#while logan called kendall
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oh so NOW y'all rushers wanna talk about James Diamond/Jett Stetson and Jo Taylor/Lucy Stone?!??!?!!! NOW y'all wanna go and totally get behind that like it's the next big revelation?!!??? WHERE WERE Y'ALL WHEN I WAS OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE ALONE IN THE FRONTLINES COVERED IN BLOOD AND RELENTLESSLY HERALDING THESE DAMN RAREPAIRS WITH EVERY INCH OF MY BATTERED CONVICTION AND YET NO ONE FUCKIN LISTENED?!?!!!! ISTG I'M GODDAMN CASSANDRA RN FINALLY WATCHING FORETOLD PROPHECIES GET FULFILLED AND YET. THE VINDICATION FEELS ALL TOO LATE AS THE LEGACY I HAVE BUILT IS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN NOW
#THERE ARE 16 JAMES/JETT AO3 FICS AND GUESS WHAT. 10 OF THEM ARE FUCKING MINE. AND COUNTING.#6 JO/LUCY FICS AND 3 OF THEM ARE MINE ISTG AM I GOING INSANE??????? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK I AM SO PISSED BRB CHEWING ASPHALT RAWRGRHGD#ok fr i love jocy but it's been around for a while so i'm not taking credit for it. JAMETT HOWEVER. THEY ARE MY GAY HIMBO BASTARD CHILDREN#THE FUCKING WAY THESE IDIOT BOYFRIENDS HAD A CHOKEHOLD ON ME BRO I. HAD TO WRITE ALL THE CONTENT AND DRAW ALL THE ART AND EVEN MADE#QUESTIONABLE SHIT MY ACE ASS REGRETS TO THIS VERY DAY AND FOR WHAT. THEY CALLED ME A DELUSIONAL FOOL FOR IT. NOW HOW THE TURN TABLES#Y'ALL WANNA TALK ABOUT TOXIC HIMBO BOYFRIENDS YAOI????? DO NOT CITE THE DEEP MAGIC TO ME WITCH I FUCKING WROTE IT MYSELF ETC ETC.#I STILL HAVE FIVE MILLION JAMETT DRAFTS WORTH 100K WORDS AND A WHOLE JOCY AU AND I'M TEMPTED TO REVIVE THEM ALL OUT OF SPITE NGL#IT INCLUDES HURT/COMFORT ANGST HAIR FIC AND SECRET BF REBOUND JETT+REPRESSED GAY JAMES FIC AND A WHOLE JAMETT REWRITE OF BIG TIME SURPRISE#EVEN IF ALL MY OLD BTR FIC DRAFTS ARE TRAPPED IN MY BROKEN LAPTOP;;; I'LL GET MY BROTHER TO PRY IT RIGHT OUTTA THERE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKE#ALSO IF Y'ALL WANT MORE RAREPAIRS HI KENLOS NEEDS MORE LOVE. IDC KENLOS IS FUCKING ADORABLE AND PERFECT AND IN THIS MANIFESTO I WILL#AND DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT KENDALL/JETT OR EW LOGAN/JETT GET. THAT SHIT AWAY FROM ME THAT GARBAGE IS TRULY VILE WHAT'S THAT BROTHER ÆÜGGÖH#I'M NOT EVEN IN THIS FANDOM ANYMORE AND YET. AND YET!!!!!! I CAN'T LET IT SPIT IN MY FACE LIKE THIS!!!!!! MY CLOWN MAKEUP WILL MELT OFF!!!!#(this is all /lh btw. like i'm kinda mad ngl but just @ myself. i had jamett brainrot for the longest time and it corroded my frontal lobes#neway rant over lmao i hope everyone's having a lovely day out there <3 will this mark the return of this shitty blog???? idk djdjfjkxl#i been thinking about it for a bit but idk how welcome my obnoxious cringeass still is in the rusherblr space soooo#files this under: SHIT THAT GOT ME SO MAD IN DACLUB AT 4 A.M. THAT I REVIVED MY WHOLE DEAD BLOG TO SCREAM INTO THE MERCILESS VOID ABOUT IT#btr#big time rush#james diamond#jett stetson#jamett#james diamond × jett stetson#himbo boyfriends#jo taylor#lucy stone#jocy#jo taylor × lucy stone#stop it forever#it feels so weirdly nostalgic writing out those tags again ( ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ )#ps. did i spend 30mins making that gif just so i have an excuse to show off my eien ni beautiful pink-haired one truest loml on main??? NO
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no hate to people who are into that shit but I just saw a post that was like "how the succession characters would react to you having a panic attack", and um. well. they would do absolutely nothing
#succession#myposts#like shiv watched tom have a panic attack every second episode#tom might do something like give you a shoulder massage but he would say really cringe unhinged shit while doing it#kendall roy would just stare at you and then akwardly talk about how much he supports women#roman roy would actively make fun of you and call you a baby#logan would also mock you but in a way that actually hurts and not like roman who just sounds like a baby who just discovered insults#thinking about this is so funny#i think the two okayest responses would be greg (panicking himself and unhelpful but at least kinda trying)#and Conor (is way too self-absorbed in trying to help but like. at least he does *something*. i think hed be okay at this)
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One little detail that I really love about Succession is the fact that it's explicitly confirmed in the show that Kendall, Shiv, and Roman have all been to therapy—and yet they've clearly still never actually processed or confronted the trauma and dysfunction in their lives.
They all acknowledge that on some level they need help and that what's happened to them isn't okay, but they're so deeply invested in the power structures that hurt them that no amount of talking will actually change anything. They can't really confront the reality of their father and what happened to them, because that would mean rejecting the myths they've been raised on and profit off of, and none of them are willing to do that. So the cycle keeps going.
#like therapy is an incredibly powerful and useful tool and working with a good therapist is truly lifechanging. but its not a silver bullet#and it takes a lot of work on your part and a willingness to dig in and confront a lot of very ugly and difficult things about your life an#who you are and the stories you've been told or told yourself about both of those things and its really easy to talk for ages and accomplis#nothing (especially if your therapist isn't willing or able to challenge you and really confront you about things)#like so often the response to this kind of stuff is just 'well they should go to therapy' and like. that's not the quick fix you think it i#idk this detail just really stood out to me and i appreciate it so much bc like while my current therapist is great ive had some in the pas#who were very 'feel good yes man' and like. maybe that's what some people need. but i needed someone to call me on my shit and actually#fight me on some stuff because that was the only way I was ever going to really be able to grow#and its so clear that none of the roys (at this point in their stories) are willing or able to do that. so therapy can't help.#anyways this season is amazing and im dying#succession#succession season 4#shiv roy#roman roy#kendall roy#logan roy
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if Kendall was treated like shiv is for an hour he wouldn't be able to handle it he'd been howling screaming tearing his shirt open in complete agony
#shiv will be told the most horrendous things and be like 🚬😐#like yeah they get treated really similarly however kendall is treated the way he is by logan for example bc he's the man he could be#while shivs not a man at all. in fact shes like man in nature but shes not so therefore shes less prioritized#she gets treated as valuable in season two because shes a woman and they can utilize it#which makes shiv utilize her own feminity on its own#anyways was watching lion in the meadow... kendall calling her an idiot and connor being like 'i don't want to deal with you..' GRRRR RAGH#also karl being a little bitch about her involvement like her DAD didnt tell her to check up on him#she only does anything because her dad tells her to like. like. fuck#mine#edit: meant to say kendalls not the man or killer he could be#shiv
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the responses i’ve seen to shiv’s ending seem very quick to write her off as just another sad victim of the cycle, which isn’t without truth BUT!!! that is not even remotely the summation of shiv’s story.
i don’t think she votes yes to “save kendall” or to try to finally set her brothers free. and i don’t think her main concern was that ken was becoming their dad. she absolutely noticed and didn’t love it, but that was not her motivation in betraying him. she was thinking about herself.
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it’s tempting to make a martyr out of her as she is the only female child and we see her suffer the onslaught of misogyny that comes with that. but to make her into a saintlike figure who got beat takes away the power and intelligence behind her decision.
at this point she’s stuck between two non ideal choices, but she recognizes that they have accidentally made her the single most important player in the game. because while she can’t have the outcome she’d prefer, she has the power to decide the fates of everyone else. the written off lone woman now holds in her hands the fate of every man in her life.
so she thinks about the long term benefits of both options and realizes that one side leaves her completely without any leverage.
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her brothers have proven to her multiple times in the last few days alone that they will cut her out and walk all over her the first chance they get. siding with them leaves her nothing to bargain with. she would just have to hope that ken would actually take care of her. and that level of vulnerability is not only unacceptable to her, it’s stupid. and shiv fuckin roy is not stupid.
so she thinks about the other side and about what she actually wants for her life. and against her better judgment, it’s becomes unfortunately clear that she wants tom. the way she wants him is not altogether loving or even good but it is necessary to her. she sees relationships as having winners and losers and she chose this man specifically so that she could be confident in her ability to win. except now he’s grown some balls and made himself unavailable to her.
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she may not like the way her husband is evolving but she already placed her bets on him, so she’s sure as hell not losing to him now. there’s also a part of her that feels intrigued by this new man she’s married to. it’s interesting to have a sparring partner in him instead of having to looking for excitement outside of their marriage.
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so for maybe the first time ever, she processes what tom has said to her and thinks about what he actually wants.
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he needs her to prove that she cares. he needs to know that she is capable of sacrifice. if she can’t find it within herself to do this for him, then she will lose him, and by extension, she will lose.
siding with tom gives her the opportunity to once and for all make a grand-stand gesture of love, but more importantly, it creates leverage for her. never again will he be able to hold the moral high ground over her head. never again can he say she doesn’t love him. never again can he call her selfish or uncaring. above all, he can never betray her again, because she just removed all of his moral justification for turning on her. he doesn’t realize it yet, but she’s just taken back all the power in their relationship. just in a more subtle way than she’s used to operating.
and just like that, she has the ceo of a multi billion dollar company in her pocket, while situating herself as the only descendant of logan roy to still be playing the game, having removed her brothers from the equation permanently. she may still be far from the top but she’s creating a path for herself to climb.
so yes, she’ll let tom play king for a day, and she’ll have his baby and say “congratulations,” and play the gracious wife, but tomorrow is a new day with lots of room to maneuver. and when her husband puts out his hand, she’ll place her own on top. but she won’t grasp it because she doesn’t need to.
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#🐺#shivy’s gonna be just fine#okay this ended up being a very long post but#i feel like someone needed to point out her wins#also i’m fully aware that remaining in the toxic world of the family business is not a win rly but#i think her ending is being interpreted as powerlessness#which it is NOT#she chose her spot. she’s calling shots#she may not have won today but she sure as hell didn’t lose#let’s not work so hard to sanctify her that we remove everything about her that makes her such a brilliant character#succession#shiv roy#siobhan roy#scn#tv
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hell, yeah ; series masterlist.
pairing ; roman roy x f!reader series synopsis ; pain was an old friend for the both of you. wc ; 105.3k and counting! themes ; fluff, angst, drama, slowburn, smut, childhood friends to lovers warnings / includes ; drugs, alcohol, depictions of abuse, mentions of death, hospitals, a lot of sexual jokes and general foul language, sexual situations, reader is logan's goddaughter, a lot of business talk, roman being an asshole, emotional constipation
main masterlist.
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chapter one. “Jump, you fuckin’ pussy!” exclaimed Roman, though he was quick to shut his mouth when his therapist flung himself into the pool face-first.
chapter two. “I’m supposed to slip this under your pillow while you’re sleeping, but I have a feeling you’re not gonna let me get up for the rest of the night,” you whispered, crawling back to him and throwing a leg over his waist. He curled his own legs around you as well, leaning his weight into you. His head throbbed, his jaw throbbed harder, his heart throbbed the most.
chapter three. “We were kids,” you mumbled tiredly. Blurry memories of leering, smoking men and jaunty laughter crossed your mind. “How could I have known?”
chapter four. Kendall’s expression seemed to soften, recalling how the two of you would always argue over the last remaining strawberry popsicle during the summers you were still little children. When you would grab it from the freezer before he could, he’d tug on your pigtails and call you mean as you denied ever taking them, and you’d hide the wrappers in Rome’s room so he’d never know it was you. But he could always tell from the sticky red on the corners of your mouth and your sugar-highs that seemed to last for a little too long.
chapter five. “Dad,” Roman said, disrupting the eerie, tense silence. “Please?” He was a child asking for a dog again. He was a teenager asking to come home from military school again. He was a young adult asking for his dad to stop hitting him again.
chapter six. You sipped on a glass of champagne that Kendall handed you. There was more chatter—amicable and light and teasing. You poked fun at Kendall’s lame hat whilst Shiv plainly told Roman that his shoes were a size too large for his feet. That his feet were small and dainty and he would fall over if they were any smaller. More drinks, more giggling, more stories. You learned that fresh-faced college Kendall once puked on Stewy’s bed and cried at the foot of it after drinking too much. You told the siblings that you once slept with Angelina from accounting during your first year at the company, to which they responded with shocked snorts. There was a point where Roman grabbed your face and kissed you and kissed you until the rest of the siblings began faux-gagging, and Connor complained that it was like watching his siblings make out. Goddaughter-and-son incest, he’d said.
chapter seven coming soon!
#roman roy x reader#roman roy fanfiction#roman roy fluff#roman roy series#roman roy ff#roman roy smut#roman roy angst#roman roy x you#roman roy fanfic#succession roman x reader#succession roman#roman roy#succession fanfiction#succession x reader#roman roy imagine
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You Haven’t Seen My Man || Kendall Roy
Summary: Being Kendall Roy's wife involves giving up some things. However, working with you involves understanding that sometimes you may end up drawing more attention than he would like. But this is not really a problem for someone who loves to prove to be powerful all the time. Warnings: Cute, spicy with hints of implicit control - Word count: 8.3k
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You were married now, but the story that united you was far from conventional or romantic. His brother and Kendall met in a rehabilitation clinic, sharing not only the fight against addiction, but also the weight of being heirs always pressured to prove their worth. The friendship between them was natural, and you, as a frequent visitor, became part of that bond. At the time, she hid that she worked as a legal advisor at Waystar, aware that the connection with the Roys could complicate things.
When both were discharged, you organized a celebration. It was that night that you and Kendall began to get closer. What seemed like an unpretentious friendship evolved into something more. You have become colleagues, friends and, finally, boyfriends. They were difficult years, marked by relapses of both and by Kendall's constant effort to get back up. Despite this, you remained together, supporting each other.
But the night Kendall asked you to marry him brought a devastating turn. You left dinner overflowing with joy to tell your brother the news, but you found him unconscious in your apartment. The overdose was fatal. What should be a new beginning also became the end of an important part of his life.
The devastating loss increased the pressure of your father, who wanted you to take on the role of CEO of the family business, something you always avoided. He also showed support for his marriage to Kendall, but his real intentions involved uniting families to strengthen his power, which filled her with revolt. Since then, you have kept your distance from your family, although his pressure has never ceased.
Kendall remained by your side, putting her own pain aside to help you get through the grief. Although the loss has never been completely overcome, it has become more bearable in the company of someone who understood the weight of carrying difficult memories.
When they got married, the lives of both fit in a surprisingly quiet way, considering the chaos that surrounded them. You chose to stay out of the power dispute at Waystar, which helped maintain the balance between work and marriage. Still, working under the same roof, with Kendall technically as his boss, brought challenges. Some tensions inevitably overflowed to domestic life, but you learned how to deal with it.
That morning was a perfect example of the controlled chaos that you and Kendall had learned to master. Since Logan's death, Waystar had become an arena of constantly burning egos, with Kendall, Shiv and Roman competing to make decisions while sewing the deal with Lukas Matsson. For you, the frenetic pace was nothing new. But that day, it seemed that everything was amplified.
Kendall had left early, leaving you with some precious minutes in bed that, although comforting, ended up devoured by the avalanche of messages and notifications on her cell phone. When he arrived at the office, he was already one step behind, and this did not go unnoticed. He didn't even have time to spend in Roman's room, where he and Lukas were gathered. Not that you wanted to get more involved than necessary - your role there was more strategic, and you knew exactly when to withdraw and when to act.
While packing the pile of papers I would need to discuss with Kendall, the phone on his desk vibrated. It was a message from him with a typical urgency. You sighed, already gathering what you needed, while answering a call from an external lawyer who seemed unable to understand something simple.
The heels of your shoes hit rhythmically against the carpet as you crossed the corridor. The sound echoed in the open spaces of the floor, a clear sign of his haste. In that environment, everyone seemed to be always watching each other, like animals in a corporate zoo.
When passing through Roman's room, he noticed Lukas gesturing at a glance, but did not pay attention. It was no news that he was there. Inside, Lukas interrupted the sentence itself when you passed, his eyes fixed on you long enough for Roman to notice.
- When I buy all this shit, will I have assistants like her? - Lukas shot, a cheeky smile curling his lips as his gaze lingered in the direction where you had just disappeared. The malicious insinuation was clear in every word.
Roman swallowed dryly, the discomfort evident in his expression. I knew Lukas well enough to know that giving any information would only increase his interest. But I couldn't just ignore it either. He needed to stop talking.
- Man, trust me, you wouldn't handle her. - Roman said, launching his typical mixture of humor and sarcasm. - She sees beyond the walls. You probably already know what you think before you open your mouth. It's fucking scary.
Lukas let out a short laugh, but Roman's comment didn't totally disarm him. His thoughts were still stuck in the image of you crossing the office, his hips moving with a grace that seemed almost calculated.
He knew he shouldn't be distracted, not at that moment, but something in you bothered him. It wasn't just the appearance - it was the aura of control, of someone who knew exactly what he was doing.
As Lukas turned his attention to the meeting, the malicious smile did not completely disappear. Maybe it was an exaggeration, maybe he was just bored. Or maybe there was something in you that challenged you, without you even knowing it.
You, on the other hand, were completely oblivious to any look that could be cast in your direction. Your mind was too busy with professional issues, and on the personal side, Kendall, although consumed by the obsession with being a CEO, found ways to devote to you all the attention she needed - and sometimes even a little more. He knew how to balance the two worlds when necessary, a trait that you secretly admired in him.
That same day, something not so unusual was about to happen. At work, you always maintained an impeccable posture. Seriousness and professionalism were practically their business cards. You knew the dangers of giving room to gossip or distractions in the corporate environment. But no matter how much I tried to keep things strictly professional, sometimes it was impossible to ignore the magnetic tension between the two of you. He had a unique talent for making you lower your guard, especially when Waystar's building was almost empty.
The day was exhausting and long, a whirlwind of words and numbers that seemed to dance in front of you from the moment you passed by Waystar's concierge. Now, with the floor almost empty and the sky outside dipped in darkness, you and Kendall were sitting side by side on the couch in your living room, trying to decipher the last barrier of a problematic contract.
Kendall's suit had already been abandoned hours ago, and the sleeves of his dress shirt were folded up to the forearms. He was more comfortable. You had also abandoned any formality: the heels were dropped near the sofa, the blazer had disappeared at some point in the day, and you now settled with your legs bent under you, in an almost intimate position, reflecting the tiredness and comfort you felt next to him.
The silence in the room was broken only by the sound of fingers occasionally typing on the notebook keyboard and exhausted sighs. It was Kendall who broke the cycle, rubbing her face with her hands and leaning back on the couch with a heavy sigh, the frustration evident.
You observed the movement, the way he seemed more vulnerable at that moment, and made the decision to end the torture that you yourselves were imposing. With a decisive gesture, you closed the two notebooks in front of you and organized the papers in an improvised pile.
- I think we've done enough for today. - His voice was low, but he had a quiet determination that he didn't dispute.
When you leaned over to reach the table, your skirt went up a few centimeters more, exposing parts of your skin. Despite the evident tiredness, Kendall's gaze automatically slid to you, a spark of interest lighting up in your eyes. He didn't say anything, but the smile that began to play on his lips delivered him.
You leaned back on the couch again, but this time, instinctively, closer to him. His hand went up to the back of Kendall's neck, his fingers tracing small circles on the tense skin, an affectionate and intimate gesture that always made him relax.
- Do we really have to go to his country house this week? - You asked, your voice low and almost resigned, as if you expected him to change something. - Can't Matsson be normal and just do a video conference?
Kendall opened her eyes, turning her face slightly in your direction.
- Do you need a vacation? Because that would be a bad moment. - The provocation came with a tired but sincere smile.
- Well, you couldn't stop me anyway. - You answered in the same tone, a playful smile illuminating your face.
Kendall tilted her head, the expression slightly challenging as she rested her hands on her legs, gently pulling them to be on top of his.
- You know I'm still your boss, don't you? - His provocation was accompanied by a light touch on his knees, his fingers slowly rising up the curve of his thighs, like someone testing the limits.
- Nothing like a good judicial process to put things in perspective. - You replied with a defiant smile.
He let out a low and incredulous laugh, his eyes shining with amusement.
- Are you threatening me? Because, just for the record, my legal group is the best in the country.
You couldn't contain the loud laugh that escaped, the sound echoing through the silent room. Kendall leaned over, his smile growing when he saw his fun.
- What? Do you think I'm kidding? - He continued, still smiling, but now his hands were firmly anchored to your waist, pulling you closer. You didn't notice the exact moment when you ended up completely on his lap, but there was, sitting on your legs, the heat of the bodies of you two filling the small space between you.
- You definitely wouldn't want to face me in a court, Ken. - You murmured, the lowest voice now, but still provocative, while your arms wrapped around his neck.
His hands tightened slightly on his waist, as if they wanted to record the moment in his memory. He tilted his head, his eyes sliding from his lips to the neckline of his blouse, which was now slightly more open because of the position.
You didn't have time to say anything else before he tilted his face and his lips finally met. The kiss started slowly, almost exploratory, but quickly became more intense. His hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, feeling his breathing accelerated as he deepened the kiss.
Some fingers slowly rose under your skirt, dragging the fabric with them, while Kendall pulled you even closer, gluing her hips to his. The movement was deliberate, provocative, and when he pressed you against you, you felt exactly what he wanted you to feel.
You grabbed the collar of his shirt, your fingers sliding down the open collar until you met the heat of the exposed skin, at the same time, his hands went up more, exploring his thighs without any hurry, but with a firmness that made it clear that he knew exactly what he wanted. When the lips parted, it was only for him to go down his jaw and reach his neck, where he began to distribute hot and possessive kisses.
You let out a trembling sigh when he found a sensitive spot near your collarbone. He noticed and lightly bit the area, a satisfied smile forming against his skin when he heard the sound that escaped from his lips.
- You have no idea how much I have to hold back when you wear this fucking skirt. - He whispered against her neck, his warm breath making his skin shiver.
You arched your body, tilting your head to give him more access, while he continued the path over your shoulders, his lips alternating between kisses and soft bites that made you lose control. Unhurriedly, Kendall slid her fingers through the fabric of her blouse, moving it away just enough to expose more of her skin.
- Much better this way. - He murmured against his collarbone, the hot breath making his skin even more sensitive. His hands returned to your waist, pulling you again against him while your lips explored the new piece of exposed skin.
You tried to answer, but your mind was a blur. His every touch seemed to set you on fire, and when he pressed his lips lower, near the beginning of your bra, you couldn't hold a louder sigh.
That's when a noise in the distance interrupted the moment. A low sound, maybe the creaking of a door or quick steps, made you freeze for an instant. Kendall, however, seemed to ignore it completely.
- Ken... - you call, between sighs, your eyes opening more attentively while trying to regain focus. He ignored it, thinking it was just one more of those delicious moans you let out when muttering his name. But your voice became more serious when you pushed his face away, still panting. - Ken, I think there's someone here.
He frowned, reluctantly, his lips still close to his neck while grumbling:
- So what?
You moved away a little, already restless, standing, your eyes trying to cross the darkness of the office beyond the glass walls. Kendall sighed, clearly upset, and accompanied you. He stopped right behind you, his hands automatically returning to your waist as he glued his body to yours, as if the situation were a mere detail that did not require any attention.
- There's no one here, dear. - He murmured in her ear, pressing his lips back on the curve of his neck, ignoring any sound or shadow that might exist.
You closed your eyes for a moment, almost giving in again to the warmth of his hands on your waist and brushing your lips that seemed to want to erase any remnant of your concern. But then the sound came back: something soft, like a hurried movement or the creak of a door in the distance.
- Ken, seriously. - You turned around, putting your hands on his chest, trying to stay firm. - Shall we go home?
He furrowed his eyebrows quickly, his lips curved in a carefree smile that only made it clear how much he thought you were exaggerating.
- Are you really getting me out of here? - he asked, tilting his head while looking at you as if it were a crime to leave things incomplete.
You laughed lightly, shaking your head, but before you could answer, he pulled you by the neck for a kiss, one of those that disarmed any argument. The plan of a quick kiss to convince him was completely lost when he deepened the movement, his hands firm on his waist as he pressed you against his body, with an accuracy that made you forget why they were still there.
Finally, he walked away, the satisfied smile still stamped on his face, and murmured:
- Let's go soon. - He took the suit thrown on the couch with the same energy as someone who wanted to shorten the waiting time, wearing it anyway.
You took the opportunity to take your bag, put on your shoes and turn off the lights. While the door closed behind you and you walked to the elevator, Kendall didn't waste time: a hand slid firmly to his ass, squeezing lightly while he commented something provocative with a cheeky smile.
The way back home seemed longer than usual, every second an agony. His fingers slowly went up his thigh, deliberate, squeezing and sliding, as if he wanted to test his limits.
As soon as the elevator of the building where you lived arrived, the silence between you seemed electric, the air loaded with tension. As soon as the door opened directly to the apartment, Kendall was already pulling you by the waist, closing the space between you as if there was no more time to waste. He pressed you against the wall next to the entrance, his hungry lips on yours, and you responded with equal intensity, your hands grabbing his hair, pulling him closer.
The corridor became a blur as he guided you inside, the two bumping into furniture as if every second mattered. When they got to the kitchen, Kendall didn't hesitate.
- Is this good for you? - He murmured, his voice loaded with sarcasm and desire, his chest pressed against his back, while sliding his hands down his thighs, raising his skirt without ceremony.
You couldn't answer, already completely surrendered to the firm and urgent touches. The kitchen, with its cold tones and the soft street lighting that entered through the windows, became the perfect setting for the outcome of the desire that began in the office.
__________________________
The days before the trip were intense and so full of commitments that time seemed to escape through your fingers. Kendall, you, Roman and Shiv were at a frantic pace, adjusting the last details of the proposal for Matsson during the flight. The atmosphere between you was focused, but Roman's constant interruptions with his jokes did not let the environment become completely wise.
The flight was long and silent. While most of you were immersed in papers or napping, there was a feeling of shared restlessness. You noticed this in Kendall, who drummed her fingers on the arm of the armchair.
When they landed at the small airport, the atmosphere of the destination welcomed them with a humid and cloudy cold. The surrounding mountains seemed to be covered by a thin fog, and the icy wind carried raindrops. Roman, when putting his feet on the ground, looked at the cars waiting for you and, as expected, made a comment:
- Oh, perfect. Who needs a helicopter when you can take an endless trip by car.
During the journey through the winding roads that crossed the mountainous region, the silence in the car was interrupted only by the sound of the windshield wiper fighting against the persistent drops.
When they finally arrived at the place, an imposing and modernist construction emerged in the melancholic landscape. It was isolated, surrounded by tall trees and surrounded by low clouds. Despite the discomfort caused by the cold and rain, the minimalist architecture seemed even more impactful in the scenery.
You and Kendall went out side by side, the body expression of both was neutral, maintaining professionalism. The tense atmosphere of the negotiation seemed combined with the gloomy atmosphere of the place.
Lukas was waiting under the entrance cover. Dressed casually, he seemed completely at ease, as if the hostile weather was just another characteristic of his nature. His eyes soon fell on you, analyzing every detail in a long and not at all subtle way. A brief smile appeared on the corner of his lips, something between interest and curiosity.
He approached to greet the group, extending his hand to Kendall first. Then, his eyes turned to you, and he tilted his head slightly, as if trying to evaluate who you were.
Kendall returned the greeting impassively, and you just kept the same professional countenance, corresponding to the handshake that Lukas offered. Despite not showing any visible reaction, you noticed his insistent gaze on you, as if you were trying to decipher your presence there.
His first impressions of that place ranging from something almost picturesque, ideal for relaxing, to a slasher movie setting. Dense trees surrounded the complex, its branches writhing as if whispering secrets. And the accommodations... Well, these brought a new meaning to "forced intimacy".
The rooms were small, surrounded by glass walls that led to the treetops - and to the rooms of others. There were no curtains, just a dubious concept of "integration with nature". Privacy seemed like a joke.
- What the fuck is this? - you let go, dropping your suitcase in a corner with a slack of disdain. - They put us in a matchbox with transparent walls.
Kendall, already taking off her coat, laughed low and shook her head.
- This guy is too weird to choose this damn place. - But the irritation on his face was obvious. He hated places that escaped the standard of impeccable luxury.
While you were removing your heavy coat, Kendall answered a call from Roman. He left his cell phone on the speakerphone on the table, and his brother's debauched voice took over the environment.
- Damn, are these rooms a social experiment? - Roman began, already with that tone loaded with sarcasm. - Who was the genius who decided: 'Hey, do you know what's going to be great? Glass walls among dysfunctional adults!'.
You suppressed a laugh while Roman continued:
- By the way, you can see you here. Yes, literally. So, please, do me a fucking favor and save the couple's little show for later. Seriously, whatever you do in that bed - I don't know, bite, moan, scream - I don't need a VIP window to watch. My trauma quota is already broken.
- Why don't you just look away? - Kendall replied, frowning, but unable to hide a smile.
- Oh, great plan, Ken! I'll just turn my head and ignore the erotic theater that you two may or may not decide to stage. Like, of course, super simple. It's like asking not to look at a car disaster.
Kendall just hung up with a sigh.
- He never shuts up, does he?
- It's a talent. - You laughed, dropping your coat on the couch and going towards the bathroom.
The bathroom was even tighter. You sighed when you entered, since it wasn't exactly the standard of comfort you were used to. His apartment in New York was practically a sanctuary, where not even a drone would be able to snoop.
The hot water ran down his skin, but there was no way to relax completely. Everything in that place seemed... exposed, at the same time as tiny. When you left the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, you found Kendall sitting on the bed, fiddling with your cell phone with a restained expression of frustration.
- What's wrong? - you asked as you went to your suitcase, taking the clothes you would wear during dinner.
Kendall dropped her cell phone on the bed and rubbed her eyes with her hands, the gesture of someone on the verge of exploding with their own thoughts.
- Nothing, just rereading some things. - He replied, looking up at you. The smile that emerged was subtle, but carried a malicious trace.
- What kind of "things"? - you asked, pulling a black wool blouse out of the suitcase.
He tilted his head, his eyes walking through you while you chose a heavy coat to complete the look.
- The kind that makes me think that we could pretend we got lost in this shitty place and skip this dinner.
You laughed, shaking your head while wearing your underwear, still feeling the remnant of lightness of the moment they shared. However, as soon as you and Kendall left the room and reached the main corridor, the atmosphere changed. Near the entrance of the hall, they found Shiv and Roman, and the air already seemed loaded with tension. As expected, Roman did not miss the opportunity to break the atmosphere with one of his jokes, full of irony.
- Look, the couple of the moment. - He said, with a crooked smile. - I bet dinner will be the preliminaries for what comes next.
You didn't stop, you just kept walking, your cutting tone escaping naturally.
- Roman, you're talking so much about it that I'm starting to think you're waiting for us to make love in front of you or something like that.
Roman went from surprised to angry, and you could hear the frustration in his voice.
- Fuck you.
You launched a victorious smile, without even looking back. You positioned yourself next to Shiv, following next to her to the table where they would sit while you listened to her tell you about the discoveries about Matsson.
The rhythmic sound of your heels and those of Shiv echoed through the hall as you walked towards the designated table. To the corner of your eye, you noticed Gerri and Carl sitting further down, engaged in a conversation that seemed casual. Gerri threw a polite smile in your direction, and you reciprocated, without thinking too much, before continuing to walk next to Shiv.
However, as soon as you passed, Carl leaned slightly towards Gerri, the unmistakable provocative tone.
- Still trying to make friends, huh?
Gerri kept the smile on his face, but the sarcasm in his voice was cutting.
- I still can't believe this bitch got so much power just by fucking one of Logan's children.
Carl gave a muffled laugh, his gaze dancing between Gerri and his figure, now on his way to the table.
- Well, it's not like you haven't tried something similar either, right?
Gerri sighed deeply, as if the conversation was more exhausting than necessary.
- Fuck you, Carl.
You, oblivious to the poison exchanged behind you, went to the table with Shiv, focused only on the dinner you were about to start.
Dinner was a mixture of forced formality and disguised tensions. The expensive dishes were served in silence interrupted only by the strategic conversations between the sides of Waystar and GoJo. You were calm, oblivious to any subtext that surrounded the table. He answered Matsson's questions succinctly when he tried to involve you in discussions about his area of expertise, remaining strictly professional. His clear and objective answers left little room for any other interpretation.
On the other side of the table, Roman watched everything with the usual restless attention. It didn't take long for him to realize that Matsson's eyes wandered to you more often than necessary. It was subtle, but it was there - the look that lasted a little longer when you spoke, the pause before he returned to paying attention to what Kendall or Shiv were saying.
He spent dinner rolling his eyes at himself. "Really, Lukas? Do you want to fuck her now? At a dinner? With Kendall right there?" He thought, trying to decide whether to intervene with some comment or just let the show roll. In the end, he remained silent, but the tension did not go unnoticed.
Dinner was over, and conversations flowed in small groups scattered around the hall. You ended up cornered by Greg, who, with his innate ability to turn any topic into an endless monologue, was talking about something that involved compliance systems and a documentary that no one else seemed to have heard of. You nodded from time to time, let out a "Is it really?", while thinking about how to get out of there.
Finally, you asked for permission, a polite smile on your lips, but in a hurry enough not to give him room to insist. The cold air outside was an immediate relief, and you pulled your coat closer, taking the silver cigarette wallet out of your pocket. The sound of the lighter breaking the silence was almost comforting as the smoke spread around him.
You were so lost in your own thoughts that you didn't hear the steps approaching until a low voice full of irony sounded behind you.
- Do you mind offering me one of these?
You turned around slightly, finding Lukas Matsson standing there, the smile half crooked on his face, the expression too casual to be innocent.
- Of course. - You answered, handing him the wallet and the lighter. He took a cigarette, lit it calmly, and the flame of the lighter briefly lit up his face before he released the first long puff.
For a few seconds, silence reigned, only the sound of the embers burning filling the space. So, he broke the moment:
- So, what's your story? Did they throw you into this last-minute deal or was it just a strategic move that no one noticed?
You let out a low laugh, bringing it again while answering:
- I don't think your team did homework as well as you think. - There was an ironic tone in his voice, but nothing exaggerated. - I've always been involved. I only prefer to avoid the spotlight when I can.
Matsson gave a short laugh, leaning more relaxed against the wall, but his eyes never left you.
- You know, that's funny. - he said, releasing another drag. - It seems that the more time I spend with you, from Waystar, the more I wonder how Logan kept this shit all together.
You kept a polite smile, but you didn't get more involved than necessary.
- He knew exactly how to deal with each piece on the board.
He arched an eyebrow, interested.
- And you? Is it just another piece... or is it the one who moves the others?
His words came loaded with a subtext that you preferred to ignore. Your smile didn't falter while you put out the cigarette on the stone guardrail in front of you.
- I'm more for someone who guarantees that the board remains whole.
Matsson laughed softly, shaking his head.
- Between us, if Kendall had introduced me to you before, I would have signed any contract he asked for.
You stopped in the middle of the gesture of putting out the cigarette, crossing your arms instinctively. The short laugh that escaped was dry, almost sharp.
- This is somewhat inappropriate, considering the context.
Matsson tilted his head, a smile that was half fun, half provocation forming on his lips.
- Don't worry, it just makes everything more... interesting.
The comment made something turn in your stomach. His disconnection from the seriousness of the situation was as absurd as it was annoying. For him, it seemed like a game, a casual provocation, but you felt the weight of the inadequacy. Taking a step back, you adjusted your coat with calculated calm before answering firmly:
- Well, I think I've spent too much time outside.
He didn't move, he just kept smiling in that almost defiant way, as if he was testing his limits. You turned around and started walking back, but the discomfort persisted. Even without looking, it was impossible to ignore the weight of his gaze burning on his back.
When he got close to the salon, he saw Kendall, and the relief was immediate. Approaching, you lightly touched his arm and murmured something quick. He nodded, casting a discreet look at you before continuing his conversation.
As you left the room, you could feel Matsson watching everything from afar, his eyes fixed on every movement. What did he think he was doing? The confusion hung over you as you went up to the room, trying to remove the discomfort of that interaction.
After dinner, when most people were already starting to disperse, Matsson called Shiv, Roman and Kendall to his office. The room was minimalist, with dark wooden furniture and soft lighting that seemed to cast more shadows than clarity.
Roman, as usual, did not miss the chance to make one or two comments that made him laugh, while Shiv kept a clinical look at Lukas' roles and words. Kendall was attentive, but calm, following each point with a meticulous focus.
When the subject of the agreement finally sold out, Roman was the first to get up, with
Shiv going right behind. Kendall, in turn, mentioned accompanying them, but Matsson's voice interrupted him, casual, but firm.
- Kendall, stay a little longer. I want to exchange an idea with you.
Kendall stopped halfway, looking at the brothers. Shiv hesitated for a moment, narrowing his eyes, but ended up leaving without saying anything. The door closed with a soft click, leaving the two alone.
Lukas went to the bar in the corner of the room, the steps deliberately slow. He took a bottle of whiskey and poured two glasses, handing one to Kendall before casually leaning back on the counter. His smile had that ambiguous quality - friendly, but provocative.
- You know, you have an interesting team. - He started, turning the glass in his hand. - A little... predictable, maybe, but interesting.
Kendall laughed low, almost automatically, while taking a sip.
- Yeah, they do what they need to do.
Lukas tilted his head slightly, his smile deepening.
- Someone from your team caught my attention.
Kendall raised an eyebrow, curious, but still relaxed.
- Really?
- Yes. - Lukas took another sip, savoring the moment. - An assistant of yours, I imagine. She tried to stay professional, but... fuck, what a woman.
Kendall laughed lightly, shaking her head as if the situation were an internal joke.
- I didn't know she was your type.
Matsson arched his eyebrows, as if he were facing something too obvious to be discussed.
- Are you slutty? Damn, the woman is fucking hot. I tried to start a conversation, but she didn't make it easy.
Kendall let out a more genuine laugh now, completely certain that Matsson was talking about Jess. He imagined the assistant, who always seemed shy and out of place, trying to avoid the company's buyer.
- Well, that probably blew her mind. This kind of situation is not exactly her strong point.
Matsson shrugged, the smile loaded with subtext.
- Maybe. But nothing that a little... persistence can't solve.
Kendall still laughed, not realizing the true focus of the comments.
- Okay, good luck with that.
Matsson raised the glass, as if toasting to the "challenge", but the malicious glow in his eyes suggested much more. Finally, he changed the subject, but the tension in the air persisted, hovering between the two as something that would not be easily dissipated.
__________________________
The next morning, as soon as Kendall appeared, Roman intercepted him right on his arrival for breakfast, looking more curious than worried.
- So, Ken, what did Matsson want with you yesterday?
Kendall sighed, already anticipating Roman's insistence. In addition to having been briefly frightened by the abrupt arrival of his brother.
- Relax, man. I won't sell the company without you. - Kendall answers with a light smile with a humorous tone.
Roman, however, rolled his eyes, impatient.
- What did he want?
Kendall hesitated for a moment, but ended up letting out a short laugh while lowering her tone of voice.
- No big deal. He just wanted to talk about an assistant of mine.
- Assistant? - Roman narrowed his eyes, his expression confused.
- Yeah, I don't know, Jess. He said he thought she was hot or something like that. - Kendall gave a light laugh. - Surprising, right? Like, who would have thought?
Roman blinked, the plug suddenly falling, and his expression became incredulous. He grabbed Kendall's arm, pulling him away from curious ears.
- Ken, are you serious? - Kendall frowned in confusion, with no answer to what her brother meant by that. After all, why would he lie about that?
Roman rubbed his face, as if he needed a moment to reorganize his thoughts.
- Man, I hate being the bearer of the bad news, but... he wasn't talking about Jess.
Kendall kept not understanding, already getting impatient.
- What the fuck do you mean by that?
Roman lowered his voice even more, but the tone carried all the drama that only he knew how to apply.
- He was talking about your wife, Ken.
Kendall's face hardened, the laughter disappeared immediately.
- What?
- Do you remember that day at Waystar? He saw her passing by and, fuck, I swear, the guy almost drooled on the glass of my living room. It was so uncomfortable that I had to invent something on the spot.
- And what did you say, Roman? - Kendall asked slowly, her eyes narrowed.
Roman raised his hands, half defensive, half cynical.
- I said she was your assistant, okay? I thought you were helping. The guy was literally looking at her as if it were dessert.
Kendall ran her hand over her face, taking a deep breath, as if she wanted to punch a wall.
- Did you say she was my assistant?
- Yes, because Lukas was one step away from asking for her number. You know how he is. I thought I was playing fair for you. I thought that, because I was an assistant, he would lose interest, I don't know.
Kendall closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was counting to ten.
- And now he thinks he can talk to me about it as if it were a trophy he wants to conquer?
Roman shrugged, casting an almost apologetic look.
- Welcome to the world of Lukas Matsson. He's a cretin with an ego the size of fucking Norway.
Roman patted Kendall's shoulder before walking away, but Kendall stood still for a moment, looking at the floor, clearly trying to decide what her next step would be.
The worst was not only Matsson's behavior, but what it meant. It was a constant reminder that he was, of his own free will, about to deliver everything: Waystar, ATN, the legacy that his family carried, no matter how sick it was.
Kendall tried to focus on work for the rest of the day, but it was impossible to ignore. Whenever Matsson made a comment that seemed on the verge of something inappropriate, Roman exchanged tense glances with Kendall, as if he was expecting an explosion at any moment.
And, of course, there was the ATN.
Kendall knew that selling Waystar was already a complicated decision, but including ATN in the package? That was simply handing over all the weapons to the enemy. With the presidential elections coming, the ATN was more than a tool; it was a weapon of influence on a large scale. Leaving that in Matsson's hands was giving him a power that not even Logan would have dared to deliver.
___________________________
That same night, Kendall finally consolidated his decision. He knew that Shiv would never support him in this plan, so he went straight to what really mattered: convincing Roman. Manipulating her brother, twisting the arguments until they made sense to both of them, was something Kendall did with the skill of someone who had spent his whole life watching Logan. And, like Logan, he felt no remorse for leaving Shiv out. She was brilliant, but also mercilessly practical, and at this moment, Kendall needed something more emotional, something that only Roman could offer.
The next day, the morning was tense, but Kendall barely seemed to notice. He maintained his professional posture, and when the right time came, he set up the scene. During the meeting on a mountain trail, he pressured Matsson with insinuations about the fragility of GoJo's numbers and the potential increase in Waystar's value. It was a dangerous dance, but Kendall knew exactly where to step to make Matsson hesitate. The plan was moving slowly, but accurately.
At night, after dinner, Kendall was visibly closer to you. Throughout the day, he had left small gestures of proximity: his hand resting on the lower part of your back while you moved through the hall, one arm on the back of your chair. It was atypical for him, and you were surprised, but you didn't complain.
Already in the room, the dim light of the lamp next to the bed barely illuminated the room, but it was enough to highlight Kendall's tense expression as he closed the door behind him. He walked up to you slowly, his fingers running through his hair in an automatic gesture of frustration, before letting the weight of his body fall on the edge of the bed.
- Roman is with me - he said, without preamble, his gaze fixed on the floor. He tilted his head to you, his eyes softer, but still full of concern. - That's already something.
You frowned, closing the book you had in your hands and putting it aside.
- Okay, but what exactly are we talking about here?
He sighed, rubbing his face with both hands before turning completely to you. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost conspiratorial:
- I'm going to screw this deal. Make Matsson give up even before he gets to the council.
Your stomach jumped a little with the confidence in his voice, but you kept the expression neutral.
- And how do you intend to do that? - he asked, hesitantly.
- Force the bar. Inflate the numbers. Throwing enough shit on the table until he thinks it's not worth it.
You were silent for a moment, processing everything he had just said. It was risky, of course, but the part of you who knew the game well knew it wasn't impossible. Still, there was something in his tone, in his gestures, that suggested that he wanted more than just his approval.
- Ken... - you started, but he cut you off.
- And you? Do you have another idea? Because, honestly, I'm open to suggestions.
He hesitated. Of course there was something - the letter that no one else seemed to be thinking about. But it was risky. Not only for Kendall, but for you too.
- It's not exactly conventional - you started, carefully choosing the words. - But we've done things like this before.
He raised an eyebrow, a small smile thrown on his face.
- Okay, before your father passed away he kind of chose the next president, didn't he? Maybe... If you ensure that one of the candidates wins, but on the condition that the agreement is barred...
- Politics? - He laughed softly, more out of disbelief than humor. - Are you suggesting that I use ATN to create a political advantage and bar Matsson?
- And why not? The ATN takes care of him being elected, and everything is very simple: an election for favors to Waystar.
He didn't answer immediately. He was just looking at you, his eyes loaded with something difficult to decipher, as if he was evaluating not only the weight of your words, but you whole. Then, suddenly, a slow smile formed, that typical Kendall expression when an idea consumed him completely. Without warning, he leaned over and pressed his lips against yours almost desperately, as if you had just delivered the solution to all his problems.
- Damn, I fucking love you. - He murmured, his forehead touching yours while a small smile still hovered on his lips.
You couldn't avoid a laugh, half surprised, half enchanted, but full of the lightness that he seemed so desperate to feel.
At the same time, in Matsson's office, Shiv entered with a confidence almost identical to Kendall's, carrying on his shoulders the posture of someone who knew exactly what he was doing.
Shiv entered Lukas Matsson's office with calculated steps, like someone who knew the weight of his own presence. He was at the bar, absently fiddling with a bottle of whiskey, but turned around when he saw it. A provocative smile appeared almost immediately.
- Oh, Roy who really knows what he's doing. What an honor.
She ignored the sarcasm, approaching with the usual posture: absolute confidence. Shiv knew he loved a power game and wanted to make him confused about what piece she represented on that board.
- We need to talk, Lukas. Of course, my brother is... complicating things.
He poured himself a glass and offered her another one, which Shiv accepted without taking his eyes off him.
- Complicating? - He arched an eyebrow, leaning casually. - It's a polite way of saying that he's trying to fuck with the agreement.
- Well, considering the circumstances, it doesn't surprise me.
Matsson tilted his head, interested.
- Circumstances?
Shiv turned the liquid in the glass, taking his time to choose the words. She knew that the next move would be crucial.
- Before we go for this, I want something from you.
He laughed briefly, surprised by the audacity.
- Like what?
- A guarantee that, if I help you, my place in all this will be solid. No unexpected turnaround, no last-minute change of plans.
Lukas blinked, clearly intrigued.
- Are you serious?
- Always. - She took a sip of the whiskey. - You need someone who knows how to deal with things... and I need to know that, at the end of this, I won't be just a pawn.
Shiv observed his reaction with a subtle smile, as if he knew exactly the direction the conversation would take. She leaned back in the chair, keeping her eyes fixed on Lukas, while he still seemed to process her proposal. She had the feeling that he was beginning to realize the weight of his words, but still not enough to accept the offer without question.
- And what are you going to give me in return, then? - Lukas asked, more genuine now, as if the negotiation had begun.
She didn't hesitate.
- Kendall. - The word fell like a silent command, and she watched him, seeing the surprise twinkle in her eyes.
- Kendall? - He repeated, the disbelief evident in his voice.
- I want you to keep him in control. I'll help you deal with it, keep it more... tied to the agreement. But what I need is to know that my role in your structure will be clear and definitive. I'm not someone who submits to uncertainties.
Lukas was silent for a moment, watching her more intensely now. He realized that the conversation was not only about business, but about power and control. Shiv wasn't there to ask for favors, she was negotiating something much more valuable.
- And what do you think I need to know exactly? - Lukas asked, leaning forward. He seemed to want to better understand what was at stake, but something in the way he looked at her said that he was also considering the impact of this for himself.
- Something about Kendall, of course. But also about who he has next to him. You know, his wife is not just another woman in the equation. She's... strategic. Before being Kendall's wife, she already had influence, an influence that is not seen in the media, but that is very real. Politics, maybe. Real power, not this spotlight show you love. And, of course, she was always his right-hand man, helping him get where he got.
Matsson was silent, his expression changing as he assimilated Shiv's words. He tried to connect the pieces, and the surprise soon turned into a smile of recognition.
- I'll make sure Kendall doesn't destroy the agreement. I'll help you keep him on the right track. And in the end, you'll need someone like me to make sure everything goes as planned.
Lukas was silent for a moment, evaluating her, before giving a low laugh, full of understanding.
Lukas let out a short and incredulous laugh, his smile widening.
- Damn, you Roy really hate your own family, don't you? - He said, the sharp sarcasm, but his eyes shining with something darker, almost fascinated.
Shiv tilted his head slightly, an ironic smile touching his lips.
Without saying anything else, she deposited the empty glass on the table with a slight click, keeping her gaze fixed on him for a moment that seemed to last longer than necessary. So, he got up with the calculated grace of those who always know the next move and walked out of the room, leaving Lukas with the trail of his presence and the sound of his jumps echoing in the silent space.
After Shiv's departure, Lukas Matsson remained motionless for a few moments, his gaze fixed on the door she had closed behind him. A slow smile formed on his lips, but it wasn't just satisfaction - it was something deeper, almost voracious. You.
Kendall's wife.
Lukas got up from the couch and walked to the window, the whiskey glass turning in his hand. He stared at his reflection in the glass for a moment, his breathing a little heavier. There was something electric, a mixture of irritation, fascination and a barely disguised excitement.
With a quick movement, he took his cell phone in his pocket and typed his name. In seconds, the information appeared: the first photo showed you next to Kendall at an event, the haugty look, a perfect smile, but distant. He narrowed his eyes, analyzing every detail of the image.
He moved on to the next photo. You alone, greeting some big guy at a formal event. Impeccable posture, wearing power as if it were a second skin. The almost non-existent smile was just enough to comply with the protocol.
A wave of irritation passed through Lukas. How had your team let something so grotesque pass? They had done a thorough research on Kendall and all his surroundings, but they hadn't realized that the person next to him was more than a wife.
Another article caught his attention, and he clicked. Your maiden's last name. Political connections. Zero direct involvement with the media, but an evident reach in other circles of power. Lukas laughed dryly, almost incredulous. You didn't need Waystar to be relevant.
He found another photo. You in a tight dress, walking alone to an event. Every line of his body seemed designed to exude control and elegance. Lukas pressed his lips, his jaw contracting. How did Kendall get someone like that? The thought hit him hard, a mixture of mockery and indignation.
He rested his hand on the bar, the smile on his face now a mixture of contempt and challenge. Kendall, with all her flaws and insecurities, had conquered something that seemed so out of reach. Maybe that was luck. Or maybe it was you.
The heat of the whiskey burned his throat, but it was not enough to relieve the tension that grew in his body. Every detail about you was like a piece of a puzzle that he wanted to assemble. How could someone so strategic, so imposing, be next to someone as pathetic as Kendall?
Leaving his cell phone aside, Lukas leaned back at the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon. You weren't just a challenge.
_______________________________
A/N: Okay, I know we ran over some things here, but I just couldn't contain my obsession, sorry!! 🫠
masterlist
xoxo, bebe🫶🏼💕
#succession x reader#succession fanfiction#succession#kendall roy x y/n#kendall roy x you#kendall roy x reader#kendall roy iamgine#kendall roy imagine#kendall roy smut#kendall roy#roman roy x reader#roman roy#lukas matsson#shiv roy#logan roy#connor roy#roy family#y/n#x reader#x you
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You call him "baby".
Characters: James Diamond, Logan Mitchell, Carlos Garcia, Kendall Knight.
Warnings: none; SFW
W: 1k
A/N: English is not my first language, so I apologise for my mistakes. Dividers belong to @enchanthings-a and her new blog @enchanthings
James Diamond:
• “Baby? Me?” the guy looked at you in confusion.
• James was clearly flustered. He was just around when you needed help retrieving the kite that got stuck in a tree.
• He often plays the role of the cool, glamorous guy, frequently hearing compliments like “Hey, handsome!” or “Looking good, are you free tonight?”, but no one had ever called him that way before.
• “No one’s ever called me that…” he said, pulling a purple bandana from his pocket and tying it around his head. “But if you want to, feel free to call me that when it’s just us, babe!” James winked at you, and after you raised an eyebrow in disbelief, he eventually retrieved the kite and casually handed it to you. “Did your little boy do well?” he asked, flashing a bright smile. You giggled, ruffled his hair playfully, and then dashed off.
• Even though he tries to project a cool demeanor, James is actually shy. He loved how you called him that, but he prefers to keep it private, not wanting his friends to tease him about it.
Logan Mitchell:
• Logan was in the kitchen, trying to fix Kendall's mom's mixer. She had asked him to do it three days ago, but Logan had been so swamped that it kept slipping his mind. Today, though, Gustavo finally gave them a day off, and the guy jumped at the chance to keep his promise.
• “Alright, this goes here, and that goes there. Got it,” he mumbled when suddenly you burst through the door, making him drop the screws he was supposed to attach.
• “Hey, baby, have you seen Carlos?” you asked while stepping inside, scanning the room for the guy in the helmet. “That fool broke my eyeshadow while goofing around!”
• “Ow!” Logan stubbed his pinky toe on the edge of the table, knocked over the glass of water, then slipped and fell.
• “Oh my God! Logan!” You rushed over to help him up. “Are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!”
• “What did you just call me, like, three minutes ago?” he asked, rubbing his bruised tailbone.
• “Baby?”
• “Baby…that’s intriguing. Are you developing some sort of motherly instinct or something?”
• “Mother…what? What the hell do you mean, maternal instinct? God, Logan, you innocent goofball.” You slapped your forehead and headed for the door. “If you see Carlos, give me a shout!” The door slammed shut, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts. Honestly, he understood what you meant when you called him that. But he was so flustered that he decided to get out of the situation with his usual cleverness.
• “Ha-ha-ha! Baby Logan!” Someone’s laughter echoed in the room, and Logan turned to see Carlos fall from the ceiling. “Ouch.” He lay on the floor for a few minutes, writhing in pain, before giving a thumbs-up. “I’m fine!”
Carlos Garcia:
• Carlos was heading to the park, happily munching on a corn dog when suddenly you crashed into him and quickly ducked behind his broad back. Dogs were chasing you, and you were scared out of your wits. Carlos looked at you in confusion, then at the mutts, and back at you.
• “Dude, please help me!” You pressed yourself against his solid frame, trembling with fear. Without missing a beat, he pulled out more corn dogs from who-knows-where and tossed them into the bushes, where the dogs immediately bolted after them. “Farewell, my tasty treats,” Carlos lamented, but his mood lifted instantly when he felt a kiss on his cheek.
• “Thanks, babe!” You wrapped your arms around him tightly, giving him another peck on the cheek before dashing off.
• “Whoa…” The guy broke into a goofy grin and fainted right there. His friends, who had orchestrated the whole thing (they didn’t mean to scare you; they just wanted to set you up with Carlos), high-fived each other and rushed to pick him up, narrowly avoiding the feet of passing pedestrians.
Kendall Knight:
• Kendall was completely wiped out after yet another concert.
• The screaming fans and equally rowdy friends had drained him to the bone.
• So, exhausted, he broke away from his buddies, heading home for some much-needed peace and quiet.
• His fatigue was so overwhelming that he mixed up the numbers and accidentally walked into your place.
• You were in the middle of whipping up dinner when you heard the front door bang shut.
• Curious, you strolled down the hallway and spotted the adorably snoozing Kendall sprawled out on your couch. Chuckling at the hilarity of the situation, you fetched a blanket from your room, gently covering him so he wouldn’t freeze. With that done, you returned to the kitchen, now needing to whip up dinner for two.
• Half-asleep, Kendall caught the sound of clattering from the kitchen and a delicious smell wafting through the air, thinking it was his mom cooking. He snuggled deeper into the blanket. Then, another mouthwatering aroma hit him—one that had been driving him wild for the last three months.
• Bolting upright, Kendall looked around, realizing he wasn’t at home. Rubbing his eyes, he made his way to the kitchen.
• You were busy pulling out plates when suddenly, strong arms wrapped around your waist, and a sleepy head rested on your shoulder.
• “Hey babe? Did you sleep well?” you asked, turning to embrace him, your fingers gently running through his hair.
• “Mmhmm,” he mumbled, nuzzling his chin deeper into your shoulder. “Babe? Is that my new nickname now?” Kendall chuckled sleepily, pulling back to plant a soft kiss on your forehead. “So, what’s for dinner?” Just as he leaned in for a kiss on the lips, the rest of Big Time Rush burst in, catching you both in a cozy moment.
• “Looks like we showed up at a bad time.” Logan quipped, awkwardly covering his eyes.
• “Ooh! Pasta!” Carlos darted over to one of the pots, grabbing a plate from the cupboard and piling food onto it. The others shot him disapproving glares. “What?” Carlos asked with a mouthful. “I’m starving!”
#big time rush#james diamond#logan mitchell#carlos garcia#kendall knight#logan mitchell x reader#carlos garcia x reader#james diamond x reader#kendall knight x reader#logan mitchell x you#carlos garcia x you#james diamond x you#kendall knight x you#logan mitchell x y/n#carlos garcia x y/n#james diamond x y/n#kendall knight x y/n#btr#btr fanfic#btr x reader#btr x you#btr x y/n#fem!reader#btr x fem!reader#headcanon#btr headcanon#alexvolleyball
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Kissing Roman Roy Would Include...
Request: oh my god! your kendall roy kissing headcanons were adorable! would it be possible to get some for roman as well? i just know that man is touch starved and definitely had an awkward time kissing the reader early on in their relationship. obviously, you can choose to ignore but thank you!
Awww yes of course you can get some my love this man is 100% touch starved you’re so right <3
LADS OKAY I’M COMING BACK TO SAY THIS IS NEARLY 7K AND MY LONGEST FIC BY FAR LMAOO BABYGIRL CODED anyway comments are much appreciated because I am so tired lol ty ty ily all! :)
Warning: mentions of injuries/ blood, childhood abuse, and some swearing! Also MAJOR spoilers for Season 4!!
(I do not own Succession or its characters, all rights go to creators. Gif credit goes to @xihatiancai.)
☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°
We all really took one look at Roman Roy and went wet pathetic disgusting meow meow man I love you, and I really love and appreciate that for all of us. Because like... if not babygirl, why babygirl coded?
The first time you guys ‘kissed’, you were both around seven years old: on the tennis court, Shiv had sent a ball flying at Roman that had bent his hand backwards, and left quite a nasty gash of blood running down his arm. Instead of comforting the brother she had just bruised for the umpteenth time, the set of Roman crawling down to sit on the grass while cradling his arm just made her furious, and she went storming off towards the kitchen for some chocolate milk to cool down. You had been watching from the doubles side line, dropping your own racket as soon as Roman began to snivel, squeezing his skin back together and wincing as warm blood gushed out onto the grass. You run over to kneel in front of him, the harsh rays of light blushing across your head like a halo as you grab onto his elbow. You press the back of your shirt against it, hoping it will do until a nurse or one of the waiters comes running out with a first aid kit; as you glance up, the furious face of his father comes pacing past the balcony doors, and so you turn Roman’s head to look at you instead, praying that he won’t spot him. It will only make him whine more. It surprises you when he curses curtly instead at the feel of your fingers pressing down hard against his wound, but when you mumble an apology he finally stops scowling down at the ground and looks up: it’s as if he’s seeing you properly for the first time. His eyes light up as you gently lean down and press a kiss against the bloodstains; just the slightest hint of pressure, and tingling warmth of your your lips is enough to send a flourish through his body and make Roman Roy feel nourished. No longer withered, no longer left to rot. Roman gazes up at you: past the dappled sunlight, past the dotted clouds, past the earth and skies and heavens, and past it all he sees you.
You’re the first and last person he’s ever wanted to kiss. Like craving poison, he knows it will pass through and destroy him if he allows himself to indulge. But by god, if it wouldn’t taste so sweet as it pours down his throat and overwhelms every dilapidated part of his body.
The first time he works up the nerves to kiss you back, is in one of the pool storage huts just past the outer boundaries of his father’s estate. Shiv had finally convinced her father to allow her out into the city to go shopping for some new suits, and Ken had been chained into a business meeting to take notes for Logan, so Roman had been left all alone to wander around the ostentatious shadows and lonely halls of the house he hated to call home. Feeling trapped, like he couldn’t breathe, he wanders towards the ‘safe space’ the two of you had created a couple of years ago: a small nook you and Roman had spent the day nestling out (and nearly breaking his arm shoving unused surfboards and pool cleaning chemical boxes) in the dim, and slightly damp room. Finally feeling at home as he stepped into the mildew-steeped scent cloud that enveloped the square box stuffed full of things his father had wanted out of his sight, his heart is allieved to spot you already there. You don’t even have to look up from your book as he comes dawdling towards you like a puppy afraid it’s about to be kicked. When you open your arm up to him willingly, the true him comes leaping forth: like a darting hummingbird, he comes flying into your side, nestling his chin on the hard part of your shoulder so he can scan the words lazily past your head. After about half an hour of him gripping onto your shirt, as sweet and softly as infant spring, he glances up towards your face and an overwhelming urge overtakes him. Before he can stop himself, before he can make sense of his decision, before he can chide himself for his weakness, he lifts his head up and presses his lips firmly, if a little harshly, against the side of your cheek. Your book crashes to the floor with a thunderous slap, lifting a small cloud of dust as you raise your fingers to the wet spot in surprise. He immediately shuffles backwards at the noise, before making an awkward, fumbling excuse and running out the door.
He never brings it up again, but whenever you’re round at the Roy residence after that you can feel the intensity of his eyes land on you far more often. He blinks away and scratches the back of his neck nonchalantly whenever you catch him, or sometimes scrunches his nose up and starts biting the edges of his fingernails if he’s really nervous. But the love is there. He just can’t say it yet.
Once, when you were the only person in the house besides Connor and Logan, you were asked by the second-born eldest son to help him find Romie. With a concerned sigh, Connor wanders off to check behind the bathroom door off the living room, his lips forming a tight line as he disappears off down the corridor. Turns out, Logan had found out that Roman had been the one to spill his ice cream cone in the car on the way back from his fencing lesson, and Roman had run off cursing and crying when he heard the roar reverberate out from his father’s office at the news. You know where he is, instinctively. Of course you do: you don’t even need to think as your feet guide you towards his bedroom, and your body shrinks down to scoot under the bed and lie on the pristinely clean floorboards. He’s hiding behind the tendril weeds of his fear, making himself as small a target as possible as he balls himself up, trembling like heavy branches when lanced with frost. From behind his raised elbows that protect his face, he’s sniffling, his feet leaving the ground every few seconds from how harshly they shake. You lie down carefully on your side beside him, so hyperaware of any part of yourself brushing against him, in case the wounded creature decides to bolt. Thankfully, he comes sliding towards you, only stopping when your chest does the job for him; being as physically close as he can get to you, he huddles into your embrace while you stroke back the few curls by his ear. Once you’ve finally managed to choke back your own tears, your lips latch onto the spot of skin by the lobe of his ear, eyes closing and ticking his skin. He warbles against you, shivering, and the kiss just makes him whine more harrowingly against your chest.
Romie’s always around you. Always. He finds it difficult to actually be physically intimate, so it says quite plainly (even if you can’t understand it yet) that you’re the love of his life when he comes barrelling down the front stairs of the veranda and straight into your hug whenever your first foot falls onto the estate. It also means that during family dinners, when he’s finally mastering the skill of slouching back in his wishbone chair and tuning out all the horrible and spiteful things wrapped up in faux sincerity his family are saying about each other, he turns instead to kick your feet under the table. The brush of his ankle against your shoe is soon followed by the heavy pressure of his fingers reaching over onto your lap and entangling with your own. When the two of you are finally excused, you decide not to go back inside straight away. Instead, the two of you go for a dander around some of the verdant fields around the edges of the property: a few green patches here there that are filled with the scent of honeysuckle and freshly blooming rainbows splattered amongst the dirt. You decide to stop and sit for a while on the edge of a cobbled stone wall, laughing as Roman nearly falls off the uneven patch as he settles down beside you. He shrugs you off with a wave of his hand, but he’s smiling as you pluck a daisy from between the blades and tuck it behind his ear. For a while, the two of you just exist: watching the sunset brew violet and lilac gleams across your eyeline, talking shite and poking fun at each other, until Roman shyly takes a break from his rapid talking to blink slowly. He leans his torso forward, and after a bashful burn flickers over his cheeks, he squeezes his eyes shut and plants a wet kiss against your cheek, just like he had done all those years before.
He climbs into your room later that night, and you nearly hit him with a baseball bat when you come strolling out of your bathroom to see a teenager laying splayed out in a heap on your rug, a few pages of your homework flying over your desk from where he had banged his knee and tripped. With a lopsided grin, he decides to just stay lying there (once you had convinced him that you weren’t going to actually hit him). Sometimes Roman just likes to watch what you’re doing: to observe as an outsider what normality, what contentment should and could feel like. As you sit by your lamp and finish off your english essay for the next morning, you notice with furrowed eyebrows that Roman is moochier than normal tonight: he keeps squirming, rolling about and whining as if he’s debating something in his mind. That’s why when he’s gripping onto the ivy and finally climbing back down into the darkness later that night, you grab onto the collar of his sherpa jacket and heave him up through the air like a flustered bird towards you. After his initial surprise at the feeling of you pounding your lips against his own, he melts into you: clumsily, messily, desperately, but with one hand gripping so hard onto your window frame that he splinters the wood. His top lip refuses to let you go: capturing onto your bottom lip over and over and over again, the sweet taste of cherry flooding your senses as you bite down on the lip forcing its way into your mouth. When he pulls away, he looks so uncharacteristically serious for a moment as he hovers a few inches away from your face. His eyes never break from your lips, as if he he looks away the miracle he’s been graced with might fly away and he’ll be left with the hellish nightmare of his normal reality. But it doesn’t, and so you let him go.
He burns a crimson red and starts muttering incoherently as his feet work their way back down the garden lattice, but he’s got this giddy smile and a spring in his swishing walk the whole way home.
I mean, like, of course Connor invited you on the camping trip. And man, I mean the tension that had been expanding between you and Roman over the last few years was becoming more and more obvious to his brothers, and it pierced Roman’s heart with a stroke of fear when he realised it was to him as well. Connor’s little fishing expedition by the river turned out a little differently than he expected: instead of a placid moment between family, learning and teaching new skills together and bonding over one activity they could all share in, it was more of a ‘watch little gremlin Roman flirt obnoxiously with Y/n and, once again, ignore everyone else’ fest. Kendall sat on the shore, itchy against the reeds of grass and sighing every time he looked down at his watch. Connor was still having fun, though, from where he was wading his brand new, and never worn again wellies into the shallow end of the creek. It was just that every now and then he would have to trip over his fishing line and scoot to the right to avoid large splashes of weedy water landing on him; Roman had decided a much better use of his time was to try and pull up handful of mud and chase you around the river side with it. Your squeals, as you ran around the tamarack trees and peered around the sides like a meerkat, could be heard from the campsite. So, too, could Roman’s hyena laugh as he went laughing around the bend after you, and Connor had to spend half the night ignoring your shared snickers as he apologies to camper after camper.
I don’t even know how, but somehow the two of you managed to convince Connor that it was a great idea for you and Roman to share a tent. Thanks to Kendall’s pointed warning for the two of you to behave and ‘not embarrass the family name anymore’, you were both surprisingly well behaved during the night. Mainly due to the fact that before you fell asleep, you leant over and left a chaste kiss against Roman’s cold forehead, before turning onto your side facing him and wishing him a goodnight. He wiggled down into his sleeping bag like a little worm as the electricity from your touch spread down like firebolts through his body. That man did not sleep one wink that night. Not one. Instead he rolled onto his left side, and chose to spend his time contemplating you: taking you in. The milky buzz of twilight flooded through the loose zip, the chirp of bouncing crickets on the darkened rocks outside match the intense thudding of his heart. Fumbling his fingers up so they rested underneath the side of his jaw, he made himself comfortable as he observed the way your chest rose and fall: the way your nose crinkled up in disgust when you were in the throes of a weird dream, the way your mouth mushed as you turned more into the stony ground. How much he loved you. How happy he could be if he could just summon the bravery to tell you. How fucked he was. How, if he did, his father would immediately utilise it, weaponize his love against him.
Roman wasn’t stupid, but he was. He didn’t know if he could find a way to escape this cage. Deep in his heart, he knew there was no key to this dog kennel, to this bird cage, to this leash. But he lay there, still, dreaming of freedom.
You get invited along on their family holidays a lot, mainly because Logan spends his whole time on phone calls and not mentally being present so he doesn’t really notice you’re there. If you and Roman aren’t spending the afternoons sitting together on a sun lounger, reading aloud softly to him by the pool side, it’s spent actually in the pool. A freshly seventeen year old Roman had seemed nervous, besides the usual annoyance at having to wear nothing but swimming shorts: shaken all day; when you touch his pinkie finger and grip onto it, silently asking him with your stern expression if you were okay, only the most miniscule of grins could cross his face in response. He still seemed unsettled in the water, besides the fact that Shiv’s foot nearly thwacked him up the face as she and Kendall wrestled each other under the water, both unrelenting in their accusation that the other had lost their splashing match. While you watched on in horrified curiosity, you nearly jumped when you felt Roman softly touch your elbow and lead you away from the affray. You think he’s trying to guide you towards the Jacuzzis as you bob across the water, or perhaps back to his room to escape the antics of his family. Instead, Roman leads you further into the deep end for a moment; after a sharp turn right, you’re surrounded by a small well, a shallow area just out of sight of the main swimming area. The imposing walls loom over your head as you take a perched seat on the brick bench that runs around the semi-circle, and Roman’s breath trembles as he follows suit, sitting maddingly close to you. You open your mouth to ask him what’s going on, but before you can get a squeak out he’s lunged at you, fervently enough to make you nearly bite your tongue. It’s not super romantic, and it’s incredibly clumsy as an inexperienced Roman Roy mashes his lips against your bottom one until he can feel his teeth clash against yours. You can taste a touch of pineapple from the inside of his mouth as he sloppily raises his cupid’s bow, and soon after the tang of chlorine as he falls too far forward and sends you both tumbling backwards into the water. But when you come back up for air, heaving him up by his underarms and staring dumbstruck at him as he pants heavily and tries to look anywhere else, you burst out giggling. Roman’s smile grows brightly enough to blight the sun as he looks incredulously at you, the laughter only stopping short on his lips when he catches the squinting look of his sister watching the two of you from the boundary edge.
It’s the first and last time Roman Roy kisses you for a while, terrified that one of his siblings will go squealing to daddy and he’ll take you away from him. And then, suddenly, the two of you have grown up. Roman’s still stuck to you like glue, but the repression festers away in his stomach until he feels as if some kind of scaly tooth monster is gnawing away at his insides. He feels the leather tighten around his neck whenever he’s standing like an affronted ostrich in that office with his father, his master, his demise, his ghost, him.
So, Roman starts to try and avoid you whenever he’s at Waystar, worried that the grief that never seems to leave his mind will strangle you if he lets you in. Terrified that his father will die, but also that his father will never die. That this is just another cage. Eventually, after weeks of him turning on his heels with a manic jolt and running out of every board room he spots you in: after months of the child dressed up as a man putting his phone to his ear and having nonsensical phone calls every time he passes you in the corridors, you manage to nab him when he’s walking out of the break room. Even though a stuttering cousin Greg thinks you’re trying to kidnap him when you grab Roman by the collar and start dragging him to the elevator, you refuse to let go until Greg’s waving hand is firmly shut behind the metal sheets. You let go, and he fumbles backwards onto the hand-rail that runs around the small rectangle with a bemused ‘what the actual fuck’, but you just cross your arms and stare at him, refusing to talk first.
Your austere façade quickly drops, and you’re quick to slam your first into the emergency button on the panel, gripping onto Roman’s sleeve as the elevator lurches to a stop between the twenty-second and twenty-third floors. A kind of acceptance has washed over Roman, some kind of known and familiar claustrophobia from having spent his whole life locked up, his whole life thrown about sets in. He picks at his fingernails as his eyes dart about, wild and brutal and crushing as he looks around for an escape route. It’s only when you put a hand on his shoulder and draw him in for a hug that he breaks down; he squats down so the two of you are resting a few inches off the floor, his face buried just atop of your heart as he shakes and he cries and he allows himself the security to just crumble. To melt down. To kick his feet and hope his father feels the wring of the shackles against his own ankles. He hopes for the first time in his life, as you stroke the back of his head and shush him comfortingly, that they hurt him.
Something changes between the two of you that day. You’re kinder to each other, and slowly to yourselves. It’s not outspoken, or rushed, or ravenous, but it begins to grow and grow and grow until it’s not only confusion and anguish that lies at the pit of Roman’s rotting core.
It starts with him becoming more comfortable showing affection to you around his family. Like you sitting on Roman’s lap at Shiv’s wedding reception, not listening to the speeches but trying to hide your giggles in Roman’s palms as he’s busy trying to take roses out of the centre piece and pin them through your hair. Or his full weight against you during the professional photos out on the balcony, and not even Shiv flicking her brother or Tom waving his hand at Roman to try and get him to behave could stop him from leaning backwards and planting a kiss underneath your jawline once the man said he was taking the final photograph. The two of you go out into the gardens later that night, trying to escape the ear-hammering loud beats of the D.J., and to try and make an early escape from the growing fight that seemed to be coming between Tom and Shiv’s old work acquaintance. With two beers and slightly tipsy heads, you sit down and talk on the dew-ridden grass, shoulders swaying against the other’s in time with the falling pine leaves. You felt like children again, and against the smouldering clash of fireworks that brandished the sky in bursts of red and gold, you both felt undying as well. He kisses you then, his hand reaching up to brush against the side of your cheek, his bottom lip teasingly tugging at your bottom lip and making you swat him away with a laugh. As you take his hand in your own and press a promise filled kiss against his middle knuckle, he hopes that one day he’ll be able to kiss you at your own wedding.
When you know he’s having a rough day at work, you like to try and sneak into his office and wrap your arm around his stomach, peppering kisses up and down his spine. Although he tries to shake you off like a startled starling at first, when he realises that you also managed to close the blinds on your way in without him noticing, he quickly relinquishes himself onto your barrage of adoration. He becomes all whiny, and soft, and needy, and all the things he’ll never allow himself to be outside of the security blanket of this closed off room. Although he still isn’t comfortable with anything too sexual, you won’t find him complaining as he wrestles you to the sofa. Once you’ve had the wind knocked out of your lungs, and Roman’s satisfied with how fully you’re splayed out on your back before him, he’ll go scuttling over to the end of the sofa and kneel down beside it. With a mischievous glimmer in his eye, he’ll swish his hips from side to side and come crawling up the sides of his body like a wolf slinking towards its dinner. Then he attacks: his tongue heavy and slick as he draws a hickey out just under the pulse point on your neck, pressing him firmly against you if you try to squirm away, chiding you with a warning. When it becomes too much, he lets you grip him up by his tie and walk him backwards until his thighs hit his desk. He jumps up to perch on it, and you stand between his legs as they tighten around you. You’re slow and careful as you loosen the material between your fingers, opening the first button of his shirt, and only the first so he doesn’t become too uncomfortable, with a satisfying loud pop. He whimpers as you lean over to scrape your teeth against the exposed skin, working your way up until your lips are tantalisingly hovering over the stubble on his jaw. He can feel your breath, hot and unsteady as it pants against him, but he still can’t stop the shiver that racks through him as he takes your hand and guides them under his shirt. With your hands firmly planted against his abdomen, you look at him quizzically, worried, but he just keeps his fingers on top of your own and answers you by sweetly pressing his top lip over his own. Just once, he wanted to feel safe, to feel okay with the love of his life touching his body.
The two of you have this game where you try to steal kisses from each other during the most inappropriate and annoying times possible. Oh, Shiv’s trying to talk to you in her kitchen about how her trip to England went? Roman barges in between the two of you, nearly making Shiv chop her thumb off, just so he can interrupt his sister by smirking against your mouth. Kendall wants to run through a presentation the two of them have to give the next morning? You’re grabbing onto Roman’s head as you run through the office, nearly giving him a heart attack as he scrambles backwards and allows you to drop his head back onto the cushion. With a full plant landing on his already pliant lips, Kendall’s left with a fed-up ‘hey’, yet unsurprised look of disappointment on his face as you run off back to your own desk.
When his father called Romie a moron in Prague, the look of desolation that crossed through his teary eyes was enough to make an angel weep. But it broke you even more when he pattered out of the dining area, walking shoulder to shoulder with you, but not saying anything. He was just staring down at his hands as if they were blotted: stained with specks of blood, and he would have to spend another sleepless night scrubbing them out of his skin. It wasn’t the first time he heard it, but it was the first time you were there to hear it too, and you weren’t going to let him get comfortable wallowing in that fearful acceptance. You grip onto his shoulder and steer him away from the milling crowd of sheep, stuffing him into a bathroom stall of the east wing of the hotel. Crowded together, Roman’s hamstring bumps against the porcelain as the two of you scoot about until you’re standing facing each other as best as you could. He looks at you, bleary eyed, and you look at him, bleary eyed. He breaks. Choking, gasping, breathless sobs, drowning in his misery. He grabs onto your shirt, clawing into the meat of your shoulders as if he’ll sink if he lets go. He keeps babbling through bubbles of spit about how he just wants to make his father proud, how he wants to be just like him, how he wants to prove that he can rule all this too. How he can never replace him. But he can. He wants it all to burn, but he wants to stand on the ruins and be the one to plant the foundations again. To make a better world, in honour of his father: in honour of the god of war that rages within his head. You press quick kisses on his sweaty forehead whenever you can, doing your best to dodge the quick turns of his head and wiping away the trails of tears with your thumb. All you can do in that moment, as you press your lips against the side of his ear and whisper it to the most intimate, lost parts of himself, is to let him know that you’re proud of him, no matter what happens next. You always have been, and even the ghost of Logan that possess Roman can’t stop that.
The sloppy kisses he gives you the next morning omg. When the two of you are sitting on your bedroom steps, and you’re biting your bottom lip in concentration as you try to do up the buttons of his dress shirt and make him look presentable in front of his family. Like a feral dog, he uses all of his leftover energy trying to nip and bite your fingertips, catching them on his tongue and pursing them against the roof of his mouth whenever he can.
You cannot convince me that Roman isn’t a jealous bitch. Like at Kendall’s fortieth birthday party, when he finally gives up trying to get up into his special little secret treehouse club, and Shiv has left him to go ham on the dance floor instead. You finally manage to convince him into relaxing for a fricking minute, making him join you at the bar. If someone tries to grab your waist, though, or butt into your conversation while the two of you are hyena giggling and seeing who can spurt more beer into the other’s face, Roman will full on goad them into fighting him. I mean, chest puffed out, crazed look in his face, hands up by his side until they send a weak shove in their general direction. It only ends when Roman either: near topples you to press a bracing kiss against your lips, or you dragging him off and having to hold him through the brackets of his arms. In the corner of the room, over by the sheets of warbling fire that seems to be coming from a central room, you stand behind his feet and wrap your arms up his chest. You can feel the fury roll off him, allowing him a moment to blow off the steam, until his head finally falls like putty and begins to synchronise his breathing to yours again after you hold your lips against the nape of his neck.
The kisses when he comes back after being held hostage (I am doing this so out of order apologies) omg??? He clambers sombrely to sit beside you on the deck of the boat, looking so out of place and serious as he leans back against the cushions. His siblings make fun of him, and tease him, and although he realises it’s harmless and he’ll see it as a key bonding moment a couple of years down the line, in the inside the typical Roy storm is brewing. He can’t say anything: just hides behind the jokes and snide comments so the words don’t choke him. You just feel his weight fall against yours little by little, until his hand reaches out and takes your own so tightly you know it���s going to bruise. The muscle in his jaw tightens and he squeezes his eye shut in an enduring pain at the sight of his father’s helicopter coming in to land. So, for that kind second before his life comes crashing back down around him again and he has to revert back, to hide behind the brick wall again, you take him over to the railings. It’s just the two of you, the warm sea salt stinging against your grimacing faces, and the ungodly sight of a near-naked Cousin Greg lying stretched out beside the slide below you. After a few goes, you manage to unlatch his claws from the white metal and replace them with your soothing palm, rubbing semi-circles against the back of his hand. You’re here. You’re here, with him. You’re not going to let him go it alone again, if he wants.
And he does. He could cry, he so desperately does. Some of the tension falls from his shoulders as he raises your joint hands to his lips and kisses them, gracing over every inch of skin his mouth can latch onto.
You both know, in that moment, that it’s enough. It’s a promise. You’ll stick together, no matter what. You’ll love each other through everything, no matter what. You’ll stay around, no matter what or who he becomes.
Which brings me to... kissing him when you find out about the passing of his father. Standing on that boat, on the most joyous of occasions, feeling as if the whole world is shattering around you. Feeling miserable at the knowledge that deep down, some part of you is overjoyed by the news. Feeling even more downtrodden to realise, as the streaky eyes and thousand-stare faces of the Roy siblings flash back and forth in your line of sight as they pass the phone to each other, that Logan will never really be gone. They’re talking to his lifeless, empty shell through the speakers, but it doesn’t matter, because he’s here in this room. He’s staring through their eyes. Talking in their quivering, harsh voices. Pounding through their feet. Tearing them apart as they try to cling onto each other. In their accusations that burst through their mouths innately. In the ordered instructions hurled out to keep business running smoothly. Hidden between the cracks of their voices as they sharpen their words and seethe them out between clenched teeth when the slightest chance of Logan even being dead is raised. He’s here, right now, as you let go of the death grip Kendall and Shiv have on both of your hands and catch sight of Roman rocking backwards and forth on the floor.
Giving a final squeeze of apology to Connor’s arm, you take Roman out of the room before he combusts. The whole air seems to be chilled: still, like something’s lurking unspoken between the threads of air. Like you’re leading Roman through the cold remains of a morgue. He wanders around for a minute, not even hearing the click of the door as you close it behind you. Not even crying. Not even speaking. For the first time in his life, he looks so much like his father. Too much. It scares you. Until eventually he just closes his eyes and trods over to the wall, thumping his forehead down on the cool metal until it burns. He holds his hand out to you, cufflinks gleaming like the edge of a knife past the ceiling lights, as if he’s offering a contract out to you. Apprehensively, your tentative hand creeps out and places itself gingerly on top of his own. He takes it, his dry lips latching onto you until the bridge of his nose is resting now upon your hand. The deal is done.
When you get back to your apartment though, and Romie finds out that Matsson wants him to fly out and meet him in Norway... that’s when Roman gets weird. Devastated. Freaks out. Grieves. You come out from your shower, wearing one of his suit shirts as your pyjama top, and he doesn’t even give a whistle of appreciation. Instead he’s crumpled on the floor by the canopy of your bed, cradling his knees to his chest, swearing into his kneecaps furiously. But you - you, oh god, you’re the only thing that can stop him from being swallowed up by Logan’s fury. You tilt his chin up during a tangled rush of expletives I don’t dare to copy down here, a scowl setting itself into his face like stone. It begins to soften when he realises you’re touching him, when he can feel the scrape of your nail around his jugular. You do your best to warble an unconvincing smile as you turn his head to the side, so you can better wipe your bottom lip against the edge of his throbbing mouth. You mould yourself to him, working at his pace as he winces at first, before slowly falling more and more easily into your grip. His hands loosen from his arms and fall onto your triceps as he deliriously tries to come back to himself through searching through the velvety warmness of your mouth: by swiping against your tongue and choking back his grievances as you pant into his open, waiting mouth.
You wake him up the next day with a fond kiss against the tip of his nose, and for the first time in a long while he smiles before he wakes fully up. The morning light cradles his bleary face as he sleepily runs a few fingers over the edge of your cheek, before cradling himself into your side again. He feels safe, weary, anguished, loved enough to fall asleep again, after pressing a few gentle licks behind your earlobes to try and hear you laugh again. Even through it all, his main concern is you.
You trace his features while he restlessly dreams, although he squirms from time to time and alludes you to the fact that he’s secretly awake. A kiss here, between the junctions of wrinkles on his furrowed forehead. A kiss there, on the patchy stubble just underneath his left ear. A few there on the dark circles underneath his eyes, until you’re balancing over him and holding yourself up by the hands splayed over his pillow. He just needs to be reminded he’s beautiful from time to time. That he’s perfect. That he doesn’t need to try and be someone else. To encapsulate his father.
But also like, Roman fucking hates Matsson. The way he looks at you during the whole field trip, like a hunter about to swallow its prey whole. Although the continuous comments about his family, and the two new Co-Ceo’s, and the legacy of his father make him burn down to the pit of his stomach with a white hot fury, he can deal with them if he would just leave you the fuck alone. He doesn’t take kindly to anyone but him looking at his soulmate with such adoration and lust in their eyes, so if that overgrown yeti gives you the up and down check out one more time he might actually just deck him in the middle of the retreat. He bites down on his tongue so harshly that his taste buds begin to bubble and prickle with blood, deciding it best to storm off and collect his thoughts before he lashes out and does something he can’t take back. You finally manage to track him down a little way off the beaten track, winding your way over some cobbled steps to find a branched alcove with nothing but a bench and a breath taking view of the gushing river down below. He’s hunched over with his fingers knotted over his knees, his lips so tightly drawn together that at first you don’t even spot the droplets of blood until he turns with a raised eye to look at you.
He knows it’s not your fault, so there’s no convincing or apologies when you join him. Just Roman finally getting all of that pent up sorrow and distress out. After an awkward moment of bouncing your foot up and down, you decide your best course of action is to just open your arm up to him again, like you used to do when you were children. At first he raises a confused eyebrow, before the realisation dawns over his face, and his features crumble. His lips purse, his throat bobbing as he heaves the tears back down, but he can’t stop his lips from trembling as he falls into your side. That kiss was the sweetest, as he leans his chin familiarly against your shoulder and bumps noses with your own. He frowns, sobbing at the knowledge that he can kiss you, finally, in the way he’s been yearning for all his life, and yet it all feels so wrong. So upside down. So far away from what he had dreaming. The freedom feels like a tether, and yet he juts his chin out and latches placidly onto your bottom lip anyway, the tears trickling down and falling between your mouths.
It’s an act of defiance. A key sliding into the lock. He still can’t say it, but he won’t allow himself to smother the feeling anymore. The first sip of poison gliding down his throat, and Roman prays as he presses his forehead tearfully against your own, that it would kill the Logan part of him first.
#succession#succession imagine#roman roy#roman roy imagine#roman roy x reader#kendall roy#shiv roy#roman roy headcanons#logan roy#roman succession#roman succession imagine#succession season 4#greg hirsch#connor roy#tom wambsgans#succession spoilers#kieran culkin#succession fanfic#succession fanfiction#x reader
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okay here's one post i have to make. Finally racism confirmed real in succession. other people have talked about this before but it is a huge blind spot of the show not to acknowledge the intersection between racism and capitalism, and the excuse that the characters are the 1% and the 1% are vastly white is pretty weak. the fact that the show sidelines its existing characters of color while every now and then broadly gesturing towards race makes this worse, especially as the show more directly focuses on fascism and just Doesn't bring race into it. like i don't even think race is totally absent as a concern of the writers but it's clearly not a priority. i think a lot about how mo's widow is a filipino woman
anyway. ken and rava's conversation in this sense doesn't really qualify as, like, revolutionary in terms of succession's commentary on race esp since it's a discussion between two white parents about their brown daughter without her present. the point of interest to me really is that kendall completely fails to recognize racism as a systemic issue, much less that he works for and is trying to sustain a company that actively works to perpetuate that hegemony. his questions are why was sophie on the street? why wasn't rava there? in the same episode where he calls matsson homophobic for saying the numbers are gay. socially aware king
it's not particularly revelatory to say that a rich white man doesn't grasp the concept of systemic racism LOL but i do think it's more than that for kendall, and i also think this trait is something his siblings don't share. it's like how he doesn't realize he's in a position of power over anna and she was pressured into attending the recny with him, and his adoption of a faux-feminist stance in s3 while continuing to treat women like shit. kendall's whole concept of Everything, including systemic social issues, goes back to logan. there's no system outside of dad. the doj doesn't find the cruises evidence compelling? that's because they're scared of logan. logan's the source of the evil in the world, therefore opposing him is inherently progressive, leaving kendall with even less of a coherent moral framework after his death. and he's completely unable to process the idea that he could be participating in and benefiting from the greater racist or sexist system, because that's fundamentally incompatible with his logan-based idea of his own identity.
i don't think roman or shiv or even connor share this particular nearsightedness. roman 'we do hate speech and roller coasters' roy knows what's going on but he doesn't really care and he doesn't believe it can be changed (or, maybe more accurately, that there's any point in trying). he doesn't buy into fascism on the ideological level, exactly, but the spectacle appeals to him and he does believe it's profitable to align with it, so he's perfectly happy to do so. i think he's the most similar to logan in this regard. and shiv and connor have actual political ideologies, even if they're far from being meaningfully opposed to fascism, which requires a base awareness of the fact that We Live In A Society and That Society Has Systems In It. for kendall it really boils down to logan and logan alone
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I could see that. Like she just drops the fact that Kendall is definitely behind them on Roman and Roman denies it at first but once it's in his brain he can't let it go.
Idk if it would happen this way but I do wonder if Shiv's gonna try and team up with Roman against Kendall using his Logan hit pieces as motive
#i'm really curious what Roman and Kendall going all Logan next week will look like#my guess is that Roman throws a temper tantrum at the studio and fires at least one person#calls everyone incompetent for needing reshoots but eventually signs off like he said#and then Kendall at the end of the episode does something quietly horrible like calls Hugo out for the articles while others are there#and just...drags him like Logan would before firing him#all to uphold the lie that Kendall stuck to the plan with Roman#and then shiv drops the fact thay obviously Kendall asked Hugo to do it he's too much of a suck up sycophant to act alone#additionally i could see us getting an extra asshole moment when Tom fires Cyd#Succession#succ spoilers
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The purpose of Better Call Saul is to show how it came to be that Jimmy McGill chose the Bad Choice Road and became the scumbag lawyer Saul Goodman, whom we've already met in Breaking Bad. Jimmy's transformation into Saul (and what happens to him next) is what the show is about.
It's not an ensemble show like Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones is about people fighting over who gets to rule Westeros. While there are some characters who are more central to the narrative than others, the arcs of the main characters are of roughly equal importance. Dany's arc isn't more central to the story than Jon's, or Tyrion's, or Jaime's, or Cersei's, etc. Because the show isn't about Dany, or Jon, or Tyrion, or Jaime, or Cersei. It's about the game of thrones.
LOST isn't really about any of its characters either. It's about being lost on a mysterious island. Some of the characters are featured more, but there isn't one character who the show is about.
Succession is about the Roy family, so all of the Roys are of equal importance. You can't really say the show is about Kendall or Roman or Shiv or Logan. It's about all of them.
But bcs isn't like that! It's about ONE guy. All the characters serve the purpose of telling his story. Of course we come to care for them as much as we care for Jimmy, and they all have individual arcs that are separate from Jimmy's...but not really, since all of their individual arcs are meant to contrast his, providing a deeper understanding of the themes of corruption and redemption.
So there's really no such thing as an "underutilized" character. They're all included the right amount.
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𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆… 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐈 𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐀-𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍
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❝ Kalani Akana-Chen was decidedly not like most of the other teen residents of the Palm Woods. For one, they weren’t the product of a so called stage parent, pushy and overbearing and wanting their child to be successful at any cost whatsoever; their dad was very laid-back and supportive as a parent, having been behind Kalani’s dreams of pop-punk stardom the whole way, having willingly moved the two of them to Los Angeles and done his best to get them far with their music while still grieving his poor wife, who had died when Kalani was eight. On top of that, Kalani simply didn’t fit the sunny and pretty vibe that most people out here had - with their died hair, colourful makeup, and outfits straight off an Avril Lavigne album cover, they definitely tended to stick out like a sore thumb among their Palm Woods peers.
Logan Mitchell didn’t really fit the mould of a Los Angeles teenager reaching for entertainment stardom, either. Though he had to admit that living at the Palm Woods and being part of a boy band with his best friends was turning out to be fun, it certainly wasn’t what he’d envisioned for himself - heck, he’d been dreaming about being a doctor since he was just a little kid, and though he hadn’t really given up that ambition, it was definitely on the back burner for a bit. And even besides that, he wasn’t any good at interacting with people the way his friends were. He wasn’t endearing like Carlos or a cool guy like James or even charmingly down-to-earth like Kendall; he was painfully awkward, especially around pretty people, and he went on nerdy rambles that even his lifelong pals didn’t like to listen to, and because of that nothing ever really… worked out for him in the social department, much less the romantic one.
Due to all of these facts, it almost feels like a miracle when Kalani winds up getting pulled into the almost daily shenanigans of Big Time Rush and they and Logan connect. Suddenly, Logan has someone who is actually fascinated by his nerdy talk, and Kalani has someone who always brings a host gift for their dad when he comes over for dinner and actually does research on alternative culture to understand their look rather then giving them weird glances for it. They almost seem like a match made in Heaven… but of course, nothing is ever simple at the Palm Woods, life and relationships always getting into big messy tangles, and there is a very good chance that Kalani and Logan’s story will end in a big time disaster before it ever truly gets started. ❞
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Big Time Rush Taglist: @myloveforhergoeson, @ithinkyouhealedmyheart.
General Taglist: @hiddenqveendom,
@auxiliarydetective, @foxesandmagic, @artemisocs,
@reyofluke-ocs, @endless-oc-creations,
@stanshollaand, @ginnystilinski-reblogs,
@luucypevensie, @ginger-grimm, @oneirataxia-girl,
@arrthurpendragon, @surebrecs, @gabbysdawsons,
@dancingsunflowers-ocs, @eddysocs, @stelstellakidd,
@manyfandomocs, @lapinaquarelle, @partiallypearl, @welcometotheocverse,
@juliaswickcrs, @kendelias, @ocappreciationtag.
#my ocs#introducing my ocs#ch: kalani akana-chen#oc: kalani akana-chen#fic: la la land#queerocs#fyeahocsofcolor#ocapp#ocappreciation#ochub#allaboutocs#fyeahbtrocs#fyeahbigtimerushocs#big time rush oc#btr oc
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Flushed Feelings I Kendall Knight
Kendall is around his twenties in this, attends college as well.
Kendall Knight had been back at the Palm Woods for less than 24 hours after finishing Big Time Rush’s latest tour. The excitement of performing for thousands of fans had hardly faded, but as he walked through the lobby, he noticed something—or rather, 'someone'—new.
Y/N was crouched near the front desk, tinkering with what looked like a toolbox. She was laughing at something Buddha Bob was saying, her smile lighting up the room.
“Who’s that?” Kendall whispered to Carlos, who was munching on a corndog beside him.
Carlos shrugged. “Oh, that’s Y/N. She’s been helping Buddha Bob part-time for the past few months. Pretty handy with tools, from what I’ve heard.”
Kendall’s curiosity sparked. He didn’t know why, but something about her had him intrigued. He decided then and there to find out more about Y/N—without being obvious, of course.
For the rest of the day, Kendall wandered around the Palm Woods, casually asking anyone who’d talk to him about Y/N.
“Oh, Y/N? She’s cool, she's been here for about 6ish months and attends university not that far from here.” Camille said, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason!” Kendall replied quickly, his face turning red as he backed away.
Gustavo had less patience. “I don’t care who she is, Kendall! Focus on the music! The next album isn’t going to write itself!”
By the time Kendall returned to his apartment, he was no closer to learning anything substantial but then, inspiration struck.
“I need a reason to talk to her,” Kendall muttered to himself, pacing. “Something casual. Something—”
He stopped mid-thought, staring at the bathroom door. An idea, albeit a questionable one, began to form.
Moments later, Logan walked in to find Kendall fiddling with the toilet.
“What are you doing?” Logan asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Clogging the toilet,” Kendall said matter-of-factly.
Logan blinked. “You’re… why?!”
“I need an excuse to call Y/N up here to fix it. Then I can talk to her without it being weird,” Kendall explained, clearly pleased with his genius plan.
“That’s a terrible idea!” Logan exclaimed. “She’s going to think you’re disgusting. Who does that?”
Kendall froze, the realization dawning on him. “Oh no… you’re right. What if she thinks I’m gross?”
“Exactly!” Logan said, throwing up his hands.
Before Kendall could fix his mistake, Y/N was already at the door, toolkit in hand. “Hey, you called about a clogged toilet?”
Kendall paled, stepping aside to let her in. “Uh, yeah. Thanks for coming up.”
"I've got missing assignments to catch up on, good luck with all of this." Logan patted Kendall's shoulder and walked away.
As Y/N got to work, James appeared, leaning casually against the bathroom doorframe.
“Well, hello there,” James said, flashing his signature smile. “You must be Y/N. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Y/N glanced at him briefly, then went back to removing the toilet’s lid. “That’s nice,” she said politely.
“Do you know who I am?” James pressed, undeterred.
“Yes,” Y/N replied, keeping her focus on the toilet.
“And…?” James prompted, clearly fishing for a compliment.
“And I think I’d rather focus on fixing this toilet,” Y/N said, her tone light but firm.
Logan smothered a laugh from the couch, while Kendall tried to pretend, he wasn’t watching the interaction like a hawk.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Y/N stood up, wiping her hands on a rag. “All done. Should work fine now.”
“Thanks,” Kendall said, relief evident in his voice.
As Y/N gathered her tools, she turned to Kendall with a small smile. “By the way, I’m actually a fan of Big Time Rush. I went to one of your concerts earlier this year.”
Kendall’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re a fan?”
“Yeah,” she said, slinging her toolkit over her shoulder. “You guys were great live. Anyway, have a good night!”
As she walked out, Logan shook his head. “You’re lucky she’s nice. If it were me, I’d never speak to you again after that toilet stunt.”
Kendall wasn’t listening. He was too busy grinning like an idiot.
Y/N was a fan.
And maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.
The next morning, Kendall was sitting on the couch, replaying the previous night in his head. Every time he thought about Y/N’s smile and the way she casually mentioned being a fan, his heart skipped a beat. He was so lost in thought he didn’t even notice James plopping down beside him.
“You’re doing that goofy grin thing again,” James said, snapping his fingers in front of Kendall’s face.
“I am not,” Kendall protested, immediately wiping the smile off his face.
“Oh, you totally are. And let me guess—Y/N?” James teased, wagging his eyebrows.
Kendall rolled his eyes, but the blush creeping up his neck betrayed him. “Okay, fine. Maybe. I mean, she’s nice, smart, cool… and she likes Big Time Rush!”
“Yeah, yeah,” James said, waving him off. “So, when’s your next move? Because clogging another toilet isn’t going to cut it.”
Kendall groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
Logan entered the room, a mug of tea in hand. “Please, for everyone’s sake, don’t try anything involving plumbing again.”
Carlos popped up behind the couch. “Why don’t you just ask her out? Simple, direct, no clogs required!”
Kendall hesitated, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. “What if she says no? Or worse, what if she laughs at me?”
“Then she laughs,” Logan said with a shrug. “But at least you’ll know.”
Later that afternoon, Kendall found himself pacing outside the maintenance office. He’d been working up the nerve to talk to Y/N all day but couldn’t seem to go through with it.
Just as he was about to walk away, the door opened, and there she was, carrying a clipboard and looking just as effortlessly cool as ever.
"Oh, hey, Kendall,” she said with a smile, clearly surprised to see him.
“H-hey, Y/N,” he stammered, feeling like a nervous wreck.
“Everything okay?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
“Yeah, I, uh… I just wanted to say thanks again for fixing the toilet last night,” Kendall said, scratching the back of his neck.
“No problem. Comes with the job,” Y/N replied.
Kendall took a deep breath. “Actually, I was wondering… would you maybe want to grab dinner with me? Sometime? Like, as a… date?”
Y/N blinked, clearly caught off guard. Then a smile spread across her face. “You know what? Yeah, I’d like that.”
“You would?” Kendall asked, his eyes widening.
“Of course,” she said, laughing softly. “You’re sweet, Kendall. And it’s not every day one of my favorite singers asks me out.”
That evening, Kendall decided to keep it casual, ordering takeout from his favorite burger place and setting up a movie night in the apartment.
When Y/N arrived, she looked around the room, taking in the cozy setup. “This is perfect,” she said, plopping down on the couch next to him. “Way better than some fancy restaurant.”
Kendall grinned, relieved she liked it. “I figured we could eat and watch a movie. Got any favorites?”
“I’m a sucker for anything superhero-related,” she admitted, pulling a fry from the takeout bag.
“Iron Man it is,” Kendall said, grabbing the remote.
As the movie played, they talked and laughed, their conversation flowing effortlessly. Kendall found himself more relaxed than he’d been in weeks, and every time Y/N laughed at one of his jokes, his chest swelled with pride.
By the time the movie ended, Y/N was leaning comfortably against Kendall’s shoulder, and he didn’t want the night to end.
“I had a great time tonight,” Y/N said softly.
“Me too,” Kendall replied, his voice just as quiet.
She tilted her head to look up at him, her eyes warm and filled with something he couldn’t quite place. “You know, you’re even sweeter in person than you are on stage.”
Kendall chuckled nervously. “Thanks… I think.”
“No, it’s a compliment,” she assured him.
Before he could respond, Y/N leaned up and kissed him, her lips soft and gentle against his. Kendall froze for a moment, his brain short-circuiting, but then he kissed her back, his hand coming up to cup her cheek.
When they finally pulled apart, Y/N smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed. “I should probably go before Buddha Bob sends out a search party,” she joked.
“Or you could stay,” Kendall offered, his voice hopeful.
Y/N laughed, grabbing her jacket. “Tempting, but let’s save that for date two.”
As she walked out the door, Kendall leaned against the frame, watching her leave with a goofy grin on his face.
“Date two,” he repeated to himself.
And for the first time, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he’d found something special.
#my fic#x reader#fanfics#my fanfiction#kendall knight#kendall schmidt#big time rush x reader#big time rush#kendall schmidt x reader#kendall knight x reader#btr fanfic#btr x reader#btr#btr kendall#big time rush kendall
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reading all the reactions on who is the better business mastermind like guysss they're both idiots. mattson's cute but not that cute
my sister having to pause the show if i roll my eyes, hmm and haw and laugh and gasp at the corporate speak to ask what's going on
#logs#mattson's nihilism is his better business trait but his hedonism is gonna get him in trouble#tho now i sat and think abt it the blood brick story has the possibility of being fake. he's trying to wedge the sibs from each other#and he's trying to butter up to shiv first to make her feel powerful n the kill list names confirms it#while i dont begrudge shiv for being a gojo insider (kendall is freezing her out. roman is slowly going along w kendall)#but while i hope she learns from helen hunter's character from prev seasons to cut fungible ties while u can#idk if she could do it before she stations herself someplace other than gojoroyco#anyways jesse is giving a nice predicament for us!! i wanna see how this ties to the eventual jan 6th eps lol#like i understand why there is hesitation for the roys to let go of atn other than it being logan's pride and joy#(not like logan has any human children or anything)#but also bc it's a great political bargaining chip and will open any door to them#esp if ur a tech company wanting break into a us marketplace#mattson wants it soooo bad it makes him look stupid#but the roy siblings are MORE stupid bc they cannot hide they're tanking the deal#and mattson was called Frank and not kendall or roman abt the 192 per share offer so everyone in the plane can hear it#so now they hv the legal obligation to hv their shareholders inform and take the best deal
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the superb thing with succession s4e3 is that beyond all the big obvious grief moments there’s all the lived in, mostly physical details that the actors pull out, details that really come from having developed the characters three seasons since s1e2. we have seen them all in so many situations but the way they physically, minutely react to the inevitable is so much. roman diving for connor’s arm and clutching at it several ways before he rapidly retracts, like he was just making sure now dad’s dead con is still there, because we know about fishing now. connor, he of the looney cakes and outsider outbursts and pain, still taking the time to huddle shiv in as he sits mourning his dad at his wedding. kendall and shiv holding hands as they look for con not because they really tried to but because they’re walking so close together their hands tangled, and kendall’s barely voiced “shivvy honey”, neither of which would mean anything to us if we hadn’t seen what ken and shiv struggle to be to each other before (‘i’m asking you to look after me’). roman’s awkward shoulder and face clutch of shiv when she’s on the phone, and then the amount of times (multiple!) shiv has to lead them places this episode while roman uselessly but so genuinely encouragingly touches her back in passing bc that’s the best he can muster. FRANK punching airplane walls but being very gentle when he calls ken “son” and breaks the news for real. even fucking colin standing dazed and lost on the tarmac for .3 seconds. what could any of this have meant to us if logan had died after the pilot? how much meaning does it carry now?
#succession spoilers#succession#succession s4#shiv roy#kendall roy#roman roy#connor roy#logan roy#i have soooo much. to say. but the episode has said it all really.!#50#100#500
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