#when this gets animated it’s gonna be over for me

[artisticdemon]

1 I Love Rock N Roll by Joan Jett

2 Lucifer

3 Both. I like reading and getting inspired. And because I can't draw I write every story that I want

4 Being loved or seeing

5 Listening to music and laying in my bed helps a lot but sometimes I like doing something creating

6 I prefer not scented ones. Watching the little flame calms me down and shuts down my brain

7 I feel like myself everywhere. I'm very open as a person and putting on a filter is a waste of my time.

8 None

9 Getting my first Monster High doll and PlayStation 2

10 Few weeks when I got out with my friends from University

11 My razor blade necklace and my snake earring

12 Music

13 Shower

14 Seeing Alice Cooper live in July! I still can't believe that!

15 Pasta or an omelet with feta cheese. Or anything with cheese really

16 The outfit for the Alice Cooper concert

17 When people actually listen to me when I talk

18 I'm 23 so all these years. I've always been myself and I never cared what people think about me. Nor will.

19 No but I would love to

20 How I discovered rock music. My dad was listening to KISS and Beegees one day and the sound of the guitar made me fall in love with the music genre. And my dad doesn't listen to rock XD

21 Hot cocoa forever

22 I don't have a playlist

23 Yep. By a customer. It was very uncomfortable not gonna lie because he is way older than me. It was his way of thanking me for helping him but it was still uncomfortable

24 I have two. A boy from school and a girl from university. With the boy we became friends over our love for Avatar the last airbender and anime and with the girl when I was talking very passionately about a ballerina being capable of being a ninja. She told me recently that she loved my energy and that's why she approached me

25 Black. Because black goes with everything. And I don't care what psychology says about colors

26 I would love to live with all my friends in the same apartment building or in the same street in a little town

27 Nope. I like getting my hands dirty but not that kind of dirty

28 Being a good person actually. And having people around me that love me and I love them. Oh and that I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do

29 Yeah. I'm the kindest person you will ever meet even though I don't look like it the first time you see me. But don't give me a reason to not be because then I turn to the most heartless person you will ever meet

30 Most of them are artistic and some of them are random. I like creating outfits in photoshop, 3d modelling, writing, trying to learn how to sew and then it goes to collecting cd and dvd, roller skating

Well that was fun

✨soft asks✨

What song makes you feel better?

What is your go to comfort show?

Reading or writing? Why?

Whats your favorite feeling?

How do you like to take care of yourself?

What’s your favorite candle scent?

Who do you feel most like yourself around?

Whats a fabric/texture that’s nostalgic for you?

Best childhood moment?

When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? (or just felt really good afterwards)

Do you have a comfort item? Tell us about it!

What calms you down?

Bath or shower to relax?

Whats something upcoming that you’re excited for?

Comfort food?

What’s something you want to create soon?

How do you feel best loved?

What age in life do you think you’ll feel most yourself at?

Have you ever written or received a love letter?

Tell us about a memory you hold close to your heart.

Tea, Coffee, or hot cocoa?

Name of your favorite playlist?

Have you ever received flowers?

Who is your bestfriend?

If your soul was a color, what would it be?

If you could live anywhere with anyone you want, where would it be and who would you bring?

Do you like to garden? Have you ever grown something?

What are you proudest of?

Are you a kind person?

What do your hobbies look like?

[anakinstwinklebunny]

PAIRING: sugar daddy!anakin x f!reader

FLUFF ❦

"Ani, please," you pouted, clutching your phone in both hands, before out stretching them to practically shove the screen in his face. There it was, a picture of the fluffiest, most ridiculous little guinea pig staring back at him with those little black eyes.

Anakin didn't even blink. "No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no, sweetheart," he muttered, gaze moving down to the file, hand already flipping a page in the obnoxiously thick contract he has been reviewing at the kitchen table since breakfast. He didn't even gave you a further glance.

But you’re known for being relentless. You won't back down so easily. So, you moved closer to him before sliding onto his lap with grace. Your arms looped around his neck, expression twisting into a pout like the manipulative little minx you were. "But look at her, Ani," you whispered, tilting the phone so he had no choice but to look. "She’s just a baby."

He barely spared a glance at it before his eyes flicked back to his paperwork. "She’s a rodent."

"She’s a soft, sweet, helpless little baby," you corrected dramatically. "Like me."

His lips twitched—but he refused to let that take over , let that make him smile. Refused to let you win.

"Baby, they stink," he said painly, adjusting the gold cufflink on his sleeve. "I’m not keeping a tiny, smelly furball in my penthouse."

"They don’t stink!" you argued, of course, trying to pout even harder. "And I’d clean up after her, I swear! You’d never even notice she’s here."

Anakin snorted. "Oh, really? Because every time I get you a plant, you forget to water it. I don’t think a living, breathing animal is a great idea."

"Wait, Ani! It's different! Plants are boring. A guinea pig is—"

"No."

You huffed. Fine. Time for plan B.

With a slow, sweet smile, you nuzzled against his neck, before pressing soft kisses to his pulse point.

"Baby," he sighed, but it was weaker now.

You only hummed innocently, dragging your lips up his jaw, then lower, pressing a slow, open-mouthed kiss to his throat.

"Not gonna work," he muttered, but the voice got already deeper.

"You sure?"

His breath hitches when your fingers trail down his chest, toying with the buttons of his silk dress shirt. "Y/N—"

"You’re so good to me, Ani," you whispered against his lips, rolling your hips just slightly against his lap.

And damn—

Anakin grabbed your waist, yanking you closer, groaning softly when your lips finally collided. It was slow, deep - just like everytime he kissed you, with passion, actual love and worship - his hand cradled your jaw, tilting your head just how he wants.

He surrendered so easily

You whimpered, pressing closer, letting him take full control. Letting his large, calloused hands roam up under your shirt, squeeze your waist, tease your ribs, go higher and higher, fingertips finally meeting the--

You pulled away.

He tried to chase your lips, but to no use. You shoved his hands away, leaving him breathing heavy, eyes hazy. "The hell was that?"

You grinned innocently. "So… about the guinea pig?"

Anakin blinked. Then groaned in annoyance, kind of betrayal (he should have known better), head tipping back against the chair, hands tightening on your waist.

"You’re fucking impossible."

TAG LIST: @kingdomhate @divineani @haydensprettyprincess @skyguys-princess @catnipaddictt @heartscone @haydensbbg @inneedsoffanfics @jediavengers @babybell-cheese @anisluvrgirl @slutforfinnickodair @xhunnybeeex @fuckmyskywalker @gallerygourmet @ysrjune @anakinskwkler @cookybananas @emotionallybruisedx @diorvalentina @sevinax @throughparisallthroughrome @aniiuv @ritosparty @ninastyless @lily-strnlo @thesassypadawan @awhhayden @sydkneez @anisangeldust @l1ttle-misssunsh1ne @anakinca @rubiesarepretty @luluartpop @cloverina @nikiloveshayden

[neeeooon]

Hey Elle!!! 😚🫶May I request bllk boys (Nagi, Rin, Sae, Bachira, Shidou) with s/o who's rlly into anime, cosplay, spends all their money on figurines, merch etc and makes them go to conventions with them!!! 🤸🏼‍♀️ love your writing!

yesssss LMAO okay i had fun w thiss thank you sm for the request!!! 💛💛

when you’re an anime fan ;

bf bllk x gn!reader

nagi seishiro

-> he doesn’t like the fact that he has to share you with your dozens and dozens of anime plushies

-> “nagi! you’re crushing mr. sakamoto!!” “what’s that?” “?! please move so he can breathe :)” he decides not to fight you on this. “.. okay.”

-> though nagi doesn’t quite understand your obsession with spending money on little figures and plushies of cartoon characters, he works around it. it’s easier to spend a little time looking for a clear spot than upset you after moving something he wasn’t supposed to

-> until he comes over one day to find a large snorlax plush in his usually empty spot on your bed

-> “.. is this your way of telling me to move?” “what? no, it’s for you! your room is like a prison cell, babe. you need something to make it more personal. plus, he looks just like you!”

-> nagi doesn’t see it, but he sleeps with that damn snorlax plush every night he spends away from you <3

itoshi rin

-> “y/n? put the phone down…” “just one click, rin. one click and it’s all mine.” “y/n, so you really need twenty-six figures of the same four characters..?” “yes.” “really?” “… maybe?”

-> he manages to convince you to give him the phone so you don’t spend your entire paycheck on anime merchandise

-> he’ll stay up late watching the shows with you, and he actually follows along with and likes quite a bit of them. not enough to blow his entire paycheck, but enough

-> “i think we should be meruem and komugi from hxh for halloween.” “… but don’t they d—“ “DONT FINISH THAT SENTENCE.”

-> once you promise to stop crippling your bank account, he agrees to dress up with you <3

itoshi sae

-> bro is not impressed

-> he can’t even pretend to enjoy himself as you drag him around the merch store, grumbling about how ugly and expensive everything is

-> you ignore him and fill your little basket with mangas and posters for your room, but when it comes down to it, sae hands over his card at checkout before you have the chance

-> “?? i thought you said everything here is ugly and expensive?” “oh, it is. i don’t want you spending your money on ugly things, y/n.” you smile at his excuse and kiss his cheek

-> he’s not ecstatic at the cost of everything, but sae doesn’t complain about it to you, either. he even helps you hand your posters at home (those, he does insult)

-> “why does that guy have such big ears?” “be nice to geto!! those are his earrings.” “he looks like a weirdo.” “leave him be 😭”

bachira meguru

-> you better believe he’s feeding your addiction

-> “ooh, y/n, look at this one!! do you have this one?” “i’ve been looking everywhere for that character! how did you find it?” “my monster told me to check the back shelf..”

-> keeps a full, detailed list of every anime you mention starting or liking so he can surprise you with merch

-> “y/n, look! i made a hakura sakura keychain for you!!” “you made it?! i love it!! but what’s the occasion..?” “i just felt like making something for you ☺️” you may have teared up a bit

shidou ryusei

-> you were planning to cosplay one of your favorite anime characters, and the costume was going on sale at a convention. thankfully, shidou didn’t fight when you asked him to join you

-> “so, we’re gonna stand in this line for how long again?” “depends on how quickly they wave us through. could be a few hours.” “… let’s fucking do this.”

-> shidou has to body a few people, and you do get escorted out by security, but you get the costume! so you consider the trip a win

-> “you didn’t have to punch that guy for me,” you hum as you dab at your boyfriend’s scabbing knuckles. “he was going to push you out of the way. you wanted it more than he did, and he shouldn’t put hands on someone for a dress.” “you did, though..” “for you. not the costume… it is a cool costume, though.” “i know, right?!”

-> you post photos and videos of yourself all dressed up online, making sure to tag shidou for helping you complete your look <3

[djarindroid]

hi! I don’t know if you’re comfortable writing this (I didn’t see you say anything about it in your rules), but could I request a pregnant!reader x Thanos? Kinda like Jun-hee and Myung-Gi. I totally understand if this makes you uncomfortable, and feel free to decline if so! Thank you! <3

tysm for this request! 💕 Loved writing this, I hope you enjoy it!

Stay Behind Me

Pairing: Thanos (Choi Su-Bong) x Pregnant!Reader

Summary: After walking out on Thanos, you never expected to see him again. But when he spots you in the games how will he react to the secret you’ve been hiding?

Warnings: Pregnancy. Usual Squid Game stuff - death, shooting.

Word Count: 1,162

The argument had been building for weeks, small drops of annoyance that had finally bubbled over.

‘You lost everything?!’ You shouted, voice raw. ‘What made you think you could just take my money and put it all into that stupid crypto thing!?’

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. ‘FUCK, you think I wanted to lose it?! I did it for us!’ He pointed at you as he yelled back. 

‘Well good job, you lost all of our money and now we have nothing,’ your chest heaved. ‘How are we gonna pay the bills?’ Your nostrils flared as you watched him reach for his necklace, taking out one of his pills. ‘Oh, this is fucking great! I can’t believe you're just gonna get high rather than talking this out.’

He scoffed, ‘what do you want me to say? That I ruined everything? You already know that!’

‘I want you to take responsibility, at least say sorry!’ You threw your hands in the air in frustration. ‘Don’t numb yourself with that shit. Talk to me. Please.’

His jaw clenched, for a moment he looked away, avoiding your eyes. ‘You just don’t get it,’ he muttered before popping the pill in his mouth.

Your stomach twisted, ‘no, I get it. I understand perfectly.’ You could feel your heart breaking as you watched the man you loved turn into a stranger before you. ‘I can’t do this anymore.’

Silence stretched between you both, for a moment you thought he might reach out for you but in the blink of an eye his expression hardened. ‘Fine. Get out then.’

Tears began to slip from your eyes, this was it, it was over just like that. You didn’t look back, you couldn’t. Not as you grabbed your bag, not as the door slammed shut behind you and not when, days later, you realised you were pregnant with his child.

Months later you found yourself in a numbered green tracksuit. After you’d left Thanos, life had been hard. You’d struggled to make ends meet, until you’d met a suited man on the subway who offered you an opportunity to make enough money to solve all your problems.

You were currently stood in a giant arena, listening to the first game being announced. Red light green light, sounds simple enough. A shout from the front of the crowd made you flinch. A player, number 456, had run to the front and was shouting about how the game was dangerous, that if you lost you’d be killed. He had to be crazy right? 

Murmurs rippled around you, some people shouting out that he was just trying to scare them. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself despite the tremor in your hands. Your attention turned to the large mechanical doll at the other end of the arena as it whirred around, facing its back to you. 

‘GREEN LIGHT.’

You began walking forward, going with the crowd. 

‘RED LIGHT.’ 

Everyone froze as the giant doll turned back to you with a soft whirring noise. It seemed that everyone was doing well as the first few rounds went by without incident.

Then, a scream split through the air. Your eyes flickered across the crowd to see a girl swatting at something near her face. You held your breath, waiting. Maybe player 456 was just paranoid..

Your thoughts were interrupted as a crack pierced through the air and the girl hit the ground.

Screams erupted as people realised what happened. Panic ensued and more gunshots rang out. You clenched your eyes shut and focused on staying still. The life growing inside of you had to be your main priority, nothing else mattered.

‘GREEN LIGHT!’ 

You couldn’t move, locked into place by terror. You weren’t alone, everyone around you was frozen with fear. A prickling sensation crept up your spine, followed by the uneasy feeling you were being watched. Shakily, you took the opportunity to turn your head.

Thanos.

All the air left your lungs. He was here. His eyes widened as yours met his. 

‘RED LIGHT!’

You watched as his gaze lowered to your belly. Taking in the undeniable swell that definitely hadn’t been there when you last saw him. 

It was his child, he had no doubt.

You hadn’t made any attempt to reach out to him, you don’t know why. You’d made excuses, telling yourself he wouldn’t be interested, that he’d have turned you away at the door. But now, with him looking at you all of those excuses felt weak. It could just be your emotional state, or the situation you found yourself in but you wanted nothing more than to close the distance between you.

It seemed that he had the same thought because the second the doll turned away again, he moved. Not forwards to the finish line, but towards you. He hurried, stepping over bodies, until he stood in front of you, blocking you from view. He didn’t hesitate before placing a shaky hand on your belly. His touch was soft, gentle - everything that you’d missed.

There was so much you wanted to say but before you could the doll whirled back around and you froze. You stared into his eyes, desperate to read his expression. He looked determined. The moment green light was called again he grabbed your hand, ‘stay behind me.’ 

You didn’t argue. As the game continued he guided you carefully, always making sure to shield you with his broad frame. Other gunshots rang out but his grip was unyielding, never letting you go. Despite everything, being close to him again felt right. A part of you had been aching for it, even if you never wanted to admit it.

As the finish line drew nearer you felt the weight of everything pressing down on you. The stress of the game, disbelief that Thanos was here, guilt that you hadn’t told him, fear for your unborn baby - it was almost overwhelming. Tears welled at the corner of your eyes but you forced yourself to keep moving.

Finally you crossed the line, a shuddering breath escaping your lips as relief washed over you. Thanos turned to you, his dark eyes searched yours but before you could say anything he pulled you into him. You melted into his warmth, his arms familiar and steady - home. 

‘Stay with me,’ he spoke quietly as he held you. ‘I won’t let anything happen to you,’ he pulled away slightly and glanced down at your bump. ‘I won’t let anything happen to either of you.’

Your tears brimmed over as you replied, ‘Thanos I-I’m sorry I didn’t tell–’

‘No need,’ he interrupted gently. ‘I fucked up, I get it now,’ he cupped your cheeks and wiped away the tears. His voice dropped to a low whisper. ‘I’m so sorry. I’m not gonna let you go again.’

For the first time since walking out on him, despite the horror surrounding you, you felt hope.

[meadowfics]

carebear

berlin (song jung-ho) x f!younger!reader

based off of this request here for fine shyt

warnings: reader is between 20-23 and berlin is his canon age, 41. this is a care bear if you do not know what a 'carebear' is

when you first joined the team, berlin was nothing more than a distant authority figure that you've happened to come across.

he kept to himself, barked orders with that effortless charm of his, and never really acknowledged you beyond what was necessary. you didn’t mind.

he was intimidating, older, too refined in ways that made you feel like you didn’t belong in the same world as him.

then, one day, he decided to teach you how to shoot a gun when you've revealed to the group that you've never shot one.

throughout your crimes, you used your hands and your many knifes. never a gun.

“you’ll need it,” berlin had said simply, handing you the weapon with that unreadable expression of his.

“it’s better to learn from me than to get yourself killed fumbling with it.”

so, you learned and somewhere between those lessons, between his patient instructions and your stubborn determination... you got closer.

late-night talks became a thing. when the others were asleep or too distracted with their own conversations, you and berlin would find yourselves sitting together, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

he never said too much about his past, always skimming over the details with vague answers, but you could tell.

you could tell there was something there, something dark and unspoken that lingered beneath his carefully crafted exterior.

so one night, as a joke, you handed him your stuffed animal that you brought inside of the mint with you.

it is a blue care bear you had since childhood, a gift from a family member who had long passed.

“here,” you had said, grinning, “for emotional support.”

berlin had scoffed, rolling his eyes, but he didn’t give it back right away.

instead, he held it, staring at it for a long moment before murmuring, “i never had a childhood.”

it slipped out, just like that.

suddenly, the joke wasn’t so funny anymore.

so, you left it with him.

“well, I guess it’s yours now,” you had told him, voice softer than usual, “i think you need it more than me.”

he didn’t argue.

he didn’t say anything at all, just gave you a look that you couldn’t quite place before walking away with the bear still in his hands.

a day later, the moment the care bear was spotted on berlin’s bed spot, the chaos began.

“wait, wait—what the fuck?” tokyo’s voice rang out first, eyes wide as she pointed at the small, blue bear resting on berlin’s pillow.

“is that—”

“no fucking way,” rio laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“that’s cairo’s bear.”

“no it can’t be,” nairobi chimed in, folding her arms.

“cairo would never give that away. it’s their first ever stuffed animal. it’s, like, sacred to them.”

moscow, ever the calm one, eyed berlin with suspicion.

“so, what, you stole it?”

denver, brows raised, looked between the bear and berlin like he couldn’t decide if this was hilarious or horrifying.

“man, cairo’s gonna kill you.”

before anyone could escalate things further, you walked in.

“what’s going on?” you asked, noticing how everyone suddenly turned to stare at you like you were holding the key to some great mystery.

nairobi wasted no time.

“cairo, did you give berlin your care bear?”

berlin, standing beside his bed, merely watched you, waiting for your reaction.

you blinked.

“yeah. why?”

silence.

tokyo was the first to break it.

“you did what?”

“why the hell would you give it to him?” denver added, “that thing was, like, your most prized possession.”

you glanced at berlin, finding him watching you closely, his expression unreadable as always, “because he needed it.”

that was all you said because to you, it was simple.

to berlin, it wasn’t.

for the first time in years, maybe in his entire life, he felt cared for in a way that had nothing to do with power or control. you had given him something that meant the world to you, not out of obligation, not out of manipulation, but because you wanted to. you saw something in him that even he struggled to see in himself.

suddenly, all those strange, unfamiliar feelings he had about you made sense.

he wasn’t just fond of you.

he was in love with you and things changed after that.

it was subtle at first. berlin was softer with you, more attentive in ways that the others barely noticed but you felt every second of the day.

he started lingering when you talked, his fingers brushing against yours when he handed you something, his voice quieter when he spoke to you.

he started looking at you differently.

eventually, in the quiet moments between the chaos inside of the mint, he kissed you.

the kiss slow, deliberate, like he had all the time in the world.

and for once, maybe he did.

the others are occupied, discussing strategy, bickering over details, but you and berlin find yourselves alone in one of the back rooms of the mint.

the dim light casts shadows over his sharp features, and there’s something unreadable in his eyes as he looks at you.

“you’re tense,” he murmurs, stepping closer.

you scoff, crossing your arms over your chest.

“of course i’m tense. we’re in the middle of one of the biggest heists, and oslo dying didn't make that feeling easier...”

“ah, but you hide it well,” he says, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

“better than the others, at least.”

berlin's voice is lower than usual, softer. there’s something different in his posture, something deliberate about the way he closes the distance between you.

the older man's hand reaches out, tracing the back of his fingers along your jaw, barely touching, just enough to make your breath hitch.

“berlin,” you start, but the way he looks at you, as if you’re something he’s trying to memorize, steals whatever else you were going to say.

he tilts his head slightly, studying you, before murmuring, “tell me if you don’t want this.”

you don’t hesitate.

instead, you close the space between you, fingers tangling in the collar of his pink suit (that matches yours) as you pull him down to you.

berlin's lips meet yours slowly at first, testing, but the moment he feels you melt into it, his control snaps.

one hand cups the side of your face, fingers threading into your hair, while the other finds your waist, tugging you flush against him. he kisses like he does everything else...with intention, with precision, like he’s savoring every second.

you kiss him back just as fiercely, matching him beat for beat, pressing up on your toes to get closer, to feel more. berlin's hand tightens on your waist, grounding you, claiming you.

when you part for air, he doesn’t let you go, his forehead resting against yours and your nose touching his, his breath fanning across your lips.

“cairo,” he murmurs, voice rougher now, raw in a way he never lets the others hear, “you’re going to be the death of me.”

you smirk, still breathless. “good. that makes two of us.”

the way berlin looked at you, with that smirk of his... of course you leaned back in without hesitation, hands gripping the lapels of his suit as you press your lips against his again, deeper this time.

berlin meets you with the same hunger, his fingers tightening at your waist, sure to leave bruises as he is pulling you flush against him.

the kiss is slow but consuming, his lips moving against yours with practiced ease, like he’s unraveling you one touch at a time.

the large hand of his slides up your back, his fingers tracing along your spine, sending a shiver through you. the warmth of his palm settles at the nape of your neck, his thumb brushing over your jaw as he tilts your head, deepening the kiss.

he kisses like he owns you, like he’s memorizing the shape of your lips, the way you sigh softly into his mouth when he bites gently at your lower lip before soothing it with his tongue.

berlin's other hand drifts lower, gripping your hip, steadying you as he walks you back a step until your spine presses against the wall.

the shift only makes the kiss more urgent, your bodies molded together as he explores your mouth with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue.

you feel the way his breath hitches when you slide your hands up his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his suit, holding him there like you never want to let go.

he moves like he’s savoring the moment, like he’s taking his time, even as the tension between you coils tighter.

the way he kisses you... thorough, possessive, like he’s letting himself lose control for the first time, makes your heart pound in your chest.

berlin's lips leave yours only to ghost over your jaw, trailing soft, heated kisses along the column of your neck, before he pulls back just enough to look at you.

the man's breathing is now uneven, his pupils blown wide with something unreadable, but he doesn’t step away. instead, his forehead rests against yours, and neither of you move, caught in the heavy silence of everything.

the next day:

inside of the mint, things were intense. you finally got the see the inspector face to face, where she wanted to make sure all of the hostages were okay.

after the whole thing, berlin always made sure you were taken care of.

if there was ever a moment of downtime, he would bring you water, insist you eat, remind you to take breaks even when you insisted you were fine. berlin's way of caring was subtle, but you could feel it.

when the professor sent orders, berlin always made sure you weren’t in the line of fire from his brother, always keeping an eye on you from across the room. you never were, since you were actually a favorite of the professors.

“you did well today,” berlin came up to you, voice softer than the others ever got to hear.

“so did you,” you’d reply, watching the way his face eased when he was alone with you.

sometimes, when the nights stretched long, and the weight of the heist pressed against your shoulders, berlin would let you lean against him, his arm a steady weight around you.

“you know,” he murmured once, as you rested your head against him, “i never thought i’d meet someone like you in a place like this.”

you tilted your head up to look at him.

“what the hell does that mean?”

all he did was look air you, before turning his head away with that smile of his.

you smiled, knowing that berlin is not known for vocalizing his romantic feelings.

suddenly, you lift your head, murmuring, “oh, wait, i forgot something.”

berlin watches as you stand, stretching slightly before stepping away, disappearing into the adjoining room.

when you return, the small blue care bear is cradled in your hands, the same one you had given him days ago.

you don’t say anything, just press it against his chest before climbing onto his lap, settling against him with ease.

berlin doesn’t argue, doesn’t question it.

instead, he lets you tuck yourself into him, his arms wrapping around you as you bury your face against his shoulder, already beginning to drift.

the older man's fingers move lazily over your back, soothing, grounding, as your breathing evens out, sleep claiming you in the safety of his embrace.

he stays awake for a while, watching you, taking in the way your lashes rest against your cheek, the way your fingers are curled around the bear as if it’s second nature.

there’s something strangely soft about the whole moment, something he’s not used to...something he never thought he’d want. here you are, trusting him enough to fall asleep in his arms, giving him a piece of yourself without hesitation.

the weight of that realization settles in his chest, heavy yet welcome.

eventually, he exhales slowly, shifts slightly, and lets his eyes close, deciding, just this once, to rest inside of the mint.

masterlist

[the-kr8tor]

Hello! I wanted to request for a fluffy Hobie x reader <3 One where the reader is someone he became friends with through the Spider Society, so the two have yet to properly get to know each other, but reader has a terribly hidden crush for him. But the main thing is that, out of everyone in their friend group, the pair are huggers so they naturally gravitate to one another for hugs or to just be close. - 💜💛

Hello!! I hope you love it!! And thank you for reading my work! ❤️

Pairing: Hobie Brown x gn! Reader/ Spider-Punk x gn! Reader

Tags: use of Y/N sparsely, no specific physical description of the reader (except hobie is mentioned taller), spider person! Reader, spider trio cameo, established relationship, lovestruck! Hobie, fluff!

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The portal opens right in the middle of spider society. Its warbling orange glow glimmers against the white floors as the whole squad exits the portal.

You immediately bolt towards the team, eyes looking for the familiar pair of boots to step out of it.

“Hey!” Gwen smiles, taking off her mask as she tiredly hugs you. You pat her back, and she looks at you suspiciously. “I have a feeling the welcome committee isn't just for me.”

You wince, giving her an awkward smile. “What— no way, Gwen. I'm here for you!”

“Hobie's right behind us, Y/N.” Pav says tiredly, arms stretching as your face brightens up from the mention of the punk spider.

Gwen scrunches her nose, scoffing as she lets you go. “Really? You don't even hide it well.”

You try to save face. “I'm here for…all of you.” You bounce on the balls of your feet as you hear footsteps exit out. Your smile flickers away for a second when Miles appears from the portal, rubbing along his aching wrist.

Miles notices along with Gwen and Pavitr. “‘I’m glad you're safe, Miles!’” He mocks your voice. “Really, you don't even hide it anymore.”

“That's what I said!” Gwen agrees, huffing with her hands placed on her hips.

The familiar thump of the pair of boots has you turning towards the source, arms gravitating to the pair of arms ready to receive you.

“It's just hurtful, y’know— oh come on!”

The trio turns to you and Hobie, embracing like you haven't seen each other in years. When in fact that you literally saw him before he went on the mission, and was hugging you just like this.

His chin is propped atop your head, arms squeezing you and slightly lifting you up on your feet while you hide in the crook of his neck. He smells of post battle adrenaline and coconut from his (Pav’s) oil.

“How's my favourite spider?” Hobie says, eyes darting towards the three, who are brooding in place. He clearly did that on purpose, where's the lie though when he's wrapped around your finger.

“Good,” you say against his skin, lips barely brushing along his neck, and barely appropriate for ‘just friends.’ “I broke my record at the training grounds.” Leaning away to his disappointment, your smile has his slight frown fade away. “The tip you gave me worked really well!”

“Augh, get a room already.” Miles says in disgust while Gwen acts like she's gonna barf.

“I think it's sweet!” Pav exclaims while you and Hobie are stuck in your little bubble of affection.

Gwen and Miles stare Pav down.

“Really? It disrupts the friend group.” Gwen argues.

Miles loops his arm over Gwen's shoulder, nodding along. “I agree!”

Pav gives them a look. “Hypocrites!”

They continue to argue in the background while Hobie's arms are still around you. The continuous hugs remind you of those stuffed animals with the long arms and velcro on them so they'd stick to your clothes and hug you the entire time. Hobie's hugs feel the same, soft and comforting. Without the prick of velcro of course.

“D’you think they'll stop arguing?” You ask, head lifting up to gaze into his warm eyes.

Hobie beams at you, hand placed in the back of your head while his nose nudges your temple. “Maybe once we tell ‘em that we're datin'”

“Date, we went on one date.” You correct him, but your bashful grin and clammy hands that are still holding on to him says that there will be more in the future.

“It would be plural if someone confessed a lot sooner.” A smirk plays on his lips as you smack his chest playfully, palm hitting hard muscle underneath his suit. You suddenly feel incredibly warm. “They're right, you didn't hide it very well.”

“Y–You know why!”

“No, I don't.” His lopsided smirk says otherwise. He's playing with you, and you're loving every minute of it. “Can you tell me again, just like last night?”

[wonderlandcrown]

𝐼𝑛 𝐴 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑂𝑓 𝑀𝑦 𝑂𝑤𝑛

𝑉𝑖𝑙 𝑋 𝑌𝑢𝑢(𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟)

a/n : second fic on here woohoo. take a look into your future with the worldwide famous actor, model and influencer : Vil Schoenheit!! Future au so Vil is 22 here, reader is younger but is over 18. Reader referred to as "Yuu, you, they/them prns" yuu's name was saved as "my saviour" ever since they broke into Styx to rescue Vil. Talking abt getting kids haha who said that

genre : fluff and romance(established relationship)

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚♛♡♕˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Cats and rabbits Would reside in fancy little houses And be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers In a world of my own

It's two o'clock, the director has just called for a break. Vil was filming a new movie all the way over at the Queendom of Roses, it's supposed to be a live action version of one of the classics animation films made in the queendom. Though Vil usually disliked live actions(he thought them uncreative cash grabs), he'll admit the writing for this wasn't as bad as he imagined.

Vil was playing as the villain's younger brother this time, the tritagonist. A refreshing break from all his villain roles, the White King was graceful, otherworldly, and a hidden taste for violence, you had teased that Vil was basically playing himself.

Vil stood by the catering section, taking a gulp of water along with his vitamin supplements. He scrolled through his phone checking for messages, there were some from Rook, they haven't lost contact even after graduation, in fact they text each other more often now that they don't see each other as often.

Rook had sent some pictures of his recent excavation site, along with candid shots of the team he was currently working with. Most of the team members had surprised, or- scared, expressions while Rook still had that same familiar smile. Vil sent him a reminder to not freak out his new acquaintances too much.

There was also Epel, he had only recently finished his 4th year internship and is now taking a break in his hometown, helping his family. Epel had grown so much ever since Vil took him under his wing during NRC, it makes Vil a little sentimental, only a little.

Epel had sent Vil the monthly supplies of apple juice and apples(Epel was here to visit Deuce anyways)to the hotel he was currently staying at, Vil received the pictures of boxes at the hotel doorstep.

Vil then decided to chat with Yuu,

my queen💜 : dear, epel just sent the apples and apple juice to our doorstep, did you receive them?

my saviour🤭 : (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ʸᴱˢ

my saviour🤭 : I brought them inside alrd

my queen💜 : make yourself something to eat with the apples, a fruit salad would do nicely as an afternoon snack.

my queen💜 : assuming you had finished your lunch

my saviour🤭 : uhhhhhh

Vil sighs as he sees the last message, really, you're not incapable of not taking care of yourself when he's not around, so why does it seem like so.

my queen💜 : love. answer me

seen 2:13 p.m

Seen? How could you leave your jaw dropping, gorgeous, caring, considerate fiancé on seen?! You better have a good reason for leaving THE Vil Schoenheit on seen or he'll-

Vil's internal monologue of rage was cut short by a sudden *ping*, you had sent a photo of... A cat wearing a pink bow. Definitely not Grim.

my queen💜 : yuu. explain. now.

my saviour🤭 : I found it outside the hotel ╥﹏╥

my queen💜 : 1, emoticons don't work on me. 2, why did you bring it into our hotel room

my saviour🤭 : I alrd gave Dinah a bath thoo ://

my saviour🤭 : she's clean I swear🙏🙏

Vil can practically feel his blood pressure rising.

my queen💜 : so you decided to postpone your lunch to take care of a mangy stray cat?

my saviour🤭 : yeahh😘(plz don't be mad plzplzplzplzplzzpzl)

my queen💜 : fine just.. remember to eat, and don't let it go in our shared bedroom

my saviour🤭 : you're gonna lose your head when you learn where me and Dinah are rn

Vil then decided that putting down his phone for the time being would be a wondrous decision, for the sake of his sanity and blood pressure.

All the flowers Would have very extra-special powers They would sit and talk to me for hours When I'm lonely in a world of my own

Vil wasn't very fond of the idea of making small talk with any of the cast members during production, in his opinion, it would've affected his filming. It's the actor's job to bring the character to life for the audience, anything less than that should be classified as a sub par children's play.

Though Vil did make an exception for his lovely Yuu that seemed to love causing him migraines(and Rook, but the latter would still drop by unannounced even if Vil told him no)

That didn't make the actor any less surprised when you showed up with a bouquet of purple hyacinths.

"You're so lucky you managed to show up during our break time. If it was during filming I would've kicked you out."

"First of all, no you wouldn't. Second of all, I memorized your schedule, so this was planned. "

Vil huffed, he's not surprised you memorized his schedule, you've been doing that ever since you two got engaged.

"Nevermind, I'm more interested in the reason for your visit, and the purple hyacinths too... You do know what the flower symbolizes, no?"

Purple hyacinths. Forgiveness

You shuffled your feet and held the bouquet a little bit tighter, suddenly anxious. "Uh, yeah, you seemed really angry yesterday.. You've left me on seen.."

Great seven, Yuu, your worried face is honestly adorable. Vil almost forgave you for the bringing in the stray cat when you made that expression, but he steeled his nerves and pretended to not be affected.

"Hmph, what did you expect? You brought back a stray cat without my permission into OUR hotel room." Vil emphasizes the word our as he crosses his arms, how could you not ask for his opinion beforehand?

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry, but it was raining and-," You suddenly cut yourself off, realizing Vil was raising an eyebrow, this isn't the time for that, my dear. "No, no, that's an excuse.. I'm sorry, I got these flowers for you."

You push the bouquet of hyacinths towards Vil, they were wrapped in a light yellow silk cloth and tied together by a black ribbon. A sight for sore eyes, Vil admits. He takes the flowers from your hands and starts looking closely at the bouquet, trying to find fault among the flowers(he likes being petty okay?), but he finds none whatsoever.

"You're forgiven, and you can keep Dinah, just don't let her on the bed."

The joy on your face could almost match the one on the day Vil proposed to you, his heart melts at the sight, and this time he doesn't hide his affectionate smile. Yuu may be magicless but Vil swears that their smile has some special power.

There'd be new birds Lots of nice and friendly how-de-do birds Everyone would have a dozen blue birds

A month had passed since Vil had started filming, he was given a break by the director. His character doesn't show up until the climax scene from this point on, and a child actor was called in to play the kid version of the White King during the backstory sequence.

This was enough for Vil to make up for lost time with Yuu.

You were standing outside the filming studio, holding Dinah in your arms, and Vil could see the silhouette of Grim inside the limousine, no doubt feasting on caviar and the fancy tuna you loved to buy for the little glutton. Vil was holding a vase of the hyacinths you'd given to him a while ago, he still managed to take care of the flowers while filming.

"We're gonna go to the park." You announce once Vil was inside the limo, Grim looks up from his very, very messy plate, "Myah? Why not a restaurant? The queendom's food is kinda bland, but the Great Grim makes it a point to eat the local cuisine of any place he goes to!"

Vil sighs, adjusting the vase of hyacinths on his lap, "You have enough on your plate already.. And I meant that literally."

"It's peaceful and makes a nice picnic spot, I had already visited there once and I thought you'd like it, take a break from the usual bustling crowd you have to deal with, y'know?" A beautiful smile graces your face as you say that, and Vil suddenly feels rejuvenated, as if he didn't spend an entire month filming.

"You're as thoughtful as ever, dear."

After a while, the limo stopped at a red light, you turned your head towards the window and saw up on a tree, a family of blue swallows.

You were silent for a while, craning your neck to stare at the swallows, it made Vil curious too. Though he had to squint to take a good look at them as he was sitting parallel to you.

Vil could make out at least two smaller swallows, one of the older ones was sitting still while another was focused on the children.

"There's still an unhatched egg." You whisper, you were still focused on that small family of birds. Vil couldn't understand why, he thought of asking Grim but the latter wasn't making eye contact with him for some reason. (usually Grim would be bugging Vil to buy him stuff)

For some reason, Vil feels like he was left out of a very important conversation.

Within that world of my own I could listen to a babbling brook And hear a song that I could understand I keep wishing it could be that way Because my world would be a wonderland

The chauffeur had dropped you all off at the park, Vil had entrusted him to take care of his prized hyacinths for the time being, you told Grim to "take care of your little sister Dinah", to which he responded with grumbles and protests against the term "little sister". That left you alone with your fiancé, Vil Schoenheit.

As you sit on the picnic mat taking plates and sandwiches out of the basket, Vil approached you with a question. "You were acting weird in the car." "..Huh?"

Your confused face seemed so genuine that Vil was already second guessing what he saw, "You heard me, is there something you want to tell me? Is it about birds?"

A blush creeps onto your face, which Vil mistakes for embarrassment. "I don't mind if you want to adopt some birds, my dear, but you have to keep in mind that you already own a cat and a gluttonous direbeast, I don't want to see you heartbroken if either one decides that your new pet is going to make their next meal-,"

"It's not about birds!" You suddenly blurt aloud, you were lucky that the park isn't a popular tourist spot, because that definitely would've turned some heads.

Vil blinks in surprise, "Sorry..? Wait- no, Yuu, what do you mean this isn't about birds?"

You were blushing like a tomato now, "The- the birds... This isn't about birds Vil.." You cover your face with your hands, keeping whatever else you had to say muffled.

"Yuu, I can't hear anything if you do that." Vil furrowed his brows, whatever you had to say was clearly important, it made Vil worried.

"..."

"Yuu?" Don't do this to your fiancé, please. Vil has absolutely no idea what's going on, what do you want to tell him??? He takes your hand away and cradles it using his own, the soft gesture making you raise your head.

"Yuu. Please." Vil Schoenheit has picked up the skill of reading people over the years as an actor, model and influencer, but still he failed to read his beloveds current feelings.

"..How do you feel about children?"

Vil feels like he was thrown into an alternate universe.

"That's what you were thinking about?" Vil chooses his words carefully, or as carefully as a person can be when one's beloved thought that he would be adverse to the idea of kids.

"My love, if you wanted to have a talk about that you could've done it anytime, and no need to be so shy." Vil says steadily while using his free hand to tilt your head up, you were reminding him of how you were during your school days.

"But you were busy with filming.. And I had barely begun the wedding preparations! didn't seem right to discuss the idea of children when we are barely adults.."

Your eyes darted around, and for a while Vil was silent, the river near the spot you had chosen made its presence known.

"Well.. You're not wrong, this isn't really the most suitable time for us to have children.. But there was no need for your shyness, my love, I'm not going to leave you just because of something like that."

Vil sat down beside you on the picnic mat, your hand still in his, he tilted his head to take a look at you.

"...Thanks, Vil." Your reply was barely audible, but Vil heard it just fine.

"You're always welcome, dear."

Vil Schoenheit is an actor, model and influencer, but he is also a son, a friend, and a partner, and truth be told he values the last three roles more than the others, especially the role of Yuu's partner.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇　

a/n : got a little angsty at the end whoops. tell me in the comments or reblogs if you wanna be tagged in chapter 3

[shiro-s2e2-erukinzu]

Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 112 (Part 2)... You have been warned...! 👌

[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]

THIS CHAPTER WAS JUST TOO FREAKING HILARIOUS...!!! 😂😂😂 I HONESTLY COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING!! 👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣

My goodness, the absolute goofiness of Part 2 of Mission 112 was truly OVER 9000!!! 🗣 So let's talk about it, shall we...? 👌😌

Since this chapter IS a two-parter, of course it would pick up right where we left off last time with Tertius and the kid with his eyes closed (whose name we learn is Freddy by the end of this chapter 😁) about to engage in a "duel"...! 😌

But before that happens, the other students recognize Anya as the one who stopped the bus hijacking, and so she steps up to the plate to put end to this conflict...!! 👌😎

OH MY GOSH ANYA, YOU'RE TOO MUCH! 🤣

Anya then goes over to Freddy and tells him that she's here to help him get that booger off of Tertius' face, which makes Freddy very thankful for Anya's help...!! 😆 Anya prepares for her attack to grab the booger, but then...:

THIS GIRL I SWEAR! 😂(But honestly, I don't blame Anya for not wanting to touch someone else's booger!!👌😌)

Then, we get probably the funniest thing in this chapter (to me at least...):

THAT IMAGE OF ANYA JUST STRAIGHT UP BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF BILLY SQUIRE IS HONESTLY PEAK COMEDY TO ME!! 👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣👏🤣

Also Anya, I think that you are pretty close to being THAT violent...!! 👌😌

After that hilarious sequence, Tertius tries to stop Anya by being chivalrous and gift her a flower, but...:

HE JUST GAVE ANYA A WAY TO GET RID OF THE BOOGER!!! 👏😂

(This chapter is gonna be the death of me for just how FUCKING HILARIOUS IT IS!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣)

After Tertius thinks back to his training to become strong enough to deal other nations, he's ready to fight back against Anya, then...:

ANYA GOES FOR THE KILL!! (I mean, Anya tries to remove the booger...!! 👌😎)

As Anya tries to MURDER get rid of the booger on Tertius' face, she suddenly gets a crick in her neck a let's go of the flower and it successfully knocks the booger off!! 😆 Then, Freddy comes in clutch to get rid of the evidence and SAVES HIS SKIN!!! 👏👏👏

And after The Booger Incident, both Freddy and Tertius have seemingly become friends with Anya, and that makes me so happy!! 😄

But, someone might've just gotten the wrong idea about Tertius and Freddy...:

OH MY GOD BECKY!!! 🤣🤣🤣 ALSO, POOR DAMIAN...!! 🤭

And that was Mission 112 (Part 2), it was SO FREAKING HILARIOUS Y'ALL!!! 😂😂😂 My goodness, I can't believe how much this chapter got me busting out laughing, it was such a good time!! 😆

I am so glad that Tertius and Freddy (and possibly Arnold and Connie as well) are chilling with Anya by the end of this chapter because I was hoping that Anya was gonna make new friends, and it looks like that's exactly what just happened...!! 😄 I don't know if or when Becky is gonna realize that her assumption of Anya scoring two boys is wrong, but I do however know that whether Damian thinks that those guys are "together" with Anya or knows that they're just her friends, he's definitely gonna be jealous regardless...!! 😌

I can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans the Eden Kids are gonna get into now with these new kids joining the group!! 😄 So anyway, until the next Mission; take care, be safe out there and be kind to one another...!! SEE Y'ALL NEXT TIME!! 👋😆

[anotherworldawaitsus]

The Girl Next Door

Synopsis: A new neighbor turns Melissa’s world upside down.

Chapter: 4/10 (The Addict)

Series Warnings: Slow burn, angst, drama, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, protective Melissa, fem reader, age difference, WLW

Chapter Warnings: Minor violence, mentions of drug use, homophobic slur, sibling rift, protective Melissa has arrived

—————————————-

You had purposely chosen a neighborhood far removed from the streets where you grew up, carefully avoided all your old haunts, kept your head down. But you knew you couldn’t hide forever. It was only a matter of time until the past came knocking.

Which is why, when you rounded the corner one Friday night in April, you weren’t entirely surprised to see your little brother Mikey standing outside your apartment building. His face was thinner than you remembered, but you recognized him instantly.

“Hiya, sis,” he said, a flicker of that old smile ghosting across his features as you approached. “Heard you were back in town.”

You narrowed your eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Ouch,” he said, scuffing his shoe into the ground. “We ain’t seen each other in how long, and that’s the first thing you—”

“What are you doing here?” you repeated loudly. A muscle in Mikey’s jaw jumped as he ground his teeth together. He hated to be interrupted.

“You gonna invite me in?” He plastered a fake smile on his face as a group of people walked by, nodding hello on their way to the bars. “Or should we just yell on the street like animals?”

You hesitated, sizing him up. He was practically a stranger to you, and you’d bet your entire paycheck that he was still spending every hour of the day getting high. But you didn’t care. Suddenly, you were eager for a fight.

“Why not?” A corrosive fury simmered in your veins as you pushed past him and unlocked the door.

“You got a nice place,” Mikey said once you were both inside. He looked around, hooking his thumbs in the belt loops of his pants. His eyes were restless, hungry.

You grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and handed him one.

“How’d you find out where I live?”

Your tone was blunt, unfriendly. He looked away.

“Duncan said you had a party here last month.”

“Duncan Davies?” you laughed darkly. “That little shit stain always had a big mouth.”

“Yeah well,” he said. “Guess my invite got lost in the mail.”

You scoffed, opening your mouth to say fuck yes it did. But suddenly your phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, you saw it was Boone.

“I gotta take this,” you said. “Work.”

Mikey bobbed his head, took a sip of beer. You stepped into the kitchen and answered the call, not even bothering to say hello.

“Your surprise party is the gift that keeps on giving,” you hissed.

“What do you mean?” You heard the rustling of papers and pictured your friend sitting on his sofa, rolling a joint.

“I mean,” you said, trying to keep your voice low. “Word got back to my burnout brother, and now he’s standing in my living room.”

Boone swore softly.

“I told you I wanted to keep a low profile, but you just had to be a goddamn social butterfly.” You knew you were being unfair, that you were just amped up and looking for someone to blame.

“What does he want?”

You ran a hand through your hair. “I have no idea.”

“Look, I’m sorry,” Boone said. “But you can’t exactly avoid your family forever, can you? Maybe this is a good thing.”

“Trust me,” you sighed, rubbing a hand over your eyes. “It’s not.”

You hung up, sagging against the counter for a moment and taking a few deep breaths before you walked back into the living room.

Mikey didn’t hear you come in. He was hunched over the table by the front door, rifling through a drawer. Your wallet was in his left hand, a wad of bills in his right. Outrage licked its way up your spine, dull and painful. Of course.

“Looking for something?”

His head snapped up so fast it almost made you wince.

“I can explain,” he said. “This ain’t what it looks like.”

“No?” you laughed darkly. “Because it looks like you’re still a junkie and a thief.“

Fury clouded his features. He had been handsome once, but his face had a wasted look to it now. The hollows of his cheek were overly pronounced, almost skull-like.

“I just need something to get through the week,” he said, gripping the cash tightly in his fist.

“Where have I heard that one before?” you mocked. “Oh, right, at dad’s funeral, when you showed up loaded and begging mom for money.”

His cheeks flushed bright red. “You’re such a bitch.”

You slammed your beer down on the table hard enough that the bottle shattered. For a second, neither of you moved. His eyes glittered with malice, shame, sorrow. You remembered a time when you would have done anything for him, your baby brother with the same irresistible smile as your dad.

“Put the money down,” you growled. “And get lost.”

His lips twitched. “Make me,” he taunted.

The words were barely out of his mouth before you lunged. You’d always been faster when you were kids, and you were pleased to see you could still get the drop on him. You grabbed his neck, dog-walking him toward the door with his head squeezed tightly under your armpit.

“Let me go!” he yelled, voice strangled by your chokehold. “Get your fuckin’ hands off me!”

You spilled out into the hallway together, a clumsy tangle of arms and legs and fists. You threw a rogue punch toward his midsection. Blood was pounding in your ears.

He twisted in your grip with a roar of pain and frustration, his elbow catching you square in the ribs. The impact was hard enough to knock the breath out of you, and he pushed his advantage, gripping you by the throat and throwing you against the wall. He was scrawny, but still strong. Your jaw smacked against the hard tile and you slid to the floor, winded and dazed.

“You think Dad would be ashamed of me,” he half-shouted, straightening his jacket. “Look at you, fucking psycho dyke.”

He was almost unrecognizable in that moment, towering over you with a hateful sneer on his face. He stepped closer and you scrambled backwards, unsure what he intended to do. Luckily, you never found out.

At that moment, a baseball bat swung through the air, missing Mikey’s face by inches.

“Touch her again and I’ll break your kneecaps.”

>> Read the rest of this chapter right now on my Patreon! <<

[focusonkayjay]

stuck with you | (2/5)

Pairing: Jungkook x (f.) Reader

Genre/Tags: computer sci major/ shy/ nerdy! jungkook, econ major/ popular/ influencer! reader, college au, roommates au, roommates to lovers, friends to lovers, idiots to lovers, angst, smut, fluff

Summary: Jungkook’s a hopeless romantic—emphasis on hopeless more than romantic. From the moment he first laid eyes on you, he swore he heard bells chiming, like the angels from above were giving him a cosmic nudge. But he’s always been the awkward, nerdy guy—the one who blends into the background—while you? You felt like a dream way out of his league. Fate, however, had other plans and now, you’re his roommate and living with you—in all your effortless glory—is equal parts chaos and heaven. The only challenge? Keeping his ever-growing feelings in check. That is—until a cocky fuckboy with not-so-pure intentions sets his sights on you, and suddenly, just loving you from the sidelines might not be enough.

Word Count: 20.4k+

Chapter Warnings:  butchered representation of a scene from the anime "attack on titan" (im sorryfjhjfghierg), mentions of blood and some gorey stuff because of the anime scene hhhh, jaehyun is a huge dick, heavy on the angst, lots and lots of angst, again some inaccurate econ and comp sci things, oc is just an oblivious cutie </3, did i mention angst

cher's notes: second part is here ahhhh !! there’s a lot happening in this chapter, so buckle up. also — i finally decided this mini series will have 5 parts in total, which means the chapters are gonna be on the longer side because i want to squeeze in everything. and to my lovely EBYT readers — the next part is officially dropping tomorrow YAAAHOOOO. thank you so much for reading and supporting, it means the world. stay tuned and let me know how you’re feeling about this series so far !! now let me go catch up on all your sweet reblogs and replies eeee !!

★ PLAYLIST ★ MOODBOARDS

two: it doesn't take much

"Kook, you free?" you call out, leaning against your doorframe, eyes fixed on Jungkook, who's sprawled across the couch, one arm draped lazily over his stomach as he scrolls through his phone. At the sound of your voice, he instantly looks up. "Yeah, why?" he asks, locking his screen.

"Come here." You don't wait for a response, disappearing into your room and like always, without a second thought, Jungkook gets up, padding down the hall to get to your room.

Jungkook loves your room. 

Loves the way your room always carries a faint trace of vanilla intertwined with something floral—jasmine, maybe, or that one candle you always keep burning on your nightstand, housed in a delicate frosted glass jar. He loves how the soft glow of your LED lights bathes the space in warmth, how everything—your desk, your computer, your shelves—is so meticulously arranged.

Your room is just so... you, and every time he steps inside, he can't help but take it all in, admiring the way you've turned four plain walls into something that feels like a world of its own.

His gaze immediately falls on the huge box resting on your bed, and he doesn't even have to ask because frankly speaking, he's seen this sight plenty of times to know it's another PR package.

"Sit." You grin, already taking a seat on your bed, gesturing at the empty spot in front of you. "I got these lip stains in the mail today." you explain, excitement lacing your voice as you pat the box. "Wanna test them out with me? Pleasseeee."

Jungkook wonders why you're even asking, why you're evening saying 'please' because when has he ever said no to you?

He simply huffs out a laugh, shaking his head as he settles onto the bed, sitting criss-cross in front of you like he's your personal test subject. You giggle as you carefully start unboxing the package, peeling back the layers of wrapping with an almost childlike excitement.

Jungkook watches, momentarily distracted—not by the package, but by you. 

The way your eyes light up, the way your fingers move with care as if unwrapping something precious. The packaging is extravagant, unnecessarily grand for something as simple as lip stains, but when he sees the way it makes you smile, he figures maybe that's the point. 

Maybe it's meant to make people feel like this. And if that's the case, then he hopes every product you ever receive comes wrapped in the prettiest boxes, because the look on your face right now?

Yeah, he'd like to see that again.

"Wow..." you breathe out, eyes wide with amusement as you take in the sight before you—eight lip stains neatly nestled inside the box. You weren't expecting this, especially not so soon. 

The brand had sent you PR before, after that one tiktok you made for them, but this? The limited-edition collection, delivered straight to your doorstep? It was definitely a pleasant surprise.

"Look at all these shades." you gasp, voice laced with excitement as you carefully pluck out the first one. The colors range from soft pinks to deep berry tones, each more tempting than the last. You turn to Jungkook, eyes gleaming. "Wanna try this one?"

Jungkook raises a brow but doesn't protest because again, when has he ever said no to you? 

"These are peel-off lip stains." you explain, twisting the cap and the scent—sweet, vaguely fruity—drifts up immediately. "Peel-off?" Jungkook repeats, skepticism creeping into his tone.

You nod enthusiastically. "Yeah, you apply it, wait a few minutes, and once it dries, you just peel it off. It leaves behind a stain."

He furrows his brows, still struggling to wrap his head around the whole concept, but he nods anyway. Because, really, if there's one thing Jungkook has learned, it's that when it comes to you and your beauty experiments, it's better to just simply go along with it.

"Come here." you say, nudging the box aside to make space as you inch closer. Jungkook straightens his back, his hands resting idly on his lap as he waits, patient and compliant, like always. 

With one hand, you gently cup his chin, steadying his face. Your fingers are warm against his skin, and Jungkook swallows, trying to ignore the way his pulse betrays him. Slowly, with careful precision, you begin tracing the outline of his lips.

And that's when it hits him. The proximity.

It's not unfamiliar—this has happened before. Every time you apply something to his face, you get so, so close that he can almost feel your breath ghosting against his skin. But somehow, it never stops setting off a chain reaction inside him. 

His breath catches the moment the wand glides over his lips, and he notices—of course, he notices—the way your eyes remain so intently focused on his mouth.

God, this is not good for his heart. His poor, overworked, utterly helpless heart.

Before his thoughts spiral any further, before he lets himself feel too much, he does what he always does—he closes his eyes. Shuts out the sight of you, the nearness of you, the way his chest tightens at the thought of you. Because he is not god's strongest soldier.

Once you finish filling in his lips with the product, you sit back, tilting your head as you admire your work. That's when Jungkook finally opens his eyes.

The color of the peel is darker than the actual stain—almost unnaturally so—and it makes him look... well, a little funny. You try to hold it in, but a giggle slips past your lips before you can stop it.

"What?" Jungkook asks, brows furrowing in confusion but the moment he speaks, something feels off. His lips feel stiff, like they've been coated in wax, and the weird sensation makes his frown deepen.

"Don't talk." you say quickly, waving a hand in warning. "You have to let it dry first."

His expression remains skeptical, but he still obeys. Your attention, however, has already drifted back to the box. While Jungkook patiently waits for his peel-off stain to dry, you figure it's time to test out another shade yourself.

"Which one should I try?" you hum, tapping your chin in thought. Then, pushing the box towards him, you grin. "You choose for me."

Jungkook takes a moment, scanning the neatly arranged tubes. His eyes land on a deep crimson shade—rich, elegant, the kind of color he just knows will look good on you. Without a word (because someone told him not to talk), he simply points at it.

You smile, clearly pleased with his choice, and take the tube in hand. Reaching for the little mirror on your desk, you carefully begin applying the stain to your lips, oblivious to the way Jungkook watches you, his own lips still tingling, his heart still hopelessly traitorous.

God.

The way you apply that stain to your lips—so slow, so precise, like it's a ritual rather than just makeup. The way your gaze lingers on your reflection, eyes flicking over every detail as you smooth the product across your lips with effortless grace. 

Jungkook swears he's never seen anyone look so mesmerizing while doing something so utterly mundane.

It's ridiculous, really, how something as simple as this—just you, applying lip stain—has him completely entranced. His pulse trips over itself, his stomach does this weird, weightless thing, and suddenly, he's wondering if it's normal to be this enchanted with someone.

And then, just as quickly as you began, you're done. You twist the cap back on, set the mirror down, and turn to him with a soft, satisfied smile. You begin fanning your lips and gesture Jungkook to follow. He blinks, forcing himself to shake off whatever daze he's in before wordlessly copying you.

So now, the two of you just sit there, cross-legged on your bed, silently fanning your lips with comically serious expressions. If anyone were to walk in right now, they'd probably think you were performing some bizarre ritual.

Jungkook should find this ridiculous. Maybe even funny. 

But all he can focus on is the soft curve of your lips, the way your lashes dip with each slow blink, and the effortless way you exist—completely unaware of just how much space you take up in his head.

After what feels like forever, Jungkook notices you reaching for the mirror again. His gaze follows the movement of your fingers as you carefully press against the edge of the lip stain and begin peeling it away. His brows knit together slightly because, for a second, it almost looks like you're peeling off a layer of your skin.

But then, as the translucent film lifts, the color left behind on your lips begins to show, seamlessly tinted like a watercolor painting. And suddenly, the whole concept makes sense to him.

You peel away the last bit and turn to him with a smile. "Looks nice?"

Jungkook nods, eyes still fixed on your lips, like he's studying every shift of color, every little detail. "Come here, let me do yours too," you say, gesturing him closer.

Without a second thought, he inches forward, bringing his face to your eye level, and for the second time tonight, he finds himself painfully aware of your proximity.

Your fingers gently take hold of the dried stain on his lips, peeling it away while Jungkook sits perfectly still, his breath hitching just slightly at the sensation, his gaze locked onto your face. 

And then, just as the final layer comes off, you let out a delighted gasp. "Oh my god !!" you beam, tilting your head to admire the color. "This shade looks so good on you."

Jungkook blinks, lips slightly parted. He doesn't know what's worse, the fact that you're still so close, or the fact that you're looking at him like that, like he's something pretty.

You lean back slightly, pulling the box closer, skimming the fine print with a look of mild amusement. "Hmmm... it says here that these are kiss-proof." you giggle, tapping the side of the box. Then, with zero hesitation and far too much nonchalance, you glance at Jungkook. "Should we test that out?"

And that's it. That's how Jungkook dies.

You want to test it out? 

With him? 

Test it out... how exactly?

His brain stutters. His body forgets how to function. His soul quite literally leaves his body and ascends to the heavens for a moment before violently crashing back down into the reality of what you just said.

There are several things happening inside Jungkook right now, and none of them are good for his well-being. His heart is in the middle of a full cardiac arrest, his stomach is doing something between a backflip and a complete nosedive, and his entire nervous system has gone into DEFCON 1. 

The mere thought of your lips on his—of actually getting to kiss you, even under the guise of some ridiculous experiment—is enough to send him spiraling. His pulse is thunderous. His breath? Completely nonexistent.

"You... you want to test it out?" he croaks, like he needs to double-check before his imagination starts running off the rails. You nod, completely casual, as if you didn't just send his entire life into turmoil. "Yeah, why not?" you shrug.

Why not ?? 

WHY NOT ?! 

Oh, Jungkook can think of a million reasons why not. Maybe because he has spent months suppressing every urge, every look, every stray thought about how insanely, stupidly in love with you he is? 

Maybe because the idea of your lips even remotely close to his, is enough to send him into a self-destructive spiral? Maybe because if this actually happens, if he actually gets a taste of something he has wanted for so long, there's no way in hell he'll ever be able to come back from it?

"Oh... O-okay." he stammers, because—obviously. What else is he supposed to say? 

No? No?! That's not even a possibility.

He braces himself. Inhales sharply. Inches just the tiniest bit closer, his eyes fluttering shut, waiting, anticipating, standing on the precipice of something life-altering.

This is it. This is the moment his world shifts on its axis. The moment he has his first ever kiss kiss with none other than... you, the girl he's been hopelessly, irrevocably in love with for months.

And then—

A loud, exaggerated smooch sound fills the air.

But he feels... nothing. 

No soft pressure against his lips, no warmth against his skin and that's when he slowly opens his eyes, only to find you inspecting the back of your hand.

"Wow, these really are kiss-proof." you muse, turning your hand under the light, admiring the complete lack of transfer.

Oh.

Oh.

So that's what you meant.

Jungkook just sits there, utterly motionless, trying to reboot his entire existence. Of course that's what you meant—testing it on the back of your hand, like a normal person. Like a sane person.

Meanwhile, he? He was two seconds away from experiencing cardiac arrest over the sheer possibility of kissing you.

"You should do it too." you say, finally looking up at him, still completely unaware of the absolute catastrophe you've just triggered inside him.

Oh, should he? Should he go ahead and casually press his lips to his hand like this is some simple, scientific experiment—like he didn't just mentally prepare himself to kiss you, like he didn't just have a full-blown crisis over it?

Jungkook swallows hard, blinking at you in disbelief. He has two choices here—either expose himself completely and let you see exactly how down bad he is, or just go along with it, pretend he wasn't internally combusting moments ago.

So, with what little dignity he has left, he clears his throat, nods stiffly, and hesitantly lifts his hand to his lips. The second they touch, he glares at his palm like it personally offended him.

Yeah. Great. Exactly what he wanted to be kissing right now.

Eventually, Jungkook loses track of time. He doesn't know how long he's been sitting in your room, letting you test shade after shade on him, obediently parting his lips whenever you tilt his chin, watching as you do the same on yourself with that same meticulous focus that drives him absolutely insane.

By the time you're finally done testing them all, you lean back and let out a satisfied sigh. "Oh my god, I actually love this product." you gush, eyes twinkling. Then, you turn to him. Jungkook blinks, still caught in the haze of his own thoughts, and god, the poor boy looks exhausted. 

"Oh my god," you gasp, brows furrowing. "Did I wear you out?" you ask and Jungkook stares at you. No, he's not worn out. He's still internally screaming over how catastrophically, idiotically stupid he is.

How could he have just assumed you wanted to kiss him? How did his brain take "Should we test that out?" and spin it into some earth-shattering, life-changing confession? How did he let himself believe, for even a second, that you—his roommate, his favorite person, the love of his goddamn life—were about to kiss him?

He wants to dig a hole and disappear. He wants to time travel back to that very moment and slap himself. He wants to not be this delusional.

"Oh... no, no." Jungkook says quickly, maybe too quickly, shaking his head in a way that's anything but natural. He hopes you don't hear the sheer devastation clinging to his words, the lingering disappointment he's trying so hard to swallow. "I was just... genuinely shocked at how well-made these products are." he lies, forcing what he hopes is a casual nod.

You beam at him, still completely oblivious. "That's true." you giggle, and just then, the doorbell rings. "Oh! That must be Jae!" you perk up instantly, getting off the bed without hesitation.

Ah. Right.

Jaehyun.

Jungkook had almost managed to forget about him for the briefest moment.

But of course, Jaehyun is still very much here. Still the same looming, overbearing presence in Jungkook's life—the human equivalent of an immovable roadblock, an unavoidable stop sign placed directly in his path.

It's almost like Jungkook can't escape Jaehyun.

No matter where he turns, no matter what time of the day it is, Jaehyun is somehow there, effortlessly inserting himself into your life in ways that makes Jungkook's skin itch.

Sometimes, he spots the two of you outside the econ building, standing too close, laughing at something he'll never be in on. Other times, he sees you sitting together along with Jimin in the cafeteria, Jaehyun casually taking up the seat beside you like he has every right to be there, like he's always been there.

But the absolute worst part? Seeing him here. In your shared apartment. In the living room. On the couch. In the kitchen. In your room. Jungkook hates how easily Jaehyun exists in it... like he belongs, like he fits. And of course, he's still your infuriatingly unavoidable, ever-present, stupid fucking assignment partner so Jungkook can't really say anything.

Jungkook hates it. Hates how it feels like Jaehyun never has to fight for a place in your world—how he just gets to be there. How, no matter how much Jungkook wants to, he can't just wish him away.

It's sickening. Truly.

And now, Jungkook has to sit here, lips still faintly stained from your little PR experiment, and watch as you rush to greet the very person who—whether you realize it or not—has become the greatest thorn in his side.

As Jungkook steps out of your room, he instantly spots Jaehyun stroll in behind you with that same effortless arrogance, the kind that makes it seem like he belongs wherever he goes, even when he doesn't. 

Jaehyun's gaze barely lingers on Jungkook before a slow, amused smirk tugs at his lips, his eyes honing in on the faint stain of color still lingering on Jungkook's mouth. 

"Yo, dude, are you wearing makeup?" He snorts, his tone laced with something condescending, something that instantly grates on Jungkook's nerves.

It's not the question that bothers him—it's how Jaehyun asks it, like it's some kind of joke, like he's pointing out something ridiculous for the sake of mocking it. Like he expects Jungkook to laugh along, to act embarrassed, to give him something.

But Jungkook isn't ashamed. Not in the slightest.

"We just tested out some lip stains." you reply casually, completely oblivious to the sudden change in the air between the two boys. 

Jaehyun lets out another scoff of a laugh, shaking his head like he just can't believe what he's seeing. "Man, that's kinda wild." he mutters under his breath, but it's loud enough for Jungkook to hear, loud enough for it to hit exactly where Jaehyun wants it to and Jungkook's fingers curl into fists at his sides.

"Yeah?" His voice is low, dangerously calm. "What's wild about it?"

Jaehyun shrugs, all nonchalance and feigned innocence. "Nothing, man. Just not something you see every day." he says but the smirk still stays plastered. 

Jungkook knows exactly what Jaehyun's doing. 

He's seen it enough times, studied him enough to understand that he's the kind of guy who speaks in veiled jabs, just ambiguous enough that if you call him out, you're the one who looks like you're overreacting. The kind who masks condescension with an easy laugh, who pokes and prods just enough to worm his way under your skin but never enough to be held accountable for it.

Jaehyun gives him one last once-over before turning his attention to you like Jungkook isn't even there anymore, like he isn't worth another second of his time. And just like that, Jungkook has never wanted to punch someone more in his life.

"Kook, can you focus?" Taehyung grumbles, clearly unimpressed by how Jungkook keeps zoning out in the middle of their match. "Sorry." Jungkook mutters, forcing himself to snap back to the game. 

His grip on the controller tightens, fingers moving instinctively as his character lunges forward in the video game, but the distraction lingers. His reaction time is slower than usual, and Taehyung instantly notices.

A few more minutes pass, and Jungkook spaces out again, his mind wandering somewhere far from the game, far from Taehyung's apartment, far from anything he actually wants to be thinking about and Taehyung finally snaps. 

"Okay, what the hell is your problem?" He groans, chucking his controller onto the couch before turning to face Jungkook with narrowed eyes.

Jungkook exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. He's been here for almost an hour now, sprawled across Taehyung's couch after a long day at uni, because Taehyung had insisted they play Elden Ring together. 

And normally, Jungkook would be invested, completely locked in, competitive, trash-talking Taehyung for every little mistake. But today, he just... isn't. Because, truthfully?

All he can think about these days is Jaehyun. And he hates it.

Hates how the guy lingers in his head like some ghost that refuses to leave, clinging to his thoughts in a way that feels unnatural. Hates how his presence is so deeply embedded in your life, hates the way you smile when you're with him, the easy way you laugh at his stupid jokes.

And most of all, he hates how Jaehyun always manages to worm his way under his skin, like a splinter buried too deep to pull out. It's the way he does it, too—so effortlessly, so casually, with those sharp-edged smirks and barely-there scoffs. 

The snide remarks disguised as harmless teasing, the subtle but deliberate pauses before his dismissive looks, the offhanded, too-innocent comments that always feel like they carry an edge meant just for Jungkook to catch. It's calculated. It's infuriating. And worst of all? It's working.

But it's not like Jungkook can say that out loud without making himself look childish. 

"It's nothing." he says instead, voice quieter than before, looking away. "Come on, Kook." Taehyung's voice softens, and Jungkook barely has time to react before Taehyung tugs the controller right out of his hands and sets it aside. "Talk to me. You've been like this for days. You don't say anything, but I know something's been bothering you."

Jungkook swallows, jaw tensing. "Come on." Taehyung presses, inching closer, his sharp gaze scanning Jungkook's face. "It's about Y/n, isn't it?"

Jungkook exhales through his nose, long and slow, because at this point, what's the use in denying it? Taehyung's like a bloodhound when it comes to this stuff and there's literally no escaping him.

"Okay, fine." he mutters, sitting up straighter. "But promise me you won't judge me." he adds and Taehyung blinks at him, looking downright offended. "Dude. When have I ever judged you? The fuck?"

Jungkook sighs because—yeah, fair. But still, admitting this out loud makes him feel ridiculous. Like he's a teenager with a stupid crush, and not a grown adult who should be handling his emotions better.

"Okay, listen." he starts "Y/n's been working on this assignment with some guy for the past few weeks, right? I think it's been, like, three weeks now?"

Taehyung nods, waiting for him to continue.

"And this guy..." Jungkook exhales sharply, fingers tightening into fists. "Something about him just feels off, you know? Like, I'm not saying I'm jealous, but the way he acts around Y/n, the way he acts in our apartment... it's just weird. He's way too comfortable."

Taehyung raises a brow at that. "Comfortable? In what way?"

"For starters, the way he talks to her." Jungkook leans back against the couch, shaking his head. "They're always laughing, cracking jokes, and sometimes... I don't even think Y/n notices it, but he just looks at her weirdly, you know?"

The moment the words leave his mouth, he instantly regrets it, because that's when Taehyung's knowing smirk appears. "Ohhh...." Taehyung drawls, grinning like the menace he is. "From the way you're talking, you are most definitely jealous, Kook."

"Tae. That's not the point here." Jungkook says firmly, fixing him with an unimpressed glare. "Okay, okay, sorry." Taehyung lifts his hands in surrender, still smiling. "I mean, maybe they're just friends? They share the same major, they're in the same class... maybe that's why they seem so close? Maybe that's why he's so comfortable around her?" Taehyung tries, tilting his head in thought.

Jungkook's lips press into a tight line. "Yeah, well..." His voice trails off. "That could be it." There's a brief pause before he's talking again. "But still... something about that guy just feels so... eerie." he mutters, his brows knitting together. "Especially the way he looks at me."

Taehyung's expression falters slightly. "Looks at you?" he asks. "Yeah. Like I'm beneath him. Like he somehow knows what I feel for Y/n. Like he knows seeing him with her bothers me." Jungkook clenches his jaw, frustration simmering beneath his skin. "It's like he's taunting me without saying a word."

Taehyung tilts his head, considering. "Well... don't you think you might be reading into it too much?" His voice is softer now, genuinely questioning.

Jungkook lets out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, that's what I thought at first too. But it's happened so many times now that I can't just brush it off." He exhales sharply, dragging a hand down his face. "Jaehyun just knows how to get—"

"Wait. Wait." Taehyung suddenly cuts in, eyes going wide. "Did you just say Jaehyun?" he asks and Jungkook blinks. "Uh... yeah?"

"Bro." Taehyung groans as he stares at Jungkook like he just dropped the biggest plot twist of the century. "Why didn't you fucking start with that?"

Jungkook blinks, completely lost. "Start with what?" he asks. Taehyung looks like he wants to throttle him. "That the assignment partner you're talking about, the guy who's been getting on your nerves, the one who's been way too comfortable around Y/n— is Jaehyun. Jaehyun from econ." He repeats, as if saying it again will somehow make more sense.

Jungkook furrows his brows, still utterly bewildered. "Uh... yeah? That's him? Do you know him?" he questions and Taehyung throws his hands up, exasperated. "Dude, of course I know him. He's on the soccer team." His voice is flat, like this should have been obvious.

"Wait. What?" Jungkook's eyes widen. Now that is brand-new information.

"You'd know this if you actually came to my games and paid attention to my team instead of coding." Taehyung deadpans. "But anyways, that's besides the point." He quickly waves it off, redirecting the conversation back to the actual issue at hand. "Kook, that guy... he's bad news."

Jungkook swallows hard, his fingers curling slightly. Because fuck, a part of him already knew. He had felt it from the start but hearing Taehyung say it out loud? That solid confirmation makes his stomach twist.

"Bad news?" He forces his voice to stay even, though his pulse kicks up. "Like... how bad?"

Taehyung sighs, raking a hand through his hair. "Long story short? He's a huge fuckboy."

Of course. Of course Jaehyun was a fuckboy. 

Jungkook should have seen that coming. Should have realized sooner. But before he can say anything, Taehyung keeps going.

"Not publicly, though. Not in a way that makes it obvious, I guess. He's careful about his reputation around campus, I think... but god, I've heard him talk in the locker room... so many times, with the guys. He goes to these high-end clubs, finds random girls from other universities... and sleeps around with them."

Jungkook exhales slowly, trying to keep his composure, but there's a bitter weight settling in his chest, pressing down like a warning he doesn't want to hear but needs to.

"And what's truly disgusting is..." Taehyung pauses, like he's searching for the right words—or maybe trying to stop himself from getting sick just thinking about it. "It's how he talks about it in the locker room. He gives these guys every explicit detail of what he did, like it's some kind of conquest. The way he talks about women—like they're nothing but objects—it's fucking sickening."

Jungkook clenches his jaw, his fingers curling into fists.

"I told him to cut it out once." Taehyung continues, his voice tight with disdain. "But he just brushed me off, laughed it off like I was being sensitive. Since then, I can't really stand the guy. We're nothing but teammates now. And honestly? I avoid him as much as I can." He lets out a scoff before adding, "Even the coach caught him once, warned him to keep that shit out of the locker room. It was getting that bad."

Jungkook looks up sharply. "And did he stop?"

"Of course not. He just got more discreet about it. Makes sure no one important is around, but I still hear him whispering sometimes, running his mouth like he always does." Taehyung replies, shaking his head. 

Jungkook feels something dark stir in his chest, an unsettling mix of anger and unease.

"But so far..." Taehyung adds, hesitating for a beat. "I'm not really sure if he's brought up Y/n or spoken about her. But now that I'm hearing all of this from you... I can't help but wonder—what if she's his next target?"

Jungkook stiffens.

"You know Y/n..." Taehyung sighs. "She's popular. A lot of guys have tried to get her attention and maybe Jaehyun sees this whole 'assignment partner'  thing as his way in. Like a slow game. Build some trust and then eventually, you know..." His voice trails off, but the implication is crystal clear.

And Jungkook does know.

"I have to go." he suddenly says, rising from the couch with urgency and Taehyung instantly nods in understanding. "I need to talk to Y/n before it's too late." he adds, hurriedly grabbing his jacket and bag. 

Without wasting another second, he's out the door.

You're almost halfway through your research paper assignment with Jaehyun. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of data collection and analysis, a blur of brainstorming sessions, frantic note-taking, and the constant hum of keyboards clacking.

You've worked everywhere...  in your apartment, in the campus library and you've also convinced him to work with you during some free periods because you really just want to get over with this paper.

And right now, you're seated on the floor in the middle of your living room, surrounded by papers, pens, post-its and your laptop as you work on the assignment. 

"Ughhh, I'm so sick of this." Jaehyun groans dramatically, dropping his head onto the coffee table with a light thud. "You say that every week." you remark, not even bothering to look up from your screen as you highlight another key point.

"Yeah, well, every week, I mean it more." he huffs making you chuckle as you pat his back absentmindedly. "Just a few more weeks, and we'll be submitting this nightmare. We got this." you smile. 

Jaehyun lifts his head, eyes filled with suffering. "I hate uni so much. Not only do we have this paper sucking the life out of us, but don't forget—we have that pop quiz next week too."

"Oh yeah." you nod, unbothered and still focused on your screen. "Should be fine. I'm already prepared for it."

Jaehyun narrows his eyes. "Of course you are. Ms. 'I go viral on tiktok and get straight A's' ...You stress me out." he comments, shaking his head. "That sounds like a you problem." You shrug with a smirk, finally looking at him.

"Okay, first of all—rude." he scoffs. "Second, how do you even have time to do all this? Like, I swear, you're out here thriving while I'm over here running on two brain cells, a prayer, and an iced coffee." he rambles.

"Skill issue." you shrug, turning back to look at your computer. "Wow. Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss much?" he says, shaking his head. "You know it." You grin, clicking away at your laptop.

A few seconds pass before you exhale softly, rolling your shoulders to ease the stiffness settling in. "Hey, I'm gonna use the restroom real quick." you inform Jaehyun, stretching slightly as you rise to your feet and Jaehyun gives you a nod.

The second you disappear, the living room falls into an eerie silence but not even a full minute passes before the front door suddenly unlocks with a sharp click. The door swings open, and Jungkook storms in, slightly breathless, his eyes scanning the apartment with urgency.

"Y/n?" he calls out, his voice edged with something Jaehyun can't quite place. His breath is uneven, his shoulders rising and falling as if he ran the entire way here.

Jaehyun watches, unimpressed, as Jungkook's gaze finally lands on him—alone in the living room. "What are you doing here?" Jungkook blurts out, his tone laced with irritation, like he wasn't expecting to see Jaehyun here, at this time. 

Jaehyun smirks, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the coffee table, exuding pure, effortless arrogance. "What do you think?" he counters smoothly. The question is rhetorical, and Jungkook knows it, but it still grates on his nerves.

Jaehyun's cocky demeanor sets Jungkook's teeth on edge, but he doesn't let himself react—not yet. Instead, he steps further inside, eyes narrowing. "Where's Y/n?" His voice is sharp, cutting straight to the point, though he's still catching his breath.

Jaehyun's smirk widens, like he's amused by the urgency in Jungkook's tone. "Relax, coder boy." he drawls lazily, tilting his head. "What's got you so worked up that you had to come running all the way here?"

Jungkook clenches his jaw, already irritated beyond belief. "It's none of your business." he says flatly. For a brief moment, something flickers in Jaehyun's eyes, something almost akin to surprise at Jungkook's tone, but it disappears just as quickly, replaced by another insufferable smirk. 

"Damn." he chuckles, his tone dripping with mockery. "Someone's got their panties in a twist today."

That does it and something inside Jungkook snaps.

He moves in closer, his entire body radiating tension. "Look, Jaehyun, I don't have time for your stupid fucking games." he grits out. "I know what you're up to, so cut the cocky bullshit and stop acting like you're above me when in reality, you're nothing but a pathetic fuckboy."

Jaehyun scoffs, his smirk faltering just slightly. "Excuse me?"

Jungkook rolls his eyes. "I've always had a bad feeling about you from the start." he mutters, voice rough with frustration. "And today, it's confirmed. You're just another sleazebag who gets off on playing around with girls, and you probably think Y/n is your next target." His words are cutting, precise, but he's not done yet.

Jaehyun simply raises an eyebrow, his elbows still resting on the coffee table casually as if Jungkook's words don't faze him. 

"You think you can weasel your way into her life under the guise of this assignment, play the part of the helpful, charming friend, gain her trust... and then what? Wait until she lets her guard down and try to get her to sleep with you?" His expression darkens, eyes narrowing with nothing but pure, undiluted disgust. "All while trying to step over me like I'm nothing?"

Jungkook's chest rises and falls steadily, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, barely contained. "Well, that's not happening." he states, still staring down at Jaehyun. 

"Because I'm telling Y/n everything—who you really are, what you're trying to do. I'm going to make sure she knows exactly what kind of a pathetic excuse for a man you are before you get the chance to screw her over like you've probably done to every other girl."

For a moment, Jungkook is almost shocked by how easily the words flow out of him, but maybe that's because of the sheer anger surging through his system. Or maybe it's because of something deeper— his need to protect you. Either way, standing here, staring Jaehyun down, Jungkook feels no hesitation. No doubt.

"Are you done?" Jaehyun finally sighs, his tone almost bored. Jungkook furrows his brows, irritation flaring at how utterly unaffected Jaehyun looks right now.

"I mean, that was quite the speech." Jaehyung muses, nodding his head. "Didn't know you had it in you, coder boy." His smirk widens. "Seriously, I'm impressed. I didn't know you could string together sentences like that, let alone talk for a full three minutes straight while actually making eye contact." He chuckles, his voice dripping with condescension. "That must've taken everything out of you, huh?"

Jungkook inhales sharply, his fists twitching at his sides, ready to fire back, but Jaehyun doesn't give him the chance.

"Go ahead." Jaehyun spreads his arms out as he leans back against the foot of the couch behind him, as if inviting the challenge. "Run along and tell Y/n whatever you want." His tone remains even. "Tell her I'm some lying, manipulative fuckboy—see how that goes for you." His smirk lingers as he leans forward again, voice dropping just slightly. "You think she'll believe you?"

Jungkook stiffens at that and Jaehyun doesn't miss it.

"You got any proof?" he continues smoothly like he knows he has the upper hand here. "Because without it, you're just some desperate guy throwing baseless accusations."

Jungkook grits his teeth, his pulse pounding so hard in his ears that he barely hears the low chuckle Jaehyun lets out next.

"Y/n's known me for, what? A couple of weeks now?" Jaehyun continues. "And I've been nothing but a sweet, funny, cooperative assignment partner." He shrugs. 

"So what do you think is more likely? That she'll believe me, the guy who's actually been good to her, or you, the guy seething in the corner, throwing accusations like a jealous little kid?"

Jungkook stands frozen, his blood simmering. Because as much as he wants to fight it, as much as he hates to admit it, Jaehyun's words are getting to him.

Because how is he actually going to convince you?

How is he supposed to make you see the truth, that Jaehyun isn't who you think he is? That beneath all the easy smiles and effortless charm, he's just another predator looking for his next game? How is he supposed to prove it when he has nothing to back up his accusations?

Sure, he heard everything from Taehyung—but that's all there is to it. And if Jaehyun hasn't done anything wrong, if he hasn't pulled anything shady, hasn't let his mask slip even once in front of you, then what reason do you have to believe Jungkook? Why would you take his word over Jaehyun's?

"You know..." Jaehyun hums, dragging Jungkook from his spiraling thoughts. "If I were you, I'd be a little more worried about myself right now." He pauses for a beat, letting the weight of his next words settle in before he drops them like a grenade. 

"Imagine if Y/n found out about your feelings for her."

Jungkook's entire body goes still. His stomach twists violently, his breath stalling in his throat. He blinks, trying to process, trying to breathe, but it's like Jaehyun's words wrap around his lungs and squeeze, choking the air from his system. 

He feels stripped bare, exposed in a way he never has before, like Jaehyun just ripped open a wound he didn't even know was visible. "How did you—"

Jaehyun lets out a laugh, shaking his head. "Oh, come on, it's so fucking obvious." he drawls, his smirk widening as he watches Jungkook with a smug expression like he can see the panic seeping into his bones. 

"Think Y/n will be pleased to know that the guy she's been living with is, what, obsessed with her?" His voice is teasing, but his words slice like a blade. "That he's been pining after her this whole time?" He clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "Man, that's gotta be mad awkward for her."

Jungkook feels his stomach drop.

No. No, you can't know.

You can't. Because if you did, if you ever realized the truth about the way he feels, it would ruin everything.

He's spent months burying it, shoving it down so deep it's almost suffocating—because he knows. And even though it's painful to admit, even though it eats away at him in the quiet moments when you're close but never close enough, he knows exactly where he stands in your life.

Just a roommate. Just a friend. Nothing more.

Living with you has been one of the best things that has ever happened to him, and he's never wanted to risk that. Not when you trust him so effortlessly. Not when you're so comfortable around him.

He needs you to keep looking at him the way you always have—not with wariness, not with hesitation, not with the painful realization that the person you've trusted all this time has been hiding something from you.

Because what if you pull away?

What if you start second-guessing every touch, every glance, every effortless moment that once felt so natural? What if you hesitate before leaning into him like you always do? 

What if you stop walking into his room like it's your own, like you don't need permission, like you belong there just as much as he does?

What if you stop asking him for the little things—the things he's always loved doing for you? Testing out your makeup, dragging him into your random tiktoks, even though he's hopelessly awkward with them, handing him your phone and making him take a hundred pictures until you finally find the one. 

All those tiny, insignificant moments that have come to mean everything to him.

What if you stop looking at him like he's your friend—like he's your safe place—and start looking at him like he's something else?

Something he was never supposed to be.

What if he loses the little piece of you he's been holding onto all this time? What if his feelings jeopardize everything?

"Oh hey Kook, you're back." Your voice cuts through the storm of thoughts threatening to pull him under, snapping him back to reality. His head jerks up, eyes instantly finding you as you step out of the bathroom, drying your hands.

Jungkook's eyes sting, a sharp, unwelcome pressure settling in his chest, like a dagger wedged right in the center of his heart. But somehow, out of sheer necessity, he forces himself to regain his composure for a fleeting moment.

He watches as you move so effortlessly, so unaware, casually making your way to the coffee table before settling beside Jaehyun, as if nothing has changed. As if the ground beneath him hasn't just shifted. 

"Yeah... I... I'm back." His voice comes out steadier than he expects, but the hesitation lingers. His gaze flickers towards Jaehyun, who's now focused on his laptop, acting completely indifferent. But that smirk—that stupid smirk—still lingers on his lips, like he's utterly pleased with the way everything played out before you arrived. 

Like he's already won.

When he notices you return to your work, the rhythmic clicking of your keyboard filling the air, he takes it as his cue to retreat to his room.

Closing the door behind him, Jungkook throws his bag onto the bed and lets out the loudest sigh, squeezing his eyes shut as he presses his fingers against his temples.

God, he feels like he's stranded in the middle of nowhere.

That conversation with Jaehyun has left him shaken and probably extremely disoriented. Because now, he's trapped—caught between two unbearable choices.

On one hand, he has to warn you. He can't just sit back and watch as Jaehyun plays whatever twisted game he's playing. But on the other hand, he can't risk you finding out about his feelings because he would rather die than jeopardize everything between the two of you.

But even though his own emotions feel insignificant compared to your safety, compared to protecting you from someone like Jaehyun, the fear still gnaws at him. 

You live with him, for fuck's sake. 

The last thing he wants is for you to feel pressured around him, for you to start walking on eggshells around him.

He exhales deeply, slipping off his glasses before collapsing onto the mattress, an arm draped over his eyes. For a few moments, he stays like that, willing himself to silence the thoughts swirling in his mind.

Then—faint but distinct—the sound of the front door closing cuts through the quiet. His eyes snap open. Did Jaehyun leave?

Pushing himself off the bed, he moves towards the door, stepping out into the living room. His gaze lands on you almost instantly as he watches you clear up the coffee table, gathering your books and laptop.

"Did Jaehyun leave?" he asks softly grabbing your attention as you glance up, adjusting your things in your arms before offering a soft smile. "Oh, yeah. He just left."

Jungkook swallows, standing still for a beat too long.

Maybe he shouldn't let Jaehyun's words get to him. Maybe he's overthinking it because shouldn't he at least try? Shouldn't he say something? If nothing else, shouldn't he talk to you about it, regardless of his feelings for you?

You'd understand that, wouldn't you? You'd see it for what it is—just concern, just a friend looking out for you.

Right?

"Hey, Y/n..." Jungkook starts, taking a hesitant step closer. You hum in acknowledgment, making your way towards your room to put your things away. He follows quietly, maintaining a careful distance, his pulse drumming in his ears.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what's up?" you ask, placing your things on your desk before turning around to see him standing by your door, his posture tense and his expression troubled. "What's wrong?" you ask, your voice instinctively softening. 

Jungkook exhales sharply, his eyes darting everywhere across the room except your face. "Um..." His hands curl into loose fists at his sides, like he's bracing himself. He's trying so hard to formulate whatever he wants to say, in a way that won't sound completely weird.

"Do you... do you trust Jaehyun?" he finally asks, his voice careful, but he can already see the confusion flicker across your face, the way you tilt your head slightly, the way your lips part as if you're waiting for him to clarify—because surely, you must have misheard him. "Do I trust Jaehyun?" you repeat, blinking.

Jungkook closes his eyes, the voices in his head getting louder and louder, and suddenly, the words are tumbling out if his mouth before he can stop them. "Yeah, like... um... you know, Jaehyun's a guy and... and like I said before, he's just so comfortable around you, and... I was just wondering—"

"Where is this coming from?" you interject, your eyes narrowing slightly. "It's just..." He inhales sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm worried about you because Jaehyun... he seems weird and I... I don't really trust him."

Fuck.

Why does he sound so wrong right now? He's trying his best to be rational, to not sound invasive, to not make it seem like he's overstepping. But every word that leaves his mouth feels off, like he's fumbling through a minefield, one misstep away from ruining everything.

Your lips part slightly, and you blink at him, utterly bewildered. "Kook, I'm not sure what you're trying to imply, but Jae's just a classmate and my assignment partner. That's it." Your voice remains patient, steady, but the confusion is unmistakable.

"And I get that you're worried... probably because, um, he's a guy, I guess?" You exhale softly, shaking your head, but there's no bite to your words. "But trust me, Kook. I know how to take care of myself." You're not defensive. You're not brushing him off. You're genuinely hoping your words reach him, that they ease whatever is twisting inside him.

Standing here, looking at him, the only conclusion you can draw is that Jungkook thinks Jaehyun has some weird intentions with you. And that's valid, you suppose—guys can be creepy, and you know Jungkook is just looking out for you. 

But after spending so much time with Jaehyun, you've never once felt uncomfortable around him. Never noticed anything strange. So right now, this conversation barely makes any sense to you.

But then, something suddenly clicks.

You remember that conversation with Jungkook a few nights ago, when you were walking back from the diner, how he had casually, but pointedly, inquired about Jaehyun and made a comment about him getting a little too comfortable around the apartment.

So maybe... that's what's bothering him. Maybe Jaehyun's constant presence is just irritating him.

"Look..." you start again, offering a small, understanding smile. "if this is about him hanging around the apartment too much, I promise, I can always—"

"It's not about that." Jungkook cuts in quickly, shaking his head and your brows furrow slightly. "Then what is it about?"

"I just..." He exhales harshly, jaw clenching. "Y/n, I don't trust Jaehyun." he says again, but this time there's more certainty but Jungkook can tell you're still not catching what he's trying so hard to tell you. 

You on the other hand, let out a quiet sigh because you get why he's saying this—you really do. But at the same time, you need him to understand that there's nothing to worry about.

"Kook..." you start gently. "I don't know why you feel that way, but I promise you, Jaehyun hasn't done anything weird."

Jungkook's stomach twists.

"I know guys can be creepy sometimes..." you continue, offering him a small, reassuring smile, "But Jaehyun isn't like that. We're really good friends, and I trust him."

You trust Jaehyun.

Jungkook barely breathes.

This—this is exactly what he was afraid of.

Because from where he's standing, it looks like Jaehyun has already sunk his claws into you, already manipulated you into thinking he's someone he clearly isn't. And if Jungkook pushes any further, if he insists, if he prods too much, it's only going to make him look bad.

It's going to backfire. It's going to make him look like the jealous, possessive friend who can't stand the idea of you being close to another guy. 

And he can't afford that.

"I... I know that..." he stammers, pulse hammering against his ribs. "But, Y/n, he's a guy, and—" he still tries but you cut him off again. "And what?" you ask softly.

He's a fuckboy, and he probably just wants to sleep with you.

The words sit heavy on the tip of his tongue, pressing against his teeth, desperate to spill out—but he can't.

Not when you're looking at him like that. Not when you so clearly trust Jaehyun.

Jungkook feels his palms growing clammy while his chest tightens with frustration, with something deeper, something almost suffocating. God, he wants you to understand. He needs you to understand.

But how can he make you see it when every word he wants to say will only make him sound irrational? How can he explain when you're looking at him with those soft, patient eyes, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside him?

"Kook, please." you murmur, shaking your head with a quiet laugh, like you're trying to put him at ease. Your voice is so warm, so gentle, but completely, utterly oblivious. "I really appreciate your concern, I do. But trust me on this, okay? Jae's a good guy." 

You really don't see it, do you?

"I'm really thankful that you decided to reach out to me." you add, sincerity lacing every word. "But you're overthinking it, okay? So just... drop it, alright?"

You offer him another soft, patient smile. A smile that tells him you don't understand. A smile that tells him you think he's just being protective. A smile that makes his stomach churn because he sees it now... how easily Jaehyun has slipped past your defenses, how easily he's convinced you.

And Jungkook hates it.

But what can he do?

"Come on, let's have dinner." You say, effortlessly dropping the subject as you walk past him, gently patting his shoulder on the way. 

But Jungkook stays where he is, frozen in place and he can't help but feel utterly defeated.  

Days slip by after that conversation, and eventually, it fades from your mind.

You don't think about it much after that night—after all, Jungkook meant well. He always does. And in an effort to ease his concerns, you'd casually convinced Jaehyun to start working with you in the library instead of your apartment. It wasn't a big deal since it didn't change much for you.

Jungkook, on the other hand, notices immediately. 

Jaehyun's presence in the apartment had significantly decreased, and he couldn't help but regret bringing the whole subject up. Because now, you're still meeting Jaehyun—just somewhere else. Somewhere he can't see. Somewhere he can't hear the way Jaehyun talks to you, or watch for any subtle red flags.

It's frustrating. Irrational, maybe. But Jungkook can't shake the feeling that Jaehyun is just too good at keeping up a friendly act.

But apart from that, thankfully, despite everything, things between you and Jungkook remain unchanged. You don't seem to think he was being weird or overstepping that night. You're still just as comfortable with him as ever.

Like right now, you're nestled beside him on the couch, stealing his nachos while your eyes remain fixed on the TV screen as "Attack On Titan" plays and even though you usually don't care much for anime, something about this one has intrigued you enough to sit through multiple episodes today.

Jungkook, on the other hand, is watching you more than the screen, quietly amused at how you keep shifting closer, your brows furrowed in deep concentration as you try very hard to make sense of what's happening. 

He finds it endlessly endearing when you take an interest in the things he likes. Like the time you asked him to teach you Super Smash Bros. (only to suck so badly that he actually felt bad winning against you), or the time you spent an entire afternoon trying to solve a basic 3x3 rubik's cube, getting progressively more pissed off until he just scrambled it back up and pretended you were close.

Right now, your heart pounds as you grip the edge of the couch, eyes glued to the screen, watching in horror as Eren desperately struggles to save Armin from getting eaten by the Titan. "Please don't tell me one of them's about to die right now..." you whisper, half-hiding your face behind your hands, dreading the answer.

"Just keep watching." Jungkook murmurs beside you, eyes now fixed on the television as he pops a nacho inside his mouth.

Onscreen, Eren, still trapped inside the Titan's mouth, summons all his remaining strength to hurl Armin onto the rooftop—saving him from the jaws of death. Your breath catches in your throat, a flicker of hope igniting in your chest. Maybe—just maybe—Eren will find a way out too.

And then, the scene continues to unfold as Eren continues to talk and slowly reaches his arm out but—

The Titan's jaws snap shut.

"PAUSE! PAUSE!" you shriek, lunging for the remote, fingers fumbling as you mash the button in sheer panic. The screen freezes mid-frame, blood splattered in the air, the horror frozen in time. Your stomach twists as you turn to Jungkook, eyes pleading. "Jungkook, please tell me Eren is not about to die right now. PLEASEEE."

Jungkook leans back against the couch, exhaling like this is some tragic burden he's forced to carry. Of course he knows what happens next. He's a veteran at this point—he's rewatched this exact scene countless times but when his gaze meets yours, they're heavy with what you assume is sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Y/n... but Eren dies here."

Your stomach plummets. "What?"

Jungkook nods with a sad smile. "Yeah. This is one of the biggest plot twists in anime history. They made him seem like the main character, but it was all just a setup for Armin to take over."

You stare at him, mind reeling. "I—what? But—Eren... he can't just die like that!"

Jungkook sighs dramatically, dragging a hand through his hair. "I know, right? It's brutal. But the whole story was actually Armin's from the beginning. Since he always wanted to see the ocean and all, from here on out, it's about him trying to avenge Eren." he explains.

You sag against the couch, hands tangling in your hair as a groan of devastation leaves your lips. "This is insane. I can't believe Eren just dies like this."

"Yeah. It sucks." Jungkook sighs and you're too deep in mourning to notice the way the corners of his lips twitch and the way he bites his cheek to keep himself from laughing.

Then, just as your grief starts to settle in, Jungkook reaches for the remote and resumes the episode. With a deep breath, you sit up straighter, drawn back into the story despite yourself.

Eren is somehow inside the Titan's stomach, floating among the grotesque remains of those who were devoured before him. He's shaking, eyes wide with horror, talking to himself as memories flash before his eyes. For a moment, confusion flickers through you. Wait—he's still alive?

The screen goes dark for a split second.

And then—

A monstrous arm bursts through the Titan's mouth, the sheer force sending the creature staggering forward. A sickening, gurgling sound rips through the air as the Titan's entire body begins to convulse, its back bulging grotesquely before—

BOOM.

A violent explosion of steam and blood erupts, and through the thick smoke, another Titan emerges—

A Titan that looks oddly familiar.

Your jaw drops and your entire brain short-circuits.

"WAIT, HOLD ON—" You practically leap off the couch, eyes glued still to the screen. "IS THAT—OH MY GOD—IS EREN A—"

Jungkook loses it. The absolute glee in his laughter is sickening as he throws his head back, body shaking as he cackles, completely and utterly entertained by your reaction.

And you? You seethe.

"YOU LIED TO ME?!" You whip your head towards him, betrayal written all over your face. Before you even process what you're doing, your hand finds the nearest couch pillow. 

SMACK.

"Y/N, wait—"

"YOU LET ME THINK EREN DIED—" SMACK-SMACK-SMACK.

"BUT HE'S A TITAN NOW?!" SMACK-SMACK.

"HOW DARE YOU—"

Jungkook is laughing so hard that he's struggling to dodge your relentless attacks. He can barely catch his breath, eyes squeezed shut as he tries (and fails) to shield himself. He just couldn't help himself, your reactions are just too priceless.

"Y/N—wait—" he chokes out between laughs, trying to scoot away from you, but your vengeance is swift and unrelenting. And then—

It happens so fast.

Jungkook shifts to dodge another one of your swings, but his foot catches on the edge of the rug below, and in one ungraceful misstep, he stumbles—hard. Before you even realize what's happening, the momentum pushes you backward, and in the next second you land against the couch with a startled gasp, the pillow slipping from your fingers, and Jungkook falls forward—

Right on top of you.

Your breath hitches, the world around you shrinking into the mere inches that separate you from Jungkook. 

For a moment, neither of you move as his hands remain planted firmly on either side of your head, caging you in, while his chest hovers just above yours—close enough that you can feel the residual warmth radiating off him, but not close enough to touch.

Your eyes lock, wide and unblinking, both of you equally startled by the sudden shift in proximity.

Jungkook swallows hard, his throat bobbing, and he can almost hear the erratic pounding of his heart, the violent drumming echoing through his entire system, reverberating in his fingertips, in his spine, in the very air between you.

And you?

You gulp, pulse stammering in your system as a strange warmth curls in your chest, spreading like wildfire. 

Has Jungkook always looked this good? 

Because right now, with the way his dark hair falls messily over his forehead, with the way his lips are parted ever so slightly, he looks breathtaking.

And for some reason, the sight of him above you, his body framing yours, his scent wrapping around you like something dangerous, something intoxicating... has your stomach twisting into an unrecognizable knot, your chest doing peculiar things you don't quite know how to name.

You're not even thinking straight when your gaze unconsciously flickers from Jungkook's eyes to his lips.

And he notices—immediately.

For some inexplicable reason, his tongue darts out, running over his lower lip in a slow, almost instinctive motion. The simple action sends a shiver through you, and before you can stop yourself, your breath stutters out and almost in perfect synchrony, you both exhale.

Your body doesn't move—doesn't even attempt to push him off. And the strangest part? You don't want to. There's something about the way he's looking at you, hovering over you, his dark eyes locked onto yours with an intensity that makes your pulse stammer.

Jungkook, on the other hand, feels utterly lost. What the hell is this? Why can't he move? If he had any shred of sanity left, he should be pushing himself up, putting space between you, pretending like this never happened. But he doesn't. He can't.

And why... why are you looking at him like that?

Suddenly—

The sharp, shrill chime of the doorbell slices through the air like a knife, shattering the spell in an instant. The tension between you snaps like a rubber band, leaving behind only the rapid pounding of your hearts.

Almost instinctively, Jungkook jerks upright, pushing himself away while you scramble to sit up on the couch.

"That must be—"

"I guess that's—"

You both speak at the same time, voices overlapping, only to fall into an awkward silence. Cheeks flushed, breaths still uneven, you both pointedly avoid each other's eyes, pretending as if the last few seconds never happened.

"That must be the pizza." you finally say, forcing your voice to sound normal and Jungkook nods quickly, still refusing to meet your eyes. "I'll... I'll go get it." he informs and before you can respond, he's already turning on his heel, practically fleeing towards the front door.

As soon as he disappears through the doorway, you sink back into the couch, exhaling a shaky breath you didn't even realize you were holding. Your hand drifts to your chest, pressing against the frantic beat of your wild heart, like a caged animal trying to break free. 

You close your eyes for a moment, but it does nothing to erase the image seared into your mind because all you can see is the way he looked on top of you, the way he looked into your eyes, the way he licked his lips.

You have no idea what this feeling is, why the proximity has left you breathless, why your knees feel weak, or why your spine feels like something dangerously close to jelly.

Your fingers twitch against your chest, pressing harder, as if you could physically restrain the rampage inside you, as if you could will your body into forgetting the way he looked at you.

But it's no use. 

Jungkook returns with two large boxes of pizza and a couple of soda cans while you keep your eyes fixed on the screen where Attack on Titan still plays, except the storyline passes by without meaning, your mind too preoccupied to register any of it.

Jungkook nibbles on his lower lip as he walks closer, setting the boxes down on the coffee table before hesitantly lowering himself onto the couch. He keeps a noticeable distance between you, his posture slightly stiff.

God, he hopes he didn't make you uncomfortable. Prays you won't start treating him differently after this. It was truly an accident, except for the part where he just stayed there, hovering over you instead of moving. 

Maybe he should have moved. Maybe he should have reacted faster.

He's spiraling.

"That smells good." you say suddenly breaking the awkwardness before reaching for one of the boxes and flipping it open. Casually, you pull out a slice and hand it to him, like you always do.  "Here."

Jungkook hesitates for half a second, his eyes flicking to your face, but when he sees that there's no awkwardness, no tension in your expression... just warmth and normalcy, relief washes over him like a tide.

"Thank you." he murmurs, his lips twitching into a small, grateful smile as he takes the slice from your hand.

You pull out a slice for yourself, and the two of you settle into eating, shifting your attention back to the anime playing on the screen. The silence between you isn't heavy, but Jungkook still feels the sudden urge to fill it.

"How's your assignment coming along?" he asks, taking a bite of his pizza. "Oh, we're almost done. We should be able to submit it next week." you nod, reaching for a soda.

Jungkook hums, chewing thoughtfully. Knowing that you're almost done with the assignment eases something in his chest. Maybe once it's submitted, you won't have to spend as much time with Jaehyun but before he can say anything, you let out an exhausted sigh.

"I genuinely can't believe this semester is finally ending. But honestly? I never want to relive it again." you shudder dramatically, cracking open your soda can and taking a long sip making Jungkook chuckle beside you. "Yeah, I get that. It's been brutal."

"What are your plans for the break?" you ask suddenly, turning towards him. "Oh, I'm heading to Busan. My parents have been on my case about visiting." he answers, shaking his head with a small smile and you snicker. "Sounds like they miss you."

"Miss me? Please." He scoffs. "The second I walk through the door, my mom's gonna be like, 'Oh, Jungkookie, since you're here, can you fix the WiFi? The TV remote stopped working too. Oh, and the washing machine is making a weird noise.' They just miss getting things repaired for free."

You shake your head, amused. "Well, don't blame her. You really are the most handy IT guy. You're always fixing things around our apartment too." Your voice softens slightly at the end, making Jungkook glance at you for a beat longer than necessary.

"Yeah, that... that's true. But I swear, just because I study computer science, my family thinks I can hack into the government or... I don't know... bring back deleted WhatsApp messages or something."

That, for some reason, makes you laugh harder than you intend to. "Wait... has someone actually asked you to do that?" you gasp between giggles. "Oh yeah." he breathes out, proceeding to take a sip of his soda. "My aunt. She genuinely believed I could recover messages from two years ago." he sighs. 

"Plus, my sister's been dying to test out her new designs on me." he adds casually. Right — Jungkook’s older sister was an insanely talented tattoo artist. “Oh right, I forgot you’re her muse." you giggle, nodding toward his inked-up forearms.

It’s always fascinated you, the contrast between Jungkook’s usual nerdy demeanor and the bold, intricate sleeve that tells a completely different story. The first time you saw it, you couldn’t wrap your head around how someone like him could be covered in tattoos like that. 

But then he told you the story of how his sister first practiced her art on him, how that one small design spiraled into something bigger, how he realized he loved the way it looked and the way it felt like carrying a piece of her work with him everywhere he went.

And to be brutally honest, you think it’s one of the hottest things about him because you’ve caught yourself staring more times than you can count — when he’s slicing vegetables while he's cooking or when he's using the screwdriver to fix something or when he stretches and the ink shifts across his skin like it’s alive.

Yeah, it’s impossible not to look.

"What about you, though?" he asks after a moment, shifting slightly on the couch to face you better. "What are your plans for the break?" 

"I'm going back to Ilsan too. I miss my dad." You exhale softly, a small, fond smile gracing your lips.

Jungkook hums in acknowledgment, a small smile tugging at his lips. And for a moment, the two of you lapse into silence, but this time, it feels comfortable, like neither of you are skirting around something unspoken.

And soon enough, just like that, you're back to your usual self, tossing question after question at Jungkook, trying (and failing) to navigate whatever the hell is happening on the screen.

“I swear to god, if one more random character turns out to be a Titan, I’m throwing this pizza straight at your face.” you grumble, taking an unnecessarily aggressive bite of your slice and all Jungkook can do is bite back his smile, the kind that threatens to split his face in two, because do you even realize how ridiculously, unfairly cute you are right now? 

With his afternoon class just half an hour away, Jungkook remains perched on the kitchen island, absently chewing on an apple while his eyes stay glued to his phone as he watches a video titled: "Can You Really Cook an Egg on a PS5?"

The answer, apparently, is yes—if you block all the vents, run Elden Ring on max settings, and let it overheat to the point of near combustion. The guy in the video is currently cracking an egg onto the console, looking way too excited as the edges start turning white and Jungkook squints. 

There's no way that's safe.

Just as he takes another bite of his apple, the doorbell rings. He blinks, reluctantly pausing the video (he needs to see how this ends) before standing up. You're still in the shower, so with a sigh, he makes his way towards the front door to see who it is. 

With the half-eaten apple still in his hand, he swings the door open, only to frown instantly  because the person standing on the other side is probably not even the last person he wants to see right now.

"Why are you here?" Jungkook blurts out, not bothering to hide the irritation on his face or in his tone. 

Jaehyun merely rolls his eyes before stepping inside uninvited, his shoulder deliberately bumping against Jungkook's on the way in. "Where's Y/n?" he asks, like Jungkook is some receptionist.

Jungkook scoffs at the sheer audacity but begrudgingly shuts the door behind him. "I asked you a question." he says, keeping his voice firm, his annoyance barely contained.

Jaehyun exhales dramatically, like Jungkook is just so exhausting to deal with. "None of your business." he says, shamelessly striding towards the couch and plopping down on it like he owns the place. 

Jungkook glares, grip tightening around his apple. He considers throwing it at Jaehyun's head but ultimately decides against it as he crosses his arms over his chest. 

At least, for now. 

Just then, the bathroom door creaks open, and you step out, towel wrapped around your damp hair and your huge bathrobe cinched around your frame. You move towards your room but pause mid-step when you spot Jaehyun in the living room and Jungkook standing stiffly nearby.

"Jae?" you ask, furrowing your brows as you adjust the towel on your head. "What are you doing here?"

Jaehyun's lips pull into a lazy smile. "Since we're turning in the assignment today, I thought we could go together. You know... to Mr. Jung's cabin."

Right. Today's the deadline. 

But you distinctly remember telling Jaehyun that you'd meet him on campus, so seeing him here unannounced throws you off a bit. You glance at Jungkook, and his expression tells you instantly that he's not quite pleased seeing Jaehyun here. 

"Well... I thought I'd meet you directly on campus." you say, hesitant and Jaehyun shrugs. "I know, but I thought it'd be nice if we walked there together." He says, leaning back against the couch.

You press your lips together, debating. It's not that big of a deal, you suppose.

"Fine." you breathe out. "Give me a few minutes. I'll go get ready." you inform and as you turn towards your room, you cast Jungkook a small, almost apologetic smile, hoping Jaehyun's sudden presence isn't annoying him too much. 

The moment your door clicks shut, Jungkook steps closer, arms still crossed over his chest. His gaze locks onto Jaehyun with barely concealed irritation.

"Why bother coming here when she already said she'd meet you on campus?" Jungkook spits out, his voice edged with barely restrained irritation. "At this point, you're just looking for excuses to show up here."

Jaehyun exhales through his nose, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips as he leans back against the couch. "Damn, dude..." he drawls, stretching his arms behind his head. "You're not even gonna try to hide how much you hate me, huh?" His tone is amused, almost mocking like Jungkook's irritation is just entertainment for him. 

"You know... you really impress me." Jaehyun continues with a smirk, and though Jungkook isn't sure what Jaehyun is about to say, he can already tell it's something ridiculous and meant purely to get under his skin.

"I mean, I get it—my existence near the girl you're in love with bothers you. That much is obvious." Jaehyun chuckles, shaking his head in mock sympathy. "But honestly? I gotta give you credit, man."

Jungkook's brows knit together, irritation flickering into confusion. "What the fuck are you saying?" he grits out, keeping his voice low.

Jaehyun exhales, shaking his head like he's genuinely impressed. "Living with her must be a real challenge, huh?" His voice drops. "Knowing you'll probably never have a shot with her, but still having to see her every single day? Watching her, hoping—pathetically, might I add—that one day she'll just... what? Wake up and suddenly fall for you?"

Jungkook's grip tightens around the apple in his hand, and he's sure that if he squeezes any harder, it'll burst apart in his palm. But before he can put an end to whatever nonsense is coming out of Jaehyun's mouth, the bastard pushes forward.

"And to make matters worse, there's another guy in the picture. And it just kills you, doesn't it?" Jaehyun leans forward now, elbows now resting on his knees, his voice dripping with arrogance. "The fact that you can't do anything about it. The fact that you think I'm stealing something from you." He scoffs, tilting his head. 

"But let's be real, Jungkook. Even if I weren't in the picture, do you really think you'd ever have a chance?"

Jungkook's breath hitches. His skin is burning, his blood is boiling. "Just shut the fu—"

"You really think someone like Y/n would ever like someone like you?" Jaehyun interrupts smoothly, his scoff laced with pure condescension. "She's probably just nice to you because she feels bad for you. Because you're... well, you."

Jungkook sees red. His vision blurs at the edges, his patience fraying thread by thread. How dare this guy walk all over him like this? He parts his lips to retaliate, but Jaehyun just keeps going, reclining back into the couch with that infuriating smirk of his.

"She keeps you around because it's convenient. Because you're her roommate. She includes you in her content because she doesn't want you to feel left out." He exhales a laugh, shaking his head like he finds the whole thing funny.

Then, he levels Jungkook with a slow, smug grin. "You're like her pet nerd, man. That's honestly just sad."

At that moment, something in Jungkook shifts. His expression, once hardened with anger, flickers, just for a fraction of a second. The fire behind his glare dulls and morphs into something else, something far more unsettling. Like a slow, sinking drop in his stomach, a quiet, insidious doubt creeping in where it has no right to be.

Because as much as he doesn't want to let Jaehyun's words get to him, as much as he's always told himself that whatever Jaehyun says is just meant to provoke him, somehow, this—this—feels different. It doesn't feel like empty taunting or a cheap attempt to piss him off.

It feels like the truth.

A truth Jungkook never wanted to consider.

His grip on the apple tightens again, but his pulse wavers. He wants to scoff, to roll his eyes, to tell Jaehyun to shut the hell up and get out. But the words just won't come out. Because somewhere, buried in the venom of Jaehyun's condescending smirk, in the way he speaks like he knows something Jungkook doesn't, a seed of doubt takes root.

Do you really feel bad for him? Do you really only include him so he won't feel left out? Is he just... convenient to you because you live together?

The thoughts come fast, scraping against his skull like nails on glass. It's stupid, it's ridiculous—it has to be. He knows you. Thinks the world of you. You're the last person to be that cruel.

But it doesn't take much, does it?

Not for someone like Jungkook... someone who has spent his entire life standing on the outskirts, watching as the world moved past him like he was never meant to be a part of it.

Someone who has always been the quietest voice in the room, easily drowned out, easily overlooked. The boy who was more comfortable with equations and codes than with people, who found solace in screens or pages rather than conversations. The boy who never quite fit, who never quite mattered in the way others did.

It doesn't take much to convince someone like himthat someone like you—only keeps him around out of obligation. That maybe every laugh, every kind word, every inclusion was never because you wanted him there, but because you felt like you had to. 

That maybe, in the grand scheme of things, he is nothing more than a convenience... a default presence in your life simply because he happens to live under the same roof.

And that? That thought hurts in a way he never expected. It coils in his chest, sinking deep into the cracks of insecurities he thought he had long buried. 

Jungkook stands there, unmoving like a statue carved from the weight of his own thoughts as Jaehyun's words continue to ricochet inside his skull. Each syllable lands like a carefully aimed strike, while Jaehyun? 

Jaehyun just watches him with that same smug, self-satisfied smirk, like he's basking in the sight of Jungkook's silence. Like he's thriving off the lack of a response, off the way Jungkook has been rendered utterly speechless.

The sound of your door unlocking shatters the silence.

Jungkook flinches, snapping back to reality just in time to see you step out, your hair now dry, your bag slung effortlessly over your shoulder. You're wearing a fitted top and a denim skirt that ends just at the middle of your thighs—casual, effortless, and yet, somehow, still unfairly perfect.

Your eyes immediately land on Jaehyun as you stride towards the couch, completely oblivious to the wreckage he's left in Jungkook's wake. "Let's head out?" Jaehyun asks, standing up from the couch with an easy smile and you nod before turning towards the door.

"Bye, Kook." you say, your voice soft as you smile sweetly at him. "Have a good day. I'll see you later." 

You walk past him without a second thought, slipping into your shoes as Jaehyun follows behind you.

Jungkook turns to see you both at the door way and hears you both murmuring, something quiet, something casual, but it barely registers because he's still drowning. Still trapped beneath the weight of words that shouldn't have mattered but somehow do.

Jaehyun lets out an airy chuckle, throwing Jungkook one last look, before stepping outside with you. 

And just like that, the door clicks shut, leaving Jungkook standing there, adrift in the silence, drowning in thoughts he never wanted to have, thoughts that now refuse to leave.

Because no matter how much he wants to shake them off, the seed has already been planted. And the worst part?

He's afraid it might have been growing there all along.

"I can't believe that stupid assignment is finally fucking over." Jimin exhales, shaking his head as he leads the way out of the teacher's lounge with you, Jaehyun and Namjoon following closely behind after just turning the assignment in.

"But seriously, it's insane how this semester is already wrapping up. Like, what do you mean we have finals in two weeks?" He groans, running a hand through his hair as you all make your way down the hallway.

"On the bright side, we've got our break coming up." Jaehyun chimes in, his hands tucked lazily into his pockets and Namjoon nods at that. "Yeah, and even though it's just a month, it's definitely needed." He sighs, cracking his neck, already feeling the exhaustion creeping in.

"Why don't we all grab something to eat together? It's Friday, and I think we deserve to blow off some steam after that absolute nightmare of an assignment. Plus... I'm starving." Jimin suddenly suggests, flashing a sheepish smile as he falls into step beside you.

"Honestly? Same." you nod, absentmindedly rubbing your stomach before glancing over at Jaehyun and Namjoon. "You guys in?"

"Yeah, I don't mind." Namjoon shrugs, stretching his arms behind his head. Jaehyun tilts his head slightly, as if contemplating, before nodding. "Yeah, sure. But real question—what are we eating?"

Jimin hums, tapping his chin in thought before his eyes light up. "I know this hotpot place downtown. Why don't we go there?" he suggests, glancing at the three of you who instantly give him approving nods. 

Soon enough, the evening slips by as the four of you spend time together in the cozy hotpot restaurant, savoring both the food and the easy conversation. But eventually, with plates emptied and bellies full, it's time to part ways.

Namjoon is the first to leave, heading straight for the subway station with a casual wave. Jimin, meanwhile, slides into the backseat of his cab, rolling down the window to glance at you. "You sure you don't wanna come with?" he asks, brows raised.

You shake your head with a small smile. "It's alright, Chim. I'll walk."

Jaehyun, who was just in the middle of booking his own cab, quickly shoves his phone back into his pocket. "Then I'll walk with you." he offers. "Oh, you really don't have to." you say quickly, but he just shrugs, with a grin.

"Well, okay then, you guys figure it out. I'm heading out." Jimin leans back into his seat, already getting comfortable. "Y/n text me when you get home!" he calls out just before the car pulls away, leaving you alone with Jaehyun on the dimly lit sidewalk.

You turn to him with a pointed look and swat his arm. "Hey, you should've just booked your cab."

Jaehyun barely flinches, his expression entirely unbothered. "And let you walk home alone? Yeah, no thanks," he says easily, already taking a few steps forward.

You roll your eyes but fall into step beside him, the two of you blending into the steady flow of people weaving through the bustling streets—couples ducking into cafés, groups of friends spilling out of restaurants, neon lights flickering against the pavement.

Jaehyun suddenly smirks. "I gotta admit, I didn't expect working with you to be such a breeze."

You narrow your eyes at him, mirroring his grin. "What's that supposed to mean?" you challenge. "You thought I'd be a bad assignment partner?"

He shrugs, far too relaxed. "Sort of."

Your mouth falls open in mock offense before you swat his arm again. "That's so mean." You laugh, shaking your head, and just then, your eyes suddenly catch on a store display on the other side of the street that makes your heart skip a beat. 

It's a toy store, the shelves stacked with colorful puzzles and games, but what truly grabs your attention is the bold sign right outside the entrance—Limited Edition 21x21 Rubik's Cube Available. On Sale Now!

"Oh my god..." you gasp, already changing direction without a second thought while Jaehyun blinks, watching in bewilderment as you suddenly make a beeline for the store. "Hey, uh... Where—"

"Can we make a stop there, please?" You interject, turning to him with an excited smile, practically bouncing on your feet as you point towards the toy store. 

"The toy store?" Jaehyun asks, confused. "Yeah! They apparently have the 21x21 rubik's cube in stock—and it's on sale." You turn back towards the store, eyes practically shining. "I have to get it for Kook."

Jaehyun watches you, exasperated, but you don't notice. 

Your mind is already elsewhere, thinking about Jungkook and his oddly specific hobby of collecting all kinds of rubik's cubes. You know how badly he's wanted the 21x21 variation—he's grumbled about it enough times, always complaining about how it's out of stock everywhere.

And now that you have a chance to get it for him, there's no way you're passing it up.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, has to fight the urge to groan out loud because are you seriously about to waste time in some toy store just so you can buy a damn rubik's cube for that nerd of a roommate? 

This was so not how he had envisioned this walk going. 

But before he gets the chance to question you again, he lets the thought go and sighs before  lazily following you into the toy store and watching you get all giddy over a stupid rubik's cube. 

All for that nerd Jungkook.

The moment you step into the store, your eyes instantly land on exactly what you were looking for. "Oh my god, he's going to love this." you murmur, already picturing Jungkook's reaction.

Jaehyun, however, instantly notices the price of the cube and his eyes widen in disbelief. "You're seriously spending that much... for your roommate?" His tone is incredulous, as if he can't fathom why anyone would go to such lengths.

"Um, yeah." you say nonchalantly, shrugging like it's the most obvious thing in the world. You glance at the price, completely unfazed because you already had a rough idea of how much it would cost.

Jaehyun scoffs, eyebrows raising as he struggles to mask his irritation. "Why, though?" he presses, trying to keep his voice casual. "Just because." you shrug with a smile, picking up a fresh box from the shelf before making your way to the counter without a second thought.

Once you step out of the store, Jaehyun falls back into step beside you, his irritation tucked neatly behind a mask of nonchalance. He decides to keep his focus on you instead, letting you ramble about some ridiculous high school memory. 

It makes the walk easier, makes the time pass faster until, before either of you realize it, the familiar sight of your apartment building comes into view.

"Thanks for walking me home, though I hope you know it was completely unnecessary." You turn to Jaehyun with a small smile. He lets out a chuckle, shaking his head. "You really need to stop acting like you're inconveniencing me. It's the least I can do for a friend."

You smile at that, but he's already speaking again. "We are friends, right? I'd hate to think I was just a temporary assignment partner to you." His playful pout makes you laugh. "Of course, we're friends." you assure him, tilting your head.

"Glad to hear it. So don't go pretending like you don't know me the next time we cross paths on campus." he teases. "Wouldn't dream of it." you reply with a giggle. He grins before glancing up at the darkening sky. "Anyway, it's getting late. You should head inside."

"And you should go home." you quip, nudging your chin toward him. Jaehyun exhales, rocking back on his heels. "Yeah, yeah. Well then, I'll see you around."

There's a brief pause before he subtly opens his arms, and you immediately recognize the gesture. Without much thought, you step forward, wrapping your arms around to hug him. 

Just a simple parting hug. No big deal.

Jungkook had returned from class nearly three hours ago to an empty apartment. He figured you were still busy with work, but somehow, being alone had only made it worse. His mind kept circling back to that conversation with Jaehyun.

In fact, it never left him. It had followed him all throughout his lecture, clung to the edges of his thoughts like a stubborn stain, looping over and over in the cruelest of ways.

And now, sitting out on the balcony of your shared apartment with a half-empty beer can dangling from his fingers after downing who knows how many before it, the conversation still refuses to let him go. 

Jungkook glances down at the empty cans resting on the floor beside his chair and tips his head back with a sigh, staring blankly at the expanse of the night sky, hoping—praying—that maybe if he sits here long enough, the weight in his chest will lift.

But it doesn't.

Because no matter how much he wants to brush it off, Jaehyun's words had cracked something open inside him. Had made him look at something he had never even considered before. Had forced him to question things he had never thought to doubt.

That maybe, to you, he was just an obligation. A convenience. A pet nerd.

He exhales sharply, taking another swig of his beer, but it tastes awful tonight... too bitter, too sharp against his tongue. He scowls at the sensation, shifting in his seat as if the discomfort is something he can physically shake off.

And then suddenly, a faint murmur rises from the street below, breaking through the restless hum in his mind and his gaze flickers downward as he peaks over the railing. 

And there you are, walking side by side with Jaehyun down the street and Jungkook instantly freezes.

You're holding onto a large paper bag, but he barely registers it, because all he can focus on is the easy, natural way you move together, the way your head tilts towards Jaehyun as you speak, the way you seem so comfortable with him by your side. 

You were with him this whole time?

His grip tightens around the beer can, metal bending slightly under the force.

You submitted the assignment today. The whole reason you were spending time with Jaehyun in the first place, is over. So why are you still hanging out with him? Why are you laughing like that? Why is he walking you home at this hour?

His eyes flicker back to the bag in your hands.

Did you go shopping with him? Is he your shopping partner now? Did you drag him into different stores, let him see the indecisive way you hover over products, let him tease you over your choices? Did he help you pick things out, offer opinions that Jungkook thought were his to give?

It's stupid. So, so stupid. Jungkook knows he's being irrational, knows how miserably unreasonable it is to let something this trivial get under his skin, but god, he just can't help it.

The sick feeling in his stomach festers, spreading like an ache he can't shake off.

His eyes remain fixed on the scene below, watching as you and Jaehyun come to a slow stop in front of the entrance to your apartment building. He finds himself shifting forward, standing to get a better view, even though a part of him hates how this must look, how he must look, lurking on the balcony like some desperate voyeur.

But he just can't look away.

Not when he sees Jaehyun murmuring something to you, not when you giggle at whatever he's saying.  And then—

Then you move closer.

Your arms lift, wrapping around Jaehyun in an easy, familiar hug and suddenly, something inside Jungkook snaps.

A sharp, piercing ringing floods his ears, drowning out everything else. His vision blurs at the edges, his throat tightening with something he doesn't want to name. He exhales sharply, chest heaving with the weight of something too much, too sudden, too overwhelming.

And he can't—he can't do this. Can't just stand here and witness whatever's going on between you and Jaehyun.

So before he even fully realizes it, he's spinning on his heels, retreating back inside the apartment, yanking the balcony door shut behind him with a force that rattles the frame.

The glass quivers.

And so does he.

Once Jaehyun leaves, you make your way towards your flat, your fingers tightening around the paper bag as a small, giddy smile tugs at your lips.

Before unlocking the door, you glance down at the bag, already trying to imagine what Jungkook's reaction is going to be when he sees the ridiculously oversized rubik's cube you've bought for him.

You fish out your keys and unlock the door, stepping inside and slipping off your shoes—but the moment you do, something feels... off.

It's too quiet.

No sound from the TV. No faint clatter of dishes from the kitchen. Not even the rhythmic clicking of his keyboard that usually fills the apartment late into the night. You pause, tilting your head slightly. Is Jungkook already asleep? 

That's odd.

Stepping further in, your gaze drifts to the glass balcony door and that's when you spot the multiple beer cans scattered carelessly on the ground beside the familiar plastic chair and a frown tugs at your brows. 

Jungkook drinks, sure, but he's never been the one to sit alone and down cans by himself. He always prefers drinking when you're around, and even though his tolerance is high, something about this... him drinking alone, doesn't sit right with you.

You shake off the uneasy feeling and head to your room, placing the paper bag on your nightstand. Maybe tonight isn't the best time to surprise him. If he's drunk, it can wait till morning.

Still, the nagging concern in your chest refuses to settle so you pad across the wooden floor and stop outside his door, softly knocking. "Hey, Kook? Are you asleep?"

Silence.

On most nights, you'd take that as your cue to leave him be, assuming he's already knocked out. But tonight, you hesitate because something about this doesn't feel right. You wait a few moments, debating whether to push further, before slowly and hesitantly turning the doorknob.

"I'm coming in." you warn softly, pushing the door open and your eyes immediately find Jungkook, curled up under the covers, lying on his side with his back turned to you. His shoulders are tense, posture stiff like he's bracing for something.

"Kook?" you call out again gently, but the way he curls in tighter, pulling the blanket up higher over his frame, is enough to tell you he's not asleep. "Hey... what's wrong?" you ask, still lingering by the door, unsure if you should step in or step back. "I saw the beer cans..." you add, hoping it might coax him to talk. "You never drink alone. Did something happen today?"

Under the covers, Jungkook grits his teeth, jaw clenched so tight it aches. He doesn't want to hear your voice right now, not when every syllable feels like salt in a fresh wound. Not when his mind is still replaying the sight of you and Jaehyun. 

Not when the bitter taste of the beer still stubbornly sits on his tongue and not when Jaehyun's voice, his words, his taunts are all clawing their way back up to the surface, pressing against the inside of Jungkook's skull until he feels like he might combust.

He knows if he opens his mouth now, something ugly will spill out, something raw and twisted that he doesn't even fully understand himself.

But you're still there. Still standing at the threshold, your worry so palpable it practically seeps into the room. You take the smallest step forward. "Jungkook..." you try again. "You know you can talk to me, right? Whatever it is... I'm here."

Your voice is a comfort you don't even realize you've become... a warmth he never asked for but somehow clung to, thread by fragile thread, until it wrapped around him like a lifeline. 

And that's exactly the problem. 

Because comfort breeds hope, and hope is a dangerous thing for someone who's spent too long convincing himself he didn't deserve it in the first place.

Suddenly the sharp sound of his tongue clicking fills the silence, loud enough to make you flinch. "Can you just leave me alone?" he spits and you freeze for a brief moment at his tone. You've never heard Jungkook talk like that.

"I... what?" you ask, confusion laced into your tone. "I just wanted to check—"

"Why do you always act like you're entitled to walk into my room whenever you feel like it?" he snaps, voice raised just enough to sting as he sits up abruptly, sheets pooling at his waist, and when you get a look at his eyes, you're confused. There's something storming behind them... something troubled, something restless, something dangerously close to breaking apart.

"What— I'm— Kook, what... what's wrong?" you stammer, your voice small, fragile against the weight of his glare. He exhales sharply, like the air itself offends him, yanking the sheets off his body with a roughness that startles you as he stands to his feet. "Just get out." he mutters.

And something about the way he says it, the way he looks at you, rubs you the wrong way. You don't know if it's the alcohol talking or if it's pure, unfiltered anger, but if there's one thing you've never done, it's disrespected Jungkook. So why the hell should you stand here and let him tear into you like this, when you have no clue why you deserve this in the first place. 

"Excuse me?" Your arms fold across your chest, feet planted firmly into the ground. "What's with the attitude?"

"Attitude?" He lets out a hollow laugh, the kind that doesn't belong to the Jungkook you know. The sound of it makes your stomach turn. His gaze locks onto you, and that's when you see how his eyes glisten but there's no time to process that because he's already speaking again.

"I'm sick of you."

Three words. Brutal and merciless. They hit you like a slap you never saw coming.

"I'm sick of you walking into my room like you own it. I'm sick of being your personal mannequin every time you can't pick a fucking outfit or decide between two pairs of earrings. Sick of you asking for my opinion like my words mean something — like I mean something, when we both know the second you get what you want, I'm invisible again."

Your heart stutters in disbelief, chest tightening with each accusation hurled your way. But Jungkook's just getting started, words spilling faster now, sharper with every breath.

"I'm sick of being your backup plan — the human crutch you lean on whenever it suits you. You only come to me when you need something. Someone to just go along with everything you say. Someone to play your little sidekick in this perfect world of yours." His voice cracks, but he powers through it, jaw clenched so tight you can see the muscle twitch.

"I'm done being your fucking plaything, Y/n."

The air between you turns suffocating, his bitterness clashing against your confusion like a storm building with no place to go.

"Jungkook??" you start, but your voice falters halfway, cracking under the weight of confusion clawing at your throat. "Where... where is this even coming from? Look... I think you're really drunk right now and—"

"Can you just leave?" he interjects with a scoff, running a hand through his already-messy hair before turning his back on you, like the mere act of looking at you is too much to bear. "Go back to Jaehyun." he mutters. 

"Maybe he'll help you pick out a new set of nails. Or film a tiktok. Or whatever it is you need to feel relevant today." The jab is low, muttered under his breath, but sharp enough to slice through your already fragile composure.

"What does Jaehyun have to do with any of this?" you demand, voice rising just slightly, the confusion twisting into something bordering on anger. Because none of this makes sense... not the venom in his voice, not the sudden shift in his attitude, and definitely not the way he's acting like you're the villain in some story you didn't even know you were a part of.

"CAN YOU PLEASE JUST LEAVE ??" This time, he practically yells, voice cracking under the weight of his frustration. There's something almost desperate in the way he says it, like he's begging you to go before he loses the last shred of control he has left. Like he knows the alcohol is working overtime, dragging out words he doesn't mean, words he won't be able to take back once they're out in the open.

"No." Your voice is steady, even as your heart pounds in your ears. You step forward, planting yourself firmly in front of him. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck this is all about. Because right now, you sound completely ridiculous." Your hands fly up as you speak, your frustration boiling over.

"Oh, I'm ridiculous?" He lets out a hollow chuckle, one that makes your stomach knot as he turns to face you. "Right. I'm the fucking clown here for actually caring about you, when it's so painfully obvious that the only reason Jaehyun's even nice to you is because he wants to fuck you."

The words hit like a slap, and even Jungkook looks momentarily stunned by how harsh he sounds. But he doesn't take it back. He doesn't soften. Instead, he holds your gaze, daring you to react.

Your lips part, but no words come out at first. There's only that awful, twisting ache in your chest, followed by a low, trembling whisper. "What the hell did you just say?"

"Oh, come on, Y/n." he snaps, throwing his head back, hands planted firmly on his hips like he's trying to hold himself together. "Are you seriously that naive? You actually believe a guy like Jaehyun is just being friendly? You seriously trust him?" The laugh that follows is humorless, dripping with disbelief.

"What is your problem with Jaehyun?" you ask, voice sharper now, anger slowly overtaking the confusion. "I know him better than you, Jungkook. And honestly? It just looks like you have no idea what you're talking about and I'm so tired of you always twisting him into something he's not. It's exhausting."

"Right. Of course." Jungkook's laugh is sharp enough to slice through a bone, and it makes your blood boil. "Of course, you'd say that because I'm the crazy nerd who has no idea what he's talking about while he's your precious friend. So excuse me for actually giving a shit and trying to fucking warn you because god forbid someone who cares about you tries to protect you." 

You scoff, disbelief flooding every inch of you. "Do you even realize how insane you sound right now???"

"Right, so now, I'm insane." he laughs again, shaking his head. "You really don't get it, do you? I'm only reliable to you when you want to film some trend for your tiktok page or you need someone to hold the camera for your pictures or... or give you an opinion on your outfit, or help you test out your makeup. That's all I am to you, isn't it? Some idiot you can pull into whatever you want because I'm convenient. Because I'm easy."

The accusation knocks the air clean out of your lungs. For a moment, all you can hear is the faint ringing in your ears... the kind that comes when a blow lands too hard, too fast, leaving no time to brace for impact. You don't know if it's the alcohol swimming in his veins or if there's something deeper unraveling inside him, something that's been building for longer than you realized. 

But either way, your mind spins, your eyes sting, your heart stumbles over itself, and all you can do is stare at him, wide-eyed and breathless. "You really think... I'm that shallow?" You whisper, feeling your whole body tremble. "You really believe... that's all you are to me?"

"I don't think, Y/n. I know." The certainty in his voice makes your heart break. "Because let's be honest, Y/n... you're so fucking oblivious. So blind to anything that doesn't fit neatly into your perfect little world. All you see is you...  your life, your influencer crap, your curated existence where every outfit, every angle, every caption matters more than the people standing right beside you."

He exhales harshly, running a hand through his hair, frustration dripping from every word. "You never bother to look past what's directly in front of you. If something isn't wrapped up and handed to you in plain sight, it doesn't fucking exist to you. And if anyone tries to warn you or tell you something you don't want to hear, you'll just brush it off like it's noise because you always know best."

He pauses, closing his eyes as his tongue pokes his inner cheek. "So tell me, Y/n. Why the hell am I even standing here, wasting my time, wasting my breath, when I already know exactly how this ends?"

There's a pause... a silence so deafening it drowns out every other sound, leaving nothing but the roar of your own pulse thundering in your ears. Your entire body feels like it's on fire, skin prickling, blood boiling beneath the surface. Your legs threaten to give out, and your chest aches like your heart might splinter apart right there in his room.

Because the sight before you feels like something out of a nightmare — a version of Jungkook you've never seen before. So cruel. So angry. So intent on wounding you in ways you never thought he could.

And knowing this is how he sees you... this twisted version of you he's built inside his head, it makes you sick to your stomach. You can't even recognize yourself in the reflection of his words. You can't recognize him either because in his eyes, you're nothing more than a girl who uses him, a girl who takes and takes and never sees the damage left behind.

You can't even stand to look at him right now.

"Fuck you." your hoarse voice cuts through the air, sharp and trembling all at once, and for the first time all night, they seem to actually land. It's like the phrase itself snaps Jungkook out of the angry haze he's been spiraling in, dragging him harshly back into reality. 

And suddenly, the weight of everything he just spewed... every cruel word, every accusation dripping in bitterness, crashes down on him all at once.

His mind was already a mess, thoughts piling up and collapsing under their own weight, and god knows how many cans of beer only poured gasoline over the fire. But now, standing here, watching the way your eyes glisten with heavy tears you're clearly fighting not to let fall — he knows.

He's gone too far.

But it doesn't matter, because you've already turned on your heel, walking out of his room as the door slams so hard behind you that it rattles the frame and Jungkook just stands there... frozen, knowing damn well there's no point in running after you now because the damage is already done.

And maybe, there's no coming back from it.

The minute Jungkook's eyes flutter open, a sharp, splitting pain shoots through his skull, forcing a low groan from his throat. His head throbs in time with his heartbeat, and for a moment, the only thing he can focus on is the sheer discomfort pulsing behind his eyes. 

He doesn't even remember when sleep managed to claim him — doesn't know if it even could be called sleep at this point. It felt more like passing out, drowning under the weight of alcohol and exhaustion, until everything just shut down.

Maybe it was the beer. Or maybe it was the emotional storm he set loose in his own damn room.

Unlike you, no amount of alcohol could ever grant Jungkook the mercy of forgetting. Every word he spat out, every venom-laced accusation, every careless action from last night still clings to him like smoke in his lungs... impossible to breathe past, impossible to forget. 

Sobriety doesn't cleanse him, it only sharpens the edges of his guilt, replaying the night in vivid clarity until it's all he can see.

He exhales shakily, running a hand down his face as he sits up. His body feels heavy, like guilt itself has settled into his bones. 

Luckily, it's the weekend so he has no classes to attend, but university is the least of his concerns right now. Because beyond this door, past the thin walls of his room, is you. And the thought of facing you feels like stepping onto a battlefield he already lost.

God, why did he go so far last night? Why did he let everything boil over like that? He desperately wishes that he could justify it somehow, but there's no excuse good enough to make sense of the way he tore into you. 

The combination of alcohol, unchecked insecurities, and the festering jealousy he had been trying to swallow down for weeks turned him into someone cruel.

And the worst part is, he knows exactly where it all came from. Knows that half the venom he spat at you wasn't even his own voice, but a twisted echo of all the insecurities Jaehyun had planted in his mind. All the doubts he thought he buried. All the fears he thought were beneath him. 

And yet, he let them sink in. Let them wrap around his throat until they came spilling out in words he can never take back.

He hates it. Hates himself for giving them power. Hates that he let jealousy and insecurity turn him into someone you probably don't even recognize. Someone he doesn't recognize either.

He can't believe it, can't wrap his head around the fact that he hurt you, of all people. The one person who's always been there, always understood him in ways no one else ever could. The one person he's loved... quietly, desperately, for longer than he's even willing to admit to himself.

With a heavy sigh, he steps out of his room and drags himself to the bathroom. Cold water might not fix much, but maybe it'll wash off the grogginess, the self-loathing, the stale bitterness clinging to his skin. 

Because no matter how much he wants to hide out in his room forever, he knows he can't avoid you. Not when you live under the same roof. And when the time comes to face you, he knows... the look in your eyes will hurt more than any hangover ever could.

Once he's done freshening up, Jungkook steps into the living room, his gaze immediately drifting towards your closed bedroom door at the far end. He wonders if you're still asleep — or worse, if you've decided to barricade yourself inside for the entire weekend just to avoid him.

The thought alone sends a fresh pulse of pain shooting through his already throbbing head.

Maybe he should go for a walk. Clear his mind. Let the cool morning air numb the edges of his spiraling thoughts. Maybe if he can think straight, he can find the right words for an apology that doesn't sound pathetic and a way to piece together the wreckage he caused. 

It's laughable, really. 

An apology couldn't possibly erase the things he said. But still, it's the bare minimum and it's all he has right now.

Dragging himself towards the doorway, he opens the shoe cabinet to grab his sneakers, but his hand freezes mid-air. Three shelves — the ones you always claimed for yourself, filled with your endless collection of shoes — are almost entirely empty.

The heels you complained about but wore religiously. The sandals you slipped into on lazy mornings. The sneakers you wore everyday to university. They're gone. 

Not rearranged, not tidied up — just gone.

His brows knit together in confusion. He blinks once, twice, willing the image in front of him to change. Maybe he's imagining it. Maybe his mind, already clouded with regret, is playing cruel tricks. But the shelves remain just as bare, the emptiness staring back at him like a gaping wound. And that's when the cold fear starts to settle in, slithering into his veins like ice water.

Without wasting another second, he turns on his heel and practically bolts to your bedroom. There's no hesitation when he pushes the door open, no knocking — because suddenly, his fear outweighs every sense of decorum.

And when he steps inside, the fear that had been gnawing at the edges of his mind solidifies into something much heavier. Because right there, in plain sight, is your half-empty wardrobe with the hangers swinging slightly out of place and the remaining clothes pushed messily to one side.

He steps further in, eyes flickering to the bed where the sheets lay crumpled and tangled and then, almost instinctively, his gaze shifts to the nightstand, landing on the paper bag. The same one you'd been clutching in your hand last night when he spotted you with Jaehyun from the balcony. 

It shouldn't matter. Not right now. Not when there are far more pressing things to worry about — like the fact that half your belongings are missing and your presence is nowhere to be found. But despite the rational voice in his head, his body moves on its own as he steps closer and his fingers ghost over the edge of the bag, just enough to peer inside.

His eyes widen the instant they land on the box inside, the bold, unmistakable letters printed across the top feel like a punch straight to his gut — sharp, unforgiving, and entirely deserved. His stomach churns violently, and there's a hollow ache expanding in his throat, the kind that comes when guilt is so heavy, it feels physical. 

Jungkook feels like the biggest piece of shit to ever walk this earth — no, worse than that. Like the human embodiment of every bad decision, every reckless impulse, every thoughtless word that ever left his mouth.

He stands frozen, rooted to the spot, staring down at the 21x21 rubik's cube box — the same one he had spent months obsessing over, scouring every website, visiting every store, only to come up empty-handed every single time because it wasn't available anywhere. 

And now here it is, sitting quietly in a bag you brought home, a silent reminder of how deeply you knew him, how much you cared, even when he was too blind to see it.

How you always seemed to hold on to the most trivial things he said, like the things he barely even remembered saying himself. Like the other day when Jimin had mentioned the ruckus you had caused at the grocery store, just to hunt down a snack that Jungkook loved so much. 

Or the way you never — not even once — made him feel embarrassed about the things that made him who he was. Like those nights you curled up beside him, watching anime even though he could tell it wasn't really your thing. 

Or the times you clumsily grabbed a controller, trying to navigate a game even after admitting that video games made your brain feel like it was overheating. 

And that one time, when he was knee-deep into coding some app, you sat beside him for hours, asking the silliest questions. Like if 'public static void' was some secret spell, or if the code could understand sarcasm, or if bugs were actual tiny creatures living in his laptop.

But he didn't mind. Not even a little. Because you were there, genuinely interested, even if you didn't fully understand. 

In a world full of people like Jaehyun, people who sneered at his interests, mocked his passions, rolled their eyes at the things that lit him up inside, he had you. You, who never dismissed his hyperfixations as childish or weird, who never made him feel like his interests, his passions were boring or not worth the while. 

Because you cared, even when you didn't have to. Even when it would've been easier to just ignore him and dismiss the things he likes, you stayed, trying to understand his world just because it was his.

How, all throughout high school, he was just there. 

Not the life of the party, never the one anyone texted first — or at all, if he's being honest. Never the one anyone saved a seat for at the lunch table or dragged along for spontaneous midnight runs to the arcade. 

Too quiet. Too awkward. Too easy to overlook. 

He was the background noise in everyone else's coming-of-age story, a shadow against the walls of every hallway, a name barely anyone remembered until the attendance was called by the teacher. 

Just there — existing, breathing, occupying space, but never truly seen.

People passed him by like scenery, glanced through him like glass, mostly acknowledged his presence only when it was impossible to ignore like a bump in the hallway, an accidental brush of shoulders, a group project where they needed just one more person. 

To them, he was a placeholder. A footnote in stories far more interesting than his own. And he thought he'd made peace with that... with being invisible. 

Until he came to university — and met you.

Until he was searching for a roommate — and somehow, it was you.

You, who pulled him out of his shell and into the light with nothing but gentleness. 

You, who welcomed him into your world, made space for him in something you were passionate about, something that mattered to you so deeply... something he turned around and tore apart with careless words and cruel jabs last night.

The very thing that brought you both closer, the thing you once shared with him like a piece of your heart, folding him into your world of silly videos and spontaneous laughter, making him the unexpected star in a spotlight that had always belonged to you, became the very thing he ridiculed.

And that truth is a punch to the gut, because if anyone else had disrespected your passions like that, he would've fought them on the spot. But it wasn't anyone else — it was him.

And suddenly, it's as clear as day that none of this is the beer's fault, none of this is Jaehyun's fault. Every cruel word, every misplaced accusation, every ugly insecurity that spilled out of him last night — all of it, every ounce of damage, was his own. His own mistake. His own idiocy. His own inability to believe he could be worthy of someone like you.

He ruined the one thing that truly meant the world to him... the one thing that gave him the chance to connect with you, to laugh with you, to simply exist beside you and said things he didn't mean, lashed out in ways he never intended, all because he was too caught up with the noise inside his own head.

He swallows hard, still staring blankly at the box, almost like if he blinks, it might vanish... like if he stares at it long enough, he can somehow rewrite the truth of what it really is. 

He can't believe how effortlessly his mind turned against you, how easily he assumed the worst — how quickly something so pure became something ugly in his head. 

That it could've been an outfit, an accessory, something trivial that Jaehyun had helped you pick out. That you had replaced Jungkook, your little shopping partner, your unqualified but always eager style consultant, with a person like Jaehyun.

The very thought now feels ridiculous, almost laughable, if it didn't make him sick to his stomach.

He jumped into conclusions without a second thought, all because he saw you with another guy. As if you owed him an explanation. As if he had some unspoken right to be angry, to feel betrayed — when the brutal truth was, even when he learned the whole truth about Jaehyun and tried to warn you, he never once gave you the honesty you deserved.

Never told you the real reason behind his distrust, never admitted what he had heard from Taehyung, because he was more worried of overstepping, more afraid of looking like the villain in your eyes, more scared of you finding out about his feelings.

"Jaehyun has a reputation." he could've said. "Taehyung's heard the way he talks in the locker room — the way he talks about girls. So you should be careful around him."

It was that simple. That's all he had to do... say those words, or at least something close to them. Just a moment of honesty, instead of hiding behind vague warnings and random questions like "Do you trust Jaehyun?"

So how could his concern ever be justified when he never gave you the full story? When all he ever did was beat around the bush, hoping you'd read between the lines he was too paranoid to write?

He doesn't even realize when the first tear breaks free, sliding silently down his cheek but by the time the second one falls, it's almost impossible to ignore the pain in his chest.

You were planning to give him this. A gift that showed, in the simplest yet loudest way, just how much you saw him, how much you remembered even the tiniest parts of him... the parts no one else ever cared to notice.

And in return, what did he give you?

Cruel words sharpened to cut, accusations flung carelessly into the air, every insecurity he had rotting into poison and spilling out of his mouth all because some random person triggered him. He gave you doubt, and hurt, and every ugly, jagged piece of himself he never meant for you to see.

And now, you're gone.

<-part 1 // part 3 -> (coming soon)

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[emwheezie]

Omg literally ignore this but I need to vent.

I keep getting zillow notifications for my apartment building. The unit above/below me is back on the market. Those units are so beautiful and newly refurbished and gorgeous and everything... it makes me want to cry for one thousand hours. We discussed unit 3 with our realtor and everything was good to go but when we got our lease, it was unit 2. We should have brought this up and asked questions but housing was going so fast because we live in a college town and this was one of the only places we could afford that was messaging us back.

Well we figured who cares, it's the same building. We get there and the place was DISGUSTING. We were told the unit would be cleaned out on our move in day but it was so obviously not. Everything was filthy. There was trash in places, rotten food and frozen meat in the refrigerator/freezer. Stuff was left in the cabinets (which were broken). The tub was rusted out, we had problems with our toilet for the first year. The inside of the bathroom sink was crackled and stained. The counter tops were grimy, the walls were dirty and had tape residue in a lot of places. The windows had animals nose prints all over them. There were flies all over the kitchen window for the first month...we have no idea why.

But we didn't know what to do... no one in my family has ever lived in an apartment before.. this was in the middle of the pandemic, adding another level of weirdness. We cleaned up a bit the first day and as we were building our kitchen chairs some cleaners came in and ONLY mopped the floors. Some maintenence guy who came to fix our leaking toilet later in the year said we had the oldest stove and fridge he'd ever seen. I'm not even sure our central heat works.

For the past 4 years I didn't think much about it. But now I'm so so so sad and angry. I feel like we were taken advantage of because we were so young. We were just a couple of 22 year old trying to get our first place. Unit 3, according to those new zillow listings are so beautiful and clean with bright walls and (probably fake) marbel counter tops. Ours are this strange textured vinyl that's worn away in some parts and impossible to clean. Our vinyl floor is warped and coming apart while the other seems to have tile or linoleum... I'm just soooo... having emotions about it. There's NO WAY we're getting our deposit back, probably because they're gonna think we did all that damage (I took pics of EVERYTHING the day we moved in).

Also did I mention my bedroom didn't have a door???? My dad literally bought me one and installed it.

My heart feels broke over what we could've had. (We're paying the same rent as the nicer units too!)

[idkhoworwhytell]

To Toss and Turn

Summary: Twilight had been restless all night, rustling and sleeping like no other reader had unfortunately had had enough of this.

Based on the fact I hc that twi is a restless sleeper, and can be a blanket stealer 

Readers pov 

Turn 

rustle 

toss 

shuffle 

Roll

Twilight keeps tossing and turning. And I’ve been putting up with this all night. I keep running the risk of being run over by a man who wrestles goats for a living! 

This morning, he was Wolfe, herding us all like cattle not letting anyone stray. He shouldn’t even be on his feet! The accident had happened just a little under a couple weeks ago and hyrule  is still worrying over him. I can't imagine what the transformation feels like when injured. 

Even now, I don't like the fact he's been moving like this all night. It's like he’s preparing for something that’s not going to happen , or is just itching  to go back home and get all this out on the goats (he treats those animals better than me some days.)

It helps that I can see his stomach muscles tremble from use and exhaustion.

 If he's having a nightmare right now, he's not showing it. He is not making any whimpers or groans. I think that's something to be ruled out.

”Twi” 

Another roll 

“Twilight.”

A grunt.

”Link!”

His head bobs up, eyes still crusted with sleep in them. 

“Darlin  the sun ain't  even awake, so why ‘re you?”

“You’ve been trying to roll me into the bed.  Turning like you're trying to find a missing key!

”Aint  the first time.”

He states with a smirk, there’s no telling what part of the sentence it was about. 

Oh how I want to wipe the sly smirk off his face.

Funny jokes aside, I still can't tell if this man is fully conscious. I want to let him fall back to the lovely arms of sleep, but if he rolls one more time,I am stealing his blankets.

his arms wrap ’round my waist making themselves wrap around at the small of my back. He nestles his face into my neck,murmuring and muffling  his words, 

“Hmmmm doll you smell sweeter than honey…” 

he nestles deeper into my neck and rubs his nose at the crease. 

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

 He lets off a small huff in amusement as I put my hand up his hair moving them out of his eyes and untangling the knots slowly out.

We both fall back to sleeps warm and safely embrace cover with the blankets and a good chunk of time before the sun meets the horizon. 

It’s only been a couple hours. And he's stealing my blankets. I think this man moves more than wind when he sleeps!

and its cold, in a place that's supposed to be warm. The fires stopped burning not too long ago, but you would also think being near a burly man would have some heat. But noo this man steals the blankets that had once been nicely shared!

With one more tug I rolled and forcibly removed the blanket from his embrace and left the air of the room. He takes those blankets and rolls to the side where he isn't facing me and rolls himself like a burrito. 

Stealing them bak is a nice idea but it's unlikely I'll win against this hunk of a man, plus I would rather not get into a blanket war right at this moment. I'll consider later when I'm standing and he's wolfie. (He's still considerably strong there too.) 

Still just so i can say I’ve tried i'm gonna try and see if i get some blankets back. 

I tug.

And  i found some leverage when I tried to turn away from him. I get back just the smallest blanket that covers just less of a 4th of me.

 This man has the audacity to try and roll those away.  Upset with my disturbed sleep, I think about how cold my toes are and how warm his back is…

(you can see my plan of attack here.)

i tug the covers i have salvaged and i push my feet up to his back.

A yelp. 

Revenge is nice sometimes,

”[Reader] What the hell!”

”You stole the blankets.”

———————

Don’t steal the blankets :)

[sloasis]

I just saw a post saying that there could be a Buddie fight based on the stills where Eddie looks kinda pissed and Buck standing forlorn in Eddie's living room and the interview where ( I think ) Oliver says that there's ' gonna be tension between characters that we never really get to see [ see what happens when you pull on a thread ] ' ...

It got me thinking because Buddie only has had one ' fight ' and it was because of the lawsuit arc and all that , Eddie was the one who got upset about that because he couldn't TALK to Buck . He couldn't rely on him and felt like his trust was betrayed but forgave him so quickly . I think this time it could be BUCK who gets mad at Eddie , over something small or something he says and does , I'm not sure but I totally think he has the capacity to accidentally blow up on him because of all his feelings about Eddie moving and leaving and he's not gonna be able to rely on him and not gonna be able to have his back . We all know that Buck is gonna try his absolute best to support Eddie through Chris being in Texas arc because he does care he just doesn't wanna be the person who gets between all of that but he's still gonna have FEELINGS and he's gonna be upset but push it all down and it's all gonna bubble up and flow over and he's gonna maybe say something stupid and get both of their feelings hurt the day of the animal shelter fire / Eddie packing up his firefighter stuff at the station and then the rain hug is gonna be them making up and forgiving each other again .

[kathlare]

labyrinth

Lando Norris x Amelie Dayman

Summary: In the aftermath of an accident, Amelie finds herself surrounded by friends who bring laughter, warmth, and distraction.

Wordcount: 2.3 k

Warnings: none

full masterlist // request over here!

March 23rd, 2021 - Sakhir, Bahrain

The door to the hotel suite creaked open, and in walked George, Alex, Charles, and Lando, carrying bouquets of flowers and stuffed animals. Their faces brightened when they saw Amelie sitting in a plush chair by the window, wrapped in a cozy blanket. The warm sunlight spilled into the room, casting a soft glow on her tired face.

—Hey, princess,— George greeted with a grin, making his way toward her with a playful wink. —Got you some presents.— He set the flowers on the coffee table, while Alex placed a stuffed bear next to them.

—Look at you, getting the royal treatment,— Alex teased, plopping onto the couch and stretching his legs out dramatically. —Hospital discharge and already back to lounging in five-star luxury. Must be nice.—

Amelie rolled her eyes but smiled. —Oh, absolutely. Who doesn’t love broken ribs as an excuse to be spoiled?—

Charles, lingering near the door, rubbed the back of his neck, his usual cocky grin nowhere in sight. He held a bouquet of white lilies and, unlike the others, looked hesitant to approach.

—Are those for me or are you setting up my funeral?— Amelie quipped, eyeing the lilies with amusement.

Charles groaned. —I deserve that.— He exhaled, stepping forward and placing the flowers next to the others. —I really am sorry, Amelie. I got too competitive, and I wasn’t thinking. If I could take it back, I would.—

Amelie studied him for a moment before sighing. —I know, Charles. I’m still gonna milk it for a while, though.—

—Fair,— Charles admitted, a small smile creeping onto his lips. —Does that mean I’m forgiven?—

—Depends. How much are you willing to suffer for redemption?—

—If you make me babysit your cats, I take back my apology.—

—Coward.—

Lando, who had been quiet until now, suddenly dropped a small bouquet of yellow tulips in her lap.

—You always remember,— Amelie murmured, fingers brushing over the petals.

Lando gave her a lopsided smile. —Of course I do.—

She didn’t miss the way the others exchanged looks. George smirked knowingly, Alex raised a brow, and Charles looked like he wanted to dissect whatever just happened between them.

—Right, well, we figured you’d be bored, so we came to entertain you,— George announced, clapping his hands together. —We’re thinking a game of cards. Lando, go get the deck.—

—Why do I have to get it?—

—Because you’re the least injured, mate. Chop chop.—

Lando grumbled but went to fetch the deck from the nightstand, while the rest of them arranged themselves around Amelie.

For the next hour, they played round after round of bullshit, each game getting more ridiculous as the competitiveness escalated. George accused Charles of cheating (which, to be fair, was probably true), Alex spent half the game laughing too hard to keep track of his cards, and Lando kept catching Amelie trying to sneak extra cards into his pile.

—You’re the worst patient ever,— Lando accused, nudging her knee with his own.

—And yet you adore me,— Amelie shot back.

The words were casual, playful even, but something flickered in Lando’s expression before he masked it with a smirk.

Eventually, Stella popped her head in, arms crossed as she surveyed the chaos.

—Alright, I think she’s had enough excitement for today. Out, all of you.—

—But we were just getting started,— George whined.

—Unless you want to be responsible for her passing out from exhaustion, I suggest you leave.—

—Fine, fine,— Alex sighed, standing up and stretching. —Feel better, Amelie. Call us if you need anything.—

Charles leaned down and squeezed her hand briefly. —I owe you a proper dinner when you’re back on your feet.—

—Damn right you do.—

They all filtered out, tossing goodbyes over their shoulders as Stella gave Amelie one last look before closing the door behind them.

Amelie sighed, leaning back against the pillows, her body still aching but lighter from the distraction. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly.

A few minutes passed in silence. The room felt strangely empty now, stripped of the chaotic energy of George’s bickering, Alex’s laughter, and Charles’ guilty attempts at redemption. For a moment, Amelie let herself relax, muscles unclenching as exhaustion tugged at her.

Then she heard it.

The soft click of the hotel room door unlocking.

Her eyes fluttered open just as Lando slipped back inside, moving quietly like he’d done this a million times before.

—You forgot something?— she asked, voice hoarse from the fatigue she was desperately trying to ignore.

Lando shook his head, lips twitching. —Nah. Just didn’t feel like leaving yet.—

He lifted up a hotel keycard between his fingers and wiggled it slightly before sliding it back into his pocket.

—You little shit,— Amelie muttered, shaking her head, but she didn’t mean it. Not even a little.

Lando just grinned, shameless and boyish, as he kicked off his shoes and made his way toward her. His movements were careful, more gentle than usual, like he was hyper-aware of her injuries. It made something in Amelie’s chest tighten painfully.

—You look exhausted,— he murmured, crouching beside her chair. His eyes, warm and honeyed in the soft lighting, flickered over her face like he was memorizing every detail. —Did we overdo it?—

Amelie huffed a laugh. —You? Overdoing something? Never.—

He chuckled, shaking his head as he reached for the blanket pooled around her lap. With practiced ease, he adjusted it over her legs, making sure she was properly tucked in before settling beside her on the bed. He propped himself against the headboard, stretching his legs out, close but not touching. Not yet.

—How’s the pain?— he asked softly.

—Manageable.— She wasn’t lying, but the lingering ache was still there, dull and insistent.

Lando studied her for a moment, then wordlessly reached for the hotel phone.

—What are you doing?— she asked, frowning.

—Ordering room service.— He smirked, glancing at her. —You didn’t eat much earlier.—

She rolled her eyes. —You’re worse than Stella.—

—Someone has to be.— His voice was teasing, but there was an edge of something deeper beneath it. Concern.

Amelie looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. He was right—she had barely touched her lunch, too distracted by the chaos of the guys visiting. But it wasn’t just that. The stress of the past few weeks had made old habits creep back in, the familiar voice in her head whispering things she didn’t want to acknowledge.

—Lan,— she started, but the words tangled on her tongue.

He just waited, patient as ever.

She swallowed. —You don’t have to take care of me.—

Something flickered in his eyes. A quiet kind of stubbornness. —I know.—

But he still did. Every single time.

She didn’t argue when he ordered a simple meal for her, something easy and warm. When the food arrived, he didn’t push, just handed her a spoon and started talking about the most ridiculous things—how George nearly fell into a fountain earlier, how Charles was still sulking over losing at cards, how Alex kept texting him memes that made no sense.

Amelie let herself listen, let herself exist in the safety of his presence. It was easy, dangerously so.

She didn’t even notice when she finished half the bowl of soup, only realizing when Lando smirked and leaned over to tap the spoon against her lips.

—See? Not so bad,— he murmured.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t fight the warmth spreading through her chest.

Afterward, he set the tray aside and stretched, letting out a dramatic sigh. —Alright, now that I’ve nursed you back to health, I think I deserve some kind of reward.—

—Oh? Like what?— Amelie teased, tilting her head.

Lando grinned, shifting to lie down beside her, propped up on one elbow. His curls were slightly messy, his hoodie a little too big, swallowing him in warmth.

—Head scratches,— he declared.

Amelie snorted. —You’re worse than Benny.—

—Yeah, but I don’t hate your boyfriend.— He shot her a mischievous look.

—He’s not my boyfriend.—

—Not officially, anyway.—

She opened her mouth to argue, but Lando just gave her a knowing look. Damn him.

With a sigh, she reached out, fingers threading through his curls, scratching lightly at his scalp. He hummed in satisfaction, eyes fluttering closed like a content cat.

Amelie should’ve been laughing, should’ve rolled her eyes and called him ridiculous. But she didn’t. Because the moment felt too soft, too fragile.

Because she was looking at him—really looking at him—and realizing something she had been trying to ignore for days.

Her heart clenched.

Fuck.

It was the same feeling. The same terrifying, consuming, all-encompassing feeling. The same way she had felt with Cameron—the quiet certainty, the warmth curling around her ribs, even as they ached from injury.

The realization hit her like a punch to the gut.

She loved him.

Her breath caught, fingers pausing in his hair.

Lando opened his eyes, brow furrowing. —You okay?—

No.

Not even a little.

She forced a small smile. —Yeah.—

Lando studied her for a second longer, like he could sense something shifting in her, before he let it go. He reached for her hand, linking their fingers together without a second thought.

—You should sleep,— he murmured.

She should. But she didn’t want to. Because sleep meant being alone with her thoughts.

So instead, she squeezed his hand.

—Stay?—

Lando’s lips twitched, as if she had just asked the most ridiculous question in the world.

—Of course.—

And just like that, he pulled the blankets up, making sure she was warm, and settled in beside her like he belonged there.

Like he always had.

[plaidos]

Hey Roxy! This is a long and weird question, but you're the only girl I follow who's both gaming literated and Also a cool gaymer, so I wanted to take a shot and see what your advise could be!

So i'm south american, I earn barely above minimun wage here (which is like, not even a quarter of the average usamerican wage? lmao), and I've been considering for a while doing a mid to longer future plan of saving as much as I can to invest in a gaming console. I want specifically a handheld only for acomodation issues and I'm looking for something that is as versatile as possible when it come to catalog (like idk most indie games, most the 00s-2010s classics and when it comes to higher performance to be able to at least tolerate Minecraft without crashing kind of deal?)

Should I get a switch oled (specially now that the price will very likely drop little by little as the switch 2 approaches)? Should I try saving for the 2 in case it isn't over 400$? Or should I try working and saving way longer (like waaaaay longer in my case) for a higher performance thing like a Steam deck or an Asus?

so naturally i’m not gonna tell you what to buy like that would be pretty presumptuous i think lol. but from my experience, the most versatile handheld console is by and far the Steamdeck, because it is essentially just a portable gaming computer running Linux. i can (and have) player Red Dead 2 on the bus — meanwhile the Switch, as much as i love her, was considered underpowered when she released nearly ten years ago. don’t get me wrong — if you’re looking for cheap, you’re not gonna find a better deal than a secondhand switch when the Switch 2 comes out

here’s the kicker for me personally though: the Steamdeck, being an actual computer with an honest to god desktop mode etc, can emulate incredibly well. I am yet to find a Switch game I can’t play on the Steamdeck better than it runs on the Switch.

so yeah it really depends what the most important factor is for you personally like if you want to be able to play on your TV without buying extra equipment (which it seems like you actually don’t wanna do — just handheld right?), wanna play online with friends who use Nintendo Online, or just want something more quickly affordable, then the Switch 1 will definitely be your best bet especially after the Switch 2 comes out. i personally have no idea how much the Switch 2 will cost but i sincerely doubt it’ll be much more than $400 — but i’m not an expert, so don’t take my advice on that like it’s fact.

but if you want your money to go further, and truly are most focused on getting the biggest catalog of accessible games, then it does not get better than the Steamdeck, period. NO console of ANY generation or price can live up to the fact that it is literally a computer. even if the Steamdeck could only play Steamdeck verified games (the Steamdeck helpfully tells you not just if but HOW compatible each game on the Steam store is) then it would still have a wider catalog than the Switch or Switch 2 will ever have. Plus, I don’t know if they’re price adjusted where you live, but indie games tend to be more expensive when they’re sold by Nintendo online, and the Nintendo store basically never has major sales unlike the stuff you’ll see basically every time you log into Steam.

and like i said, as much emulator support as you can imagine. i’ve played PS3 games on the Steamdeck. i’ve played Switch games on the Steamdeck. i’ve played Arcade games on the Steamdeck. my ex girlfriend is currently doing a Gamecube Animal Crossing playthrough…. on her Steamdeck.

Minecraft youll need to download third party stuff for on the Steamdeck i think? but there are probably dozens of guides out there for how to do that. and it’s not like the Switch version of that game is especially well supported and optimised lol.

[thenexusofsouls]

"Wanda... listen to me," Tony said, still cupping her face and trying to get her to focus on him. "I know you wanna help, and I love you for that. And I know it's what we do, but we normally do it for humans. I don't know what just happened to you. Or why. Or how to fix it. These are literal aliens. We know next to nothing about them. For all we know, you mind melding with this thing might kill you."

"Pilot is not a thing, he is a kind and gentle soul," Zhaan said, even as she continued to try and comfort him.

"Who just cracked somebody's skull," Tony reminded her.

"Haven't you ever been so afraid that you were not in control of your body or your emotions?" Zhaan challenged him.

Yes. Yes he had. And he didn't want to talk about that "My point is, we have no idea what he even is, so we don't know the risks to us of helping him."

"He is of a race of peaceful beings from the planet Doien," Zhaan explained.

"Never heard of that, and he looks like a giant crustacean. His labs are all over the place, and while we're at it, so are yours. All we got from your blood was a bunch of plant cells," Tony said. "And since I find it hard to believe that he's a bug and you're a house plant, something's screwy here."

"How very animal-centric of you," Zhaan said, trying hard not to lose her patience with him. "I am a plant, and Pilot is a sentient being in his own right who deserves respect."

"You're a-" Tony blinked, and then was distracted by Wanda still pleading with him to help. He didn't know why he didn't think of the regeneration cradle earlier, but he wasn't quite sure it would work on a genome as strange as this creature's. The cradle was just a machine, though. It didn't know that an odd genome was being programmed into it. So shouldn't it just work the same way it did when it helped to patch up Clint or Steve or anyone else? "She's... taking care of it, she's got it under control, look, he's... he's calming down," Tony said, pointing to Zhaan and Pilot, trying to reassure Wanda.

Pilot's large eyes lazily blinked and he seemed very lethargic.

"Actually, he is growing weak from blood loss," Zhaan corrected.

"You-... Could you just... work with me a little?" Tony said.

"When you work with me!" Zhaan snapped before catching herself and forcing her temper back down.

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt," Tony said.

"You do not want any of your own people to get hurt, and straight to hezmana with the rest of us, is that right?" Zhaan said, losing her battle to keep her temper on a leash.

"That's not what I said, I don't... even know what a hezmana is," Tony insisted. "We have good intentions here, we're just tryna be safe."

"Your actions suggest otherwise," Zhaan said.

Tony sighed. At Wanda's question of whether the DNA analysis could be done faster, he shrugged. "I don't know. Usually when we send stuff to the lab, it takes a few hours. That's just how long the assays take, I guess. I really don't know, that's not my area. I'll tell them to fast track it, if that's even possible." He snapped his fingers a few times to get the attention of a nearby staff member. "Hey, can you get me someone over at medical? We need to sample this guy's blood and get things rolling here." The person nodded and started off toward the med bay. "Okay, we're gonna do this as fast as we can. We'll come sample... some of this... and start working on a genome," he said to Zhaan.

"Thank you," Zhaan said, though she'd believe it when she saw it. For now, she sat with Pilot's head practically on her lap, holding and stroking it. Pilot was either unconscious or resting, with eyes closed and his limbs splayed out around Zhaan. She looked around at the pool of Pilot's blood, wondering if it was the best and cleanest sample to obtain. They had one shot at this, for Pilot might not live long enough to try again if it didn't work the first time. "I think it is safe now to take a sample directly. He's... very weak. I don't believe he has the strength to lash out again."

- - - - -

As irritated at being locked up as Aeryn was, this guy was actually talking with them and she felt like they might get somewhere with him. For that reason, she tried to keep the sass to a minimum, despite the bad first impressions. "Well if this is Earth, then... we are from a galaxy very far away from yours. And as the little one here just said, we're fugitives, which means we're being hunted."

"Little one?!" Rygel huffed in offense.

Aeryn continued, undaunted. "We are wanted by Peacekeeper Command out of the Gammak Base. At the moment, both my former commanding officer, Captain Bialar Crais, and a Scarran half breed, Scorpius, are hunting us for different reasons. If either of them find us, the best we can hope for is imprisonment. The worst... is torture and execution."

Rygel winced, his pudgy fingers curling in fear.

"What we would need from you... is either to lie and say you haven't seen us, or to refuse to give us up to them if their ships should happen to enter your planet's airspace searching for us. Unfortunately, the latter may make your planet a target of theirs," Aeryn explained.

"Why would they protect us? They've got no reason to!" Rygel said.

"He asked what we would need, Rygel, I am simply answering his question," Aeryn said.

"Crais and Scorpius won't be looking for us here. They'll be looking for Moya," Rygel said.

"I know, but... until we can communicate with someone back on Moya, we won't know where they are. They might have left already," she said.

"And abandoned us here?!" Rygel asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Why not? You would," Aeryn said.

Rygel growled a bit, though he couldn't refute that. Aeryn knew him too well, and he didn't like that one bit.

When asked about Moya, Aeryn thought for a moment. "Leviathans cannot defend themselves, they can only starburst away to avoid attack and evade capture. But... as long as she has Pilot with her to guide her, she should be alright. And whoever else might be left aboard."

But then Steve mentioned two others and Aeryn's eyes widened. "Two others?! Why didn't you say something?! Where are they? Did you get their names?"

"Not Crichton," Rygel concluded. "I think we would have known by now if they'd found one of their own kind. I bet they would've let him out of these cages..."

"Can you describe them? Do any of them have tentacles all over their face? Or gray skin? Or..." she didn't want to think about this happening, but she had to admit to herself that it certainly could have, "...is one of them a large insect-like being?"

"What about a blue bald woman?" Rygel asked.

“Are you friend or foe?” (For Zhaan)

Zhaan looked up at the young woman from where she sat inside her holding cell, not unlike the one used by Loki years prior. "Given our respective positions on either side of these walls in which I find myself imprisoned, I would say... at present... neither. But there is time yet for misunderstandings to be cleared and injustices to be set right." Her tone was not antagonistic, but it was guarded. She did not appreciate being incarcerated yet again after finally escaping Peacekeeper oppression after a number of years, yet she could hardly blame this woman for that. Still, trust was something that would have to be built.

The wormhole that had facilitated the invasion of New York City was not to be the only such anomaly to occur, it seemed. Another had just been detected, though this time, the results had been far less... dramatic. Something had come through, however. Perhaps several somethings. Both SHIELD and the Department of Defense were still attempting to determine exactly what.

One being had been captured thus far. A Delvian, apparently, by her own admission. No one had any idea what a Delvian was, or what such a being was capable of. For now, she was being contained at the Avengers compound, both because of the unknown level of threat she posed and for biological containment purposes. She could be carrying pathogenic microbes, after all.

Zhaan had been both interested and concerned to discover that she was on the planet Earth. It was John Crichton's home planet. How agonizingly ironic that she should be sent here and not him. Still, it was a planet entirely unfamiliar to her, and for that reason, she had to remain cautious. Although most of the humans who encountered her seemed unwilling to treat her as anything more than a caged pet, an oddity on display, or a test subject to be poked and prodded, there had been a few who had bothered to actually speak with her. Through them, she had learned where she was, at least, but was no closer to being able to gain her freedom.

And now... this young woman had chosen to speak to her. She did not look like the usual soldier or government official that had spoke to her - no, interrogated her - up until this point. That gave Zhaan some hope that perhaps this might be a different sort of interaction. Slowly, she rose from the bench she had been sitting on and walked closer to the glass. If the relative age of Crichton was to be any basis for comparison, this woman looked very young indeed. Then again, all humans were young ones compared to Zhaan. Eighty years... That was about how long Crichton had said the average human lived. Zhaan had already lived ten times that long.

Standing closer to the woman, inasmuch as the glass was still dividing the space between them, Zhaan's polite smile faded into a look of concern. Despite her situation, she was still an empath and a tenth level Pa'u, and for those reasons, she found it impossible to ignore the pain of others... even that of her own captors. "My goodness... There is such a heavy sadness that follows you," Zhaan said, her voice gentle and almost pained, as if she was feeling it too. It felt like... grief to her, but with humans she could never really be sure at first impression. She simply wasn't as familiar with their minds and emotions yet. "Are you alright?"