#when i found out that he was an artist i just... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kkukverse · 2 days ago

Text

there you are

summary : Everyone he knows already found their mates and he is very anxious about his. Out of all scenarios he had imagined, it didn't cross his mind that his mate came into his house as the shy fried chicken delivery girl, under his big pet dog.

pair: alpha!jk x omega!reader (fem.reader)

genre: abo au

warnings & ratings : explicit sex scenes. 3k words of sex scene | fluff, smut 🔞 (minors dni)

word count: 15 k

author's notes: alpha!jk won the poll and here he is. hope you enjoy.

“Just like that?” Jungkook’s eyes are even wider now.

“Yup, we just locked eyes and we know. We’re each other’s mates.” Jimin smiles until his eyes are crinkled shut. Jungkook can almost feel him vibrating with happiness.

“Lucky,” Jungkook meant it but somehow there’s a tinge of jealousy in his voice and Jimin’s smile turns into a frown for his dear friend.

“Your time will come, Jungkook. And I promise you that all this time you spent on waiting will be worth it.” coaxed Jimin.

The younger boy just nodded with a smile. Jungkook believes in his destiny but he just wants to meet his mate now. Everyone around him already settled down with their mates and Jungkook longed for that.

Jungkook is an alpha, and he is as busy as a bee.

Working as a producer and videographer surely consumed his hours away. His work is mostly him working with computers, cameras and musical machines inside his big studios in the city. He is a very well known producer and lyricist amongst artists, so, Jungkook is rarely alone for most of the time. Everyone wants to meet him.

He is either meeting up with artists in his studio, recording with them, or he is out and about with his closest friends, making videos or directing music videos. With a packed schedule, he sometimes forgot to have a meal. Let alone a hearty one.

When he's with his friends, they often go out eating together, but when he's all alone, he opts for fast food, like fried chickens. His friends always remind him to eat well. Jungkook couldn’t help but fantasize about a life where he would prepare a good warm meal for his mate, having another soul in his house, waiting for each other, eating together, very much like how his parents did for years.

He’s not lonely per say, Jungkook has a handful of friends. He has a lot of acquaintances but he is picky about who he allowed into his life. To summarize, Jungkook is an ambivert. He can be outgoing, doing adventurous activities because he is such an adrenaline junkie. He too, can lock himself up in his own loft, playing with his fluffy husky. Fishing with Seokjin, or just walking alone in the park.

Oh, yes! He loves the park partly because he gets to play with Bam. His Dobermann, a clever dog.

Jungkook and his friends joke that Bam knows the time. Because every time, when it's the evening, Bam will always be ready, biting his harness and bouncing by the door. It's his walking time. Jungkook always bragged that Bam is such a genius, he can even remember people too and is very friendly.

And right now his genius dog is pouncing a poor delivery girl right at his door!

Jungkook noticed that she's an Omega! The alpha in him is eager to help her, afraid that she must be so scared.

“Bam!” Jungkook begged as his wide eyes bulged at his dog licking the delivery girl's face.

Bam is a pretty big dog, and this delivery girl is petite. Jungkook is a little embarrassed at how Bam is standing on his hind legs while putting his front paws on her shoulder. His size is swallowing the girl!

Jungkook felt like his soul was leaving his body the moment Bam jumped off the sofa as someone knocked on his door. And Bam just flew to the door right after he opened it.

Jungkook jumped forward and almost placed his hands on the girl's back when she tumbled as Bam was draping himself on her. She managed to straighten her back before Jungkook could catch her. A sigh of relief was heard. It was from her.

Bam? His tail is wagging wildly as the girl's arms are helplessly encircling his muscular body.

Most people are terrified of big dogs, especially a breed like Bam, which is quite famous for its scary looks. Jungkook was aware of that when he walked with Bam. So he trained his dog diligently so it behaved in public.

Jungkook even treats Bam like a normal dog by not cutting his ear or tail to make it look less intimidating. Jungkook has his ups and downs while training Bam. It was a bit of a task but he's a good boy. He was just a little excited.

But what caught Jungkook off guard was that the omega girl was giggling. The only smell wafting through his nose is bubblegum. Sweet, not distressed. Is not like he expected her to cry or scream but she must be uncomfortable.

“Bam! Get down.” Jungkook begged again. He grabs Bam’s body and pulls his heavy head from her shoulder. He whimpered cutely but Jungkook was embarrassed at his behavior. Jungkook is on his knees as Bam is now facing him.

“There we go, you're a good boy aren't you? Please don't hurt her. Hum?” Jungkook continues coaxing his dog. His hand caressed Bam’s back. The dog is sitting by his legs, yelping here and there but more softly now. Dobermann are very well known for energetic behaviour.

“Easy there,” Jungkook's voice is soothing, calming yet stern and unbeknownst to him, the delivery girl is biting her shy smile.

Though he exudes the alpha aura and he smells like one, Jungkook's voice is not demanding. The shy omega is feeling a tug at her heart.

“I'm so sorry,” Jungkook said to her. He still cannot look at her yet as Bam is blocking the view. “He gets too excited sometimes.”

Bam, being a cheeky boy, turns to face the girl. Tongue out sillily and Jungkook just sighs. This delivery girl must've been very tired and now she had to deal with Bam.

The girl. How strange. Jungkook can smell her very strongly. Even as an alpha, his smelling sense is considered high with the addition that there's an omega present. But there's something about her that tells him to get closer. The gold in his eyes shines so bright as he stares at her.

The girl just hummed. Her finger runs through the black and brownish fur on Bam’s head. Her pinkish eyes still fixated on the happy dog. Jungkook keeps petting him as a subtle sign to not allow Bam jump at her again. He rubs the back pocket of his dark jeans for his wallet. He wants to look at her but it seems like she is shying away, her hair covering half of her face as she looks at the floor.

“I'm truly sorry about him.” Jungkook rubs at the back of his neck. Chuckling nervously because the delivery girl didn't say a word.

“My name’s Jungkook,” He blurted out. It feels wrong to not introduce himself earlier. But it seems like fate is such a funny thing.

He assumes she must be uncomfortable, and he is making her stand there awkwardly. So, he handed out the exact amount of money for his order.

After she received the money, she bowed politely and bolted out of his house. Jungkook would like to think that maybe she's rushing to deliver to somewhere else instead of her rushing out because she's mad at him. She must be thinking that Jungkook is an incompetent dog owner.

The box of fried chicken is on the floor now. Still intact because before Bam jumped at her, she put it down gently. It was like she was expecting him to hug her and she's ready.

It was a shame. Jungkook wanted to apologize properly. And his alpha in him has been whining since she stepped out of his house. Suddenly remembering Jimin’s love story.

It is not possible, the moment was too short. Jungkook is trying to calm his rapid heart.

The omega has teeny tiny hints of alpha smell on her. A low rumble coming from his throat before suppressing it by downing a glass of cold water.

The beating of your heart won’t calm down even after you keep patting your chest softly. You're feeling bittersweet as you walk out of the loft.

Out of nowhere, you feel sad and want to run back up again. To the smell that makes you feel like you're being coddled. A short glimpse of his flickering golden eyes, an alpha eye. His soothing alpha voice-

Shaking your head, you bring your mind to the dog. The dog is so adorable and you wish you could play with it a bit longer. Today is so exhausting. At least the dog makes it a little better. Yes, you’re only thinking about the dog, not the man.

With the last order of the day, you thought you could drop by at your favorite bubble tea shop. But the vibration from your phone suggests otherwise.

Boss: Come pick up another set. The address is on the box.

You let out a short sigh at the message from the owner of the fried chicken restaurant you're working at. Tiredness started to consume you. This is actually your second job. The first one is being a tutor. Life is a little harsh on you but you'll manage.

After graduating a couple of years ago, you didn't get lucky in finding a solid, real stable job. Being an omega has its own cons. Employees are a bit apprehensive at hiring omegas into their company. Partially because omega is seen as a group of people that should be taken care of.

As traditional as that sounds, there are so many omegas breaking those stereotypes as well. You positively think you're unfortunate to fall on the little percentage of a docile omega group.

You usually don't pass after the interviews, deeming that you're too soft spoken and quiet. So, to keep surviving in this city, you keep looking for odd jobs. Forget the biochemistry degree. What matters to you now is what job that can pay your bills and the big bad mountain of student debt.

Min’s fried chicken has been your safe haven for the past year.

They pay you well and Yoongi is a kind alpha. Always treating you well. Sometimes he's a little snappy but he meant well for everyone. It's a quaint restaurant, more like a mini restaurant where it specializes in just fried chicken.

Yoongi can open and close his restaurant anytime he wants as he once claimed that he didn't look for a crazy, blooming, wealthy business. He is a laid back alpha. Living a serene life with his mate.

You get on your bike, put on your helmet and cycle away back to the restaurant. At the back of your mind you're thinking about the furry friend and the soft voice of its owner.

The alpha.

Your heart prickles at the thought of you being away from him. You're not sure why you feel this way. It was a short encounter and you just hope he’s having a good time with the chickens that you've delivered with care.

“Get in here kid,” the calm voice of your boss can be heard. He must be in the kitchen. After putting your helmet and the delivery bag on the front table, you scurry to the back of the restaurant. Yoongi doesn't like it when he has to wait.

“The boxes are stacked on the counter,” his back is facing the deep fryer with one hand on his hip, the other is busy putting the flour coated chickens on the basket. His head just tilted to show where the boxes of freshly fried chickens were.

You didn't say much and just walked towards the neatly arranged boxes, reading the address that was stuck on top of them.

“You can rest after delivering these. I'm not taking orders for the rest of the day,” Yoongi said.

You tilted your head, wondering why.

“I'm accompanying my wife to visit my father in law today.” He explains.

You look around and it dawns on you that his wife is not here. She usually will make you sit down and softly force you to eat something or just rest after delivering. She cares about you. His wife is like a big sister you never have.

Yoongi throws out the black gloves into the bin before he slides a bottle of water on the counter to you in which you catch with a polite nod.

Yoongi smiles but you're not looking at him. You're a little sister to him. As an alpha, he wanted to protect you and his wife always needed to cuddle you when you come to work.

She would be rubbing herself on you, just to cover you with her scent and a hint of Yoongi’s scent. So no one can mess with their baby-sister-omega. His mates have this urge to keep you in her little pocket because you're shy and it’s borderline concerning sometimes when they cannot hear your voice for a whole day.

When you walk into his restaurant, very timid but determined to work, he doesn't have the heart to say no. It was his father and his wife who insisted on employing you. Yoongi wasn't sure where he needed you in his little restaurant.

You cannot be a waitress because you barely speak, and you can't cook because it's Yoongi’s job. So, he suggested you deliver the food and you're smiling wide, telling him you have your own bicycle.

Yoongi winced at that because you're gonna have to work really hard if you're cycling. At least he has a good reason to buy a scooter for you to use. But sometimes you’re comfortable with cycling for the nearby customers. Although you never complained, he and his wife are always worried for you when you're going out all alone.

They learned to trust you in society but they are very aware that they cannot trust strangers around you easily. They can't help their protective instincts too. You have no one in this city. Families are living in different states, miles away. Friends? Yoongi will give out chickens for free for a day, if you said you have a friend.

This kid is as alone as a deserted ship, sailing in a big bad world all by herself. Yoongi thought.

Yoongi is worried about you, not only you're his worker but he feels responsible for your safety. Sometimes you forget to eat, sometimes he can see that you looked dehydrated, working too hard under the blazing sun.

He knows you worked hard but you refuse to be taken lightly. Yoongi is proud of you and so is his beloved, she is always you this and you that. The maternal smell of his wife is so prominent every time she's thinking about you. You're a special kid to his small family.

“How’s today?” Yoongi asked. “Not so tough?” Usually Yoongi is the one who doesn't speak much in his circle of friends. But with you, he has to initiate or else no one will speak a word.

“I met a dog,” you smile.

“Dog?”

You hum while making a big gesture with your arms. “So big and adorable.” You nod at him.

He chuckles. “You like big dogs huh?”

“Yea. There's one back in my hometown.” Your voice is loud now, an indication that you're getting comfortable.

Yoongi observes you so well. When you're in a new environment, you hide in your shell, your pink omega eyes always downcast but sometimes open wide when you see something that interests you. Or when you're coming back from delivering, it usually takes some time for you to warm up. Yoongi has no idea why you are so closed up but as long as he can make you feel safe in your workplace, he is relieved.

“An alpha, Jung,,Jungkook?” You said softly as Yoongi checked on the chickens in the fryer. Saying the name out loud triggered your memory of his warm smile, melodious voice and his perfect round, and golden eyes.

Yonggi also has a pair of golden eyes, but Jungkook’s are different. You regretted that you were too shy to observe his mesmerizing eyes.

“Who?” He asked.

“The owner of the big dog, the customer. His name is Jungkook.” You answered.

“What about him? You remember a customer now, you usually don't,” he teased while shaking the basket to let the excess oil drip down. “These chickens are for you by the way. Eat them after you deliver those boxes, okay. My wife will hit me if she found out I starved you. I'll pack them up for you.” Yoongi nags. He wants to make sure you have something in your stomach before you go home.

“I hope they're still warm by the time you're done with delivering,” Yoongi taps his chin. Mumbles to himself but you can hear him just fine.

“I like his voice, and he smells… like something I used to smell.” You bluntly said. Earning a snort from Yoongi. Another thing about you is you're straightforward.

“How so?” He asked. Very intrigued as you rarely talk about customers. You’re sensitive to smell, you once winced if there’s a strong smell from the customers.

“He smells like fresh wood in the mountains. Like back in my hometown.” With furrowed brows you speak. “It's weird, there's no mountain in this city.”

Yoongi's brows shoot up. You never discussed smell before. When omegas start to think about smell, it usually indicates that they are attracted to somebody. Interesting.

“Okay, let's hope he'll order more from now on,” Yoongi shakes his head. He needs his wife to consult him in moments like this. His wife can have a girl to girl talk with you.

Back in the loft, Bam is sprawling on the floor as Jeon Jungkook is sticking Min’s Chicken advertisement sticker on his refrigerator. With a maker circling the number, and he wrote a little note on it.

“The shy delivery girl”

His hand snatched a bubble gum candy from the candy bowl on the dining table. He has such a sweet tooth. He’s trying to trigger the same feeling he felt when smell you.

Sweet, and soft.

Jungkook is drowning in work. The last time he had a decent meal was days ago. It is clear that he's been staying at his studio instead of going home. His ‘devotion’ to work has an effect on a certain creature too, Bam.

Bam is getting grumpier day by day as the two are stuck in the same space.

Being the active dog he is, Bam has his own designated area in Jungkook's studio. It was decently spacious but dogs like him wanted to run on the field. Dogs wanted to feel the breeze, want to stick out their tongue and be free. Bam has been whining to get Jungkook’s attention.

Jungkook noticed Bam was getting a little sad as he slumped on his paws. Close enough to his big chair by the sound system. He felt guilty. Bam has involuntarily stuck with him for days now. Sometimes staying indoors for too long can make Jungkook feel groggy and moody, too.

If he feels sluggish imagining how boring it is for Bam. At least Jungkook can keep himself busy. Bam is just a dog.

It's just that Jungkook must finish this song because he promised Jimin he can record it next week. Jimin is an indie musician who also happens to be his very best friend as well. Jimin had been consulting with him on his new single and Jungkook wanted to give him a piece of his touch into his music.

This must be done before next week. Though Jungkook is almost finished, he keeps coming back to where he started, because he is such a perfectionist.

It's for his best friend, of course he wanted it to be the best. Jungkook wasn't called the youngest and the most promising producer of the decade for nothing.

Jungkook gives him an apologetic smile but Bam just whimpers sadly. This cannot be. He thought. So, Jungkook slaps his thighs to excite Bam. Much to his pleasure, Bam barks and circles his chair with his tongue out, his tail thumping the wooden floor. Jungkook laughs along at his antics. Bam is too precious!

The moment they step outside of his studio, it's Bam that drags Jungkook. With his size, sometimes the buffy gym rat Jungkook can easily stumble forward.

“Easy there, Bam.” Jungkook chuckles. “The park isn't running away from you.”

The dog just barks excitedly after he hears the word park.

Jungkook just shakes his head. With his hand securely gripping the leash, he slowly pulled Bam, to move together at a slower pace.

At the park, Bam forgets Jungkook as he rushes to his favorite sun spot. Jungkook just sighs and lets him as there's not many people and small kids around. Jungkook would've been on guard if Bam was running excitedly when people were around.

Dogs can be very scary especially if they are not trained properly. Jungkook wants to be and is a good citizen in this neighborhood. He is always careful about bringing Bam into public space. As he was on guard, he heard a squeal.

His heart almost dropped.

“Hey, you!”

He heard the squeal coming from behind the tree, where Bam was gone. He’s rushing to the spot. Afraid of his dog attacking someone or something. Suddenly, a sweet, soft scent of bubblegum is dancing in the air. Scrunching his brows Jungkook moves slowly and closer to the voice, the owner of the familiar smell.

He can also hear Bam huffing and he can hear the jingles from his harness. Jungkook is guessing that Bam is either rolling on the ground or chasing after something. He was ready - not really- for some shocking revelation. But what surprises him is Bam is laying his head on someone's lap.

He acted like a small puppy as the person was rubbing his belly. He was astounded and relieved at the same time. In a millisecond, Jungkook recognized this woman.

Albeit short but he remembers the red shirt, the soft chuckles, the flowy hair and her sweet scent. The bubblegum smell. The omega that’s been on his mind lately.

The delivery girl! You.

Jungkook feels like he will intrude on the serene situation. You were sitting with your back on the tree, your black jeans and the fried chicken restaurant work shirt. The first time you met, Bam was all over you and Jungkook can barely look at you properly let alone apologize. Right now he can see you, truly.

You're giggling and your tiny hands are busy running through Bam’s fur. The said dog accepts the treatment with his whole big heart. His tongue jutted out and started drooling on your laps but you're unfazed. Jungkook winced at his dog’s silliness.

“Bam,” he whispers. But he realizes he was loud when you suddenly snapped your head to him.

Gosh your wide eyes, they're so pink. So mesmerizing. Jungkook gulps. All omegas have the same eye color but yours are so different, it’s like luring him to you.

You slowly raised your hands from Bam, the dog whined at the loss as he tilted his head to you and Jungkook.

“It’s him! The alpha!” You thought. You feel a sudden warm rush in your cheeks. Forget butterflies, there’s a whole zoo in your stomach. The rush feeling somehow turns to embarrassment.

What if this alpha is annoyed because you’re playing with his dog without his permission?

“Hi, Jungkook. Sorry for playing with your dog.” You said while avoiding eye contact with him. Recognizing the submissive behavior from you, his heart fell. To comfort you.

He is guessing that you were shocked to be seen this way. Jungkook wanted to show you that he is not angry that you're playing with his dog.

Jungkook immediately replied, “Yes, but you can play with him. I'm okay as long as you're okay. You’re okay, right? Bam is okay for you to play with, right? I mean Bam is not, not okay. I’m,,yeah. Everything is okay,” Jungkook bites his own tongue. Way too excited, buddy.

“Wait,” he adds. “You remember me?” At this point, Jungkook feels like dancing.

You just nod and smile politely. Jungkook frowned at that because just now he can see your big grin and now he's thinking that he is creeping you out. Granted, you're an omega and he is an alpha. It's natural for you to be timid but Jungkook doesn't want him to come off as scary to you.

“I didn't mean to steal him away,” your voice is soft and he almost couldn't catch them. You're not even looking at him so Jungkook inches closer. He is still wary as you might not want him close to your space. But seeing that you're not flinching, he thought that it was okay.

“I don’t mind. Bam likes you. Can I sit here?” Jungkook suddenly feels bad because you straighten your back and he almost wants to be on his knees and tell you that he means no harm. Jungkook doesn't know who you are, yet, but you seem so shy.

You stiffened at his presence but you allowed him to sit closer. Heck, you even scooted a little so he can be under the tree shades, protected from the evening sun.

You were on your break. After delivering an order to one of the groups that is having a picnic here, you thought it's a good idea to just stay for a while and just sit down.

You almost fell asleep as you're sitting so cozily by the tree before you were almost trampled on by a big dog. But you recognized the dog almost immediately. It was one of the customer’s, Jungkook.

Of course you remember him. Jungkook, the guy who ordered a dozen of mixed fried chickens and marinated wings, lives in the loft, whom you delivered his order to weeks ago.

The alpha with your favorite scent - the mountains smell. He reminds you of your hometown. A place of comfort and peace.

Shamelessly, you were waiting for Yoongi’s wife to tell you to deliver to Jungkook’s house. Yoongi said you were brooding.

But he's here now. And you're freaking out.

Jungkook thinks you don't want him near.

“The chickens were the best I ever had, by the way. Even Bam wanted to steal them,” Jungkook said, lighting up the atmosphere. He's glad you're smiling now. Though it might be because of Bam cozying himself on your lap.

“My boss, he cooked them. I'm just the delivery girl.” Your voice is muffled by the sound of Bam yelping. Why is this dog always stealing Jungkook's moment?!

“Bam really likes you. He’s not usually like this with people,” Jungkook chuckles. His hand ruffled Bam’s fur. Despite his intimidating look, Bam is a careful dog. He doesn’t get comfortable easily with anyone.

“Does he now?” you cooed at Bam. “Why did you stop ordering from us?” You asked timidly. A part of you thinks that's a rude question but another part of you just wanted to know. You have been waiting for him.

Jungkook widened his eyes. He doesn't know why but he feels a tinge of guilt? He has no idea you're waiting for his order?! If he knew he ordered them straight to his studio. He is yelling at himself right now.

“I didn't know you were waiting for my order?” He cheekily smirks at you. Tilting his head to face you with a palm supporting his head. Slowly inching himself closer to you. He did not want to scare you off.

You took some time to say something. Finger twiddling with Bam's Collar.

“My boss asked, not me.” You mumble quickly. What a lie. Yoongi’s the one telling you Jungkook might be busy, which is why he forgot to order.

“My bad, I’m busy working. And I didn't know if you'd deliver it to my workplace.” Jungkook chuckles at your flustered expressions. Though you're not facing him, he can see your side profile very well. Why are you hiding? He thinks you're so cute.

“I can deliver it to you wherever you are,” you bravely said. Honestly, you yourself don’t know where that comes from.

“What can I do to make it up?” Jungkook asked.

“If you asked me, I'd say keep ordering from us. My boss is a good man. It'll be good for his business.” You answered and this time you're looking at him. Not in his eyes, yet. But you're turning your face to him. And Jungkook is blushing.

“I can do that, but it has to be you who delivers them to me, okay?” Jungkook laughs at your honesty.

“Okay, as long as he is there too.” You bop the dog’s nose.

“Bam, his name is Bam. I believe Bam will be over the moon when his favorite delivery girl comes.” Jungkook squished his dog’s face.

You both didn’t realize it was late evening as the two of you chats. You both part ways after a call from Yonggi’s wife. She was worried. Jungkook and Bam accompanied you to your bike.

He kept waving until you were out of his sight.

Jungkook is on a producing sprint. He's suddenly rushed with a creative mood ever since he met you. The short conversations with you was all he needed to write up to three songs.

The meeting at the park made him blush and he ran back to his studio, overflowing with a melody stuck in his head.

It's been a week and it is safe to say that Jungkook has been ordering from you almost every day now. He still feels jittery as he places his orders, bouncing his legs up and down as he waits.

As if Bam can sense his nervousness, and the dog just didn't help much by howling and circling at the door. Waiting for you.

When you arrive, Bam will perk up and pant with his tongue out and Jungkook's heart is thumping in his chest. That's your effect on them.

“Do you really like chickens that much?” You once asked.

Little did you know that Jungkook keeps ordering because he wanted to see his muse? The omega that he feels the need to love and care for? Instead of admitting to that, he sheepishly agreed to your question.

“This is the third song and I didn't realize I'm writing about her. Again. Bam, what is going on with me?” He stares at the dog. The dog completely ignores him as his paws are busy rolling a ball.

Jungkook gets up and stretches, feeling his back is getting stiff from sitting for quite some time.

“Bam, should I get her number? Is it weird?” Jungkook dragged his feet and lay down next to Bam. He was tired. All he thinks about is the girl in her red shirt.

“I love fried chicken, but I love it even more now because she delivered them to me,” Jungkook pouted. As if the dog would understand him. Jungkook stares at the dobermann, seeking confirmation or anything.

Bam just yelps and Jungkook claps his hands once. “Let's meet her, you're a genius Bam!”

He decided to not order today.

“You cannot expect him to eat fried chicken every day, kid.” Yoongi pulled out a chair and sat next to his wife. You were plopping your head on the table. You let his wife play with your hair.

“Let her be Yoongi,” his wife whispered to him. Softly patting your head, the neat braids are tied perfectly.

Yoongi and his wife think you're upset because of a certain customer (The one with the dog). Truthfully, you don't know what you're feeling. Jungkook doesn't order for one day and you're feeling...sad.

“I need to get ready for my tutor class,” you muttered silently. Yoongi's wife frowned at him. Yoongi shrugged, and didn't know what to do. Seeing his wife patting your back as you're getting up, Yoongi lets out a sigh.

You stand at the door with your backpack and the other hand is carrying your helmet. You stand at the glass door as if you're waiting for something, a few seconds gone by, Yoongi nudged his wife, jutting out his lower lips pointing at you. His wife glares back at him.

“You should've comforted her,” she whispered.

He shakes his head, raising his hands in surrender. “I'm bad at this.”

“Just, be safe. Okay? Later, when you're free, we should go on ladies' outings.” His wife said, still sending glares to the husband. Seriously, Yoongi should've said something uplifting. But Yoongi's being real. She knows that too. “Just the two of us,” she winked at you as you turned around to look at her.

“Okay. Bye everyone.” At least your lip is twitching upward. A shy smile sweetly adorning your face. Yoongi and his wife can feel the gloomy atmosphere in the room dissipated.

After you're out of the restaurant, at your second job of the day, Yoongi sat with his wife. “What’s with the kid today?” Yoongi asked.

“She won't tell me either. We just treat her gently. She's a sensitive soul.” His wife turns to him, lightly patting his bottom.

“My guess is that it's about the alpha boy she told you about. I think she might be clueless and oblivious with her omega needs. No one taught her stuff when she came of age. I feel so bad for her.” His wife continues.

“You can teach the kid,” Yoongi plopped his head on his wife's shoulder. She's re-arranging the things on the counter.

She elbowed her husband. “Let's do it together. You're an alpha and you can give us an insight?” His wife giggled. Feeling Yoongi's hands are slowly creeping down her waist.

His wife always knows the best so Yoongi listens to her. All the time.

“The kid found her alpha, what's there to teach?” Yoongi mumbles. A part of him feels sad like a brother watching his baby sister grow up. Of course his beloved can sense that too.

“I hope her alpha is a good man. She deserves all the good things anyone can offer. I know you're protective of her like she's a pup, but when she's sad, try to encourage her a little. Okay?” Her hands cupped on his plumpy cheeks. Leaving a kiss on his nose, earning a whine from him when she pulls away.

“Hello. Sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting,” a voice from the front door startled Yoongi. The man instantly stands straight like the alpha he is. When in reality everyone in the shop saw how mushy he was with his mate. Yoongi just grumbles, mumbling something.

“My name is Jungkook,”

“Oh,” Yoongi's eyes widened at his wife. Because that name is awfully familiar as he always heard you giggle when his wife told you Jungkook had ordered. Yoongi crossed his arms on his chest, puffing up to look more muscular and bigger. “So, you’re Jungkoo-”

“Hi, Jungkook! What can we get you? His name is Yoongi, I’m his wife.” His wife breaks him mid sentence, she pinches his side as a sign to usher him to the back of the shop.

She feels the need to introduce themselves to your mate. After all, he’s family now. “Order?” She asked once again.

“Actually, I’m looking for the delivery girl,” Jungkook laughed awkwardly. Afraid that he is being unethical by suddenly barging in to see their worker.

“Oh, sweetie, she just left.” Yoongi’s wife calmly explained. She noticed how Jungkook’s smile faltered. Cooing inside as she finally met your mate. She already sensed that he is a good guy. “But what can we tell her on your behalf?”

“Umm, I don’t know if this is appropriate, but can I have her number?”

“Absolutely no!” Yoongi yells from the kitchen.

“Yes, don’t mind him. He’s a little protective of our worker. She's our only worker.” Yoongi’s wife sheepishly waved her hand. Grabbing a piece of paper and she jotted down your phone number on it.

“She’s our kid sister!” Yoongi feels the need to threaten Jungkook that there is another alpha and his mate looking after you, so he better not mess up. Jungkook swallows hard, feeling like he’s meeting a brother-in-law.

He gets it now, the soft alpha scent on you was Yoongi. You’re in his pack, so it's normal for Yoongi to behave like this. He’s an alpha too, of course he understands Yoongi.

“There you go, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, she talks a lot about you.” Yonggi’s wife politely said. It’s a contrasting reaction from Yoongi. But, Jungkook is glad that aside from him, you have people caring for you.

Jungkook blushed at the last statement from the female omega. His hand firmly gripped on the piece of paper, with your number on it.

There’s no need for you to be nervous, because you’ve been here before. Really, you shouldn’t be nervous. Instead of standing still at the entrance of the apartment you've been to so many times, why don't you just ring his bell and inform him of your arrival. He can allow you up. Like you've done so many times before.

Clammy hands gripping the end of your floral printed blouse, the one Yoongi's wife bought you. Such a good texture, even when your tight knuckles are crumpling it, the blouse still looks fine.

“Okay. Just press his bell,” you muttered to yourself. The apartment’s guard is sitting behind his desk, smiling encouragingly at your tense body. He recognized you.

Even if you're not wearing your usual red shirt. Whatever reason you're here, he's cheering for you. You've always been so polite, greeting him shyly. People like him, the guard, are always invincible. But he feels seen with your small “hello” and “have a nice day”.

He nods at you. “Do you need help?”

“No. I'm good,” you curtly replied. Feeling ashamed of yourself if you told him you're too shy to press the bell.

With one deep breath. You press the bell.

The light on top of the button turned green. Great. One step done! Now walk into the elevator like you always do. You can literally do it with your eyes closed. Just press the loft button and you'd be there in a second.

The ride on the elevator is pretty quick but today it feels even quicker! You barely prepared yourself mentally and now you're already in front of his door. If today is any other day you'd knock on his door. But now, the door is already wide open! He is already waiting for you with his dog barking excitedly. Today is not any usual fried delivery day.

Today, Jungkook invited you over to his house for dinner!

“Come in,” Jungkook said in between his beautiful giggles as he calmed Bam down. The said dog is ready to pounce on you like he always did.

Jungkook noticed the nervous expression on your face completely change as you grinning at the dog. You went straight to ruffle the dog as you stepped into the loft.

Bam really is the cupid. The smell of sweet bubblegum instantly kissed his nose and his alpha instinct is purring at how this smell will stay for a while in his nest!

“You've been here before, but, yea welcome to my humble abode,” Jungkook dramatically waved his hand. A part of him wanted to show off how he's been cleaning and rearranging the house all day.

The kitchen area looks lively with the music coming from there, the sizzling sound on the cooking counter, not to forget the scrumptious smell that makes you salivating so bad.

“It's a very lovely house,” you said. Approvingly nodding your head. The pink of your eyes are glimmering as you take in everything. Usually when you delivered his order, you'd shy away and just leave.

Even Jungkook keeps telling you to be comfortable and just rest for a while - because he's been talking with Yoongi - you politely refuse and are always so honest with your work. Jungkook is so proud of his mate.

“I wanna bring something but you said not to.” You lightly scratch the back of your ears. You remember how sweet he was when he called you. You almost walked to a glass door at one of your students' apartments.

Ever since he got your number, Jungkook is not shying away as he often texted you. Aside from you coming to deliver his order, he makes sure you arrived home safely, sending you good morning and goodnight wishes. At one point he just proposed to you to come over. Said that this time, he wanted to cook for you.

“I‘m already happy you’re here. I don’t need anything else. Let me take care of you,” Jungkook chuckles. He is standing facing the pan as he tossed the food in it. Unconsciously, you were smiling from ear to ear during the whole scene.

“After all, what kind of person am I if I’m not taking care of my mate, hum?” He continues, turning back to you and the golden glimmer of his eyes are so enchanting.

Mate.

No matter how many times you heard of the word you can never help the rush of heat on your cheeks. You have no idea how to feel when you’re supposed to meet your mate. No one told you how to act, what to do when it happened or even what to say. So when Jungkook broke it up to you, your very first reaction was “oh, what do I do now?”

Jungkook is very patient. The very first date was a waffle date. It was short because you’re rushing to tutoring. But Jungkook was fine with it, he’s the one that initiated every text and call. Because, you’re a silly mate, you forgot you have a mate. Jungkook just chuckles when you apologize to him. Yoongi said you’re naive and innocent. He said it’s fine, nothing’s wrong with being innocent.

Your thoughts were interrupted as Jungkook put down your plate in front of you before he put his down.

“I tried,” he shyly confessed.

“You did better than me. I can’t cook.” You said.

“I’ll cook for you forever, don’t worry.”

“There you are, pretty girl.” Jungkook muttered to himself. Chuckling as he strides faster to you. Seeing you standing all alone under the tree. On this cold night with no coat or scarf! Jungkook winced. You must be so cold and he is so mad at himself for not finding you sooner.

After your official visit, Jungkook didn’t hesitate to call you. Ever since that, with you constantly delivering his chickens, in which he ordered just to have them with you in his house, an excuse to spend time with you.

Jungkook comes clean to Yoongi that he’s been stealing your time but the older guy just waved it off, saying that ‘at least she came home safe’

He should’ve learned by now that you're a little straightforward. He should've mentioned where specifically he'd be waiting for you. Instead he just said. “Near the rolling skating avenue.”. He was waiting at the big tree, where there's a food cart under it.

Luckily he can spot you first. Heads turn to search for him, but you’re not mad at all. Smiling at him the moment your eyes caught his figure.

All of the worry by seeing you shivering is only amplified as he can see you're rubbing your arms up and down. Silly girl! Why are you wearing something so thin?

“Hey,” without much thought Jungkook immediately took off his scarf, encircling the thick maroon scarf on your neck. Covering your chin, making your eyes and nose peeking out. Jungkook smiles endearingly at the sight.

Your cheeks are freezing when he cupped your face. Checking you once again and he winces seeing that your nose is runny as you keep sniffing and the pink eyes that he adores the most are glassy.

Jungkook tutted his tongue. You look like you're a second away from catching high fever.

Pulling out his gloves he engulfed your hands in his. Rubbing them together, trying to heat them up. Not truly satisfied, Jungkook blows warm breath on them.

“Why are you wearing so thinly? It's freezing out here.” Jungkook frowned but his eyes softened at your dry lips. Unknowingly he smacked his own lips, feeling the sticky balm that he applied on just before he saw you.

He can just offer his chapstick but his mind betrays him. If he just muster up his courage and lean closer, maybe planting his lips on yours-

“I just got back from tutoring. I didn't realize it's gonna be cold.” You're squeezing his hands. You don't want him to be tense because you're reckless.

The way Jungkook is fussing over you is making you smile like an idiot. You never know how nice it is to have someone to care for you, especially when that person is fated to be yours.

Yoongi and his wife take care of you well too, but Jungkook is different. How he tutted his tongue as he fixed your bangs, how he immediately wrapped you so you can be warm. Nothing is stopping you now.

So you kissed him. It was a poor attempt as your lips landed at the end of his mouth. “Oops, sorry.”

Because of the height difference, you’re awkwardly tiptoeing and the instant warmth from his lips is making you squeal from the inside. This is nice.

Meanwhile Jungkook’s brain short circuited. The sudden act widened his eyes and in a millisecond it happened he missed your lips already.

“You missed, let’s do it again. Please.” Jungkook laughed softly, getting bold now as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Pulling you even closer to the point of sharing one breath.

This time, Jungkook made the move. What started as a touch of lips, suddenly turned braver as he tipped your head with a finger on your chin, granting him easy access to fully locked on your lips. Easily guiding you to open with a gentle nip on your lower lips. With a shy gasp you allowed him and the way your tongue and his tongue are dancing together is making you feel electric all over your body. This is so nice!

Unknowingly you grip hard on his shirt and your little squeal is driving Jungkook wild. Cupping your cheeks he pulled away and laughed at your pout. As if that wasn’t enough.

“Silly, you could've called or texted me that you wanted to wait somewhere warm.” He sighs. “It's not fair.”

“What's not fair?” Raising your brows you stare at him, confused.

“You're making me think about you all the time, worry about you and now I'm nagging at you.” Jungkook fixing your hair behind the scarf.

“I didn't mean to, I'm sorry.”

“No, no. When I said it's not fair, I didn't mean it in a bad way,” he pulled your hands on top of his arm. Together you walked to the nearest cafe. Where he can order you something warm.

“I actually planned on taking you to ice skating, you know.” Jungkook said as he placed your warm cup of chocolate and his latte on the table. A pretty slice of matcha crepe cake makes your eyes glimmer. Jungkook notices it and he grins. Adding it on his mental note of your likes and dislikes.

“I never skate.” You laugh at the imagination of you falling down, landing on your bum.

“Lucky you, I'm the best.” He puffed up his chest. “But some pretty girl forgot to wear thick clothes today. So, I'm thinking roller skating is for our next date.” Jungkook smirks, watching you hide your smile while swirling the spoon, dissolving the marshmallows on the chocolate drink.

Pretty girl? Me?! you thought. “Next date,” you mumble. He caught that.

“Next date. Promise,” he leans over the table to land a kiss on your lips, he couldn’t resist it. You’re too cute.

Yoongi is tired. Last night he went back to his wife's hometown because his father in law fell ill. And he rushed back home to open up his restaurant. Much to his dismay. His favorite worker, the only delivery girl, fell ill as well.

“Fucking cold weather.” He grumbles. Suddenly blaming the weather for making people sick. Now, he's not sure what to do. He can just pack up and close the restaurant for the day. It's not like it's gonna be a big loss. He opened this business as a side job. His real income is writing. Texting the group chat which consists of him, his wife and you.

Boss : kid, how bad is your cold?

you: bearable. I can come clock in for today.

Boss’s wife : nonsense! You, stay home! Yoongi, come home too. Don't open the restaurant today.

you: okay boss

Boss: i’m your boss

you: you are?

Boss: Look at this kid! Getting braver now since you're going out with Jeon.

Jungkook: how are you feeling today?

you: yeah, Jungkook because it makes me feel safe and brave. :p

No reply from Yoongi. You thought he must be busy closing up.

Jungkook: I'm very happy to read that, sweetheart.

A moment of silence passed before you let out the loudest gasp you ever heard coming from your mouth. You thought you replied to Yoongi but you're actually replying to Jungkook!

You're so embarrassed beyond words right now. How are you going to say anything back to him?

Meanwhile Jungkook is blushing red. Kicking his feet up in the air as he rolls down the clean rug in his room. After working for a few hours on a new song for a recording company, Jungkook feels like he needs to text you.

Considering how the date went last night, he just wanted to make sure you're not catching cold. But your reply caught him off guard.

Jungkook feels like his heart swells and it almost bursts as he keeps reading your words. Jungkook makes me feel safe and brave.

Oh, how he wanted to hug you right now. Bam noticed his human was so happy, he started to bounce along.

Your face heats up and you're biting your lips. You have to reply or else he'd think you're being weird. You are so weird! You thought to yourself.

Jungkook: As much as I want you to elaborate on that text, I also wanted to know your wellbeing. Did you catch a cold? Are you working today?

This. This is why Jungkook makes you feel safe. He is caring and attentive to your needs. Despite just getting to know each other, he cares for you.

you: i'm not working today. I don't feel very well. But I'll get better soon.

A few moments passed without his reply and you decided to take a cold shower to eliminate the heat. The cold sweat on your forehead and your back is making you feel so sticky.

Laying down on the couch is making your neck ache as well. You stood up to soothe the ache but you stood up too fast. It makes you very dizzy.

You keep blinking your eyes as you can only see blackspots. It's scary and you start to whimper. With your hand steadying yourself by the wall, you took a deep breath.

Sickness is common, since you're sensitive to cold weather, but it feels like it is coming in tenfold. Like a heavy boulder is on your chest as you breath shakily.

The trip from the living room to the shower feels like miles away. You're living in a tiny flat house. Kitchen, living room and shower are just a few feet apart.

You're really sleepy, maybe after a shower you'll take a nap.

The cold water from the shower head hits the tiles, after you twist the handle, though the sound is muffled in your ears. The cold is messing up with everything. It feels like a huge cotton ball stuck in your ears. The ringing just won't stop. With blurry eyes you pulled it together to drag your feet into the shower.

Yes. Just a splash and then you can have a nice nap on your cozy bed. All you can see and feel is the water hitting your face, the cold walls, and suddenly it's all blank.

“Wake up! Baby! Come on. Shit! Oh god!”

A frantic voice is all you hear but you're so tired to open your eyes and your mouth.

“You're scaring me, baby! Please, please, open your eyes!”

You're focusing on the voice, but the first thing that hits you first is his alpha scent. Unlike the familiar mountain smell, this smell is strong. He smells very distressed and panicked. Jungkook is panicking and you're fighting so hard to hold him, to lean to him.

You're trying to utter a word but everything that comes out from your mouth is groaning and soft whimper. That only spikes Jungkook’s protective sense even higher. With a pained expression, he swept your wet hair from your forehead, running his hand on your head. Peppering kisses all over your cold face.

He is petrified at your blue-ish lips. Bringing your face to his neck, hoping his scent can bring you warmth. Oh, his heart literally dropped when he found you laying down under the running water. God knows how long you've been in that state.

He's guessing this happened the moment after your last text. Which was almost half an hour ago.

Jungkook feels like screaming, seeing you, his omega, helplessly on the cold floor. You could get hypothermia or something! His heart is still not calming down.

After turning off the water he pulled you up onto his laps. He didn't care how wet his pants were right now. He got to make sure you're conscious first.

He carries you gently out of the cold shower. Frantically eyeing up any sort of towel or blanket to cover your naked body. The last thing he can do now is expose your body to the cold. The big blanket on your bed is what Jungkook manages to snatch before he wraps it on your body.

“Can you hear me? Humm?” Jungkook speaks softly. He felt bad when he shouted the moment he saw you, him panicking just now must've shocked you. Lightly caressing your cheeks, he calls your name again and again.

Jungkook was about to call for an ambulance but he heard a broken whimper, his heart pains even more.

He rubbed your head in hope to alleviate any discomfort, feeling a slight relief and your fingers are getting warmer.

“Jungkook,” you said weakly. Your eyes flutter open. You're feeling dazed and starting to mumble incoherently in between his name.

“Shh, I'm here. Let's go to the hospital, hum?” He asked. His fingers keep massaging your scalp. The heat from your body slowly rises as you're no longer wet. Jungkook is anxious yet so gentle when he's rubbing your body with a towel.

“You have a fever, baby.” He tutted.

“No hospital, please.” You whined. You don’t like hospitals. It is the last place you wanted to be. “Stay here.”

“You sure? Your body is like a furnace.” He palms his hand on your forehead, leaning closer as leave a kiss on the scorching skin.

“Jungkook,” you whine, your hand is crumpling his shirt with your fist. With your eyes still shut, you depend on your nose to look for him. When you feel like he is too far away when in fact he is sitting on the bed, very close to you.

For some reason he is too far. That makes you rake out sad sobs.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Jungkook frowns at the distress scent coming from you. His carnal instinct is whimpering, begging him to do something, to calm the omega laying beside him.

“Jungkook, don't go.”

Jungkook cooed as your tears started streaming down your eyes. Instantly he wipes them. “I’m not going anywhere.” He patted the side of your head, hoping it'll calm you down.

For someone smaller than him, and obviously weak at this moment, your fist is tightly gripping on him. As if you're not letting him go even an inch away from you.

Jungkook leans over and suddenly you pull him, circling your arms on his neck. Jungkook was taken aback and luckily he didn't fall onto you, he managed to hold himself up with his arms planted by each of your sides.

What is even more surprising is you're nuzzling on his neck. Searching for his scent. In just a second he heard you're letting out a relieved sigh and the distress scent of yours is slowly disappearing.

Being this close, almost chest to chest, Jungkook can hear your heartbeat beating calmly. You're purring under him and it took him a million ounces to restrain himself from crushing you. You're too adorable!

“There you go, my sweetheart.” Jungkook chuckles lightly, if he knows this is the remedy, he'd hug you tightly a lot sooner.

After he makes sure you're asleep, he slowly gets up from the uncomfortable sitting position. His back is screaming but at least you're no longer crying. The creaking on your bed makes him flinch. But your nakedness under the blanket is what worries him more.

His eyes fell on the neatly folded clothes near the bed. A smile creeping up his face, he never entered your house and seeing how clean it is, he feels a sense of pride.

After he managed to dress you in a shirt and pajama pants that he found, he noticed that your bed had too many pillows. The way you arranged them and how fluffy they looked, it’s like a little nest.

Jungkook's thoughts were interrupted by the vibrations of his phone. It was Yoongi.

“Hey, how's she?” Yoongi asked. Jungkook can also hear his wife's voice. “I told you we should go see her,” she mumbles at the back. Yoongi was just silent, waiting for Jungkook to answer him.

“I found her in the shower. Under it to be exact. I think she passed out while showering but she's okay now. Sleeping.” Jungkook answered as his other hand was placing a pot on the stove.

“Oh god. She passed out in the shower?” Yoongi's wife gasped so loud, snatching the phone from her husband. “Jungkook! How is she now?! Oh thank god I gave you the key Jungkook,” her worried tone makes Jungkook think of his mom.

“She's awake though a bit dazed, but she refused to go to the hospital. I'm making her something to eat.” At the mention of the key, Jungkook feels a rush of relief in his body.

When he texted Yoongi about you, the later man said that you're not coming to work today. His wife pushed Jungkook to come and pick your spare key from her. She said someone should check on you.

Here he is now, thankful for Yoongi's wife.

“Oh she hates hospitals. But, Jungkook. There's something you should know.” Yoongi's wife said in a hushed tone. Earning herself a stare from Yoongi. She wasn't his mate in just a day, she knows he still thinks you are under his care which he shouldn't. Because you have found your alpha. And he is taking care of you now.

“Yeah?” Jungkook asked. Halting his search in your refrigerator.

“I think she is in pre-heat. She usually is around this time.”

Jungkook's eyes widened at the statement. It makes all sense now. The fever, the nesting and her calling him alpha. The reason why Jungkook couldn’t smell her heat scent was probably because his sense was clouded in making sure you’re safe first.

“Obviously she's an omega so she is very clingy and needy at this time. The thing is, she wasn't taught how to take care of herself properly when it comes to this. When we met, I sort of helped and guided her. Since I'm an omega myself, I can watch over her. But now she has you, her alpha. I'm counting on you to treat her with care and love, too. Okay?” She fiddles with her apron, worries are clearly etched on her face and it makes Yoongi frown.

His mate is feeling emotional. So he hugged her side. Letting her finish prepping Jungkook.

Jungkook feels his chest puffing up after hearing that from her. How she put her trust on him in taking care of you. As an alpha, it is a prideful moment when someone else views you as capable of taking care of his own mate.

“I will. I promise. Thank you,” Jungkook firmly said. Yoongi and his wife are important in your life, he wanted to make a great impression and be someone that these two can trust.

“Make her mushrooms congee, she loves that.” Yoongi mouthed to his wife, wanting her to reply to Jungkook.

“Oh if there's mushrooms in her fridge, make her some soup or congee if you can. She can only stomach soft food during this particular time.” She reminds Jungkook. “Soft food, but plenty of them.”

“Got it.” Jungkook silently cheered at the whole pack of mushrooms he found. Thanking the god that his mom taught him to cook. Congee is easy.

“Don't worry too much, I'll take care of her.”

“Call us if anything happens or if you need us.”

“I will,”

You're hearing voices and you recognize the voice. You’re trying your best to respond but you feel as if you’re underwater, because everything is muffled and the ringing in your ear just won’t stop.

You're gathering lots of memories of what happened today. You were sick, you took a shower, and blank, and then there's the familiar scent, you remember feeling someone putting a shirt over your head, the lingering kisses on your face, a feeling of a sturdy chest, a calloused hand brushing your thighs like a feather as he puts on your pants.

His soft touch brought goosebumps on your skin. Somehow the shy thought unconsciously triggered a slick feeling in between your legs.

Jolted up, you shake your head, too fast and it's making you dizzy again. A whine coming out from your mouth as you can feel the whole room is spinning even with your back is supported by the head board.

At the sound, Jungkook is at your door in a second. His hearing is heightened now that he knows his omega is in pre-heat. Whether it's in a few moments or a day, you will completely be in heat. He is getting prepared for that moment.

The two of you have yet to claim each other so Jungkook feels a little constricted. He just wanted to jump on the bed and take care of you the way you would want but he is a well-mannered alpha. He respects your decisions of wanting to take time, slow and steady.

“Koo,” you whine while pinching your head, the pain subsides as soon as you can smell him. He is your alpha through and through.

In a heartbeat Jungkook is on the bed sitting facing you. “How are you feeling? Hum? Is somewhere hurt?” He asked with gentle tones, pulling your hands down while he's the one carefully massaging your head now.

“Not really good, but I'm okay.” You moan when he pinches the right pressure on the pain spot on your head. Earning a chuckle from him, you're practically purring. With your body inching closer to him,

Jungkook took the liberty to just pull you and your head is pressed on his chest. Seeing that you're not rejecting that gesture, Jungkook is blooming on the inside.

Listening to his steady heartbeat and the vibration of him humming almost lulls you back to sleep again.

“You good?” Jungkook laughs at your delirious state. He cannot see your face clearly but the sound you make when he massages your scalp is so adorable.

“Very good,” your reply is muffled as your face is pressed on his chest.

“I made you something, let's eat first.” He tapped on your side, ushering you to stay awake. He'll be at peace if you have something in your stomach before you rest again. “Come on. Up, up. You’re sick and I’m taking care of you and that’s final.” He chuckles at your defeated whine, gifting your obedience with a kiss on your head.

“You’re so nice to me,” You murmur as Jungkook blows softly at the hot porridge. Bringing his hand to spoon-fed you with a bright smile on his face. It is exactly like how he imagined. Taking care of his omega.

Now, he should just come clean now.

“I really want to mark you as my mate, now.” Right after he finished his sentences, he felt a sudden rush on his face. Embarrassed now that he is acting like a teenage boy in love.

Eyes only looking at your mouth opening as he fed you. It is so cute to see Jungkook’s mouth also opening, imitating yours.

“Really?” You asked, like a fool. Wide eyes searching for him. You’ve heard stories of dominant and assertive alpha but Jungkook is so different. He is so gentle with you and that makes your heart melt.

“You have been very patient. Why are you taking so long to mark me? We went on dates, we hung out for some time, too.” you whined. This is the side of you that Jungkook never knew existed. Maybe it’s the preheat talking.

“What do you mean?” he chuckles. Shaking his head at how you tilted your head to him.

“I mean, I didn't know I was supposed to feel this way when I found my mate. And you never said anything too, I thought you were waiting for the right moment. But, I can’t wait anymore, now, after you said you want to mark me.” You babbles, fingers are making unknown patterns on your blanket.

“I want you to be comfortable with me first,” Jungkook answered.

“You’re so kind to me, you know that?” you sobbed.

“Why are you so sad?” Jungkook's eyebrows scrunched at your sudden change. “I think your thoughts are a little cloudy, hum?” He pushed the hair on your sweaty forehead and he realizes you’re breathing hard now.

Your cheeks are burning up and your eyes are unfocused. Jungkook also didn’t miss the heightened smell of bubblegum. Instantly he put down the bowl and cupped your cheeks.

“hey,” he called for you.

“Want you, Koo. Want you now,” you replied. Your warm hands rest on top of him bringing them down to your under belly. “It’s achy,” you sobbed. Jungkook sucked in a deep breath and it was a fault, because his nose was hit by a sudden smell of your arousal. He is on alert. Because that is a big sign that you’re in heat.

Unmated omega when they’re in heat, sometimes they can play with themselves. Mated omega, however are more needy, they will beg to be filled because they are aware of what their body wants.

Mated means there’s an Alpha present and the brain is sending a message to the body to be ready for breeding.

This is why mated omegas are sometimes unstoppable when they’re in heat. The problem right now is, you are not really unmated because Jungkook is your mate. He can practically help you go through the whole period of this intense time.

Jungkook is fighting with everything in him to restrain himself. He wanted to help you only when you’re in the right state of mind. Only when you gave him permission. Because right now he feels like he is violating your trust, disrespecting you or taking advantage of you. He wants it in the right way.

“You’re not thinking straight. I don’t want you to be upset after all of this is over.” Jungkook is slowly coaxing you.

You shake your head, your hands trying to bring his hand closer to your inner thighs.

He tried, he really is trying his best. The alpha in him is clawing inside of him at your soft whimpers.

“I am thinking straight. You’re my alpha, my mate. Aren’t you supposed to help me?” You frown. Blinking repeatedly to brush away the glaze in your eyes. Somehow the tears still managed to escape.

“Are you rejecting me?” Your small voice is killing Jungkook.

“No, no, no. no. I am not rejecting you. I just want you to be in a clear state of mind.” Jungkook explained, cupping your cheeks with his free hand as his thumb wiped away the stray tears. “Shh, don’t cry. Please.”

“But I swear this is not just the heat talking. I really want you, I need you, please,” you ramble on.

Jungkook really looks into your eyes, as if he’s looking for a sign, even if it’s so small, just a sign that you are not very aware of this situation. After seeing the confident glimmer on two surfaces that he fell in love with every damn time, he lets out a chuckle at your silly request.

“Okay, baby.” He rubs your side, only now noticing that you’re already on his lap.

You heave out a relieved sigh. “Thank you,”

“Come closer, pretty.” Jungkook whispers, guiding your hands around his neck. His nose is touching yours and you can feel his warm breath fanning your face. Honestly it makes you feel so secure, knowing that he is so near. You’re obviously already heaving even at the simple touch of his. Finally,

The distance between his lips and yours are torturous. You greedily kissed on his lips. Ignoring him for trying to position you comfortably.

“Kook,” you pulled your lips back, only to slam it harder on him.

“Patience, baby.” Jungkook chuckles. Eyes closing.

All of self-control aside, you started grinding down on his crotch and fondling your breasts right now. Every little breath that passes your lips is breaking Jungkook little by little. He can hold on for so much.

“Do something, it’s achy,” you pouted. You’re sitting on his crotch causing the alpha to let out a grunt. He can feel the dampen wetness from you on his pants.

“I will take care of you baby. I promise.” Jungkook squeezed your hips before he took over your body and laid you down on the bed. Not wanting to take even more time after hearing how desperate you sound, he pulled down your pants.

Curses left his mouth as he stared at your cunt as it was slick with wetness. “God, baby. You’re making a mess. I haven't done anything yet.”

Your hands are struggling to either grip the sheet or just grab his hair. You succumb to the latter and when your fingers are locking in his hair, you swear you never wanna let go.

The sinful sound of him sniffing your cunt is making you more tingling. No more shying away as your priority for now is to have him inside of you or you will go insane.

“Let me taste you first, hum?” The vibration of his voice and the cold air he blew straight to your cunt makes you pull his hair harder. He doesn’t even flinch and you’re growing annoyed.

He slot himself in between your shaky thighs. His hand grips your thigh causing it hard to clamp close. You’re trashing on the bed, begging for some friction. It is very agonizing to see him smelling your cunt instead of touching it.

“You smell divine baby, can’t believe this is mine,” Jungkook sniffed on top of the mound.

“Please, do something, please.” You begged. With eyes shut and knowing how close he already is, you chanted for him to just do whatever he pleases.

“Touch me with your tongue, your finger, your cock, I don’t care! Just wanna be full of cum. Please Kook- ah!” a light pinch on your clit jolted you. Whimpering louder as Jungkook tutted his tongue.

“I have no idea my baby got such a dirty mouth,” Jungkook looked at you with hooded eyes as he straightened his back. Currently looming over you with one hand parting your legs wider and the other hand is playing with your sticky lips. Easily rubbing his fingers on the clit with the help of your wetness that he collected.

“Huh, has she always been this dirty or is it just for me?”

Toying with your clit, Jungkook is switching from rubbing to pinching it, causing you to moan with a fist in your mouth. Jungkook is not having any of it, scoffing, he pulls your hand away from your mouth and he grips the wrist.

“Nuh huh, answer me first. I wanna hear you.” His voice vibrates in between your thighs.

“For you. Only for my alpha,” you breathe out. Satisfied with your answer Jungkook dived down and started lapping on your cunt like a mad man. The sound is sinful. He lapped and licked every drop from your cunt. He’s switching from licking to sucking your clit. That really throws you over the edge.

“Ahhh! Yes!” You chanted. One hand securely gripping his luscious hair and the other is crumpling the bedsheet. Holding on as if it will help you calm. “So good!” You moaned.

“Yeah? So good, baby?” Jungkook asks, sneakily looking at you with every lick he takes. His golden eyes are more focused now and he can feel his dick hardened by the view. Your chest is moving up and down, and he can see your nipples are poking through the shirt. The sound of your moans with how messy the bedsheet is because you’re gripping it so tightly.

At this point Jungkook's cock begs to be released from his pants. He started grinding on the bed as he moved his body. Seeing you writhing on the bed, eyelids fluttering and your mouth agape deliriously. The sinful sight almost makes Jungkook blow off his loads.

It certainly did not help when you roam your hand from his hair, to his ear, his cheek. Your touch is electrifying. Jungkook groaned before he stood on his knees. The sudden stop from him is cruel to you.

You almost reached your high with his tongue.

“Wha-why?” Your hands are scrambling to catch him and bring him back to where he was supposed to be. “More, please. Jungkook, more.”

“Easy, baby. I don’t want it to be over too.” He said. “It's just, your cunt is too good, I almost cum” he breathes. His eyes are full of lust at your wet cunt. He can see how greedy your cunt is sucking on nothing. You clench and unclench the tight muscle and he curses. With laboured breath Jungkook plays with your cunt’s lips. Teasing you. Sort of like a punishment for making him losing control.

“Put your fingers in, Jungkook,” your whines is like a music to his hear. It made him want to tease you more. He purposely run his fingers in your opening. Up and down, up and down.

“Not yet, baby,” he chuckles. You’re a whining mess now, you squirm in hopes his fingers will stick inside.

“Please,” you sobbed.

“Shh, shh.” He reached your face and left trails of kisses from your forehead, your nose, your cheeks.

“An angel,” he said as he lightly brushed his lips against yours. Plump and swollen from your own bites. Jungkook kisses you like a hungry man.

As he kissed you, he slowly pushed down two fingers inside of your cunt. He is not even letting you adjust first as he keeps making the come hither motion, repeatedly. Slamming the slick covered fingers in and out as his eyes are fixed on your eyes. Freeing your wrist, he cups your jaw.

“Look at your alpha. Listen to the sticky sound, how wet you are.” Very contrasting to the brutal fingering, the hand that cupped your jaw is surprisingly soft. “Good omega,” he praises you.

“I really wanna treat you with care. Wanna eat you out slowly, and then open you up nicely with my fingers, but my pretty omega is so desperate for a cock. For my cock. What am I gonna do?” Jungkook feigns a sad pout and before you realize it he is adding another finger into your hole. Gasping at the sudden intrusion, you’re clawing at his biceps.

“Yes! Yes, yes right there!” You moan as he keeps hitting the spot. The feeling of tightness in your lower belly like a band about to snap. His action is taking your breath away, making you panting with broken moans.

With every jab of his fingers, the band is pulled and pulled and you can feel the wave of arousal is about to crash on you.

“Ah, ah, ah Jungkook! Keep going! Please, please, please”

Chuckling darkly from above you, it seems like Jungkook can sense it too by how tight and sticky your cunt has gotten.

“You’re so loud, baby.” He teases the sounds that you produced. If it’s possible, he wants to hear it all night long.If you before your heat could look at you now, she would’ve died in embarrassment.

Truthfully you’d screamed out of your lungs and you’re not gonna give a damn because the sensation is so powerful as you never felt this way before. Maybe in the past all you had was your own hand and some toys, or maybe you just slept away until it’s over because you have no one to help you. Maybe because you’ve found your other half, maybe it’s Jungkook.

Unknowingly you let out a dreamy sigh as you’re thinking more about Jungkook. The said man notices every change of your expression and he wonders what’s on your mind. He crawled down closer to your engorged clit.

Licking it again and started sucking the moment he heard your gasp. His fingers are still working inside of you, with his mouth getting busy as well. The slurping and the sucking sound echo in the room.

“Oh my- oh god,” you moan long. Too much sensation and the band snapped. The ringing in your ears deafen every sound and all you can think is him, him and him. Your mouth is open wide, and the only sounds that come out are broken ah’s and your breath.

Eyes shut tight.

Big hands are rubbing your calf up and down. “Come back to me, baby.” His lips are ghosting on your inner thigh. Weird feeling of wetness trailed every skin his lips landed on. Jungkook’s hand is squeezing your waist. Calling you one more time, coaxing you to open your eyes. And you did.

All you can see is Jungkook, with shaggy hair covering his forehead, and his lips, down to his chin and neck are glistening wet.

“Fuck, pretty baby. That was so hot.” He chuckled. Coming up to give you a languid kiss. Letting you taste yourself on him. As if possessed, you cup his chin and lick up the slick from his jaw making him moan this time.

Now when you’re chest to chest with him again, you needily try to pull his shirt off. Feeling unfair now that you’re already half naked and he is still covered. When he realizes your action, Jungkook helps you by pulling the shirt from the back of his head, using it to wipe out the residue wetness on his neck and chin.

The sight salivates you even more, now that you can see his rigid abs. Eyes trailing down and down, from his wide shoulder to his chest and to the slim waist of his, your eyes widen with lust the lower you look.

Happy to see the tent in his pants.

“Like what you see, baby?” Palming himself, Jungkook said with a deep voice. He himself is at the edge of his self-control. But an alpha like him, he feels the need to pleasure you first.

Your fingers are eager to unbuckle the belt, to free his cock from its confinement. Jungkook helps you out with a chuckle, pulling off the pants leaving him in black boxer brief. From the outline of it, his cock is huge.

You must be high on his pheromones as you crawl closer. The needier part of you is making bold decisions. His smell is getting thicker now that you realized. Jungkook must be emitting his smell to protect you in the nest. You’re rolling with content at that. Feeling at the top of the world, you want to give anything and everything to him.

“Wanna suck you,” you licked your lips, the act that Jungkook followed closely with his golden eyes. If he gives up to lust he’d shoved your face to his throbbing cock. But he is still in a clear state of mind, he wants to pamper you, treat you gently. He wants to worship you.

Pulling out his cock, the tip is already dribbled with precum. Being a good omega you are, you planted your fingernails on your thighs. Patiently waiting for him to guide you.

“Closer, baby.” He moans. One hand is moving up and down his girthy shaft. The head is angry red and it must’ve been hurt. Unknowingly you whine for your mate, never wanting him to be uncomfortable. So, you lick up from his balls. Up the base, following the bulging veins up to the head. You teasingly lick the slit. The heady taste is making your head spin yet you repeated the motion.

“Don’t tease.” Jungkook hissed. His fingers are carding through your hair, pulling them up to a makeshift ponytail. He shut his eyes at the feeling of your coy tongue lapping up his precum.

“baby! ah fuck!!” He never knew he could be vocal at receiving heads. It’s definitely because it is you. Everything about you is electric and new.

“Yeah, good omega, so good.” He moans when you start to suck him properly. “You can suck faster,” With his permission, your head starts bobbing up and down and you know you’re doing a decent job because he cannot stop moaning.

Your hand is engulfing his shaft for the part that your mouth cannot swallow. Hollowing your cheek, you’re giving a fair treatment to his balls by fondling them and your cunt is leaking wet.

Everything is a lot and yet you want more.

With your free hand you’re teasing your own opening. From his view he can clearly see you’re pleasuring yourself as you’re working hard on him. Jungkook pulled your head instantly, diving down to kiss you ferociously as he kicked off his boxer completely.

“Sorry baby. Today’s about you. I wanna help you, baby.” Jungkook said in between kisses and slots himself properly in between your thighs. Guiding his cock to your entrance. The feeling of the bulbous head makes you gasp. Jungkook notices that you’re tense and he distracts you by whispering sweet nothing to your ears.

Omega in heat are usually ready to receive a knot but Jungkook knows that this is your first time experiencing it with an alpha, and a mate at that too. Of course you’re nervous. The sweet pink in your eyes softens Jungkook’s heart. How he adores you and the last thing he wants is to hurt you.

“Relax for me baby,” he kisses and sucks the skin in between your neck and shoulder. The spot that emitted your smell the strongest, planning to place his mark there. In order to relax you, he nibbles on your ear, neck, and chest. The blooming purples and reds are scattered beautifully on your skin.

The moment Jungkook can feel your breathing is even, he gathers your cum from the first orgasm, coating his length before pushing in.

“Oh-,” your hands clawing on his shoulders as he eases inside inch by inch. “You’re so big,” you whine, voice muffling as you sob at his neck.

“Yeah? You’re doing so good.” With his hands on your hips he pulled out with only the tip still inside of you, pushing back even deeper. “That’s it, that’s my pretty omega,” Jungkook picked up the steady pace as you breathed out more and more to him.

“I’m a good omega?” Seeking your Alpha’s attention as you bite his shoulder. “Am I doing well?”

“Yes! Yes, baby. My good omega. Wanna be good to you too.” Jungkook grunt. Your cunt is so warm and keeps gushing out slick, if he moves too fast, his cock might slip out easily. Hiking up your legs to his slim waist, you get the message that he wants you to tighten your hold on him.

With your heels on his ass, he feels a bit more in control. Pounding into you to the point of the only sound that can be heard is the skins slapping on skins and your whimper.

“There! There! You feel so good!” You’re chanting now. The familiar feel in your lower belly is returning as he keeps going harder. “Cum inside, wanna be full of your cum,” you begged.

“Ah, fuck, you’re so tight!” Jungkook growls. The sweat on his body and yours are making everything stuck together. Your chest heaving up and down with your back arched from the bed. Jungkook took this chance to latch his lips on your perking nipple. That elicits another loud moan from you. He bites the nub and with his crazy energy from his lower body almost making you pass out. Again.

“I’m cummin, I’m cumming,” you sob.

“Ready for my knot baby,” not a question anymore as Jungkook can feel his base is about to swell.

“Please!” You’re so lost in your head as the orgasm is looming closer now. “Wanna be swollen with your cum,” you mew. Jungkook’s eyes are even more focused, now that you started to dirty talk to him. How brazen his sweet omega is.

“You’re gonna be so pretty swollen with my cum. Soon, you’ll be carrying my babies. Huh, gonna be so big because of me,” Jungkook let out a loud moan at the thought.

Though at the back of his mind he knows it’s too early for babies but still, thinking about it makes his cock twitch in you.

“Come on baby. Cum for me,” Jungkook rolls his thumb on your clit.

“Ah! I’m close,” you groan. “Mark me now, Jungkook.” Barring your neck to him as your body shakes when the second orgasm hits you.

“My mate, my perfect mate.” Jungkook planted his teeth on the skin, lapping up to soothe the reddened skin as he soon follows you into the orgasm state. His cock is swelling and lodged perfectly inside of you. Shushing you down as you wiggling uncomfortably.

“It’ll deflate soon, baby.” Jungkook reassures you.

“Wanna mark you, too.” With uncertainty you look at him. Jungkook’s heart clenched.

“Please, I am yours,” he cupped the back of your head as he pulled you closer to his neck. The bite of your teeth is like a rush of warm water, soothing.

“My mate,” Jungkook whispered adoringly to your ear, the two of you coming down from your high. It’s the beginning of your heat and before it’s over, it is his duty to take care of you.

It suddenly hits him that he now - officially- has a mate. Lying next to you, with you in his arms and his cock is still deep in you. Jungkook has a mate now.

“My mate,” your soft voice broke him from his thoughts. Jungkook hums along as he scents you.

True to his expectation, the two of you spent the whole week, fucking. In your nest, in your bathroom and even your kitchen. Jungkook thanks the lucky stars that you’ve already stuffed your kitchen cabinets and fridge with lots of food.

During your heat, you never think about the basic necessities but his cock. Only wanting him, his cum and his body.

Jungkook took his role very seriously, providing you snacks after he filled you to the brim. Cleaning you up though you whimpered every time he did so because according to you, you wanted to be covered in his cum.

The idea of drying, flaky cum from the both of you is not very appealing to him so he has to tend to your sulky, bratty attitude.

Maybe he took his alpha role too seriously when he edged you during the whole week of sex but Jungkook is the best in after care.

“Baby?” Jungkook heard the barks of his dog.

After the whole euphoric week, Jungkook can never be away from you. So he insisted you live together with him. Now, it has been a few months since you decided to move in.

“Bam, slow down,” your giggle can be heard from the front door. The sound of your giggle feels like angels singing in his ears. He will always smile adoringly every time he hears you coming in from the door. After work you took Bam, the dobermann to the park, like every other evening.

Jungkook cooly said “Bam likes you now and he is only excited if it’s you who took him to the park,” you know he is frowning as his dog chooses you over him. His companion for years.

But Jungkook didn’t mind at all. Because life is much better now he gets to prepare meals for you, he gets to provide a safe space for you to come home, he is just content that he gets to be with you.

Jungkook tilted his head as he could hear the pitter-patter of Bam’s foot and yours towards him.

“There you are,” Jungkook grins like a fool as you throw yourself onto him.

#jungkook #bts jungkook #jungkook fic #jungkook imagines #jungkook x reader #jungkook fluff #jugkook smut #bts #bts x reader #bts fanfic #jeon jungkook #alpha jungkook #omega reader #there you are

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girl-next-door-writes · 3 days ago

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Wrapped In You

Characters: Eddie Munson x reader

Summary: Snowy Hawkins sets the stage for Eddie and his best friend’s Christmas Eve adventure, leading to heartfelt confessions.

Word Count: 1369 words

Prompts: Best friends to lovers. Wearing their clothes.

A/N: This one is for the brilliant @saramelaniemoon and I can honestly say Eddie has been such fun to write.

Snow coated the small town of Hawkins like powdered sugar, the streets lined with twinkling lights and festive wreaths. Christmas was in full swing, and Eddie Munson had somehow convinced you to help him pick out the "perfectly imperfect" Christmas tree for his uncle’s trailer. You’d been best friends for years, ever since Eddie decided you weren’t like the others who shunned him for his love of all things metal and his disdain for conformity. Now, here you were, bundled up in Eddie’s worn denim jacket with the furry lining, trudging through the snow at Hawkins' only Christmas tree lot, which was somehow still open on Christmas Eve.

The air smelled of pine and sap, a mix of freshly cut trees and the faint burn of a fire pit at the lot’s edge. The snow crunched rhythmically under your boots as you stepped around crooked rows of evergreens, each one dusted with sparkling frost under the glow of the overhead lights.

“Eddie,” you called out, your breath puffing like smoke in the crisp winter air. “I can’t feel my toes. Can we please pick a tree that isn’t taller than the trailer?”

Eddie turned around, his unruly curls poking out from beneath a Santa hat he’d adorned just for the occasion. “Sweetheart,” he drawled, dragging the word out like he was savoring it. “You can’t rush art. The Munson Christmas tree must be chosen, not settled for.”

You rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t fight the smile tugging at your lips. Eddie Munson was a force of nature, even in the dead of winter, and the warmth in your chest had nothing to do with the jacket you were wearing. You stuffed your gloved hands into the too-big pockets, the frayed lining a reminder that this was Eddie’s favourite jacket.

The fact that he’d handed it over without hesitation earlier, when you’d started shivering, made it even harder to ignore the growing ache in your chest—the one that screamed you were hopelessly in love with your best friend.

Eddie let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head like a disappointed artist. “Fine,” he said, pointing to a tree so lopsided it looked like it had been in a bar fight. “This one speaks to me.”

You laughed, a sound that melted into the winter air, and for a second, the cold didn’t matter at all.

“Oh! Or maybe this one!” He pointed out a tree that looked even more dilapidated than the last.

After much debate and a lot of teasing, Eddie finally found “the one”—a small pine tree that was more branches than needles.

“Perfect,” you say, rolling your eyes as he gesturing dramatically like a proud artist unveiling his masterpiece.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he replied with a wink, hoisting the tree onto his shoulder with ease.

Back at Eddie’s trailer, you helped him wrestle the tree into the corner of the living room. Wayne was at work, and Eddie had insisted that tonight was “tree night.” It didn’t matter that the two of you were the only ones decorating.

The heater in the corner of the room hummed loudly, fighting off the December chill that seeped through the thin trailer walls. The faint scent of pine mingled with Eddie’s cologne and the unmistakable aroma of old, second-hand furniture. Eddie put on his favourite Christmas album—a rock-infused holiday record you were sure Wayne would grumble about later—and started untangling the multicoloured lights.

“Here, hold this,” Eddie said, thrusting a tangle of lights into your arms with the enthusiasm of someone handing off a live grenade.

You helped him drape the tree in mismatched ornaments, some homemade and others clearly rescued from thrift store bins. Eddie held up a tattered angel with one bent wing, his face alight with mischief.

“Think we can fix her?” he asked.

You grinned, your fingers brushing the delicate figure. “She’s perfect just the way she is.”

Eddie’s gaze lingered on you a moment too long, his brown eyes catching the soft glow of the Christmas lights. For a heartbeat, the only sound was the hum of the heater and the distant croon of a holiday ballad on the stereo. Then he cleared his throat and climbed onto the couch to place the angel atop the tree.

He perched her in place with exaggerated care, as if she might fall apart in his hands. For a moment, you thought about how fitting she was: a little worse for wear but still shining, still loved.

When Eddie hopped back down, his shoulder brushed yours, lingering just a second longer than it needed to. You smiled at him, but he was already untangling another strand of lights, the moment slipping through your fingers like smoke.

Hours later, you found yourself on Eddie’s couch, wrapped in a scratchy but warm blanket while a cheesy Christmas movie flickered on the TV. The heater hummed softly in the corner, filling the trailer with an uneven warmth, and the faint scent of pine from the tree mixed with the sharper tang of Eddie’s cologne. Eddie was sprawled out next to you, his legs stretched across the cushions, one arm draped over the back of the couch like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Admit it,” he said, nudging your shoulder with his own. “This is the best Christmas Eve you’ve ever had.”

You laughed, leaning your head against the back of the couch. “It’s up there. You make things… fun.”

Eddie’s expression softened, and the teasing glint in his eyes faded into something quieter, more sincere. “You’re the fun one,” he said. “I’m just the weirdo who drags you into my ridiculous schemes.”

“Eddie,” you said, shaking your head. “You’re not a weirdo.”

He smirked, his dimples flashing. “You say that like being weird’s a bad thing.”

You huffed a laugh, but your heart was racing now. His gaze was intense, locking on yours like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

“I mean it,” he said, his voice low and steady. “You make everything better. You always have.”

“Eddie…” Your throat tightened, the weight of his words wrapping around you like the blanket. You weren’t sure if it was the heat of his confession or the way he was looking at you—like you were the only thing that mattered in the world.

He leaned closer, his curls brushing against your cheek. “I’m serious. You’re the best part of my life, and I’ve been trying to tell you that for years, but I’m a coward.”

Your breath caught. “You’re not a coward.”

“I am when it comes to you,” he admitted, his voice cracking just slightly. “You’re my best friend, but… I want more. I’ve wanted more since the day you sat in Garreth’s garage for hours, fixing my amp after that disaster of a gig. You didn’t even complain once—just sat there, rolling your eyes at every bad riff I played.”

You blinked, your heart hammering in your chest. The crackle of the TV, the hum of the Christmas lights—everything else faded, leaving just Eddie and the raw vulnerability in his eyes.

“I want you too,” you whispered, the words trembling on your lips.

Eddie’s face broke into a grin, the kind of smile that could light up even the darkest corners of the trailer. He let out a breathless laugh. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Before you could overthink it, Eddie cupped your face with one hand, his thumb brushing gently against your cheek. He leaned in slowly, giving you all the time in the world to pull away. But you didn’t. Instead, you met him halfway, your lips brushing his in a kiss that was soft and sweet and electric all at once. His lips were warm, slightly chapped, but the kiss was perfect—filling you with a giddy warmth that spread from your chest to your toes.

When you finally pulled back, Eddie rested his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your skin. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

You smiled, your cheeks flushed and your heart racing. Outside, the snow fell softly against the trailer’s windows, but inside, everything was warm and bright. “Merry Christmas, Eddie.”

#Eddie Munson #Eddie Munson x reader #gndw Build a fic

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ishtar7677 · 2 days ago

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This was a Christmas gift to me and my husband from our GM of our very first characters that we ever TTRPG'ed (Pathfinder) who commissioned this from @cutetanuki-chan. (The picture is from me taking a picture and cropping at a weird angle - the whole thing in its frame is stunning.) These two characters (Chrissy and Odhran) met when our game night people were like... hey let's try pathfinder. So I made a character and so did my husband and after meeting them, I was like... oh god... we are gonna get divorced. Lol. We were struggling at the time. And we made these characters and god, they hated each other so much..... but eventually found their way to being friends. But they were our first characters EVER. The next character my husband rolled up in this campaign (we needed to double up to round out a playable campaign), my rogue eventually formed a romantic attachment with. Then I made a bard for a totally separate campaign, and now we're both determined that he meet Chrissy at some point b/c within MINUTES of meeting my bard in a totally unrelated campaign, we were like, okay he's soulmates with Chrissy! But that's the magic right? Finding the parts of ourselves unexpectedly that can be completely accepting of other parts of our partner... even the parts of them that we thought we didn't like, want to be around, or understand to begin with. (CAUTION WARNING: let the reader understand, do NOT use this story to excuse abuse or bad behavior to try to fix a partner! This is an exercise that can ONLY be done with a feeling of absolute safety and trust between partners. We were not there when we started TTRPGS but got to a better place of trust due to his own personal work with therapy. But there were MASSIVE strides before I even trusted it. ) We joked tonight after our friend gave us this picture that Odhran (my rogue) saw this picture and was like oh GOD, what hell-fan of Chrissy (actress) did this? Why do I look like I'm worshipping her? GAHHH nOoOo. But....Odhran can also shut all the way up. :) What ultimately makes me as the player love this picture so much is probably the underpinnings of a romanticism depiction. These two characters, while they never and will never fall in love, in a meta sense, they were the gateway for us into several characters who did help us rediscover love again after years in a very difficult marriage, find a adhd hack into new relationship energy through RPing, and just provide us an outlet for a lot of intense emotional energy. And this artist, despite knowing NONE of this, captured its essence in a two completely non-romantic character portrait. @cutetanuki-chan you knew none of this and still managed to capture it perfectly. This picture will hang proudly in our house and I will enjoy explaining it to anyone who walks through our doors. Your depiction of HERO FORGE characters being so accurate is stupid impressive. Also shout out to our GM, Grace, who actively sought this out for us. What a perfect present. We couldn't ask for a better GM or a better friend. You're family and we love you so much.

#ttrpgs #pathfinder #dungeons and dragons #artwork #artists on tumblr #emotions #roleplaying #therapy

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joongieology · 2 days ago

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Muse | Jung Wooyoung

Pairing: Artist!Boyfriend!WooyoungxReader

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1.2k

Warning: mention of naked body

Sypnosis: Your boyfriend has been busy with his gallery, leaving you missing him. One thing you didn't know though, he had a surprise waiting for you.

Note: This is the first ever fanfic I've written. English is not my first language so please bear with me. If you have any feedback, please let me know! I swear I tried ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ

You've been dating Wooyoung for a few years now. Everything is well, better than you could ask for, but you wish you could move on to the next stage. You've always dreamt of getting married in a church since you were a little girl. Striving hard so you can save up for a grand wedding, wanting you and your future husband's day to be extra special. And now, you finally found the man you want to marry.

You met Wooyoung through your college friend, San. You went to get coffee at your usual hangout place—a café near the university—when you saw San with someone. You proceeded to where they were sitting and San invited you to sit with them.

That was the day you met Wooyoung, and that was also the day you started liking him. He was very chatty and he always made you laugh that you started to have a little crush on him. The three of you began to hang out more often, and then one day, he asked you out. You said yes, of course (who wouldn't), and you've been dating since then.

He had always been fond of art. Painting, photography, and even sculpting. He wanted to have his own gallery one day, to show off his works, and it is about to come true.

Wooyoung found a decent place where he could set up the gallery and renovate it to his liking. He was the one who worked on everything, claiming he wanted everything to be perfect. That meant, you don't see each other often because he got busy with his gallery. He never told anyone the location, not even you, which you found a little odd, but never questioned him.

You just finished eating when he showed you something on his phone. It's a map with a picture of what looks like the outside of a gallery.

"It's done. The grand opening will be tomorrow." He started, gauging for your reaction.

"Already?! Does anyone else know about this? What if I'm the only one who shows up?" You flooded him with questions, more nervous than he is.

"Don't worry, I already sent out invitations to friends and family." He said with a chuckle while piching your cheeks, clearly amused.

You sighed, relieved that you wouldn't be the only one to witness this. You want the world to see how talented your boyfriend is, and he worked hard for everything to get to this point. Even though he said this was just a small achievement, you were still so proud of him. He can finally show off his love for art.

"You're here." Wooyoung said as he leaned in to kiss you on the cheek. You came a bit earlier than the time of the opening so you could be by his side.

"Finally, you got your own gallery. I'm so proud of you, Woo." You gave him a peck on the lips, earning you a small genuine smile from him.

You straightened the collar of his button-up and fixed his hair a bit to make him look more presentable. He smiled at you but you noticed that he looked a bit nervous. You held his hand and squeezed it, comforting him. He intertwined your fingers and guided you to the entrance.

After a while, people started to arrive one by one, family and friends, and even some random people who had taken an interest in what was happening in this new place.

Everyone was in awe at the simple yet elegant interior. The walls were off-white and the art pieces were placed perfectly. Everything is in the right place, the way they were arranged was pleasing to the eyes.

You looked around and noticed that the art pieces consisted of pictures and paintings of places very familiar to you—they were places you've been together before. There are also pictures and paintings of events that have transpired in your life. The memories came flooding in as you looked at each art piece. You looked around once more, you noticed a black screen in the middle of the gallery. It's off, what is it for? You asked yourself but brushed it off. One thing stood out though, it was a pink door leading to a room. It had its own spotlight, it also had a name on top, just like every piece here.

"Y/N." You read out loud. Why did it have your name on it? Also, why is it pink, your favorite color? And why does it have the word 'Private' beside the door?

Wooyoung was greeting everyone and thanking them for congratulating him when he noticed you looking at the pink door. He walked over to you and put his hand on your lower back.

"Wanna see what's inside?"

"Yes." You responded, curious as to what could be inside.

He took out what seemed like a remote from his pocket and pressed something on it while guiding you inside.

There were at least five of what you assumed were art pieces covered in red velvet blankets.

He removed the cover of the one on the left, revealing a painting of you grinning from ear to ear, holding a pack of your favorite gummy bear, with the name beside it, 'The most beautiful v(you).' This must've been the time he brought you your favorite snacks, that made you all excited.

Then, he removed the cover on all of them except the one in the middle. There was a picture of you sleeping, a painting of you gazing at the stars, and a sculpture of you, as in you, in your wholeness, naked body.

"Oh my god, Woo." You said, your voice small, overwhelmed with joy, and love, and—everything.

"Do you like it?" He asked, nervousness obvious in his tone.

"I love it!" You exclaimed as you hugged him.

"There's one more." He ushered you to get closer to it. When he finally removed the cover, you covered your mouth in shock.

It was a sculpture of him, on one bended knee, holding a small black velvet box. Woo took the box and copied the stance of the sculpture.

"Y/N, will you make me the luckiest man and marry me?"

It's finally happening. The man you love is proposing to you.

"You've given me all I could ever ask for. Yes, baby, I will marry you." You utter with tears in your eyes.

He carefully puts the ring on your ring finger, and yes, he bought your dream ring, he still remembers it even when you mentioned it only once, he remembered, like he always did.

He hugged you so tight you thought you would burst, and whispered, "I love you so much, my love. Thank you for everything."

"I love you more, Woo."

You went out of the room and everyone's congratulating you both.

Huh?

When your eyes caught the now turned-on screen in the middle. So that was what the remote was for.

"Woo!" You hit his arms slightly. Terrified of the thought that they must have seen the pieces inside.

"It only showed us, don't worry, I won't ever show those pieces to anyone, especially that one." He chuckled while jokingly shielding himself from your playful hit.

"Finally, Woo, you prepared so long for this. Congratulations." San said with a big smile, holding a glass of wine.

"You knew?" You asked San with one eyebrow raised.

"Yup, everyone knew, except you." He uttered with slight amusement in his tone.

Wooyoung sure knew how to throw surprises because you didn't expect this one bit. But you're happy he did, cause this became one of the best days in your life. The thought of marrying this man made you giddy.

Your mom hugged you and gave you a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm quite curious to know what's inside that." Your mom said, pointing at the pink door.

You and your fiancé looked at each other with knowing eyes and a huge grin.

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gotta-winwin · 3 days ago

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(🎞️) ... hit the road docu.<> if i walked at my own pace

masterlist | cyana's masterlist

word count: 1.8k tw: anxiety, mentions of bullying, panic attacks, sleeping pills italics are interviews cut between scenes + english a/n: we're finally starting to dive into cyana's backstory + the mystery of what happened in LA! if any of the above trigger warnings trigger you - scroll away, stay safe, and come back for the next one 💓

Cyana never really understood how some of the members could stand to watch their own fancams. Sure, she understood that it was a vital part of analyzing their performance, but every time she tried searching up her own fancams, she was greeted with a wave of self-embarrassment and cringe.

“It won’t be like that forever,” Vernon tried comforting her, pausing his own fancam on his phone to look up at her. “You’ll end up getting used to watching yourself on camera.”

Cyana shuddered. “I can’t imagine I’d ever get used to that.” Reaching over, she pressed play on his phone. “Other people’s fancams, however, that I like to watch.”

Vernon laughed, his ears turning pink as he adjusted his phone, letting Cyana watch over his shoulder.

“Woww,” She marveled at the end, quietly applauding the performance. “So cool.”

Vernon smiled, swiping out of the video. “Not bad, huh.”

“Psh.” She smacked his shoulder lightly. “Not bad my ass. Give yourself some more credit, Hansol.”

His lips quivered into a small smile, amused by how Cyana seamlessly switched to calling him by his Korean name when speaking English. Ironic, but for some reason it fit.

“Anything in particular you’re looking for?”

Vernon opened the door to the record store, motioning Cyana to head in first. He had promised the girl he’d accompany her to get a couple records, knowing how much she had been looking forward to browsing the New York streets. He was just as excited, shopping for anything music related was probably the only shopping he found himself enjoying.

“The National.” Cyana said, already flipping through the boxes of records. “The 1975, The Cure, really anything I can get my hands on.” She pulled one out, gasping as she presented it to Vernon. “No way! Look at this.”

Taking the record from her hands, he turned it over to read out the artist. “The Beatles?” He looked at her, a little confused. “I didn’t think you’d be a big Beatles fan.”

Cyana looked a little offended at his words. “I am. Huge fan. I’m getting that one.”

Vernon held the record out of her reach, tucking it underneath his arm as he moved to another aisle. “I’ll get it for you, don’t worry about it.”

“Really?”

Vernon hummed, sifting through the boxes, looking for his own purchase.

“Wow. Look at you,” Cyana tucked into his side, a hand around his lower arm as she browsed the options with him. “So dependable.”

“How are you feeling?” The doctor prodded at Vernon’s neck and throat. “Any soreness?”

He shook his head, thankful that he wasn’t feeling at all ill, unlike the others. “I’m doing fine, doc.”

He watched as the doctor moved on to Woozi, repeating the same procedure with him and asking the same questions. Pulling out his phone, Vernon scrolled in a daze, allowing his mind to shut off for a little bit before their concert. He liked letting his mind blank out for a moment, like it was rebooting all his thoughts, worries and signals.

It was Cyana’s quiet voice that pulled him out, most likely because the girl was speaking English.

“Do you think I can get some meds for sleeping?”

Vernon looked up from his phone, eyebrows furrowed as he watched Cyana interact with the doctor, who was packing up his kit, ready to go.

“Have you been having trouble sleeping?” The doctor asked her, pausing to give her a proper lookover.

“A bit.” Cyana mumbled, glancing around, as if to check that no one was listening. Her eyes drifted over Vernon before returning to the floor next to her feet. “Or just in case.”

Nodding, the doctor pulled out a bottle, shaking it slightly before handing it to her. “Most people in your line of work ask for the same thing, so I always keep it on hand. Take two before bed, three, if it’s not enough. But no more, alright?”

Vernon watched Cyana slip the pill bottle into her hoodie pocket, thanking the doctor before retreating back into her chair. He frowned before shrugging, returning back to his phone and putting his brain back on airplane mode. It was whatever, right?

“I could remember our LA show extremely clearly because I remember how Cyana’s face looked minutes before it.” Vernon told the camera, moistening his lips before continuing. “She looked like going on stage would destroy her completely.”

Even under the dim lights beneath the stage, Vernon could tell there was something different about the way Cyana looked as they waited for the platform to rise with them on top of it. Usually she’d be smiling his way with a bright, dazzling grin, all pumped up for their performance and buzzing with energy. Now however, as Vernon stared at her, she seemed distant - almost muted - as if something had drained all the color from her cheeks.

He reached over and gently shook her shoulder. “You good?” He mouthed, searching her eyes for an answer.

She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and mouthed back an okay, before turning away and readjusting her mic.

He didn’t believe her one bit.

“I mean,” He tried explaining himself to the camera. “I could relate to her, I guess. I keep things to myself a lot too. If I'm struggling, I won’t hide it, but it’s not like I’ll talk about it either.” He let out a small sigh. “I guess that’s why I didn’t say anything for a long time. I thought maybe silence was just normal for her like it was for me.”

Looking back now, on that concert day in LA, Vernon could remember seeing her hunched over, backstage, after a particularly intense run of Getting Closer. He remembered chalking up her sweat and body chills to mere overexhaustion, simply handing her a bottle of water before going back up for his turn with the Hiphop Unit.

He also remembered hearing her quiet sobs and harsh breaths from across the room, as they all waited for the Performance Unit to finish with their set. Cyana was mostly covered by a worrying Joshua, fussing over her and whispering something Vernon was too far away to hear.

He remembered how worried everybody was that day. How DK and Hoshi were unnaturally quiet on the way back to the hotel, their eyes sending fleeting glances over to Cyana, unsure what they could do to help. How Jeonghan and Joshua could only sit and hold her hand, Joshua’s eyes sending signals to Jeonghan that Vernon couldn’t understand. But most of all, he remembered how Dino came to sleep in his room that night, tears tracking down his face as he sobbed over Cyana asking to room alone. The boy couldn’t understand why she had kicked him out - and why they were all useless to stop it.

“I was already worried about Coups hyung.” Vernon recalled. “We look out of sync when we’re missing someone, and I didn’t want Cyana to need to leave as well.”

Vernon had no idea what was going on, as he tried meeting Joshua’s eyes to ask him what the hell was up with their youngest member. The older boy infuriatingly refused to meet his eyes, only leaving Cyana’s room to grab food or water for the girl.

“Just wait.” He told Vernon when Vernon finally got a hold of him, just about to leave the washroom after brushing his teeth. “She’ll explain when she feels better.”

“Why can’t you just tell us now, though?” Vernon asked. “Everyone is going insane. Both DK and Dino went to bed crying last night and Mingyu looks like a kicked puppy waiting outside her door. Seungkwan even told me Wonwoo’s affected, something about how his face is stuck permanently in a worried expression. I’m going insane too, hyung.” He admitted the last part rather timidly.

Joshua looked torn. “I can’t.” He finally said after a painful pause. Moving behind Vernon, Joshua left, leaving him standing in front of the bathroom, looking incredibly stupid and pathetic.

“I just wanted answers.” Vernon mumbled, not looking at the interviewer or the camera as he spoke. “And it felt like no one really had them. All of us had recounted that day, trying to piece together what could have affected Cyana so terribly - but none of us could think of anything at all.”

Cyana made sure to walk right next to Woozi as they exited the venue in between the barricades holding their fans back. It was rather strategic of her, she knew. Walking next to Woozi would ensure a constant presence - he wasn’t one to run up to the barricades and interact with fans, wasn’t one to draw attention to himself and therefore those around him. Cyana chose to be next to him for send-off for one reason: to not be seen.

She couldn’t justify the fear to herself - let alone other people - so she kept the fear she knew was irrational and childish hidden. How was she to explain she was afraid of the crowd? Of their beloved fans?

Oh hey, Joshua. Yeah, I can’t do today’s concert because I’m afraid I’ll go up onstage and someone from the crowd will jump me. Or shoot me. Or throw a knife at me. Or throw acid up onstage. Or- anyways, yeah. So I can’t perform today. I feel like I might pass out onstage. Why? Oh- I kinda have people who want to kill me in LA. Yeah- from highschool. Bullies. I know, a long time ago. So it’s irrational. Right? And it’s not like they said they’d kill me. So it should be fine, right?

A swirl of thoughts wrapped around her as she continued to walk, putting one foot in front of the other, trying to block out the loud cheers and screams from the crowd. She had gone through the concert. Now all she needed to do was walk through the sea of fans, enter the company car and go home.

You have to at least wait till you’re back in the hotel room before you break down. She chided herself. You must.

A scream, not much louder than the rest of the fans, caught her ear. She whipped her head around at the sound of her voice - yelled out through a sea of fans. She knew that voice. Her blood grew cold as her ears rang - muffling the world around her - and Cyana felt as if she was sixteen once again.

Her eyes drifted from face to face in the direction of the scream until it landed on a girl in the front row, holding a bright pink banner with Vernon’s name on it.

“Cyana!” The girl yelled out again, her eyes twinkling in a way that made Cyana’s skin feel ice cold.

And she watched, horrified, as the familiar girl mouthed an all too familiar five words at her. I’m going to get you.

#seventeen imagines #svt #svt imagines #seventeen #seventeen ot13 #seventeen 14th member #idol oc #seventeen angst #svt angst #svt fic #svt scenarios #seventeen fic #seventeen fanfic #seventeen hit the road #svt vernon #vernon x oc #cyanawritings

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pinkmoontaco · 2 days ago

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It all started with a song || Lee Jihoon

Pairing: Producer-Idol Jihoon x Producer-Solo Idol Reader

Genre: Fluff, Idol romance

Summary: Jihoon, the reserved genius of SEVENTEEN, unexpectedly finds himself drawn to Y/N, a rising junior idol from HYBE, after collaborating on a duet. What starts as a professional partnership blossom into a heartfelt romance, captured in their respective songs

Author's note: This is my first time writing a story, and I truly appreciate you giving it a chance. Please forgive me if there are any mistakes—I’m still learning and growing as a writer. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and support my work. It means the world to me, and I hope you enjoy the journey I’ve created.

Jihoon was preparing to release his solo album, which included a heartfelt duet about two lovers. After finishing his own parts, his next challenge was to find the perfect female lead for the song. With Bumzu’s help, he sifted through several demos of the female section.

After an exhaustive search, one demo finally stood out to him—it was exactly what he was looking for. When Bumzu visited him the next day, he asked, “Did any of the lyrics catch your attention?”

Jihoon nodded and showed him the demo.

“Oh, so you liked Y/N’s lyrics,” Bumzu said with a knowing smile. That’s when Jihoon learned that the lyrics had been written by Y/N, a junior solo idol from HYBE.

“You’ve never met her, have you?” Bumzu asked.

Jihoon shook his head. It was no surprise—everyone knew Jihoon wasn’t one to socialize much.

“I’ll bring her to the studio tomorrow,” Bumzu said confidently before heading out, leaving Jihoon to ponder the upcoming meeting.

The next day, Jihoon arrived at the studio earlier than usual, his mind a mix of anticipation and curiosity. He wasn’t sure what to expect. He knew Y/N by name, but meeting her in person would be different.

As he set up his equipment, the door swung open, and Bumzu walked in with a bright grin. Behind him was Y/N, her presence soft yet commanding. She wore a simple outfit, but her confidence and aura made it clear why she was a rising star.

“Jihoon, meet Y/N,” Bumzu introduced.

Jihoon stood, his usual calm demeanor masking his nerves. “Hi,” he greeted simply, bowing slightly.

“Hi! It’s so great to finally meet you Sunbae-nim" Y/N said with a warm smile. Her voice was light and melodic, just as he’d imagined. “I’ve heard so much about you and your music.”

“Likewise, but please don't call me sunbae-nim, you can call me by my name,” Jihoon replied, his words brief but sincere.

Bumzu clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. “Alright, let’s get to work! You two have a duet to perfect.”

Jihoon gestured toward the recording booth, silently inviting Y/N to take her place. As they started working through the song, Jihoon found himself impressed—not just by her vocal ability but by her understanding of the emotions behind the lyrics.

They went over the harmonies and phrasing, fine-tuning every detail. By the end of the session, Jihoon was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything had gone. Y/N wasn’t just talented; she was professional and insightful, bringing a depth to the song that exceeded his expectations.

“You’re really good,” Jihoon said as they wrapped up, his tone earnest.

Y/N beamed. “Thank you! Your composition is amazing—it makes it easy to connect with the song.”

For the first time in a while, Jihoon felt a genuine sense of excitement about the project. Maybe working with others wasn’t so bad after all.

After their first session, Jihoon couldn’t stop thinking about how seamlessly Y/N had brought the song to life. It was rare for him to feel this level of connection with another artist, especially so quickly.

The next day, Bumzu texted Jihoon. "How was it working with Y/N? She said she had a great time."

Jihoon hesitated for a moment before typing back. "She’s talented. The song’s coming together well."

Bumzu responded with a teasing emoji. "That’s high praise from you! Maybe you should tell her that in person."

Jihoon frowned slightly but didn’t reply. Compliments weren’t exactly his strong suit.

Their second studio session was scheduled later that week. Y/N arrived on time, as cheerful and prepared as before. Jihoon noticed how her energy seemed to brighten the room, even when she was just warming up.

“Good morning!” she greeted with a bright smile.

Jihoon nodded. “Morning. Ready to dive in?”

“Always,” she said confidently.

As they worked through the song again, Jihoon found himself more at ease. Y/N’s suggestions were thoughtful, and she wasn’t afraid to ask questions or offer input, which he appreciated. Somewhere in between harmonizing and tweaking lines, they started to find a rhythm—not just in the music, but in their conversations.

During a short break, Y/N leaned back in her chair. “You know, Jihoon, this is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever worked on. It feels so raw and real.”

Jihoon glanced at her, caught off guard by her sincerity. “Thanks. That means a lot,” he said quietly.

“Is it based on a personal experience?” she asked cautiously, as if afraid to overstep.

He hesitated for a moment before replying. “Kind of. It’s… inspired by the idea of love. Not necessarily mine, though.”

Y/N tilted her head, studying him. “I get it. Sometimes it’s easier to write about emotions from a distance.”

Jihoon nodded, appreciating her understanding. Their conversation drifted to other topics—music, inspirations, and even random stories about life as idols. For someone he’d only met recently, Y/N was surprisingly easy to talk to.

By the end of the session, the song was nearly complete. As they packed up, Y/N turned to Jihoon.

“I think this duet is going to be really special,” she said. “Thank you for letting me be part of it.”

Jihoon looked at her, feeling a rare warmth in her words. “You brought the song to life. I should be thanking you.”

Her eyes lit up at his unexpected praise. “Well, I guess we make a pretty good team,” she said with a grin.

Jihoon allowed himself a small smile. “Yeah, we do.”

As Y/N left the studio that day, Jihoon couldn’t help but think that meeting her had been one of the best things to happen during this project.

In the weeks that followed, Jihoon and Y/N spent more time together polishing their duet. Each session seemed to bring them closer, not just as collaborators but as individuals. Y/N’s infectious laughter and unfiltered enthusiasm often pulled Jihoon out of his shell, while Jihoon’s quiet determination and thoughtful approach inspired Y/N to push herself even further.

One day, as they wrapped up the final recording, Bumzu entered the studio with a wide grin. “So, how does it feel to be done?”

Y/N clapped her hands together excitedly. “It feels amazing! I can’t wait for people to hear it.”

Jihoon nodded in agreement, his usual stoicism giving way to a subtle but genuine smile. “It’s better than I imagined.”

Bumzu raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. “Wow, Jihoon actually giving compliments? I need to write this down.”

Y/N laughed. “He’s not that bad. He’s just… selective with his words.”

Jihoon shot her a mock glare, but there was no malice behind it. Instead, he found himself smiling along with her—a rare occurrence that didn’t go unnoticed by Bumzu.

As they packed up, Bumzu pulled Jihoon aside. “You know, you’ve changed a bit since working with her,” he said casually.

Jihoon frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you seem… lighter. Happier, even,” Bumzu said with a knowing grin. “It’s a good look on you.”

Jihoon didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he glanced over at Y/N, who was chatting animatedly with a staff member. There was something about her—something that made him feel less burdened, more open to the world around him.

The song’s release day arrived, and the response was overwhelming. Fans praised the emotional depth of the duet, calling it one of Jihoon’s best works yet. Many were also captivated by the chemistry between Jihoon and Y/N, evident not just in their vocals but in the behind-the-scenes clips shared online.

As they stood backstage during a live performance, Y/N turned to Jihoon. “Are you nervous?” she asked, noticing his unusually quiet demeanor.

“A little,” he admitted. “Not about the song, though. I just hope people feel what we tried to convey.”

Y/N placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “They will. This song has so much heart in it. You’ve poured yourself into it, and I’ve never been prouder to be part of something.”

Her words struck a chord with Jihoon. For the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel alone in his creative journey. “Thank you,” he said softly.

When they stepped on stage and began to sing, Jihoon realized something unexpected. The song, which he’d once viewed as merely a project, had become something far more personal. And in that moment, as their voices blended and the audience’s applause filled the air, Jihoon understood just how much Y/N had changed his perspective—not just on music, but on life itself.

After the performance, Y/N grinned at him. “See? We nailed it.”

Jihoon met her gaze, his expression warm. “We really did.”

And as they walked off stage together, Jihoon couldn’t help but think that this was only the beginning of a story far greater than either of them had anticipated.

In the days following the song's release, the hype only grew. The other members of SEVENTEEN were quick to congratulate Jihoon. Mingyu, with his ever-present energy, was the first to bring it up during one of their group practice sessions.

“Hyung! That duet is insane! Everyone’s talking about you and Y/N,” Mingyu said, clapping him on the back.

Joshua added with a smile, “Yeah, the fans are loving the chemistry. You two sounded amazing together.”

Jihoon felt a rare flush of embarrassment rise to his cheeks. “Thanks, guys. It was a lot of work, but she made it easier.”

“Oh-ho!” Seungkwan chimed in, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Hyung admitting someone made his life easier? This must be a first!”

The room erupted into laughter. Even Jeonghan, who always had a teasing comment up his sleeve, smirked. “So when do we get to meet this famous Y/N?”

Before Jihoon could respond, the studio door creaked open and in walked Bumzu—with Y/N beside him. The sudden appearance of their guest caught everyone’s attention.

“Speak of the devil!” Vernon said, raising an eyebrow.

Y/N waved nervously, a bit overwhelmed by being surrounded by the full force of SEVENTEEN. “Hi, everyone. It’s nice to finally meet all of you.”

Dino bounded over with enthusiasm. “You’re the one with that amazing voice! Your part in the song gave me chills.”

“Thanks!” Y/N said, her smile growing as she relaxed.

Hoshi, never one to miss a moment, stepped forward and grinned. “Are you ready to dance with us too? Because in SEVENTEEN, we don’t just sing—we dance.”

Jihoon rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide a small smirk. “Don’t scare her off, Hoshi.”

Y/N laughed, feeling at ease now. “I’d love to try sometime, but I don’t think I could keep up with you guys. I’m more of a singer than a dancer.”

Jun nudged Jihoon playfully. “Looks like you’re not the only one who’s found a great collaborator.”

Over the next hour, SEVENTEEN welcomed Y/N into their world, joking and sharing stories. The room was filled with laughter, the group’s usual dynamic enriched by a new presence. Jihoon found himself observing the way Y/N blended in so effortlessly, as if she’d been part of their chaotic family all along.

As the evening went on, Minghao approached Jihoon with a knowing smile. “You look happy,” he said simply.

Jihoon glanced at Y/N, who was now in an animated conversation with DK and Woozi, sharing anecdotes about their vocal warm-ups. A small, content smile played on his lips. “I guess I am.”

A few weeks later, SEVENTEEN was preparing for a group livestream, and Y/N was invited to join as a surprise guest. Jihoon wasn’t thrilled about the idea at first—he preferred to keep things professional—but the rest of the members were insistent.

“Come on, Jihoon,” Seungkwan pleaded. “The fans already love you two together. This will be fun!”

“It’s a great way to promote the song even more,” Mingyu added. “Plus, we want to see how she handles being in one of our chaotic lives.”

Reluctantly, Jihoon agreed, and Y/N arrived at the dorm just as the livestream was about to begin.

“Is this what it’s like before you go live?” Y/N asked, watching the members scramble to adjust cameras, lights, and snacks.

“Always,” Jeonghan said with a smirk. “It’s controlled chaos.”

As the livestream began, fans flooded the chat with comments. The members introduced Y/N, and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

“Y/N’s here! OMG!”

“She and Jihoon look so good together!”

“The duet is my favorite song right now!”

Jihoon, who was reading the comments on his phone, shifted uncomfortably but managed a small smile. “The fans seem happy,” he said quietly to Y/N.

“They’re so sweet,” Y/N replied, her eyes scanning the messages.

The members took turns asking her questions, each one more playful than the last.

“Hoshi,” Y/N said, laughing, “why are you asking if I’d join the Performance Team? I just told you I’m not much of a dancer!”

“Because we can teach you,” Hoshi replied with a dramatic flourish.

DK chimed in, “Or you can join the Vocal Team! We need more people who can hit those high notes.”

“Don’t listen to them,” Minghao said. “You’re a solo artist. Stay in your lane before they rope you into our madness.”

The banter continued until Seungkwan leaned into the camera and asked the question everyone wanted to know.

“So, Y/N, how’s it working with Jihoon?”

The chat exploded with reactions.

Y/N glanced at Jihoon, who was clearly caught off guard but tried to mask it. She smiled. “Honestly? It’s been amazing. He’s a perfectionist, but in the best way. I’ve learned so much from him.”

Jihoon cleared his throat, his ears tinged pink. “She’s talented, so it wasn’t hard to work with her,” he said simply, earning exaggerated “oohs” from the members.

As the livestream continued, Y/N fit right in with SEVENTEEN’s dynamic, laughing and joking with them like she’d known them for years. Fans in the chat began calling her an “honorary 14th member,” a title that made her laugh but also secretly warmed Jihoon’s heart.

After the livestream ended, the members sprawled across the couch, tired but happy.

“You handled that like a pro,” Mingyu said, tossing a cushion at Y/N.

“Thanks,” Y/N replied, catching the cushion. “You guys are a lot of fun. I can see why your fans love you so much.”

As the group began to disperse, Jihoon found himself alone with Y/N for the first time that evening.

“You were great today,” he said, his voice softer than usual.

“Thanks. I was a little nervous, but you all made it easy,” Y/N said, leaning against the back of the couch. “Your members are like family, huh?”

Jihoon nodded. “They are. It’s chaotic, but it’s… home.”

Y/N smiled. “I can tell. You’re lucky to have that.”

There was a comfortable silence between them before Y/N added, “And thanks for letting me be part of all this. I didn’t expect to be welcomed so warmly.”

Jihoon met her gaze, his usual stoicism softening. “You’re part of it now. Whether you like it or not.”

Her laughter filled the room, light and genuine. “I think I like it.”

And for the first time in a long while, Jihoon felt like the walls he’d built around himself were no longer as important.

Over the next few weeks, Y/N continued to bond with SEVENTEEN. She found herself invited to more studio sessions, group meals, and even impromptu dance practices. Despite her initial hesitation about being in the spotlight alongside such a well-known group, their warmth made her feel at home.

Jihoon, on the other hand, started noticing the subtle ways Y/N was changing the dynamic around him. She wasn’t just a collaborator anymore; she was becoming a friend. Someone who could pull him out of his creative tunnel and remind him to enjoy the little moments.

One day, after a long recording session, the group decided to hang out at their dorm. Y/N hesitated when Seungkwan invited her along.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude,” she said.

“You? Intruding?” Seungkwan scoffed. “You’re practically one of us now. Come on!”

When they arrived at the dorm, chaos quickly ensued. Mingyu was in the kitchen, trying to cook something “special,” while Hoshi and Dino argued over which choreography to show Y/N.

Jihoon sat on the couch, quietly observing the scene. Y/N was laughing with Jeonghan, who was undoubtedly up to some mischief. He couldn’t help but smile to himself.

“You like her, don’t you?” Minghao’s voice pulled Jihoon from his thoughts.

Jihoon turned to him, his expression unreadable. “What are you talking about?”

Minghao smirked. “You’re not as subtle as you think. The way you look at her—it’s different.”

Jihoon sighed, leaning back against the couch. “She’s… easy to be around. That’s all.”

“Sure,” Minghao said, clearly unconvinced. “Just don’t wait too long to figure it out.”

Later that evening, as everyone settled in for a movie, Jihoon found himself sitting next to Y/N. The room was dimly lit, and the sound of laughter and popcorn crunching filled the air.

Y/N leaned closer to whisper, “Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys. I didn’t expect this when we started working on the song.”

Jihoon glanced at her, the soft glow of the TV reflecting in her eyes. “You’re not just here because of the song anymore. They like you. I… like having you around.”

Her eyes widened slightly at his admission, a soft smile forming on her lips. “I like being around you too, Jihoon.”

For a moment, the noise of the room faded, and it was just the two of them, sitting closer than either realized.

“Jihoon! Pass the popcorn!” DK’s voice broke the moment, and Jihoon blinked, quickly grabbing the bowl to hand over.

Y/N chuckled softly, leaning back into the couch. The warmth between them lingered, unspoken but undeniable.

As the weeks turned into months, their bond deepened. Whether it was through shared late-night studio sessions, casual dinners with the group, or quiet moments away from the chaos, Jihoon and Y/N found themselves drawn closer together.

And while neither of them said it out loud, they both knew that what had started as a simple duet had grown into something far more meaningful.

As time passed, Jihoon and Y/N’s bond became increasingly apparent to everyone around them. The other members of SEVENTEEN had a field day teasing Jihoon about it, though they were careful not to push him too far. Y/N, on the other hand, took it all in stride, her easygoing nature making her a natural fit within the group’s chaotic but loving dynamic.

One day, they found themselves in the studio late at night, working on a new song. The other members had already gone home, leaving just the two of them.

Y/N leaned over the desk, scrolling through the playlist Jihoon had prepared for inspiration. “This one’s good,” she said, pointing to a track.

Jihoon nodded, playing it without hesitation. The soft melody filled the room, and they both sat in comfortable silence, letting the music wash over them.

After a while, Y/N broke the quiet. “Do you ever think about what this all means? The music, the fans, everything we do?”

Jihoon looked at her, surprised by the sudden introspection. “All the time,” he admitted. “It’s why I work so hard. I want it to mean something—to leave something behind that matters.”

She smiled softly. “You already do. Your music touches so many people, Jihoon. Including me.”

He felt a warmth spread through him at her words. “What about you? What does it mean to you?”

Y/N took a moment to think before answering. “It’s about connection. Every lyric, every note… it’s a way to reach people, to let them know they’re not alone. I think that’s why I love working with you. You get that.”

For a moment, Jihoon was at a loss for words. Her sincerity, her openness—it was something he wasn’t used to but found himself drawn to.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice quieter than usual. “I don’t say this often, but… you’ve changed the way I look at things. Working with you—it’s made me realize how much more music can be when it’s shared.”

She looked at him, her eyes shining with gratitude. “You don’t know how much that means to me, coming from you.”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment, the weight of unspoken emotions filling the room. But before either of them could say more, Jihoon’s phone buzzed, breaking the moment.

The next morning, as they arrived at the practice room, the other members were already there. Hoshi immediately noticed the way Jihoon and Y/N seemed closer than usual.

“Did something happen last night?” he asked, his eyes darting between the two.

“Nothing happened,” Jihoon replied quickly, his ears turning pink.

Y/N, however, laughed. “We were just working on music. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”

The members didn’t buy it, but they let it go—for now.

Later that week, the group had a fan meeting, and Y/N was invited as a special guest to perform their duet live for the first time since its release. The fans erupted into cheers as Jihoon and Y/N took the stage together, their voices blending seamlessly as they sang.

During the performance, Jihoon couldn’t help but glance at Y/N, her presence radiating warmth and confidence. He realized that what had started as a professional partnership had grown into something far more personal.

After the performance, as they stood backstage, Y/N turned to Jihoon, her eyes sparkling. “That was incredible. Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Jihoon hesitated for a moment before replying. “Thank you… for everything.”

Y/N smiled, her hand lightly brushing his arm. And in that moment, Jihoon knew that whatever this was between them—friendship, partnership, or something more—he wasn’t ready to let it go.

A few days after their fan meeting, the duet performance went viral. Clips of Jihoon and Y/N on stage, their undeniable chemistry and harmonies, flooded social media. Fans couldn’t stop talking about how perfectly their voices blended and how natural their interactions seemed.

The buzz didn’t go unnoticed by SEVENTEEN.

“Have you seen the comments?” Seungkwan said, shoving his phone in front of Jihoon’s face during a break in practice.

Jihoon glanced at the screen, where fans had flooded the comments section with messages like:

“They’re perfect together!”

“Jihoon and Y/N need to release a whole album together!”

“Am I the only one who feels like there’s more to their story?”

Jihoon sighed, pushing the phone away. “It’s just the fans. They like to speculate.”

“But they’re not wrong,” Mingyu chimed in with a sly grin.

“Not you too,” Jihoon groaned.

That evening, Y/N visited the dorm for what was supposed to be a casual hangout. As usual, the members couldn’t help but stir the pot.

“So, Y/N,” Jeonghan started, leaning casually against the couch, “what’s it like being the most shipped person with Jihoon right now?”

Y/N nearly choked on her drink. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” Hoshi said, joining in. “The fans are calling you the ‘power duo.’ Some are even saying you’re a better fit than us!”

“Don’t listen to them,” Jihoon muttered, his ears turning pink.

Y/N, recovering from her initial shock, laughed. “Well, I guess it’s a compliment? I mean, Jihoon is an incredible artist, so I’m honored.”

The room erupted in exaggerated “oohs,” with Seungkwan dramatically fanning Jihoon. “Did you hear that? She called you incredible!”

Jihoon buried his face in his hands, muttering, “Why do I even let you all talk?”

Despite the teasing, Jihoon couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at Y/N’s words. She always had a way of making him feel seen—not just as an artist but as a person.

Later that night, after everyone had settled down, Y/N and Jihoon found themselves alone on the dorm balcony, overlooking the city lights.

“It’s been a wild night, huh?” Y/N said, leaning against the railing.

Jihoon nodded, his gaze fixed on the skyline. “Yeah. I didn’t expect any of this when we started working together.”

“Me neither,” she admitted. “But I’m glad it happened. I’ve learned so much—not just about music but about myself.”

Jihoon glanced at her, his expression softening. “You’ve changed a lot of things for me, too. I didn’t realize how much I needed someone to remind me why I love what I do.”

Y/N looked at him, her heart skipping a beat at the vulnerability in his voice. “Jihoon… I—”

Before she could finish, the balcony door slid open, and Mingyu stuck his head out. “Hey, are you two having a moment? Because we’ve got snacks inside.”

Y/N burst out laughing, while Jihoon groaned. “You have the worst timing, Mingyu.”

Mingyu grinned. “That’s what I’m here for.”

As the night went on, the teasing and camaraderie continued, but something had shifted between Jihoon and Y/N. Though unspoken, there was an understanding growing between them—one that neither was ready to confront just yet but couldn’t deny any longer.

And as Jihoon watched Y/N laughing with his members, he couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something he’d been searching for without even realizing it.

The weeks passed, and Jihoon found himself unable to shake the feeling that had been slowly growing inside him. Every time Y/N smiled, every time their eyes met during a quiet moment, something in his chest fluttered. He had always been someone who let his music speak for him, but this time, it wasn’t enough just to express himself through lyrics. He needed to tell her, to be vulnerable in a way he hadn’t been with anyone before.

But how?

It was during a late-night studio session, after everyone else had left for the day, that Jihoon decided to do something about it. He had spent hours working on the song, tweaking the melody, perfecting the lyrics, and now it was ready.

The track wasn’t like anything he had made before. It was softer, more personal, and every note seemed to come straight from his heart. He had poured his feelings into it, capturing the emotions that he couldn’t say out loud. It was a love song. And the subject of it? None other than Y/N.

The next day, Jihoon invited Y/N to the studio under the guise of working on new material. She arrived, always eager to help or collaborate, but there was something different about Jihoon’s demeanor that caught her attention.

“What’s going on?” she asked as she walked into the studio. “You’ve been acting a little… off lately.”

Jihoon avoided her gaze, fiddling with the soundboard for a moment. “I… I have something I want to play for you.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, curious. “A new song?”

He nodded, his throat tightening slightly. “Yeah. But it’s… different.”

Y/N walked over to him and sat down, her eyes fixed on him. “I’m all ears, Jihoon.”

Jihoon hesitated for a moment longer before hitting play. The soft, melodic intro filled the room, and Y/N was immediately drawn into the haunting beauty of the song. As the lyrics began, she felt a stirring in her chest. The song felt… personal. Deeply personal.

She listened intently, her heart racing as the chorus hit, and Jihoon’s voice filled the space:

“I didn’t know how to say it, but now I know it’s true, Every moment with you feels like I’ve found something new. In the silence, in the music, in the things I never said, I’m falling for you, I’m falling for you, And I can’t take it back.”

The song went on, each lyric pulling Y/N deeper into the emotions Jihoon had poured into it. By the end, the room was thick with the unspoken words hanging in the air. The music faded, and for a few moments, there was silence.

Y/N slowly turned to look at Jihoon, her eyes wide with realization. “Jihoon… that song…”

He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s for you.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. She had known there was something between them, something that had grown over time, but hearing him express it so clearly, through music, felt like a confession she hadn’t expected.

“Jihoon…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

He finally met her gaze, his eyes vulnerable in a way she had never seen before. “I’ve been trying to ignore it, trying to tell myself I was just… overthinking. But every time you’re near, every time you smile, it feels like something more. I think… I think I’ve fallen for you, Y/N. And I couldn’t hide it anymore. Not after writing this song for you.”

Y/N’s heart raced as she processed his words, her own emotions swirling within her. She had felt it too—the connection, the way everything felt more meaningful when they were together. But hearing him say it out loud made it all so real.

She took a step closer, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve been feeling the same way, Jihoon.”

His eyes widened, and he took a step toward her as well. “Really?”

She nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve been too afraid to admit it, but… I’ve been falling for you, too. Maybe I didn’t want to admit it because I didn’t know if you felt the same, but… I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

The tension that had built between them in the past few months suddenly lifted. Jihoon, overcome with relief and happiness, took her hand gently.

“Then… do you think we can figure this out together?” he asked softly.

Y/N smiled, her heart swelling. “I’d like that very much.”

For a moment, neither of them said anything else. The weight of the confession hung in the air, but the silence felt comfortable, like a shared understanding.

Jihoon squeezed her hand gently. “I don’t know what comes next, but I want to find out with you.”

Y/N nodded, her eyes shining. “Me too.”

And as they stood there, hand in hand, Jihoon knew that this song, the one that had started as a way to express his feelings, was just the beginning of a new chapter for them both.

For a few weeks, Jihoon and Y/N managed to keep their budding relationship under wraps. They weren’t intentionally hiding it, but neither of them was ready to face the whirlwind of teasing that would inevitably come from SEVENTEEN.

However, secrets rarely lasted long in a group as close-knit and nosy as SEVENTEEN.

It all started during a practice session. Jihoon had left his phone on the bench while the group worked through choreography, and a text from Y/N popped up on the screen:

Y/N: Can’t wait to see you tonight ❤️

Seungkwan, ever the observant one, noticed the notification first. “Oh? Hyung, care to explain this?” he asked, holding up the phone with a mischievous grin.

Jihoon froze mid-step, his face instantly turning crimson. “Give me that!” he snapped, rushing over to grab the phone.

But it was too late. Seungkwan had already shared the discovery with Hoshi and Jeonghan, who were now looking at Jihoon with matching expressions of glee.

“‘Can’t wait to see you tonight?’” Jeonghan teased, his tone dripping with mock innocence. “Jihoon, do you have plans we should know about?”

The rest of the group quickly caught on, gathering around as Jihoon struggled to come up with an excuse.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“Nothing?” Hoshi said, raising an eyebrow. “Sounds like something to me.”

“It’s Y/N, isn’t it?” Mingyu blurted out. The room went silent for a moment as everyone processed the possibility.

Jihoon sighed, realizing there was no escape. “Fine. Yes. It’s Y/N. We’re… dating.”

The room erupted into chaos.

“What?!” Seungkwan exclaimed, looking both shocked and delighted. “When did this happen?”

“Jihoon, you sly fox!” Jeonghan said, clapping him on the back.

“You’re dating Y/N, and you didn’t tell us?” Dino pouted. “I thought we were close!”

Jihoon groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, okay? It’s still new, and we didn’t want any unnecessary attention.”

Joshua, ever the voice of reason, stepped in. “Guys, let’s not overwhelm him. It’s Jihoon, after all. This must’ve taken a lot for him to admit.”

“Yeah,” DK added, grinning. “But seriously, Hyung, we’re happy for you. Y/N’s great.”

“She’s not just great,” Minghao said thoughtfully. “She fits in with us, and most importantly, she brings out a side of you we don’t see often. It’s nice.”

Jihoon looked around at his members, their teasing replaced with genuine support, and felt a wave of relief. “Thanks, guys. Just… keep it low-key, okay? We’re not ready for everyone to know yet.”

The group collectively agreed, though Jihoon wasn’t sure he trusted their definition of “low-key.”

That evening, Jihoon met Y/N at their usual spot in the studio. She could tell something was different as soon as he walked in.

“What happened?” she asked, tilting her head.

“They know,” Jihoon said, sitting beside her.

“Who knows?”

“SEVENTEEN,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

Y/N’s eyes widened. “Oh no. How bad was it?”

Jihoon chuckled despite himself. “About as chaotic as you’d expect. But… they’re happy for us. They promised to keep it a secret, though I don’t know how long that’ll last.”

Y/N smiled, reaching over to take his hand. “Well, I guess it was bound to happen. They’re your family, Jihoon. And honestly, I don’t mind if they know. I like being part of your world.”

Jihoon squeezed her hand, his heart swelling at her words. “You’re more than just part of it, Y/N. You’ve made it better.”

The next day, when Y/N visited the dorm for dinner, the teasing resumed, but it was all in good fun.

“So, Y/N,” Jeonghan said with a sly smile, “what’s it like dating our Jihoon? Is he as romantic as he is in his songs?”

Y/N laughed, glancing at Jihoon, who looked like he wanted to disappear. “He’s perfect,” she said simply, her sincerity making Jihoon’s face flush even more.

The room erupted into cheers and playful jabs, but beneath the chaos, there was a palpable warmth. SEVENTEEN was more than a group—they were a family. And now, Y/N was part of that family, too.

As the night wore on, Jihoon couldn’t help but feel grateful. For his members, for their unwavering support, and most of all, for Y/N, who had somehow become the piece he hadn’t realized was missing from his life.

A few weeks after SEVENTEEN’s comeback promotions wrapped up, Jihoon surprised fans with the announcement of a solo track, titled “Only for You.” The anticipation was palpable, especially after fans connected the dots between the mysterious teasers and Jihoon’s recent duet with Y/N.

When the song finally dropped, it was an instant hit. A tender and emotional ballad, the lyrics told the story of someone realizing they’ve found the one person who completes them. Jihoon’s heartfelt delivery struck a chord with listeners, but eagle-eyed fans noticed something peculiar.

The release coincided with a few subtle interactions between Jihoon and Y/N on social media. Comments like:

“This song feels so personal… is it inspired by someone special?”

“The vibe reminds me of Jihoon and Y/N’s duet. Are we missing something?”

“Wait a second… some of these lyrics feel like they match things Y/N said in interviews!”

The speculation ramped up a notch when, only a few days later, Y/N teased her own solo track, “Echo of You.”

When Y/N’s song dropped, fans were quick to notice that it felt like a reply to Jihoon’s. While Jihoon’s track spoke of falling for someone who brought light into his life, Y/N’s lyrics told the story of being seen and loved for who she truly was.

Lines like:

“I thought I was just a shadow, but your light made me shine.”

“Every melody you wrote felt like a message just for me.”

Fans flooded social media with theories.

“Wait, these songs feel connected. Are they… about each other?”

“Woozi's ‘Only for You’ and Y/N’s ‘Echo of You’ are like two sides of the same love story.”

“If this is real, I’ll cry. They’re perfect together!”

The speculation reached its peak when a fan-made mashup of the two songs went viral, seamlessly blending the tracks into a duet that felt like it was meant to be.

Back at SEVENTEEN’s dorm, the members couldn’t help but join the buzz.

“So,” Seungkwan started, holding up his phone, “the fans are catching on.”

Jihoon groaned, slumping onto the couch. “I knew this would happen.”

“I mean, they’re not wrong,” Jeonghan said, smirking. “The songs do sound like they’re talking to each other.”

Y/N, who had been invited over for dinner, sat beside Jihoon, trying (and failing) to suppress her laughter. “It’s kind of impressive how quickly they picked up on it.”

Joshua leaned forward, grinning. “Are you two going to say anything? Or just let the fans go wild with their theories?”

Jihoon glanced at Y/N, his expression thoughtful. “What do you think?” he asked her.

Y/N smiled softly. “I don’t mind letting them wonder for now. I like that the songs are just ours, even if people are curious.”

The members all groaned in mock frustration.

“You’re both too private for your own good,” Mingyu teased. “Just admit it already and save us the headache!”

“Admit what?” Jihoon shot back, feigning innocence.

“That you two are the main characters in the greatest musical love story ever told,” Hoshi declared dramatically, earning laughter from the group.

Despite the teasing, Jihoon and Y/N decided to keep quiet, letting their music speak for them. The buzz around their songs only grew, with both tracks climbing the charts and becoming fan favorites.

During a live Q&A, Jihoon was inevitably asked about the inspiration for “Only for You.”

“It’s about someone who changed the way I see the world,” he said simply, his expression soft.

When Y/N was asked a similar question about “Echo of You,” she smiled knowingly. “It’s a song about gratitude and love—for someone who helped me realize my worth.”

The fans didn’t need anything more. To them, the connection between the songs—and their creators—was obvious.

One evening, as they sat together in Jihoon’s studio, Y/N turned to him with a playful smile. “So, do you think they’ve figured it out yet?”

Jihoon chuckled, shaking his head. “I think they know. They’re just waiting for us to say it out loud.”

“And when do you think we should?” she asked, tilting her head.

Jihoon thought for a moment before replying, his voice warm. “Maybe someday. But for now, I like that the songs tell our story. It feels… special.”

Y/N leaned closer, her hand resting on his. “I like that too.”

The weeks following the dual song releases were a whirlwind. Both tracks dominated the charts, and the fan theories only grew more elaborate. Mashups, fan edits, and endless analysis filled the internet, with fans piecing together subtle interactions and shared moments.

Despite their best efforts to stay under the radar, the buzz became too loud to ignore. SEVENTEEN’s members didn’t make it any easier, constantly dropping playful hints during interviews and live streams.

One day, Jihoon and Y/N found themselves at a joint event where multiple HYBE artists were present. It was a casual, live-streamed Q&A session, and the energy in the room was lively. Fans flooded the chat with questions about collaborations, their music, and, of course, the connection between Jihoon’s and Y/N’s songs.

The host, clearly aware of the buzz, decided to address the elephant in the room.

“So, Woozi-shi and Y/N-shi,” they began, a mischievous glint in their eye. “The fans have been talking nonstop about how your songs seem… connected. Care to comment?”

Jihoon, caught off guard, glanced at Y/N. She met his gaze with a small, encouraging smile, her eyes silently asking, Are you ready?

He hesitated for a moment before leaning into the mic. “Well,” he started, his voice calm but tinged with nervousness, “the fans aren’t wrong. The songs are connected.”

The room fell silent for a moment, everyone—including the other artists—hanging on his every word.

Y/N chimed in, her tone light but honest. “We didn’t plan for it to be a big mystery. We just wrote from our hearts. And, well… our hearts were in the same place.”

The host’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait, are you saying—”

Jihoon nodded, cutting them off gently. “Y/N and I… we’re together. And the songs were our way of telling that story without saying it outright.”

The room erupted into applause, cheers, and a few playful whistles from SEVENTEEN and the other HYBE artists. The fans watching the live stream went wild, the chat filling with messages like:

“I KNEW IT!”

“This is the best plot twist ever!”

“Our musical power couple!”

Later that evening, Jihoon and Y/N sat together backstage, scrolling through the flood of messages on social media.

“Looks like the fans are taking it well,” Y/N said, laughing as she read a particularly enthusiastic comment.

Jihoon smiled, his shoulders relaxing for the first time in weeks. “I guess I shouldn’t have worried so much. They seem… happy for us.”

Y/N leaned her head on his shoulder. “Of course they are. We’ve been honest in the best way we know how—through our music.”

Jihoon wrapped an arm around her, his voice soft. “I’m glad we finally said it. It feels good not to hide anymore.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining. “Me too.”

As the weeks passed, their relationship became a beloved story among fans. Jihoon and Y/N didn’t share much beyond their music and occasional glimpses of their dynamic, but their authenticity resonated with everyone.

Their next collaboration—a duet explicitly written as a continuation of their story—became one of the most anticipated releases of the year, cementing their status as not just two incredible artists but as a couple who had found love in the heart of their shared passion.

And as Jihoon often said in interviews, with a small, knowing smile: “It all started with a song.”

The announcement of Jihoon and Y/N’s relationship didn’t just excite fans; it gave SEVENTEEN endless new material to tease their usually reserved member. And, of course, they weren’t going to let the opportunity go to waste during their next content shoot.

The group was filming an episode of their popular variety show, “GOING SEVENTEEN,” and the theme for the day was a mock courtroom trial where members had to defend themselves against outrageous (and often ridiculous) accusations.

As the camera rolled, Jeonghan smirked, ready to unleash chaos. “Today, I bring a serious accusation against Jihoon,” he began, standing dramatically as the self-appointed prosecutor.

Jihoon, sitting at the “defendant’s” table, raised an eyebrow. “What now?”

Jeonghan held up an imaginary piece of paper, squinting at it for effect. “Jihoon, you’ve been accused of… secretly writing love songs instead of working on group projects. How do you plead?”

The room erupted in laughter, with Seungkwan clapping his hands. “Guilty! We all know it’s true!”

Jihoon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes!” Hoshi chimed in, his grin practically splitting his face. “We’ve all noticed you humming random melodies lately. Are those for us, or… someone else?”

The teasing didn’t stop there. As the trial continued, the members took turns “presenting evidence.”

Mingyu dramatically placed a notebook on the table. “Exhibit A: Jihoon’s lyric book. Do we need to open it to find the word ‘Y/N’ written a hundred times?”

Dino jumped in, mimicking an investigator. “Exhibit B: The way Jihoon smiles at his phone during breaks. Suspicious behavior if you ask me.”

Even the usually quiet Wonwoo joined in. “Exhibit C: The recent duet with Y/N. We all heard it. It’s basically a confession set to music.”

By this point, Jihoon’s face was a deep shade of red, though he couldn’t help but chuckle.

During a break in filming, Joshua leaned over to Jihoon. “You know, they’re only teasing because they’re happy for you, right?”

“I know,” Jihoon replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But they’re relentless.”

“Hey, it’s good content,” Joshua said with a wink. “The fans will love it.”

Later in the shoot, the tables turned when it was Jihoon’s chance to act as the judge. He banged the gavel dramatically. “I have an accusation of my own,” he announced, his tone firm but playful.

The members gasped in mock horror.

“I accuse SEVENTEEN of being the nosiest group in the industry,” Jihoon declared, pointing at them one by one. “Always prying, always teasing. How do you plead?”

“Guilty!” Seungkwan shouted, raising his hands in surrender. “But we do it out of love!”

Hoshi stood up, grinning. “Your Honor, I’d like to counter-accuse. Jihoon is guilty of smiling more these days. We all know the reason why.”

The room burst into laughter once again, and Jihoon couldn’t help but shake his head, a reluctant smile on his face.

As the shoot wrapped up, the director praised the group for their energy and humor. The episode, once edited, was full of golden moments that had fans laughing and cooing over SEVENTEEN’s antics.

And while Jihoon might have been the butt of the jokes, the camaraderie and genuine affection from his members shone through.

In the comments section of the uploaded episode, fans were quick to notice the playful dynamic:

“SEVENTEEN teasing Jihoon about Y/N is peak family energy!”

“Jihoon trying to act annoyed but secretly loving it is so cute.”

“The way they all support him in their own chaotic way makes me emotional.”

That evening, as Jihoon returned to his studio, his phone buzzed with a message from Y/N:

Y/N: Saw the episode preview. They’re so obvious, lol.

Jihoon smiled, typing back:

Jihoon: They’re impossible. But at least they’re on our side.

Y/N: Always. And so am I.

As he leaned back in his chair, Jihoon couldn’t help but feel grateful—not just for Y/N, but for the family he’d found in SEVENTEEN.

Even if they never let him live it down.

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srslylini · 2 days ago

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The thing about Act 1 of season 2 is that, while in context with the rest of s2 it was bad, they actually did set up a good story and continued season 1 pretty amazingly.

There were still some problems but genuinely most of those problems stem from the rest of the Episodes not delivering and not on the first 3 setting stuff up.

Act 1 giving us the tree being sick? Really good idea, perfect set up even the connection between the hextech and it being sick? Nice as fuck. It's what they did with it (nothing) and how it didn't matter (at all) that destroys Act 1.

Caitlyn's set up was absolutely not bad, and a lot of people were praising it. It made sense for her character and it also didn't seem like they thought she was right. Not with all the other episodes after Act 1, though. Contrary to populer believe I like morally not so good (evil) characters if they make sense. Caitlyns narrative was promising to be interesting they just didn't do anything with it and acted like what she did in Act 1 was fine and excusable and alright. It wasn't. Had they actually done something with what they set up with her, well I wouldn't be standing here now.

They also promised this season being a Vi focused season and while I would say that Act 1 did actually give us a lot of Vi, in context with the other Acts... no. In hindsight there was no need to make her an Enforcer. "But the lore-" I'm gonna stop you right there, they also completely changed Viktors lore, and even Jinx' lore. So?

CaitVi was also something that, in Act 1, I was way more ready to get behind. I was a CaitVi shipper in season 1, I did like their dynamic and wanted it explored. I liked their kiss. I did not like what they did after that. Not Caitlyn hitting Vi and then getting to hit her again and never apologizing. I am a lesbian and here I am telling you: Everything that happened with them was weird.

Act 1 also gave us this genuine good found family between Isha, Sevika and Jinx. It was so moving and well done even in such short of a time (there is still stuff to criticize about it but the consensus is that it is awesome so yk I can overlook certain stuff). And then they turned around and wrote Sevika completely out of the story and killed the plot device that was Isha. When Isha should have mattered.

I didn't even originally dislike how many new characters they introduced because season 1 once mastered characters like this. Maddie seemed promising, until she wasn't. Loris seemed interesting and well thought out until he wasn't. Lest was such a good addition until she was just written out of the show completely. Don't even get me started on Steb.

Ambessas ploy in Act 1 was also something that I genuinely liked. Even Mel figuring out a mystery was good. Until they decided "well that doesn't matter anymore".

In Act 1 I did actually like the subtleties. I liked how Caitlyn saw the Violets and how, in episode 3 of s2 she saw one through her rifles lense (I have no idea what that is called, sue me haha) floating over Jinx. Because it was a nice add on and nothing that would destroy your viewing experience if not noticed, and it wasn't on the nose.

While a lot of directions they took, I was already questioning (the Smeech stuff took up way too much time) I was ready to give that a pass because it didn't destroy anything, yet.

Up until episode 4, it all seemed well enough, and while the prison scene also made me question stuff (that god damn Enforcer pants joke oh my god I will never let that go what was that) it wasn't anything too bad, yet.

The reason Act 1 doesn't work now is because of Act 2 and Act 3. Had Act 1 stood alone or had Act 2 and Act 3 delivered on Act 1, we wouldn't have that much of a problem. As it is the further Acts destroy what Act 1 seemed to carefully build up.

In the end what seemed purposefully and artistically done in Act 1 now seems like something the writers actually believe.

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marcelloandtyler · 2 days ago

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"Nah. I am pretty sure there are lots of people who put tons of energy into it. Good or bad. But I feel like focusing on the fans are best. I am sure there are entire Reddit forms dedicated to super fans sussing you out and figuring out things they don't know and reading into every little thing you say or do," Marcello said. He'd heard about such things regarding other big celebrities and he always found it interesting. In one sense, those super fans were kind of enviable because they had such a community and they could support an artist together. On the other hand, some of them definitely took it too far.

"Oh, well, I also went to school for fashion design before I went back to culinary school," Marcello admitted, blushing as he realized Levi Carter probably wasn't too interested in his life story. He made himself stop thinking like that, though, realizing he was making assumptions based on the mere fact that he was a celebrity. As much has Marcello felt against the ultra wealthy, Levi had shown him a more human side to himself. "Alright. Well. The pressures on to write the perfect review of your performance."

Marcello blushed when Levi Carter freely used the word orgasm. He scrunched his nose just a little and cleared his throat. "I'd get the message then. Maybe. Actually, knowing me I'd talk myself into thinking that song couldn't possibly be about the meal that I made you."

"That's alright, I'm not overly bothered by it. It's just kind of funny. It feels odd, but it's hardly the end of the world. I can't really ask people to put more energy towards me or thinking about me. I'm not really that important in the scheme of other peoples' lives," he said, smiling at him. "You know, that would be fun if that were true. Though... horribly overwhelming."

He chuckled and then shrugged. "Well, you dress well too from what I've seen, so you must have good taste in things other than food. Let's just hope it extends to performances and music," he teased, smiling at him.

"Hm, I don't think so," he said, shaking his head. "A lost chance at seeing a cute chef that gave me the equivalent of a culinary orgasm? I think I would have had to write a song about it."

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pdriesta · 2 days ago

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CHAPTER ONE

"baby, i'm talkin' crazy, i need you right in my space"

pairing — trentxblack!r&b artist

tropes — fake dating, enemies-to-lovers

warnings — sexual tension, toxic relationships, mature themes (minors dni)

word count — 10k

summary — y/n, a rising r&b star, is stuck in toxic situationships, with tabloids constantly overshadowing her music. to fix her image, her team pushes her into a fake relationship with liverpool’s trent alexander-arnold. both reluctant, they soon realize keeping things strictly business isn't so simple. will pretending to be in love stay a game, or turn into something real?

an —if you're expecting trent from my other works, turn away.

masterlist

trent sat in his living room, staring out the window, his mind still replaying the scene at the café. he had seen his fair share of fiery women, but something about y/n’s reaction had struck him in a way he didn’t expect. the way she stood up, her voice dripping with disdain as she called him "just another guy"—it hit deeper than he wanted to admit. he wasn’t sure who he thought he was when he brushed her off earlier, but she was no pushover. there was a power in her, an undeniable confidence that he wasn’t used to. the women around him usually gave in, smiling or flirting back, charmed by who he was and what came with his name. but y/n? she had no interest in any of that. she didn’t even seem to care that he was trent alexander-arnold.

the memory of her walking out, leaving him sitting there speechless, gnawed at him. maybe it was that she had the guts to talk down to him. maybe it was that she hadn’t flinched when he poked at her about sancho. or maybe it was that, deep down, what she said about him being "just another guy" got under his skin. for the first time in a long time, someone didn’t care about his football career or his fame. to her, he was just another obstacle in her way. it bothered him more than he’d like to admit.

he sighed heavily, leaning back into the couch as his older brother, tyler, walked in with his phone in hand. "you ready?" tyler asked, a raised brow signaling that it was time for their meeting at y/n’s record label.

trent didn’t respond at first, still caught up in his thoughts about her. what exactly had convinced him to say yes to this arrangement after how the café meeting went? maybe it was her fire, or maybe it was because, despite his stubbornness, he realized she wasn’t the type of woman he could push around. whatever it was, he found himself agreeing to it.

“yeah, let’s get this over with,” trent finally muttered, standing up. tyler gave him a knowing look but didn’t say anything. he knew trent well enough to know something was off, but now wasn’t the time to push for answers.

they walked into the label’s sleek, modern office building, and the tension was thick in the air. as soon as they stepped into the room, trent saw y/n. she was already seated at the table, an iced americano in front of her, her expression a mix of boredom and frustration. she didn’t even bother to look up when they entered, her focus entirely on her phone as she absentmindedly stirred her drink. she exuded a kind of power that wasn’t loud, but it demanded attention. it was in her posture, the way she held herself like she didn’t have time for anyone’s nonsense.

trent couldn’t help but admire that about her, even though he’d been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue. she wasn’t here to play games, and that was clear from the second they sat down. across from them were their respective lawyers, along with tyler and ayesha, y/n’s manager, who greeted them with a polite, business-like nod.

"shall we get started?" ayesha said, her voice calm but firm. "we’re here to finalize the terms of your arrangement. the contract outlines a public relationship for the next six months, though that timeline is subject to change depending on y/n’s upcoming album cycle."

trent’s gaze flickered to y/n, who hadn’t said a word since they arrived. she was still scrolling on her phone, acting completely indifferent to the entire situation. the tension between them was palpable, but he wasn’t sure if it was just from their earlier encounter or something else entirely. either way, she was clearly pissed about being here.

he leaned back in his chair, watching her, waiting for some kind of reaction as ayesha and tyler discussed the details of their agreement. "when will that be?" trent finally asked, breaking his silence and hoping to get some kind of rise out of her.

y/n’s eyes snapped up from her phone, and for a split second, her fiery gaze locked with his. “when it’s done,” she shot back flatly, before immediately turning her attention back to her phone, completely dismissing him.

trent clenched his jaw, trying to keep his frustration in check. she really wasn’t going to make this easy, and he could already tell. tyler and ayesha exchanged awkward glances, clearly sensing the tension, and the lawyers shuffled through their papers, ignoring the exchange altogether.

“right,” tyler said, clearing his throat. “so, as outlined, there will be public outings—dinners, events, and a few social media posts to solidify the relationship in the public eye. everything will be staged, nothing too intimate, just enough to get the media talking.”

ayesha nodded in agreement, then turned to y/n, who was still ignoring trent’s presence entirely. “you can continue to see other people, as long as it doesn’t get out. discretion is key here.”

trent's eyes darted back to y/n, watching closely for her reaction. he knew her and sancho were still a thing, whether they admitted it or not. he half-expected her to flinch or at least react, but she didn’t. she remained composed, her expression unreadable, though her fingers gripped her iced americano a bit tighter.

ayesha let out a small laugh. “and now, officially, you two will be the new power couple. i’m sure the media’s going to eat this up.”

“lucky us,” y/n muttered, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she stood, abruptly signaling that the meeting was over for her. she grabbed her bag and glanced at ayesha. “i’m leaving. call me if anything else needs signing. thank you,” the last sentiment towards the lawyers and teh older alexander-arnold.

trent opened his mouth to say something—he wasn’t sure what, maybe to call her out on her attitude or just to get a final word in—but before he could, she was already out the door, leaving behind the faint scent of her perfume and a palpable wave of irritation.

tyler sighed, shaking his head. "well, that went well."

trent stayed silent, watching the door y/n had just stormed through. something about her made him uneasy, but it wasn’t just anger. it was something else entirely. he wasn’t sure if this arrangement was going to work, but one thing was clear—he was in for a hell of a ride.

y/n lay tangled in the sheets, jadon’s arm draped over her waist as her mind raced. the heat from their earlier encounter lingered, her skin still buzzing from the familiar feel of his lips, his touch. it was a routine, one they’d fallen into easily. whenever the world seemed to press too hard on her—first with trent, then the label's relentless pressure to churn out more love songs—jadon was the one she went to. it didn’t make sense, not when she knew he wasn’t good for her. but something about him had always been hard to resist.

y/n lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the sheets tangled around her bare legs. jadon was still beside her, his arm lazily draped across her waist, breathing softly against her neck. it was natural now—this. their routine. they’d done it what felt like a thousand times before. same bed, same space, same empty words exchanged afterward. she wasn’t proud of it, and every time she swore it would be the last, something about him pulled her back.

her mum’s voice echoed in her mind, words of wisdom passed down in her mother tongue, reminding her that no one was perfect. but y/n knew her imperfection had a name—jadon sancho. no matter how much she tried to distance herself, there was something about him that kept her tethered. maybe it was the charm, the way he always knew exactly what to say, or maybe it was the way he’d smile at her like she was the only one in the room. she wasn’t sure anymore.

slipping out of bed, she began to pull on her clothes, moving with the kind of casual ease that came with familiarity. jadon watched her from where he lay, his arm tucked under his head, eyes half-lidded as he smirked at her.

reaching for her clothes, jadon shifted behind her, his voice low and heavy with sleep. “you leaving already?”

y/n didn’t turn around, pulling her sweats up as she spoke. “yeah, i have to go.”

he sat up slightly, watching her with that knowing smirk that always made her weak. “since when do you rush off after?” his gaze was playful, but there was a question underneath.

normally, she would’ve stayed. they’d order food, maybe watch a movie or talk about nothing for hours. dates, in secret, where they’d avoid the paparazzi and pretend their situation wasn’t what it was—complicated, undefined, and utterly toxic. but this time, something felt different.

“it’s not like that,” she mumbled, slipping her shirt on and finally turning to face him. jadon’s dark eyes were studying her, the air between them thick with an unspoken tension.

he chuckled softly, but there was a slight edge to it, one she noticed immediately. “not like that? or is it ‘cause of your new ‘boyfriend’?” he leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows, clearly amused. “you really do have a type, huh?”

y/n froze for a second, the mention of trent hitting a nerve she didn’t expect. “trent isn’t my boyfriend,” she said through gritted teeth, grabbing her bag off the floor.

jadon tilted his head, still smirking. “right. just like i’m not your boyfriend either, huh?”

her heart skipped a beat at his words. he wasn’t wrong, and that was part of the problem. the truth was, no matter how many times she told herself she could stop, she always ended up back here—back with him. and despite the casual nature of their relationship, there were feelings they both danced around, never acknowledging, never pushing past the surface.

“you don’t get to ask about trent,” y/n said sharply, more to shut him up than anything else.

“oh, but i do,” jadon shot back, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing. he crossed the room, his shirt hanging loosely off his shoulders as he moved closer, the playful spark in his eyes now clouded with something else—something heavier. “he and i played together, you know. on the national team. didn’t know you’d end up with another footballer. thought i was your only one.”

y/n rolled her eyes, annoyed at his cockiness. “don’t make this about you.”

“it’s always about me,” he countered, stepping into her space, his voice low as his hand ghosted over her arm. “you’re here, aren’t you?”

she felt a shiver run down her spine, his touch lighting a fire in her that she hated she couldn’t control. “i came here because i needed to clear my head,” she replied, keeping her voice steady. “but we’re not anything, jadon. we never were.”

his eyes darkened, the smug grin on his lips faltering for the briefest moment. “right, of course,” he said quietly. “because you’ll keep telling yourself that until you believe it, yeah?”

y/n exhaled sharply, trying to focus on anything but the way his presence still affected her. “you’re impossible.”

“you always say that, but you keep coming back, y/n,” he murmured, his voice softening as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “you don’t think i see it? the way you’re always fighting this. fighting us. i know you feel it too.”

she bit her lip, swallowing the lump in her throat. it was true—there was something between them, something raw and unspoken. but it was also messy, confusing, and more often than not, it hurt.

“i don’t know why i keep coming back,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “but i can’t do it anymore. i have to stop.”

jadon’s jaw clenched, the words hitting him harder than he wanted to show. “and what, you think trent’s gonna be different? you think you won’t be back here again, with me?”

her heart raced, the pull between them stronger than she wanted to admit. “i can’t, jadon. not this time.”

“so that’s it?” he asked, stepping back slightly, his voice quieter now. “you’re really gonna walk away, just like that?”

y/n closed her eyes for a moment, gathering herself before she opened the door. “yeah. i have to.”

“you’ll be back,” he said, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice this time.

she hesitated for a moment, glancing over her shoulder. “not this time,” she whispered, and with that, she walked out, leaving him standing there, his expression unreadable.

as she left his apartment, the reality of her words sank in. she wasn’t sure if she was making the right decision, but what she did know was that things couldn’t stay the same. and as much as she hated to admit it, trent had already complicated things in ways she hadn’t expected.

y/n sped down the road, her fingers gripping the steering wheel as her mind replayed the same tired loop of thoughts. she had never been good at keeping her emotions in check—every feeling she had, whether frustration, joy, or heartbreak, found its way into the songs she wrote. the singing came later, a natural extension of the emotions she couldn’t keep inside. despite the confident persona she carried now, y/n had always been shy, even timid as a child. she still remembered being in the choir at her all-girls school, hiding in the back until her teacher forced her to take a solo. if it hadn’t been for that push, she would’ve never discovered the voice that would eventually take her all over the world.

but now, that voice only seemed to echo with the messy frustrations of her life, and one name lingered in every song—jadon.

her latest album was a catalog of every high and low she’d been through with him, even if she’d never admit it out loud. the media had no clue, of course, but jadon? he knew. it was all in the lyrics—the tragedy of their situationship strung together verse by verse. they were raw, exposing parts of herself she was still too prideful to confess directly. the way he always knew she’d come back, the way he got under her skin… it was all there, hidden in plain sight.

she groaned, slamming the car door as she parked outside zaia’s house. she couldn’t keep doing this. couldn’t keep falling into the same pattern. the moment she stepped into her best friend's cozy, suburban home, the warmth and stability hit her hard. everything about zaia’s life was so… put together. the complete opposite of the chaotic mess y/n had going on. while zaia was happily engaged to her childhood sweetheart, planning a wedding and living in domestic bliss, y/n was the media’s favorite "mess," the girl who couldn’t seem to keep a man, at least according to every tabloid headline.

she stormed inside without knocking, not bothering with pleasantries. "where’s the wine?" y/n called out, tossing her bag onto the couch before collapsing into it, her face buried in the cushions.

zaia appeared from the kitchen, a bemused look on her face as she poured a glass of wine and handed it over. "bad day, huh?"

"bad week," y/n grumbled, sitting up to take the glass. "i swear, if one more thing goes wrong, i’m going to lose it."

zaia raised an eyebrow, settling into the armchair across from her. "let me guess—jadon?"

y/n rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. she never had to with zaia. "he just… he makes me so mad. and i don’t know why i keep going back. it’s like he knows exactly how to push my buttons, and i fall for it every time."

zaia sighed, leaning forward slightly. "you’re too prideful, y/n. you know you’re in too deep with him, but instead of cutting him off, you write songs about him. we both know ‘girls need love’ was about him.”

y/n scoffed, though she knew zaia was right. "i write about what i feel. it’s not always about him."

"you’ve gotta leave him alone, y/n," zaia sighed, shaking her head. "he's a dead end, and your songs say it all. i mean, come on, you basically spilled everything in ‘playing games.’ you wrote ‘you say you want me, but you act like you don’t’—who else could that be about?"

y/n groaned, sinking deeper into the couch. "that could be about anyone."

"oh, please." zaia rolled her eyes. "and then there’s ‘girls need love.’.’ if that’s not about jadon stringing you along, then i don’t know what is. you’ve practically handed him a whole mixtape of your mess together."

"it’s not that deep," y/n muttered, though she knew zaia had a point. the songs weren’t just vague reflections of her life—they were practically confessions. every line felt like a piece of the complicated puzzle that was her and jadon.

"girl, it is that deep," zaia shot back. "you’ve got a whole album about this man, and he’s still playing the same games. you need to cut him off."

y/n slumped further into the couch, the truth of zaia’s words sinking in more than she wanted to admit. "it’s not that simple. you don’t get it."

"i do get it. you’re addicted to him. it’s like you love the chaos," zaia said, her voice soft but firm. "but it’s not healthy. you’re wasting your time, your energy, on someone who’s never going to change."

y/n stared down at her wine glass, swirling the dark liquid inside. zaia was right. she always was. but something in her—whether it was pride or stubbornness or something else entirely—kept pulling her back to jadon, even when she knew it was a losing game. "he’s not that bad," she muttered, more to herself than to zaia.

zaia scoffed. "he’s worse, y/n. every time you get close to something good, he reels you back in just to keep you from moving on."

y/n bit her lip, the frustration bubbling inside her again. she hated that zaia could see her so clearly, even when she tried to hide behind the excuses. "it’s just… i don’t know. i don’t know why i can’t stop."

"because you don’t want to," zaia said plainly. "but you need to."

silence hung in the air for a moment before zaia, ever the pragmatic one, switched topics. "so, what’s the deal with trent?"

y/n groaned again, burying her face in her hands. "don’t even get me started on him. i hate him."

"you sure about that?" zaia teased, raising an eyebrow.

"yes," y/n shot back. "he’s arrogant and—ugh. just no. the whole thing with him is a disaster waiting to happen."

zaia leaned back in her chair, a sly smile playing on her lips. "maybe he’s exactly what you need. a distraction. someone to finally get your mind off jadon."

y/n narrowed her eyes. "a distraction? you think this PR relationship is going to help me forget sancho?"

"why not? he’s easy on the eyes, you know, and he’s not jadon. that’s already a win."

"it’s not that simple, zai. we signed contracts, there are rules… and i don’t need another distraction. i need to focus on my music, not some fake relationship."

zaia gave her a pointed look. "maybe you need a break from the music. all it’s been doing lately is giving you more reasons to run back to jadon. maybe trent’s exactly what you need to finally cut the cord."

y/n stared at her friend, unsure of how to respond. she didn’t want to admit it, but maybe zaia had a point. maybe pretending to be with trent, even if it was just for the cameras, was the clean break she needed.

later that week, trent found himself pacing around his living room, phone in hand. it had been days since the meeting at the label, and he hadn't heard a word from y/n. it wasn’t like he expected her to reach out—she’d made it pretty clear how much she didn’t want anything to do with him. but the silence, the radio silence, was starting to get under his skin. she was being petty, and for some reason, that irritated him even more.

he glanced down at the number he'd gotten from ayesha, sighing. "guess i'm the one who has to be the adult here," he muttered, dialing the number.

the phone rang for what felt like an eternity before a soft, unfamiliar voice finally answered.

"hello?" y/n’s voice came through, cautious and unsure, as if she didn’t know who it was.

trent smirked to himself. of course, she didn’t save my number.

"y/n. it’s trent."

there was a brief pause on the other end. he could almost imagine her blinking in surprise, her posture stiffening at the unexpected call.

"trent," she repeated slowly, as if testing the name on her tongue. "how did you get my number?"

"ayesha," he said simply, leaning back against the kitchen counter. "i figured we needed to talk, seeing as you’ve been avoiding me since last week."

"i haven’t been avoiding you." her tone was sharp, defensive. "i’ve just been... busy."

trent rolled his eyes. "right. well, we can’t exactly keep this up. we need to figure this out sooner rather than later."

"figure what out?" her voice was laced with irritation, like she didn’t even want to entertain the conversation.

"the arrangement. the contract," trent said, trying to keep his voice steady, though her attitude was starting to get under his skin again. "we have to be on the same page if this is gonna work."

there was another pause, and he could hear her exhale on the other end. "fine. when and where?"

he raised an eyebrow at her sudden change of heart. "you’re agreeing to meet?"

"didn’t you just say we need to?" she shot back, sounding exasperated. "let’s just get it over with. when?"

"tonight. my place," he said quickly, not giving her a chance to back out. "i’ll text you the address."

there was a brief hesitation before she agreed. "fine. i’ll be there."

trent hung up, a sense of relief washing over him—but also a lingering annoyance. this wasn’t going to be easy, but at least she was willing to meet.

now all he had to do was figure out how to navigate whatever was about to come next. because if their phone call was anything to go by, this arrangement was already off to a rocky start.

trent tossed his phone onto the counter, the clatter echoing through the quiet room. he ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the strange feeling creeping up on him. it was just business, just a deal they were both locked into for the next six months. but something about the way y/n had been so indifferent, so cold on the phone, kept replaying in his mind.

he leaned back against the counter, staring out the window. his thoughts drifted, uninvited, to jadon sancho. were they still seeing each other? were they still tangled up in whatever mess they had going on? the idea of y/n being laid up with jadon, while pretending to be in a relationship with him, didn’t sit right. it wasn't just about the contract or the public image—it was something else, something more personal.

he hated the thought of her, in the middle of the night, pressed against jadon’s chest, laughing at something stupid he said. he knew sancho; they’d been teammates. he’d seen the way women flocked to him, the easy smile, the charm he laid on so thick. but y/n —she was something else. she wasn’t just another girl. he’d seen the way she carried herself, the way she didn’t let people, especially men, walk all over her. that fiery tongue, the way she wasn’t impressed by who he was. it had struck a nerve, one that was still stinging.

what did she even see in sancho?

trent couldn't help but scoff at the thought. he’s your type, sancho would joke—like types meant anything when you were faking love for the cameras. but still, the idea of her being involved with him while they carried on this charade made trent’s stomach twist. it wasn’t jealousy, he told himself. no, it was just the optics of it, the idea that they couldn’t have their cover blown because y/n couldn't stay away from someone else.

trent crossed his arms, his irritation simmering as he recalled those nights at the club. he could still picture it: jadon, with that arrogant grin plastered on his face, always clinging to y/n like she was the only thing that mattered in the crowded room. it grated on trent's nerves to see how sancho paraded around her, as if he had it all figured out, as if she was just another trophy to display.

but the truth was, it was clear to anyone who bothered to look closely: y/n had the upper hand.

she played her cards with effortless grace, keeping sancho in the palm of her delicate hand. there was a fire in her eyes, a spark that made her untouchable, and yet, there she was, tangled up in a relationship that was anything but simple. while sancho flexed his charm and dominance, y/n stood confidently, unbothered, perfectly aware of the control she wielded.

trent hated that he was even thinking about this. it was just another reason to keep his distance, to remind himself that they were supposed to be faking it, not getting caught up in whatever drama her past with jadon might bring. but the more he replayed those moments in his mind, the more he questioned whether she had really moved on from sancho or if she was just playing a deeper game, one that trent didn’t fully understand.

did she only agree to use him to get back at jadon?

he couldn't help but wonder how she would fit into this new chapter of his life, this ridiculous arrangement they were about to start.

he pushed himself off the counter, trying to shake the thoughts away. he needed to focus on the contract, the arrangement, and how to make it work. but no matter how hard he tried, the idea of y/n and jadon—together, intimately—kept gnawing at the back of his mind.

what kind of game was she playing?

trent couldn’t deny the tension building within him as he stood outside y/n’s condo, waiting for her to join him for the charity event. this was their second public outing together, another step in their carefully curated façade. the night was supposed to be simple: smiles for the cameras, casual conversation with his teammates, and just enough chemistry to keep the tabloids buzzing.

but nothing about y/n was simple, and he felt the weight of that as he stared at her building, checking his phone for the fifth time.

when the door finally opened, he looked up, and his breath hitched in his throat. y/n stood framed by the soft glow of her entryway, draped in a black gown that demanded attention. the corset top sculpted her figure flawlessly, emphasizing her curves and leaving just enough to the imagination. a black fur coat hung over her shoulders, but it couldn’t mask how stunning she looked.

“you’re staring,” she teased as she approached, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

trent blinked, realizing he hadn’t said a word. “just… making sure you’re ready,” he muttered, clearing his throat and shoving his hands into his pockets.

“oh, i’m ready,” she said, her lips curving into a knowing smirk as she brushed past him toward his car.

in the confines of the car, the tension was palpable. the scent of her perfume filled the space, soft yet intoxicating, and every shift of her body drew his attention. the slit in her gown revealed a flash of her leg when she crossed them, and trent gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

“you alright there?” she asked, her voice laced with amusement as she caught him glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

“yeah. fine,” he replied curtly, focusing on the road.

when they arrived at the venue, the coat check left him momentarily speechless. as y/n slipped off her coat, her gown came into full view, shimmering under the light and accentuating every inch of her. the neckline dipped just enough to make his throat dry, and the fitted corset made her look like a vision of elegance and allure combined.

he didn’t say anything, but his jaw tightened as he noticed the appreciative glances she was drawing from others in the room.

“you good?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she handed her coat to the attendant.

“fine,” he said, his tone clipped.

but he wasn’t fine. not when he spent the first hour of the event watching as his teammates approached her, drawn in by her charm. he had deliberately kept his distance, convinced that avoiding her was the best way to keep his own emotions in check. but when he saw ryan gravenberch leaning a little too close as she laughed at something he said, trent felt his patience snap.

as he approached them, he caught the tail end of their conversation. y/n was smiling, her posture relaxed, and ryan looked equally at ease.

“everything okay here?” trent asked, his voice deceptively casual as he joined them.

y/n glanced at him, her smile fading slightly as she registered his tone. “yeah, everything’s fine. ryan was just telling me about—”

“i bet he was,” trent interrupted, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at his teammate. “you’ve got a girlfriend, don’t you, ryan?”

ryan frowned, straightening up. “uh, yeah. i do.”

“right,” trent said, his gaze shifting to y/n. “you’ve got a type, don’t you? footballers.”

y/n’s smile faltered, the slight stiffening of her shoulders the only indication she’d heard him. but trent could tell. he saw the flash of hurt in her eyes, the way she blinked rapidly as if trying to push it away.

“excuse me,” she said suddenly, standing up and walking away from the table, her posture rigid as she stormed off toward the coat check.

trent cursed under his breath, realizing his mistake. they’d been getting along—she’d even seemed to be enjoying herself—and he’d ruined it. again.

he rushed after her, weaving through the crowd until he finally caught up to her at the coat check. “y/n, wait,” he called, reaching for her arm, but she pulled away, her expression icy.

“don’t,” she snapped, turning to face him, her eyes blazing with anger. “if you’re just going to play into their hand and paint me out to be some sort of slut, we might as well rip up that contract right now.”

trent blinked, taken aback by her words. “that’s not what i—”

“no, trent, don’t even try,” she interrupted, her voice shaking slightly. “you don’t get to slut shame me. you don’t get to make comments like that just because i’ve been involved with someone you know.”

“you really think that little of me, don’t you? that i’d flirt with someone who has a girlfriend? that i’d stoop that low?” she said, her voice trembling slightly with restrained fury.

“i didn’t say—”

“you didn’t have to,” she cut him off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “you just implied it. because that’s what you think of me, isn’t it? just some girl who’s here for a good time, here to play the part you need me to play.”

trent opened his mouth to respond, but she wasn’t done.

“you don’t know a damn thing about me,” she said, her voice rising slightly. “and you clearly don’t care to. all you see is what you want to see, and that’s on you, not me.”

she turned on her heel, heading for the coat check, but he followed her, grabbing her arm gently.

“y/n, wait,” he said, his voice softer now.

“don’t,” she snapped, pulling her arm free. “if you’re just going to insult me and humiliate me in front of your teammates, don’t bother pretending to care now.”

“that’s not what I meant—”

“then what did you mean?” she demanded, her voice cracking slightly. “because it sure as hell sounded like you were slut-shaming me for talking to someone who was just being nice. god, even jadon—”

her voice broke off, and she shook her head, blinking back tears.

“what?” trent asked, his own frustration bubbling up. “even jadon what?”

“even jadon never made me feel this small,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “and that’s saying something.”

her words hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him standing there, speechless, as she grabbed her coat and walked away.

the next day, guilt clung to trent like a second skin, heavy and suffocating. he was at training, but his head wasn’t in it. every missed pass, every half-hearted sprint, earned him sidelong glances from his teammates and sharp words from his coach. but nothing could pull him out of the haze he was in, the words y/n had thrown at him replaying in his mind like a broken record.

"even jadon never made me feel this small.”

he swallowed hard, his throat dry as the memory resurfaced again. the crack in her voice, the way she blinked back tears she refused to shed in front of him. the way she’d walked out, her coat clutched tightly around her like armor, leaving him standing there, too stunned to follow.

trent scrubbed a hand over his face, dragging himself back to the present as the whistle blew to end the session. he barely registered the chatter around him as he trudged off the pitch, his phone burning a hole in his pocket. he'd already called her twice this morning, only for it to go straight to voicemail. no response to his texts either.

she was airing him, and honestly, he couldn’t blame her.

meanwhile, y/n was at a café with zai, trying to push the events of the night before out of her mind. the warm, buzzing atmosphere should’ve been enough to distract her, but her thoughts kept drifting back to trent, to his sharp words and the guilt that had flashed in his eyes when she’d finally snapped.

“you’re quiet,” zai noted, taking a sip of her iced coffee. “and don’t tell me it’s nothing. i know that look.”

y/n sighed, stirring her tea absently. “it’s just... men.”

zai raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. “is this about trent? or jadon?”

the mention of his name made her flinch, and she hated how easily it still got under her skin. “it’s not about jadon,” she said, a little too quickly. “but it doesn’t matter. it’s just... the same story, different guy. i don’t know why i’m surprised anymore.”

zai frowned, concern flickering across her face. “what happened?”

y/n hesitated, debating whether she even wanted to get into it. but the weight on her chest was too much to carry alone. “he accused me of flirting with someone. like, out of nowhere. and when i tried to explain, he doubled down. it was like...” her voice trailed off, and she took a shaky breath. “it was like i was back there again, with jadon, having to defend myself for existing. except this time, it’s not even real. it’s fake, and it still hurts.”

zai reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “y/n, you don’t have to put up with this. fake or not.”

“i know,” she whispered, but even as she said it, her resolve wavered.

because the truth was, she did have to put up with it. the contract was clear, and the charity event was coming up fast. she had to face him again by the end of the week, had to plaster on a smile and pretend everything was fine for the cameras.

but in the quiet corners of her mind, the cracks were already forming. she thought about all the times she’d been here before, swallowing her pride, her hurt, just to keep the peace. with jadon, with other men before him, and now with trent.

it was always the same pattern. they’d charm her at first, make her believe she was special, different. and then, slowly, the cracks would show. the accusations, the jealousy, the little digs at her character that piled up until she didn’t even recognize herself anymore.

trent’s words from the night before rang in her ears again, sharp and cutting. she’d thought, maybe naively, that because this was fake, it wouldn’t hurt. that she could separate herself from it. but now, she wasn’t so sure.

“i’ll get through it,” she said finally, forcing a smile for zai’s sake. “it’s just one night. i’ve handled worse.”

but even as the words left her lips, she knew they were a lie. because no matter how much she tried to convince herself that this was just another performance, the truth was far messier.

she didn’t want to admit how deeply his words had cut, how much they reminded her of jadon and the way he used to chip away at her confidence until there was nothing left.

but at least with trent, it wasn’t real.

that thought was supposed to bring her comfort, but instead, it left a hollow ache in her chest. because if even something fake could hurt this much, what did that say about her?

that night, trent sat on the edge of his bed that night, phone in hand, staring at her contact. he’d tried calling her again after training, but still nothing. the silence was deafening, and he hated it. hated knowing he’d hurt her, hated the thought of her comparing him to jadon and coming up short.

he typed out another message, his thumb hovering over the send button.

"y/n, i’m sorry."

it wasn’t enough, he knew that. but he didn’t know what else to say. didn’t know how to fix the mess he’d made.

he hit send anyway, tossing his phone onto the nightstand. the apology sat there, unread, like a weight in the pit of his stomach.

the soft glow of string lights hanging over the patio of the upscale restaurant did little to mask the tension simmering between y/n and trent. their first public outing as a "couple" was supposed to be for show, a chance to create a picture-perfect moment for the cameras. but the peaceful evening was long gone, replaced by an undercurrent of bickering that neither of them could quite rein in.

trent sat across from her, arms crossed, clearly irritated as he watched y/n type away on her phone, her attention fully absorbed by whatever message she was sending. he knew exactly who it was. sancho. the very mention of his name was enough to ignite a spark of frustration in trent, and the fact that she was texting him right in front of him? it was pushing him to his limit.

“really?” trent muttered, his voice laced with annoyance. “you’re gonna sit there texting him all night?”

y/n didn’t even bother looking up, her thumb casually swiping across the screen as she typed. “jealous already? we’ve only been ‘dating’ for what—an hour?” she shot him a sideways glance, a smirk playing at her lips, knowing she was getting under his skin.

trent’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward slightly. “it’s not jealousy. it’s just pathetic that you’re still hung up on a guy who clearly doesn’t care about you.”

y/n’s eyebrows shot up, finally looking up from her phone to meet his gaze. “oh, so you’re keeping tabs on me now? since when do you care who i talk to?”

“i don’t,” he shot back, his voice sharper than he intended. “but if we’re supposed to be playing this fake relationship game, maybe you should stop texting the guy who’s making a fool out of you.”

y/n let out a low, amused laugh, clearly unfazed by his comment. “oh, please. jadon knows exactly what he’s doing, and so do i. you wouldn’t get it.”

trent scoffed, shaking his head. “yeah? and what’s that supposed to mean? you think he’s treating you right just because he sends a few sweet texts?”

y/n leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a smug smile. “he knows how to keep things interesting. maybe that’s something you could learn from him.”

trent’s eyes darkened, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth. “yeah, well, from where i’m sitting, it looks like you’re the one doing all the chasing. does he even text you back as fast as you’re glued to your phone?”

y/n narrowed her eyes at him, her playful smirk slipping as his words hit a little too close to home. “funny. but you don’t know shit about what’s going on between me and jadon.”

“i know enough,” trent shot back, his voice low and laced with irritation. “i know he’s got you running in circles, thinking you’ve got him where you want him when really, he’s just stringing you along.”

y/n’s eyes flashed with defiance as she leaned forward, elbows resting on the table as she closed the distance between them. “you think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you? jadon knows exactly what he’s doing, and so do i. i have him wrapped around my finger, not the other way around.”

trent leaned in closer, his eyes locked on hers, the tension between them thick enough to cut. “is that what you really think? because from where i’m sitting, you look like you’re trying way too hard to convince yourself of that.”

y/n didn’t flinch, her smirk returning as she dropped her voice to a teasing whisper. “why? you jealous, trent? does it bother you that i can have him, and you’re just playing pretend?”

before trent could respond, y/n leaned forward even further, deliberately letting the neckline of her top dip just enough to catch his attention. trent’s gaze flickered down for the briefest second—a moment so quick he hoped she wouldn’t notice. but she did. and y/n, ever the opportunist, wasn’t about to let it slide.

“oh?” she teased, her voice dripping with amusement. “you can’t even look me in the eye now, can you? maybe you’re not as unaffected as you pretend to be.”

trent’s face tightened, his expression darkening as he forced himself to meet her gaze again, refusing to let her win. “you really think everyone wants you, don’t you?” he muttered, his voice edged with frustration.

y/n leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly enjoying the game she was playing. “not everyone,” she said with a smirk, her eyes dancing with mischief. “but you do.”

trent scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “you’re unbelievable.”

y/n raised an eyebrow, her smile never faltering. “unbelievable or right?”

trent exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair as he tried to keep his cool. “this is exactly what i mean. you’re so caught up in the attention, in thinking everyone’s after you, that you can’t see how messy this is.”

“messy?” y/n echoed, feigning innocence. “i don’t think it’s messy at all. i think you’re the one who’s flustered. i mean, it’s cute—your little attempt at being unaffected—but i know when a guy wants me.”

trent leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he glared at her. “you think i’m flustered? please. you’re just pissed because i’m not falling for your bullshit like sancho does.”

y/n chuckled, shaking her head. “nah, you’re pissed because deep down, you’re just as interested as he is. you’re just better at hiding it.”

trent’s eyes flashed with irritation. “if you think i’m interested, then you really don’t know me at all.”

“oh, i know you,” she shot back, her tone teasing but with a sharper edge now. “i know that little glance wasn’t just out of curiosity. you can act all high and mighty, but i can see right through you, trent.”

trent clenched his jaw, the muscle ticking as he forced himself to stay calm. “you’re so full of yourself, you know that?”

“maybe,” she shrugged, her smirk only growing wider. “but you’re still sitting here, aren’t you?”

trent let out a frustrated breath, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. “yeah, well, someone’s gotta keep you in check.”

“oh, is that what you’re doing?” y/n teased, her voice light and mocking. “keeping me in check? because it seems like you’re the one who can’t handle the heat.”

trent’s eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. “you can play your games with sancho all you want, but don’t drag me into it.”

y/n’s smile widened as she leaned forward again, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. “who says i’m playing games? maybe i just like getting under your skin.”

trent’s gaze flickered to hers, his frustration clear in his expression. “trust me, you’re not getting under my skin. i just think it’s sad you’re still hung up on a guy who doesn’t care about you.”

y/n’s smirk faltered for a split second before she recovered, her tone sharp as she responded. “and i think it’s sad you’re unbothered when you clearly are.”

trent stared at her, the tension between them crackling like static in the air. they were supposed to be putting on a show, a fake relationship for the cameras, but the lines between reality and pretense were starting to blur. and as much as he hated to admit it, y/n was getting to him.

but he wasn’t about to let her know that. not yet, anyway.

they left the café with tension so thick it was suffocating, y/n’s heels clicking sharply against the pavement as she trailed slightly behind trent. he strode ahead, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, barely sparing her a glance. the entire date had been a disaster—if you could even call it a date. trent hadn’t looked at her, let alone spoken to her, during the meal. he barely acknowledged her presence, his eyes fixed anywhere but on her.

y/n bit her lip, her frustration bubbling to the surface. she was tired of his dismissive attitude. “you know, for someone who’s supposed to be my date,” she called out, sarcasm dripping from her tone, “you’re really bad at it.”

trent didn’t slow down. his long strides made her struggle to keep up, but he didn’t care. “i’m not here to hold your hand,” he said flatly, still refusing to turn around.

y/n quickened her pace, falling into step beside him. “clearly. you’re more interested in ignoring me than pretending this is a real date.”

his jaw tightened, but his expression remained cold. “maybe i just don’t feel like playing into your games.”

“games?” she scoffed, crossing her arms. “what games, trent? this whole fake-dating thing was your idea, remember?”

he finally stopped walking, turning to face her with an irritated glare. “yeah, fake,” he muttered, his voice sharp. “but you’re treating it like it’s just another excuse to text him.”

y/n blinked, caught off guard. “what are you even talking about?”

trent’s lips curled into a bitter smirk. “you’ve been glued to your phone all night. let me guess—sancho?”

her stomach twisted at the mention of jadon. “oh my god, you’re unbelievable,” she muttered, shaking her head. “i wasn’t texting him.”

“sure,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “because it’s not obvious or anything. you’re always distracted, smiling at his messages. it’s pathetic.”

her chest tightened, his words cutting deeper than she wanted to admit. “you don’t know what you’re talking about,” she snapped, her voice rising. “and even if i was texting him, it’s none of your business.”

trent’s expression darkened as he stepped closer, his tone low but biting. “it is my business. we’re supposed to be selling this ‘happy couple’ act, but you can’t even pretend to be here with me.”

she took a step back, her frustration boiling over. “you ignored me the entire night, trent! you barely even looked at me, and now you’re trying to make me the problem?”

he scoffed, his voice cold. “why bother looking at someone who’s clearly not interested in being here?”

“are you serious right now?” y/n’s voice cracked, the weight of his accusations suffocating her. “you don’t know anything about me.”

“don’t i?” he shot back. “every time we’re together, it’s like you’re somewhere else. you’re not here, y/n. you’re always thinking about someone else.”

her throat tightened as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. she refused to let them fall. “you’re wrong,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “this isn’t about jadon. it’s about you.”

trent’s brows furrowed, his confusion momentarily breaking through his anger. “me?”

“yes, you,” she said, her voice steadier now. “you’re so focused on who you think i’m texting, you can’t see what’s right in front of you. you’ve been cold and distant all night, and i’m the one who’s pathetic?”

his mouth opened as if to respond, but no words came out. for the first time, he looked at her—really looked at her—and the guilt in his eyes was unmistakable.

“i want to leave,” y/n said finally, her voice firm. she turned away before he could say anything else, her heels clicking briskly as she walked away.

“y/n—” he started, his voice softer now, but she didn’t stop.

“don’t, trent,” she said, her voice breaking. “i’m done for tonight.”

he stood there, watching her disappear into the crowd, the weight of her words settling heavily in his chest. but his pride kept him silent, rooted in place as she walked out of sight.

the second date was arranged like the first—some picturesque café on a quiet street, perfect for photographs and social media buzz. but this time, y/n wasn’t going to be the one trying. she was done with his cold shoulder, his sharp words, and the way he acted like her presence was some sort of inconvenience. if trent wanted to treat this arrangement like a game, then fine. she’d play it better.

she arrived on time, wearing a sleek black midi dress and a pair of delicate heels that gave her an air of effortless elegance. she hadn’t bothered to look for him when she walked up to the café. instead, she let the hostess guide her to their reserved table on the patio. trent was already seated, casually scrolling through his phone, his jawline sharp as ever, and a faint furrow in his brow.

"y/n," he greeted, glancing up briefly before looking back down at his screen.

she didn’t respond, her lips pressing into a polite smile as she pulled out her chair and sat down. the silence stretched, taut and uncomfortable, but she kept her composure, smoothing her dress over her knees and ignoring the way his gaze flickered toward her once, twice.

he cleared his throat, finally slipping his phone into his pocket. “you’re quiet today,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

she picked up the menu, her eyes scanning the items as if she hadn’t heard him.

trent’s brows knit together. “everything alright?”

still, she said nothing, her attention fixed on the menu. she wasn’t being overtly rude, but her indifference was deliberate, precise.

“y/n,” he said again, more firmly this time. “i asked you a question.”

her lips twitched, a hint of amusement threatening to show, but she kept her expression neutral. finally, she lowered the menu, setting it down carefully on the table. she met his gaze for a fleeting moment before looking away again, pretending to admire the flowers in the centerpiece.

trent let out a frustrated exhale, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. “are you seriously not going to talk to me?”

she tilted her head slightly, her eyes still fixed on the flowers as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world. her silence was driving him mad, and she knew it.

“alright,” he said, his tone sharp with irritation. “what’s this about? the other night?”

she finally looked at him then, her expression blank, save for the faintest arch of her brow. his frustration deepened, the tension in his shoulders more visible now.

“look,” he started, running a hand through his curls, “if you’re mad about what i said, i—”

her phone buzzed on the table, and without a word, she picked it up, unlocking it with a casual swipe and scrolling through her notifications.

trent’s jaw clenched. “are you serious?”

she ignored him, tapping out a quick reply to a text before setting her phone back down. she leaned back in her chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap, and gave him a look that said are you done?

trent leaned closer, his voice low and biting. “you’re acting like a child.”

that earned him a reaction—her lips curved into a small, knowing smirk. “oh, now you care about how i’m acting?” she said sweetly, her voice light but cutting. “interesting.”

he blinked, caught off guard by her sudden words. “what’s that supposed to mean?”

“nothing,” she said with a shrug, her tone dripping with mock innocence. “just an observation.”

he sat back, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at her. “so this is payback, huh? silent treatment? acting like i’m not here?”

her smile widened, but she didn’t respond. instead, she reached for her water glass, taking a slow sip, her eyes never leaving his.

“y/n,” he said, his voice firm now, “stop playing around.”

“why?” she asked, setting the glass down and leaning forward slightly. “don’t like it when someone treats you the way you treat them?”

trent’s mouth opened, then closed, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond. she had him cornered, and they both knew it.

“you’ve been impossible,” he said finally, his tone softer but still laced with frustration. “i’m trying here, alright?”

her brow shot up. “trying? really? because ignoring me, snapping at me, and barely looking at me the other night didn’t exactly scream effort.”

his jaw tightened, guilt flickering across his face for just a moment. “i was—” he hesitated, searching for the right words. “i wasn’t in the best mood.”

“clearly,” she said dryly, leaning back in her chair. “but you still managed to make it my problem.”

“i didn’t mean to,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “look, i know i’ve been... difficult. but this whole thing—” he gestured between them—“it’s not exactly easy, alright? pretending like this is real when it’s not.”

“not easy for you?” she repeated, her tone incredulous. “you think it’s a walk in the park for me? dealing with your attitude, your assumptions, your—” she cut herself off, shaking her head. “forget it.”

“no, go on,” he pressed, leaning closer. “say it.”

she met his gaze, her eyes flashing with irritation. “your ego,” she said bluntly. “you act like you’re the only one who has to deal with the pressure, like this whole thing revolves around you.”

his brows furrowed, her words clearly hitting a nerve. “that’s not what i think.”

“isn’t it?” she challenged. “because that’s exactly how it feels.”

trent sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. for a moment, he looked like he was going to argue, but then he just nodded. “maybe you’re right.”

her eyes widened slightly, surprised by his admission. “what?”

“you’re right,” he repeated, his voice more measured now. “i’ve been... selfish about this. i didn’t think about how it’s been for you.”

she studied him, trying to gauge whether he was being sincere. “and?”

“what do you want from me, y/n?” he asked, his voice sharp but tinged with desperation.

she stopped, too, slowly turning back to face him. for a moment, she just stood there, her phone in her hand, her expression unreadable. then, with deliberate slowness, she set her phone down on the small café table beside her and leaned back against the chair with her arms crossed.

that look.

it wasn’t just her posture, though that alone was commanding—poised and unapologetically confident. it was the way her light brown, bone-straight locks framed her face like a halo, each strand catching the golden light of the setting sun. her dark, glossy lips curved slightly, like she was on the verge of laughing at him. but it was her eyes that made his breath hitch, piercing and unyielding, filled with a quiet power that made him feel like she could see every corner of his soul.

trent felt pinned under her gaze, completely enthralled. for a moment, he forgot to breathe. in his mind, she was a force he could never hope to control, and for the first time in forever, he realized he didn’t want to.

“i want an apology,” she said finally, her voice calm but firm, as though the entire world bent to her will.

he didn’t even hesitate. “i’m sorry,” he said quickly, the words tumbling out before he could stop himself.

her brows lifted in amusement, and a surprised laugh slipped past her lips, soft and melodic. “wow,” she said, leaning forward slightly, a teasing glint in her eye. “that was... fast.”

“because i mean it,” he said, his voice steady now, though his heart raced. “you were right, y/n. about all of it. i’ve been selfish and short with you when you didn’t deserve it. this whole thing’s been frustrating, but that’s no excuse for how i’ve treated you.”

her lips parted slightly in surprise, and he noticed how her expression softened, just a fraction. “go on,” she said, though her teasing tone couldn’t quite hide the genuine curiosity beneath it.

trent took a step closer, his hands slipping into his pockets as if grounding himself. “i’ve been taking my frustration out on you because it’s easier than admitting this arrangement has gotten to me. but you don’t deserve that. if anything, you deserve better than... whatever this is.”

for a moment, she didn’t respond, just studied him with that same piercing gaze. then, slowly, she uncrossed her arms and leaned back, her expression unreadable.

“you’re lucky i’m giving you another chance,” she said, though her tone was lighter now, teasing.

“i’ll take it,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “and i’ll do better. i promise.”

she tilted her head, a flicker of something warmer passing over her face. “you’re serious, huh?”

“dead serious,” he said without missing a beat. “whatever it takes to fix this.”

she gave him a long look before finally nodding, a smile playing on her lips. “alright then,” she said, standing up and brushing imaginary dust from her dress. “you can start by buying me a coffee.”

trent chuckled, his frustration melting into something softer, something lighter. “deal.”

“you’re lucky you’re pretty,” she muttered, when he returned with her coffee a small smile tugging at her lips.

trent let out a low laugh, the sound breaking the lingering tension. “that’s all i’ve got going for me, huh?”

“pretty much,” she teased, her tone lighter now. “but don’t push it. i’m still mad.”

he smirked, leaning back in his chair. “noted.”

it wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was enough for now. as they sat there, the silence between them was no longer cold or uncomfortable—it was something softer, a tentative truce.

as they walked back toward the café’s entrance, side by side, he noticed the way she didn’t pull away when his shoulder brushed hers. it wasn’t perfect—not yet—but it was a start. and for the first time, trent felt like they might actually figure this thing out together.

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ladyloveandjustice · 18 hours ago

Text

So, about two years ago there was a post that claimed that the only time Stephanie's house was ever depicted as looking rough was immediately after Cataclysm and it was a huge misunderstanding because the reason for that was because a huge earthquake had just happened. And that this was proof her family didn't struggle financially and everyone had misunderstood.

I knew this wasn't accurate, that there were other comics that depicted this, but I thought at the time I'd have to pore through a lot of comics to find additional examples and it wasn't worth the energy. However the post came up again recently and I'd recently seen a counterexample (the pages above) so I decided to take a quick look and it was actually ridiculously easy to find additional examples, I barely had to make an effort and likely could have found more.

So, since that post got a lot of notes and contains misinformation (not just about the house but some other stuff too, but that'd take time to go into and require linking the post directly which I'm not comfy doing, I already responded on my blog), I thought I'd unleash this into Stephanie's tag to correct it, in case anyone was indeed using it as a resource.

The first panels are from Secret Origins 80 Page Giant. It basically focuses into Steph' origin story, all flashbacks, and shows her house looked rough throughout her childhood and teen-hood. This is an issue that directly states the Brown's financial issues, stating that whenever Arthur comes home he uses up all their money. This stopped happening when Steph busted him, but that's a huge financial hole to dig yourself out of, which probably explains a lot of the financial struggles, If you blow all your money, that's not something you magically recover from, it takes a lot of time.

Our next example is Robin #41 which was before Cataclysm (the huge earthquake storyline):

This is actually the same artist (Staz Johnson) that did the issue during the aftermath of the earthquake that was used as an example, actually, casting doubt that the cracks in that one were actually supposed to be because of the earthquake, which I honestly doubted:

Anyway, then we have yet another example in Batman Chronicles #22, a full two years after Cataclysm:

Anyway, so the repeated instances indicate that yes, Steph's house was very much intended to look rough as a (kinda lazy) way to depict the financial struggle/poverty, even if Dixon wasn't interested in exploring said poverty all that much because he's a weird conservative.

(also the clumsy recolor is because Steph's hair is miscolored red this issue, and this apparently bothered me so much as a teen I badly recolored the hair before uploading it to my little Steph wiki)

One other fairly direct implication of Stephanie's status as 'poor' is in Steph's Batgirl series, and there are likely more, but this post's evidence is already thorough enough imo. People can, indeed, live in the suburbs and struggle financially.

A good example of the need to do your own research when there's a claim made on Tumblr about comics. And if you would like to do that, I ran a Stephanie Brown wiki as a teenager. I've long since abandoned it like I've largely abandoned reading superhero comics, but there is another user who updates it regularly, and he put together a painstaking chronology of all Steph's appearances in comics, linking to a lot of my uploads and descriptions of appearances I did back in the day. And there's a lot more on the wiki too!

Stephanie Brown Chronology

#stephanie brown #the spoiler #batgirl #dc comics #batfamily #batman comics #robin

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audioroleplayconfessions · 10 hours ago

Note

Some general VA opinions I have that are in the back of my mind:

• Escaped Audios has a friendly ass voice. I've only ever heard him speaking OOC like once, but he sounds like he's nice to people. AND IK THAT SOUNDS WEIRD BUT THATS HOW MY BRAIN ARTICULATES IT.

• I frequently think about how gagged I was to realize ZSakuVA is English. I think I found him through Elias or something, and I only ever binge one character at a time so I was none the wiser until I started Noble Trials. Even the, my initial thought was "Damn, I've never heard an American hit an English accent this hard". Either way, great range. Also I like his sound design or whatever it's called a LOT, super emersive.

• The way Yuurivoice responds to some of his asks makes me giggle. Also, audios aside, I think he's done a great job branding his channel, especially aesthetically. I know he has a team and stuff, so props to them too. I could have my phone brightness set extra dim, glasses off, half asleep, and I could spot a YV video from like, a mile away.

• The Stroke Of Midnight seems like a damn sweetheart 😭 I'm not gonna lie, I rarely listen to the ends of videos, but I always listen to his. He's always thanking his editor and the script writer and idk, he just seems so sincere. Also he's mad slept on.

• CastleAudios has one of the most believable self-collabs I feel like. Obviously, she plays all of her characters in her muti-listener collage, but I think aside from the subtle changes in performance, it's her characterization of them. You can TELL when someone knows their OCs, and I feel like she does.

• Mr. Laveau has suuuuuuch excellent song choices in their audios. And honestly, my absolute favorite character designs full stop. The kind of audio you put in 1080p so you can examine the art properly.

• Not a VA, but specifically Lupin-Stole-My-Heart and ItsEsmeJones, I fuck with y'all HEAVY. They have carried some of my favorite series on their backs, MAJOR shout-out to them and anyone who writes scripts. Genuine respect.

• Can't mention writers without bringing up artists too, especially as an artist myself. Those of y'all who make these beautiful designs for VAs, and the VAs who draw their own art, MAJOR PROPS. I think especially right now, I want it to be made known that your contributions are appreciated. Thank you :]

Uhhh idk I think I'll cap it here, since if I went on about every VA I've ever watched, we'd be here forever. Generally though, to all of the VAs, ASMRtists, creators, whatever label fits you best, thanks a bunch. I caaaaaant even put into works how much joy, comfort, and true wonder your stuff has brought me, and others I'm sure. So thank you.

- 🩵🌟 (ps if you guessed who this is from how I type, NO YOU DIDNT).

#anonymous confessions #audio roleplay #escaped audios #zsakuva #castle audios #mr laveau #itsesmajones #lupinstolemyheart

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slay00ryu · 2 days ago

Note

KC cast with a reader who makes songs about them or their murder

A singer and their song.

A short list of Headcanons for each love interest.

Ronin

Playing: Judas by Lady Gaga

Ronin was fascinated by the sound of your songs, he found himself listening to them on repeat. He could admire the feelings you were pouring into the lyrics and every sound.

When he discovered that you were writing a song inspired by him he was even more captivated by the music. "Is this how I sound to you, darling?" He would ask when you were presenting the music itself.

His songs were loud, fast, aggressive in a way. They were pure chaos, but that chaos was controlled just like Ronin. He was a chaotic serial killer, yet he kept control over his life.

The songs you were basing him off were mostly metal or rock songs, the bands you picked out were Slipknot, Black Sabbath, Korn. You used some emo bands too, you couldn't forget about Lady Gaga, Judas, Monster and Disease were just screaming Ronin for you.

Ronin was a regular guest at your concerts, he was usually in the first rows or on the backstage, watching you with admiration as you put on a show worthy of being a devil's worship.

"Come on darling, play me a song." Is a regularly used phrase by Ronin, mostly to get on your nerves, sometimes because he actually yearns to hear your song.

Angel

Fruits by Paris Paloma

Angel was in awe of your music, even before she discovered that song about her. She loved the melodies, lyrics and the emotions that she could feel in every sound.

When you played her that piece inspired by her, Angel felt like she was falling for you all over again. The sound was so beautiful, yet there was some darkness laced under the sweetness, she could feel her soul being wrapped by every new note.

The melodies you wrote for Angel were sweet, just like how she presented herself in front of people, as a sweet model with an adorable smile, but under all that sweetness there was poison and your music reflected that. You mixed her sweetness with the murderous nature, creating sounds that left people wondering what was true and what was false.

The songs that inspired you were mostly Paris Paloma's songs like Labour (because of it's meaning), Penelope Scott's music, you mixed it all with pop artists like Sabrina Carpenter or Chappell Roan, making the mirage of the songs being just pop music.

Angel not only goes to every single concert (if time lets her of course) she also talks about your music on her channel, recommending her fans to see your music live too.

Whenever you spend time together, you will play Angel a song, it's a form of quality time for the two of you, she is relaxing and you can be her background noise.

Misaki

Playing: Heavy Metal Lover by Lady Gaga

Misaki is your biggest fan, they're blasting your music daily, bragging about how talented her partner is to the server. They're proud of you for the music you create.

When they discovered the music about themselves, they were squealing like a little kid, jumping all around their house like a kid and giggling.

Their sound was fast, just like they are. It was mostly songs that felt exciting, they gave of that childlike happiness that most people lost. The sound you wrote for them was showing their escapism perfectly, they were escaping from their problems by acting like a teenager, and it reflected in your music.

The artists you were mostly inspired by when it came to the sound without the music meaning's were Chappell Roan, some Lady Gaga's songs, even Olivia Rodrigo.

Misaki was ready to save money just to go to your concerts, they loved the energy hearing your music live gave them, and seeing you on that stage? That was also something Misaki would never complain about. her partner's hot and she's not ashamed to admit it.

They plead you during every call to play them a song, and you give in. Who wouldn't want to make their partner happy? Especially when they're just so excited like Misaki is.

Playing: Strangers in The Night by Frank Sinatra

V has a strong admiration for your music, he is proud to a be witness to your artistic soul's creations. He appreciates the time and effort you put into music greatly.

When you played him one of the newest pieces you wrote about him, V was flustered. He would never expect anything like this, but his admiration for your art was much deeper now, after all he was a part of it now.

V's sound was serious, but soft around the edges, just like your vigilante. It was a mix of classical music and jazz, two things you knew that V enjoyed the most.

The artists that inspired your pieces about V when it came to classical music were Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, fr the jazz ones it was mostly Frank Sinatra.

V would be at your every concert and if he couldn't be at one he would find the video recordings of your shows just to watch them.

V doesn't ask you to play him anything, but he does appreciate it when you do, finding the sound truly peaceful.

#killer chat #killer chat ronin #misaki killer chat #angel killer chat #v killer chat #asks #fluff #gender neutral reader #headcanons

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kittenfangirl20 · 1 day ago

Note

Secret Artist Au

Adam has always been artistic, if it were music, baking, even if he wasn't good at it and drawing.

Making art was just in his veins.

So when he came to the hotel as a fallen angel and told to get a job he scoffed at the idea. Him? The Adam get a job? As if.

But apparently things cost a lot of money down here and he had none. If anyone found out who he really was they would never hire him at best, at worst they would kill him on sight.

So he drew and posted some art on this Hell site called tumblr and turns out people actually liked his art down here. Well of course they did he's fucking Adam, they would be stupid if they didn't like what he did. He was perfect.

That's when he got a message asking if he did commissions and he had a light bulb moment.

This was how he could make money! Art!

So he even set up a patron so he could post and draw whatever he wanted and people would pay for it. Some of it backgrounds, plants, and animals.

Others and his heavy hitters were his smutty drawings and explicit art pieces of his two oc's either being romantic or having sex. One of them...... May or may not look like himself a little bit and the other miiiiiiight look like a certain King of Hell.

He'll never tell. And no one will know it's him.

Adam couldn’t help but admire the new drawing tablet he bought with all the money he made from his commissions. He could now do a lot more with it. That was when he got a message from duck_fan666.

Adam internally: I know that’s you Luci, even if 666 is Satan’s number I know you like to use it just to piss him off.

Adam decided to go ahead and see what he wanted out of boredom.

@ngelic_@rtist69: Hello, have you come to get a commission?

duck_fan666: Yes, I was looking at your art and I love it. ☺️

@ngelic_@rtist69: Thank you, is there anything in particular you would like to request?

duck_fan666: Yes. I am sure you know what Adam the first man looks like?

@ngelic_@rtist69: Yes.

duck_fan666: Perfect, I would like for you to draw a picture of him in dress that I am going to send a picture of to you and have him surrounded by ducklings. Very fluffy yellow ducklings.

Lucifer then sent the picture of the dress.

This wasn’t going to be some extremely sexual picture, but this was the first time he was asked to draw himself. Though no one had guessed it was him.

@ngelic_@rtist69: I hope you don’t mind me asking why you want me to draw that?

duck_fan666: I think it would be really cute. 🥹

@ngelic_@rtist69: Why not, it sounds interesting and cute like you said.

duck_fan666: Thank you. 😄

Adam internally: I don’t know why I agreed to this.

@things-arent-what-they-seem66

#hazbin hotel #adam #hazbin hotel adam #lucifer #lucifer morningstar #hazbin hotel lucifer #adamsapple #guitarduck #adam/lucifer #minors dni

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hyunnielix · 4 hours ago

Text

tornado warnings | h.h

Series Masterlist

'don't understand how quickly we get right back in our rhythm without missing a step'

— hyunjin x (f) reader

— word count: 2.9k (unedited)

— genre: non-idol au, artist!hyunjin, second chance romance. dance coach!reader

— warning's: fluff, some sort of angst, hyune is a big ole softie, dancing and painting! flashback! at one point! - italics signal start/finish of the flashback.

→ playlist on spotify

The quiet sniffles you couldn't quite stop echoed off the cramped walls, making the small space feel even tighter. The faint light from outside filtered through the slats of the door, casting shadows that danced across Hyunjin's face. His brows were furrowed, the same way they were that night, years ago, before he left. The same expression which haunted you ever since.

You hugged your arms around yourself, a futile attempt to hold together whatever was left of your heart. The air felt thick, but it wasn't the silence that weighed most heavily—it was his gaze, steady and unwavering, locked on you.

"Let me paint you." His voice was soft, but there was a firm steadiness behind the words. His hands found your shoulders and slowly, he began to move his palms in soothing strokes, gliding up and back down to the curve of your arms.

You blinked, the weight of the suggestion taking a moment to settle. "What?"

He took a slow breath, his gaze softening as he spoke again. "Dancing," he clarified, his voice quieter this time, searching your eyes for some sign of understanding. "Let me paint you when you're dancing."

You stared at him, still reeling from his words, and blinked again, as if the request hadn't fully landed. "Now?" The word escaped before you could stop it, laced with disbelief and a growing knot in your stomach.

His lips curved into a faint smile, the kind that tugged at the corners of his mouth but didn’t quite reach his eyes. “My supplies are in the car. It’ll take me a minute to grab them—I came straight from my apartment.”

His makeshift studio. That's what his old place had moulded into, you remember the shock when you first entered his apartment all those years ago. His creativity flowed around the space, filling every area.

Your breath hitched, and you stared at him, your tear-streaked face shifting from disbelief to something softer, something more vulnerable. “Hyune…” you started, voice trembling as you wiped hastily at your cheeks. “Why?”

Hyunjin's gaze flickered, dropping momentarily to the floor before meeting yours again, unflinching. “Because it’s you,” he admitted quietly, his tone laced with both tenderness and frustration.

Your breath wavered, and you glanced away, your hand brushing against the shelves to steady yourself. The closet felt even smaller, the tension amplifying the closeness of his body. You could feel the heat radiating from him and the weight of his words settling.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. You shook off his hands, retreating from his warm touch.

“Just dance,” he urged gently, tilting his head. “You don’t have to explain anything or say anything else. Let me see you the way I remember—free, fearless. The way you’ve always been to me.”

The words hung in the air between you, heavy and impossibly tender. You shook your head, fingers fumbling for the handle of the storage room door. The small space suddenly felt too close, the walls pressing in, the air thick with memories and emotions you weren’t ready to face.

“Hyune…” you whispered, your voice trembling as you tried to steady yourself. “I’m worse than I was two years ago.”

“Bullshit.” His response was immediate, raw, and unfiltered. His hand shot out, but he didn’t touch you—just hovered. “You’ve always been beautiful when you dance.”

You froze, torn between the urge to leave and the pull of his words. They weren’t just flattery; they carried the weight of someone who had seen you at your most vulnerable and still thought you were enough.

“It’s not the same anymore,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not the same anymore.” You pressed your forehead against the door, hand resting on the handle.

Hyunjin took a step closer, brushing your hair over one shoulder, his breath hot on your neck. “Neither am I,” he admitted, his voice softening. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t still find pieces of ourselves in the things we used to love.”

You turned your head away, turning to stare at him and met his dark eyes, searching yours with a quiet intensity. You wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that you could step back into that version of yourself—even for just a moment—but fear kept your feet rooted.

“Do it for yourself,” he urged, his tone gentle yet firm. “Not for anything else. Just to prove to yourself that the passion is still there. I’ll prove it if I have to.”

Your gaze flickered back to his, and for a moment, you saw a glimmer of the young boy you once knew. Filled with ambition and love—hopeful, determined, unwavering. It was that look that finally unraveled your resolve. You nodded slowly. "Okay."

It wasn’t forgiveness, not yet, but it was something—a step forward.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, and as he turned to leave, the closet door creaked open, flooding the small space with light. For a moment, you stood there in the glow.

There was one routine you could never perfect. The thought of it lingered in your mind as you stood in the small storage room, the air heavy with anticipation. You’d refused to show him back then—too afraid of his critique, too wrapped up in the fear of falling short in his eyes. It was a piece that demanded every ounce of your vulnerability, and though you’d spent hours practicing, it always felt incomplete, like a part of you couldn’t fully let go.

Now, as you stood in the quiet space, his words echoed around you—Just dance. Both a plea and a challenge. You bit your lip, remembering the way he used to watch you, his gaze filled with awe and admiration that made you feel like the most captivating thing in the world. But that routine? That one? You weren’t sure if you could ever let him see it.

His apartment was a world of its own, chaotic and creative. The wooden floors, dotted with splatters of dried paint, remnants of his restless artistry, and the scent of acrylic paint mingled with something warm and familiar—him. The cluttered space had every surface occupied by canvases, brushes, and jars of mixed pigments. Yet it felt like a sanctuary, a place where the two of you could escape the world outside.

You had the place to yourself that afternoon. He’d stepped out to pick up supplies, and you’d been left with the low hum of music drifting from his old speaker. It was quiet enough that you could hear your own heartbeat as you moved through the space, practicing the routine which haunted you for weeks.

You kept it small, careful not to knock over anything in the cramped room. Your steps were tentative at first, your bare feet avoiding the splattered paint on the floor as you moved through the motions. The melody guided you, soft and lilting, and for a moment, you felt yourself relax into it.

The rhythm built, and so did your confidence. Your arms extended gracefully, your movements fluid, but just as you reached for the next step, a sudden sound shattered your focus.

“Y/N?”

His voice startled you so badly that you stumbled. Whirling around, you saw Hyunjin standing in the doorway, a bag of supplies in one hand and a look of surprise etched on his face.

“I—uh…” Words failed you as you tried to recover, your cheeks burning.

He stepped inside, setting the bag down by the door and tilting his head. “Were you dancing?”

“No,” you blurted, too quickly. “I mean…maybe.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a knowing smile as he crossed the room, his footsteps deliberate and slow. “I’ve never seen that routine before.”

You took a step back, suddenly feeling exposed. “It’s nothing. Just something I’ve been working on.”

“It didn’t look like nothing.” Hyunjin stopped a few feet away, his dark eyes scanning you with a quiet curiosity. “Why haven’t you shown me?”

You shrugged, trying to play it off, but your voice betrayed you. “It’s not ready.”

“Y/N…” He said your name like a gentle reprimand, and you hated how it made your heart flutter. “You know you don’t have to be perfect, right? Not with me.”

You looked away, your arms wrapping around yourself protectively. “It’s not about that. It’s…personal.”

His gaze softened, and for a moment, he just stood there, letting the quiet stretch between you. “Okay,” he said finally, his tone light but laced with understanding. “But when you’re ready, I want to see it. Deal?”

You nodded, your cheeks still flush. He grinned then, leaning down to grab a stray brush from the floor. “Until then, try not to knock over my masterpieces, yeah?”

You laughed despite yourself, the sound breaking the tension, and for the first time, you thought that maybe, just maybe, he might be right—you didn’t have to be perfect. Not with him.

You drew on the memory, letting it guide you as you stepped back into the quiet studio. The familiar hum of the fluorescent lights above was your only accompaniment—no music this time. You didn’t need it.

Closing your eyes, you allowed the choreography to unfurl in your mind. The steps came to you effortlessly, muscle memory born from years of painstaking practice. Your feet slid across the floor with precision, each movement sharp yet fluid, honed by relentless determination. Your arms extended, fingers brushing the air with the grace you worked so hard to master.

But then, there it was—that twinge. A sharp, nagging ache radiated from your lower back, a reminder of the battles you’d fought with your own body. It begged you to stop, to rest, but you refused to listen. Gritting your teeth, you pushed through it, defying the pain with every deliberate step.

This wasn’t about comfort or ease. It was about proving to yourself that you still could. That you were still the person who poured everything into perfecting this routine, who sacrificed hours to feel this freedom. You moved with purpose, each gesture carrying the weight of years of frustration and triumph.

A soft crack echoed through the room, drawing your attention to the doorway. Hyunjin stepped inside, his arms laden with supplies—tubes of paint precariously balanced against his chest, a few brushes gripped in one hand, and a smaller easel tucked under his arm. One stray brush was clamped between his teeth, and his brows furrowed in intense concentration as he maneuvered through the narrow space of the studio.

You froze mid-movement, watching him struggle. "Do you need any help?" you asked, tilting your head, watching as he shifted his load onto the floor with a clatter that made you wince.

He waved you off, shaking his head. "I got it, don't worry."

"I know what I want to show you," you replied, your voice quiet but certain. You gestured to the space ahead of you, moving toward an open corner. "But no music this time. Just me."

Hyunjin’s brows lifted slightly, surprise flickering across his face before it softened into something warmer. "That’s good enough for me," he murmured, "Always has been."

Hyunjin glanced up at you then, his lips curving into the faintest smile. His fingers worked deftly, setting up the easel with care, mirroring the intent in his gaze. A lightness bloomed in your chest as you turned back to focus. Contemporary dance. Your first love.

"Alright. I'm ready for you to begin."

You glanced over your shoulder at him, his posture straight and focused as he sat by the easel. The brush was poised in his hand, ready but unmoving, his gaze fixed on you with a quiet intensity that sent a shiver through you. The light in the room was soft, spilling from the overhead fixture and pooling on the floor, casting faint golden hues across the space. His eyes held a weight, a mixture of curiosity and something deeper.

Your breath hitched as nerves bubbled up in your stomach, but you willed them away, replacing them with resolve. It was now or never. You took a deep breath and stepped into the middle of the room. Slowly, your body began to move, each gesture deliberate yet fluid, the years of muscle memory guiding you. The first step was cautious, testing the waters, but soon the rhythm of your own breath became the only music you needed. The routine came alive beneath your feet, a blend of smooth transitions and sharp accents. Emotions. Rage and sadness.

The quiet in the room was almost sacred, amplifying every small sound. The brush of your feet against the polished floor, the faint creak of the wooden boards beneath you, and—most prominently—the rhythmic whisper of Hyunjin's paintbrush against the canvas. An intimate symphony, the strokes soft and deliberate, capturing each moment of your dance as emotion radiated from you.

You risked a glance at him mid-spin, your hair catching the light and fanning around you. His eyes never wavered from you, intense and focused, as though he were painting not just your form but the your soul. The way his hand moved across the canvas, fluid and confident, matched the rhythm of your steps, a silent conversation between the two of you.

For a moment, you forgot the weight of the past and the scar that marred your body and heart. Here, in this space, under his watchful eye, you were free.

The cool wooden floor greeted your bare feet with each step, grounding you as your arms swept through the air, fingertips grazing the light as though pulling it into your orbit. You spun, the hem of your loose shirt fluttering in the motion, and leapt, the kind of leap that made you feel weightless for just a moment before gravity pulled you back.

Soft shadows on the walls shifted with your turns. The air, alive and electrified by the energy you poured into the space. While the tension in your back, a lingering reminder of old battles with your body, tugged at you briefly, but you ignored it. The pain, now distant, insignificant compared to the freedom in the dance.

You glanced at him once more, expecting his focus to have faltered, but there he was—still, silent, his gaze following every movement like he was capturing it all with his eyes before his brush could.

Your movements grew bolder, the routine pulling you further into its world. It was no longer just a dance; it was a conversation, one which demanded honesty in every step and flourish.

You finished the routine, your arms extended and chest rising with with deep breaths. The quiet hum of the room was broken only by the faint scrape of Hyunjin setting down his brush. When you turned to face him, his expression was unreadable, a mix of awe and something softer, something heavier.

“That was the routine you were too scared to show me?” His voice was quiet, reverent almost. His eyes glimmered with an emotion you couldn’t quite place—something between curiosity and longing—and it sent a fresh wave of unease through you.

You hesitated, then nodded.

Hyunjin tilted his head, his dark eyes searching yours. “Why didn’t you show me before?”

You hesitated, wrapping your arms around yourself as if bracing for his reaction. “The surgery didn’t work,” you whispered, the words fragile, like glass. “The progress reversed.”

Realization dawned on his face, and he leaned forward slightly. “The scar…”

You nodded again, avoiding his gaze. “I know I never really talked about it. I felt ashamed. I still do. It’s part of why I struggle so much with dancing now. My body doesn’t feel the same anymore. That’s why I teach instead of being on stage.”

His expression shifted, softening in a way which made your chest ache. “Y/N,” he murmured, his voice thick with regret, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“We stopped talking,” you said, your voice cracking slightly. “No more daily updates or check-ins. I knew we were both busy, and… it was for the best. I had to learn to heal on my own, away from you.”

“I should’ve stayed,” he sighed, the weight of his guilt pressing down on the room.

“How were you supposed to know, Hyune? I didn’t expect that of you.” You stared at the wooden floor beneath you, kicking your foot against it.

“It doesn’t matter.” Hyunjin's jaw tightened. “I should’ve been here. You were struggling, and so was I. The only difference is that we were apart.”

You let out a bitter laugh, your lips curling into a faint, sad smile. “Recipe for disaster, so it seems.”

He patted the wooden floor beside him. “Come sit.”

You hesitated, but his gaze held a quiet insistence, so you crossed the room and sat down next to him, the faint scent of paint lingering in the air.

“What are you going to call this one?” you asked, nodding toward the canvas.

“Mon Claire de Lune,” he said softly, his eyes flickering to yours. “My moonlight.”

You froze, the meaning of his words sinking in, and before you could stop yourself, you leaned your head on his shoulder. He stiffened at first, the tension radiating from him like static, but then he relaxed, his body shifting slightly to accommodate yours.

For the first time in years, the silence between you wasn’t uncomfortable. It was full—of everything you left unsaid.

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