#which is that there are black artists everywhere because surprise!

[skyeslittlecorner]

Oh no, everyone has great ideas and you turn them into such amazing stories 🥹 Love family stuffs ahhhhh 😩

How about the kings and their kids prepare for Mother's day? 👀 The kids ask for advices and join their dads in prepare them (...and the king's gifts too... if you know what I mean 👀👌👈)

I love bringing your ideas to life! And I'm glad that you entrust them to me, you don't even know what an inspiration it is, that I can write for you, and you like it. Stay amazing as always 🙏

Family time, let's go!

꧁:･ ✡ ･:꧂

Satan and the twins had some trouble with their gift for you. They said they wanted to do it themselves, without dad, because it would be a surprise for both of you. Of course, he agreed, but he still ordered the nobles to keep an eye on them. First they went to Sitri and wanted to paint the cups, but they broke them. Then they approached Paimon to make you your own stickers, but after half an hour, glitter was everywhere. Before they accosted anyone else, Astaroth intervened. He took them to the meadow (so they could run around and shake off some glitter) and only when they got tired did he start telling them about how their father was a child, when they were picking wild flowers for bouquets for you.

Satan himself will give you a box of mint-blueberry chocolates, which you regularly carved at 3 a.m. during your pregnancy, and a smirk with the words "I'm ready for round two." Of course, he pissed you off with that. And since he also brought good wine, get ready for the next five rounds.

Mammon and your little gang will present you with a whole collection of jewelry. You expected them to be pasta necklaces and modeling clay earrings, but of course you underestimated them. Pearl necklace, ruby bracelets, cufflinks with gold beads. Of course, they are made a bit crooked and clumsy, the younger the child the more so, but you and Mammon look like the proudest parents in the world. This is the only jewelry you want to wear.

From the king you will receive a beautiful silk set (actually five sets, each matching one piece of jewelry you received), underwear and a long dressing gown, (and a matching dress, shoes and even a handbag), which you will have to try out together.

Beelzebub loves scribbles, and so does his little girl! The card you will receive will be the messiest, most colorful conglomeration of colored tissue paper, photos and ribbons you could ever imagine. Beel made sure that there was no shortage of materials, so in one place you have shells from the Caribbean, a heart made of Chinese silk and amber with a fossil (where did they get it from? Did he really take your daughter for a walk around the world? You don't ask, you don't want to know the answer).

Beel will give you markers with edible icing. He had a great time with the little one, but now it's time for mommy to show off her artistic talent. Preferably on his body. You can trace his tattoos with a marker, or maybe write something new. He's ready to be your canvas all night long.

Your daughter has Leviathan’s perfectionism, but in a specific version that when daddy likes something, it means it's already perfect. Usually. Sometimes she says daddy has no taste, and that's the sassy part she inherited from you. She would spend a good week sitting in her father's office and embroidering a pillow as a gift for you, with small flowers, because she doesn't know anything else yet. Levi makes sure she doesn't gouge out her eye with the needle, and every time the needle almost pierces her finger, the thread pulls it back. He usually doesn't worry about it, let the child learn. This time he would prefer there was no blood on the embroidery because the gift for you has to be more perfect than anything else.

Leviathan will give you a choker, also embroidered, but with black thread on black material. You can read it only by touch. What does it say? Only you two know. It's so adjustable that it's perfect for both wearing and choking.

[starythewriter]

A shift dinner date w Vinnie hacker imagine

I stepped into this amazing restaurant it reminded me a lot of the Cheesecake Factory except everything was plain black, and had dark tainted glass with lights everywhere it was so beyond beautiful.

I walked in feeling the air conditioning hit my face it wasn't too strong nor too weak just perfect. I saw Vinnie, I drove to the restaurant to meet Vinnie... I turned up some music and put on my lipstick then I got a call from Vinnie "I got a gift for you be ready"

"really? oh my gosh I can't wait"

"yes of course! that's all... but also be sitting at table 8"

"alright perfect thank you"

I stepped into this amazing restaurant it reminded me a lot of the Cheesecake Factory except everything was plain black, and had dark tainted glass with lights everywhere it was so beyond beautiful.

I walked in feeling the air conditioning hit my face it wasn't too strong nor too weak just perfect. I saw Vinnie, he looked so good wearing a light blue shirt tucked neatly into his jeans and he even wore some glasses that seemed to accentuate his already handsome features even more.

He looked up as I approached him I said "Hey" smiling shyly at the older man who smiled back at me, then looking over towards the bar I see a group of guys laughing... I tune out and say "let's order what do you want?" he looks around like he doesn't know which one I mean he says "can we get the same food we always eat?" which reminds me that I'm pretty much always there for him so I say "Yeah sure" then order our food while he orders mine he pays, and I say thanks before we head to our usual booth.

We talk about work a lot... he works at the school where I teach English and he teaches science... he is an artist too... he wants to make things when he grows up and wants to open a gallery somewhere where people can buy art. We talk about how we feel and what we are going through right now and what we think about the future... I noticed he was wearing a strong perfume I loved the smell... I smiled at him. He smiles back but suddenly starts blushing... well, I guess the conversation was going too long."Oh yeah uh sorry... I don't know why I started talking about my feelings... I have really bad insomnia... I try not to let my mind run away with me but sometimes..." he sighs "anyway, how are you doing babe?"

I smile sweetly at him "I'm good" he puts down his fork and leans across the table towards me "you are very sexy tonight..." he says softly... 'hmm he does look very handsome... ' I muse. I lean toward him slowly until I could kiss him. but out of no where the waiter seemed to intervene delivering the check.

I wasn't sure if it was on purpose or not but regardless it definitely broke a moment of passion... and made a couple of strangers turn their attention towards us.

We both start getting angry as he stands up. I am a little surprised because usually he doesn't lose control like that unless he's mad at me or something... but he calmed down after "well... here" I say giving him a small kiss.

"thank you"

"here wanna go to a local fun center?" I suggest trying to break the awkwardness

"yeah ok."

We headed off together... we sat down at an arcade and played some games and talked about random stuff. He kept glancing my way and I was starting to blush. I couldn't figure out why... maybe I was embarrassed at myself for being so forward... then randomly we were playing a racing game and I knocked his car off the screen I celebrated we both laughed having a great time . Then I asked where he lived. He told me his place was a few blocks away. We got out and headed off together. When we finally stopped walking he held my hand and looked into my eyes "we should go somewhere else sometime... " he said gently kissing me... I closed my eyes and kissed him back. As he pulled away he said "your so sexy"

"thank you" I said kissing his ear. I pulled back... how about a second date?

"really?"

"yeah of course Vinnie" I smiled at him

He smiled and took my hand leading me to his car. I felt like I could fly I was so excited. It didn't matter that he wasn't in love with me, he thought I was hot. He liked me. He wanted to hang out with me. And honestly I did like hanging out with him. "here I know you love to read so here's a book with 500 quotes"

"thank you Vinnie that's so thoughtful"

He blushed a bit saying "it's nothing... I'm happy to help"

I felt his gaze of lust...

"let me drive you to my house. I'll invite you for a sleepover"

"hmmm I don't know"

"please?"

"alright fine, but only because you seem so desperate to spend time with me"

His eyes lit up and he grinned at me. "oh god I am so whipped! come on!" he yelled as he started the car

the end!

[in-a-mountain-pool]

Supermassive Black Hole Ch1

Ettore x Reader 

pronouns: She/her (afab)

rating: Explicit/18+

warnings: NSFW/Minors DNI, masturbation, jealous!Ettore, 

word count: 1761

summary: Ettore found prison terribly boring, that is until the day that you showed up. When Monte takes a shine to you, Ettore finds a new way to pass the time, and he plans to drag it out just as long as he possibly can...

A/N: Yeah, yeah I know, Ettore is awful... Feel free to imagine Ewan Mitchell’s lovely Derbyshire burr whenever the f-bomb is dropped. Have that on me! I’m planning this to be around a 6 chapter short story so watch this space. Next Chapter

Masterlist

If Ettore was educated, a poet, or an artist, he'd describe his time on the prison ship by talking about the bleakness of space, the ever-looming presence of the black hole outside, the loneliness, the lack of humanity... but the thing he thought about most, was just how fucking boring it was.

If you didn’t kick up the occasional fight what else was there to even do? Wank off in a cup? Jack off in the box? Play favourites with Doctor Dibs? All of it fucking boring after a while. But his favourite thing of all, his favourite way to pass the time, was people watching.

The one good thing about the prison ship was just how weird and mixed up the group of people were, people of all kinds, all shapes, and sizes, all with their own ticks, and their own stories to tell. Not that he ever wanted to ever talk to these people, why the fuck would he waste his time on criminals in here? But it sure was fun to imagine. Especially with the girls.

And that was where he had found himself today, wiping the floors outside the canteen, sweaty, tired, and bored out of his mind. The AC on the ship had broken again earlier that week, so he had taken to walking around without his shirt, something that had made Dibs smirk and give him a few extra pills to pass the time. 

As he scrubbed the floor, he found his eyes wandering to the canteen door to watch the inmates go about their day. Boyse was sat against the wall on the floor playing a game with a piece of string, making shapes and whispering to herself. She was reciting some sort of kid’s playground song whilst Mink braided her hair behind her. Tcherney was sat at the table, he had brought some of his plants in from the garden and was getting soil bloody everywhere potting up some tomatoes... but amongst all of this, the most interesting thing of all, was Monte. He usually sat alone and kept to himself, and when he was not, he was usually being fawned over by Dibs, but today he was sat with her, the new girl, Y/N.

She was the newest inmate on the ship and to Ettore she was a pretty blank slate. She never said a peep, even if the food was bad, or at the shitty prison duties she was given, and not even when he would openly stare at her... and honestly, it was easy to stare at her.

Y/N was a small woman, just a little mousey thing with brown shoulder length hair, and these big green eyes which would peer at him from time to time. People seemed to like her, mostly because she kept out of their business, but every now and then he'd catch her picking things up after people, helping Tcherny carry his gardening tools around, or helping Boyse with her duties when she'd lose track of time. She just seemed incredibly nice. Far too nice for a place like this.

So, it was a surprise when he heard her laugh out loud for the first time on the ship, and an even bigger surprise when it was Monte who had made her do it. The two were sat side by side eating lunch, her resting her shoulder against his as he leaned down to tell her a story, her eyes lightning up, all animated and excited. She looked like he had hung the stars in the fucking sky or something, so taken in by him, it was almost cute just how melodic her laugh was.

Ettore just shook his head smirking to himself and going back to his cleaning. She was just another woman in a long line chasing after Monte like he was some kind of white fucking knight... until something caught his eye, something only he could see at this angle.

Underneath the table, Y/N was running her foot up the back of Monte's leg under his trousers, whilst her hand had dipped under the table to rub a path ever so gently from his knee to his thigh. Ettore was transfixed, pretending to pay extra special attention to a particular spot on the floor so he could continue to watch the secret exchange. Y/N continued to snake her hand closer and closer to Monte's inner thigh, all the while playing the part of the innocent girl, all doe eyed and sweet listening to Monte's stories so intently.

Who was this girl he was watching!?

Fraternising between inmates was strictly forbidden and would ruin the experiments Dibs was conducting, yet here she was having the gall to try it on with Monte out in the open for anyone and everyone to see. Ettore's throat went dry, and his trousers grew tighter just watching her small hand delicately stroke at Monte's thigh, drawing small circles with her index finger as she travelled closer and closer to her destination.

In the end Ettore just couldn't help himself, slowly starting to grind his hips against the hard surface beneath him, trying his best to pretend to scrub the filthy floor beneath him whilst he edged himself, imagining just how soft her dainty fingers would feel wrapped around his hard, weeping cock. He'd make her do it right there in the canteen, sliding her hand underneath the waistband of his tented boxers, whilst everyone else went on about their day.

He imagined how she'd stroke the pad of her thumb across his pink and swollen head, swirling around the wetness there before sliding down his shaft and gripping him tight. Just the thought of it made him groan out loud, muffling the pathetic sound into his shoulder as he rocked his hips, humping the floor like an animal.

The sweaty heat of the ship only made it headier, and he was pretty sure he must be soaking the front of his pants, precum already seeping out of his heavy cock. She just looked like such a good good girl... with some apparently very naughty tendencies. He could only imagine what that pretty little mouth of hers would feel like, what those inviting rosy lips might look like as she sucked-

Until Monte's hand shot underneath the table and swotted her hand away from his thigh just before she could graze his bulge.

What. the. fuck.

Monte's face was stern and passive under the harsh white light of the canteen as he suddenly stood up, his plastic chair screeching along the floor harshly behind him. For a moment, Ettore thought he'd been caught, and his rocking faltered, although the prospect of conflict only served to make him even harder.

But there was something else going on here, something odd. He continued to watch them, his lips parted slightly and panting as he strained against the seam of his boxers. Her face had dropped and she looked almost crestfallen for a moment, but when Monte finally whispered to her, something shifted, and she almost became …submissive. Y/N crossed her legs tightly, squirming in her seat as she forced a tight smile onto her rosy, pink face. She looked pissed to say the least, and after a short exchange she went back to her meal in a huff.

Monte sulked out of the room and past Ettore, almost slipping on the wet floor he had been so hurried and flustered. It was interesting, to say the least. All these women chasing after him and Monte clearly didn't know the first thing about what to do with a girl like her. She was really something, practically gagging for it... and yet he'd literally batted her away.

Fucking tease.

Ettore practically snorted with laughter when he saw how clean the floor was beneath him after her little show, and just how dirty the crotch of his pants had become from his activities. He'd definitely need to visit the box tonight, and that was exactly where he'd found himself a few hours later.

Somehow, an hour in the box was not enough to scratch the itch that watching Y/N had provided earlier that day. Ettore sauntered out of the box and leaned against the wall, exhaling as the air hit his bare chest and the sweat on his skin started to cool. He just couldn't get her perfect little hands out of his mind. The way that her eyes had flashed when she had realised Monte was breathing heavier, how her foot had crept higher and higher up his calf... 

Monte just didn't fucking deserve her. What exactly was the situation between them, anyway? Were they a couple? Were they even fucking each other? …Would Monte mind if he shared her?

So many thoughts were running through his head that it was some time before he even noticed the sound of someone climbing down the ladder into the basement of the ship. Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of orange appeared as another inmate made their way towards the box... it was her.

Y/N had her arms crossed tightly across her chest, with a tight scowl on her face and a flush across her cheeks and down her neck. Her head was craned down as she trudged through the corridor, like she was intensely ashamed and frustrated to even be seen in a place like this. She'd almost entered the box before Ettore finally started to speak.

“Quite the little show from you today, Y/N.”

Her eyes snapped up to his, turning to look at him like a deer in the headlights. She was even cuter when she was like this. All flustered and horny. After a short moment she gathered herself, but only a margin... she was such a little thing. He doubted she could even make her words out at this point, so dickstruck and begging to be fucked.

“... Mind your own business, and I'll mind mine.”

He couldn’t help but snort at her weak retort and got closer to her, leaning his arm just above her on the doorframe.

“I'm just thinking out loud here… but if I was Monte, I wouldn’t let you be seen dead down here... looking for release that he clearly can't give you.”

Ettore continued, Y/N's breath quickening as he leaned closer still to whisper huskily into her ear.

“If I was Monte, you wouldn't need to fuck a machine late into the night to get yourself off... Think about it.”

And with that he backed away throwing her a shit-eating grin over his shoulder as he climbed up the ladder.

He wouldn't have her just yet; he'd bide his time.

… Whoever said that life at the prison was boring?

[rockyfellasfort]

Are you into mainstream dc and/or Marvel comics? If yes, do you have any favorite Heroes?

I don't actually read any DC or Marvel comics. Not really my thing. Which might surprise some with my Glitter and Guilt worldbuilding but I'm just real picky. I typically lean more towards manga and webcomics because they all typically are written by one person and have one specific storyline all the way through without having to jump around.

The closest I've gotten to enjoying DC and Marvel stuff is the animated Justice League when I was a kid (with the black green lantern), Teen Titans when it aired on cartoon network, and X-Men Evolution with the really cute Nightcrawler.

I like the Spiderverse films. REALLY pretty artistically and a feat in animation.

I also liked the Marvel moves up until Infinity War...or Endgame? WHICHEVER ONE IS THE ONE WHERE EVERYONE COMES OUT THE PORTALS IN THE FINAL BATTLE! I enjoyed Wandavision a lot as well but that was for the creepy elements underlying it in the early episodes before it suffered from the Marvel curse.

I don't know if I really have a favorite hero. I mean, I def do it's just a matter of which version I guess with how the comics are written by various writers over the years

I guess Miles from the Spiderverse films is the best I can go with a favorite that I can GENUINELY say is a fave.

The thing about super heroes is that you see them everywhere when you're growing up so I can't tell if I really have Superman as a favorite hero or if he's just a character I like. Same with Batman.

I don't hate them, I like what people do with their designs and they are basically modern day myths but Spiderverse Miles is a character I can relate to, with a personality I enjoy, with a design I like, and an overall story I like so far.

Second up would be Nightcrawler from the X-Men Evolution show.

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Comeback Celebration: Current Top Ten Sunmi Songs

I noticed, while I was working on this, that I talk about Sunmi the way orbits talk about Loona--I think you'll see what I mean as we go down the list! I think it's the admiration I have for how creative & well-crafted her releases are. "Heroine" was the song that got me into Sunmi, though her most recent comeback at the time was "Lalalay" (I remember because the ponytail dance was EVERYWHERE). My admiration was secured after her 1/6 album--even though her discography is still small, I think that album really fleshed it out, to the point where I finally felt like I could understand her as an artist. Happy Sunmi comeback to us all!

1. pporappippam

This is my "Butterfly". I remember when this song came out, I remember when it changed the world, it's all things divine, it's my conduit to a romanticized version of my teenage years, it's a supercut of all the most wonderful colors you've ever seen in the sky at sunset. In all seriousness, though--I really don't get how people find this song boring. It manages to be a soft, ethereal track and an addictive pop hit, a perfect balance of peaceful atmospherics and unrelenting pace. This one is really special to me!

2. 1/6

This is my "Loonatic". I got dream pop with this song--okay, "1/6" might not exactly be dream pop, but it's soft and dreamy in a way that made me finally see the appeal of that type of song, like why someone would want to get lost in that hazy sonic world.

3. Siren

"Siren" is a piano crashing into you from a third-story window. Like, I don't know how it's ever possible to be emotionally ready for this song. Its brute-force approach is just so goddamn memorable, especially because Sunmi doesn't overuse it in the rest of her discography--she usually goes for subtlety, but her vocals carry a powerful chorus like this one just so well.

4. Narcissism

This one's also in the brute-force category, especially because the production takes this really messy, maximalist approach--and fuck it, it works. I love this song a whole lot: the soft intro; the weird schoolbell-through-intercom-static sounds; the way the chorus hits; the way Sunmi navigates the song's rapid rises and falls. If you miss old-school EDM (read: if you obsess over Dreamcatcher's "Can't get you out of my mind" like I do), I think you'll really enjoy this one.

5. Call

Yeah, no surprise here, I always love club music. But this club classic is particularly intricate, built on a really interesting contrast: Sunmi's gritty vocals over an exceptionally pristine house beat.

6. Black Pearl

This song is just cool. Like, that saxophone solo is just really, really cool. Like, I want to be a guy who has this song at the top of his most-listened list. Maybe one day!

7. Heroine

Yeah, the beat drop is kind of wimpy, so that part didn't age all that great. But Sunmi's PERFORMANCE here?? That prechorus is one for the ages. Five years ago, the emotion of this song absolutely captivated me, and it still resonates with me today.

8. Lalalay

In contrast, this one aged wonderfully! Now that I'm not being constantly overloaded with beat drops in every other song (thank you, 2019 Twice & 2021 Olivia Rodrigo!), I can really appreciate how interesting "Lalalay" is! I used to think this one was boring and lacking inspiration, but now that I'm revisiting it, I think the dynamics of the chorus are pretty compelling (yes, I think the beat drop is compelling, sue me)--like, do you hear how the weird note thingie is fading in and out? how the volume shifts? I love it so much!! My favorite part is the bridge, though--the flight attendant bit remains iconic, and the segue into the final chorus is breathtaking.

9. Heart Burn

This will forever remind me of a song from my childhood--the melody of the chorus is vaguely reminiscent of Taylor Dayne's "Tell It to My Heart", which my mom used to play in the car--so this song hits unfairly hard for me. Like, it's already a reserved, mysterious summer hit, but to me it sounds like a half-formed image of your old living room, or the voice of an elementary-school friend whose name you can't quite recall speaking from the void. Cloudy, surreal, a bit unsettling, but altogether sweet. Also, the color scheme of this music video is super striking, so "Heart Burn", despite its simplicity, gets a LOT of bias points from me.

10. What the Flower

This is like the evil twin of Red Velvet's "Good, Bad, Ugly". They both go for the lounge-singer vibe, but Red Velvet have really pure, sweet-sounding vocals, while Sunmi's voice, and her work as a whole, have always been very savory (like, anti-saccharine?). Both songs are great, and I especially love how both allow for some wonderful piano appreciation (shoutout to the guitar in "What the Flower", too!). The singalong bit at the end of "What the Flower" is really striking, so this one has stuck around in my head over the years, even before I could really appreciate its quieter sections.

Honorable Mentions: 24 Hours (obligatory), Who am I, Curve (also obligatory), Tail (Sunmi's charisma wins this one), Call my name

[omegaremix]

The Great Cassette Purge.

Cassettes are the life of me. I have hundreds of them. I’ve bought them, recorded off the radio with them, made mixes and traded them with friends and people overseas. I’ve experimented with them and fixed them when they jammed, creased, or snapped themselves. They’ve been with me on bus trips to rival schools, on many a ride to Brooklyn and Staten Island, on ferries to Mashantucket and Atlantic City casinos, and as far up as Rochester for a music festival. They been with me through the golden-age of hip-hop, Top 40 stations, nine years of independent radio, and the reason why seasons came to play with personal mixtapes of mine. They are literal time machines. They’ve made me and Ω+.

The arrival of my 30GB iPod Classic and digital music forced my Walkmans to shamefully retire. The tapes have sat on shelves until I have time to digitize them. I’ve seen the format go on life support and now they’re making a comeback, even if only hanging by their own film (sorry). Some artists, especially punks, beatmakers, and d.i.y. artists still sell them. There’s even Cassette Store Day, and Long Island has their own online dealer in Tapehead City located in Long Beach. Cassettes are dead. Long live cassettes.

One summer day in the early Oughts, My insurance agent inherited two boxes of cassettes from a friend of his. He had no use for them, and neither did my agent. He didn’t want to throw them away, so he gave them to his best customer: my dad. Dad thought he was over-paying for his car insurance. At least he got a little something back for it. I come home and he tells me that there’s a surprise waiting for me. Hey, faithful Ω+ readers, wanna’ roll the dice on what that surprise was? C’mon…take a wild guess.

More good news came a few months later when my bro- gave me another surprise: more cassettes. Another boxes’ worth. He found them in the backseat of a car at a friend’s junkyard…which…didn’t sound right? I’ve essentially doubled my cassette library for free in nine months than I did buying them in twelve years. Way better than the trash heaps of big band records, medieval revival, and polka records dad used to bring home. Twice he did that to me. Twice! Of the nearly 175 cassettes I received, about half of them were library gold.

For doing absolutely nothing except coming home that day, I managed to get six R.E.M. albums and four Kate Bush tapes without even asking. Don’t tell Henry Rollins or Killing Joke’s Jaz Coleman about the U2 albums I got, too. And let’s hear it for three Smiths albums, once upon a time before Morrissey became the racist shit-gibbon he’s been for years.

Maintaining that Eighties quotient is essential with industrialists everywhere. Thank the Lord for Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration and Violator. Three from Adam Ant. Two from The Cars? Childhood justified, and Ric Ocasek produced gems with Alan Vega and Suicide. I even got a few midnight treats as well. The Cure, Siouxsie Sioux & The Banshees, and a Bauhaus double feature? I’m sadder as I ever been.

Alternative has always been synonymous with cassettes; plasticky and shelved nice and neat on display in your bedroom like the CDs you purchased from the mall. Those are authentic Nineties flashbacks. Gin Blossoms have been remembered as one of the more modest and respectable groups in the game. A free space for Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking which I unknowingly purchased again on disc later on. Mother’s Milk from the Red Hot Chili Peppers made One Hot Minute the only other album of theirs I need that matters to me.

More classics with two David Bowie titles and The Velvet Underground featuring Lou Reed. Sadly, the Bowie and Reed tapes didn’t make out with each other after the show. Add two from The Doors as well, because having too much Jim Morrison is never a bad thing. And finally, a good windfall doesn’t come without punk. A Fall release that wasn’t I Am Kurious Oranj which is the equivalent of owning Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue. Iggy Pop, Husker Du, and The Stranglers also arrived. I can also tell you that since then, Public Image Ltd.’s 9 was one of the better free gifts I ever listened to and what made me a die-hard fan.

That’s the good.

The bad? It’s enough for you to question why I’d be doing Ω+. The law of averages dictate that amongst the larger number of cassettes you get, you’re bound to have a few eye-rolls and head-shakers. I ask myself what am I going to do with six Elvis and Judas Priest tapes? Nothing. The New Monkees without David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, or Peter Tork? Might as well give me Fakewood Mac, too. It only gets worse from here. Liberace, Thompson Twins, Simply Red: these are legitimate hits to someone’s reputation. Wang Chung? Corey Hart? Rick Fucking Astley? They lead someone to the firing line with no conscience rounds and no common courtesy to be offered a cigarette.

That’s more than enough of the bad.

Ric Ocasek, producer and lead singer of The Cars, passed away just recently. Maximillian and I were cock-fighting over our record collections and made me realize I had some catching up to do. Count on friends to make you feel inferior and incomplete. Every year I do music library audits and even I surprise myself when I re-discover things I thought I never had. Not too long ago, I pulled out doubles I had of vinyl records I purchased before. I’ve been meaning to comb through my cassette library and rid myself of titles I had no interest in keeping or hearing. Now that’s done, I’m deciding on what to do next. I announced to the world of the Great Cassette Purge of 2019 and—

“OMG where did they go ive been meaninn to expand my cassette collection”, chimed in our former program-director Layne like a random gossip queen. M-Ro, another close friend of the station, got a little bit more sly and posted himself without referencing me. “Attention everyone. if you ever run into the problem of not knowing what to do with your unwanted records, tapes, cds, dvds, etc. I will 100% take them off your hands, just putting it out there.” Yeah, how cute of you.

I haven’t decided to what to do with them just yet. Selling them for money to a record-store on on Discogs is not an option. A ton of these things have been made and are not rare. It sounds like I may have takers, but they haven’t asked me directly like gibbering-wreck wallflowers who piss themselves in front of the girl they want to take to the prom. Only time will tell who ends up getting cursed with the fucking Astley and Wang Chung tapes.

Now, the survivors of The Great Cassette Purge:

Adam & The Ants Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants Prince Charming

Adam Ant Vive Le Rock

Aerosmith Big Ones

Bauhaus The  Sky’s Gone Out / Press The Eject And Give Me The Tape

Cars, The s/t

Cars, The Shake It Up

Charlatans UK, The Some Friendly

Cocteau Twins Blue Bell Knoll

Cure, The Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

Cure, The Standing On A Beach

David Bowie Fame And Fashion

David Bowie Let’s Dance

Deee-Lite World Clique

Depeche Mode Black Celebration

Depeche Mode Violator

Dire Straits Alchemy (live)

Divinyls s/t

Doors, The Strange Days

Doors, The Waiting For The Sun

Duran Duran Arena

Duran Duran s/t

Duran Duran Seven And The Caged Tiger

Echo & The Bunnymen Reverberation

Echo & The Bunnymen s/t

Echo & The Bunnymen Songs To Learn & Sing

Elvis Costello & The  Attractions, The Best Of…

Elvis Costello Spike

Erasure The Innocents

Fall, The Seminal Live (???)

Gin Blossoms Up And Crumbling

Happy Mondays Pills N’ Thrills And Bellyaches

Human League, The Hysteria

Husker Du Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Iggy Pop Brick By Brick

Indigo Girls Rites Of Passage

INXS Kick

Jane’s Addiction Nothing’s Shocking

Kate Bush Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush Lionheart

Kate Bush The Kick Inside

Kate Bush The Sensual World

Kinks, The Think Visual

Kraftwerk The Mix

Ministry In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up (live)

New Order Substance

New Order Technique

Peter Gabriel So

Pop Will Eat Itself Cure For Sanity

Pretenders, The s/t

Pretenders, The The Singles

Public Image Ltd. 9

Queen s/t

R.E.M. Document

R.E.M. Eponymous

R.E.M. Fables Of The Reconstruction

R.E.M. Green

R.E.M. Monster

R.E.M. Murmur

Red Hot Chili Peppers Mother’s Milk

Redd Kross Third Eye

Replacements, The Don’t Tell A Soul

Replacements, The Pleased To Meet Me

Sinead O’Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

Siouxsie & The Banshees Peepshow

Smiths, The Louder Than Bombs

Smiths, The Rank

Smiths, The s/t

Steely Dan Greatest Hits

Stranglers, The Aural Sculpture

Talking Heads Speaking In Tongues

They Might Be Giants Lincoln

U2 Achtung Baby

U2 October

U2 Under A Blood Red Sky (live)

Velvet Underground, The Words And Music Of Lou Reed

XTC Oranges & Lemons

[birindale]

Catra looks into ecoterrorism. Perfuma learns about stranger danger. The Netherlands are canon, I guess.

Transcript/Image ID below the cut

[Image Description: A cover and 14 comic pages from the She-Ra mini-comic, “A Most Unpleasant Present”.

Cover: Starburst She-Ra stands in a fairly small meadow of flowers, smiling at Flutterina as the latter lands. Perfuma stands between them, also smiling. The Princess of Power logo takes its customary place at the top of the page, while the title of the issue breaks from tradition and sits directly below it, reading "A Most Unpleasant Present" in violet, with a whisper of a black border surrounding it. At the foot of the page, on a wavy-striped green strip, the copyright info reads "Illustrations: (copyright symbol) Mattel, Inc. 1985. Hawthorne, CA 90250 U.S.A. PRINTED IN TAIWAN. All Rights Reserved. (registered trademark symbol) and TM designate U.S. trademarks of Mattel, Inc." Which is actually a little weird, because this is issue 8 and was released after Fishy Business. I guess they weren't necessarily produced in the order they were published in but huh. Huh!

Page 1: A pale lilac caption box reads, "Never was a garden in Etheria more lovely than the Laughing Swan Inn's. Perfuma tended her flowerbeds with care. Where a flower had bloomed and faded, she quickly planted another. Dainty lady's slippers and sweet candytufts, bright Dutchman's breeches and soft buttercups—each flower was a lovely work of art." Great, now the Netherlands are canon. 

Perfuma is walking through a garden with a basket of flowers in her arms. The artists don't share in the writer's proclivity for flowers, as they've taken the names literally and drawn literal lady's slippers, a pair of jorts overflowing with flowers like a scarecrow that's been chopped in half, and several flowers full of hard candies and candy canes, which is double stupid because candytufts aren't even named after candy (It's from Candia, former name of Crete's administrative capital). Which isn't to say the writer knows all that much, because those flowers would do pretty poorly if subjected to identical conditions. But perhaps Etheria has some kind of magical ability to filter its sunlight and soil drainage for individual flowers. Behind Perfuma is the Laughing Swan Inn, which is shaped like a giant pink swan. So I guess this is another of those things Mattel and Filmation had distinct designs for. 

End Page 1. 

Page 2: A pink caption box reads, "A bustle in the hedgerow took Perfuma by surprise. Looking up, she found a pretty cat-woman was standing at her side." Perfuma meets eyes with a sly-looking Catra, who's in her Scratchin' Sound Catra outfit, sans mask and gloves. Catra is emerging from a flower bed that might once have been a hedgerow but certainly isn't now.

"My my! Your flowerbeds are beautiful this time of year," says Catra, grinning with a little too much tooth.

"Won't you plant these seeds too? They're a special gift," she says, holding a neatly wrapped present out to a pleased Perfuma. It's wrapped in yellow paper and a blue bow. 

End Page 2.

Page 3: A pink caption box reads, "Perfuma quite unwittingly obliged. In an instant, pigweed and poison ivy sprang up everywhere! She found herself trapped in a tangle of briars with no hope for escape!" A startled Perfuma raises her arms and looks down at more plant names taken literally, with several shrubs sprouting pig heads and skull-and-crossbones blossoms. Poison ivy and pigweed are both used to refer to a series of weeds found primarily in eastern North America, especially further south. They're prickly and tend to snag, and of course poison ivy is an allergenic, irritating the skin and causing rashes, but neither of them has thorns so I wouldn't really use the term 'briar'. Like you're going to be pretty itchy and covered in seeds for a while, but you could simply walk out. 

"Soon all Etheria's gardens shall look like thisss!" says Catra, grinning again. 

End Page 3. 

Page 4: Oh, I see. This and page 3 form a two-page spread. Catra is standing on the other side of a meadow of weeds, arms held out and away from her body as if she's basking in the light of the sun, her face lit up with an exultant smile. There are more skulls and pigs heads around her, plus a few evil-looking fiddleheads that vaguely resemble ram horns. 

"Full of weeds… wonderful weeds!" says Catra, gesturing at her handiwork. Girl it was one seed bomb this is hardly guerilla gardening. 

End Page 4.

Page 5: A pink caption box reads, "Flutterina watched from a second story window at the inn. Spotting Catra, her face darkened. She knew she had to fly to Crystal Castle for help." Flutterina is standing on the world's smallest balcony, like I think as small as one can be before it stops being a windowsill. But it looks OSHA-compliant, so good for Thaymor. Perfuma and Catra are visible in the field of weeds below her. 

"So, Catra's up to her old tricks! I must get help quickly," says Flutterina, flying towards the Crystal Caslte.

End Page 5. 

Page 6: A pale purple caption box reads, "Spotting Flutterina in the air, Butterflyer took wing to meet her. Breathlessly, the young girl revealed Perfuma's plight. Her words echoed through Crystal Courtyard as Princess Adora listened secretly." So Butterflyer (usually called THE Butterflyer) was a carrying case released with Wave 2 of the toys. In-universe she was discovered by She-Ra in 'the beautiful caverns deep beneath Crystal Castle' sleeping in a cocoon and woke her up, whereafter she carried She-Ra and her friends around Etheria.

The illustration shows Adora watching Flutterina land in what's apparently called 'Crystal Courtyard', where Bow and a very green Mermista receive her. Like, her hair is green, her outfit is green, I literally wouldn't know this was Mermista aside from the necklace and seashell bodice. It doesn't help that (the) Butterflyer is nowhere to be seen despite being featured in the caption. 

A pale purple caption box reads, "She knew they would need her help. So she drew her Sword of Protection and said…" Adora holds the hilt of the sword, just in-frame. 

"For the honor of Grayskull…" says Starburst She-Ra, transforming with her arms spread wide, "I am She-Ra!"

End Page 6. 

Page 7: A pale pink caption box reads, "She-Ra leaped between Butterflyer's wings and beckoned her friends to join her. "Quick, everyone! We must help Perfuma stop Catra from ruining the beautiful gardens!" She-Ra said. In an instant they were airborne, heading for the Laughing Swan Inn." Oh good, we're back to quotations in the caption boxes. Bow and Mermista seem to be riding comfortably astride (the) Butterflyer, while She-Ra is like… floating alongside her? Her right hand is resting on her, but her left arm is held out and away from her body, while her legs float in free space. Flutterina flies along behind the Butterflyer. Mermista's hair is closer to teal than green on this page, so we're getting there. The Crystal Castle recedes into the distance behind them, sitting atop a beautiful pink mesa.

The Butterflyer is slightly smaller than her toy, proportionally speaking, being only about twice the size of the figures here. She's all pink, including skin and hair, though it's lighter and darker there, respectively. As a toy, her skin is a pearlescent white almost the same color as She-Ra's outfit, and her wings are a different, more flexible plastic, used as handles to carry the figures around. This picture is slightly off-model, as it shows the Butterflyer with her arms held back against her side aerodynamically, whereas the toy has them clasped in front of her and holding a white butterfly. She also has a different neckline; the toy has a scoop neck with a patterned border and the picture features more of a poorly-defined feather look. It's also sleeveless, instead of the elaborately patterned opera glove/sleeve combo of the toy. We can't even say they were keeping it closer to the Filmation design, because that one doesn't HAVE arms. 

End Page 7.

Page 8: Catra swoons extremely dramatically as a huge flower emerges from Perfuma's back and emits a large yellow cloud. A pale purple caption box reads, "Meanwhile, Perfuma had used her magic sleeping power to put Catra in a deep sleep. But she knew her power was only temporary and Catra would be awake soon." The skulls and pig heads are still there. 

"Oh my, I must have dozed off! Your power is strong, Perfuma, but not strong enough!" says Catra, who's awake again, after a single panel.

"Oh no… here comes She-Ra!" says Catra, looking mildly concerned.

End Page 8. 

Page 9: A pale purple caption box reads, "Down, down Butterflyer dived. Perfuma grabbed Bow's arm and off they flew leaving Catra behind in the brambles." Okay but if you just wanted to escape why not do it for the 5 seconds she was unconscious? I thought the idea was to stop her from seed-bombing the whole planet. Bow is floating off the side of the Butterflyer now too, his arm wrapped around Perfuma's waist to lift her to safety. Mermista and She-Ra are beaming at him. She-Ra has her sword raised ineffectually and Catra is seething in the meadow below.

"You butterbrains! Flee before you feel my fireweed at your feet!" says Catra, hurling what appears to be a flaming dandelion after them instead of the pioneer species also known as rosebay willowherb and bombweed. This time it seems not to be intended as a literal reference, at least.

End Page 9. 

Page 10: A pale purple caption box reads, "Mermista quickly put out the fireweed. Caught in the spray, Catra ran for cover. Swooping down, Butterflyer made a perfect landing at the Laughing Swan's front door." The Butterflyer smiles at a small explosion, as Mermista shoots a jet of water from her necklace at the fireweed. Mermista, Perfuma, Bow, and She-Ra are atop the Butterflyer, and there's a pair of butterfly wings behind Perfuma so I think the implication is that Flutterina is now, too? 

"Hurry, everybody! We have no time to waste!" says She-Ra, gesturing for her friends to spring into action now that they're all on the ground.

End Page 10. 

Page 11: A pale pink caption box reads, "She-Ra and her friends worked quickly to save Perfuma's garden. Bow began pulling weeds, but Catra hurled a tumbleweed that sent him sprawling. Waist-deep in tarweed, Mermista was helpless to stop him. Perfuma was certain Catra could not be stopped, but She-Ra had a plan." The princesses look on in mild concern as Catra gleefully throws a gross, fleshy, hollow orb at Bow. Honestly it looks like the mace of a nutmeg, without the nutmeg. There are still pig heads and skulls and such around everyone. The Laughing Swan Inn looms in the background but does help balance the composition a bit.

"It's time to give Catra a taste of her own medicine!" says She-Ra.

End Page 11.

Page 12: A pale purple caption box reads, "She-Ra sent Perfuma inside the Inn. When the girl returned, she held two tiny seeds—one in each hand. She-Ra told Perfuma she must trust the magic of the Sword of Protection and gently waved it over the girl's open palms." Perfuma looks down at her palms, held face up with a seed in each, as She-Ra holds a very short-looking Sword of Protection over them and lifts her other hand as though casting a spell. The sword and Perfuma's hands glow with sparkling purple magic. 

The seeds, about the size of blueberries, are coated in a golden light.

They grow larger, more the size of cherries. "Why, look!" says Perfuma.

They grow larger, now the size of kiwis. "The seeds have tripled in size!"

End Page 12.

Page 13: "Now quickly, Perfuma! Throw the seeds at Catra's feet!" says She-Ra. 

A pale purple caption box reads, "Huge snapdragons and dogwood sprang from the ground—their bark worse than their bite. Catra quickly darted away, quivering with fright." A dog-headed plant barks at Catra, while three 'dragon' plants snap. Catra looks apprehensive, rearing away from them but not yet running. Perfuma and She-Ra watch from the background, smiling wide.

End Page 13. 

Page 14: A pale purple caption box reads, "Perfuma's eyes were full of tears. Catra was gone indeed, but she had left her weeds behind! She-Ra gently spoke to the girl with words both wise and kind. "Catra plays some nasty tricks; but we can help you make your garden pretty again. Perfuma, I think we can all learn a lesson here!"" Is it the lesson that semicolons function as conjunctions and as such you should never follow it with a second? No? Just that you should always take plant names literally? 

She-Ra puts a consoling hand on Perfuma's shoulder. 

"Oh, yes! I know now that it's dangerous to take gifts from strangers," says a crying Perfuma, in the orange-ish red of recent morals.

"Come on everybody and pitch in! We have work to do!" says Bow, holding a hoe. 

End Page 14.

End ID]

[a-penchant-for-the-lethe]

Regulus' problem started with James.

James, who would absolutely take any excuse to hold Regulus' hand, asked if it was okay if he doodled little pictures on him. Claiming that it would help him focus.

"What do you mean there's paper right there, Love? Just give me your hand. Please?"

So, James just started scribbling little suns and snakes and one dopey lion (whose ears were vaguely lopsided) looking extremely content while doing so. Regulus - the poor sod, always weak for a happy James - just let him get away with it.

A mistake, he realized much too late. As soon as Pandora saw she wanted to add her own "artistic vision" to his hands and who could possibly resist Pandora? So, in addition to the snakes, the suns, and the lion (whom they'd lovingly named Leopold), there were flowers and vines weaving their way through his fingers and up his sleeves. Small rainbows, in only black ink, on the backs of his hands.

Dorcus was the next one bold enough to ask. A bracelet of triangles was added around his wrists in an up-down pattern.

"Because you only ever accessorize with rings. You need to branch out. See? Bracelets suit you, Reggie."

Evan wanted to add clouds to the ends of Pandora's rainbows ("Rainbows shouldn't just end like that. It looks weird. Come here, let me fix it.") along with the uneven swirls he drew on each of Reg's fingertips.

Barty was absolutely distraught to have been the last in their little group to get to draw on Regulus. It was a terrible betrayal that James got to do it before him, despite it being James’ idea to begin with.

He put tiny X's all the way down Regulus's pinkies. Then, he did the same to his own hands. So they would match. And so that if they were to theoretically make a pinky promise, which of course they would never do, as the serious and intimidating posh boys they were... then the X's would line up.

Sirius nearly triped over Remus when he saw what had been done to his brother because Regulus never painted on his hands as a kid. His memory was always really good, so there was no need to jot down quick reminders on the backs of his palms.

Whenever he did need to remember something, he just wrote it in that little black notebook he took everywhere, the one he would never let Sirius see.

Sirius, on the other hand, was almost always covered in little pictures and notes because he was scatter-brained, but mostly because it irritated their mother to no end.

Regulus never wanted to do anything that could disappoint their mother, so the image of Regulus holding on to his books with arms covered in ink was an odd one for Sirius. Regulus looked defiant. More importantly, Regulus looked happy.

Regulus explained his "predicament" to them in a petulant tone. Despite the small smile that seemed to be making its way onto his face as he recounted how James’ small requests snowballed into whatever the heck was going on with his hands now.

Sirius asked if they could "contribute to the community canvas" that had become of Regulus's skin, and he relented with the worlds most dramatic sigh. Remus drew a crescent moon on Reggie's left arm while Sirius drew a star on his right.

Peter was so shy about asking, Regulus wasn't entirely sure if he would. Regulus found himself very glad that Peter did, however, because when he finished, there was the most adorable and detailed little drawing of a mouse Regulus had ever seen.

His hands were almost entirely covered by the end of the day, so it was honestly a miracle that Lily found space for anything at all. But if Regulus knew anyone capable of miracles, it was certainly Lily Evans. Her design was a simple heart just below his thumb.

"A reminder. And a promise," she had said,"of how much we love you."

When Regulus watched the ink wash away in the shower, he was surprised by how sad he was to see it go. His arms felt bare when he went to bed. He thought it was strange just how quickly he'd gotten used to the doodles, like they'd always been there, under his skin.

He supposed James’s idea wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, initially. He found that, maybe, he already missed Leopold, and Lily's heart, and all the little pictures that served as proof that he was loved.

Eventually, he learned he didn't really need the pictures, though, because he had the people. People who still loved him even when there weren't strangely-ending rainbows and hearts on his hands to prove it.

They'd always been there. His people. He couldn't imagine a world where they wouldn't be. It was like imagining the earth without the sun. The sky without the stars. Unnatural. Cold.

The next morning, Mary and Marlene got to him first. A dimond and a broomsitck were the first things added to his arms, respectively. He thought it was incredible how quickly he'd grown to love so many people even when he never thought he could.

Maybe a younger version of him would be screaming that this could get back to his mother, somehow. That this would disappoint her. He could no longer find it in him to care. Because he had people who really loved him right here. Absolutely extatic that their little drawings came out so well.

His arms were always clean by the time he went to bed, but every day, he got to collect new doodles from all his favorite people.

It was always slightly different. Paw prints or sometimes footprints made their way down his arms. Sometimes, there were antlers or intricately drawn eyes. Sometimes, Peter would show off and draw something incredible that would have everyone else trying a little bit harder with their doodles that day.

Always, no matter how much room was left (be it a little or a lot), there was a heart from Lily. Always. A reminder. A promise. He was loved. By so many wonderful people. His real family loved him, and at the end of the day, that was everything. The only thing that mattered.

They surrounded him with warmth and love like it was the most natural thing in the world for them. Even if he could never be as open as Lily with her endless complements or as touchy as James with his soft hugs and quick kisses, he could learn to love and be loved more. In subtle ways that meant the world to the people who cared about him.

James takes every excuse to hold his hand, and Lily never misses a chance to tell him he's lovely. His friends throw themselves near him in piles and laugh until their lungs ache. His brother is with him again like he should be. Like that's the only way the universe will have it. There is love.

It doesn't matter if someday the only marking left on Regulus' arm was not drawn out of love. And it doesn't matter if the end of the story is not kind. If it is cold and unnatural like a sky without stars, because there was love.

And he can hope that his sacrifice will be enough to make up for his mistakes. He can hope that his final act will help shift the tides of the war, keep the people he loves safe. He can hope that his brother will forgive him if he ever leans the truth. He can hope that his life will leave an impact.

Because the end of the story is not what matters. The only thing that matters now is that the love he had at the start stays with him. It's proof he existed. That was his impact. No one final act of reckless heroics but infinite acts of courage and kindness and compassion that lead him to his people.

The end of the story doesn't matter, repeats like a mantra in Regulus head as water tries to wash away the marking on his arm one final time. The gray hands that grip him can take this mark. He never wanted it anyway, and he won't be sorry to see it go. The ones that matter will stay with him, always.

Beneath his skin. Burned into his heart. Keeping him warm even as cold water fills his lungs and makes him ache in such a familiar way. The harder it gets to think, the easier it is to convince himself that the pressure in his chest is just Lily sprawled across him on the couch. James told a supid joke. Now Regulus is laughing so hard he's running out of air. The moment the pressure eases up, Regulus will get him back.

And if the pressure never eases up, at least Regulus can be sure that he had love at the start, and he has love now. Always. Lily promised, and she's always right. The water can wash away all the ink it wants. Take his air and his life. It can think itself invincible. Because as long as stars burn in the sky, Regulus will be loved.

[madness-of-void]

Final Cosplay Result!!!!

Here is the part two as promised!

All the goodness below the cut!

BAG

Since the last one screamed at me that I had hit my photo limit, we will start off with the bag I had for the con!

So, I got a plain messenger bag. It was a toss up between black or brown, and I went with black because, well...it just looked better. Then, I went on a pin buying spree to decorate!

I got these all on etsy from Sugarnova, TheGrayMuse, and TheseAreThings. If you like these, definitely give their shops a look! They have a ton more awesome pins and other goodies! (And the pics don't do them justice)

I had this button also lying around! Which, unfortunately, I have no idea where I got it from. And I searched everywhere to find the info for this. But, alas, nothing. So if you know who the artist of this is...please lemme know. I would love to link to their shop if they still have one, or to wherever they post!

Now...with all of that...here is the final result!

And, oh? What is this? Ink keychain? Yes! I do have one from a run in Sanny's kofi! It's no longer on there, BUT! Sanny does have new goodies in the shop right now! Which you should totally check out if you can.

Also...

Surprise Error ;3

LE COSPLAY!!!!

So! A few things:

1 - By the time I finally got a full pic of the cosplay...we were about to leave, I was exhausted, and I looked like a drowned rat. So...the only decent ones I got were...selfies ^^;

2 - The inkblot is on the correct side...but in selfie mode, my camera switches it, so it looks like it's on the wrong side for all but one (and the full shot) ;_;

3 - At one point, the blue vial decided it no longer wanted to be in the sash and yeeted itself to the floor. It didn't break! Thankfully. But the irony of that is not lost on me.

4 - The other person in the selfies is my sis. We also went with our baby sib and their bestie, but I am not posting those since we are adults and they are not.

Okay! That's it. So, without further ado...the very few pics!

(Pardon the setting. Had the best lighting in my current residence.)

Aaaand that's it! Again, was such a rough cosplay for me to throw together, despite it not being the most complex I've seen. But as someone who really doesn't do anything with like...this? It was hard XD

Thanks for letting me ramble about something as silly as this. I won't really be doing that for next year since I literally already have everything, I just have to tidy up the wig.

Once again, as stated in my last post, the hoodie was made by @simakai! And I 150% recommend checking out her shop! They are amazing, super comfy, and there's more than just UT/UTMV goodies there!

Toodle pip!

[mrs-barnes-library]

What about a hc of Deidara with s/o who has similar powers like Danny Rand/Iron Fist?

Having The Same Powers As Iron Fist || Deidara x reader

A/n : I'm a real Marvel fan but I had to make some researches in the comics and the series lmao because I didn't know anything about his powers. It was really fun though :3c

THANK YOU so much for the ask ! It was a real pleasure to write 😍🔥

OUTFIT REFERENCES : You can either imagine you're wearing THIS inside the Akatsuki robe OR that you have your own type of robe like THIS

Masterlist ⚜

Warning : Mention of fight and injuries but it's soft

I don’t give permission to repost my work, if you want to share it just reblogue it

Words count : 1161

First of all for me it's logical to think that you are part of the fearsome fighters of the Akatsuki. Proudly wearing your black outfit with a red cloud pattern so recognizable everywhere you went. It's your boyfriend, the explosive artist Deidara who designated it, as it was a bit too long for you and was getting in the way when you were fighting

Even though it looked great on you, he liked it better when you took it off, revealing your yellow and green outfit, matching the color of his hair and ring. With a black tattooed dragon resting proudly on your chest, which he was trying to replicate with his clay

He sees you as a real masterpiece, his masterpiece

On the other hand you prefer to think of yourself as a Swiss Army knife and you have good reason. You have already mastered a great number of martial arts. In fact all the most important ones. Jujustu, easy, taekwondo, a piece of cake and not only that. You proudly add kung-fu, boxing, judo, karate, muay thai, savate… you have enough to say for an hour

That's the reason why you were able to join Akatsuki, they realized that your fighting skills were beyond comprehension. You were very grateful, because you were surrounded by ninja deserters, nukenin, like you and especially because you met your soul mate, the beautiful Deidara, the artist who gave back its colors to your life

At that time, however, no one suspected that your fighting abilities were not at all due to a particular power but only to your training and that you were saving your true potential for an

emergency case. Only if the fight became really out of hands

If your allies didn't know the extent of your powers, how would the enemies know ?

So for a long time your comrades only saw you fighting hand to hand with nunchakus or a stick

Deidara was amazed every time he attended your fights when you were paired together. One day you caught a kunai thrown at full speed towards your eye with only two fingers. He felt that sometimes it was almost too easy for you. It's true that with your stamina, your speed, your agility and your 5 fives multiplied like that no enemy could compete with you

That is, until the Konoha ninjas got involved

The problem is that this is the village you deserted and they, at least the older ones, already know your secret power and your level of fighting

That is to say that somersaults and baton twirling were useless against opponents like Guy Maito or Kakashi Hatake who once trained with you

Using your secret weapon was your only way to get the upper hand in the fight, as you had never used it on them for fear of hurting them. However times had changed and now you were part of the Akatsuki

For the first time you revealed to your fellow Akatsuki your true power as you clenched your

fist to concentrate your chakra - or chi as you liked to call it - lighting it up before punching the ground. This created a mini earthquake, as the shockwave blew your enemies backwards, giving you time to recover

The fight had ended very badly. Deidara had lost his arms and he was waiting for the enemies to leave to recover them. But in the meantime he was suffering the martyrdom. So you hid behind a tree and put your shining hand on the place where his arm should be and eased his pain. To his surprise he relaxed immediately and gave you a loving and affectionate toothy grin. Until he realized that it was you that was taking the pain for him

"Sunshine please don't hurt for me" he said to you while moving back slightly to cancel the effect of your power but you came closer and resumed what you were doing brushing one of his gold strand behind his ear. He looked at you with hearts in his eyes before kissing your cheek

After the fiasco of this mission you decided to train even harder to make sure to never see him hurt like that

You managed to master the Iron Fist with your second hand. Being able to concentrate your vital energy to strike without taking a momentum with that one too

You took a cue from Guy and Rock Lee's kicking style attacks for the rest of your training. Trying to concentrate your chakra in your foot so that it can blow through walls and metal doors

Deidara loves to call you "The queen of the grand entrance"

The last step of your training was the most difficult. This is the mental side of your power

You realized that in a moment of stress you could communicate mentally with your boyfriend

The first time it happened you were 500 meters ( 0.007 miles ) away from him and he heard you yell a mentally directed insult at your opponent but he could have sworn you were screaming next to him, turning around to make sure you weren't there but of course you weren't. In the evening he had asked you about it and that's when you realized your potential

After weeks of training you were able to establish a psychic link with your allies enough for them to respond to you in battle

In everyday life it was quite practical to exchange sweet words with Deidara without the others hearing or just when you wanted to see the pink rise on his cheeks and his eyes turn to the other side as the pink turned red

It's in the extension of this ability that Itachi came to talk to you. Indeed, he was wondering if your pshychic ability could be close to his hypnotic Sharingan. Two hypnotists in the ranks of the Akatsuki was better than one

So you started to train with him and after much effort you were able to master light effects that had the ability to hypnotize your enemies

Deidara was a bit jealous during the time you were training. He felt that you were spending all your time with the Uchiwa. But the truth was that he wasn't going easy on you and the training was more torture than fun as Deidara feared

At least, thanks to Itachi, you were able to improve your kunai throwing and your psychic abilities

All the members of the Akatsuki were pleased to have a member as powerful as you

Soon you would be able to rule the world with the help of you and your powers

And Deidara couldn't be prouder of you. He never stopped reminding people that you were his muse, his sorcery of inspiration and above all the love of his life

"On your knees all of you ! The muse of destruction is going to take over your lives on behalf of the Akatsuki !"

~

~

A/n : I hope you guys liked it ! 👅🍭 Again my requests are open 🥝🍯

Taglist : @malfoyscamander, @cl0vr, @ilovemanypeople, @glossy1pearl, @jane57sstuff

[uomo-accattivante]

Great article about The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, which starts previews this Saturday…

Lorraine Hansberry’s “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” began performances on Broadway in the fall of 1964. It closed the following January, days before Hansberry’s death, having run 101 performances.

“Isn’t that insane?” the director Anne Kauffman asked.

This was on a recent afternoon in a rehearsal room of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where Kauffman and her stars, the actors Rachel Brosnahan and Oscar Isaac, were preparing for the play’s first major New York revival since a 14-performance run in 1972. Combining the published script with earlier drafts, Kauffman’s production is scheduled to begin performances on Saturday. She directed a revival of “Sign” at Chicago’s Goodman Theater in 2016. But she didn’t feel finished with it.

“I loved that production. I really did,” she said. “But I had no idea what I was doing compared to the depths that we’re going to on this one.”

A couple of days earlier, I’d watch a half-dozen actors, mostly off book, dip their toes in, negotiating a brisk scene that touched — sardonically, sincerely — on issues of race, gender and sexuality. The sign itself, a campaign poster for a local politician, had yet to be hung, which led to jokes: The Sign on Sidney Brustein’s Balcony, The Sign on Sidney Brustein’s Fire Escape. The actors navigated the scene’s particular rhythms and its many props: cigarettes, ashtrays, a fruit bowl, liquor bottles.

“I don’t know where this will go,” Brosnahan, holding a glass, said.

Kauffman responded: “That’s the fun of rehearsal.”

“Sign” is set in Greenwich Village in 1964, territory more or less familiar to both Isaac (“Inside Llewyn Davis”) and Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). Dedicated to “the committed everywhere,” the script moves between naturalism and a more heightened, poetic style. At its center is the fraught marriage between Sidney (Isaac), a small-business owner and onetime idealist, and Iris (Brosnahan), a would-be actress. All around them are the tumults of the time, which are also the tumults of our time, as each character measures the gulf between who they were, who they are and who they would like to become. In exploring Sidney’s allegiances, some of them misplaced, and Iris’s bid for self-determination, the play opens up questions of competing loyalties, identities and habits of mind.

James Baldwin, who was Hansberry’s friend, described himself, in a speech that he gave to raise funds for it, as deeply moved by the play. “If it cannot survive then we are in trouble,” he said, “because it is about nothing less than our responsibility to ourselves and each other.”

Why was the life of “Sign” so brief? “Very simply put, it’s not a play about Black people,” said Joi Gresham, the director of the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust and an adviser on this production. “She was seen as going out of her lane.”

Only one character in “Sign” identifies as Black, which surprised white critics who had buttonholed Hansberry as a writer devoted to Black characters. They had expected another “A Raisin in the Sun,” and not a protest play about Village bohemians.

All these decades later, the play can be understood as a prescient work about apathy, action and mutual aid. David Binder, the outgoing artistic director of BAM and a longtime champion of Hansberry’s oeuvre, sees it as a work whose time has come. “It’s a play about folks trying to do well in the world, in an incredibly turbulent time,” he said during a recent interview. “They’re trying to do right, personally, politically, socially. There’s never been a better time than now to do this play.”

Isaac agreed. “I want it to feel very alive,” he said. This was on that recent Saturday afternoon. Isaac, curled, beside Brosnahan, into a corner of a prop sofa, with Kauffman just opposite. They had stayed after rehearsal to discuss commitment, change and the ways in which a nearly 60-year-old play can still surprise us. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

Are you sign people? Are there signs that you hang in your own windows?

OSCAR ISAAC My mom’s house is in Vero Beach. Trump country. During the election I put a bunch of Biden stickers on the golf carts.

RACHEL BROSNAHAN My husband and I drove cross country in an RV in 2020. There was signage everywhere. Lawns filled with hundreds of Trump flags. I put a tiny Biden sticker in our window. It couldn’t be too big. We had to sleep there. If we did the play now it would be, “The Post on Sidney Brustein’s Instagram.” It’s all signs and not a lot of substance. You can hang a sign about anything. It’s maybe why I’ve always been a little bit allergic to signs.

ISAAC Makes you feel like a hypocrite.

BROSNAHAN But I go back and forth all the time. I sit on the board of a charitable organization, and I’ve learned how powerful it is to make a post on my Instagram. I guess the answer is you have to do both. You can say what you want, then you have to do it.

What made you want to do this play?

ISAAC It’s around the corner from where I live, a really easy sell. But I tried to get out of it. It’s nights. It’s a big commitment, energetically. I was like, ‘I’m going to read it just to make sure.’ I started reading the first pages. And I was like, ‘No, of course, I’m doing this.’ There’s something about the music of it. It’s undeniable. The draw is just too strong.

BROSNAHAN I had a similar experience. And it couldn’t be further from my house. I’ve spent the last 10 months shooting and really needed a break. But there is a magnetism to this play. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and dreaming about it.

ISAAC It’s like this lost Bach piece. People should hear this music.

Who is Sidney, and what does he believe in?

ISAAC I don’t know. I don’t know if he knows. He is a feeler and someone who’s trying to stop himself from feeling. He’s committed to a lot to things that haven’t panned out. So his hope has dried up. He has a very broad mind and a really keen aesthetic. He’s steeped in the culture of the moment and in the culture of the Village but it’s all starting to dissolve and change. There’s a wave coming — the civil rights movement, the psychedelic movement, Dylan plugging in. And at the heart is this relationship that’s also mutating and shifting. He can’t hold on to anything.

Who is Iris?

BROSNAHAN Iris is also a feeler. And a dreamer. But she doesn’t know how to achieve the dreams. She has a clear picture of what the dream is and no road map. She’s caught between two different waves of feminism. She’s caught between wanting to be cared for and wanting to take care of herself. When she entered into this relationship, she was really happy to be whatever he wanted her to be, to do whatever he wanted her to do, to go wherever he wanted. That was enough. But the world is changing, new conversations are happening. She is in a moment of tremendous change.

The play is nearly 60 years old. What has surprised you about it?

ISAAC The way she talks about identity, that feels eerily prophetic. What’s surprising to me is that this queer Black young woman, in the ’60s, wrote this play that has so much freedom. Every character has moments of extreme selfishness, ignorance and ugliness. Then, within a sentence, they say something that breaks your heart. You don’t see that kind of bravery these days.

BROSNAHAN She gives each and every character the grace to be exactly who they are. She’s extraordinary. And so much of her extraordinary self is in this play. She could hold so many prophetic ideas in her head at once. We are revisiting a huge conversation right now about white apathy and the consequences of that in our political system and world. She explores that with such nuance in this play.

Oscar, you mention identity. Sidney is Jewish as written and you were not raised Jewish. Does that make you feel any particular responsibility?

ISAAC We could play that game: How Jewish are you? It is part of my family, part of my life. I feel the responsibility to not feel like a phony. That’s the responsibility, to feel like I can say these things, do these things and feel like I’m doing it honestly and truthfully.

Has the play made you reflect about your own commitments, your own beliefs?

BROSNAHAN I’ve been very inspired by the play’s criticism of inaction. As someone who can be an absolutist, very all or nothing, it feels like a very hopeful and healthy reminder that you can do something, even something small, even something local. If that’s all you can do, that is enough. If we all do a little bit, we have the ability to make great change. Lorraine believed deeply in people’s ability to make change.

ANNE KAUFFMAN Doing this play and having people come watch it and making sure that it’s accessible, that’s my mission. People need to hear her voice and they need to see this play.

BROSNAHAN We need her in this moment.

KAUFFMAN In every moment. We haven’t even caught up to her. The way that she thinks.

What do you want the audience to experience?

ISAAC I want it to feel very alive. I want it to feel like a happening.

BROSNAHAN I want it to come off of the page. Hopefully people will consider where they do or don’t see themselves in this play and how that moves them.

KAUFFMAN I want people to be exposed to these words at this moment and to know Lorraine Hansberry in a different way. I want to have this be part of the canon. This is not a well-made play. You come expecting to see a Lorraine Hansberry play and this colors way outside the lines. My goal is to let it be wild, not try to tame it.

###

[womenareonline]

The 1975 still...at their very...

I was going to be on a low budget. I knew this when I bought the tickets. I knew maybe I would have to sell them. But I didn’t. I booked the low-cost plane train and hotels. 

And I am so glad I did. A day in Madrid and a day in Paris. 

I met some people in the line who were also alone. That’s the thing about seeing niche smallish artists. To quote Matty “They are the biggest band no one has ever heard of”. Every time someone asked me who I was seeing they were like: Who? It was so funny because the place was packed. 

I’m writing this as a journalistic chronicle which I low-key hate.

I wanted to talk about music, art, and live music. I wanted to talk about that feeling you get when you’re surrounded by people who are there for the same purpose. Because you all love the same music. All of us dress in black, Doctor Martens, converse, and vans. Rectangles everywhere.  This was my third time seeing The 1975 but my first time outside a festival and everyone is right. Their shows are insane. It’s not only the band's energy but everyone around you. All the people around you just get it. They understand all this music. We had this bond who just got this music and what it all meant.  

I’m sure you’ve seen online all the viral shit that goes on at shows. There is still a lot of uncertainty about what it all means. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the show is a whole experience. The theater and movie themes. The media consumption themes. 

It's also of course about the music. The magnetic music. I don’t get it when people say it all sounds the same because you can have a punk rock song like People and then an acoustic almost country one like The Birthday Party (my favorite one). I could go on about the 1975 music production (thanks George Daniel). But hearing their music live is also a whole ocuurance. They don’t miss for a second, and they transmit this beautiful energy that just either gets you dancing or moves you. I used to hate TOOTIMETOOTIME but it’s truly such a fun experience live. Everyone just gets dancing and screaming the lyrics. And they make that, The 1975 does that.

If I have to note some of my favorite moments: 

- When Matty gets on the roof and sings probably one of the most heartbreaking songs ever “Me”. There is something very heartbreaking to hear him sing “Oh I was thinking about killing myself, don’t you mind?” On top of a roof where you can barely make up his face. I did cry the second night I saw them. 

- The 1975 are known for mixing up their setlist, it’s a surprise every time you see them. Hearing So Far It’s Alright (which for me is a masterpiece of songwriting from Matty) which I did not expect in Paris was truly a great experience. I also got a sneaky You and Chocolate in Madrid which also surprised me.  

- When I saw the Paris date I was like “They have to play Paris there", which is one of my favorite songs of all time. Of course, they did (tbh Matty Healy is such a troll that I wouldn’t put it past him to not include it). That was another moment I cried a bit because that was the moment I realized how worth it all was. I realize that getting on that flight, and spending my money on this when I’m struggling a bit, was so worth it. When my plane was moving a lot that day all I could think was “Oh my god, why am I doing this?” And at that moment I realized why. Because I wanted this experience. I wanted to listen to Paris in Paris, one of my favorite songs in one of my favorite cities. I booked the plane tickets and hotel after I saw a tweet one day that said: “Not once in my life did I regret spending money on an experience (a trip, concert, a nice dinner, etc.) be the money always comes back but this is what life is about”. I just realized at that moment why I was there. Why I spent my money on this for this exact moment.

- Before they played Paris (which is about drugs) Matty gave a very good speech about the trouble of drugs and letting us all know he has been clean from heroin for 5 years and the crowd cheered. The beautiful and overwhelming feeling when a few minutes later he sings “as the crowd cheers for an overdose”. That was a very heart-wrenching moment. We are all proud and happy for you, Matty

I get PCD (post-concert depression) but I get post-concert happiness. Where in those moments and a few days afterwards I get this feeling of happiness of being alive. Like I get to be alive at the time as all these performers. I get to do all this stuff and see all these beautiful shows and listen to this music live. I realize being alive it’s very much worth it because of all these feelings. I realize it’s fine to spend money on this thing when you are going to feel this joy and experience all these overwhelming beautiful feelings. So book the flight and get those concert tickets.

[aaronmaurer]

Movies I Liked in 2022

Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.

While my taste in film always tends to be a mix of crowd-pleasers and prestige fare, this year the contrast felt even starker. I call these lists things I “liked” rather than claiming they are the “best” because, though I can recognize when a film is a great work of art even if I never want to revisit it, I tend to want to share/highlight things I actually enjoy.

For example, TÁR is certainly a masterpiece that I found utterly riveting while watching, however, it’s also an uncomfortable and off-putting experience (which is of course, part of – if not entirely – the point). So the 10 films (and honorable mentions) that follow display a level of artistic acumen that resonated with me on multiple levels while also being movies I, you know, liked.

10. After Yang (Blu-ray, VOD, Showtime)

A lyrical science fiction film centered around a family’s relationship their robotic son, director Kogonada’s second effort is beautifully realized and deeply affecting. There are futuristic echoes of the likes of A.I. and Minority Report in the service of deep meditations on life, love and grief.

9. White Noise (Netflix)

Noah Baumbach’s movies are typically a few shades too caustic for my taste, I found but this adaptation of Don DeLillo’s postmodern novel an ideal artistic match. If the book is couched in fatalist black comic critique of Reaganism, then its relevance to our current Trumpist era (where the outsized cult of personality hovers over current politics even after his time in the White House) is perfectly apt. Willful ignorance, denial of death and unabashed consumerism abound, but so do critiques of ivory tower liberalism. The use of 80s filmic tropes to underline the deadpan nature of its setting and content is expertly realized, as is the perfectly (at times) indecipherable & unsettling sound design filled with lots of, what else, white noise.

8. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Theatres)

The best superhero film of the year is more emotionally affecting and more personal than most others in its genre, with writer-director Ryan Coogler and his cast grappling with the real-world death and absence of Chadwick Boseman. The result is kind of shaggy (especially compared to the efficiency of its predecessor), but also includes moments of dynamic action and gorgeous production and costume design, especially for newcomer Namor and his kingdom of Talokan. I also really appreciate an action movie that grapples with themes of revenge vs forgiveness/healing (and not in a way that feels wholly unearned, a la this year’s The Batman, but more like the unjustly maligned Spider-man 3); Shuri’s grief and anger are palpable as she wars with Namor – and herself – and her journey rings true.

7. Everything Everywhere All At Once (Blu-ray, VOD, Showtime)

The Daniels’ maximalist indie epic is wholly unsubtle but genuinely affecting. With themes as broad as the salvation of the multiverse being kindness and love, I suppose you need other broadness as well, including broad comedy (some of which I enjoyed, some of which I did not exactly enjoy while still admiring its audaciousness). Ultimately it is the fully realized performances, primarily those of Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan, that breathe life and humanity into the proceedings, making for a emotionally moving experience.

6. Confess, Fletch (VOD, Showtime)

Having never read any of the Fletch novels or seen the earlier Chevy Chase films, I really had no context for this movie, aside from being a fan of both director Greg Mottola’s Adventureland and the comedic chops of Jon Hamm. I found it to be quite a pleasant surprise, then: a fun whodunnit where the mystery is less important than hanging out with the characters, especially Hamm’s titular investigative journalist. This is the type of eminently rewatchable movie rarely made these days and I’d be quite content if the future finds us with plenty more Fletch adventures to go along with the exploits of Benoit Blanc.

4. (tie) Wendell & Wild (Netflix) / Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)

My two favorite animated films of the year both happen to be stop-motion features bankrolled by Netflix. They’re also both unique visions that don’t pander to a broad audience.

Director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline) created Wendell & Wild in collaboration with Jordan Peele and it’s a favorite of mine from each of their output (yeah, I liked it better than Nope). The design is a visual delight from start to finish and I found the story to be surprisingly resonant (an examination of grief and trauma as well as a critique of corporate interests and the prison industrial complex that also has a lot of great humor and a killer soundtrack).

Del Toro’s version of Pinocchio also features critiques of power, as he sets the tale in fascist Italy. Subverting the quite on-the-nose {ahem} morality of the original story, in del Toro’s vision, it is being yourself and not conforming to puppet-like assimilation that makes one worthy of the gift of life. The design here is stunning as well, especially in the creatures featured throughout.

3. She Said (Blu-ray, VOD, Peacock)

Add She Said alongside the likes of All The President’s Men and Spotlight as a worthy entry into the cannon of great films about investigative journalism. The true story of the New York Times’ investigation by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey into Harvey Weinstein’s crimes, it is a truly moving testament to the heroism and perseverance of these journalists and the incredible bravery of the women who chose to confront an ingrained patriarchal system of abuse. The lead performances by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan are expertly pitched and fully lived in, while simultaneously allowing the stories of the women they interview to truly shine.

2. Glass Onion (Netflix)

Knives Out was my favorite film of 2019, so it was probably inevitable that its follow-up would make an appearance on my list. Thankfully, Glass Onion does not disappoint – it’s a “lighter” and perhaps broader mystery romp, but it is just as smartly constructed and excellently performed (by an entirely new cast of characters, aside from Daniel Craig’s returning Benoit Blanc). While lacking some of the depth of the social commentary of its predecessor, the caper still has a lot on its mind, and its reveals and takedown of the ultimate culprit is immensely satisfying.

1. Cyrano (Blu-ray, VOD, Amazon Prime)

Though technically a 2021 release for awards purposes, Joe Wright’s adaptation of Erica Schmidt’s stage musical Cyrano didn’t really release until February 2022 and it has stuck with me ever since (so much so that I saw it multiple times during its brief theatrical run). As a fan of the National, I was intrigued by the prospect of the music from that band’s Dessner brothers with lyrics by frontman Matt Berninger and his wife Carin, but was surprised at how much the songs moved me, especially as sumptuously staged by Wright. Hayley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr shine as the pair of young lovers Cyrano reluctantly brings together through his words, but it is Peter Dinklage in the title role who is the heart of the film, exposing the soul of the lovelorn poet whose wit and bravado masks his self-doubt and pride.

Bonus! Honorable Mentions:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder (Blu-ray, VOD, Disney+)

The original Doctor Strange and Thor: Ragnorak both rank in my top 5 Marvel films, so I was understandably excited for their follow-ups. And I left mostly satisfied, even if neither reaches the heights of its predecessor. Multiverse of Madness is allowed to be the MCU version of a horror film with plenty of ghoulish Sam Raimi flourishes, and I really loved the audacity of introducing a group of alternate reality heroes known as the Illuminati – including the first official MCU appearances of members of the X-Men and Fantastic Four – just to (spoiler alert!) quickly dispatch them. Love and Thunder tries to do a lot – maybe too much – but still contains great heart and humor typical of Taiki Watiti, plus a great go-for-broke villainous performance from Christian Bale as big bad Gorr the God Butcher. There is a stunning visual innovation on tap as well, displaying some of the most artistic uses of digital effects in recent memory (see the black & white battle sequence).

The Banshees of Inisherin (Blu-ray, VOD, HBOMax)

I quite enjoy Martin McDonagh’s latest (well, as much as one can enjoy such a film), but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of In Bruges for me. I would recommend it, however. As quietly beautiful as it is quietly devastating – yet with an abundance of humor, often served pitch-black.

Thirteen Lives (Amazon Prime)

Ron Howard’s presentation of the 2018 Thai cave rescue is immediate and compelling, relating just how many diverse parties came together for the massive and dangerous operation of saving the trapped soccer team and coach. While it doesn’t eclipse the excellent documentary The Rescue, there are benefits to dramatizing the story, such as glimpses into the Thai boys’ homelives and the sacrifices made by area farmers that enabled the mission to succeed.

Avatar: The Way of Water (Theatres)

More of a thrill ride or immersive experience than a normal movie, the second Avatar outdoes its predecessor in just about every way. The plot is (somewhat) more novel, the characters are more engaging and the effects more visceral and spellbinding. That said, for me, it’s an in-the-moment experience that I haven’t thought much about since leaving the theatre and I doubt would be anywhere near as exhilarating at home. I’m happy it exists but definitely don’t want all movies to be like this. (Plus I really hate high frame rate, especially the choice to arbitrarily cut back and forth between 24 and 48 fps in its director-approved presentation.)

[kpophours]

Love Me Now

NCT - Yuta x fem. reader / one shot, piercer + tattoo artist AU, idiots friends to lovers + mutual pining AU / fluff

warnings - mentions of alcohol, mentions of (piercing) needles, mild language

word count - 7.3k

It’s cold and rainy outside tonight, the steady downpour seemingly washing away the colors of your surroundings. You hurry along the sidewalk, water splashing everywhere while you quickly make your way towards the bright green neon sign spelling out RESONANCE. The bar is brand new and actually owned by one of your closest friends, Johnny Suh. It’s been his lifelong dream to open a bar one day, and after months of searching for the perfect location, tonight is finally the grand opening. You are already late, your last meeting having dragged on endlessly while you grew more and more impatient, finally wanting to leave. If there’s one thing you hate, it’s being late. You know Johnny has probably not even noticed your absence yet, because even though it’s a private gathering, Johnny has many, many friends and is well known around town, but still - you just don’t like being late.

The bouncer in front of the bar quickly checks your ID and scrolls through the guest list on his sleek black tablet. Once he finds your name, he nods curtly before waving you inside. You give him a fleeting smile and step inside, a little overwhelmed by the loud music and the sounds of many voices blending together greeting you. The air is cool and pleasantly scented, something that surprises you when you take in the sight of the many people gathered in one room. You let your gaze wander, taking in the exposed brick walls lined with abstract art as well as the low cozy lights and small tables. Then, your eyes finally land on the tall, handsome man standing behind the bar. Johnny has his black hair slicked back tonight, eyes sparkling while he pours alcohol into a metal shaker, his attention currently on a woman leaning over the bar and closer towards him. 

“There you are!” A familiar voice behind you suddenly says, making you jump. You turn around and give the young man in front of you a bright smile. “Hyuck!”, you greet him and wrap both arms around his neck to give him a tight hug. “Johnny was just asking about you.”, your friend and co-manager of the bar states, patting your back affectionately, “We were already worried something had happened to you, seeing as you’re never late to anything. Weren’t you even born too early?” You roll your eyes at him and his stupid grin before hitting him on the shoulder - only lovingly, of course. “It’s not my fault my boss scheduled a very late meeting for today.”, you explain while shaking your head in mild annoyance. Then, you look around. “Where are the bathrooms? I’m sure the rain made a mess out of my once lovely appearance. And I want to wash my hands before saying hello to Johnny.” “Good thinking, you lowkey look like a panda right now. A cute one!“, Hyuck adds once he sees your offended expression, „See that neon arrow over there? Just follow it down the hallway, the women’s bathroom is on the far left.” He gives you one last annoying but maybe also cute grin before turning around to greet some other guests.

The walls of the bathroom are covered in real vines and old - hopefully fake - gas lamps, giving the room a very moody atmosphere. You are truly impressed by the entire interior of the bar; it’s very hip and modern while also being reminiscent of older times. It’s been a smart move by Johnny and Hyuck to hire Taeyong and Doyoung to renovate all rooms, you think to yourself while making yourself look somewhat presentable again, the bar will surely be a total hit. After washing your hands, you quickly leave the bathroom again and finally make your way towards the bar. It’s almost abandoned by now; apparently most guests have already gotten their complimentary drinks. Which means you truly are late, making you wince.

The second Johnny lays eyes on you, he begins to smile. It always transforms his entire face, making him look much more approachable and less like the imposing figure he usually cuts due to his wide shoulders and impressive height. “There you are, I was wondering where you were!”, he says before quickly stepping out from behind the bar to give you one of his infamous bear hugs. You smile against his shoulder and return his hug, inhaling deeply. He always smells nice, having a huge perfume collection at home. Over the many years of your friendship, you have gifted him a few scents as well, and it makes your heart swell to realize he’s wearing one of them tonight. “Thanks for coming, Y/N.”, Johnny says once you break apart again, and you give him a dazzling smile. “Of course! You’ll always have my support, Johnny, and I know your bar will take off in no time. It’s such a beautiful place, the interior is amazing - Taeyong and Doyoung truly outdid themselves! There’ll be waiting lists to get a table here soon, you mark my words! It‘s totally going to resonate with the people.”, you reply, grinning at your own wordplay, and your friend just chuckles, rolling his eyes. “That was awful, but you’re sweet. Make sure to tell Taeyong and Doyoung as well, by the way, they’ll be more than happy to hear you speak so highly of them and their new business.” With that, Johnny takes his place behind the bar again, reaching for a fresh metal shaker, “Gin Fizz as always?” You grin and nod. “You know me so well.”

He returns your smile and gets busy mixing all ingredients together, looking very cool and sure of himself while throwing the different bottles into the air just to catch them again a second later. You clap for him once he sets the finished cocktail in front of you, and he bows sarcastically before taking the order of a new guest. You take your drink, wave at Johnny and begin looking for your friends. Doyoung and Taeyong have supposedly arrived already, and you know they brought their girlfriends along, so you stand on your tiptoes to look for those four. It takes only a second until you spot them; they’re currently occupying a table near the entrance, surrounded by more of your mutual friends. Out of all of them, you’ve known Johnny the longest - you’ve been friends ever since Middle School and grew even closer once you went to the same college. Being the more social one of you two, Johnny had made a lot of friends very easily, always dragging you with him to seemingly endless frat parties, study sessions and movie nights. Not that you had minded, of course, because his friends quickly became yours and vice versa - and till this day, you are a tight knitted group. After finishing college, some of you, like Doyoung and you yourself, had decided to stay in the city; others had moved away to never return, like Taeil, and a few had moved away just to return again at one point, like Johnny and Taeyong. Somehow, most of your group have managed to stay friends over the years, not seeing each other regularly due to your adult lives and busy schedules, but always keeping tabs on each other nevertheless.

You are greeted by bright smiles and seemingly endless hugs, quickly ducking out of Jungwoo’s reach when he tries to give you yet another kiss on the cheek - he seems to have had one too many complimentary drinks already - to finally take a seat beside Karla, Taeyong’s girlfriend and a close friend of yours. She grins when she sees you rub your cheek, trying to get rid of Jungwoo’s salvia, and pats your knee affectionately. “Never thought you’d be late tonight. Johnny was about to call the police so they’d send out a search party when Hyuck finally saw you arrive.”, she says teasingly, and you roll your eyes, taking a sip of your drink. It’s good - Johnny has always had a knack for mixing drinks, even back in college. “No need for such dramatics, my last meeting just took longer than anticipated.”, you answer after swallowing and lean over Karla’s lap to gaze at Taeyong, who gives you a questioning look. “You and Doyoung did a superb job renovating the bar, by the way. It’s beautiful and very vibey.”, you tell him, and the handsome man smiles, blushing a bit. That was one of the first things you ever noticed about Taeyong, back when you had first met him all those years ago - that his cold exterior is truly just the exact opposite of his tender heart and sweet soul. “Thanks, but it was mostly Johnny who came up with the vision board, so we just had to see everything through, ordering all the furniture, delegating tasks and so on.”, Taeyong replies modestly, and Karla beside him chuckles and leans in to give her boyfriend a swift kiss on the cheek. “You worked very hard for weeks, babe, so please just take the more than deserved credit. You’re still trying to establish your growing business, this is not the time for misplaced modesty.”, she reprimands him gently, and you nod in agreement. She makes a face when she turns towards you again. „I‘m not sure if his kind heart is made for being CEO, Y/N. Johnny basically had to force Taeyong to not give him 90% off everything just because they‘re friends. I literally had to watch over their negotiations! And I wasn’t even a business major in college - I’m literally teaching English to High Schoolers!“ Her expression is sullen, and you can’t help but crack a smile. „Isn’t math genius Doyoung in charge of negotiations?“, you ask, and Taeyong intercepts: „Well, he usually is, but he wasn’t able to make it to that one particular meeting with Johnny and Hyuck.“ Karla just looks at you, her eyes saying more than words ever could. „Hopeless.“, she mutters, defeated, but then, her boyfriend leans close to give her a soft kiss, and you basically see her melt in his grasp. „Thank you for always having my back and supporting me no matter what.“, Taeyong says softly but earnestly, and you quickly look away, feeling like you’re intruding on a private moment.

After a few seconds, Karla clears her throat, and you finally deem it safe to look at her and Taeyong again. Their faces are slightly flushed, the latter one’s eyes sparkling happily, and you can’t help but smile at them. “Karla’s right though, you know? You did a splendid job and should accept both the compliment and the appropriate compensation. If my boss ever decides to redecorate, I’ll totally give her your business card!”, you promise, and Taeyong’s eyes begin to sparkle with excitement while he nods his thanks. Before he can open his mouth to reply though, another latecomer joins your group. There are several yells of joy and surprise, and Jungwoo actually squeals, which finally makes you turn around. You suck in a deep breath, not quite believing your eyes.

Before you stands none other than your crush through most of your college years - before you stands none other than infamous tattoo artist Nakamoto Yuta. His bright smile is still the same, but his dark hair is now long and dyed, a silvery color that makes him look even more ethereal than usual. You immediately see new black ink poke out from under his collar and sleeves, patterns you can’t decipher swirling around each other in an intriguing composition. He still likes to wear an abundance of silver rings, you notice, and his fingernails are painted black. He has absolutely zero business looking that good, you think to yourself, and groan inwardly. “Hi guys.”, Yuta says and happily waves at everyone while affectionately patting Jungwoo’s head who’s currently crushing his older friend in a tight hug. Your eyes immediately slide towards Doyoung, who just holds your gaze while lifting one eyebrow. He, Johnny, Jaehyun and Jaehyun’s girlfriend Lyn are the only ones who ever got to know about your crush on their handsome friend as you had confessed to it during a drunken stupor - something you were very much regretting the next day.

At the beginning of college, you’d grown close to Yuta, who was in the same fraternity as Johnny, rather quickly, always keeping up with his teasing nature and loving the playful banter between you two - that was, until you developed a rather huge crush on him. You had always been too shy to confess to Yuta, who was not only ridiculously beautiful, smart and funny, but also beloved by many, women and men alike. In the end, you had finally decided to start distancing yourself from him, not wanting to get hurt. Slowly but surely, you two had drifted apart.

Thankfully, your group of friends has always been large enough for this to go unnoticed by most, even back in college. On top of that, Yuta is also rarely in town these days. He had decided to move back to his hometown after college, resulting in your crush slowly but surely beginning to subside; especially after a few hookups and some more serious dating. Still, you fear - or rather know - his beautiful smile and teasing nature will always make your heart flutter a little. Because even now, after not having seen him for what feels like half an eternity, his close proximity instantly makes your stomach churn.

It’s definitely time for your next drink, you decide right there and then, and stand up rather abruptly. Yuta’s dark eyes immediately slide towards you, and for a second, you can only stare at him. He‘s just so well rounded physically, it’s a little unfair. He breaks into a wide grin while holding your gaze and finally slips out of Jungwoo’s embrace to step into your personal space. “Hi, Y/N. Long time no see.” His scent seems to overwhelm you for a few seconds, not because he‘s covered in too much perfume, but because he still smells the same; fresh and slightly musky, making you think of a cramped closet and his silvery laugh, warm hands on your waist, breaths mingling-

You quickly shake your head to break out of your own foolish memories, and give Yuta a forced smile. “Nice to see you again, Yuta. I didn’t know you were back in town - let’s catch up after I got another drink.”, you grit out and push past him, ignoring the electricity running up and down your spine when his hand brushes yours. “Oh, wait, I’ll join you - I haven’t gotten one yet.”, Yuta replies good-humoredly and begins to follow you, only a step behind. You close your eyes for a few seconds, breathing in deeply. You can do this, you tell yourself, you won’t have to interact much with him tonight. Everyone’s going to want to catch up with him now that he’s finally back in town, so he surely won’t even have time to talk to you.

You quickly make your way towards the bar while ignoring Yuta’s presence behind you as best as you can. Hyuck has joined Johnny by now, going over some notes while the latter one is still busy mixing drinks for the guests, his hands never standing still. “Well, if it isn’t Mr Nakamoto all the way from Japan.”, Johnny says once he lays eyes on his friend and steps out from behind the bar to give Yuta a brotherly hug, “Nice of you to come.” Yuta grins and pats Johnny’s back. “And I’m here to stay this time, actually.”, he answers, tucking some of his hair back behind his ear and exposing his silver piercings. He’s got a double helix now, a nice addition to the conch he’s had ever since his early college years, and you quickly look up at the ceiling to mentally curse at whoever seems to have it out for you up there. “Here to stay?” Johnny isn’t the only one surprised, it seems. Hyuck sounds downright baffled, and even you can’t hide your curiosity, stepping closer. Yuta nods. “Yeah, I actually moved back a few days ago. A buddy of mine opened a new tattoo parlor and asked me to be his main artist, so I said yes. I wanted to tell everyone in person tonight, that’s why I didn’t mention it beforehand”, he explains, and Johnny claps his hands together, obviously delighted. “That’s amazing news, dude! Cheers to that. You’re still drinking Whiskey Sour, right?” And with that, Johnny steps back behind the bar to start mixing again. Yuta just nods, leans against the bar and looks at you, dark eyes scanning over your body and leaving heat in their wake. You clear your throat and begin to nervously tap your finger against your empty glass. “So, did you miss me?”, Yuta asks suddenly, and you whip your head around to glare at him. “Miss you? We’re not close enough for that anymore.”, you reply bluntly, and for a split second, a hurt expression crosses his face. You immediately feel bad and pull your bottom lip between your teeth, afraid to have crossed a line. “Well, maybe it’s time to change that again, then.”, the handsome man finally answers, and you try to hide your surprise. Yuta takes his finished drink from Johnny, patiently waiting for you to get yours as well.

He stays silent, simply observing you, and it makes you nervous. “Stop staring.”, you finally snap at him, and he smirks, taking a sip of his drink. Then, he leans closer. “I can’t help it, you’re just very easy on the eyes. Always have been.” For a second, the synapses of your brain are short-circuiting and you can’t seem to form a single coherent thought. Because this is truly happening right now, your old college crush is actually flirting with you. You take a deep breath, but find yourself unable to make full on eye contact with him, so you finally settle for looking at his forehead instead. But even that is kind of beautiful. It looks like the perfect place for forehead kisses. “Speechless Y/N, truly a sight to behold.”, Yuta finally says when you don’t answer him, and you mentally debate whether you should stab him in the eye with the metal straw in your drink. “You know, I really think your silence is golden. I cherish it a lot during our conversations.”, Yuta adds, and this time, you can’t fight the small smile creeping onto your face. You truly hate him. But you also really missed bickering with him. Your reaction seems to delight the man beside you, and he leans even closer. “You’re smiling!”, he says, poking your cheek with one of his long, slender fingers, and you quickly swat his hand away. He has no business being that hot and cute at the same time, you think to yourself, and opt to glare at him. “Surprising us both, yes.”, you reply after finally having rebooted your brain again, “So you’re really back?” You still can’t quite believe it. Last time you heard of him - Johnny usually gives you updates from time to time -, he was doing more than well in his hometown, working as a renowned tattoo artist while also painting abstract art during his free time. You’re pretty sure at least some of the giant canvases scattered across the walls of the bar are actually his. Yuta’s gaze turns thoughtful, and he nods. “I really am, yes. I just missed the whole squad and there was honestly nothing left for me in my old hometown - my family moved, my younger sister is off to college and my older sister got married.” You raise both eyebrows. You had actually met his sisters when they came to visit their brother during spring break one year, and you instantly clicked with both. Haruna and you actually still keep in contact, facetiming from time to time - but it’s been months since your last call now, so it’s no wonder you’re not up to date anymore. “Momoka married?”

Yuta nods again. “Yup. Got the man, got the house, will probably soon get the first kid.” He smiles fondly, and it warms your heart; he always speaks highly of his family, adoration coating his every word. “That’s amazing news, I’m truly happy for her.”, you say earnestly, and Yuta leans closer. “What about you though? Any men - or women - in your life I need to know about?” He’s so close, you can smell the whiskey on his breath. “I- no, there’s no one, not anymore. How about you?” Your heartbeat immediately speeds up while you nervously await his answer. Yuta just shakes his head. “Nah, never managed to find anyone special. That’s why I came back. Well that, and my new job offer.” He grins at you, and you immediately feel yourself spiraling. You quickly turn away and take your finally finished drink from Johnny, who winks at you. You’re at least 90% sure he deliberately took his time preparing your drink, so you just make a face while sending him a militia of harmful thoughts. Your friend grins and blows you a kiss. You pretend to gag before turning around to face Yuta again, who’s gazing at you with a peculiar look in his eyes. He pokes his tongue against his cheek - he still seems to have that stupid oral fixation, you notice, the one that used to drive you crazy during college - before biting his lip and leaning close, much too close for your weak heart and lungs.

Before you can ask what he’s doing, he suddenly tucks your hair back behind your ear, making a low “Mhm” in the back of his throat. You flush, mind wandering towards very dangerous territory, before he finally leans back again. “I think your ear would look amazing with a conch piercing, you know?”, Yuta says innocently and gives you a bright smile, but the mischievous twinkle in his eyes tells you he definitely noticed the way your breath just hitched while your pupils dilated. Your obvious discomfort seems to give him life, and you quickly clear your throat. “Interestingly enough, that’s actually a piercing I always kind of wanted.”, you state, amazed that your voice sounds much more stable than you’d thought. Yuta’s eyes light up. “Really? How about you come over to the tattoo parlor tomorrow after closing hours and I’ll pierce you?” You blink in surprise. “I thought you were a tattoo artist.” He grins. “What can I say? I’m full of surprises and my talents are plenty, my lovely Y/N. I’m a licensed piercer on top of being one of the best tattoo artists this century has seen.”, he answers cockily, and you roll your eyes at him. “How is someone as humble as you single? Frankly, it’s a mystery.”, you reply, and Yuta throws his head back to laugh, the sound fresh and alive and simply wonderful. It’s still one of your favorite sounds in the entire universe, you realize right there and then, and can’t help but chuckle as well. When he looks at you again, his gaze is warm. “So, do we have a date tomorrow?” You bite your lip for a split second before giving him your answer. “I guess we do.”, you agree, half a sigh, half a groan. Yuta grins and clinks his glass against yours, face alive with humor. “To new beginnings.”, he says and winks at you. You just nod, tip your head back and empty your entire glass in one giant gulp.

Come Saturday, you are more than regretting your hasty promise to meet Yuta after closing hours today. You still very much want the piercing, but you also very much don’t want him to pierce you. Being that close to him just does things to your body you don’t want to admit out loud.

The rest of Johnny‘s opening party had been fun; you had drunk maybe a little too much, flirted maybe a bit too openly with Yuta - Doyoung had thrown you a very surprised and scandalized look at one point - and went to bed way too late, the sun already creeping over the horizon again. You only remember Jaehyun and Lyn dropping you off at your apartment at around 5am, but looking at yourself in the mirror now, you applaud drunk you for actually still doing your skincare routine. You don’t think anyone will ever love you as much as drunk you. She’s truly a star. Nevertheless, you still feel like a fresh reanimated corpse right now. A glance towards the clock tells you you slept well into the afternoon, so you quickly step into the shower to wash away the night still clinging to your body. You feel much better afterwards, even deeming it safe to eat something and hydrating your body with lots of cold water; something it definitely deserves after a night of alcoholism. You spend the rest of the day lounging on the sofa and watching The Office on Netflix, waiting for 7pm to arrive - that’s when you’ll have to leave to catch Yuta at the tattoo parlor.

You try not to think too much about last night and the flirting that went on between you and him. Yuta’s always been flirty with a lot of people - you blame his Scorpio stellium -, but yesterday had felt different for some reason. It might also just have been the Gin goggles you were wearing though. Still, the more the night progressed, the more Yuta’s seemingly accidental touches began to linger, his gaze getting more intense, warming you from the inside and making you get drink after drink. You groan and bury your face in one of your pillows. “Why is the Universe testing me when I’m truly not one of its strongest soldiers?”, you mumble before closing your eyes, listening to your own heartbeat and trying to calm down. Then, you decide to give yourself another thirty minutes before getting ready for tonight, not really knowing what to expect.

The evening is dark and gloomy, and you’re already very much regretting ever stepping outside today. But Yuta had actually texted you a few hours ago to make sure you were still coming over, so it’s not like you had any other choice than to make your way downtown.

When you finally stand in front of the tattoo parlor, you’re pretty much a nervous wreck. Trying to keep your cool, you turn the doorknob but - it’s locked. You raise both eyebrows and look around. Should you text Yuta to come get you? Just when you’re about to pull out your phone, the door opens and reveals a young man with lively brown eyes and a sweet smile. “Hi! You must be Y/N, right? Come in, come in - Yuta told me you’d be coming over, but I totally forgot for a second, that’s why I already locked the door. Sorry for the confusion.”, he explains, almost stumbling over his own words while his expression turns sheepish. You can’t help but smile at his cuteness, and shrug. “No need to apologize, at least you remembered in the end.”, you reply and step inside the warmth of the parlor. You take a few seconds to look around, gazing at the walls covered with tattoo sketches, the dark leather chairs and the low moody lights. Overall, the atmosphere is laid-back and cozy; it makes you feel safe.

“I’m Shotaro, by the way. I work here part-time.”, the young man introduces himself, and you shake his outstretched hand. Black ink swirls around his wrist and creeps up and under his shirt, and you wish you could see more of his tattoo; the lines look very fine and quite fresh. You wonder if Yuta was the one who inked him. “Y/N, nice to meet you. What do you do when you’re not working here, then?”, you ask, making small talk while wandering around the room to look at the different sketches. “I’m still in college, I’m a dance major.”, Shotaro replies while shuffling through some notes laying on the reception desk, “I’ll be done in a few months though.” You just nod, leaning closer to a particular sketch of flowers that seems to call to you. The details are exquisite, making them look almost too realistic - like you could just reach out a hand and pluck them from the paper. “A dance major. That must be tough.”, you say, remembering your friend Ten from High School, who had majored in dance. You know it’s a highly competitive field, and requires a lot of hard and continuous work, no matter how much talent one possesses. “It really is, but it’s also a lot of fun.”, Shotaro explains, and you just hum in affirmation.

“Like what you see?”, a new voice suddenly says, and you sigh when you recognize the teasing undertone. You slowly turn around and lock eyes with a smiling Yuta. He’s dressed in all black today, the loose shirt giving you a nice view of his delicate collar bones. Some of his hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and his eyes seem even darker than usual. You’ve always known he’s beautiful, but seeing him look like this is a bit too much confirmation for your liking. Yuta winks at you when he sees you staring before turning around to smile at Shotaro. “Thanks for staying a bit longer today, Taro. But you can leave now - I can handle this one”, he points over his shoulder and at you, “on my own.” You raise both eyebrows at that, and cross your arms in front of your chest. Yuta somehow made that sound like an insult. Shotaro just nods, and retrieves his backpack from under the reception desk, jiggling his keys. “See you Monday, then.”, he says to Yuta and waves at you on his way out, “Nice to meet you, Y/N! See ya.” With that, he closes the door and a second later, you hear his keys lock you in. You realize you’re truly alone with Yuta now, no part-timer and no friends here to divert the attention. “How’s the hangover?”, Yuta asks while stepping closer, eyes twinkling in the low lights, and you shrug, trying to keep your cool. “Better than expected considering the amount of Gin I drank last night.”, you answer, and he chuckles. “I don’t think I’ve seen you drink that much ever since Jaehyun’s 24th birthday party.” You grimace, not wanting to think of said night, the one that changed everything, but your brain doesn’t comply.

A few years ago, Jaehyun had decided to celebrate his birthday with just his closest friends instead of throwing a huge house party, no matter how hard Johnny tried to convince him of doing the opposite. Therefore, the atmosphere that evening had been very laid back and chill, with you guys playing some drinking games, laughing together and just having a good time in general. At one point, Jungwoo had suggested playing “Seven Minutes in Heaven”, and the inevitable happened - you and Yuta were sent into the closet together. Once inside, the air had been awkward, filled with tension. At one point, Yuta had finally burst out laughing while you were still trying not to hyperventilate. For him, it had very clearly just been a game, while for you, it had been way more than that. You hadn’t been able to confess this out loud though, not there, not ever. So when he had finally tried to kiss you, alcohol on his breath and warm hands roaming your sides, you had instantly taken a step back and away from him - both literally and figuratively. You had never wanted to be just a stupid game to him, knowing he’d never see you as more than just a friend. In the end, you had spent the rest of your seven minutes in very awkward, mutual silence. Once Doyoung finally opened the door again, his expression curious, you had instantly run from the party. Afterwards, your friendship with Yuta had never been the same again.

Present day Yuta clears his throat when the silence between you continues to stretch, and points at the flower sketch hanging on the wall. “You’re interested in a tattoo on top of a new piercing?”, he asks, and you purse your lips. “Well, I’m definitely not opposed to the idea. And the flowers look really beautiful, I love the detailed lines and shadow work. They look so realistic.”, you answer, and Yuta smiles softly. “Thank you. It’s actually one of my favorite sketches.”, he says and steps even closer. His scent washes over you again and you can’t help but inhale. He smells familiar yet exciting at the same time, and it makes your head spin. “You drew this?”, you ask, clearly surprised, and Yuta chuckles. “I see you have complete trust in my abilities as an artist.”, he teases, and you flush. “I didn’t mean it like that-” He interrupts you by taking your hand in his and pulling you with him towards the back rooms. His silver rings feel cold against your warm skin, and you suck in a deep breath. “I mean it though, if you ever want a tattoo, come to me. I’ll draw whatever you want - and if you’re being nice, I might even give you a discount.” He looks over his shoulder to wink at you, and you give him a smile. “No, I shall pay the full price. Your beautiful work should be rightfully compensated.”, you reply, and he huffs out a laugh. “This might actually be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, you know?” Before you can protest, he opens the door to one room and pulls you inside. In here, the lights are a lot brighter than in the front room, and the walls are covered with more sketches. Steel cabinets line one side of the room while a desk scattered with loose notes, sketches and pens rests against another. You also spot a full length mirror on the wall beside the door, reflecting the interior of the room.

“So this is where the magic happens.”, you say after looking at everything for a few seconds, and Yuta smirks. “Well, some of it at least.” He laughs when you groan at his innuendo. “You’re insufferable.”, you grumble, and he shrugs. “I’ll just take that as a compliment.”, he answers good-humoredly and begins to shuffle through some of his sketches. “Must have worded it wrongly then.”, you mutter while taking some tentative steps closer to the desk, looking at the sketches. You spot multiple flowers as well as different animals, a few skulls and some abstract shapes. All drawings are beautiful, the lines precise and fine, the careful shadowing making them look almost too real. Yuta observes you with both arms crossed in front of his chest, and when you look up, he gives you a gentle, slightly questioning smile. “I love them.”, you state honestly, and he scratches the back of his head, making even more strands of hair fall out of his already messy ponytail. “Thanks. I have quite a busy week ahead of me - multiple clients every day, so I’ve been sketching for most of the day. My back is actually killing me right now.”, he explains and groans while stretching both arms above his head, resulting in his shirt riding up. Bit by bit, his lean, taut stomach gets exposed, revealing his butterfly tattoo placed just under his ribs as well as a newer one you can’t quite make out as it disappears just beneath his waistband. You can’t help but stare at the sight in front of you. Not even because of the tattoos, oh no - you’ve actually seen the butterfly one once before; at a pool party you two had attended together back in college.

But.

That. Motherfucker. Got. A. Belly button piercing.

You quickly avert your eyes, trying very hard to look at something else, anything else, and trying even harder to just forget the glittering piece of jewelry sitting snug in his navel. Yuta finally lowers his arms again, massaging one shoulder. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to notice how flustered you are right now, because he simply points at the black chair in the middle of the room. “Take a seat so I can mark the spot for your piercing.” You just follow his instructions, silently observing how he rummages through his cabinets to retrieve a sterile piercing needle as well as new jewelry. Then, he rolls up his sleeves, puts on black latex gloves and turns towards you again, antiseptic spray and pen in hand. You glance at the newly revealed black ink swirling around his wrist and up to his biceps, intricate patterns of what look like vines and flowers, black on black, layer over layer. It looks beautiful, and you want nothing more than to reach out a hand and touch the art on his skin. If Yuta notices you staring, he doesn’t comment on it this time, just opting to step closer instead. You look up just as he leans in, softly tucking your hair back behind your ear. You immediately hold your breath and quickly avert your eyes, now staring at his exposed collar bones instead. There, you spot yet another tattoo - this time of a constellation, and you wonder if it’s the Scorpio one. It looks very delicate, and you kind of want to brush your lips against it. Yuta’s breath tickles your exposed neck, and for a second, you wonder if he gets so close to all his clients or if he’s just teasing you again. “Mhm, I think this is the perfect spot.”, he murmurs into your ear before stepping back again, pointing at the mirror, “Have a look.” You immediately get up, hoping he doesn’t notice the way your cheeks tinge pink. You really need to go see a doctor, and as soon as possible. Something’s clearly wrong with your heart, it’s pounding too hard, so tight right now. You quickly glance at yourself in the mirror, trying to smooth out the frown on your face. “Looks good to me.”, you say after spotting the tiny black dot on the inside of your ear, and Yuta gives you a smile. “How’s your pain tolerance?”, he asks once you sit back on the chair, and you shrug. “Pretty good, I think. My other piercings didn’t hurt much when I got them.”

Yuta just nods and turns around to retrieve the needle. “Take a deep breath for me now, love.”, he murmurs once he’s back at your side again, and you’re still busy trying to wrap your head around him using a pet name for you, when the pain suddenly hits you. It’s not too bad though, and you quickly focus on continuing to breathe evenly. “Almost done, you’re doing so well.”, Yuta praises, “I’m going to put in the jewelry now.” You just make a non committal “Mhm”, close your eyes and let him finish the work. “Aaand we’re done. Good girl.” You suck in a breath, trying not to show how much his words affect you. His voice is teasing again, and you open your eyes to glare at him. He just grins and takes a step back, admiring his handiwork. “It looks great on you.”, he finally says, and you get up to take a look in the mirror. The silver piercing ties in perfectly with the rest of your lobes and piercings, and you smile. “I love it. Thank you.”

Yuta steps behind you to peer over your shoulder, locking eyes with your reflection in the mirror. “Did you have dinner already? There’s this new Ramen place just around the corner from here. My treat.” You hold his gaze for a few seconds, chewing on the inside of your cheek. “I-”, you begin, but he immediately interrupts: “Please.” His eyes are earnest and his expression soft and open, making you smile. “I’d love to.”, you finally answer, and his face splits into a huge, goofy grin. He gently turns you around to face him, and when you look up, his dark eyes seem to sparkle. “So yesterday”, you blurt out, anxiety sitting low in your stomach, “You asked if I missed you.” Yuta raises both eyebrows, clearly surprised. “Yeah, I remember. You told me we’re not close enough for that - or at least not anymore.” There’s hurt in his voice, and you wince at your own words, so carelessly thrown around. “Well, I lied. I did miss you. And… well, all through college, I was kind of wishing we were even closer than we used to be.”, you say, your words rushed. The man in front of you just blinks in confusion. “But… you literally ghosted me after Jaehyun’s party. You know, after the closet incident…” You groan and lean your forehead against his chest. “Because I knew you didn’t like me like that. That it was just a game for you while it was so much more for me.”, you mumble, voice hushed, and Yuta freezes. Suddenly, you feel his warm hands on your shoulders, making you look up again. The beautiful man is staring down at you, expression unreadable. His eyelashes are almost preposterously long, you notice, not for the first time. “It was never a game for me, Y/N. You were never a game for me.”, Yuta simply states, and before you can think of any proper response, his lips are suddenly - finally - on yours.  

You just sigh against him, body soft and compliant as he wraps both arms around you, and he pulls you as close as possible, deepening the kiss. The first brush of his tongue across your bottom lip sends fire licking up your spine which eventually settles as a fluttering warmth in your stomach. For a few seconds, you fight for dominance, teeth clashing, but then, he finally gives in, and the low groan he makes as you slide your tongue into his mouth while your fingers knot into the hair at the nape of his neck travels straight between your legs. 

You immediately huff once Yuta draws back, breathless, and he gives you a questioning gaze. “Of course you just had to be an amazing kisser.”, you complain, only half joking. At that, he throws his head back and laughs, and the sound is so precious, you want to bottle it up and keep it treasure for the rest of your life. Then, he kisses the tip of your nose, happiness sparkling in his lively brown eyes. “I truly love how you can make any compliment sound like an insult.”, he says, making you grin. “It’s one of my many, many talents.”, you reply cockily, tilting your head to one side and gazing up at him. “You’re lucky you’re so cute, you know?”, he answers, and you nod. “It’s called pretty privilege and you better get used to it quickly.” He sighs in mock defeat before nuzzling your nose, and the look and smile he gives you afterwards both feel like sunlight sweeping over you, making your heart skip a beat or two.

“So… This truly is a new beginning for us, right?”, Yuta finally asks, an echo of the words he used last night, and you just smile and nod. His expression morphs from slightly anxious to relieved, and he quickly tugs you close again before fusing his mouth with yours in another fiery, sensual kiss.

You just smile against his lips, happiness and delight making your heart swell until it seems to burst and overflow.

Yes, this definitely is a new beginning for you two.

[masterlist] | [requests] 

[halfmoondaze]

Hi! Can I request a prompt or whatever based on the song Faking it by Calvin Harris? After months of trying to pretend like they don’t miss each other following a break up a few months ago, they finally swallow their pride and get back together. Thank you 😭😭

authors note: i wanna thank @harlowscutie for helping me out when coming up with a concept for this fic 

FAKING IT

It's been five months since Jack and Y/N broke up, and all their friends could tell they missed each other but were too stubborn to admit it themselves and do something about it.

It got to a point where escaping each other was almost impossible. Y/N was finding it hard to avoid him because she would see him everywhere, which is no surprise considering how big he was getting in terms of his success as an artist. While Jack would see Y/N in every woman he would hook up with.

Therefore, it came as a surprise for Jack and Y/N when they ended up in the middle of an escape room together while everyone else was nowhere to be found.

Tour was over, and Jack and everyone were back home, and for a while, they wouldn't stop talking about going to the local fair, which is why you were surprised when Neelam invited you to join them.

To be fair, you were not heartbroken about the whole break-up, after you and Jack remained on good terms, and it was never an awkward situation. You even still kept in touch with some of his friends. What neither of you know was that you still had feelings for each other and even though neither of them wanted to admit it, they were looking forward to this outing.

“I’m so glad you joined, to be honest, I thought you were going to ditch us” Neelam commented in your ear as you all entered the carnival.

“C’mon, you know me and Jack are on good terms and even though I’m not so fond of going to the fair, you made it sound like fun” you whispered in her ear.

“We should go on the Ferris wheel” Clay said.

“Wait guys, I think we should all go to the escape room; it would be fun” Urban commented.

“Let’s just meet up in one hour in the escape room ride” Neelam said.

You all when in your separate ways. You and Neelam spent the last hour playing carnival games, and you even managed to get a stuffed animal as a prize from knocking down cans.

“Oh my god we have to go to the roller coaster” Neelam said almost dragging you along.

“Do we have to?” you whined. “Yes, it will be fun, c’mon” she said

The roller coaster wasn’t as bad as you thought but you were feeling light-headed afterward. So, you and Neelam sat on a bench while you got over the feeling.

“We should get going, we have to meet everyone else in 3 minutes, are you feeling better?”

“Yea I’m good”

As you all meet up, you all were paired into twos to make it more interesting. Unfortunately for you someone else picked Neelam before you could.

“Sorry” she looked at you apologetically before joining her groupmate.

And if that could be worse, the only people left were you and Jack.

“I guess we are a team now” he said with a faint smile.

You smiled back at him feeling unsure about how this would turn out.

"Omg I’m going to shit myself" Jack said as he entered the pitch-black room.

"You told me this was an escape room not hell"

Suddenly you heard a noise behind him.

"Oh my god what was that!" you said backing away quickly.

"Y/N stop trying to scare me" Jack cried.

"Ok, ok, we have to find the clue to get into- how do we open this door?"

"We should feel the walls"

"Hell nah I don’t wanna touch a person"

"Why would you touch a person?"

Suddenly you heard a sound of rustling and you both back into a corner in fear.

"Can you hold my hand? I'm scared as fuck" to be honest even though you and Jack were in an awkward stage in terms of your relationship, this was _ Without thinking it twice he held your hand.

At that moment something or someone ran up in your direction and stopped abruptly making you both jump.

“Omg that knock me out” you said.

Jack realized there was a door in front of him and knocked it.

“Is that you?”

“Yea that’s me knocking”

“Can you let me know you're the one knocking so I don’t shit my pants”

He laughed.

“Ok, I'm knocking on the door, I'm going to knock on the door again”

Then the lights went on.

“Ok there’s the key in here”

He opened the door and you both walked into the long hallway with you clutching into his arm like a koala.

You entered into a room at the end of the hall that looked like an orphanage surrounded by beds.

“I don’t know what we are looking for” Jack said as he slowly walked into the room while looking around.

As you glanced to one of the beds, a scary-looking woman dressed in a long dress jumped out of one of the beds and ran over to the both of you; consequently, backing the both of you in a corner of the room.

Once the woman walked away, Y/N walked over to where she was hiding and yelled.

“You’re a bitch”

Jack couldn’t help himself and laugh at your reaction.

“Ok, I found another clue” Jack said as he held the paper in his hand he took from one of the beds.

“I’m buried beneath the walls. Save my soul and don’t disappoint. Search for answers and behind the sharp points” he read aloud.

You both started walking around.

“I think it's up here” you said as you climbed one of the bunk beds and found yourself standing below a ceiling door.

“Does it open?” Jack asked.

“Nah”

At that moment a key fell from it.

“There’s a key!” you yelled.

Jack walked over to you and read allowed the note attached to the letter.

“Principals Office. We should go to the principal’s office”

You both walked outside the room hand in hand, and when you finally found the door, all the lights went off again.

“Fuck” you both sighed.

“Wait there’s light in here” Jack said as he entered the room with you following behind him.

You both came into the room trying to find the next clue.

There was a chimney and you both looked at each other.

“I'm not going in there” Jack said.

“Fine, I’ll go” you sighed and took a look inside.

At that moment you heard a loud sound coming from there and you both yelled and back away in fear.

“I’ll take a look” Jack said as he bent down and looked. “I found something!”

“What is it?”

He walked to the rug and pulled it away to reveal a big symbol on the floor with a button in the middle.

“Just go for it” you said.

He pressed the button, and a light went off and fog started to appear in the room.

Jack walked around the room until he found a small door that opened to another room.

“Oh shit”

You both went inside and the next thing you know was that you were both in a small looking cave in front of a roulette.

“Should we touch it and see…” before you could complete your sentence a clue fell from the roulette.

Then a loud voice announced “Game Complete. Now run”

Before you could even react, a faceless-looking man came into the room crawling and your direction.

“OH MY GOD”

“FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK”

Then the lights went on and you both scrambled to walk away from the room with Jack falling to the floor in the process.

Once you both made it outside you both burst into laughter.

“Are you ok?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, I will be” Y/N answered, and Jack started laughing at your comment.

“Guys, what took you so long?” Neelam said as she walked in with the rest of the guys.

“Nothing we were just attempting escape without getting a heart attack in the process” he said.

Then Neelam noticed you were still holding hands.

“Is that so?” she asked laughing. “You know the escape room is over you guys can stop holding hands already.

Jack looked at Neelam.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Jack said as he pulled you closer and walked away.

[2jaeh]

ORPHIC : YUTA X READER

genre: smut, angst

warnings: mature themes, enemies to lovers kinda, kinda toxic theme, multiple smut scenes, swearing, alcohol, toys. 

slight jenoxreader 

word count : 17,5k (sorrry he’s my ult)

author: sin! 

You and Yuta never had a good relationship within your group of friends. The closest the two of you ever came to even slightly caring about each other was...in bed. After some friendly advice you decide to venture out of this toxicity and an old friend comes to the rescue. Thinking things will finally settle and you are ready to move on, Yuta comes to the realization that he wasn't a fan of you leaving him for someone else. 

A/N: WHOA this took me so long to write and rn its 2am and I barely proofread anything and just wanted to post it already! ALSO I just wanted to add Jeno is practically my ult as well and I wanted to use him for this scenario ! I promise Ill make it up to you guys with a full length fic of him lol Anyways enjoy. 

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

You couldn’t understand why you hated him so much. Was it the way he did his hair ? The way he rolled his eyes at every snarky remark you directed at him ?

Or was it the way he stared at you from across the room, a smirk on his face signaling that it was going to be one of those nights.

You joined this collective of artists or the “blank space” as you were known to the public, a year ago. The team did everything from clothing to organizing crazy exhibitions, and the best part of it all was that the team members remained anonymous.

Now some of the members were already in the spotlight for their personal artworks and collections but anything under blank space was under that name only, promoted only under its respective social media accounts. The collective was founded by Taeyong, an introverted guy you met at a fashion show you once worked at. He approached you the night your art hit the runway and you’ve been working for him ever since.

You didn’t know everybody under Blank Space except for the people Taeyong trusted the most. Which from possibly 50 designers, only reduced to a total of nine close friends.

Taeyong, Johnny, Ten, Renjun, YangYang, Doyoung, Sungchan, Lucas and You.

And then, there was one person you called a friend when the mood was right. When he was not being an absolute pain in the ass.

Yuta Nakamoto.

————————————————————————

“So there’s a launch happening this weekend over at the shed” Taeyong announced to your friend group who were barely paying attention thanks to Yangyang attempting to stuff four marshmallows into his mouth. “Come on you can do one more” Lucas edged him on while Renjun shook his head disapprovingly and Sungchan tried to suppress his laughter.

“Guys please pay attention” Doyoung, the only type of authority around here spoke up, finally quieting down the room and allowing his best friend to speak.

Taeyong cleared his throat and shifted nervously as all eyes were focused on him again. “I’d like all of us to attend, maybe look for a new recruit” the timid pink haired boy spoke and everyone nodded knowing the routine of these launches at this point.

“Can we party hard or is this just one of those save face kinda gigs ?” Yuta raised his hand and the spark in Lucas’s eyes indicated that he may have had the same idea.

You rolled your eyes and crossed your leg over the other, “Yuta’s having a dry spell he wants to find some damsel in distress to get into his bed” you turned to him and he only smirked at your snarky comment.

“Well now y/n it’s only because you haven’t been in the mood for my dick lately” he pouted and Renjun threw his head back, followed by groans from both Johnny and Ten.

“I’m not in the mood for the two of you today seriously” Ten chimed in, rubbing his temples just waiting for this group meeting to be over. “Yeah me too” Johnny added, “you two fight the entire week then hook up over the weekend, we are tired.”

“Why are you guys tired ? Are you doing the fighting and fucking ?” Yuta scoffed and Doyoung jumped to his feet, folding his arms across his chest as he looked down at the scowling black haired man,

“This is a work meeting. If it's not about work” Doyoung eyes moved to you, “then we don’t want to hear about it.”

You nodded after getting reprimanded but Yuta being Yuta just snickered and downed the rest of his coffee, unbothered by what any of the people in the room had to say about him.

“Okay then well I’ll see you guys Friday night, if you find a possible recruitment just text the group chat and we will decide as a team then and there” Taeyong wrapped up the meeting and everyone dispersed back to their work stations to finish up any outstanding projects.

Blank Space had its own office block but you guys were the only ones with a private floor at the very end of the hallway, far away from the part-timers.

Everyone had their own cubicle made up of makeshift drywall, so it was private but not private enough. Taeyong felt that closed offices made no sense for a room of creatives and when working on bigger projects it was easier for members to move their stations to their partners' cubicles.

Your cubicle though had the unfortunate fate of being placed in front of Yuta. The members had tried to swap with either of you but neither of you budged. Moving meant there was a problem and showing that you had an actual problem with the other person meant it could sabotage the team and things may go sour.

So both of you conceded. Trying your absolute best to stay out of the other person's way during work hours. But it was impossible when bickering was just something you guys did.

From the very beginning You and Yuta had disagreed on almost everything. Both of you were pretty stubborn people and had a very similar mindset. Then on a random drunken night Johnny suggested that you and Yuta needed to release your anger in bed and the next day you’d be best friends. Yuta was pretty adamant on the idea and not only did you hook up once, it became this ongoing hell of fighting, building up your anger and releasing it during mind blowing sex.

Neither of you questioned the abnormality of your relationship. Rather, you ignored the red flags and the toxicity of it all and just assumed attraction only happened through liquor, high sexual needs and boredom.

“Hey y/n sorry about snapping like that earlier” Doyoung stepped into your cubicle, his gummy smile showing as he nervously scratched his head.  “It’s no problem, I’m sorry about my stupid comment” you pressed your lips together feeling a tad guilty that it all started because of you.

“You guys really love riling each other up don’t you?” Doyoung took a seat opposite you which was a bit unnatural for anyone who walked by. Doyoung was a very reserved person and never bothered to converse with any of you besides Taeyong. Unlike the rest of you Doyoung was recruited to handle finances and foresee the operation. He appreciated the arts but never delved in it, hence his awkwardness with the openness and unhinged personalities of the group.

“I get that it can be...exhausting” you sighed, propping your elbows up on the counter and pouting.

“Then why do you continue ?” Doyoung quizzed and you shrugged, “stress relief ?”

Doyoung chuckled at your words and pushed his spectacles up his bridge, “you guys are the ones stressing each other out,” Doyoung turned back to look at Yuta who was busy sketching and turned back to face you,

“All I’m saying is that maybe it’s time to look for a stress reliever that doesn’t result in anger the very next day, you guys need to move on.”

Move on.

Doyoung’s words swam in your mind hours after the short conversation had ended and you wondered if it was indeed time to move on. You looked up from your desk and to your surprise Yuta’s eyes were locked with yours as he twirled a lollipop in his mouth.

The issue was, as much as you hated him you couldn’t deny he was so goddamn hot. From the long hair to the edgy attire, physically he was your type. Personality on the other hand, it was like nails against a chalkboard.

Unbearable.

You kept your eyes locked with him until he slowly pulled the sweet out of his mouth, licked his lips and blew you a cheeky kiss from across the room.

“Moron” you mumbled and shook your head trying to ignore his devilish motives and get back to work.

Doyoung was right. You definitely needed to find someone to distract yourself from Yuta’s hold over you.

��——————————————————————-

It was the night of the launch and everybody showed up with their own rides and  began mingling with former clients and partners. You arrived with Ten and Lucas who already decided to pre-game drinks just in case ‘there wasn’t enough at the party.’

“Hey please do us a favor and not hook up with Yuta tonight” Ten wrapped his arm around your shoulder as the two of you maneuvered through the groups of people. “Not planning on it” you replied in his ear, “and besides Doyoung already beat you to that pep talk.”

“Doyoung ?” Ten wrinkled his nose before ordering the two of you a mojito from the open bar.

“Yeah he said that I should move on, possibly find a new hookup” you shrugged, retrieving the drink and headed to a balcony that overlooked the first floor of the launch party. There were bodies of people everywhere, networking, checking out merchandise or just getting plain wasted.

“Seems like Lucas has already been cut off from the open bar” Ten pointed out, watching the tall man try to push his way back to the bar but the bouncer refused him to do so.

“Let me go help him out, I'll catch up later” Ten sighed and gave you a pat on your shoulder, “and yeah find a new hookup, if Yuta gets to sleep around so can you.”

You watched Ten disappear into the crowd and twirled the glass in your hand wishing what he had said was that easy.

There were no rules about hooking up with other people or just any reinforcements in general when it came to you and Yuta. But you we’re well aware of his loose sex life. There were many times where Yuta ended up going home with some random person if he wasn’t in the mood to hook up with you. But You on the other hand, never bothered these days because you were either too busy or whoever you met just ended up boring you to death.

“Y/n ?” You heard someone say from behind you and to your surprise it was a face you hadn’t seen in years.

“Jeno ? Oh my God” you quickly gave the blonde boy a quick hug, taken back by how much he had filled out since high school.

Jeno used to help you out from time to time during proms and fashion shows, lending out his strength to build anything from sculptures to installation art in the city.

“I was wondering when I was going to bump into you at one of these shows” his bright smile turned his eyes into crescents as he joined you at the balustrade. The Jeno you knew in high school was a lanky shy kinda guy but the Jeno you saw now was confident, mature and outright gorgeous.

“I’m quite surprised seeing you here actually” you chuckled shyly, “I didn’t know you’d pursue anything in this field to be honest.”

“Wow” Jeno mouthed and cutely grinned, “hmm that kinda hurt considering I’m the one who made the centerpiece of this entire launch”

Your eyes widened as you looked down at the structure of colored sharpies bound together to create a giant rubix cube in the middle of the party. “Holy shit that’s awesome my boss would absolutely love you” you gasped, knowing Taeyong absolutely loved installation art especially at a large scale like this.

“Oh who’s your boss ? I’m actually a free agent right now” Jeno replied and you quickly remembered the reason you were even at the launch in the first place. “Wait! We’re looking for recruits right now, let me just tell the others about it” you said excitedly, handing Jeno your drink and pulled up the group chat on your phone.

A few minutes later everyone confirmed the meeting place of a private room located on the second floor, quiet enough for a quick interview and decision. The best part of this job was everyone was so connected that there was no need to go through the process of a full portfolio look and a million interviews, all you needed was a trusted ally within the group to vouch for you and you were already one foot in.

“Ten and Yangyang took Lucas home after he tried to challenge the bartender to an arm wrestling match” Johnny entered the room and sipped his whiskey while Renjun and Sungchan followed close behind him. Taeyong and Doyoung stood in front of the room discussing something amongst themselves while you and Jeno took a seat on the burgundy couch.

Yuta entered shortly after, drink in hand and you noticed his eyes narrow in on Jeno who sat close to you. “Okay everyone who’s able to make it is here let’s get started” Taeyong clasped his hands together, “everybody this is Jeno Lee and a long time friend of y/n.”

“Not that long but yeah we did work together” Jeno chuckled and got to his feet, “well I’m an installation artist, I actually made the centerpiece in tonight’s launch.”

“Wow, it's amazing!” Renjun complimented and Sungchan agreed, giving Jeno a thumbs up, “yeah man that piece is brilliant.”

Jeno smiled from ear to ear as the meeting proceeded with everyone going through a few of Jenos works and what he could bring to the team. While your teammates concentrated on Jenos work all you could concentrate on was Jeno himself.

You wondered if Jeno knew how gorgeous he was in his effortless tank top and denim jeans combo. You hoped no one caught you staring but someone was well aware of your actions.

Yuta watched how you looked at the young guy, he wasn’t stupid, he knew when you found someone attractive and the way you were ogling Jeno right now, he didn’t like it at all.

The meeting ended and everyone welcomed Jeno to the collective. Johnny gave him a few pointers on which coffee to order from the cafe next to the office and Sungchan exchanged gamer tags with his new friend.

“I’ll see you guys on Monday” you waved as everyone exited the meeting and before you could make your way to catch up with Jeno and Sungchan you were being pulled back into the room.

“Your place or mine ?” Yuta mused and snaked an arm around your waist, looking down at you with dark eyes.

“Neither” you responded, “I’m gonna hang with Jeno and head home, you should find that little damsel to play with”

“Don’t be difficult y/n we're long overdue for our therapy session now” he groaned, pressing his lips to your ear and jaw. As much as he aroused you by just breathing you thought about what Doyoung had said, you needed to move on from this mess.

“Listen I think we need to just stop our sessions” you stepped away from him leaving Yuta slightly taken back from your actions, “let’s move on, be out of each other’s way and not make the group uncomfortable okay ?”

Yuta watched you press your lips together and finally make your exit, leaving him completely alone. You denied his advances for the first time since the two of you started sleeping together and something in him broke.

————————————————————————

Monday came around and the whole team buzzed about Jeno joining the team. Usually a new recruit would hang downstairs with the part time designers but because Taeyong trusted your judgement on Jeno, he was able to integrate with the team.

“Man that Jeno guy seems real chill” Yangyang hopped alongside Johnny and Yuta who were doing the morning coffee run. Yuta kept his composure despite knowing he wasn’t a huge fan of someone new joining the team and throwing off the dynamic. Hands in his pocket he ignored Yangyangs endless questions about the meeting, allowing Johnny to entertain the eager young boy.

“All I know is that having Jeno around means I don’t have to do all the carrying when Lucas bails on me” Johnny sipped his drink as they made their way back to their office. To their surprise Jeno had just arrived, looking like a lost puppy as he examined the names of the floors next to the secretary desk.

“Speak of the devil” Johnny threw his arm around Jeno, startling the boy and led him over to the elevator, “we’re at the top floor newbie, make sure to get an access card from Taeyong.”

“T-thanks” Jeno grinned and bowed politely to both Yuta and Yangyang before stepping into the elevator. The other guys barely bothered with Yuta’s reaction to Jeno because he rarely liked anyone enough to show any sign of enthusiasm. Jeno wasn’t going to change that.

The elevator opened to the top floor and Jeno awed at the chilled atmosphere you all had created here. From Ten’s thousands of plants around the room, Taeyongs fish, a pool table brought in by Lucas and gaming stations set up by Sungchan, it looked like paradise.

“This....is so cool oh my God” Jeno stepped in, his eyes wandering all over the place until it locked on you hanging over at the fish tank with Taeyong.

“Y/n!” Jeno jogged over and you greeted him with a wide smile and a tight hug, “Jeno you made it!” You gleamed. Jeno quickly shook Taeyong’s hand unsure of how formal of a boss he actually was.

“Whoa I feel like a principal” Taeyong giggled as he dropped a few fish flakes for his babies. “Wow, does everybody have their own cubicle ?” Jeno strolled around the room taking a peak at the vast versions of decor each cubicle adorned.

“Yeah” you responded, “but I don’t think yours is ready yet right Doyoung ?”

“That’s right,” Doyoung replied and folded his arms across his chest, “you don’t mind sharing for the week do you ?”

Jeno shrugged and looked over at you, “I was hoping to catch up with y/n anyway, I don’t mind sharing if it’s okay with you ?”

“It’s perfectly fine” you assured him and gestured over to your cubicle, “me casa is su casa.”

“I’m just gonna need some admin stuff sorted Jeno can you join me for a bit ?” Doyoung asked and Jeno nodded, giving you a quick hug before heading off to the administration offices with Doyoung. You watched the blonde guy exit and something just felt so much brighter in the office. You felt a sense of excitement of what’s to come now that Jeno was back in your life. But like all sunny days there always comes a thunderstorm and yours was staring you down like he was waiting to rain on your parade.

“What ?” You blinked, and Yuta shrugged as he peeked into your cubicle. “It’s a bit small isn’t it ? Don’t think two people can work in here” he raised his brow and looked over at you.

“It’s fine” you sighed and pushed past him, “it’s only for a week and he’s not a stranger to me, why do you care ?”

“I don’t” Yuta mumbled, dragging his feet back to his cubicle leaving you questioning his slightly odd behavior. Your mind quickly snapped out of it when Jeno had made his way back, that bright smile spread across his face and suddenly it felt like sunshine filled the room once more.

“I’m back!” He sang and pulled a chair opposite you, retrieving his laptop already looking like a regular in the office.

“Did Doyoung tell you about tonight ? Our little welcoming party over at Kleo’s Sky Bar ?” You asked, skimming through your emails for the day. “Oh, yeah he did, I mean you guys don’t have to do all of this” Jeno chuckled shyly, those pretty eyes distracting you for the third time that day.

“Nah we do it for everyone, and it’s better you know everyone drunk to avoid future surprises” you pointed over to Lucas who was coaching Yangyang through a trick shot at the pool table.  “Gotcha” Jeno nodded, as he watched one of the balls fly off the table and nearly knock Renjun in the back. It was chaos absolutely everyday in the office and you knew Jeno was going to love it here.

But even with Jeno in front of you, your new distraction, your new beginning, like Doyoung and Ten had said you needed, it was a habit at this point to look across the room, wondering what Yuta was up to. You watched him remove his cardigan, exposing his arms in those loose tank tops he always loved to wear as he concentrated on a sketch in front of him. Thankfully he was fully immersed in his work for once to take notice of your eyes on him. You continued observing him, watching him nod along to probably some alternative song blaring in his headphones as he sketched away on his iPad. He was so effortlessly attractive when he wasn’t aware of it.

You needed to snap out of this daydream.

“So are you seeing anyone these days ?”

“Hmm ?”

Jeno laughed as you finally realized that he’d been talking to you and you mentally cursed yourself for even being distracted by Yuta of all people.

“I’m sorry..Uhm no I’m not seeing anyone” you replied, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and Jeno nodded cutely, “uh good...uhm not good that you’re alone but I was hoping you weren’t...God I’m still so bad at this”

You felt your cheeks heat up seeing Jeno fumble over his words and get nervous about asking you such a question. He was so adorable and something in you also wondered if he was like this in a relationship, or in the bedroom.

Was he dominant ? Was he passive ? Yuta was very dominant and you’d even rile him up to the point of him making you shut up with his actions.

“Y/n ?” Jeno waved his hand in front of your face and you shook your head, you couldn’t believe you did it again. What the hell was wrong with you ?

“Oh my God Jeno I'm so sorry...these emails are just a pain in the ass” you lied but thankfully Jeno took the bait and nodded, “it’s okay I’ll let you get back to work, I was going to go down to the cafe, do you want anything ?”

“Yeah a cafe latte would be great thank you” You felt guilty but it was still only two days since you decided to cut off Yuta so adjusting was going to take a bit of time.

Jeno had left for the cafe and you quickly dove straight into your work, hoping the time would just fly by. That was until you heard a knock and watched Yuta saunter into your cubicle and take a seat right in front of you. You watched him prop his elbows on the table and his piercing eyes narrowed down on you as if he were waiting for an answer.

“Why are you here ?” You questioned him, doing your best to divert your attention from his chiseled arms and exposed chest.

“I want an explanation,” Yuta said calmly, his voice deep and monotone.

“To what ?” You knew fully well what he was talking about but you were really  not in the mood to talk to him about this.  Yuta sighed and cocked his head to the side, clearly annoyed by your response. “Why the fuck are we calling it quits when we are nothing to each other ? Can’t we just hook up and ignore each other as usual ?” You sensed the annoyance in his voice. Denying him that night was indeed eating him up since you’ve never done it before.

“Yuta that’s the whole point” you rubbed your temples, “if we are nothing to each other then we shouldn’t be hooking up, it just ties us together for absolutely no reason.”

Yuta stayed quiet for a bit and eventually just nodded, “fine do whatever you want I guess.” You watched him walk out, not bothering to give you a second look and you wondered if the unsettling feeling you were experiencing in this moment was how he felt two days ago.

Nothing made sense.

————————————————————————

The evening arrived and everyone was in good spirits because you were all headed to one of your favourite spots in town. “Lucas you gotta do karaoke tonight” Sungchan threw his arm around the large brown haired man as they entered the bar. “Hmm give me a few rounds of drinks first” Lucas stuck out his tongue as he gestured to the waitress to get the gang the usual table.

Thankfully tonight the bar was fairly empty which meant that the gang could really loosen up without the prying eyes of strangers wishing you’d all just leave.

“Wow this place is pretty cool” Jeno gleamed, allowing you to enter the booth first like a true gentleman before scooting right in next to you. Yuta opted for the seat at the very end as usual, so he could sneak off to smoke without bothering any of friends every couple of minutes. The position also gave him a clear view of you and Jeno who were snuggled up in the corner already lost in your own private conversation.

“Beer ?” Johnny nudged Yuta, snapping him out of his fixation. Yuta nodded and slumped back in his seat trying his best to focus on whatever Renjun and Yangyang were talking about. It’s not like him to feel this way. Usually by now he’d be seated next to you, annoying the shit out of you until he saw those pretty eyes glare at him with rage. Then after you’d have a few drinks you’d be leaning on his shoulder, playing with his rings until he offered to take you home, and then-

“To Jeno!” Lucas yelled, lifting up a shot glass of God knows what and rallied everyone to join in on his toast.

“To Jeno” you grinned leaning into Jeno’s side and clinked glasses with him. Jeno felt warm, comforting, he made it so easy for you to just enjoy having him around rather than it being a task. That’s what a healthy relationship was like wasn’t it ?

“Jeno Im glad and also sorry that you have to join the most annoying group of people ever” Doyoung half smiled and Taeyong waved his hand, “we’re not that annoying Jeno I promise” the pink haired boy reassured him despite Renjun and Ten agreeing with Doyoung’s words. Jeno just laughed it off and turned to you with a bright smile as he draped his arm over your shoulder,

“Kinda feels like fate that I bumped into you huh?”

You know he may have been joking but Jeno was really unaware that his presence really was the antidote to getting rid of the Yuta situation. The team loved him, he was someone you knew and could trust, it was all right there for you, written on paper. Nothing could possibly go wrong… right ?  

“Fourth round is on me” Taeyong held up his card to the waitress despite his tired eyes were quite evident. Everyone was well over tipsy and Lucas had already entertained the bar with his beautiful rendition of “Starboy” by The Weeknd and Johnny stepped in as his air guitar player in the back.

“Gotta go to the bathroom!” You whined while Jeno helped you to your feet as you pushed your way past a sleeping Renjun and a spaced out Sungchan. You could tell tonight was going to take a toll on everyone tomorrow morning.

You quickly exited to the back where the bathrooms were located. You walked down the dim hallway, mentally thanking yourself for not overdoing it with the alcohol as each step became darker and darker.

“Watch your step” someone said and you turned around to see Yuta leaning over a railing with a cigarette sticking out of his mouth.

“Yeah” you managed to say and entered the bathroom before he could say anything else. The lack of alcohol didn’t stop the intrusive thoughts of Yuta filling your mind as you stopped to wash your hands. All you could think about was if he was going to be there when you walked back. Was he going to say anything ? Was he going to do anything ?

Were you going to do anything ?

You stepped outside, head a little more muddled than when you walked in and your first question was answered, Yuta was still there leaning up against the wall looking ahead of him. You slowly began your journey back, keeping your head down to avoid any type of confrontation with him.

“Y/n….” He mumbled, reaching out until he had a grip on your wrist causing your eyes to look up at him. Why did he look so goddamn breathtaking right now, with his stupid black hair all messy and his eyes luring you in like a lion to it’s prey.

“W-what ?” You replied, unsure why you still allowed him to hold you or even have the nerve to stop you from getting back to the rest of your friends. Yuta pushed himself off the wall and turned your body so you were now pressed against the concrete and his body was pressed against you. Your breathing hitched as he ran his fingers lightly down your arms. His eyes concentrated on his movements while yours focused on his face, watching him bite down on his lip as he took in the position the two of you were now in.

“You remember a few weeks back and I had you up against this wall moaning my name ?” His voice was so low that it aroused you, making you mentally curse yourself for the lewd thoughts.

“Yuta…” you sighed but there was a hint of desperation in your voice surprising yourself but not really phasing Yuta at all.

“Yeah just like that” he hummed before pressing his lips to your jaw, and peppered kisses all the way down to your neck. You felt yourself willingly giving him access, melting into every kiss he placed on your warm skin. Yuta’s hands grabbed your waist and pinned you against the wall while your hands instinctively wrapped around his neck and into the soft tufts of his hair.

“Yuta…we shouldn’t…I shouldn’t” you breathed, feeling yourself pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.

“Tell me no and I’ll stop y/n '' Yuta said into your ear to which you responded by pulling him by his belt buckle and pushed yourself up to capture his lips. Yuta’s dominance finally showed when he slipped his leg in between yours, giving you the chance to gain a bit of friction your core so desperately desired at this point. You felt Yuta’s smirk in your kiss when you began grinding down on his thigh showing him the obedient whore you were for him. Nothing Yuta loved more was for you to beg for him, beg for his touch, need him. That was until the two of you heard footsteps and to your dismay it was the last person you’d ever want to see you trapped against a wall with the man you hated.

It was Lee Jeno.

“I’m sorry I - I’m sorry I’ll leave you guys alone-“ Jeno stumbled, he felt his cheeks heat up and made his quick exit out of the hallway.

“Jeno!” You called, pushing Yuta off and tried to neaten yourself. Yuta felt a heated sensation overcoming his body the moment he saw the look in your eye when you saw Jeno and the way you pushed him off like he was a piece of trash. Like he was nothing.

“You know maybe if you’d stop pretending like you don’t wanna fuck me then we can go back to normal” Yuta spat, not caring about the unfortunate situation that had just unfolded.

You turned around to face him and the next words that came out of your mouth you weren’t sure if you were going to regret it or not.

“You’re right Yuta that’s all you are to me and that’s all you ever will be, a good fuck for about an hour and that’s it. Other than that there’s no use for you. At all.”

You stormed away before Yuta could respond, but by now you would have heard his curses echoing throughout the hallway, the whole damn bar would’ve heard it. But there was nothing.

Absolute silence.

———————————————————————

It had been two weeks since the interaction with Yuta at the bar and what you had to him still resonated with you, wanting so badly to apologize. But each time you saw him at the office he paid you little to no attention, going on about his day peacefully and you didn’t want to interrupt that.

Jeno thankfully understood the situation and was more than willing to be the rebound guy, his only rule being that besides work related matters you needed to cut off communication with Yuta altogether.

‘It was the only way you’d get full closure and my mind would be at peace’ Jeno had said after you gave him the rundown of everything that had happened.

Jeno and you agreed to just casually date, nothing official and nothing too serious. You guys went on movie dates, cafe dates and kept the physical aspect to a minimum. It was simple. Laidback. A very normal form of dating.

“Y/n I’m gonna need you on a photo shoot set in a few hours” Taeyong peeped his head into your cubicle and you looked up at him with a frown, “I thought we were working on that rappers record party ?”

“Yeah that rapper wants you, Yangyang and Yuta to tag up the wall for a video segment of his photo shoot” Taeyong replied with a shrug and left you bewildered.

Yuta. From all the damn people he could’ve chosen you had to work beside the person who practically called trash in your last meeting.

Great.

You wrapped up the last of your work and headed downstairs to the parking lot where an Uber was waiting for you. Thankfully Yangyang  could talk anyone’s head off because just sitting next to Yuta during the car ride felt tense. Normally he’d be pushing you into Yangyang or commenting on how his tattoos were better than yours. But all he did was look out of the window watching as the buildings moved past, keeping his airpods in to avoid any type of communication with anyone.

“You guys are finally here! Good Mark Lee is waiting for you at the shoot location” a woman dressed in all black led you into what looked like a gymnasium turned into a giant canvas.

“Are we going to paint all of this ? Man this is going to take forever” Yangyang gasped as the three of you walked through cans of paint, staff members and models.

“You guys are the designers from black space who did that painting over at Jynx Club ?” A young guy approached who you quickly realized was the new hot rapper around town, Mark Lee.

“Uh yeah, that’s us” you chuckled shyly and looked around, “are we really doing up the entire room ?”

“Oh hell nah just the backdrop behind me” Mark waved his hand, “we just laid everything out for a few cgi effects but you guys, do ya thing over there!” You watched the hyped boy get called over by the director leaving the three of you faced with a gigantic piece of white board and no idea.

“Since you guys are uncultured and probably don’t listen to Mark Lee, let me be in charge of this piece” Yangyang pulled out his iPad and began scrolling through some of his sketches. “Be my guest” Yuta shrugged, completely disinterested in the topic and most likely just wanted to get done and go home.

Yangyang finally settled on something that utilized all three of your styles and you all put  on your white overalls, immediately getting to work.

The vibe of the whole job was quite chilled and because of the fumes most of the staff had left the gymnasium leaving the three of you to work in peace. “God I need to pee so bad,” Yangyang groaned as he dangled from a ladder, an aerosol can in hand and a nearly completed section in his corner.

“Dude take a break we’re way behind you anyway” you walked over to steady the ladder as Yangyang finally made his way down. “Thanks guys, be back in 20” he shot you a thumbs up and disappeared into the tunnel leading to the gym lockers.

The tension returned but it was somehow worse than ever before. Even though Yuta was minding his own business for the first time while retrieving a paintbrush he looked at you. There was no unsettling glare or the feeling that he was pissed off at you, he just looked at you like he’d look at anyone else.

And somehow that felt even worse.

“Yuta…do you mind if we talk for a bit” you cleared your throat and he looked over at you and removed one of his airpods signaling to you that he was listening.

“Okay Uhm well I want to apologize for what I said that night” you bit down on your lip, “I didn’t mean it, and it was selfish of me to even think of you like that after coming onto you in the first place.”

Yuta blinked and eventually just nodded, “apology accepted, and I can see that you like Jeno so I’m trying to stay out of the way” he shrugged and continued painting as if this conversation wasn’t that deep to begin with.

“Are you not going to get me back? Are you sure you’re Yuta ?” You raised a brow and Yuta’s manic laugh echoed throughout the gymnasium, “you want me to be mean to you ? Wow y/n that’s truly some kink you got there”

“Ugh you know what I mean” you shoved him playfully, unaware that the brush you were wearing was still wet and now Yuta’s jaw adorned a light shade of orange.

“Oh shit I’m sorry” you quickly said but Yuta had already responded by swiping his red painted fingertips across your cheek and smirked, “now we’re even.”

“Hey mine is way worse than yours!” You grumbled and flicked more paint at Yuta which then enabled a paint war between the two of you. Yuta giggled so much that for a second you forgot how silent he actually had been the past two weeks. He was back to his usual self and so were you, playfully making a mess with him until Yangyang emerged from the tunnel and yelled,  “What are you morons doing ?!”

You and Yuta stood still in the middle of the room both covered head to toe in paint but the scene was way too comical to hold in your laughter any longer.

“Yangyang we’re so sorry but look, it gave the canvas a little more color” you gestured to it and you weren’t lying, it actually did look a lot better than before.

“Fine you two can go on break, I'll finish up so we’re not sitting around until midnight” Yangyang huffed and returned to his masterpiece. “Is there a place to clean up here ?” Yuta asked and the woman from earlier on walked in and pointed to the tunnel located in the back of the gym, “there are bathrooms and showers back there, our crew provided fresh towels as well so go ahead” she smiled and you silently thanked her before heading to the tunnel with Yuta.

“God I have paint everywhere” you whined as you took a look at yourself in the mirror. Yuta chuckled as he began inspecting himself, looking at the peculiar fingerprints all over his face and neck. “This shit better not stain my skin” he grumbled as he picked away a piece of paint from a crevice in his ear.  “Tell me about it” you responded and began removing the overalls. All you could think of was jumping into that shower stall and allowing the hot water to melt away all the grime and paint when you noticed Yuta was already down to his boxers.

Your gasp made Yuta snicker to himself as he walked around the bathroom looking for the ideal stall to take his shower in.

“Nothing you haven’t seen before” you heard him say before hopping into one of the stalls and drawing the curtain. Despite his words being correct it still made your cheeks heat up with embarrassment. You guys were comfortable like this before, not now, not with Jeno in your life.

You shook your head and entered a stall opposite Yuta and a few rows down, just so you weren’t close to him but not far enough that made you feel alone.

“Fuck how is their paint on my ass ? That’s impossible!��� Yuta groaned and you couldn’t help but laugh, “TMI, Yuta” you replied and Yuta scoffed, “says the person who’s responsible for this.” The banter ended and again all you heard was the sound of both showers hitting your bodies simultaneously, the air filled with steam and more unusual tension.

“Y/n ?”

“Yeah?”

Yuta was silent for a while and then you heard his water turn off. “Do you uhm mind checking if I got all the paint off my back ? I’ll uhm put my boxers on” he mumbled and you felt your heartbeat speed up.

First of all the Yuta you knew would’ve just walked over butt ass naked and pulled your curtain aside not caring at all. The way he acted now was out of character, but somewhat familiar.

“Yuta I’m still in the shower and naked” you chewed on the inside of your cheek while you waited in silence.

“I’ll close my eyes, I just don’t want this shit to dry up when we get back to work later” he replied and you heard his light footsteps coming toward you. Quickly moving your hair back and holding the curtain against your body, you slowly peeled back the material to reveal Yuta with his back facing you and with his eyes closed, like he said.

You peered down at his golden skin, taking in his broad shoulders and tiny waist as you inspected for any more signs of acrylic paint.

“Uhm yeah you have a little on your shoulder blade and lower back”

“Do…you mind…”

You bit down on your lip knowing this was already crossing the line. But you had just made up and it was your fault that he had paint on his back in the first place. It was innocent. That’s what you had to keep telling yourself while staring at one of the sexiest people you had ever met.

You began rubbing away pieces of the paint, ignoring Yuta’s whines when you used too much pressure. Your hands traced down to his lower back, settling in the dip as you tried to remove a very stubborn piece of paint.

“Ugh this one is not coming off” you scratched at it and to your surprise Yuta had let out a moan instead of the usual wincing.

“I don’t mean to kink shame but-“

Yuta spun around and glared at you, challenging you to finish your sentence but you were more concerned at the fact that the only thing protecting your nude body from Yuta right now was a thin piece of fabric.

“Yuta!” You scolded and he rolled his eyes, “oh please y/n I’ve seen it all, now can you please help me with the paint ?”

You watched wide eyed as Yuta stepped into the shower going back on his word to close his eyes and face the wall. You couldn’t believe what was happening right now but the quicker you removed the paint the quicker he’d be out of here.

“Aren’t your boxers…going to get wet ?” You watched him step closer to water already allowing his hair to soak up the warm stream. “Well you’re not gonna let me take them off with you in here and I’ll probably just go commando when we get back to the office” Yuta shrugged and you should’ve known that was one of his options since he has done it in the past.

You sighed and let go of the curtain allowing your naked body to be free and go back to work on his paint splatter. Yuta was calm and collected throughout the process, you silently commended him on his restraint, that was until he decided to turn around and look at you.

“Y-Yuta you promised” your voice was small but you still didn’t do much to cover up your body. Yuta leaned against the cold ceramic wall as he stared at you, his stare was dark, inviting you in like that night at the bar.

“I’m not going to do anything y/n unless you want me to” he reassured you, still maintaining a distance and doing absolutely nothing to persuade you. But did you need persuasion when all he needed to do was be in the same room as you?

The two of you stared in each other’s eyes for a few minutes and you had no idea who actually made the first move but there you were in the center of the shower stall, in a random gymnasium, kissing Yuta Nakamoto.

Yuta’s bare body was pressed against yours as the two of you fought for dominance in the kiss. You placed your hands on his chest to which he responded by wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you closer until his hardened member twitched against your stomach. There were no words, just actions. Each kiss only made you more desperate for him, not feeling this type of arousal since that night at the bar. He was the only person who could turn you on to the point that every image of Jeno was erased from your mind.

You tugged down his boxers with urgency and Yuta helped you quicken the process, quickly kicking away the piece of clothing and had you pushed up against the wall with your legs wrapped around his waist. Yuta pulled away from your lips with a sultry bite on your bottom lip and lined up his member with your core. He kept his eyes on you the entire time from the moment he slipped into your wetness to the harsh thrusts he was now giving to you against the coldness of the wall. You felt like you were complete, filled with the right amount of passion and ecstasy. God you hated to admit it but nobody could fuck you the way Yuta did. Absolutely no one.

Yuta slowed down his thrusts and you brought your feet back to the ground, gesturing for him to take a seat on the floor and got on top of his member once more. Yuta threw his head back as you rode him relentlessly, grabbing onto your ass as he tried to meet your rhythm. The sight of him partially under the water and his swollen lips was delicious, you couldn’t ask for a better view right now. Yuta on the hand was also enjoying having you bounce on his length, quickly realizing that the women he had bedded during his time without you were not worth it. Not a single one of them made him feel the way you did. Even the times you guys were fucking around he’d sleep with other women because he didn’t want to admit that you are his best. You will always be his best.

“G-gonna cum” you panted and Yuta quickly rubbed circles on your clit to help you reach your orgasm. He watched your body spasm and you threw your head back with a soft moan. The sight alone made him come undone straight after you, filling you up completely.

You slowly got to your feet with the help of Yuta offering his hand and managed to finally catch your breath.

What the fuck did you just do ?

“Before you say this was a mistake and you hate me, hear me out” Yuta spoke up, “I need to know something”

You bit down on your lip. “Yeah?”

“Do you like me ?”

“What ?” You quietly questioned and Yuta sighed, rubbing his temples, “do you like me y/n ? actually like me ? Or is it you just like fucking me ?”

“I don’t know Yuta you know that I’m seeing Je-“you began explaining before Yuta quickly cut you off. “Don’t say his name, listen I know you like fucking me because that’s what happened right now despite whatever feelings you have for…Jen..him.”

“So what am I supposed to do ?” You asked, still unsure of how you were even going to face Jeno back at the office after this.

“Use me,” Yuta deadpanned, “keep me as your dirty little secret and I won’t tell a soul. I just don’t want this to end. I’m fucking addicted to this, and clearly you’re in need of me just as much as I need you.”

Yuta took a step forward and cupped your cheek with the palm of his hand. “I just crave you all goddamn day and nothing is fulfilling that need until right now.”

You knew exactly what he was talking about but you couldn’t bring yourself to share how much you ached for him. Late nights when you were alone you even pleased yourself with memories of him. You were unsure if it was lust at this point or you actually missed being around him. Despite every fight and argument the two of you had, there was something always drawing you in.

“First of all I don’t hate you” you sighed and he chuckled dryly before you continued, “I don’t know if this is a good idea but I’m only agreeing because Jeno and I aren’t serious yet and if we are-“

“I’ll back off I promise” Yuta quickly added and you nodded, “he can’t know about this, nobody can.”

“You have my word” Yuta pressed his lips together and for the first time he looked absolutely serious. Something in you made you trust that he wouldn’t fuck this up, because that would mean the one thing he wanted most right now would fall through.

You just hoped that this little need the two of you had for each other wasn’t turning into an…obsession.

————————————————————————-

“You guys are finally back” Ten stretched his arms above his head as you, Yangyang and Yuta returned back to the office after quite an eventful afternoon.

“Wanna see pics ? It turned out great!” Yangyang grinned quickly, running over to the older guys, showing off his artwork. Jeno was over at the game area with Sungchan completely invested in beating his friend in a round of Call Of Duty.

“Hey you” you sunk into the beanbag next to Jeno who shot you a quick glance before concentrating on his next move, “your hairs wet, why ?”

“Showered after the painting session” you answered diligently hoping there were no follow up questions. Thankfully he was way too invested in his video game to care much, you really weren't in the mood for an interrogation after half a day with Yuta.

Jeno asked a lot of questions when he felt insecure about something. Even though time had been short with him, it still somehow felt like a 2 year relationship. For a young guy Jeno was pretty old fashioned, he made you pick all the date places and never bothered to make the first move physically until you hinted to him that it was okay.

He was so different to what you were used to and you were afraid that if you didn’t speed things up with him this little secret with Yuta would turn into a reality.

“Hey y/n can you help me with lunch ?” Doyoung called from the makeshift kitchen area a few feet away and you silently thanked him for distracting you from your thoughts.

“Hey Doyoung” you smiled as you began opening containers from the Chinese delivery you guys frequented. “Just wanted to check in with you” Doyoung sweetly said as he grabbed a few utensils, “you and Jeno huh ? Was that part of my advice ?”

You pressed your lips together and nodded. “Yeah I guess so, it also helps that I’ve known him for a while now and he did actually have a thing for me in high school” Doyoung cocked his head at your words and leaned in, “and you liked him back or you’re seeing something in him now that you didn’t see before ?”

“U-uhm I think he’s hot” you chewed on your lip and Doyoung chuckled softly, “you know not everything is about looks or…hooking up, do you enjoy his time ? His interests ? His company ?”

You turned back to where Jeno was still playing his video games and you did feel a little confused as to what you guys actually did have in common. “I mean…” you began, crossing your arms across your chest, “we’ve only been seeing each other romantically for two weeks I think it’s too soon to tell.”

Doyoung combed back his hair and instead of bringing forth his insight in order to make you see things clearer he just nodded.

“You’re probably right, well I wish you guys all the best, it’s better than being with someone who doesn’t care emotionally right ?”

You slowly nodded and with that Doyoung began taking the food to the dining area leaving you with more confusing thoughts than you had before.

Lunch and the rest of the evening went on smoothly. Yuta stayed out of your way and there was absolutely no sign that the two of you we’re together that day. It was easier to fake seeing Yuta since the group knew the two of you would’ve been bickering straight after hooking up. It was the perfect illusion.

“Mark Lee’s party is at 9pm tomorrow night you guys, don’t forget” Taeyong looked around the room until he heard a confirmation from every single mouth.

“9pm ? Shit would it be okay if I only stuck around for an hour ?” Jeno sighed and looked over at Taeyong, “my brothers in town and I promised I'd get him from the airport at 10:30.”

“Well you’d have to show one of the guys here how to turn the installation on” Doyoung’s worried look matched Taeyong.

“I’ll be there to turn it on I’ll just need to leave straight after” Jeno assured them and squeezed your hand under the table, “it’s all really sudden but you’ll be okay right ?”

“I’ll be fine, I’m probably going to head home after the music video airing anyway” you smiled at him and he placed a soft kiss on your forehead earning a whistle from Lucas.

Yuta awkwardly shuffled at the sudden PDA and he hoped no one at the table noticed but it caught the attention of none other than Johnny Suh who narrowed his eyes at his coffee run mate.

The evening had wrapped up and everyone had already headed home except for Yuta and Johnny who were adamant on finishing a photography project for a band they were working with.

“Trouble in paradise ?” Johnny hummed as he edited an image on his laptop. Yuta, who was busy sorting out the Polaroids, turned to face his large best friend with a lost expression.

“Huh?” He raised a brow to which Johnny shook his head still staring at his screen.

“I can’t believe this, after all these fucking hellish months now you realize you like her?”

Yuta leaned in on the desk. “What the heck are you on about Johnny ?”

“Y/n” Johnny sighed and your name made Yuta’s heart race a bit, hoping Johnny hadn’t found out about the shower incident. God you’d hate him forever if anyone found out.

“Listen Johnny we-“

“You like her! After all those months of fighting I knew you were secretly in love and now” Johnny threw his hands in the air, “now that Jeno has entered the arena you have ruined your chances. Way to go buddy.”

“Wait what ?! I’m not in love with y/n!” Yuta scoffed. Saying that sentence out loud felt like a lie even though he couldn’t fully convince himself.  Was he in love ? Was Johnny mistaking love for just lust ?

That’s all it was and ever was right ?

You enjoyed fucking around with him and he was okay with it. That’s what he wanted too. Even if you didn’t answer his question of whether you liked him or not, it was okay. Whatever you wanted was okay as long he got to be with you.

“I’m not in love with y/n.”

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

You and Jeno arrived at the party with Yangyang and Sungchan all helping carry equipment for Jeno’s installation. The piece was a pixel art board that formed Mark Lee’s latest EP cover, and once plugged in it gave it an animated effect, basically bringing the EP cover to life. You marvelled at the hard work Jeno had put in, it was just a shame that he wasn't sticking around to receive praise from everyone who attended.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay here ? I know how much you hate these parties” Jeno pressed his lips together as he brought you into a tight hug. You hummed and looked up at him smiling, “Only been dragged to one of these parties a million times, another round won't hurt.” Jeno responded by pressing his lips to your forehead before joining Sungchan in setting up the installation. You always wondered why Jeno opted for your forehead instead of your lips most of the time despite already having your first real kiss. You understood he wasn't big on PDA, but the only time you ever got to kiss him was at your apartment door when a date had ended or when you sneaked in a kiss at the cinema. As much as you liked his chivalry, God at times you just wished he took initiative and bent you over your kitchen counter and had his way with you. It was kinda humorous how Jeno was the ideal type of any women out there but for you, you needed an unhinged, sex-crazed maniac to match your energy.

You needed Yu-

“It looks really good Jeno.” Your breathing hitched when you heard Yuta’s voice from behind you. You turned around but to your surprise he wasn't alone. Yuta was accompanied by a familiar face, Mei, a part-time designer from a few floors down. The way she held onto his arm made something stir inside of you. Your cheeks burned up and you dare say it for the first time you felt...jealous.

You were used to seeing Yuta with many different girls but it was always some nobody that he never bothered to introduce to the group. He always made sure none of them integrated with his work life but Mei, Mei was the first person you actually knew.

“y/n its been a while, Oh my God you look great” she said sweetly and you returned a friendly smile despite your awkwardness. Yuta gave you a quick glance not really paying you any mind as he kept a steady hand on Mei’s lower back, the two of them practically looking like a couple. It made you feel uneasy. After all he had said to you that afternoon in the shower, It seemed like he didn't mean it.

“It’s perfect Jeno you really outdid yourself” Taeyong applauded as the rest of the team finally arrived, all congratulating Jeno on his first big project under Blank Space. Jeno shyly thanked everyone and checked his watch, sighing that it was already time for him to depart.

“You're going now ?” You walked over to wrap your arms around his waist. You didn't care much before about Jeno leaving early, before Yuta decided to bring a date to the party which meant you would definitely be on your own. Jeno pouted and stroked your head, “yeah, we're still on for Sunday though right ?” and you replied with a nod before sinking into one of his very warm hugs. You had no idea why, but the need to ease your jealousy and get back at Yuta was so strong that you ended up pulling out of the hug and kissed Jeno in front of everyone. Thankfully Jeno didn't shy away and maybe the guilt of leaving you made him return the kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you against your body.

“Get a room you guys” Ten joked when the two of you finally pulled away, and Jeno chuckled shyly before leaning into your ear, “let’s do that more often” he cheekily smiled and pecked your lips once more before making his way to the exit. Johnny watched as Yuta still looked visibly uncomfortable, more so now than before. But Johnny also knew how damn stubborn Yuta was and watched him throw his arm around Mei, departing from the group most likely for the rest of the night.

It was late into the night and Yuta was already way too many shots down to call himself sober. Mei was talking but he was not listening. Mei was a nice girl who had made it known to him that she liked him for a while now, but unfortunately for her she was not you. All Yuta wanted was you and again he cursed himself for being so fucking hooked. He wanted to make you jealous but after he saw you kiss Jeno it just came back to him ten thousand times harder. He came to terms with his addiction now in his drunken state he was scanning the crowd for a glimpse of the only person he cared about.

You.

“Hey I'm going to leave now...do you want to come with ?” Mei nervously bit down on her lip hoping the man she's been pining for months will finally take notice of her.

“Nah im good, I’m probably going to wait until my friends leave” Yuta replied coldly, his eyes still scanning the crowd as he took another sip from his jack daniels and coca-cola concoction. Mei nodded, disappointed that her night had not gone as planned and left silently, leaving her date to finally gain his freedom.

Yuta scanned the crowd for the tenth time until he did a double take at a figure in the back corner, dancing on their own with no care in the world. Downing the rest of his drink Yuta kept his eyes focused on you despite the alcohol blurring his vision and his body feeling heavy, he had to get to you.

You were in the same state as him, most likely worse since Lucas challenged you to a drink off. You had no clue when you separated from the rest of the group so you stuck a little corner hoping to sober up before heading home. As you swayed along to the music you felt someone wrap their hands around your waist and the familiar scent of that Tom Ford perfume made you realize who it was.

“Yuta…” you groaned, pulling his hands away from your body, still remembering how awful he made you feel a few hours earlier. God were you the rebound chick now ? The thought alone was sickening.

Yuta, still blissfully unaware that you were mad at him, still pushed his body against yours until your back was pressed against the wall and you had no choice but to look up at him. You watched him move his face down in order to capture your lips, but you quickly evaded it with a turn of your head. Yuta scoffed and sufficed for your neck, giving you soft wet kisses all the way down to your collarbones until you pushed him off yet again.

“What the fuck ?” He growled in your ear, “I thought we had a deal.” You rolled your eyes at him, there was the side of Yuta you hated the most. You wondered how long it would be until he factory reseted back to an asshole.

“I thought I was first choice” you snapped at him, “all your talk about no one can satisfy you like I can, use me y/n, I only want you” you mimicked his voice and flipped him off with your finger. Yuta knew you were jealous but it was kind of ironic given the situation. You were the one in a relationship, not him. “Oh so I'm supposed to see you suck face with Jeno but I can't have any fun y/n ?” Yuta had you back against the wall, this time his hand was locked on your jaw with his lips against your ear.

“Maybe I should've fucked Mei” Yuta’s voice was dark, you felt him smirk against your ear when his words clearly affected you, “Maybe if I fucked her she would've been so good that i would forget all about you y/n.” Your eyes darted to him and he cocked his head, challenging you, waiting to see how much you could take before you caved. Normally you’d be the one getting Yuta riled up like this. It was common knowledge that Yuta was a very jealous person and just mentioning another man sexually he would lose his mind. Once you were craving his attention and casually mentioned to him that if Doyoung was interested you’d let him screw you on his office desk, and Yuta responded by fucking you senseless in the supply closet until the only name that escaped your lips was his.

But now the tables were turned and you didn't want to hear about Mei. You didn't want to picture her next to Yuta let alone in bed with him. It was selfish on your part considering Jeno, but you wanted Yuta all to yourself.

“Shut up” you narrowed your eyes at him and grabbed a fist full of his shirt and brought him closer. Yuta traced his thumb over your lips and smiled, already knowing he won this round.

“Tell me why I cant fuck her right now y/n, tell me” he coaxed, and you responded by pulling him into a sensual kiss, your tongue slipping into his mouth and your hand palming his member until you heard him groan in your ear,

You pulled away from the kiss and pressed your swollen lips to his ear, “Because...you're mine.” Yuta licked his own lips at your words and grabbed at your ass,

“Show me I'm yours, baby.”

You had no idea when and how the both of you got to Yuta’s apartment in one piece but the moment he had his foot in the door, Yuta was tugging your dress over your head. “Fuck why do you always wear the most  complicated things” Yuta whined which you found cute even though you would never let him know that you were well aware of his adorable side. Sighing from victory, Yuta finally got your dress off and pulled you into his familiar bedroom, which you honestly missed so fucking much.

Taking in the familiar scent of his perfume and his slightly messy room, with posters on the walls, and a rack of band shirts - it was his little heaven and you loved it.

You walked over to lie on his bed, sinking into the soft fabric of the bed sheets as a familiar rock song began playing from Yuta’s stereo. You watched him as he discarded his shirt and ripped jeans, showing off his chest tattoos and belly ring, just the sight of him was already making you wet. Yuta was none the better, groaning as his boner pushed against the fabric of his underwear as his eyes took in your body, sexily laid out for him like you used to be.

“Fuck…” his lips parted as he watched you spread your legs, waiting for him obediently. Yuta crawled up onto the bed and nestled in between your thighs, his mischievous eyes looking up at yours before he began peeling away the thin piece of fabric revealing your core.

“You're…so…wet baby” he said in a low voice and leaned in to give your heat a soft kiss. The instant contact made your body shiver, reaching down to play with his dark curls. “Yuta…please” you whined as he continued his light kisses, not giving you the pressure you desired. Yuta looked up with an innocent face and cocked his head, “Why should I do it ?” His fingers traced circles on your hips and abdomen, waiting for an answer.

“Because…you’re mine Yuta, I want you…all to myself…I want to please me, only me” you threw your head back. Not having sex for over a month was really getting to you and the frustration had you saying just about anything. Yuta watched you squirm and after hearing those words he figured it was a good enough reward for his dear fuck-buddy. Yuta kissed your core once more but this time his tongue darted out every once in a while, awarding you with a better sensation. You moaned inaudible words as he began eating you out like a pro, lapping away like his life depended on it before inserting two fingers inside you.

“Yuta wait I’m gonna-“ you grabbed onto his hair, feeling your orgasm come on way too early for your liking as his fingers moved rapidly and his tongue licked away at your clit. Yuta ignored your plea knowing this was only the first of many and honestly he was glad that he was still the only man giving you orgasms for the past couple of months.

Yuta pulled away, a devilish smirk spread across his face as he watched you cum all over his fingers and just as your vision was in focus you had the pleasure of seeing him lick his fingers clean as if he just had the most amazing meal ever,

“Mmmm tasty” he bit down on his lip and winked at you. God he was so damn cocky, and it didn’t take you long to recover from that orgasm to make room for another. You got to your knees and sat back, your face now level with Yuta’s clothed member.

Yuta groaned as you palmed him, his length already twitching against your touch. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone but since the night you had called it off with him, his desire had subsided and he wondered if you were the sole reason for his high sex drive. You placed your lips against his belly ring, giving it a kiss before pulling down his boxers and allowing his member to spring free. Yuta cursed as your tongue swiped across the tip and you looked up at him with those large eyes, and Yuta knew exactly what you were waiting for. Positioning your mouth over his tip, you waited until Yuta grabbed a fistful of your hair and guided you down on his length, groaning loudly as you took in all of him.

Yuta’s hips began to meet your rhythm and the grip on your hair tightened, the sudden roughness made you shiver with excitement. You and Yuta always liked it rough, since it took out your anger on each other and any type of nurturing or romance would throw off the dynamic.  

Yuta threw his head back as he released, keeping you on him until you swallowed every bit. He muttered curse words as he pulled out and watched you lick your lips, swiping the corner of your mouth with your thumb and sucked it off.

“Yum” you mimicked his words from earlier with a smirk essentially driving Yuta crazy with lust. You giggled as he pushed you onto the bed and attacked you with bites and kisses, leading from your neck down to the valley of your breasts. “How long until you get hard again?” You sighed playfully but winced when Yuta’s teeth sunk into your skin, punishing you for your words.

“Cocky aren’t we ?” He moved back up to your lips and kissed you passionately. Just as you began melting into the kiss, Yuta pulled away and jumped off his bed heading to his closet.

“What are you doing ?” You groaned as you watched him sift through the mess of his closet until he finally retrieved a familiar box. “Yuta you’re literally hard right now, come on let’s just fuck already” you whined, knowing that when Yuta brought out that box it was his way of getting rid of your bratty attitude.

“If you wanna be impatient two can play at that game” he grinned and hopped onto the bed, pulling out his favorite pair of hair cuffs and with ease, cuffed you to his headboard. You watched him look through his box of toys, rubbing your thighs together excited about what his choice will be.

Yuta grabbed something out of the box and discarded the rest onto the floor, making his way back up to your body and pressed his lips against your ear, “you remember the safe word baby ?” Yuta pecked you when you nodded and you watched him insert a mini vibrator in your core and roll off the bed with the remote in his hand.

“I wasn’t even that mean to you” you grumbled, still getting used to the device inserted in you. Yuta shrugged and turned the device on, keeping it on a low setting as he watched you stir in his bed.

“I’m not punishing you for that actually, I’m punishing you for something else you did” he said calmly, pacing around the room butt ass naked.  You frowned and thought back to the party when he had found you, what did you say to him ?

“I’m sorry I pushed you…away” you pouted but a moan escaped your lips when you felt the setting turn higher and you watched Yuta shake his head, “nope that’s not it.” You groaned and threw your head back, unable to even think what the hell he could be on about. Yuta would get mad at every little thing so it honestly could’ve been anything.

“Can’t I have a hint or something ?” You pleaded and Yuta raised his eyebrow and eventually sighed, giving in too easily. “It happened in the beginning at the party” he said annoyingly, and finally something in your brain clicked.

“The kiss ? You’re mad over the kiss ?” Your words fell off when you felt the vibrator go another setting higher, the new speed was decent enough to start building a second orgasm. “You don’t sound like you’re apologizing for it” Yuta scoffed and dangled the remote in front of your face, “this goes up 4 more speeds y/n.”

“Why do I need to apologize for kissing my boyfriend when-“

Another setting higher.

“Fuck wait Yuta” you breathed, it was impossible to even keep focused at the new speed and the sensation was now running throughout your entire body. “You kissed him in front of me to make me jealous didn't you?” Yuta questioned and you nodded frantically, pressing your thighs together to ease the intensity, “yes yes oh my God, I wanted to make you….jealous because you brought someone else…and..fuck” just as you felt your body finally build up a perfect orgasm the vibrator suddenly turned off and you were met with Yuta’s cocky smile.

“You like to have it all don’t you y/n” he hummed as flung the remote aside and knelt between your thighs that were shaking from the orgasm denial. “You want to fuck me, but not let me fuck anyone else, you want Jeno but you don’t want me to get mad over it” he continued as he pulled the dripping wet toy out of your core and tossed it to the floor. Yuta placed his hands on either side of you and looked down at your defeated face and smiled, “Do you want me to fuck someone else?”

You shook your head and Yuta undid one of the handcuffs. He pressed a soft kiss to your cheek and again asked you another question, “Do you want to fuck me ?” and you quickly nodded, earning your second hand free from the cuffs allowing them to fall to your sides. Yuta placed his hand around your throat and squeezed gently, smirking as you arched your back, thirsting for him so desperately.

“Who would fuck you better, me or Jeno ?” Yuta mused as his hand released a bit of pressure on your throat. “Y-you” your voice was small and Yuta released your throat and his hand moved down to smack your thigh.

“Say it, say who will fuck you better” he hissed.

“You Yuta, you will fuck me better than anyone…better than Jeno” Yuta grinned at your words, a little surprised that you used Jeno’s name in such a blasphemous way. He was in euphoria at this point. It was all he needed to hear after continuously seeing you and Jeno look as if you were in love with each other.

It was all wrong.

You and him loved each other.

Fuck. He loved you. He really did.

Yuta pushed his length into your core and groaned as the realization of his thoughts and his conversation with Johnny all hit him at once. The sight of you beneath him, moaning his name and your confession that you wanted him over Jeno. It was all too much.

You moaned as he thrusted into you, his hips violently hitting against yours as your nails dug into his lower back. The lewd sounds filled the room and for a second the two of you looked into each other’s eyes, both feeling something…different. Usually Yuta would be fucking you from behind, his favourite position because he loved looking at your ass but tonight especially after his sudden questioning, he took care of you differently.

You don’t know what came over you and it was yet another thing you never did during sex but you pulled him down to kiss you. Your lips moved passionately against his, desperately clinging to his body as his strokes became longer and more powerful. Yuta sighed into the kiss, palming your cheek and his movements suddenly became more gentle as if he were making love to you, not fucking you.

“Yuta…I’m close” you moaned into his ear, loving this new feeling of him on your body. Yuta hummed in response and quickened his pace, making sure to sneak in a kiss every now and then until he finally brought you to your long awaited orgasm. You watched him bite down on his lip as he thrusted into you, chasing his own orgasm until he pressed his against your ear and said the words you never thought you’d hear from him.

“I love you y/n”

Your body slightly froze as Yuta finally came and he rolled off your body, mentally cursing himself for allowing those words to escape his mouth at this moment. But it’s what he felt.

Johnny was right.

“W-what ?” You finally managed to say and turned to him. Yuta licked his lips and kept his focus on the ceiling above him.

“You heard me right” he said calmly and you felt your heart race. Where was this coming from ? He was the one who always implemented the no romance rule and he chooses now, the moment you’re seeing someone else to confess to you.

“I have to go” you murmured and jumped off the bed, starting to collect your clothes from the floor. You heard the bed creak and Yuta sat up and watched you dress up. “It’s late now y/n and you drank, stay the night and leave when the suns up” he insisted, eventually grabbing his own boxers,

“Here you can sleep in one of my shirts and you’re welcome to sleep in my bed for the night.”

“Y-you…that was one of the rules…no staying over” you were biting on your nails, everything that had happened in the last ten minutes made no sense. Yuta shoved the shirt into your hands and sighed, “Look, we don’t have to talk about what I said or what happened, just stay the night and you can go back to your perfect life with Jeno.” Yuta began making his way to his door when you grabbed onto his arm making him stop in his tracks,

“Where are you going ?” You asked him softly.

Yuta looked at you and sighed, “I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

“Yuta..”

“What ?”

“Stay with me.”

—-—————————————————————

You had no idea why you had told him to stay in bed with you considering all that had happened a few minutes ago. But here you were, curled into his chest listening to his heartbeat as he lightly stroked your hair.

“How…long ?” You broke the silence and felt his heartbeat slightly race, “The realization came recently but I’ve…always liked you y/n” Yuta responded softly.

“Well you don’t have a good way of showing it” you rolled your eyes and Yuta’s soft laughter filled the room. “Well at first you actually were annoying but I did find you cute” He replied and shifted until you were on your back looking up at him,

“You put up with me and we’re not afraid to fight back. You know it’s not even about the sex, I think we’ve always enjoyed each other’s company, we just have a weird way of showing it.” You listened to his words and did a bit of reflection for yourself. You were already well aware that he occupied your mind 24/7 and did not enjoy seeing him around other girls he would eventually sleep with. But was this…love ? You weren't so sure.

“Do you ever think it’s more of an addiction rather than…love ?” You looked up at him, hoping your words did not offend his sudden confession in any way. Yuta sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling deep in thought.

“What is love then ?” He murmured, clearly by the look on his face he had been pondering on this question for a while now. You joined him in laying on your back and looked up at the ceiling, “love is when the other person completes you” you began, “when you’re having a dull day and just the sight of them could turn that around. Love is wanting to protect that person all the time, it’s just love.”

Yuta turned to you, “have you ever been in love ?”

You shook your head. “I don’t think so.”  Yuta shrugged and returned his focus above him, “whatever you just described is how I feel, but maybe I’m just still hung up on the Jeno situation.” You felt a pang in your chest as if you just completely destroyed his spirit. You always saw Yuta as a strong confident presence, yet the person next to you seemed lost, he looked broken. But deep down you knew that whatever he was describing had floated in your head from time to time, maybe it needed to be said out loud for you to finally realize.

“Give me a week”

“Huh ?” Yuta’s eyebrows raised at you.

“Give me a week to figure all of this out and we will have this talk again” you sat up and looked back at him. Yuta propped himself up on his elbows and shook his head, “y/n, if you don’t feel the same way it’s okay I won’t come in between you and…Jeno anymore.”

“Yuta”

“Hmm?”

You pulled the boy by his shirt until you were able to lock your lips with his, slipping your tongue into his mouth and he mimicked your actions before pulling away, a confused expression spreading across his face.

“I don’t know where this is going to go and whether we’re right for each other,” you chuckled dryly, “but I will always want you Yuta, you’re not coming between Jeno and I because the one who wants… .”

————————————————————————

It was finally Monday and you already regretted seeing Jeno at the office since you faked a terrible hangover to get out of the Sunday date, something that wasn’t entirely a lie. You spent the whole of Sunday laying in your bed thinking about the night you spent with Yuta and all that was shared during the morning.

You thought back on your own words about what your version of love was. Protecting someone. You reminisced about the days when Yuta got sick after a night out and you were the one to take care of him despite his protests. You thought back to when the two of you were working on a project, arguing as usual and you managed to slip on a wet paint spot, causing you to sprain your ankle. Yuta was the one to help you around the office when needed, he wasn’t appointed to you nor did he have to use up his own time to help you but he did it anyway.

When you were having a dull day the person you loved would find a way to brighten it up, just the sight of them was enough. There was an occasion where a client got real mean with you in the office, and hated the project you worked almost a month on, refusing to pay you for the labor you had put in. Yuta had seen the commotion and joined you in your booth and the two of you flooded the clients company with hilarious bad reviews anonymously until you were literally tearing up from laughter. That was one of the rare days the two of you didn’t get into an argument and the moment completely slipped your mind. You had  forgotten that Yuta and you actually shared fond memories of each other outside the bedroom.

You thought about every moment you got to the office and Yuta would be sticking his tongue out at you, calling you names and being a jerk as usual. But days when he had to work out of the office felt boring, empty, it wasn’t worth sitting in your cubicle without seeing him across from you.

But then after feeling the warm fuzziness of knowing Yuta felt the same way about you, your phone buzzed with Jeno’s name across the screen. Why were you doing this to him ? Why was Jeno in the crossfire when all he wanted to do was get to know you better ?

All you ever wanted was a distraction from the man you were scared to fall in love with.

“Heyyy you, you feeling okay ?” Jeno beamed when you entered the office, immediately bringing you into a tight hug and ending with a kiss on the cheek. You nodded and the sense of guilt over took your body as you looked up at his cheery smile.

“I heard you guys got so wasted at the party, damn I wish I stayed” Jeno giggled as the two of you walked hand in hand over to your cubicle. “Yeah it was…crazy” you faked a smile before settling in your seat. You looked across, a force of habit and you were greeted by a soft smile from Yuta before quietly returning to his work.

“I was thinking we should go see that new marvel movie tonight, what do you think ?” Jeno’s eyes were so bright and full of energy that everytime you looked into them it just made it harder to keep up your facade. “I’m pretty busy this week but hey Friday you can come over, I…need to talk to you anyway” you bit down on your lip and Jeno’s expression changed from excited to slightly wary, clearly noticing that something wasn’t quite right.

“Is….everything okay?” He asked in a staggered voice, and you slowly nodded and reached to squeeze his hand, “yeah let’s hang out on Friday okay ?” You smiled and Jeno pressed his lips together and nodded. You watched him exit your cubicle and all that was left in your view was the only person you wanted to see today, Yuta.

Yuta looked up and caught your stare, smiling softly as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand and winked at you. It was sweet and innocent, nothing like how he usually acted from across the room. You found yourself blushing and hid your face until you heard a beep come from your phone. Opening the messenger app you were greeted by a picture of yourself hiding your crimson cheeks with the message ‘Cute’ attached to it.

y/n: didn’t take you for a simp.

yutaa: fuck off, I have a folder like this.

You stifled your laughter when Yuta sent a screenshot with a folder just of you in your cubicle. From you flipping him off, to you glaring at him clearly pissed off at something he had said, and one of you trying your best to pay attention to whatever story Yangyang was on about.

y/n: oh my god you’re a BIG SIMP.

yutaa: maybe.

y/n: well I do have ONE of you that I don’t have the heart to delete.

yutaa: oh really ?

You sent Yuta a picture you absolutely treasured of him in your bed fast asleep hugging one of your plushies. It was one of the last nights you had with him before things got sour. Normally you’d never allow him to nap in your bed after a hookup but he looked so at peace and so adorable  that you decided to bend the rules a little.

yutaa: that was a good ass nap. yutaa: simp.

y/n: maybe.

The rest of the day went on and honestly you felt as if you were on cloud nine, chatting to Yuta like he was your high school crush. Smiling every time he texted back and glancing up every now and then, waiting for him to look at you with that cheeky grin. But as reality set in and Yuta’s smile faded, you were still dating another man. Who now had his arms wrapped around your waist peppering kisses all over your neck and shoulder while Yuta looked on, not being able to do a thing about it.

————————————————————————

The team decided to head out for dinner the next day, and something in Jeno had switched. After Yuta had watched him cuddle you until the day was over, you barely even got the chance to talk to Yuta face to face since Jeno offered to take you home. He was being suspiciously clingy and you wondered if he suspected anything.

“You’re okay with sharing a pasta and plate of fries ?” Jeno smiled over at you, one hand rubbing your waist and the other holding up the wooden menu. You nodded and Jeno placed his order in with Johnny who was doing the rounds for everyone. Yuta sat across from you and you could feel his stare on you from time to time, and the moments it felt like he was staring, Jeno’s grip on your waist got tighter.

“Is...is something wrong ?” you leaned into Jeno as he took a sip of his water. Even though he was smiling, his jaw was clenched signaling that he was trying to suppress himself from doing or saying something. “I'm just really tired” he rubbed your back and to your surprise leaned in to capture your lips. It was innocent but your lack of effort to mind his feelings wasn't good enough for Yuta. Frankly he had no idea where you two stood at the moment, for all he knew you could be playing him right now. It probably wasn't the case though, but Yuta was not really used to his life getting a happy ending. The night drove on and the group split with you, Ten, Doyoung, Taeyong and Renjun seated at the table while the rest of the guys were hanging around the bar babysitting their drinks. Jeno was really a changed man since high school. He was so confident, well-built and a good socialite with the team. You watched him lean against the bar counter, drink in hand entertaining whatever story Lucas had for the night.

“So you and y/n huh ? Have you scored yet ?” Lucas raised his brow cheekily to which Jeno chuckled and shook his head, “Really Lucas ? were talking about my sex life now ?” Yuta was in conversation with Johnny and Sungchan but he couldn't help but overhear your name in the chat next to him.

“Yeah man, I'm sure she’s good too after locking down my boy Yuta” Lucas smirked and Yuta flinched when the boisterous man grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled him into the conversation. “Even though they hate each other I just know they had the best hook ups” Lucas laughed despite Johnny trying to make him shut up.

“Well that’s all over now” Jeno’s eyes narrowed on Yuta before looking up at Lucas, “she invited me over tonight and considering the type of pictures she sent me, i'm guessing it’s going to be one hell of a night.” Yuta’s chest felt tight not only at the possibility that you may have invited him over to finally sleep with him but mainly because of the way Jeno spoke about you. He probably only shared that information to appease Lucas but hinting at you sending him nudes was not something you would like the guys to know about.

“She’s really been trying to speed up the process between us too it's cute actually” Jeno continued as Yangyang and Lucas egged him on, “that night after that painting you guys did for Mark Lee she was practically begging me to fuck her after our movie date. God if my brother didn't give me all those errands I would've done so right on the kitchen counter.”

Yuta shot back the rest of his drink and stormed off as Lucas and Yangyang hyped up Jeno, pouring him another shot and laughing erratically in their drunken state. From where you were seated you saw Yuta storm off and watched Johnny run after him worriedly, making you slightly anxious.

“Yuta don't listen to them man '' Johnny huffed as he finally caught up to his friend a few blocks down from the restaurant. “I dont fucking care man I really dont” Yuta chuckled dryly and ran his fingers through his hair, “It doesnt matter because at the end of the day im still the worthless piece of shit and guys like him are God fucking sent.” Johnny watched Yuta’s expression change and he turned around to find you standing there, desperately looking between them for context.

“Yuta what happened ?” you asked in a small voice and the familiar sting in his chest returned, hearing you call out his name, following him out here while Jeno was still inside, it was all just confusing to him.

“I thought you giving us a week meant you felt the same way and I could finally relax knowing you were going to be with me y/n” Yuta groaned in frustration while Johnny took a step away from the heated exchange. You shook your head as you approached him, “yes I did, so what's the problem ?” Yuta scoffed and folded his arms. “What's the problem ? doesn't look like anything’s changed y/n. I have to see you act like the couple of the year after telling you how I felt about you ? That's brilliant.”

“I told you I would speak to him this week” you snapped, unbothered by the now random onlookers who were concerned at the scene taking place. “But fine honestly Yuta if you really want me to say it you have my permission to fuck some random girl until im finally free.” You rolled your eyes about to turn on your heels to leave when you felt a tug on your wrist and Yuta pulled you into a kiss. He held your face in his hands as he kissed you passionately, sighing as he slowly pulled away and pressed his forehead against yours,

“When I said I loved you I fucking meant it y/n, I only want you. But please, if youre going to invite him over or send him dirty...pictures atleast tell him not to tell the whole fucking world about it.”

You took a step back and frowned at his words, “What ? What pictures ?”

“The ones he told Lucas about, y/n honestly I don't care I was just mad that he was airing your business out like that” Yuta bit down on his lip and yet again you were deeply confused as to what he was on about.

“I...I didn't send him anything” you responded, “I didn't invite him over tonight and I definitely haven't sent him any...nudes.”

“Tell that to him then”

You turned around and noticed most of the team was now outside watching the commotion go down and right in front was Jeno, who by the look on his face had most likely seen the kiss you just shared with Yuta.

Jeno approached the both of you with an irritated groan and scoffed, “I was going to ignore the signs but God I was so right, you were still fucking him this entire time ?” You lowered your head and Yuta glared at Jeno, “If you knew all this time why didn't you just break up with her and move on ?”

Jeno rolled his eyes and took a step closer to Yuta to which Johnny quickly responded by placing a firm hand on Jeno’s shoulder making sure the boy was at safe distance from his best friend.

“I'm not like you Yuta” Jeno licked his lips, “unlike you I respect her, I understand that she was going back to you because you like to play around, you never cared about her until I showed up. You were threatened by the fact that you were no longer in control of her.”

“Nobody is in control of me first of all” you chimed in, “and second what’s this about me inviting you over and sending you nudes that apparently the whole fucking bar knows about”

“It's just banter y/n” Jeno shook his head.

“Banter ?” Yuta repeated, “didnt know talking about how you were going to fuck your girlfriend on the kitchen counter in front of her coworkers is banter.”

“What?” you walked up to Jeno, “W-where is this coming from Jeno ? you’re not like this.”

“Well how am I supposed to be y/n ?” Jeno raised his voice, “you wouldn't mind if he said that to you. You're always letting him get away with shit. Im the one sitting around here knowing my damn girlfriend is fucking around with someone else yet somehow still trying to forgive you and figure this out.”

“Why, though ?” you shrugged, “Is it because you want to prove to other people that you're the bigger person ?”

“Would you rather be with someone like him ? someone who will probably throw you aside after he’s bored, or someone like me who was always patient, always willing to put you first no matter what” Jeno reached for your hand, his eyes widening when you shrugged him off.

“Someone who I barely know that talks about me to my friends like im just some kind of whore or someone i've known for a while and not once shared anything intimate that happened between us,” you looked over at Yuta, “It was my one rule, the same rule I gave you Jeno and he was, Yuta is the only one who has abided to it.”

“y/n Im sorry,” Jeno lowered his voice, “we hurt each other and I want to fix that, just make your final decision...me or Yuta”

“Jeno….I apologize for using you, I'm sorry for leading and hurting your feelings” you began and Yuta slowly shook his head and turned around ready to hear the bad news that always seemed to follow him,

“But as crazy as it may sound to everyone here, I'm most like myself when I'm with Yuta, I love the person I am when I'm around him” Yuta turned at your words and instead of the sting he felt a sense of warmth. Hearing you say that in front of everyone who wanted the two of you apart, besides Johnny ofcourse, was absolute bliss.

“Who knows maybe it won't work and it will explode but I really want to try, that's the thing I'm most sure of, I really really want to try” you smiled as Yuta made his way over to you and pulled you into a tight hug.

“Let's get out of here” Yuta whispered before placing a kiss on your cheek and draping his arm over your shoulder as the two of you exited the street walking away from the mess and not even giving it a second glance.

The two of you ended up at your apartment full of smiles and giggles as you slowly discarded your clothes on the way to the bedroom. Once your back touched your soft duvet covers Yuta pressed his body against yours and peppered your skin with kisses all the way up to your ear. “I want to try something different” he whispered and you nodded in response while Yuta pulled his shirt over his head and discarded his jeans. Yuta pulled you on top of his body and returned to your lips, kissing you slowly and passionately. His touches were so delicate and nurturing that every time his fingers ran down your back you felt butterflies in your stomach. You unhooked your bra shimmied out of it, still attached to the addictive taste of Yuta’s lips. He slowly rolled you onto your back and left soft kisses all the way down your neck, down the valley of your breasts until he reached your abdomen. You watched as he pulled your underwear off, looking at your body like it was the most beautiful thing he had seen. That was it. Instead of lust he looked at you with love. He looked like he wanted to take care of you, be gentle with you, savour every moment he had with you. Your breathing hitched when you quickly realized that he inserted himself inside of you and used one arm to steady himself on the bed as he lent down to meet your lips. His strokes were slow but sharp, digging his nails into your thigh from time to time, preventing himself from losing control. Wanting to feel more of him you signaled that you wanted to switch positions and Yuta licked his lips as he watched you place your knees on either side of him and sit down on his member. “F-fuck” he cursed as you began to ride him, keeping to his wishes of keeping things calm and slow. Yuta wrapped his arms tightly around your waist as the two of you kissed in between your moans, twirling your tongue with his as your hips slammed into his.

“Y-Yuta…” you moaned, feeling a tear escape your eye as the long night and the building orgasm caught up with you.

“Yes baby ?” he hummed in your ear.

“I really fucking love you” you sighed, just the words finally leaving your mouth made you sob with joy. It felt so fucking good to finally say it out loud.

Yuta responded by flipping you onto your back and chased both his and your orgasm, fucking you with his usual intensity until you came and he followed straight after, filling the room with heavy pants and both of you trying to catch your breath.

“I love you too y/n” He finally said, bringing you to his chest and pressed his lips against your forehead.

The two of you lay in your bed both napping for a bit until the first sight of dawn began filling the bedroom. You winced at the sun and hid your face in Yuta’s arms as he grinned at your actions.

“I don't want to go to work!” you grumbled.

“Fuck go to work after all the drama you caused ?” Yuta pinched your cheek playfully, earning a nudge in his side from you.

“Anyway” Yuta continued, “I got an email from Taeyong and he said if we want we can work remotely, he gave us the Okinawa project.” You sat up in bed and turned to face him, “the Okinawa project ? Its 9 months in Japan, the same project the whole damn building was trying to get” you blinked, still unsure if Yuta was just fucking with you.

“That's the one” Yuta shrugged, “anyways he said he was going to send either of us anyway since he knows we always get the job done. Oh and he actually said something really funny actually”

“What ?” you raised your brow and watched Yuta reread the text message on his phone.

“He said Doyoung was the one who suggested the two of us be the ones to go, who would've thought ?” Yuta closed the messages and tucked himself back into bed.

“Yeah” you smiled, “Who would've thought.”

THE END