then a young squire barely in her teens—who came running into the throne room with the news. Her face was pale, her breath coming in short gasps as she fell to one knee before Silco.

“Your Majesty,” she said, her voice trembling. “There’s been… an attack. The queen—she—”

Silco rose from his throne, his voice cutting through her stammering like a blade. “What happened?”

“She was ambushed,” Sevika managed, her hands clenched into fists. “A group of thieves—they didn’t know who she was. She fought back, but…” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

Silco didn’t need her to. The look in his eyes was enough to send a shiver through the room, a mix of fury and anguish so profound it was almost unbearable to witness. He left the throne room without another word, his footsteps echoing through the silent hall.

The days that followed were marked by grief and silence. Silco locked himself away, emerging only for the queen’s funeral. You remembered the way he stood by her casket, his shoulders rigid, his mismatched eyes devoid of the warmth they once held. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse but steady.

“She was too good for this world,” he said, his gaze fixed on her peaceful face. “But I will ensure her legacy lives on.”

He turned his focus to you, doubling down on his efforts to keep you safe. Guards followed you everywhere, even within the castle walls. He forbade you from going into the village, insisting it was too dangerous. His love became suffocating, a cage built from his fear of losing you as he had lost her.

You grew up under the shadow of that fear, but you refused to let it define you. Determined to honor your mother’s memory, you threw yourself into your studies, mastering everything from diplomacy to combat. Your father disapproved of your training, insisting that the daughter of a king had no need for swords or bows. But you persisted, finding solace in the discipline and focus it required.

It wasn’t until you were sixteen that you truly began to make a name for yourself among the knights. One of the senior knights, impressed by your determination, arranged for you to train with Sevika, who had recently returned to the castle after years spent serving on the borders.

Sevika was in her early twenties then, already gaining a reputation as a skilled and fearless warrior. She had a scar running down the side of her face, a mark of the battle that had earned her the rank of head knight. She rarely spoke, her focus entirely on her duties, but when she did, her words carried weight.

Your first session with her was a turning point. She showed you how to hold a bow, correcting your posture and guiding your hands with a gruff patience you hadn’t expected. “Don’t overthink it,” she said, her voice low and steady. “Just breathe and let the arrow fly.”

For a brief moment, you saw a softer side of her, a flicker of something almost kind beneath her stoic exterior. It was enough to make your heart flutter, a feeling you didn’t entirely understand at the time.

From then on, your crush on Sevika only grew, fueled by fleeting moments of warmth amidst her cold professionalism. She was everything you admired: strong, capable, and unyielding. But she was also distant, her loyalty to your father a wall you doubted you’d ever be able to breach.

You were every bit the spoiled princess, and you made no apologies for it. Your wardrobe was filled with the finest gowns in silks, satins, and velvets, each more extravagant than the last. Shoes adorned with delicate embroidery and shimmering jewels lined your chambers, matched meticulously to every ensemble. The maids who styled your hair each morning knew your tastes well—tight curls for formal occasions, elegant braids when you ventured to court, and soft waves for quiet evenings spent reading in your chambers. It was a life of luxury and ease, one that you embraced wholeheartedly.

Your favorite moments, however, were the hours spent with your ladies-in-waiting. Gathered in the sunlit parlor, the scent of freshly brewed tea mingling with the fragrance of blooming flowers, you would sit for hours, gossiping and laughing with your closest confidantes. Together, you exchanged stories, whispered secrets, and speculated about the various knights, courtiers, and even the visiting nobility. You didn’t shy away from discussing the beauty of the women who graced the castle halls, often causing a ripple of giggles among your companions when your admiration turned bold.

Through it all, there was one secret you kept entirely to yourself: your growing infatuation with Sevika. It wasn’t the kind of crush you could casually admit during tea or in the middle of idle chatter. Sevika’s cold professionalism and the unyielding strength she displayed as the head knight made her a figure of both admiration and intimidation. Her rare moments of warmth toward you—brief, fleeting instances where she adjusted your grip on a bow or gave a quiet word of approval—were treasures you tucked away in your heart, replaying them long after they passed.

But secrets have a way of surfacing, and yours was no exception. One lazy afternoon, as Mel helped you reorganize your chambers, she discovered a bundle of papers hidden beneath your bed. They were scraps of poetry and unsent letters, scrawled confessions of your feelings for Sevika. Mel’s gasp of surprise as she read them turned your blood cold. You tried to snatch them away, but it was too late—she knew. Her teasing smirk was almost unbearable as she leaned against your bedpost, waving the papers at you.

“Sevika?” she drawled, one perfectly arched brow lifting in amusement. “You’re in love with her?” Mel, ever the quick-witted daughter of a noblewoman, didn’t let you live it down easily. Though she was sworn to secrecy, she took great delight in teasing you about your unspoken feelings, often poking fun at how flustered you became whenever Sevika was nearby. Despite your embarrassment, there was a part of you that found comfort in sharing your secret with someone, even if Mel’s constant smirking made you regret it at times.

The dining hall was bathed in warm candlelight, the long table laden with golden platters of roasted meats, fruits, and delicacies from across the kingdom. Laughter and chatter filled the room, and for a brief moment, everything felt peaceful. You sat at your father’s right hand, the place of honor, dressed in a gown of soft lavender silk. The fabric shimmered with each movement, the embroidery catching the flickering light. Around you, nobles toasted to victories, knights traded boasts, and your ladies-in-waiting whispered behind their hands, no doubt commenting on which of the lords appeared most eligible.

You entertained their murmurs with a polite smile, but your focus drifted to the heavy doors of the hall. You noticed them before they opened, as if instinctively sensing Sevika’s arrival. She stepped inside, her boots echoing against the stone floor. She wasn’t in her usual armor but a simpler, dark tunic and breeches, though her presence alone was as commanding as any battle regalia. She moved with purpose, her scarred face set in a grim line.

“Sevika,” Silco called, his voice cutting through the noise. The room fell silent as she approached the king, bowing her head slightly.

“Apologies for the interruption, Your Majesty,” she said, her voice low but carrying easily through the hall. “There’s news from the gates.”

The room seemed to hold its breath. Silco’s eyes narrowed, his wineglass forgotten in his hand. “Speak.”

“The monsters at the borders are escalating their attacks,” Sevika began. “They’re not just striking in waves anymore. It’s constant now. The knights are struggling to keep them contained, and we’re losing ground. Reports suggest their numbers are too great for our current defenses.”

A murmur rippled through the assembled nobles. Silco’s grip on his goblet tightened before he set it down with a sharp clink. “And the commanders? Have they devised a solution?”

Sevika hesitated, her silence answering for her. Finally, she said, “No. They’re holding the line, but we’re losing too many. We need to regroup and rethink our approach.”

Silco’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames of the chandelier above. Then, decisively, he pushed back his chair and stood. “I’ll go to the gates myself. I need to see this for myself and consult with the commanders directly.”

You didn’t think—you simply acted. Rising from your seat as Silco and Sevika left the dining hall, you followed them into the dimly lit corridor. Your silk skirts swished as you hurried after them, your jeweled slippers clicking softly against the stone floor. You reached the shadows just in time to overhear Silco’s voice.

“I’ll leave at dawn with the first battalion,” he said. “The reports alone aren’t enough. If this is as dire as it seems, I need to see it myself. There’s no room for error.”

“Understood,” Sevika replied. “But it’s a risk. The journey to the walls is dangerous, especially with the creatures lurking along the roads.”

“I’ll take that risk,” Silco said firmly. “The kingdom’s stability depends on it. If we don’t act now, there won’t be a kingdom left to protect.”

“Father!” Your voice rang out before you could stop yourself. They turned, surprise flashing across Silco’s face before his expression hardened.

“This doesn’t concern you,” he said, his tone sharp but not unkind.

“It concerns me when you’re talking about putting yourself in danger,” you countered, stepping closer. “You can’t just leave. What if something happens to you?”

Silco sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t up for debate, child. I need to go. I won’t make the same mistakes as before by sitting idle.”

Your chest tightened, and the memory of your mother’s final words hit you like a blade. “The last time someone told me they’d come back, they didn’t,” you said, your voice breaking. “She promised me, and she never came home. How can you ask me to watch you walk out that same door and pretend it’s fine?”

Silco’s expression softened, though the steel in his resolve remained. He placed a hand on your shoulder, his mismatched eyes meeting yours. “I understand your fear,” he said quietly. “But I have a duty to this kingdom—and to you. If I don’t go, the threat will only grow worse. You’re stronger than you think, and I’ll return. I promise.”

Before you could respond, Sevika stepped forward, her presence grounding the moment. “He’s right,” she said, her tone firm but not unkind. “Your father’s not reckless. He’ll have me and the best knights in the kingdom with him. You don’t need to worry.”

Her words, though meant to reassure, did little to ease the ache in your chest. You looked between them, fighting the tears welling in your eyes. Finally, you nodded, though the knot of unease remained.

As they turned to leave, you stood alone in the corridor, your hands clenched at your sides. The weight of their footsteps faded, leaving only the faint flicker of torchlight and the hollow echo of your thoughts.

The next morning, you woke to the sound of hurried footsteps and quiet murmurs just beyond your door. The servants were already at work, preparing for your father’s departure. Their shuffling echoed in the hallway as they polished the portraits, hung banners in the kingdom’s colors, and arranged the grand send-off for the king. A knot formed in your chest as the realization settled—he was really leaving.

When your maids entered, they didn’t need to speak to know you were already awake. They moved with gentle precision, draping you in a gown of deep crimson, black, and silver. The silk hugged your frame, the silver embroidery catching the faint morning light. Your hair was styled intricately, each strand woven into a braid that they adorned with silver pins shaped like roses. They murmured compliments, but you barely heard them, your thoughts elsewhere.

As soon as they were done, you hurried to the throne room, your stomach twisting with each step. When you entered, the sight of your father nearly stole your breath.

Silco stood at the base of his throne, dressed in armor that seemed more fitting for a king from a storybook than the man you’d grown up with. The polished silver breastplate bore the royal crest, its sharp lines gleaming under the golden light of the chandeliers. A long crimson cape hung from his shoulders, draping elegantly to the floor. At his side rested a sword with a gilded hilt, its weight a reminder of the battle he was about to face.

You didn’t speak at first, your throat tight with the effort to hold yourself together. But when he saw you, his expression softened. For just a moment, the weight of his responsibility lifted, and he looked at you not as a king but as a father.

You crossed the room quickly, wrapping your arms around him in a fierce embrace. He stiffened, surprised, before his arms came around you, holding you as tightly as you held him. His armor was cold against your cheek, but you didn’t care.

“Please,” you whispered, your voice trembling, “be safe. I love you, Father.”

His grip tightened, his hand brushing the back of your head. “I love you too,” he said, his voice low and filled with something you rarely heard—uncertainty. He pulled back just enough to look at you, his mismatched eyes searching your face. “You’ve grown so much,” he murmured, almost to himself. “Every time I look at you, I see your mother. Her strength, her heart… I hope you know how proud I am of you.”

Your throat burned as tears welled in your eyes. “Then don’t go,” you pleaded softly, your voice breaking. “Please, Father. I can’t lose you, too. I can’t…”

He cupped your face with one hand, his calloused thumb brushing away a tear that slipped down your cheek. “I have to, my love,” he said, his voice steady despite the sorrow in his eyes. “This kingdom needs me. And more than that, it needs you. You’re stronger than you think—you always have been.”

His words were meant to reassure you, but they only made the ache in your chest worse. “Promise me,” you whispered. “Promise me you’ll come back.”

“I promise,” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead. The gesture was lingering, full of the unspoken things he couldn’t bring himself to say. “You’ll see me again before you know it.”

You nodded, though the doubt remained, and reluctantly let him go. As he stepped back, you noticed Sevika standing near the doorway, watching the exchange silently.

You crossed the room to her, your steps hesitant but determined. She straightened when you approached, her expression unreadable.

“I need you to promise me,” you said, your voice firmer now, though your heart still raced. “Promise me you’ll bring him back safe.”

Sevika’s brow furrowed slightly, her usual coldness faltering for a moment. “I promise,” she said simply, her tone calm and even.

You narrowed your eyes, stepping closer until you could see the faint scar on her cheek. “No, Sevika. I’m being serious. I know you just see me as some spoiled princess, but I’m not. He’s all I have. Promise me for real.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she glanced briefly at your hand as it reached for hers. The warmth of your touch seemed to catch her off guard. For a moment, something flickered in her expression—something unspoken.

“I’ll protect him with my life, your highness,” Sevika said, her voice quieter this time. “He’ll come back. You have my word.”

You held her gaze for a long moment, searching for any sign of insincerity. But there was none. Finally, you let her hand go, your heart still heavy but steadied by her promise. As she turned to join your father, you watched them walk away, the ache in your chest growing with each step they took.

For now, all you could do was trust—and wait.

Days turned into weeks, each one heavier than the last as you anxiously awaited your father’s return. The castle felt hollow in his absence, the echo of his authoritative voice replaced by an unnerving silence that no amount of bustling servants or lively courtiers could fill. You tried to busy yourself with your routine, but nothing seemed to dull the ache in your chest.

Mel did her best to distract you, her endless ideas for entertainment failing to ease your worry. She often led you to the gardens, coaxing you to admire the blooming roses or walk among the neat hedgerows. She’d chatter about trivial things—her mother’s letters, the latest gossip among the ladies-in-waiting, or the prospect of an upcoming festival—but her words felt distant, like a hum in the background.

On some days, she’d take you to the nearby lake, where you’d lounge by a small boat anchored at the shore. The gentle lapping of the water against the wood, the songs of birds in the trees, and even Mel’s attempts to make you laugh with exaggerated tales of court drama couldn’t pull you from your thoughts. You were miserable.

The anxiety seeped into your nights, turning them restless. You woke more often than not in cold sweats, the remnants of nightmares clinging to you like a suffocating shroud. Dreams of your father not returning—or worse—haunted your sleep, leaving you too afraid to close your eyes again. You’d toss and turn, clutching the heavy blankets as though they could shield you from your fears.

It wasn’t long before you could no longer bear being alone at night. Mel, ever loyal, started sharing your bed, her presence offering a sliver of comfort. She’d hold your hand or hum softly, her voice lulling you into uneasy sleep. But even with her there, the nights felt unbearably long, and the ache in your chest only grew.

You missed your father. His commanding presence, his sharp words that were always tinged with an undercurrent of affection. No matter how stern he could be, he was your anchor, and his absence left you adrift.

And, though you hated to admit it, you missed Sevika too. Her presence lingered in your mind like a ghost. Even though her words were often clipped and dismissive, there had been something in the way she spoke to you that lit a fire within you. A rare spark of interest, a momentary pause that felt like a flicker of attention just for you.

Her aloofness only made her more enigmatic, her sharp gaze and blunt demeanor stirring feelings that you didn’t quite understand. You replayed your interactions with her over and over in your mind, from the sarcastic comments to the way she’d adjust your posture during archery. It wasn’t much, but to you, it was enough.

It was foolish to feel this way, you told yourself. She was the head knight, loyal to your father and bound by duty. She likely thought of you as nothing more than the king’s spoiled daughter, another responsibility on her long list of obligations.

And yet, you couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Each day that passed felt heavier than the last, the weight of your longing for both your father and Sevika pressing down on you. You clung to the hope that their return would bring relief, but until then, you were left to endure the suffocating stillness of the castle and the ache that refused to fade.

Mel, ever persistent in her attempts to lift your spirits, decided that simply resting by the lake was no longer enough. She wanted to give you a moment of true peace, something that might soothe the restlessness in your soul. With a few words to the castle staff, she arranged for a servant to row one of the small boats onto the still waters of the lake.

When the boat was ready, she guided you down to the shore. The late afternoon sun bathed the lake in a soft, golden glow, and the air was filled with the gentle hum of dragonflies and the occasional splash of fish breaking the surface. The sight was tranquil, almost idyllic, but your heart was still heavy.

Mel helped you onto the boat, her steady hand ensuring you didn’t slip on the polished wooden planks. You settled onto the cushioned seat, and as the boat pushed off from the shore, the rhythmic sound of the oars dipping into the water began to lull you into a state of calm.

You leaned against the edge of the boat, resting your head on your folded arm. The water was cool beneath your fingertips as you let your hand trail lazily through it, brushing against the occasional lily pad that floated by. The gentle sway of the boat and the soft rippling of the water were almost hypnotic. For the first time in weeks, you felt a fleeting sense of tranquility.

“If my father and Sevika come back…” you began softly, your voice barely above a whisper. The words felt heavy on your tongue, like a confession you hadn’t intended to make. You glanced at your reflection in the water, your face distorted by the ripples. “I’ll actually obey him... and I’ll confess to Sevika about my feelings for her.”

The admission hung in the air, a vulnerable truth you hadn’t even fully admitted to yourself before.

Mel, sitting beside you, turned to look at you. Her usual sharp wit and playful banter were absent as she took in the sincerity of your words. After a moment, she smiled softly, a flicker of warmth and understanding in her expression.

“We’ll see about that, Your Majesty,” she said, her tone light but with a hint of skepticism.

You turned your head slightly to glance at her, catching the faint curve of her lips and the knowing glint in her eye. She didn’t press you further, didn’t tease or pry as she usually might. Instead, she simply leaned back in her seat, allowing you the space to lose yourself in your thoughts.

As the boat glided across the lake, the silence between you was comfortable. Mel’s presence was steady, a quiet reassurance that you weren’t entirely alone in your longing or your fears.

For now, you could allow yourself to hope.

The following week arrived quietly, marked by the same monotony that had filled the days since your father left. You were seated by your vanity, your servant brushing your hair in slow, careful strokes. The rhythmic tug of the bristles on your scalp was almost lulling, but your mind was elsewhere.

Then, a sound shattered the quiet—faint but unmistakable. The trumpets of the king’s arrival.

Your heart leaped in your chest as you sat up straight, the brush slipping from your servant’s hand. “Your Highness?” they asked, startled.

But you didn’t answer. Without hesitation, you jumped to your feet and ran to your balcony, the cool morning air rushing to greet you as you flung open the doors. The grand stone entrance of the castle stretched below you, and there he was—your father, dismounting his horse in a flurry of movement.

As though sensing your presence, his gaze lifted to meet yours. His face softened instantly, a warm smile spreading across his features. He lifted a hand and waved to you, and you couldn’t stop the answering grin that broke across your face.

“Father!” you called out, your voice carrying down to him.

Without a second thought, you spun around and hurried back into your chambers, your bare feet sliding slightly on the polished floors as you moved. You quickly grabbed your slippers, slipping them on clumsily.

“Your Highness, you’re still in your sleepwear—” your servant began, her voice tinged with concern as she reached for you.

“I don’t care!” you called over your shoulder, already halfway out the door.

Your heart raced as you darted through the halls, the familiar corridors blurring past you in your excitement. The heavy stone walls seemed brighter, the tapestries more colorful, as if the castle itself had come alive with his return. The sound of your footsteps echoed off the marble staircase as you descended, nearly stumbling in your haste.

When you finally reached the entrance, your father was just stepping down from his horse, his gloved hands steady as he handed the reins to a nearby stable hand. His cloak billowed slightly in the breeze, his regal presence commanding the attention of everyone around him.

“Father!” you called again, your voice breaking slightly from your breathless sprint.

He turned toward you, his expression shifting from one of composure to pure, unrestrained joy. The moment his eyes met yours, his arms opened wide, and you didn’t hesitate for a second. You closed the distance between you, throwing yourself into his embrace.

His arms wrapped around you tightly, holding you as if he never wanted to let go. His grip was firm, steady, and warm, grounding you in a way nothing else could.

“It feels like I’m seeing an angel,” he murmured, his voice low and full of emotion.

You buried your face in his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of leather and faint traces of ink from his correspondence. “I know... me too,” you replied, your voice muffled but no less sincere.

Silco finally pulled back from the embrace, his hands resting on your shoulders as he looked you over, his sharp eyes softening with affection. “Have you been well, my daughter?” he asked, his voice steady yet tinged with concern.

You nodded, though you hesitated before answering. “Yes, Father. I’ve kept up with my studies and my training... though I missed you terribly,” you admitted, your voice faltering slightly at the end.

His expression softened further, and he cupped your cheek with a gloved hand, his thumb brushing lightly against your skin. “I missed you as well. It was far too long to be away from my only child.”

As he spoke, you noticed the weight of exhaustion in his features—the faint lines of weariness etched into his face and the slight droop of his shoulders. Yet even so, there was a glimmer of pride in his eyes as he looked at you.

He stepped back, his posture straightening as he addressed not just you but the attendants and soldiers gathering around. His voice carried, commanding attention with its authority.

“My soldiers and I have returned victorious,” he announced, his tone filled with the subtle pride of a ruler who demanded respect but did not flaunt his power unnecessarily. “And such a triumph deserves celebration.”

Your heart skipped slightly at his words, and you couldn’t help the small smile that formed on your lips.

Silco continued, his gaze sweeping over the gathered servants and knights. “A feast will be held tonight in the Great Hall. Let it be a night of joy and gratitude for our success and the safety of our kingdom.”

The attendants and soldiers murmured their approval, the quiet hum of excitement rippling through the crowd.

He turned back to you, his expression softer once again. “And you, my child, will be at my side as the kingdom celebrates.”

“I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else,” you replied, your voice steady despite the excitement bubbling within you.

“Good,” he said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “But first, you’ll need to prepare. I expect you to look every bit the queen you are destined to be. I trust Mel will see to it?”

You nodded quickly. “She will, Father. I’ll make sure everything is perfect.”

“Good,” Silco repeated, placing a hand on your shoulder briefly before turning to his steward to give further instructions about the preparations.

As the crowd began to disperse, Sevika stepped forward, her ever-stoic presence now standing close behind your father. Her sharp eyes glanced over you briefly before she addressed Silco. “I’ll ensure the knights are ready for the evening, Your Majesty,” she said, her tone curt and professional.

Silco nodded in approval, but before Sevika could leave, his gaze shifted back to you. “Sevika, see that my daughter gets back to her chambers safely. She shouldn’t be running through the halls like that again.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Sevika replied without hesitation.

Your father gave you one last affectionate glance before turning back to his advisors, leaving you standing there with Sevika.

“You heard him,” Sevika said gruffly, her tone laced with the usual edge of authority. “Let’s get you back to your chambers. Can’t have you causing another scene.”

You rolled your eyes slightly but complied, following her as she led the way back into the castle. Despite her sharp words, you couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of comfort knowing she was there, her towering presence a reminder of both your safety and... something else you weren’t quite ready to admit.

As you and Sevika made your way back through the dimly lit halls of the castle, the cool stone beneath your feet and the drafty corridors sent a shiver down your spine. Without a word, Sevika unclasped her cloak and draped it around your shoulders, the heavy fabric engulfing you in warmth. Her movements were brisk and efficient, as if she had done this a hundred times before, yet the gesture left your cheeks warm in a way that had nothing to do with the cloak itself.

“Thank you,” you murmured, clutching the edges of the cloak tightly around yourself. The faint scent of leather and smoke lingered on the fabric, unmistakably hers.

Sevika gave a short nod, her gaze fixed ahead as the two of you continued walking. The rhythmic clink of her armor filled the silence, but your mind was elsewhere. You kept stealing glances at her, your heart thudding harder with each one. You wanted to speak, to finally confess the feelings you had held onto for so long. The words were right there, resting on the tip of your tongue.

But before you could summon the courage to open your mouth, Sevika’s voice cut through the silence, low and steady.

“Don’t run out in your nightgown again,” she said gruffly, not bothering to glance your way. “It’s quite transparent in the right lighting.”

You froze mid-step, your eyes widening as her words sank in. The warmth in your cheeks flared into a full blush, spreading down your neck as you quickly looked away, your hands instinctively tugging the cloak tighter around your body.

“I-I wasn’t thinking,” you stammered, your voice barely above a whisper. “I just wanted to see my father.”

Sevika finally glanced at you, her sharp eyes briefly scanning your flustered expression before she huffed a soft, almost amused sigh. “That much was obvious.”

You felt your stomach twist with embarrassment, but there was something in her tone—a faint trace of humor, perhaps—that eased the sting of her bluntness.

“I’ll keep that in mind next time,” you muttered, your gaze fixed firmly on the stone floor as you walked.

“See that you do,” Sevika replied, her voice returning to its usual sternness. “You may be the king’s daughter, but you’re not above common sense.”

Her words stung, but there was no malice in them, only the no-nonsense practicality that defined her. Still, your heart ached as you realized how far away your confession still felt. How could you possibly tell someone like her—so composed, so seemingly unimpressed by you—what you truly felt?

As you neared your chambers, the weight of the unspoken words pressed heavily on your chest. For now, you would settle for the warmth of her cloak and the fleeting moments of attention she gave you, even if they were laced with sternness.

The feast was a spectacle of grandeur. With Mel and a team of diligent servants, you were adorned in your finest jewels, your hair styled to perfection, and the shimmering gown hugging your frame like it was made of starlight itself. The dress—delicate and intricate, like spun silver—glittered under the candlelight, catching every flicker and transforming it into magic. The translucent layers of the fabric hugged your silhouette, leaving just enough to the imagination while maintaining an air of regality.

Mel circled you with a satisfied smile, tucking one final lock of hair into place. “If Sevika doesn’t fall for you tonight,” she teased, “she must be made of stone.”

You swatted her arm lightly but couldn’t help the smile that crept onto your lips. With a deep breath, you stepped out into the party, your heels clicking softly against the polished marble floor as you entered the grand ballroom.

The hall was alive with music, laughter, and clinking glasses. The party was far too large for the dining hall, so the grand ballroom served as the perfect venue. Guests danced beneath glittering chandeliers, their movements synchronized to the lively tunes of the string quartet. You and your ladies joined in, swirling through the dance floor in familiar patterns, your laughter mixing with the music.

You’d had two glasses of wine by then—an indulgence you rarely allowed yourself—and it left you feeling warm and light. Your inhibitions melted away, and you let yourself be swept up in the joy of the moment.

That was when you saw her.

Sevika stood near the edge of the ballroom, her tall frame unmistakable even among the most decorated soldiers. Her usual rugged attire was transformed, enhanced with gold detailing that caught the light in flashes of brilliance. Her armor had been polished to a mirror finish, and though her expression remained stoic, she looked breathtakingly regal.

Your gaze lingered, and Mel—ever observant—caught on immediately. She grabbed your wrist, pulling you from the dancing circle with a knowing grin. “Now’s your chance,” she whispered.

You hesitated, your heart racing. “I don’t know, Mel.”

“What if you don’t see her again? What if she leaves for a mission and never comes back?”

The weight of her words struck you, and you turned to look at Sevika again. She was speaking with someone, her stern profile illuminated by the golden light of the chandeliers. Mel was right—you couldn’t waste this moment.

With a deep breath, you smoothed your gown and made your way toward her, weaving through the crowd. When you reached her, you placed a tentative hand on her arm, causing her to turn and look at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Can I speak to you somewhere privately?” you asked softly.

Sevika’s brow furrowed slightly, but she nodded, following you out of the ballroom and into one of the quieter hallways.

The hallway felt like it was closing in around you, the flickering sconces casting fleeting light on Sevika’s armor. Her stern expression was unreadable, and her imposing frame seemed even more unyielding in the dim corridor. Still, you gathered every ounce of courage you could muster. This was your moment, and you couldn’t let it slip away, no matter how heavy the weight of her cold demeanor felt.

You hesitated, the stem of the wine glass trembling in your grip as you tried to muster the courage to speak. She didn’t move, her arms crossed over her chest, waiting. Always waiting, as if the weight of your words was little more than an inconvenience.

"Well?" she said flatly, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "If you dragged me away from the ball for this, I suggest you make it quick."

“I’ve held this in for too long,” you started, your voice trembling slightly. “I can’t keep pretending it doesn’t matter, that you don’t matter.”

Sevika’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing, her silence more oppressive than any words could be. You stepped closer, your heart pounding in your chest.

“I love you, Sevika,” you said, your voice cracking under the weight of your confession. “I’ve loved you for years.”

For a moment, her mask slipped. There was a flicker of something in her eyes—surprise, uncertainty, maybe even longing. It was so fleeting you almost doubted you’d seen it at all. But it gave you the courage to close the distance between you, to take her face in your hands.

She didn’t pull away. Her body tensed under your touch, but she remained rooted in place, her breathing shallow and uneven. It was enough. You leaned in, your lips brushing against hers in a kiss that was as much a plea as it was a confession.

For a fleeting moment, she kissed you back. Her lips were hesitant, but warm, and you felt a spark—something you’d only ever dreamed of. It was like the world had stopped, and in that heartbeat, everything else ceased to matter.

But just as quickly, it was over. Sevika’s hands came up, gripping your wrists firmly as she pulled away. The space between you felt like a chasm, and the cold air rushed in where her warmth had been.

“No.” Her voice was sharp, almost a growl. She let go of your wrists, and you staggered back, staring at her in disbelief.

“Sevika—” you started, your voice cracking with desperation.

“Don’t,” she snapped, cutting you off. Her expression was hard, her eyes blazing with something you couldn’t place—anger, regret, pain. “This… whatever this is, it can’t happen. It shouldn’t have happened.”

“Why?” you demanded, tears welling in your eyes. “Why are you doing this? I know you feel something for me. I know you do!”

“Because you’re nothing but a spoiled little girl who doesn’t understand the world she lives in,” Sevika snapped, her tone cold and biting. Her eyes bored into yours, unyielding and merciless. “You think this is some fairy tale where you confess your feelings, and everything falls into place. But that’s not how life works. I serve your father. I protect this kingdom. That is my duty. Not indulging the childish fantasies of a princess who doesn’t know the meaning of sacrifice.”

Her words were a dagger, each one sinking deeper into your chest. You opened your mouth to respond, but no sound came out. The tears you’d been fighting spilled over, streaking your cheeks as you stared at her, your heart breaking with every second that passed.

Sevika’s gaze softened for the briefest moment, but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by the cold mask she always wore. She took a step back, putting more distance between you. “Forget this ever happened,” she said, her voice flat. “And stop chasing after things that aren’t meant for you.”

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heavy boots echoing down the corridor. You stood there, frozen, as the weight of her rejection pressed down on you. The air felt colder now, the once-grand gown that adorned you suddenly feeling suffocating, like a cage meant to keep you trapped in a world where you could never truly be free.

You slid down the wall, your knees giving out beneath you as you buried your face in your hands. The sound of the ballroom felt even further away now, and for the first time in your life, you wished you could disappear completely.

Mel stepped into the hall, her steps echoing through the quiet corridors of the castle. She froze when she saw you, sitting on the cold stone floor, your body trembling with sobs. The sight of you, usually so composed, crumbled in such a vulnerable state, sent a pang of concern through her chest. “(Y/N)?” she called out softly, her voice filled with both worry and warmth.

Between the heavy breaths, you managed to choke out the words, “She said she didn’t love me back… she called me childish,” your voice breaking as the weight of the rejection hung in the air like a thick, suffocating fog.

Mel's heart ached at the sound of your pain. Without a second thought, she hurried to your side, kneeling down beside you. Her hands gently touched your arms, offering a quiet comfort as she whispered, “Come on, let’s get you back to your room.”

With surprising strength, Mel helped you to your feet, supporting your wobbly legs as you struggled to calm the tears that refused to stop. Her presence was grounding, a steady reassurance in the storm of your emotions. As the two of you walked slowly back toward your chambers, Mel kept a steady hand on your back, guiding you through the castle’s labyrinth of halls.

The comforting silence between you both was interrupted only by the occasional sniffle from you, as you struggled to regain some composure. Mel didn’t say anything more. She knew there was nothing to say—at least not yet. She just wanted to get you somewhere safe, where you could break down if you needed to, without the prying eyes of the castle around you.

taglist: @tinycherry0 @thesecondhandwoman @abbysleftbicepp @artfairyyyyy @bunninel @furrytaesss @savedforlaterr @veladeangl @5t4r1i9ht @athena-winters13 (😝) @inlovewithsevikaandambessa

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angellekookie · 16 days ago

Text

Always Been There | MYG - PART 1

Summary: Ever since the new kid moved into your cousin's old house, your life has been different.

Genre: Childhood Friends to Lovers AU, (half-sided) Academic Rivals to Lovers, it's romance- fluffy romance, maybe cliché (this is a warning)

WC: 5.1 K

Other Tags: Friend! Teahyung (mentioned), Cousin! Seokjin (mentioned)

Warnings: Brief mention of alcohol consumption, Idk if I missed any, but let me know.

Pairings: Min Yoongi x F! Reader

Read also on Ao3!

Dividers by @thecutestgrotto

You never perceived yourself as a competitive child. You were usually quiet and reserved, often opting to be engaged in any book, watch television or play the occasional video game with your older cousin, Seokjin, who lived just down the street. This all changed one summer when your uncle got a new job in Seoul and had to move. Obviously, you missed him, he was your favourite cousin, your best friend. So every day you’d walk to your uncle’s old house hoping he’d come back from his new job and bring Seokjin home with him.

Days melted into weeks and the “For Sale” sign on the gate seemed to get bigger and bigger as if it existed solely to mock you. Or maybe it only appeared ten times the size because you stared at it so often, studying it, willing anything to change.

Summer's end brought you an initially pleasant surprise. This time, when you walked to Jin's house you saw people going back and forth taking boxes from a moving truck. Obviously, you thought that the day couldn’t get any better, your young mind not even considering that it could actually get worse.

Excitement led your feet through the gate and inside the yard where you saw a boy with his back turned to you. He appeared a bit shorter than how you remembered your cousin, but excitement didn’t let you think on that too much. Besides, surely you grew in the last few months, of course Jin wouldn’t look as tall to you any more.

The next five seconds happened both breathtakingly fast and painstakingly slow. The next five seconds changed what you thought was the best day of your life to the single worst day of your entire existence.

One second you were running towards your “cousin,” the next second you were making an unplanned descent, landing at the feet of who you later discovered was the son of your new neighbours.

At eight years old, maybe you still believed that kindness was the default setting of the world and expected the same from the boy looking down at you with his pale, chubby face. But whether it was disgust on his face, disdain—or maybe perhaps you were lucky and he just didn’t care—you didn’t know. What you did know was that you had to leave and you had to leave immediately.

That evening your parents barely managed to console you after you came home crying with a bruised kneecap. You were silent all through dinner and hardly gave any attention to what they were saying about inviting people somewhere and someone close in age. You had enough on your plate already with trying to forget the sheer embarrassment you had endured earlier in what you had once considered a safe space and the brussels sprouts your mother had insisted you eat tonight.

After that day, Min Yoongi became a constant in your life.

As luck would have it, your parents were speaking about your new neighbours that night. About how they meant to introduce themselves to them so they would feel welcomed to the neighbourhood. About the son they had who was around two years older than you, and how you both could be great friends.

You never anticipated that your mother would become best friends with Yoon Misook, which meant that you would come to spend a lot of time with the Mins. Birthday parties, holiday celebrations, family get-togethers… if you can name it, you had to be there and you had to be there with him.

Min Yoongi loved being right. There was always unmistakable joy present on his otherwise expressionless face when he knew he was right. Like when he beat you at chess, or told you that tomato was actually a fruit- it didn’t matter because you still didn’t like eating them anyways. You enjoyed wiping the smug little smirk right off his face. The thing was that you loved being right too, or rather, you greatly enjoyed telling Min Yoongi he was wrong. Enjoyed telling him that the sun was in fact a star, feeling higher than any sugar rush could take you when you let him know that acetic acid wasn’t technically vinegar- just a part of it. This was much to the dismay of both your parents, your friends, teachers, and anyone else who had the pleasure of having you both around at the same time.

Although maybe you should thank him.

During the school year, some time after your first meeting with Yoongi, you were sitting in his living room completing homework. His brows were furrowed in a delicate mix of concentration and confusion. You had stretched over to his side to see what was the matter, to see if you perhaps needed to ask his mother or older brother for help. “Yoongi-oppa, what’s wrong?” He didn’t look at you, for a second you wondered if he even heard you. You were going to nudge him with your pencil until he said your name. “Don’t worry about it. You won't understand it anyways.” His brows furrowed even more as he continued to work on his assignment.

Now you weren't planning to help him by any means. He was older than you and you were sure his fifth-grade math would give your third-grade math a run for its money. But him implying that you couldn't even understand it struck a nerve in your young brain. “Lemme see it, please, please, pleasee. Yoongiii-” he released a heavy sigh and turned his workbook towards you. Of course you were pleased with getting your way.

There were shapes, you definitely recognized the triangle and other shapes. You also knew about perimeter, but as you read further down the page admittedly some of the questions you didn’t quite understand just how they expected to get all those answers from a few shapes. It was your turn to have your brows furrowed in confusion.

Noting the shift in your facial expression, Yoongi took his workbook back. You looked up to find him looking at you with one eyebrow raised and a smug little smile on his face. He was daring you to say something, anything. You knew that, but you had nothing to say. “I told you.” He’d said, and hearing your silence, Yoongi knew that he was in fact right and a chuckle managed to escape him. You only huffed and returned to your seat, barely managing to finish the last question of your own assignment.

That night you swore it would be the last time you’d let Min Yoongi look at you like that. Call it your villain origin. Sheer spite, divine motivation, whatever it was and whatever it took you knew you just had to be better than you were, better than him eventually.

You had spent even more time with your face buried in books than you used to. If you were an academic weapon before, you made it your mission to become an academic armoury now. The next few years saw you move from just being at the top of your class, to being the top of the school- overtime skipping a grade and ending up in the same class as your favourite neighbour.

You still remember how he was laughing with his friends, completely unaware of your presence until the homeroom teacher called you up to the front to introduce you to the class. He was surprised, you’d hardly ever seen him surprised by anything, much less anything you’ve done. He often had little to no emotions on his face and after eight years of knowing him, you’d come to know that any emotion outside of his usual scope of nothing was absolutely monumental.

As much as possible, you tried to steer clear of Yoongi while at school except for some instances where a teacher thought it a good idea to have you both working together (that mistake was hardly made a second time). You’d quickly learn that in his first year of high school, Yoongi, who lacked any decent manners and people skills, was somehow popular among the students. You noticed how girls often giggled with their friends when they passed him, or how you would see him laugh more with his own group of friends than he ever did with you back home. This was understandable as the both of you only ever really managed to get on each other’s nerves.

Despite all this, he’d hardly ever let you walk home alone even when you insisted that you could walk home with literally any of your other friends, anybody but him. He says it's because he knows you enjoy his company though you refuse to admit it. “As if,” You would tell him. “Personally, I have better things to do than pretend to enjoy spending time with the likes of you.” You ignore the voice that tries to tell you that it's a good thing he’s here with you and not with one of the girls in his little fan club. You ignore the same voice as it tries to tell you that you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Instead, you swat his hand away when he attempts to flick your forehead. Instead, your laughs echo through Daegu streets as you run from him. There's no point in running. Of course, he'll catch you, just like he always has, and maybe he always will. So even though your lungs burn, and Min Yoongi is annoying, and you're not even close to being the prettiest girl at school, there's a big grin on your face. This moment was yours, yours alone.

Once as you were preparing for your last lesson of the day, Yoongi sat down beside you in the empty classroom. Before you could comment on it, other students came in and started filling up seats one by one. Throughout the class, you noticed that Eunji had taken the seat to his left. That’s no problem, she and her ponytail could sit wherever they wanted. If only she didn’t keep asking him things every five minutes or so. You weren't counting. But you wondered if he could ever learn anything with her practically in his ear the entire time, you wondered if she knew she was distracting the entire class trying to breath down Yoongi’s neck.

You felt sick, maybe. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach and it felt just a bit difficult to breathe. But you also felt like you could burst. You weren’t sure if you liked it. Thankfully, class had finally ended and students began leaving as quickly as they came in. You wouldn’t have to endure... whatever that was any more.

You were just packing up when you heard a deep voice beside you, “If you stared any longer, given your track record, I’d have to believe you had a crush on me or something.” He makes it his mission to ensure you never forget the one time you tripped and fell to his feet when you were children. Due to either mild irritation, embarrassment or something else you could feel the blood rushing up to your face, so you decide to slow your movements in hopes that he wouldn’t see it.

“Please, Yoongi. Do I look like I'd want to waste my intelligence on harbouring romantic affections for you.” You hear him scoff behind you and you turn your head just enough to see him raise his eyebrow, looking at you incredulously.

“’Yoongi?’ We dropped the honorifics now?”

“We’re classmates, I didn’t think it was necessary.” You decided to face him, mirroring his raised eyebrow with your own, challenging him. “Is there a problem, Yoongi? I mean, if it’s so important to you I could always just start calling you ahjuss-”

"Yoongi, is fine." For the second time today there's a hint of surprise on his face, and the ghost of a smile that you weren’t quite sure what to make of it. You wanted to smile too, but suddenly you remembered Eunji beside him in class and the smile never came to be. You didn’t want to tell him that he had all the girls in the school to call him whatever he wanted them to, that perhaps you felt a bit intimidated by the older, more mature girls that he had around whenever you saw him. You didn’t want to tell him that because you’ve been actively avoiding feeling that way for some time. You didn’t want to tell him anything like that for fear of him actually laughing you to scorn, for fear of him hitting you with his infamous blank stare. You’ve had your fair share of first-hand experiences with it.

Instead of all the things you weren’t ready to face, weren’t ready to say, you tell him “I can’t walk home with you today. Me, Taehyung and Ara have uhmm, something. I’ll see you later.” There was nothing. But you left to find your friends before he could have a chance to say anything else to you.

It’s been a year since you graduated high school. Summer brought you back to your hometown for the first time since you moved in with your uncle to be closer to university in Seoul. You weren’t the only students home for break so naturally, you ran into a few of your old classmates. Some of them mentioned a get together on the field behind the school that was coming up. You couldn’t not know about it. You remember barely stepping off the bus with Yoongi when Sooyoung greeted you both and first suggested the idea. That’s how you found yourself on the field with him (and the drinks) waiting for the others to show up.

Soon everybody that could make it sat down on the grass and Sooyoung started pouring out the drinks in cups and passing them around. The first taste is... bitter. You try to drink more, you’ve heard a few people say it's an acquired taste.

The night went on, conversations eventually straying away from the generic “How are you” and “what are you up to now.” to be more meaningful (as meaningful as it gets when alcohol is involved.) Socially, you were there. You contributed to the conversation occasionally- laughing when something was funny, nodding if you agreed with something, sprinkling in a “nah” when you didn’t agree with something else.

Occasionally though, you would stare at the amber liquid in your cup. It was taking everything in you not to gag when you took yet another sip. The cup is put down beside you, you don’t think you’ll be acquiring that taste anytime soon. Said cup gets to sit there for approximately thirty seconds before it finds residence in Yoongi’s hands. He’s drinking your drink. Yet you can’t find it in you to complain because you really, really don’t like it. You decide to leave well enough alone.

It’s not until a new cup is placed before you by the drink thief himself that decide to look at him. He’s not looking at you, of course he’s not. He never looks at you when he’s with his friends. Not that it matters, not that you care. At least it was nice of him to get you a new drink, maybe he’s a semi-decent human being. Your thoughts momentarily pause when instead of an involuntary gag, a pleasant, surprised hum escapes your lips.

His eyes have crinkled at the corners because someone just said something funny. He’s using a single hand behind him as support and is nursing a drink with the other. He looks as carefree as ever. You can’t imagine that he’d take note of something so small, something like that- even if you grew up together. You'll try to brush it aside, though you doubt it's something that you’d be likely to forget about anytime soon. There’s a warmth blooming in your chest, you’ll blame it on the alcohol from earlier.

Christmas was just around the corner. The crisp, chilly air and stressed college students cramming for finals were more than enough to let you know the festive season was upon you. You sat in the new sandwich shop that you believe was strategically nestled between the library and the café. A cup of coffee remained untouched to your left and sandwich in hand, you were currently with your friend, Hyewon, who was not so subtly trying to get you to agree to go on a blind date. She's been trying ever since she found out your last date was almost a year ago, that it never ended well romantically, that you and Hoseok decided to become friends and still are today. "I'm telling you, he's really handsome and smart," said between a mouthful of her sandwich and a sip of her coffee. "My sister said he graduated from Yonsei this year with like, first class honours in economics or something."

"I'm just... still thinking about it."

And the truth is, you were. Ever since the topic came up nearly a month ago after one of your shared classes. After Hyewon got over her shock because "A girl like you should have dates every weekend," she took it upon herself to find you a date.

It's not that you were against dating, and relationships. During your earlier college years you tried a few times. Your first date tried to explain the basics of aerospace engineering to you, the thing you were majoring in. He was a history major, said he couldn't believe a girl could actually study something like that and asked how much your parents paid to get you in the program. You laughed it off and attempted to push it aside, that date ended early. You went on a few more dates after that but it always felt the same, like you were trying too hard to impress your date, like they weren't trying hard enough to get to know you. You decided to just focus on your studies. At the very least, you knew you were good at that.

“Please tell me yes- there’s a drone show next Friday at the Han River. You guys could watch it.” Hyewon looked so excited you promised to let her know by Monday. She squealed and you were sure you would have seen your ancestors if she had hugged you any tighter, told you not to forget to call her as she bounced off to her last final.

You remained in your corner seat. Unsure why you didn’t just leave with your friend. A couple of girls sat at the table behind you. While you were nursing your now cold hot chocolate you were hearing bits and pieces of their conversation. It’s not that you wanted to eavesdrop, but you couldn’t help the way your ears perked up when one of them mentioned ‘medical student from Yonsei’ and ‘date’ in the same sentence.

“I’m telling you he’s pretty quiet, and cute. I don’t even know how they got him to agree.”

“Ugh! I’m so jealous... should I transfer?”

“Shut up and look at the picture Kangchul sent me.”

“People like this really study medicine? If he looks like this, what will you wear on the date?”

“I dunno, it’s next Friday. You should come over and help me get...”

You didn’t stay to hear anymore.

Hours later you lay wide awake in your bedroom. Sleep has been evading you. It’s not like there was only one medical student at Yonsei. There were hundreds of medical students. It didn’t have to be the one you were thinking of. The odds were... low. You paid no mind to the tiny voice that was telling you that “the odds are never zero, though.”

You reached for your phone, surely you could always text the person in question, it’s not like you think he would hide it from you but in the same breath, it’s not like he has any reason to tell you if he were going on a date. Why would he? Your fingers hovered over his chat until the screen finally timed out. This seemed to wake you from your daze, the phone was tossed to the side. Why were you thinking of him anyway? If it were him, if he was going on a date, it definitely wouldn’t affect you. It shouldn’t, you won’t let it.

It was 8:44 am the following day when you texted Hyewon that she could arrange the blind date.

A week and a half later you found yourself standing outside of a restaurant in Hongdae. Your date was to meet you there so you could have a meal then head over to the drone show your friend mentioned. You’ve been waiting for... a while. Yunseo was running late and to make matters worse, when you pulled out your cell phone you found it was dead. It was cold, and you were cold, and maybe you were just stood up for this date. You wanted to cry, you thought it probably wouldn’t be that bad if you just broke down on the streets. Probably no one would notice if you did anyway.

Slowly, white flurries started falling from the sky. Couples started walking even closer together, some laughing at whatever they found funny. They all looked really cute. You really hated the cold, maybe you should have just stayed home. “You know,” came a familiar, deep voice breaking through the frigid atmosphere. “In my experience, standing in the cold like this is a sure fire way to catch a cold.”

You don’t need to turn around to know who that deep voice belongs to. You couldn't help the scoff that escaped you. Of course he would appear at a time like this. Why was he there and why did he have to show up just now when you were on the verge of a mental breakdown, probably. Your thoughts couldn't even spiral too far because now you were genuinely fighting back the tears that really, really wanted more than anything to be free. “Shut up, Yoongi. I don’t—” You couldn't help the way your voice wavered, or the sniffle, all things considered. “I can’t deal with this right now.” You didn’t hear a response from him, so you assumed that he had left. You didn’t expect him to be in front of you, slightly bending his head to meet your eyes with his brows furrowed. You hated when he looked at you like this. Like he could see right through you, like he knows things even you don't. You hate it, so you look away from his curious gaze. You didn't want him to find anything in yours.

It felt like hours before he gave up on his one sided staring competition. He released a sigh while undoing his scarf that was neatly wrapped around his neck. You shook your head, wanted to tell him it wasn't necessary, you didn't need his scarf- that you were fine. The words never even got to leave your mouth before he started putting his scarf on you anyway. “Don’t even right now ___, you’re cold.” It wasn't a question. He said it like he knew, he said it while he took his time to wrap his scarf around your neck, making sure to cover your nose. You think you’ve seen this film before.

《Some years ago》

You have been walking for quite some time now. Quiet footsteps crush dead leaves and twigs a small distance behind you. You’re not afraid, mildly annoyed maybe. But you’ve no need to be afraid because you already know who’s behind you. He’s been trailing after you in silence since you stormed off the campsite earlier in a desperate attempt to cool off. It was too much. The woodsmoke, the cheeriness, the ever persistent Song Eunji and her effortlessly beautiful messy bun hanging off the side of your neighbour, on your family camping trip. It was one thing to have to endure her incessant hovering while at school, but you’d think that at least your weekend far out of town would have been peaceful. Turns out that the universe had other plans for you. Not only did you have to endure Min Yoongi, but you also had to stomach having the president of his fanclub- whose family just also happened to plan a camping trip at this spot- here too. How fantastic.

You hold your thin jacket tighter against your body as you make your way deeper into the forest. Every step you took only seemed to strengthen the already growing irritation inside you. You longed for the warmth of your bed, the comfort of your home. Surely there would be nothing there to upset you this much. “Yoongi, either catch up or leave. You’re smart enough, I’m sure that you’re at least a little aware how strange it is to stalk after a woman at night.”

“Yn, you’re smart enough, I’m sure you’re aware that this is hardly considered stalking.” Still, his footsteps carried that steady pace and you could almost hear the smugness in his voice as he continued. “I’m simply taking a walk, I’d be more than happy to catch up if you’d let me.” You could almost imagine how his face looks right now, a raised eyebrow, his (annoying) little smirk, maybe his head was even tilted to the side. You hoped he could see your eyes rolling from behind you. All of that didn’t matter though, cause either way the chill breeze took the challenge in his tone and brought it straight to your ear.

“Yeah, well you could walk somewhere else.” He certainly had no issue being other places before, you thought. You didn’t see why he was being so difficult. Although, you’ve known Min Yoongi for what feels like your entire life. If he did have a middle name, perhaps it would be something along the lines of annoying, stubborn-

“It’s fine.”

Wind came dancing through the trees and brought not just a disturbance to your quiet surroundings, but also a drop in the already cold temperature you’ve been trying to ignore since you left the warmth of the campfire. Involuntarily, your body shivered. Though it was only trying to warm itself up, you suppose.

“Here, put this on.” He was shrugging off his own jacket. You hadn’t realised you’d stopped. Hadn’t realised that Yoongi found his way beside you. Maybe your middle name is stubborn too, because you were already shaking your head and pushing his hand and his jacket away, wanted to tell him he could keep his jacket, that you would warm up just fine on your own soon enough. It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Would you stop pretending like you’re not literally freezing cold right now,” He just puts the jacket over you anyway. “Just take it.” With no other choice (you were freaking freezing), you begrudgingly put your arms through the sleeve. You watched as he proceeded to fasten the buttons with what you’ll assume resembles care on his face- no sign of displeasure anywhere.

“You do this after school too, why?” Memories all bleed into each other from all the times he’s placed a jacket round your shoulders, or a scarf round your neck. The few times he’d given you gloves to wear. You know he knows what you’re referring to.

“Because,” He’s fixing the jacket collar around your neck. “Your mom would kill me if I let you catch a cold.”

He couldn’t be serious. To think that was the reason... “You don’t need to do it anymore.”

He hummed in response. “Yeah? Stop leaving your jacket and I won't have to give you mine all the time, deal?” His left hand ruffled your hair all while you glared at him. Oftentimes, despite your extensive vocabulary, you find it hard to find words to describe Yoongi and just settle for thinking that he’s so him. Right now, he was being very much him, even more so than usual.

A sudden high pitch screech pulls you out of your brooding and launches you into Yoongi’s arms, a scream escapes you. Surprised, his arms wrap around you while he looks around. “What was that?!” You were whispering, screaming, a unique mix of both things.

“I don’t know.” Your companion sounded as calm as ever, you weren't sure if that was a good or bad thing. But you couldn't focus on that right now.

“Will it kill us?”

“I don’t know.” You felt him shrug. Your annoyance from earlier resurges, but with a new friend along with it, fear.

“Well Yoongi, what do you know exactly, hmm?”

“I know the way back to the campsite.” You looked up at him, seemingly just realising you were quite cozily nestled in his arms. You jumped back, almost tripping on a rock, or tree root, you couldn’t tell as it was dark. But what you could see was the gentle look that remained on his face as he steadied you, you weren't sure how it made you feel. All you did know was that it was too much.

“Well, um…” You decided to turn your head away, clear your throat. Yes, that was a good idea. “Lead the way, I guess.” Yoongi chuckled, and soon you felt a warmth enveloping your hand. Similar to the warmth simultaneously growing in your own chest. This was the first time he’d ever held your hand. You stood shocked, frozen, unable to move. Unable to ask him why.

“Come on, so you don’t fall again. This just like the day I just moved int-”

“Oh my gosh, shut up about that will you!” That seemed to do the trick. Just when you think he’d give that story a rest, he’d find a way to remind you again. How infuriating. Still, you both couldn’t help the laughs escaping your lips as you head back hand in hand to your loved ones who were probably waiting for you at the campsites. Maybe you shouldn't have stormed off, but as the moon started peaking through the clouds lighting up your rugged path, you were glad he came to find you.

《Present day》

When he gently took your hand in his, your mind found itself back to the present where you stood in snowy streets as opposed to the serene forest. Was he really always like this? “C'mon.” He'd turned towards you, his head motioning in a general direction. Your mind wanting to stay lost in thought for a bit more, feet remained planted on the ground for a minute, maybe longer. Yet Min Yoongi remained a perfect picture of patience. Maybe it was his lack of frustration, or the fact that you didn't not trust him. But you let him lead you down the Hongdae streets, you follow with your hand in his.

AN: Thanks for reading this far! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now, I had every intention for this to be a tiny lil one-shot but the story clearly had other ideas in mind. I'm working on part 2 as we speak so hopefully I can share it with you all soon.

That being said, Special thanksies to my mooties @livingformintyoongi and @moochii-daisies for their encouragement and for accommodating my yapping 🥹🩷 and not to mention @oddinary4bts when I felt stuck and was at the brink of putting this fic to the infinite sides.

This, as well other fics that I'll post in the future will be cross-posted to Ao3 because of popular demand (1 person suggested), but yes it was by popular demand 🤭

Taglist

@livingformintyoongi @moochii-daisies @abcdefghilovejk2121 @ktownshizzle @peoniesnro

#min yoongi #min Yoongi × reader #yoongi drabble #yoongi fluff #yoongi x y/n #yoongi x reader #yoongi scenarios #yoongi oneshot #bts x y/n #bts x reader #bts fluff #bts drabble #bts one shot #Cathy wrote it #ALways Been There | MYG

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thestraybunny · 1 month ago

Text

Heartrate| K.MG

Pairing: Non-idol Kim Mingyu x Afab! reader, mention of Jeon Wonwoo x Afab!Reader WC: 15.1K Genre: Non-Idol AU, Romance Rating: E (18+, MDNI) Warnings: Slight violence, Drinking, Sex under the influence, Mingyu is a bit of an idiot but we love him, a little angst, fluff, Mingyu just sexy

Summary: Jeon Wonwoo can kiss your ass for making you come out tonight.

A/N: This is part of the Seventeen K-Series and was loosely inspired by Mingyu in the Eyes On You M/V, just the part where he fights people, not dies. But Mingyu, oh Mingyu. Hes one of my top three Wreckers and he literally destroys me. ^.^ enjoy! K-Series Masterlist

Jeon Wonwoo can kiss your ass for making you come out tonight.

Just because his introverted ass didn’t want to be dragged out alone by his social butterfly of a best friend and roommate, he had to drag your equally as introverted self out for a night out.

“You owe me.” You remember he texted you earlier that day, “I have helped you out several times. You can do this for me.”

One, you didn’t owe your friend shit since one of thetimes he was referring to, where he posed as your wedding date for your dad's 3rd wedding, you paid him at least 300,000 won and he got a free destination trip out of it. Not to mention, you gave him some of the best sex of his life that weekend too. No, you do not owe Jeon Wonwoo shit.

Yet here you are, sitting in the corner of a large booth, surrounded by several of his and his roommate’s friends and an untouched drink in front of you. Watching as everyone around you talked loudly, laughing, drinking and Soonyoung looked like he was ready to cry for the second time that night. It wasn’t even midnight yet.

“Are you doing, okay?” It was Hansol who had asked you, sitting across from you, and your eyes casted up to the younger man. You could tell he was watching you for a while by his sympathetic smile, especially since Wonwoo had been pulled away from the table a while back by some of the guys to the bar. His roommate being the main one dragging him, and all your friend could do was give you an apologetic glance. “You look like you want to run away.”

This caught the attention of Joshua and Seungcheol who were sitting next to both of you and turned to you. This made you shift uncomfortably because you were not one to like to be in the center of attention or called out for your lack of social interest. You weren’t that close to Wonwoo’s friends, but they were always so friendly toward you when he did drag you out.

They also knew you were a bigger introvert than your glasses wielding friend and went out way less than he did. In fact, the group was surprised you even showed up with him, but his best friend/roommate, Mingyu, was overly ecstatic to see you. Engulfing you into a near back breaking hug the moment he laid his eyes on you, wearing that dazzling smile he would sport when seeing you. Just like they always did when you would come around.

“That makes me sound like I’m an antisocial bitch who doesn’t like to be around you guys.” You sigh, finally reaching for your drink. Most the ice has melted, so the once very sweet drink tasted watered down, but either way you drank it. No one responded, they just stared at you, “Okay I am antisocial, but I do like being around you guys… Just…”

“Not in a place like this.” Seungcheol finished for you, and you nodded. Pouring you a shot of soju, he pushed it across the table to you, “Trust me I get it. I rather be home right now with my girl, or in game with some of these assholes. But you know how Mingyu is.”

“Or even a quiet bar that isn’t packed full of people. But what Mingyu wants, we all give him, right?” You accept the shot with a smile.

“Not every…ow! The fuck Seungcheol,” Joshua gave the eldest of the friend group a dirty look, but you had missed the silent exchange the two men had. Too busy throwing back the soju shot.

“Where is Wonwoo? He normally would find his way back over by now.” You mumble, looking around for him, but in the packed club, he was nowhere to be seen. Instead under the strobe of lights, you laid your eyes on the tall figure making his way through the crowd.

The lights would hit his face every so often, and you could see his smile still as wide, with the rounds of his cheeks and smile lines prominent. The way the different color lights would hit his tanned skin emphasized how good looking he was, and you found yourself unable to tear your gaze from him. And it felt like his eyes were on you.

Dark hair falling past his brow, a black vest top under a matching button up that he left several undone at the top. He was in a pair a faded relaxed jeans, and what looked like a pair of boots. An odd choice to go to a club where he would be dancing with girls who wear opened toe heels. Kim Mingyu looked like he walked right out of a photoshoot, and ready for the night on the town.

He was there to impress and have fun. Dragging everyone with him.

Wonwoo was still nowhere to be found, and you were starting to get a little anxious. He didn’t ditch you, did he?

“Noona! Come dance with me!” Mingyu’s voice rang out over the music, his smile widening. Something you didn’t know was possible either, feeling the eyes of his friends on you, but you couldn’t look away from him. You watch as he turns his attention to Joshua, “Move.”

Joshua was up thinking that you were going to get out to go with Mingyu, but instead the younger man dropped down into his seat. Leaving the older man shocked and the group still at the table laughing. He then took the chair that had once belonged to Seungkwan, who was somewhere on the dance floor with Seokmin and several others. Muttering something that only earned an elbow from Mingyu as he holds your gaze.

“What you say? You came all the way out tonight, you gotta join me on the dance floor at least once and share a shot with me.” He grabbed the soju bottle that was in the middle of the table, pulling two empty shot glasses in front of him. He was a little sloppy pouring them but pushed one into your hand. Turning his whole upper body to face you, his smile blinding. “To a night of the unexpected!”

You hadn’t said a single word in this entire exchange, the small glass of clear liquid in your hands waiting to be drank with Mingyu. Instead, you looked at him with wide eyes and mouth slightly dropped, forgetting that you two were in the middle of the club with his and Wonwoo’s friends.

Then it was like you were on autopilot, moving the shot up to your lips as Mingyu did. Since you were older than Mingyu, he typically would turn away, but instead you both kept your eyes fixed on each other as you both took it. Setting the glass down, the younger man reached out and took yours from you.

“Come dance with me now.” He spoke again, his voice still loud enough for you to hear him over the music, but soft enough that sounded like a small plea, his hand engulfing yours, as he pulls you to stand up. Normally you were able to resist the taller man, telling him no, and felt yourself was invincible to his little whine that came with puppy dog eyes.

But this time you didn’t as you nod, sliding out of the booth to go with him to the dance floor. The alcohol mixed with the way the lights were hitting Mingyu made your normal reservations dissipate, and you let him take the lead.

To a night of the unexpected.

---

The dance floor was sweltering with the numerous bodies pressed together under the colorful strobes, having fun and dancing to a remix that was blasting over the speakers. So loud that you almost couldn’t think, and Mingyu’s close presence didn’t help much either.

You had found Wonwoo once on the dance floor, the poor man somehow in the middle of Seungkwan, Seokmin, and Soonyoung. The three of them looked like they were all possessed or having seizures while the glasses wielded man was dancing in tiny. From the look on his face, he was a mixture of embarrassed by the BooSeokSoon cage he was in, amused by their antics, and off in his own world. Like he was stuck there for the time being and had to make the most of it.

He made eye contact with you when you first got on the floor, giving you a small smirk before going back to dancing. Your attention hadn’t been on your friend long, feeling Mingyu pull you against him, his hands moving to rest on your hips as yours moved to rest on his shoulders. Your eyes moved back to the smile that he hasn’t left since walking up to the table, his little vampire like canines on full display.

“You having fun?” he asks having to yell, but you could barely hear him over the music. It was so much louder on the dance floor then in the booth you were originally hiding in and if it wasn’t for how close the two of you were, you might not have been able to hear him at all. “Or would you rather be hiding away in your little apartment with your books?”

“Well, of course given the choice, I’d rather be at home with my books. I am reading a particularly good one right now about pirates and sirens.” You answer him as he leans down to hear you better, and you got a whiff of the perfume he was wearing. Sweet with a cedar undertone. You have smelled it on him before, but in passing, not up close as it was now. The way it mixed with the natural scent of Mingyu filled your senses and was near intoxicating.

“Well, how can I compete with that,” Mingyu let out a chuckle, and you could only blink at him, catching the hidden sarcastic tone to his joke. “But I am glad you came out. What did Wonwoo-Hyung gotta do to convince you.”

“Blackmail mostly, and the promise of buying me food after.” You answer, and this made the younger man laugh as he looks down to you. Even with the height of your heels, he still towered over you. “Calling in on favors that I didn’t know I owed him.”

“Ah so he used my tactic that I use on him.” He looked so proud of this bit of information, and it actually made you chuckle, looking away for a moment to see that Joshua had joined the cage that was surrounding Wonwoo. You weren’t sure what the four were doing, but it didn’t look like dancing.

“Should we go save him from those four?” You ask, and Mingyu followed your gaze to your shared friend and his four captives. Now five since Jun had just gotten there and was on the dance floor in an instant. “Well, five now.”

“Nah, he’s going to be okay. He’ll escape when he’s ready.” Mingyu voice was so much closer to your ear, and you could feel his breath brush against your hot skin. It was cooling against the warmth of the lights but added its own set of heat that started to pass over your entire body. When you turned your eyes back to the man you were dancing with, you realized he had leaned in further and you nearly bumped noses with him. “Let’s just keep dancing.”

His strong hands moved from your hips to your waist, before slowly trailing them up your spine then back down. All while keeping your body pressed against his tall muscular frame, and you didn’t miss the way his gaze dropped down to your lips for the briefest of moments. When he did this, you honestly thought he was going to kiss you, instead Mingyu leaned back slightly to get lost in the music as you danced together. And you felt like you were short circuiting.

Swaying you in rhythm of his body, you were suddenly very aware of what was happening. Your body was not only hot from the hot club lights, from the crowded dance floor, or the alcohol coursing through your system. It was also from Kim Mingyu.

You became painfully aware of the way his muscles moved and felt even under the layers of clothes, the heat radiating from him was hotter than anything else in this place. So hot that you were surprised the soft material of your dress wasn’t starting to singe away under his touch. That you hadn’t caught fire when you were feeling like you were going to combust.

“You look beautiful tonight,” His mouth was close to your ear again, the familiar feeling of his breath against your skin was back. Now mixed with this sudden compliment, you didn’t know what to think. You tried to pull away, but his hold was firm, so the most you could do was pull your head back to look at him. There was something different by the way he was looking at you, like you were the stars and the moon in the sky, “I mean you always do, but tonight, you are radiant.”

Where was this coming from? In all the years that you knew Mingyu as Wonwoo’s roommate/best friend he had never shown any interest in you, and he most definitely never told you that you were beautiful… or radiant. Normally if you came by their apartment or saw him when you had dinner with them, he would keep all conversations casual. It had to of been the alcohol talking, the loud music pounding in your ears, the closeness of your bodies. Mingyu did not see you as anything more than Wonwoo’s friend.

So, why did it feel like he wanted to kiss you?

“I need to get some air.” You suddenly yelled, sliding your hands from his shoulders to his chest, pushing him back to let go of you. Which he did with no resistance, but his face wore a look of confusion. “Thanks for the dance.”

You didn’t give him a chance to respond before you turned and rushed toward the door, stopping at the booth to grab your bag. Vernon and Seungcheol were still at the table and had taken the liberty to watch over the satchel for you. They looked confused when seeing the flustered look on your face, and how you bowed your head in apologies. From the dance floor, the rest of the group stopped to watch you in equal confusion.

Mingyu stood where you left him, while Wonwoo tried to push passed Seokmin and Soonyoung to stop you, but you were already heading for the door. You needed to make an exit and fast. Whether you were going to come back was still in the air, suddenly wanting to go home and hide under your large, weighted blanket with your book. Music playing softly from your home speakers and not so loud you couldn’t think.

Think of anything other than the way Mingyu was looking at you.

When the cool night air hit your face, you felt a rush of relief hit you. The feeling of being able to breathe again, and the places where Mingyu had touched cooling down. You didn’t know what to think as you almost stumbled back when your heel caught a crack in the sidewalk. What was that back there?

“Fuck,” You grunted, undoing the heel when it wouldn’t budge, and tried to pull it off with your hands. It finally came loose, and you were quick to shove it back on your foot and lacing it back around your ankle. Moving to the side of the building, you leaned against the cool brick wall of the club. Helping you center yourself better and looking back to see if anyone followed you.

You were sure that Wonwoo saw the interaction and would be following you or cornering Mingyu to demand what happened. It was only a matter of time before him or another person from his friend group came out to check on you. You may not be close to them, but they still would look out for you and kept in touch. Only you hoped it would be anyone but Mingyu, not sure if you can face him.

Leaning your head back against the wall, you contemplated to just leave. Text Wonwoo and tell him that you fulfilled the favor but now you were going to go home. Maybe put some distance between you and Mingyu for a while, but the people pleaser in you didn’t want to hurt his feelings because you don’t know how to react to his sudden interest.

“Why hello there beautiful,” A voice spoke next to you, one you didn’t recognize, causing you to turn your head toward a man you had never seen before. He must have just walked up because you didn’t see anyone other than the bouncer originally, and now he was leaning next to you with a lopsided grin on his face. He looked to be around your age or older, and he was not bad looking, but not your type at all. Nor did you like the way his drunk eyes raked over you. It wasn’t the way Mingyu would look at you. “What are you doing out here by yourself? Looking for company?”

He pulls out a pack of cigarettes to offer you one, which you shook your head as you finally spoke, “Sorry, I don’t smoke.”

“What about some company?” You flinch when he reaches out and brushes your bare shoulder with a knuckle and you pushed off the wall to move back to the front of the club. Maybe back inside to find one of the guys so he would leave you alone.

“No thank you, I am here with friends, so I have plenty of company.” You decline going to walk away when you felt him grab your wrist to bring you back. You tried to pull away, but he held onto you. “Let go.”

“Why? I am good company.”

“Let go, please.” You tell him again, trying to pull your wrist away from him. Even though you didn’t look it, you were strong enough to hold your own and typically can protect yourself if needed, but you weren’t able to break his hold.

“Come on, I don’t bite. You’ll have fun with me,” the hold he had on your wrist tightened, and you were close to screaming for the bouncer and kick him in the balls when a sudden fist connected with the guy's face. Causing him to let go of you.

You take a step back with your hands flying up to cover your mouth in shock, staring at an equally shocked Mingyu. He was staring at both his hand and the guy now on the ground holding his jaw. You both heard the footsteps of the bouncer making his way around the corner. Before you could even think, you grabbed Mingyu’s hand.

“Come on,” you tell him, pulling him to run with you. After nearly tripping over the guy, Mingyu started to run too. There was yelling behind you both, but neither of you looked back.

When you started to fall behind because of your heels, instead of stopping to help you take them off, Mingyu scooped you into his arms like you were nothing. Barely stopping to pick you up before he continued to run, glancing down toward you with a lopsided smile.

It wasn’t for another few blocks until he finally slowed to a stop and let you down. Dropping his hands to his knees to catch his breath, though it didn’t sound like he needed to. Looking up toward you, that same lopsided smile returned as he straightened, “Didn’t think the first time I got to pick you up was to help you run away.”

For some reason this made you burst out laughing, which he chuckled in confusion before it turned into a full belly laugh. Neither of you were sure why you were laughing, Mingyu assaulted someone to protect you and you both ran from it. There was nothing funny about what happened, but you both couldn’t stop.

“Is your hand okay?” You finally get out, grabbing his hand to check it, his knuckles already looking like they were bruising. While you were looking over his hand, you didn’t catch that he was just watching you. “You look like you hit him pretty hard.”

“I’m okay. No one is allowed to touch you like that without your permission.” He answers, as you look back up to him. His gaze was on you the same way it was on the dance floor, like you were the stars and the moon. “He has no right to touch you like that, especially when you told him to let you go…. Honestly, are you okay?”

“I am okay,” Your words come out softer than you intended, not letting go of his hand. “Thank you, you didn’t have to punch him but thank you for sticking up for me.”

“I would do it a million times over.”

For a charged moment, you thought he was going to kiss you again, but the sound of both your phones going off at the same time took you out of that thought. Pulling out your phones together, you see that Wonwoo was calling you while Seungkwan was calling Mingyu. Looking toward each other, you started to bite at your bottom lip nervously.

“Go ahead and answer. I am sure they are wondering what happened and where we are.” Mingyu told you and you nodded. Both of you answering at the same time.

“Hey, Woo.” You answer, and you could hear the sigh of relief when he heard your voice.

“Are you okay?” You could hear your friend’s concern, “Me and Seungkwan went to follow Mingyu out to look for you, but you both were gone by the time we got out there. What happened? Did Mingyu actually punch that guy?”

“Hell yeah, I punched him. He wouldn’t let her go.” You heard Mingyu answer proudly, and how close you both were standing, you knew Wonwoo heard him too.

“Well, that answers my question.” Wonwoo let out a dry chuckle, and you could tell he wasn’t happy with what’s going on. “Where are you? Do you need me to come get you?”

You look down to see you were still holding onto his hand, before up toward Mingyu, who was already looking at you. You could hear Seungkwan through his phone asking him the same thing. Likely to take you both home, separately, so they could hide the ‘fugitives’ as Seungkwan called you both. There was a silent conversation between the two of you, and something in you clicked with the way he was gazing at you.

“I… I think I am okay. I am with Mingyu, so it’s not like I’m alone.” You tell Wonwoo over the phone, watching as a wide smile spread across Mingyu’s face. “I think I am gonna head home though.”

“I don’t want you walking home alone,” Wonwoo held nothing but concern for you, and he probably thought you were going to leave Mingyu to find his way back. But the look in his eyes told you, and the way his fingers laced through yours, that he wasn’t going to leave your side.

“I’m not, Woo, Mingyu is walking me.” You tell him before he could say anything more, giving Mingyu a small timid smile.

“I am gonna walk her home. I’ll call you when I get home.” You watch him tell Seungkwan, before hanging up.

“Will one of you text me when you get home?”

“Of course, I know the drill as long as you do the same.”

“Like always. Have fun and be safe.” There was a tease to Wonwoo’s tone as he said the last statement, hanging up before you could even respond to it. Why did he say it like that?

“So, I am actually hungry. All that dancing, defending your honor, and running for our lives has really worked me up an appetite. What you say we stop by somewhere on the way to yours?” Mingyu offered and you could feel your cheeks warming.

“You got a place in mind?” You ask him, and he lets out a laugh.

“Do I? I know just the place.”

The place was a little stand that was set up not far from your apartment, tucked away where most would miss it if you weren’t looking. It offered a range of things, from hot dishes like tteokbokki to cold foods like sandwiches, and a wide range of desserts. Mingyu took charge on what you both ordered, just agreeing to share whatever it was, before finding yourself sitting at a bench with the shared meal.

“How do you like it?” Mingyu asked after a few minutes of silence, and it took you a moment to finish your mouth full of tteokbokki, before answering.

“It’s amazing. I didn’t know this place was here,” you tell him, taking a sip of the water that he had also gotten you. “How did you find it?”

“Found it a while back one night wandering around. Couldn’t sleep, had too much on my mind, and I didn’t want to be home. So, I just started walking around. Then I came upon this place, its only open at this time of night for a few hours, so I come here often when I can’t sleep or go out.” He told you and you watch as he popped a piece of food into his mouth. “Was planning on taking both you and Hyung tonight, but I guess it ended up just being us.”

“I am honored for you to show me this place,” you tell him with a smile, your heart swelling at the fact he thought of not just Wonwoo but you too to share this little discovery of his. “I didn’t think you’d think of me when it comes to things like that.”

“I think about you all the time.” He confessed and your jaw dropped, his face suddenly serious. You could feel your body growing hot again, your mind wheeling at this.

“You think about me?” You ask, and Mingyu nodded.

“I think about all my friends all the time, and I consider you one of them.” He shrugs, and somehow this filled you with disappointment. You weren’t even sure why you felt that way, it was your fault that you read more into this then you should. Thinking his actions and the way he was looking at you was reading something more. Maybe it was from the drinking, even though you felt sober now. “We’re friends, right?”

You didn’t look at him like that, seeing him as a friend as much as Wonwoo’s, so there was no reason to feel rejected. But the way he was looking at you that night, the way he punched someone for you, picking you up so you both could run away from the scene, and the way his fingers laced between yours. That was on you for reading too much into it all, especially with someone like Mingyu.

“Of course, we’re friends.” You force out before standing, and he looks up at you confused. “I’m gonna head on. I can make it from here on my own. Wonwoo is likely on his way home probably expecting you back soon.”

“But I am walking you home.” There was more confusion in his voice as he stood.

“And I am letting you off the hook.” You hope that you didn’t give away you had hurt your own feelings, reaching out to give his bicep a squeeze. “I will be okay.”

“Hyung will kill me if I let you walk home alone. You know that’s the only reason he didn’t come looking for us.” Mingyu tossed what was left of the tteokbokki into the trash, before reaching for your hand, but you pulled it away. “I wanted to walk you home.”

“I’ll take the blame then. Tell him that I left you crying on the corner like a lost puppy.” You try and joke, but his face didn’t find it funny. The joke wasn’t funny, you knew it, but you didn’t think he would actually look like a big lost puppy now that you rejected his offer to walk you home after all.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked, his hand again trying to grab yours and you let him this time. “I thought…”

“You thought what?” You asked back, and he let go with a sigh.

“Nothing. I’m not letting you walk alone.” He said flatly, pushing his fingers through his hair, and you found yourself wondering how it felt through your own. Instead, you went to protest again, but he held up his hand. “Just let me.”

“Mingyu…”

He responds by saying your name, before reaching out to turn your shoulders in the direction of your place. He didn’t say anything more than, “Let’s go.”

For someone who had just defended your honor over a pushy guy, he sure was being pushy himself. Except you still listened and the two of you started to walk in silence. You had to stop several times to adjust your heels, as you could already feel blisters starting to form. You were not expecting to be walking long distance in them, having taken a taxi to the club and intended to take one home too.

“Ow, Fuck. I’m sorry.” You mutter, stopping again to take off your heels, unable to take the discomfort and rather would walk barefoot. You needed to remember to put a pair of flats in your bag if you ever find yourself out again. Mingyu didn’t say anything, nor had he said anything since eating, he just crouched down in front of you. With his back facing you and you looked at him confused, “What are you doing?”

“Offering you a piggyback ride.” He says it like it was the obvious, looking over his shoulder, “Your feet hurt, and you shouldn’t be walking barefoot. I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

This time, you didn’t argue with him or refuse, leaning forward to wrap your arms around his neck, hopping up as he stood. For a moment, he nearly lost his balance and fell forward but caught himself in time on a street pole. Once balanced, he hoisted you up further so your legs could wrap around his waist; with his hands holding onto your thighs for extra support. You mumble your thanks, and he only hummed his response.

Silence fell back over you both, and you were feeling like he was upset with you.

“I’m sorry.” You finally spoke when he was two blocks from your place, your voice almost coming out as a whisper.

“For what?” He asked, looking over his shoulder at you, genuine confusion in his own tone.

“I am not sure, I feel like you’re mad at me.”

“Come on, Noona, I can never be mad at you.” He let out a small chuckle, squeezing one of your thighs gently. It wasn’t meant to be anything more than just a sweet gesture, but you couldn’t ignore the small jolt through your system when he did that. “What makes you think I am mad at you?”

“You haven’t spoken to me since that food stand.” You tell him and he gives you a glance.

“I think it’s my turn to apologize.” He answers with a sigh, finally turning onto your street.

“For what?”

“Assuming.”

“Assuming what?”

Mingyu didn’t respond, instead he just continued to your apartment, changing the subject in the process. You let him, while making a mental note that you were going to ask him again once back at your apartment. Filling the quiet late night air with senseless chatter, you lean your head against his shoulder as he insists on carrying you up to your floor.

He didn’t let you down until you both were at your door. He stood there as you turned to put in your code when you stopped. Normally, all you would be able to think about was the comfort of your bed, blankets and books waiting for you, but instead you couldn’t stop thinking about what he meant by ‘assuming’.

Turning to face him, you see he’s watching you again, this time with a sad look in his eyes, and you could tell he was forcing a smile.

“Mingyu, what did you mean by assuming?” You ask and he looked away from you. “What did you assume?”

“It’s nothing, really. I don’t want to make anything awkward or anything. Especially since you are Wonwoo’s friend, and you two had a thing,” Mingyu started to rub the back of his neck nervously, and you blinked. You and Wonwoo only ever slept together once, and it was when he went with you to your dad’s wedding. It was a spur of a moment thing that didn’t move past that weekend, and you would hardly call that anything between the two of you.

“There wasn’t nor is there a thing between me and Wonwoo. We’re friends.” You tell him flatly. “Not telling me makes it even more awkward. Just tell me. What did you assume?”

He didn’t respond and you sighed.

“Are you really…”

“That you liked me too.” Mingyu pushed the words out before he could stop them, his skin turning a shade of red as he looks away. You didn’t know how to respond. “That there was a chance in hell that you noticed me as something more than just Wonwoo’s roommate, but I was wrong. Now I ruined…”

You stopped him mid-sentence by grabbing his shirt to pull him into a kiss, standing on the tips of your toes to meet his lips. It was brief, you pulling back but didn’t let go of his shirt. Mingyu stared at you in shock for a moment before one arm wrapped around your waist and the other grasping you gently by the throat, his lips meeting yours again. His tongue eagerly requesting entrance.

Letting go of his shirt, you slid your arms up his chest, feeling the hard muscles under the fabric to wrap around his neck. Your tongues moving together in a fever, bodies clinging to each other.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” You tell him, finally breaking away, and hitting the numbers on your keypad. Opening the door, you looked back to him, “Do you want to come in?”

“Fuck yes.” He said without hesitation, swooping you into his arms as you enter your apartment. His mouth devouring yours in a passionate kiss. Your bag falling to the ground, as the door closed behind the two of you. Breaking away long enough, Mingyu kicked his boots off, and started to unbutton his shirt.

Shrugging off the expensive material, Mingyu was left in his jeans and vest top, and you were still in your dress. It didn’t take long before you were attached again, Mingyu’s hands moving down your back and over your backside. A squeal left your mouth when he picked you up, wrapping your legs around his waist while your hands tangled in his hair.

“Bedroom or couch?” He asks near breathless, moving from your mouth to your jaw and down the column of your neck. Each kiss leaving imaginary impressions over your soft skin, feeling your cunt grow wet with each nip of his teeth.

“Bedroom.” You gasp out when his canines scraped over your collarbone, his hands gripping and kneading at your ass before his lips reclaimed yours. When he didn’t move, having never really been inside your apartment before, you broke from the kiss enough to tell him, “To the right. The open door with a bed.”

“I would hope it’s a bed.” Mingyu laughed and you rolled your eyes. “It could be just a stack of books.”

“Just kiss me, smartass,” You whisper, and he didn’t hesitate to oblige.

It was then a mess of kisses, tongues tangling, nipping at each other’s skin, and a side of smart-ass comments between the both of you before you finally made it to the bed. Mingyu had been in the process of threatening to throw you onto it, but instead of doing that the younger man laid you down gently before removing himself from your hold on him.

Taking a step back, Mingyu watched as you propped yourself up on your elbows to look at him. His eyes stayed on your face for the longest moment, taking in the way your lips were swollen from his kiss, your eyes glazed over and filled with desire before moving down your body. He took in the way the straps of your dress were now off your shoulders and falling over your arms, the little bit of cleavage you had originally been sporting was more prominent.

The way you were already near panting made him smile proudly because he got you that way by just kissing you. You could see the glint in his eyes that he intends to make you even more of a needy mess before the night was over. When his gaze moved further down, he licked his lips seeing that the way your dress was bunched up to show off your thighs. The black dress had stopped right before your underwear was exposed, which were now feeling soaked from your arousal.

“Fuck, I can’t believe this is happening.” Mingyu was talking really to himself more than he was talking to you, pulling his vest top off his body to reveal his muscular frame. Even if you had seen him shirtless plenty of time before, man was allergic to them when he was home, the sight before you just made your mouth water. “This can’t honestly be real right now.”

Your swollen bottom lip found its way between your teeth, adjusting so you could reach for the hem of your skirt. Pulling it up a little more so he only had only a glimpse of your covered cunt. His eyes only seemed to widen as he watches you, appearing to be surprised by your bold move. That was the thing about you though, was just because you were shy around others and preferred the company of books, you were not at all shy in bed.

“Get over here,” You tell him, beckoning him to join you on the bed, which he did without hesitation. Pouncing on top of you, with a playful umph, catching himself with his arms before he could ‘crush’ you. You giggle, grasping his face to pull him into a kiss.

Your hands move down his neck to his shoulders, feeling the muscles move under his skin, as well as the small shiver he had when you had started to trace the nape of his neck. His mouth was hot against yours, tongue desperate to make claim, one of his own hands tracing your collarbone.

It would dip every so often over your chest, barely brushing the top of your breasts then back up. His still jean covered hips slotted between your thighs, the rough material of his jeans grinding against your heat. You wanted more, you wanted his jeans off, you wanted your dress off, you wanted him to touch you until there was impressions of his touch in your skin. Visible or not. You just wanted Mingyu to make you his; even if it’s just for the night.

Those soft lips of his moved from your own to trail down your jaw line and down the column of your neck. His hand finally moving passed the top of your breasts and now moving down your side, tracing designs into the fabric and tickling you at some points. He didn’t make any further moves then at, mouth staying around your neck, collarbones, and shoulder like his hand originally was.

You wanted more.

Pushing him back, there was no resistance aside from a small whine that left his lips as he sits back onto his heels; not wanting to stop so quick. You sit up too, giving him a smile which he looked almost confused over, likely wondering what stopped you. The dress you decided to wear was a simple black strapped dress. It fit your frame in a flattering way, hugging your body just right to show off the parts of you that were the most flattering and hid away parts you were insecure about.

Reaching your arms behind you, trying to get the zipper down in the least awkward way possible, and Mingyu’s confusion quickly turned into amusement. You attempted to give him a dirty look, but couldn’t stop the giggle leaving your lips, before he leaned forward to kiss you once more.

The dress dropped down to pool around your hips, then quickly discarded off to the side of your bed. The strapless bra you had worn following quickly after, leaving you in nothing but a pair of pink and purple designed hipsters.

The younger man leaned back slightly so he could take in your near naked body and did a deep inhale. Brushing his thumbs over the skin under the curve of your breast, he stayed there, admiring the way your breast fell naturally, with your nipples at hard peaks. Caused from a mixture of the cool bedroom air and your body hot from his touch. Mingyu was holding back.

“I think we are a little past being shy. You can touch me all you want.” You tell him softly, taking one of his hands to guide slowly up to one of your breasts. Mingyu didn’t resist and let you guide him to where you wanted him, watching as a soft moan left your lips when a finger touched the sensitive buds. “Please, Mingyu…”

It was like a light bulb went off in Mingyu’s brain, his hands moving on their own as did his mouth returning to your neck. His hands massaged your breasts, gently pinching your nipples between his fingers, and mouth sucking reminders of him into your flesh. Something you normally would not stand for, since you did not like the pain that came with being marked up, but with him you let him.

You wanted him to leave impressions of him over your body, visible or not, wanting to remember the feeling like he was actually there. Hours before you couldn’t imagine being in this situation, trying not to give Mingyu a second thought since he didn’t give you much either, or at least you thought he did. Always thinking he saw you as Wonwoo’s weird friend who goes over to their house just to read while Wonwoo played games in silence. The weird friend that was quiet and off in her own world at times, preferring the solace of a book and a good blanket to be out in the world with others.

Except here you both were, Mingyu laying you onto your back once more, his mouth offering his hand help with your breasts. Your gasped when the flat of his tongue pressed against a nipple, arching your back to experience this feeling again, and your hands moving wherever you could reach.

Tangling it through his soft locks, tracing his jawline to his shoulders, and nails scratching lightly over his skin so as to not leave marks… yet. He repeated the movement, gently pinching at the other, unable to hold back the groan or the way he grounded into you. Frustrated by the barriers keeping you from connecting completely. But he wasn’t in a rush, and he had hoped you weren’t either.

He made sure that he gave both breasts equal attention, leaving bites and marks all over, before starting the descent down. Unlocking your legs that you had unconsciously started to wrap around his waist in the process. Kneading at your thighs as he pushed them further apart than just letting them fall on their own.

“Can I?” You heard him ask after leaving trails of saliva, marks, and praises over your stomach. His chin resting gently at the hem of your underwear, looking up to you with pleading eyes. His once neatly styled hair a tangled mess over his brow, and a hopeful smile playing over his handsome face. “Please?”

“Normally I’m the one saying ‘please’.” You tease as he plants soft kisses over your abdomen.

“Oh, you will be still,” He answered, his teeth scraping over your skin, catching the elastic of your underwear between them. Still waiting for your answer.

“Who am I to tell you no?” At this his eyes got big, your underwear still in his mouth as he stares up at you. “You can do whatever you want, as long as you do not snap me with my own underwear.”

Mingyu went to retort lifting his head up to get a better look at you, and, in the process, letting go and doing exactly that. You hissed before sitting up to slap his arm, while he started laughing, giving you a sympathetic but amused smile.

“Mingyu!” You whine, rubbing the spot where the elastic hit, trying to not laugh yourself as he crawls back over your body. His smile wide and dazzling, and you felt like you were about to melt into the bed. That smile and the way his laugh was so sweet sounding, and it did so much to you. Physically and mentally. Bringing a burst of joy through you.

You just want to keep hearing it day after day.

“Sorry,” There was still laughter in his voice before he captures your lips into an apologetic kiss. Pulling back, he gave you his best puppy dog eyes, “Can I still do whatever I want please? I didn’t mean to.”

“I think I can get used to you saying ‘please’,” You answer, and your lips attach to each other once more, easily letting his tongue slip into your mouth. Going back to claiming yours and earning a soft moan, laying you back down onto your back.

Your underwear were then gone, and before you could blink, Mingyu had settled himself back between your legs. Running his tongue over your inner thighs, leaving stripes of saliva in their wakes. Every so often he would place soft kisses, even nipping at your flesh playfully just to earn little yelps and whimpers from you. He purposely avoided your dripping cunt with his mouth, only stopping to admire it as his fingers dipped between your folds.

Opening you to let you feel his breath before returning his teasing your thighs, making sure even the most inner corners where your legs met your body receive attention. By the time he finally dipped his tongue into your cunt, there was not a part of your thighs and hips that weren’t covered in his saliva or peppered with bites.

You were too lost in Mingyu to even care, but you knew you were going to have to have a talk with him over it later. Make sure he didn’t go overboard next time… if there was a next time.

The sound that left you at the way his tongue teased, and his mouth sucked gently at your clit was a new one. It sounded foreign, desperate, and full of need. Your whole body shaking, even with Mingyu using one of his arms to hold down your hips from grinding up, while his other kept your thighs open. You were desperately trying to close them on his head, your first release rapidly approaching with each tongue flick and plunge of his fingers into you with a tantalizing pace. Each lick was followed by praise, speaking his thoughts out loud with how good you tasted. How every part of you was beautiful and he couldn’t get enough.

“I want to taste you all the time,” He groaned out at one point, right after he ran the flat of his tongue over your sensitive clit.

Your own hands were all over, in your hair, covering your mouth to muffle a near scream when he hit a particular spot, teasing at your own breast, before finding their way through his locks again. With the tightening of your grip, it seemed to fuel the man between your legs, earning another eager groan from him.

“Mingyu…” You barely got his name out, unable to warn him when the coil inside snapped and you saw stars. His name falling from your lips with a mixture of curses, your legs trying to once close in on his head.

He didn’t seem to have a problem keeping your legs from closing in, his mouth clasping over your clit. Trying to draw another orgasm from you quickly after that one, your whole body jerking back. This makes him pull away to look at you, his face glistening with your juices, while he continued to languidly tease you with his fingers. Stretching you and preparing you for his cock.

His hard cock that was still tucked inside his jeans.

“Too much?” He asked, and you started to gently tug him up from his place between your legs. You wanted to know how you tasted on his tongue, you wanted to undo his jeans to free him, feel him in your hands. To feel him inside you.

“Your mouth will be the death of me,” You answer, his fingers suddenly no longer in you as he allowed you to pull him up. Allowing you that taste you wanted, and your statement stood even truer. How did you get so weak over him in one night when you had known him for as long as he has been Wonwoo’s roommate.

“I can say the same about yours’.” His words were muffled, not bothering the separate long enough to form clear sentences. The hands that were once laced through his hair had made quick movements to travel down his body, which was very hard to not stop to admire each part of him, to his jeans. “You also make the sexiest sounds. Don’t cover your mouth, I like hearing them.”

“You may, but my neighbors don’t.” You tell him, undoing his jeans as you tell him this, this time denying him another kiss. This time it was him who was whining, not liking that you wouldn’t kiss him again, trying to chase your lips. “Take your jeans off and lay on your back.”

Mingyu didn’t need to be told twice, already scrambling off the bed to finish taking off his jeans. Leaving him a pair of form fitting black briefs, leaving nothing to the imagination either. His cock straining against the materials, thick and heavy, and the head peeking through the top when he adjusted himself. You felt yourself salivating at the sight, Mingyu standing next to your bed in nothing but his underwear. His gorgeous, tanned body on display, shadowed by the fairy lights you had strung across your ceiling, with only the thinnest of fabrics separating you from his full glory.

A sight you wanted to burn into your memory.

Once back on the bed, you couldn’t help but laugh at his excited expression on his face; one of the widest smiles you had ever seen on him. Propping himself up onto his elbows to look up at you, and this was an even better sight for you.

“What’s next?” He asks his voice trying not to give away what his face already did, that he was eager to see what you had to offer him.

“What makes you think there is going to be something next?” You ask him, moving so you were straddling him, pressing your soaked and well eaten cunt against his covered cock. His saliva and your juices soaking through the fabric. “I could be kicking you out right now.”

“Right, because you’ll have me to take my pants off, then sit on me naked just to tell me to go.” You couldn’t stop the smile gracing your lips at his response, liking that he was keeping up with your mouth. Sitting up, Mingyu’s hands slid over your hips to grasp your ass, and your own slipped back through his hair. Unable to get enough of the soft locks. Pressing soft kisses over your chest, he looked up at you with a pouty look. “You gonna make me leave?”

“Not a chance in hell,” You moan out as his mouth clasped over a nipple, and grinding your hips down into his.

“Good.”

His mouth was all over your breasts again before you pushed him back onto the bed. It was your turn to kiss, bite, and suck at his skin. Your own hands moving over his body, getting to know the way his muscles felt, teasing at the hem of his briefs. Mimicking what he was doing to you. Except you didn’t snap him with his briefs, even if you were tempted to.

“Can I? Please?” You ask, in such a teasing tone, and he started laughing,

“Who am I to tell you no?” He asks back, and you playfully slapped his stomach. His briefs were gone with a lift of his hips, freeing his cock from the confines. You watched as the hard length slapped against his stomach. How was he gorgeous right down to his cock? “Like what you see?”

You hadn’t realized that you were staring at it with wide eyes until you looked up toward him, only to see him with his hands laced behind his head. His eyebrow arching in a smug manner, and an equally smug smirk playing over his lips. Proud of the reaction he had pulled from you.

“Shut up,” You tell him, your hand finally reaching out to grasp his cock. Feeling it for the first time in your hands, and a moan left his lips at your touch. You were quiet for a moment, pumping him slowly a time or two, before dropping your head down.

Another moan left his lips at the feel of your tongue over the tip, taking in the bits of precum that was leaking from it into your mouth. Flashing your eyes up to gauge his reactions, this time swirling your tongue around the head then slipping it through your lips. A gasp left his lips, with one hand reaching to grab the wooden headboard while the other reached out to stroke the back of your head.

You were quick to build a pace, taking him as much as you could into your mouth and down your throat while your hand stroked the rest. You took in each sound or face he made, figuring out how he liked being blown, adjusting your pace and rhythm accordingly to that. Finding he liked it when you used your tongue to tease the thick vein up his cock, or how he particularly liked the small gagging sound you made when you tried to take more down your throat. Making him a loud moaning mess on your bed, strings of curses, praises, and confessions leaving his lips while he had a gentle but firm hold on your hair.

“Fuck, this is better than I ever imagined… your mouth looks so pretty over my cock… god, baby, you’re so fucking beautiful.” Were the words falling from his mouth, and they only fueled you. Your mouth working him to earn more from him, “Please don’t let this be just tonight… please…”

You were too busy with your mouth, or you would have responded with a tease. Like ‘we will have to see’ or ‘You would like that wouldn’t you.’ Not ready to admit that, just by the way he kissed you and teased you that you wanted to keep going. He wasn’t inside you yet, and you were already finding yourself growing addicted to him.

When you finally came up for air, it came with a soft pop and a string of saliva trailing from your lips to the tip of his coated cock. Casting your gaze up at Mingyu’s face, you could see he looked fucked out already, his eyes heavy looking at you. His breathing coming out in pants, his mouth falling slightly open and sweat already covering his skin, making his hair cling to his face.

“In the drawer next to you, there is a box of condoms.” You tell him, pointing to the nightstand. He was within reach of it compared to you, so he turned his head to where you were directing him. Pulling the drawer out and grabbing the box from inside.

“Condoms on hand?” He asks, finding the box new and unopen. Like it was hard to believe that you kept them on hand just in case. You were single not a nun.

“Did you have one with you?” You shoot back, and his ears started to turn red.

“I was gonna get some.” He retorted, opening the box to pull one of the foil wrappers out. Tossing the box back into drawer and closed it. “I just didn’t want to seem too eager, or have you think I was expecting anything. And then the thought kinda slipped after everything.”

“Well, I saved you some money.”

You watch as he tears open the wrapper and slip the condom over his hard length. His bottom lip between his teeth. “Now time for that sexy question. How do you want to do this?”

“Me on top.” You tell him. Once the condom was secure, you tossed your leg over him to straddle him once more. His hands catching your hips, so you were hovering over him. His eyes dropped down to where you were so close to connecting with him. His cock twitching just under you, ready for you to take him completely.

You went to ask if there was something wrong, but the words were lost when one of the hands holding your hips moved to slip two fingers between your slit. A low moan left your lips, when he did a slow circle around your clit before dipping into you. Coating his fingers with your arousal and making sure once more that you were ready for him.

You were more than ready.

Slipping his hand away from you, Mingyu then grasped his cock. Stroking and coating it with your slick on his fingers before positioning right at your entrance. You brace yourself with your hands on his chest as you lower yourself, the head of his cock pushing into you. The stretch made your jaw drop, even with being as ready as you were, but it felt so good. Taking your time to ease down, making sure you feel every inch of him for the first time, a whimper leaving your lips.

Mingyu’s eyes kept flashing from your face and to your cunt, with perfect view of his cock sliding into you. Unsure which to watch more. Another string of curses and praises leaving his lips, both hands now resting back onto your hips; his fingers kneading at your skin. Your name falling from his lips in a way that you wanted to hear over and over.

Once your hips settled against his, filling you completely with his cock, you stayed there to adjust. Your thighs shaking from the coil already starting tighten again, but you weren’t ready to let go yet. Knowing once you cum from this position you will be absolutely useless on top.

“You are so tight…” He grunted out, using his hands to encourage you to move, needing you to move. “So perfect…”

Your movements first were slow, still getting used to the way his cock fit in you, trying to not cry out at the way it slid against your walls. You could tell by the way his hands were moving over your hips, gripping at them before moving over your ass, he was growing impatient by the pace. He was doing everything he could though to hold back his eagerness, to not thrust himself up into you, and take complete control.

The sounds of both your breathing and moans started to fill the room and flood out of the bedroom door into the dark empty apartment. Mixing with the sounds of your ass hitting his legs as you started to bounce onto his cock. Mingyu sat up again as you moved, his mouth capturing yours in mind numbing kiss, his tongue invading your mouth to tangle with yours.

Dropping back onto the bed, Mingyu grasped at your hips to hold you still and started thrusting upwards. Causing the moans and whimpers into full cries and curses.

“Fucking hell! Oh my fuck. Mingyu..” You yelped, nails dragging over his chest. His eyes stayed on you, flicking from the way your breast bounced to the pleasure falling over your face. “Your cock… your cock feels so fucking good.”

He was wearing his own look of pleasure mixed with the proud feeling of making you feel this way. You were so lost in his thrusts, your head falling back, that you didn’t see the look of adoration and enjoyment of hearing his name on your lips. You were missing him falling so madly in love with you, overtaken by the pleasure he was giving you.

Your second release was rapidly approaching, the coil inside so tight that it made you close to the bring of madness. The sudden sensation of his thumb over your clit took you by surprise, not sure when he moved his hand to encourage your orgasm forward. To get you fall apart on top of him and sing his name.

“You want to come, don’t you?” He asked, his voice coming out husky and thick, his thumb not letting up on the quick movements, pushing you even closer to the edge. You couldn’t speak, becoming a whimpering mess with your hips messily trying to keep a rhythm with him. “Tell me, baby, tell me how much you want to cum on my cock.”

“I want.. I want to cum so bad… your cock feels so.. fucking.. good.” You cried out, answering him how he wants you to. You weren’t sure but it felt like his thrusts were harder, working in perfect sync with his thumb. There was no way you weren’t seeing stars, and you felt something snap inside you.

You mewled as you felt yourself cumming around his cock. Squeezing down around his condom covered length, and spasming as he kept up his movements. Though with difficulty since you were squeezing and sucking him in.

“You’re made for me. Everything about you…” Mingyu confessed out, his head dropping back as your name and several praises to God fell from his lips. “Fitting so perfectly on my cock. Taking me so well.”

You couldn’t get proper words out, incoherent, but in your head they sounded like words. Reaching out your hand against his stomach to attempt to center yourself, as well as get him to slow down some. Instead, Mingyu rolled you onto your back, bracing his weight on his arms as he looks down at your fucked out face.

“You okay?” He asks softly, planting soft kisses over your face, not making any further movements to keep going. Your legs were still shaking, but the fog in your mind started to clear and you could only grab at his hair to move those kisses to your lips.

“Don’t stop.” You beg out, wanting him to keep going. You could feel yourself growing sensitive, but you didn’t want to stop, you wanted him to cum too.

“I mean, I didn’t really plan to unless you told me to, but that wasn’t my question.” He pulls back so he was hovering over you. “That was a hell of an orgasm.”

“Pretty intense, but I think you can do better.”

“Did you just challenge me?” He asked with an incredulous look on his face, before a laugh left his lips.

“Not challenging, more like, motivating.” You moan out when you could feel the head of his cock pushing back into your swollen entrance, your eyes rolling as his arms hooked both your ankles.

“Challenge accepted.” He told you, and filled you back up completely with his cock, swallowing the loud moan that left you. He didn’t move at first, pulling back and whispering against your lips. “Hold on tight.”

Swallowing more moans, Mingyu pulled his hips back before snapping them forward. Thrusting into you with a purpose, to win this challenge you set for him. The head of his cock brushing over an extra sensitive part when he would adjust his thrusts just right, making your eyes roll and your nails rake down his back. Not caring if there was marks left as you reached his ass.

Grabbing at the strong muscles, your hands were everywhere, while your mouth would take turns kissing and biting your memory into his skin to kissing his red, swollen and well kissed lips. You couldn’t get enough of him, you couldn’t get enough of him being inside you. You wanted Mingyu over and over.

“Fuck, I can’t hold out much longer.” Mingyu grunted, his voice sounding strained, trying to not falter in his rhythm. Not wanting to start to become sloppy and cum yet. You still needed to cum one more time. “Are you close?”

“Almost…” You manage to whimper out, trying to move your hips to meet his, but the angle he had you in made it impossible to move your lower half. You were still sensitive from your orgasm on top, and with how good his cock was fucking you into the mattress, it was easy for him to get your third release to begin to build.

Mingyu’s hand slipped between you both, finding your clit once more to start circling the sensitive bud. His finger starting to move quick movements, but you could tell he struggling to hold out. His brow knitted in serious concentration, working hard to get you to another release, but his hips started to sputter. Switching positions to sit back onto his knees gave him a moment of reprieve, before he continued to thrust into your cunt.

His eyes kept flashing up from where his finger circled your clit and his cock disappeared into you to your face. Your eyes in a slight roll, mouth open now with just little whimpers escaping. You were barely holding on and wanting so desperately to let go.

“Fuck…” Mingyu grunted, his hips stuttering unable to hold back his own release any longer. His fingers started to fumble at your clit, but you were quick to push his hands away and take over to help him out. And with a few precise movements, you were following right behind him.

Mingyu filled the condom full of white stripes, dropping his upper body back over yours, catching himself with his arm. His mouth capturing yours, the arms that were bracing his fall now wrapping around your body, and you let him deepen it with no resistance.

The kiss was slow, languidly, with your tongues lazily tangling. After a long minute, Mingyu pulled back from the kiss, but wouldn’t detangle himself from you, just to take you in. Brushing your sweat soaked hair from your forehead.

“I guess I failed.” He murmured, there was a small pout in his voice, but you couldn’t stop yourself from laughing.

“That’s okay, because…” You mimicked his movement, pushing his own sweat soaked hair, “you have another chance.”

Mingyu then pulled you into a mind numbing kiss, and you should have known sooner, but it was enough to seal one thing.

You didn’t want him leaving the next morning, or any other morning after.

“What you thinking about?” You ask, tracing imaginary designs into his chest, your head resting on his shoulder. You both were now tangled under the sheets of your bed after a third time in short span, his arms around you. Seeming like he was refusing to let you go, but he also grew quiet after near ten minutes of solid chatter. Instead, he just found a spot on your wall to stare at. It was a framed photo of you, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and a friend of yours from college.

Your arms were around Wonwoo’s waist, as his was over Mingyu’s shoulders. The friend was crouched in front of the three, and all four of you were smiling wide. You don’t remember much about that night, after the third bar, you ended up spending the night being taken care of by a drunk Mingyu and a very tired Wonwoo. Your friend had disappeared earlier that night, ditching you three for someone she met at one of the bars.

Even though she was originally there to be ‘introduced’ to Mingyu, after seeing him in a post of Wonwoo’s, and she had bugged you for weeks to meet him. It was more embarrassing for you then it was for him, you remembered, since you thought it was a good idea to meet at a bar. You never set anyone up before, so you had no idea what you were doing, and both men referred it as one of your greatest fails; though they did it in a sweet teasing tone. Especially when it was such an out of character action of you.

“You remember that night?” He asked, and you blinked before letting out an embarrassing chuckle.

“Bits and pieces. I like the photo, but I don’t like to remember the night at all.” You answer, adjusting yourself to be looking up toward him. “One of my greatest fails. Never again am I setting you up with anyone.”

“Never?” He asks, tearing his gaze from the photo to you, with an eyebrow quirked. “Why is that?”

“You saw what happened last time. I should have just sent you two to dinner, instead of thinking it’s a great idea to go out drinking with all four of us. What was I thinking? And why did you two go with it?”

“I don’t know, seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides I think it worked out for the better, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” With a soft smile, you nodded gently before leaning in to catch his lips. “I think it did.”

After a small make out session, Mingyu was the one to break away, but when you thought he was going to pull you closer instead untangled himself. Sitting up, he started looking for his briefs to slip on.

“I should probably get going. Hyung probably is waiting up for me.” Mingyu said with a sigh, and you sat up confused.

“You don’t have to go. Just text him and tell him where you’re at. From the way he ended the phone call earlier, it seems like he knew what was going to happen.” You reach for him, but Mingyu stood before you could touch his arm. “It’s nearly four in the morning anyways, might as well stay and get some sleep.”

“It’s exactly because it’s near four in the morning that I should go.” He answers with a sigh, and you were starting to feel confused. Just nearly ten minutes earlier he was saying he didn’t want to leave your bed, and you found you wanted the same. “I got work anyways in a few hours.”

“You literally yelled last night as soon as me and Wonwoo walked into the club that you didn’t have to work so you were getting fucked up,” He must not have expected you to remember that or even say anything. When he looked at you, your face was suddenly became cold. “Maybe come up with a better excuse to leave. Or tell me what this was instead of filling the air with bittersweet lies or better yet not fucking have sex me.”

He said your name, but you were already wrapping yourself in your sheet to get up and find clothes to put on. Trying to process that he was actually doing this to his best friend’s friend, one of his closest friends at that, while simultaneously wanted to cry. You felt incredibly stupid.

“Just go,” You tell him, flinching away when he went to reach for you and say more. To apologize, but you weren’t going to have it as you grabbed his top to throw at him, only to find he was now in his jeans.

“That came out wrong. I wasn’t…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone, so you don’t have to worry about Wonwoo finding out that you’re an asshole… Just go.” There was a look on his face like he was going to say more, but stopped, not wanting to fight with you any further. Mingyu left with a soft apology, and you proceeded to go to the bathroom to shower. Sucking back all tears that was wanting to fall, wanting to forget that you fell for his sweet words.

“Didn’t think you were coming home,” Wonwoo’s voice from the couch spoke up when Mingyu slipped inside. Clearly trying to be quiet, but the older man was still awake, playing on their shared PlayStation. “Figured you would be staying over with her.”

“Well you figured wrong.” Mingyu responded, before making his way to his room.

“You’re going to have to push Soonyoung over. I ended up drawing the short stick on getting him home, but didn’t feel like paying the extra fare to get back to the apartment. So, he’s passed out in your bed. You should really learn to read your texts.” Wonwoo spoke up and Mingyu stopped at his door before letting out another sigh. “Did she kick you out or something?”

“Or something.” Mingyu responded with a sigh before hearing the game paused. “Well both.”

“Just because you’re my best friend, doesn’t mean I am above kicking your ass.” Wonwoo was calm with his words, but the meaning behind them rang clear. You had been friends with him longer than the younger man, so he was quite protective over you.

“I fucked up.” Mingyu whined out suddenly, turning toward him. “I really fucked up.”

“Okay, and how did you fuck up?” The eerily calm voice coming from the older man was not comforting at all, but Mingyu still made his way to the couch and sat down.

“I… I panicked.”

“Panicked? You panicked? How?” Mingyu hated how calm his best friend was as he drops his head in his hands. Not seeing that Wonwoo was already searching for his phone. Likely to text you.

“It was going great. More than great… She was putty in my hands, I was putty in hers. Then… I was looking at this photo on her wall. It was the three of us, and some girl who was she was trying to introduce me to.” Dropping his hands he stood and started to pace. “We were talking about that night and started to make out some.”

“And how did you fuck this up?”

“I started to think of your ass.” Mingyu threw his hands up, and Wonwoo raised a brow behind his thick rimmed glasses.

“I thought you were interested in her ass, not mine. I’m flattered, but you’re not my type.”

“Shut up…” Mingyu pouted and Wonwoo only couldn’t help but chuckle. “This is serious.”

“Okay, okay. How did thinking of me caused you to be here and not over there finally getting ‘the girl’ like you wanted?” The glasses wielded man turned back to the tv to save his game and switch off the console. “You do know we are nothing more than friends.”

“What about that weekend you went with her to her dad’s wedding?”

“What about it?” Wonwoo wasn’t sure where his best friend was going with this. “You didn’t fuck this because of that did you?”

“Are you sure there was nothing between you guys?” Mingyu stopped his pacing to look at him as he asks this. “Are you sure there is no residual feelings? That you’re actually helping me cause I am hopeless when it comes to her?”

“You’re hopeless no matter what.” Wonwoo said flatly. “And if there was, do you really think I would have helped you get with her?”

“I don’t know, Hyung. I’m hopeless.” Mingyu dropped back down onto the couch. “I told her I had to get home cause you were waiting for me, and that I had work in a few hours.”

“You told both of us that you didn’t have to work, and I knew the moment she told me that you were walking her home what was going to happen.”

“Then why are you awake?”

“The passed out drunk in your room.”

There was silence for the longest minute before Wonwoo’s phone went off indicating he had gotten a text. Reading it, he sighed and shook his head, responding to the message.

“I really like her Hyung,” Mingyu spoke quietly, looking down at the coffee table before him.

“I know.” The older man responded, his fingers moving quickly over the screen. “So what are you going to do to make this right?”

“Die?”

“You’ve been hanging around me too much.” This made both men laugh, even if it was a meek one on Mingyu’s part.

“I don’t think there is anything I can do.”

“No there is.” Wonwoo’s attention was back to his phone. “Or at least you have to find a way to make it right.”

“How?”

“I got her out tonight, it was up to you to handle the rest. Including fixing this.” Wonwoo stood, slipping his phone in the pocket of his sweats, but stopped when he saw the look on Mingyu’s face. Dejected. “I will try and talk to her, but I can’t promise anything though. Except an ass kicking if you ruined my friendship with her.”

“Got it, Hyung. Goodnight,” He gave Wonwoo a weak smile, but then furrowed his brows. “Wait, am I to sleep with Soonyoung-hyung?”

“You aren’t sleeping with me, so it’s either that or you sleep out here.” Wonwoo shrugged and made his way toward his room. “Be happy I ain’t kicking your ass right now.”

“I know I deserve it, but so violent.”

Mingyu decided to stay on the couch, not wanting to go in the room with a passed out Soonyoung, and was banished from Wonwoo’s bed, but he wasn’t able to sleep a single wink. His mind was playing over and over what happened.

One minute, he was on top of the world with you, the girl he was pining over for a while now, in his arms and the next he’s lying to you about needing to leave. The exact opposite of what he was wanting to do, because he didn’t want to leave you. He never wanted to leave your side, because he was exactly where he should be. With you.

The feelings started to sprout nearly a year previous, coming home one night from work to find you in the kitchen cooking for you and Wonwoo. You had moved around their little kitchen like it was your own, having cooked several times for your friend and him in the past, so it was a sight he was used to seeing. Except there was something different that night.

You had made sure to make an extra helping for him, that way he didn’t have to cook dinner. He remembered setting his large water jug and duffle bag on the counter, staring as you moved not noticing him right away, until he cleared his throat. When your eyes turned to him, they grew wide before you blinked that way and started to smile at him. Something he has seen many times before, your smile was always friendly toward him if not shy.

He always thought it was cute.

But that night, something about it was different. The gym he worked at had overbooked him, so he ended up having to eat between appointments and barely was able to do that. He wasn’t sure what he did to upset the receptionist who made the appointments, but she had him running ragged by the end of the day. So much so, that he opted to go home instead of work out like he usually did.

All he wanted was grab a beer from the fridge and find the easiest thing to make before vegging on the couch and playing some video games or even watch a movie or two before going to bed. He knew that Wonwoo had plans to hang with you, and wouldn’t have bugged him unless Mingyu wanted, so his plan was perfect.

What he didn’t expect was seeing you, and it suddenly lifted his shitty mood as you greeted him and let him know you had made extras. He felt like he was coming home to you, not a quiet apartment with Wonwoo in his room. It felt good, it felt natural, he didn’t know where these feelings came from.

It only grew from there, this ‘crush’ started to become deeper, and soon he looked forward to seeing you whenever you were over to hang out with Wonwoo. You sitting either on his bed or in the corner of their couch reading while his roommate would sit and play video games. Mingyu wanted you to do that with him too, or even better, you curled up in his arms while he watched movies, and you read.

The mistake he had made was that he didn’t tell anyone about this crush, not even Wonwoo. That was until he drunkenly confessed to all the guys after you and him went to your dad’s wedding, only to find out that it was already suspected by the ones closest to him. Well, except Wonwoo until he came home from that weekend and Mingyu gave him the cold shoulder, having sense something happened between you two.

After Wonwoo dispelled any doubts that you two were an item, or ever would be, Mingyu had taken it as a sign to see if you might be interested as well. You were comfortable enough with him, able to talk with him and joke with him enough, but you also would get quiet and awkward around him too. It was like you sensed his interest but would shy away from it.

That night ended up being a fluke, you coming out. He hadn’t expected it, Wonwoo didn’t tell him you were going to be there. His best friend finally gave him an in, and he fucked it up.

After a few hours of just tossing and turning, Mingyu couldn’t keep trying to sleep. Instead, he got up, to grab his hoodie and throw on shoes, and left the apartment. Sending Wonwoo a text that he was going out, and that if Soonyoung pukes on his things both older men were paying for the cleaning and replacing items.

Getting into his car, Mingyu just put it into drive, and started for your apartment. Needing to talk to you sooner than later. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he got to your place, but he knew that he needed to talk with you. There was no way he was going to screw this up if there was a chance in hell.

“Auntie, what makes you think I am going to get through to him? He probably already had her on the side when he married Yuji,” You say into the phone as you lock up your apartment, a bag of laundry at your feet. Rolling your eyes as you grabbed your laundry bag, you listened to your aunt droned on about your dad’s latest discretions, and trying to get you involved. “She should have known anyways, she was the other woman to begin with.”

You start down the stairs when you stop dead, seeing Mingyu stopping halfway up the stairs. Both staring at each other with wide eyes. He was one of the last people you wanted to see, but he was the perfect excuse to get off the phone with your aunt.

“Auntie, let me call you later.” You didn’t give your aunt a chance to respond when you hit the hang up button. Slipping your phone in your jeans pocket, you started down the stairs to walk past him. When you heard your name leave his lips, you stopped again but didn’t look at him. Just continued to stare ahead.

“Where you going?” Mingyu asked nervously, and you lift your laundry bag up. “Can I go with you?”

This is when you look at him, and take him in. He was in a pair of dark blue sweats and a white T-shirt, and a hoodie on. From the dark circles under his eyes and his tousled hair, he hadn’t been asleep yet. You barely got any sleep yourself, waking up every thirty minutes to an hour until finally gave up on sleep all together to go do laundry. That and take the enlightening phone call from your aunt about your dad.

You knew you would have to face Mingyu eventually, you shared a mutual friend, but you didn’t think you were going to see him only a few hours after he made a fool out of you. Looking tired, a little lost, but a little hopeful, he actually looked cute standing there staring at you with those dark eyes. It was no wonder he would be called a puppy by the others.

It was really hard to stay mad at that face.

Instead of saying anything though, you just shrugged and continued down the steps. You didn’t need to look behind you to know he was following along, didn’t even need to hear the staircase creaking under his feet. You just knew.

The walk to the laundromat wasn’t a far one, with one right down the street, but it was quiet for the most part. He just followed behind you, until you had to stop and look at him.

“Did you want to talk? Or just follow me around until I call your owner to get you?” You ask, and his brows furrowed.

“Wonwoo-hyung isn’t my owner.” You rolled your eyes at this comment, turning back toward the laundromat. “And yeah, I did… I mean I do… I didn’t like how things were left.”

“Okay,” You respond, watching as the taller man open the laundromat entrance to let you through. He follows you like you expected. “So how did you plan to leave things? Seeing as you were desperate to get out of there.”

“I… uh… can we talk about this somewhere else?” He asked nervously, casting nervous behind him. The laundromat was empty, as it usually was at this time, so he seemed more nervous about someone coming in. You couldn’t see them, but you knew his ears were red. “Like back to your apartment or the park?”

“Worried about the gossiping grandmas coming in?” You ask, and he shook his head no, but his sheepish look told you otherwise. This for some reason made you giggle, “Then let me get these put on, and we can walk back to my apartment to talk. You can order us breakfast.”

“I like you.” Mingyu suddenly blurt out as you went to start putting the clothes into the machine. You stop for a moment to look at him, so much for waiting, before proceeding to continue putting the clothes in. “I… I’ve liked you for a while, and I feel stupid for last night. I panicked and I am sorry for doing that, especially when it was the opposite of what I wanted. Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting to see you last night, or had the night go the way it did.”

“I don’t think any of us was expecting the night to go the way it did.” You answer, finishing putting in the load of clothes and detergent. Starting the washer, you turned to look at Mingyu, your eyes going down to his hand. The one that punched that guy the previous night. “How’s your hand?”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Mingyu let out a soft chuckle looking down at his hand, the knuckles bruised but it wasn’t anything too bad. “I can’t believe I punched the guy.”

“I can’t either.” You answer him, facing him completely with your arms crossed, but a small smile started playing on your face. “By the way, you are lucky to have such a great best friend, roommate, and wingman.”

“Why is that?” Mingyu asked confused, suddenly aware that you were stepping closer to him. That smile only widening, as he watches your arms unravel and reach up to straighten his hoodie.

“Meaning, you are the one who now owes Wonwoo this time. And he will cash it in too.” You tell him, and his eyes widen. It was like his body moved on its own, his arms wrapping around your waist to pull you flushed against him as his mouth found yours.

You had no intentions on telling Wonwoo what happened between the two of you, like you had told Mingyu, but when he had messaged you about it, you ended up just dumping it all on him. Admitting that you had been confused on how you had been feeling about Mingyu for a while now, not even sure when it had started, but it had been going on for months. You just thought it was the lack of a partner at the time, something that started to fuel the attraction.

You also weren’t blind to see that Mingyu was beautiful inside and out either. How could anyone say they wouldn’t want a night with him? But to you he was off limits. Eventually, and a few hooks ups, that attraction died down some and you took it as you were just horny. Or at least you thought.

Wonwoo did what he did best, listen to you, and gave you advice. And that was just take this as a Mingyu being an idiot, and to accept that you both wanted something more with each other. His words sunk into you and that was what made you not be able to sleep much, your mind reeling over everything that happened.

But one thing was for sure. You didn’t want him to stop kissing you like he was just then, but the sound of the door opening caused the two of your to break apart. Except Mingyu kept his arms around you. The elderly woman who came in eyed you both in disapproval before shaking her head and moving to one of the free machines.

“They’re not used to seeing me with anyone.” You whisper, and Mingyu gave you a lopsided smile, his hand cupping your face.

“Guess they will need to get used to seeing you with me.” Mingyu teased before kissing you again.

Hope you all enjoyed! This MingyuxReader will be back. In another fic of their own and you will see them in the other's as they come out. Y/N will have a name in the other fics in the series.

#kim mingyu #kim mingyu x reader #svt x reader #mingyu fic #seventeen fanfic #mingyu smut #seventeen smut

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drchucktingle · 1 year ago

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Mr Chuck, wizard of gay romance, I consult ye. Without knowing a damn thing about the plot of the book I'm writing other than it is gay and has themes of hunger, consumption, joy in spite of suffering, and the fleeting nature of life, how should my story end?

well to create we need to consume, this is how we produce energy and multiply and build. since beginning of time from frothing volcanos to tiny microbes CREATION and CONSUMPTION are linked. in addition an act of creation is an act of love, it is filling the empty void with SOMETHING and that is as powerful and important as it gets

i think what confuses MANY buckaroos is they get caught up by the consumption part. they see this equation i have laid out and say 'well if consuming leads to creation and creation is to point then we must consume everything as a moral imperative.' i mean HECK that is capitalism in a dang nutshell right there. if you trot this path it says the bigger fish should eat the little one, and that war and power are sort of innate. you see a lot of goofball conservative philosophers with melted brains stop here and set up shop to peddle their sad wares

THE PROBLEM IS consuming everything that you can DOES NOT ACTUALLY LEAD TO MORE CREATION IN PRACTICE. maybe sometimes in the very short term, but at the end of the dang trot it leads to destruction on a massive scale. if the biggest fish eats ALL the little fish then it is not just the little fish who dies it is BOTH of them. if you seek power through TAKING AND CONSUMING all that you can you will do more harm than good. you may puff up your chest for a little while but eventually you will go beyond your means and crumble.

consuming yields the best results when you do it in sustainable way, when you share with your neighbor, when you build a community. this is because LOVE is the best fuel and love thrives when buds work together to create a greater whole than themselves. even if you use example of TAKING through violence, ten little cave buckaroos as a team will always take down one big cave buckaroo. COMMUNITY PROVES LOVE. TEAMWORK PROVES LOVE. CONNECTION PROVES LOVE.

fortunately, as much as scoundrels want to convince us that fighting and violence and TAKING is the best way to grow as a dang species, it is not. humans thrived not because of some primal hierarchy (as goofball conservatives say) but because we started villages and societies and systems of working together. the buds who put their chips behind the BIGGEST FISH are only seeing one part of the picture. YES sometimes in the animal kingdom the biggest beast will win the fight, but that is why THEY ARE BEASTS AND WE ARE PEOPLE. we evolved to greater heights as we grew bigger brains for sharing and empathy and love and complexity. WE STARTED COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE WITHIN COMMUNITY CREATION AND LOVE THRIVE. THE 'REAL' BIGGEST FISH IS KINDNESS.

so hunger and consuming are ACTUALLY an important part of creation. they are part of bringing joy to this timeline, so long as you are not endlessly hungry even after you are full, and so long as you are not consuming what could be better shared with a bud.

hope that helps with your story buckaroo

#love is real #buckaroo lifestyle #art theory

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quilly72 · 1 month ago

Text

You tried focusing on the road but you could just feel it. The glare the new hire was giving you was just slowly eating away at you. You had to admit she was hot but you had always found it best to keep romance and work separate. But the looks she kept giving from the passenger side were eating away at your soul.

She let out a moan as she grabbed some sort of lotion out of her purse. Meanwhile you gripped the steering wheel as you felt your dick try to fight its way through your zipper. Trying to calm yourself as you felt your pants bulge up into the bottom of the wheel. Your legs strained as you tried to focus. Now wasn't the time to bang the hottest coworker you had ever had. Plus what if it didn't work or you got caught. Best to keep your mind in the road and just finish moving all the equipment.

As you refocused you saw it. She was rubbing her entire body with the lotion. Making sure you noticed as she lifted her shirt and sent a squirt down into her cleavage. Crossing her legs as she glared at you with that melting look she had.

You felt your eyes wander to her thighs. Her bust. Her ass. Her skirt which seemed to be almost sliding up her legs. Her chest seemingly slipped forward. You took a second glance as you swore you saw her stretching just a tad bit taller.

May finally dropped the act as she readjusted her skirt and shirt one last time. Turning towards you as she let out one extended moan. Biting her lip and giving puppy dog eyes as she caught your attention.

She leaned over as she practically nibbled your ear. "Pull over"

You early came in that one moment the car swerved to the side of the highway. Faster than lightning she was already straddling you. Her arms pressing your shoulders down as she hastily undid your pants. Your dick popping forward as she guided you in. Unsurprisingly she wasn't wearing underwear as may guided you in.

May started rocking back and forth as you felt your cock surge inside of her. She murmured as she strained a bit. Her body shook as she moaned. Her legs slipping down yours. Her head raising up. You barely noticed as she reclined your seat.you grabbed her ass as she continued to ride you. Her face clenched shut as she balanced herself over you. Her arms still firmly pressing Into your shoulders.

She continued to rock back and forth as you felt your dick start to twitch and strain. Never before had a woman been so controlling do powerful. So beatuful. Meanwhile she shook again. Your body heating up as she vibrated on top of you. Again she seemed to slide forward. Her head raised up a tad as her legs braced into yours. Her thighs pushing into yours just a bit more. You looked over your chest as your eyes grew wide. Her boobs barely crammed into her shirt. Noticeably larger as they swelled forward and up.

You stumbled for breath as you tried to get her attention as she moaned and thrusted for you. "May.. may your tits are... Huge

She barely even gave it a second thought before she answered. Her hand shakily going to her purse as she grabbed the lotion. "This.. it's a growth mixTURE" she moaned as she hit her lip and groaned on top of you her body surging again as you felt her feet press into you. Her chest dragging along yours as her head raised up to yours. "When you rub it in you get bigger" she said breathlessly as she opened the cal and poured it into your shaft. Hastily rubbing it in as she continued to thrust into you.

You felt it seeped into your skin as your dick burned and twitched. Almost immediay surging inside of her. She winced as you felt your member surge another couple inches. Thickening into her as you felt yourself become hornier. Almost cumming on the spot as you felt yourself start to strain.

"I'm close so close"

May throbbed on top of you as she shuddered again. Her head stretching past you as you stared at her neck. Her feet hit the floor as she started to unwillingly raise off of you. Both of you whimpering for more as the lotion made you hornier and hornier may bend her legs as she lowered back down. Her tits pressing into you as they crept up towards your face. Her shirt started to tear as they tried to brush through. Her nipples poking through the thin cloth as you started to tickle them.

You heard her yarn skirt rip off her ass as she started to thunk fastef

Your dick twitching larger as she started to moan longer and louder. You strained as you felt yourself shoot off into her. May gasped as she shook again. Her tits pressing and suffocating you as they reached your face. Her body raised off of you as she shuddered with an orgasm. Trying to catch her breath as she shuffled back to her seat. Her tits finally ripped through her shirt as her hair brushed the roof.

You felt your eyes wander to the lotion as you started to wonder how it would to fuck until you both outgrew the car. Making eye contact with her as her mind wondered the same thing. Both of you racing for the lotion as you sprayed it everywhere across the car.

#giantess #gtsgrowth #giantess growth

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fanaticsnail · 1 month ago

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I just reread Vulnerability and it just made my heart freaking melt! Do you think Wire would ever meet someone who made him feel that way? Or what his type would be?

I am so glad you like that one!! I loved writing it so much, simply because I adore Heat. But I digress.

Lets talk about Wire.

The way I personally characterise Wire is like a black cat on the outside, but once he warms up to you, he is the largest, sloppiest Great Dane with joint pain on the inside.

He wants someone to work a little bit to get his sweet side, but once they've got it, they've got it. All bark, also bite when provoked, but he wants to have those soft moments of comfort in the solace of his quarters with his favourite person.

He is a little bit of a diva: he likes to smell good, and he likes looking good too. He manicures, enjoys massages, facials, and pedicures to match. He likes taking care of himself, but it's exhausting most times and would prefer to be taken care of. He's just so tired, but does it all for the sake of feeling his best.

When he's coupling with an overnight lover, he's rough and dangerous. Yes, they will feel good when he's done with them, but there is no tenderness to his actions. When it's someone he loves, he melts and is an absolute enabler. He acts tough on the outside, especially considering his advanced age in comparison to the rest of his crew, but is the most secret softie.

He's one of the oldest members of the crew, over a decade older than his captain, and thinks he's past the age of indulging romance. He prefers flings simply because it's easier to get up and leave in the morning - knees clicking in protest and all.

Until you.

As a predominantly 'x reader' writer, I think you're his type. Just as you are, he loves you.

When Wire is in love, he tries to fight it. It starts off as small waves of favouritism. Where you sit, he'll be almost right beside you. He has a small amount of possessiveness in his eyes each time someone gets close enough to touch you. Heckles up, as it were. You're your own person, and so is he, but he wants you to be his person as well.

If you are someone who will:

Not mind that he's a little older.

Fight past that crunchy outer layer to get to his gooey centre.

Dote on him and enjoy working out his joint pain.

Be happy with a large size difference.

Allow him to be the bigger person and protect you in battle.

Put up with a few aspects of his 'diva' mentality.

Indulge in joining him on spa days.

Spoil him. Spoil this man. Make a wife out of him.

You're his type. Even if you don't meet this fictitious criteria, I still think you're his type.

The fic I'm writing for Wire right now is with a 'you' who only meets a few of these points, and he still loves you for it. Whatever 'you' you are, he will embrace completely.

Thank you for your ask! This was beautiful to think about, and I hope you enjoy my thoughts on it.

#ask snail #snail answers #one piece #x reader #kid pirates #op wire #wire x reader #commentary #not a fic #this is just how i personally characterise wire #it just feels right to me

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azure-firecracker · 6 months ago

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Fic Rec Roundup!

In honor of my going off to college (my posts will be slowing down), and finishing 3 seasons of TXF, I asked y’all what sort of “special post” you wanted me to make. You voted on a roundup of some of my favorite TXF fics, so here it is! Prepare to watch me gush profusely about the phenomenal writers in this fandom.

This will be in chronological order, so first time watchers like me need not fear spoilers:)

I’m not including my own writing here, but you can find it in my masterpost.

Without further ado, let’s get into the fics!

Season 1:

starstruck by @thursdayinspace (General Audiences, 671 words): Set post-Pilot. The title says it all. This is quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever read.

Something Bigger Than Us by Mungo_of_Maundery (General Audiences, 721 words): A nice coda to Deep Throat after Scully rescues Mulder from the air base. Internal monologue is great.

humans in nature by @theswisscheeserag (General Audiences, 2,733 words): Mulder and Scully’s conversations post The Jersey Devil. Philosophy mixed with fluff and some laugh-out-loud humor. Perfectly captures the vibe of early MSR.

Still Feeling My Father Ascend by @cecilysass (Teen and Up, 13,073 words): Mulder and Scully share some tender moments post Beyond the Sea. Both of them have a lot of healing to do, for different reasons. Some of my favorite MSR introspection can be found in this fic, and you can tell how much thought and care this author puts into the characterizations. There’s also several excellent funny moments - a true gem of a fic!

Egit Genius Loci by snow_and_rain (Teen and Up, 21,937 words): Case fic set right after Beyond the Sea. Featuring early-onset MSR, angst, mutual pining, and hurt/comfort. A little whimsical, a little eerie, a little sad.

Between Two Truths by @agent-troi (Teen and Up, 1,621 words): Missing scene from E.B.E after Scully’s speech to Mulder. An excellent internal monologue from Mulder’s POV followed by some top-tier MSR banter.

the progression (and regression) of first names by skuls (Teen and Up, 5,421 words): A series of vignettes exploring Scully and Mulder’s relationship as it evolves throughout Season 1. Pitch-perfect Scully characterization and several moments that really showcase her inner conflict fantastically, but also many wonderfully tender MSR scenes (keep an eye out for the coffee scene - my favorite!)

never learned to read your mind by @swinging-stars-from-satellites (General Audiences, 1,071 words): An alternate version of Season 1 where Scully leaves after Deep Throat. Profound, heartwarming, wistful and a bit sad, this takes an interesting concept and really tugs at your heartstrings.

Season 2:

distractions by @thursdayinspace (General Audiences, 1,181 words): Post-abduction. Mulder does his best to help. Absolutely heart-melting, sweet and tender and a little sad too.

The Safety of Guilt by the_status_clo (Teen and Up, 732 words): Mulder’s guilt post-abduction. Do you like to feel miserable? Do you like to slip into a pit of unwavering guilt and wallow in beautiful words? Read this!

Redial by @theswisscheeserag (Teen and Up, 7,423 words): A frequent reread of mine! Set during Mulder and Scully’s quarantine post-Firewalker and told through a series of phone calls. This fic has everything you could possibly want: introspection, angst, fluff, humor, friendship and romance all mixed into one…it’s just really good in 1000 different ways. Endlessly rereadable.

until it heals by @actual-changeling (Teen and Up, 2,351 words): A post-Irresistible fic that captures all of the poetry, panic, and drama that is Season 2 MSR. Incredibly tender with some stunning inner monologue moments. A perfect coda to my favorite episode.

Authority and Gravity by Xecotcovach (Teen and Up, 2,338 words): Another excellent fic where Scully (with Mulder’s help) tries to deal with some of her season 2 trauma. Their dynamic here is very tender and their banter is just the right amount of sassy and quippy. Set after Fresh Bones.

If You’re Sinking, I Will Jump Right Over by SammyLovesASOIAF (Teen and Up, 1,642 words): An alternate version of End Game where things go…badly-but then Mulder has to confront his emotions!An interesting alternative, angst with a happy ending. Lovely poetic language; I have some lines from this that I remember word-for-word.

Our Town by @leiascully (Teen and Up, 813 words): Scully’s thoughts during and after the climax of Our Town. Very in-character, appropriately intense, really conveys the fear and desperation intertwined with Season 2 MSR.

Season 3:

Light in Dark Places by @agent-troi (Teen and Up, 2,697 words): Set in Season 3 but it’s really about Irresistible and Scully’s insecurities in general. Peak hurt/comfort, this one makes your heart hurt in the best possible way, and then it feels like a warm hug with the resolution.

Got You(r) Back by @shearmouth (Teen and Up, 4,933 words): This is THE injury fic for me. Set post-731. The hurt/comfort levels in here are unmatched. Scully’s internal monologue is perfect. Mulder is an actual puppy and Scully takes care of him and it makes my heart melt in all of the right ways.

stay close, listen by @actual-changeling (Teen and Up, 2,667 words): Post Pusher. Very angsty, but in the best possible way and with an extremely satisfying resolution. This fic definitely wins best-written: it’s essentially poetry, and its uses of metaphor and literary references are stunning. I can’t recommend this enough.

find me defenseless by @impulsive-astrophile (Mature, 7,421 words): Case fic! Do you like Mulder torture? Do you like badass Scully? If so, you will love this fic because it has both in spades (plus-spoilers-a wonderful ending to make up for the pain). Whenever I’m fed up with the show’s kidnapping ratio, I read this: it’s probably my most frequent reread. I will say that it is more violent than anything I’ve written, so be aware.

Unconfirmed timing but spoiler-free:

unravelling by @actual-changeling (General Audiences, 2,208 words): Scully wakes up to a familiar voice theorizing on her television. What follows is as sweet and humorous as it is charged and just a little tragic.

Shakespirited by orphan_account (Teen and Up, 13,670 words): A fic that I’m pretty sure was written specifically for me. Mulder and Scully go undercover in a Shakespeare troupe plagued by strange murders. If you like TXF and are a Shakespeare nerd, you will love this. Definition of a good time (but there’s some angst too-how could there not be?) I think there are some minor spoilers in here, but nothing to really tell you anything as long as you’ve seen up to Anasazi.

Sometimes You Need to Have Fun by @baronessblixen (Teen and Up, 1,192 words): Fluff written by the queen of fluff herself! Mulder and Scully go ice skating. It’s as adorable and sappy as it sounds.

Stupid Cupid by @mulderwearingglasses (General Audiences, 5,325 words): A Valentine’s Day fic! This features jealous Scully (a delight) as well as some excellent humor and fluff. Overall just a lovely time. There may be some minor spoilers in here, but nothing that told me anything.

#fic rec #fic recs #fic roundup #fanfic rec #fanfic recs #the x files #txf #x files #x files fanfic #x files fanfiction #txf fanfic #txf fanfiction #msr #msr fanfic #dana scully #fox mulder #mulder and scully #mulder x scully

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shadowbriar · 3 months ago

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Five Hargreeves — Daddy Issues

Pairing : Five Hargreeves x (she/her) CIA!Reader Word Count : 3.3k Warning : Angst. Character death. Snogging but nothing too graphic. Season 4 references. Synopsis : He promised himself that he would not let her come near his family madness, but the marigold was melting his blood vessels and none of his siblings look like they’re ready for a real fight. Notes : Inspired by The Neighborhood - Daddy Issues. If you like this story and would like to support me, please visit my kofi page and perhaps get me a coffee?☕

The lack of presence on the other side of the bed made him pull himself entirely out off of drowsiness. Five’s frown was deep when he pulled the blanket up to cover his body, half sitting up with his elbows as support as he scans the room. It was far too early for his liking.

He caught her standing by the bookshelf, his white shirt hanging loose on her shoulders. A small satisfied smile tugs in the corner of his lips. The sight was too pretty for him to not appreciate. She was lost in her own world, caught in her own thoughts. Too busy reading the scribbles of some crumpled paper to realise that the other person in the room has awakened.

“Found something you’re looking for?”

She looks up to see him with a wide smile, looking slightly sheepish of being caught red handed, “No, but I found this,” She took out the fake moustache she found, placing it on her face “How do I look?”

“Ridiculous,” Five says, rolling his eyes “Come here so I can rip it off of you.”

Her grin only becomes wider as she comes closer to the man. She sits on the edge of the bed, leaning so that he could take the silly moustache off of her.

“What’s the story?” She asks, still curious about the peculiar item “Any exciting undercover stories you want to share?”

“You know I can’t even if I wanted to. And I don’t,” He remarks, giving her a playful disapproving look “What were you doing rummaging my stash?”

She shrugs, “I was just bored. You always wake up much later than I do.”

“It’s only what— 6 am? It's not my fault you have sleeping problems.”

She rolls her eyes in response.

Five bite down his smile as he leans in, kissing her softly.

This wasn’t what Five had in mind when he ran through the portal six years ago. Losing his powers and having to build a new life in a strange timeline was certainly not in his to-do list, but developing some clandestine affair with a girl from work was a bigger mindblown for the mentally sixty three years old man. Romance and any other personal relationship were practically out the window the moment he understood about the Apocalypse. Yet now, after one too many timelines, Five has found himself entangled with the knots of love.

He would never admit it out loud. Afraid that a confession would only spoil the fragile bond they’ve created. Hell, this was never even a proper relationship. It was just a simple deal made by two adults. A little roleplay they do whenever they’re alone. Nothing too serious, nothing too monogamous. Strictly business.

But he knew he was doomed the moment he tasted her. There was no other drug that could be as intoxicating, no other substance as addicting. The way that she knew just how much of a dose to give to get him crawling back for more. How she would push further than she pulled him. A little game she does that he’d never grow tired of.

There was only one rule— no rules within these four walls. He could show her how much he cares, how much he worships her, whenever she comes over. Not an inch of her skin left without his kiss. Five was whipped beyond saving whenever the door closes, but even with such intense affection, neither of them dared to pop the question.

“What are you thinking about?” She asks, staring deep into his eyes.

“I’m thinking whatever you’re thinking about.”

She bites her lower lip, climbing on top of him. She pulls him for a proper kiss, clinging her arms around his neck as he rests his hands on her hips.

“Tell me something I’ll forget,” She whispers, kissing the corner of his lips “Something you might have to tell me again.”

Five hesitated. The words were hanging by the tip of his tongue, threatening to spill in any second. Her gentle touch was melting his walls, breaking each and every fortress he’s built over the years. For someone who thought that he’s seen all the things in life, Five was once again caught by surprise.

“How bout I show you instead?” He offers, swapping their positions that she’s now laying on her back with him on top of her.

One of his hands travels to cup her cheek, deepening their kiss as he changes their course of action. Five could feel her smiling through the kiss, giving him the courage to continue his venture. His thumb brushes the skin of her cheek gently. Years of being a cold blooded spy had made him think that there’s no tenderness left in his soul. A broken shell of a man is all he is. Yet, he was once again proven wrong by her. Always her, only her.

It’s crazy what you’ll do for a friend.

—-

“Tell me about your past lovers.”

His grip on her hand loosen a little, brows rising from the unexpected request. It was fortunate of him to have her back leaning on his chest. This way she wouldn’t have heard the slight spike of his heart nor seen the surprise he had in his face. How he blinked and furrowed his brows as his brain tried to digest her words.

He lets go of her hand and rests his arm around her shoulder, silently caging her in an embrace in case the words he utters would make her flee, “Lover. There was only one woman.”

“What’s her name?”

“Dolores,” He sighs, the rare forlorn look in his eyes were potent “Her name was Dolores.”

“What happened between you and Dolores?”

There was a brief pause. His chest hitches as he struggles to find the words, “I.. Left her.”

“Why?”

“I had to.”

“Is that what you’re going to do to me too?” She questions. The fragility of her voice made him wince. Voicing her words barely above a whisper.

“I might,” He confesses with a heavy heart, swallowing a lump in his throat “Will you hate me then?”

She turns her head to face him, nodding like it was a promise, “I will.”

She wanted to ask more. To know deeper about what happened between him and Dolores. If their separation was recent or if he ever tried to come back to her. She wanted to know what made him leave. If there was a bigger story to tell, a bigger secret to share. She wanted to know if he loved her, if he would use his hands to trace the invisible stars on her skin and mark it with his kisses, if he would tell her the word she’s been dying to hear from him. She wanted to know it all.

And Five wanted to tell. He wanted to tell her about the fights and all the running he’s done for the past years. He wanted to tell her how Dolores was the only thing keeping him sane after being trapped in the post-apocalyptic wasteland for forty-five years. He wanted to tell her how tired he is, how he misses his powers and secretly hoped that he never got out of that hotel alive. He wanted to tell it all.

But both of their words die in their tongues. Crestfallen from all the silence that they’re bound to be stuck in. Their eyes tried their best to convey the message their lips couldn’t utter, hoping that the invisible string between them was strong enough to connect their hearts better than words ever could.

Her fingers gently tucked the stubborn strand of hair off of his face. She studies him, trying to see any trace of deceit or vice, but all she could see was the love bleeding out of him like a muck. His eyes were warm, radiating with that one sentiment she’s never seen on anyone else.

She cups both of his cheeks, softly kissing his lips, “I wish you’d let me in.”

Five shakes his head, “I’d never put you in such danger.”

“I can take care of myself,” She argues, an impressed smile decorating her face “Have you forgotten? We’re literally CIA agents.”

He smiles, pulling her head to his chest.

They would never admit it but tender moments like this scares the living out of the both of them. It felt too real, too personal to what they signed up for, but they would rather lose a limb than to miss it. For some reason such delicateness felt like it would dissipate in a moment. Like a bitter farewell was looming behind, ready to catch them off guard and without a fight.

And so they keep quiet. Letting the frail second to fall gracefully like the first drop of snow. His fingers entangle themselves with her hair while she listens carefully to the steady rise and fall of his chest. They make notes of one another, recording each and every little thing the other does before their time turns into bittersweet memory.

—-

Five hesitated. He taps on the payphone with uncertainty, doubting if he should dial her number and ask for the favour. He promised himself that he would not let her come near his family madness, but the marigold was melting his blood vessels and none of his siblings look like they’re ready for a real fight. Whatever this dry cleaner’s daughter kidnapping was about has certainly gone a notch more serious than it ever was.

He weighs his options. The only thing he could make out of her were the pleasant times they’ve spent. The laughter and the stolen glances they would exchange when nobody was around. The sun has always shone on top of them, no rain nor shade to ever taint their story. It feels as if they’ve been living in a fairytale despite all the secrecy he hides from her.

But Ben’s tails were stubborn and Lila’s laser eyesight was not boosting his confidence enough to follow through with this rescue mission. His family might have gotten their powers back, but it was an overstatement to say that the team was officially back on. Their bodies were still trying to readjust themselves with the liquid gold, whatever it might mean now.

The bitterness in his tongue sets thicker as his decision comes to a final. For some reason believing that calling her would compromise the charming affair they have. Not from the squabbles his family might show, but from other perils he couldn’t foresee.

“Hello?” She answers right on the second ring “Who is this?”

Five’s words were caught in his throat, unable to continue his action.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” He finally says.

“Five? Is everything okay?” She questions, worry evident in her tone as she proceeds to speak in whisper “I know we promised not to talk during work hours, but I heard that you’re taking a sick leave and now you’re calling and I just— I’m worried.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” He answers, his tone heavy with regret “I’m fine. I’m just— Look, there’s something I need to tell you,” There was a pause, clearly still debating if he should end the call and just face whatever’s to come alone with his family.

“Five? Are you there?”

He nods, his voice strained with anxiety, “Yeah, I just— I’m going to Maine. There’s something I need to do there with my family.”

“Oh, okay. Will you be back soon?”

“No, I.. I don’t know,” He answers in surrender “Listen, I know I’m asking too much of you but.. Could you meet me there? In New Grumpson?”

A few seconds of silence, her confusion thick in her voice, “You.. Want me to come to your family gathering?”

“Well, it’s not really a gathering,” Five struggles to explain, running a hand through his hair “It’s more of a.. Rescue mission? I can’t explain the details through the phone, there isn’t enough time.”

“I can’t just drop things off and drive to Maine, Five. I’m in the middle of a case,” She reasoned.

“I know, but I need you to come. I need you to help me,” He begs, his heart beating fast inside of his chest as if it could already see the disaster this phone call would bring “I promise to tell you everything. I’ll explain everything—about my family, about myself, about Dolores, about us. I’ll tell you everything. I just— I need to do it in person. Please.. Please come and meet me there.”

There was still silence from the other side of the phone.

“I promise to let you in,” He continues, his voice faltering in despair “I’ll tell you what you want to hear. What I needed to tell you a long time ago.”

Silence hung heavy in the air. Beads of sweat were breaking in the back of his neck, afraid that he’s just lost everything before it even started. There was no going back now. Not even with the power that he’s just gotten back.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, fuck it,” She answers, having zero sense of hesitation left in her voice “But you better tell me right after I get there.”

“I will, I promise.” Five bites his grin, taking a deep breath of relief before he finally says the magic words “I love you. And I promise to say it again when we meet.”

—-

She has to admit, driving countless hours down to New Grumpson with little to no context, might not have been one of her brightest moments. She should’ve asked more about the plan, where to meet and what time, before hanging up and picking her car keys. God knows how she would meet Five now. Who’s to tell just how big this town is or if he’s even in the city yet. She was blind. Completely lost in a random town thousands of miles from home.

Between finding some covers for the windows that Victor broke and frequent bathroom breaks, the Hargreeves siblings could only reach their destination when the sun was already at its peak. Not to mention the bickering that they have to resolve every other ten minutes. The eight of them are certainly behind schedule but without any means of communication, there was no way for her to know his whereabouts.

Now sitting in a diner, she wonders just how long she should wait before leaving this town. There’s something eerie about this place. The people were kind, sure, but she couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched. Like these people were not just civilians but someone placed to fill certain roles to make up the city folks.

She watches as a man enters the diner. He was kicked out the first time by the diner’s owner, but supposed the kind lady could see that this stranger was in need of a shelter. He looks like a tourist, too. A little lost and too peaky to be a local.

And that’s when she heard it, the first gunshot outside. She reaches for her own gun, hiding it under the table as she tries to assess her surroundings. The people in the diner now corner the strange man and the diner lady, commanding the woman to come with them with their guns pointed out.

Good God, what is this place? She thought as she cocks her gun.

Just as the two people ran out through the back door, another shot was fired and it was enough reason for her to take the small mob down from behind. Whatever their reasoning is, the people of this town are certainly not the friendliest to tourists.

She runs outside, trying to help the other three people that were being gunned down by a bunch of the town folks. She watches as the biggest man shields the other two. An act that shouldn’t be logically possible.

She tries to help out, shooting the crazy goon with her own gun. It was a no match with the numbers of these lunatics and their AKs compared to her handgun, but it was enough to give a window for the three people to run further away.

One down, another ten appears. The people in this town just so happen to be complete terrorists who shoot on weaponless people, she reckons.

Out of the blue, Five blinks to the road and joins in the shield of the big man. It took her a couple of seconds to believe the sight she just saw— Five appearing out of thin air and hiding under the protection of the big guy who’s bearing all the gunshots fired at them. None of this was making any sense. Not the city, not the people, not the events she’s witnessing. But she didn’t have time for questions, not yet. Her finger pulls on the trigger nonstop, refilling her magazine as soon as she can before more madmen come.

But her hands weren’t fast enough. There was not enough time for her to raise her gun. To point and pull another shot before a couple bullets were aimed at her chest. She was hit. Too many times for her to count as she fell limp to the cold concrete, gasping for air.

“No!” She could hear Five’s echoing scream. In a blink of an eye, he was kneeling by her, lifting her body to be in his embrace. His hand was shaky, trying his best to give some pressure to the holes in her chest as his other arm pulled her close, “I’m here, I’m here.”

No words came out of her lips. Breathing hurts as blood starts to come out of her mouth. Colour was draining from her face, skin turning cold as her ear rings.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Five apologises, his tears flowing down to her face “This wasn’t supposed to happen, I’m sorry.”

“S-Say it,” She whispers, gasping “You promised.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” He confesses, cupping her cheek with his bloodied hand “I’m sorry. I love you. I love you so much, I’m so sorry.”

The light in her eyes slowly dims out. Her laboured breathing quiets down as the interval widens before it eventually stops. Her hand that was holding his wrist fell gently, no longer having any care that the shreds of mirror were creating new cuts to it.

“I’m sorry. I love you. I’m so sorry.”

Those three sentences were flowing out of him like a broken record. Five holds her close, planting tear stained kisses to her cheeks as if it would give her another breath of life. He calls for her name like a prayer, begging for her to look at him just once more, but the magnetism that would always fill those orbs were gone. They were staring into the empty space without a blink. Gone were the eyes that would stare into him with so much love and tenderness.

Five looks up to see his siblings. They were looking down with pitiful, sorry eyes. Never had they ever seen the collected brother be this broken, drowning in the anguish of a lost lover.

“It was Dad,” Luther says bearing the bad news “They were all Hargreeves goons.”

Another tear escaped his eyes. Five’s sobs were getting louder, whispering his apologies to her now deaf ears. He was sorry about everything. About asking her to come, about promising to tell her some complete nonsense, about falling in love with her. Even with his powers, Five was utterly helpless. He couldn’t undo what was done— save the life that he’s lost and keep her away from harm. The one thing that matters most to him has finally been ripped off of his hands.

There was a sense of resentment brewing in his heart. He thought that he could not be any more hollow than he already is, but now that she’s dead in his arms, now that the better half of him has disappeared, Five has ultimately become that one broken shell of a man he once thought he was.

If only she was his little girl, he would’ve run away and hide with her.

#five hargreeves #five hargreeves x reader #five hargreeves oneshot #five hargreeves angst #tua #the umbrella academy scenarios #the umbrella academy scenario #the umbrella academy angst

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