#world building wed-friday

[tundra-teeth]

Deep in the Windswept Plateau lies a magical place. A place immune to the chartings of mapmakers, whom the well-oriented will never find. Believed by many to be but rumor, Wind dragons muse about the place where all winds eventually blow: the Crosswinds.

The Crosswinds, however, are very, very real. And in the center of this mysterious land of mist, meandering brooks, and reeds, sits an inn. A humble inn, yet one that seems to attract all manner of lost dragons. For this inn sits at the center of the Crosswinds, where all lost things eventually find themselves blown.

Whether it been wayward dragons or misplaced treasures, the inn at the crosswinds houses it all. All lost things end up here, eventually. Where the lost things go after that is when things get interesting.

[sycamorelibrary754]

We're a Family

Summary: You and Natasha are taking your first vacation since the birth of your 5-year-old daughter. While you and Natasha are off on a romantic getaway to Paris for your anniversary, how will your Avengers family handle watching your daughter for the weekend?

Pairings: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Comfort, Romance

Word Count: 4.3k

Warnings: Some mentions of grief.

A/N: Thank you so much for the positive feedback on Come Home to Me! I hope to keep writing as I feel inspired and have time. This story takes place after the events of Endgame. Tony survived defeating Thanos with the Snap, and Steve brought Natasha back after returning the Soul Stone to Vormir.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Natasha questioned for the third time that Friday morning as you gathered the last essentials for your 5-year-old daughter to take to the Avengers Compound. You and Nat were taking your first vacation together since your child's birth in celebration of your wedding anniversary. Understandably, your wife was struggling with the idea of leaving your daughter. It was all you could do to convince Natasha to drop her off at preschool, let alone leave her overnight. 

“Love, we’ve talked about this. It’s only for the weekend. Mila is going to have a great time. Besides, there is nowhere safer for her than surrounded by Avengers. You trust them with your life”, you remind her reassuringly as you rub gentle circles on her back.

“Exactly. My life, not my child,” Nat muttered.

It had been five years since you gave birth to your and Natasha’s daughter. Your whole world changed from the moment you both laid eyes on her. Soon after, Nat transitioned into semi-retirement with guidance from Clint. She was still available for consultation and recruit training or if the situation was dire, but you and Mila are her number one priority now.

You heard little feet padding down the hall as your daughter entered your bedroom. Her red curls bounced up and down on her head. “I'm ready, Mommy and Mama!” Mila squealed. 

“Oh, Moya Lyubov, you look so pretty! Did you dress yourself this morning?” Natasha asked, getting down to her level.  

“Yes! I wanted to match Auntie Yelena!” as she showed off her mini black vest that Yelena made her for her last birthday, worn expertly over her pink tutu. 

“Auntie Yelena is going to love it, sweetheart. You’re going to have so much fun with your aunts and uncles this weekend,” hugging her tight.

After packing your luggage in the car, you drive to the compound. FRIDAY greets you as you exit the main elevator. “Good morning, Ms. Romanoff, Ms. Y/L/N.” The team is awaiting your arrival in the common room.”

“Thank you, FRIDAY,” you replied as Mila let go of Natasha’s hand and ran ahead of both of you, having been here several times already in her young life.

As you enter the room, you see Wanda and Vision in the kitchen, and the smell of freshly baked cookies wafts through the air. Peter and Kate are playing video games, Bucky and Sam are playing cards with Clint, and Steve is quietly reading Moby Dick. 

“Little spider!” Yelena called out as she entered the room, and Mila ran into her arms.  

“Auntie Yelena! Do you like my outfit? I got dressed all by myself!” 

“I love it, malayshka. It's so much cooler than Mama’s outfit,” Yelena says as she side-eyes her older sister with a smile. “We are going to have so much fun this weekend.”

“Yeah, about that,” Natasha interrupted. “Mission briefing in five.”

Mission briefing?" you asked, confused. "Love, we're going on vacation, not a stakeout.”

“Yes, but they have the most important mission of all, watching our daughter,” motioning to the group before you.

Your heart warms at how protective your wife was—the Black Widow. She was a woman who would run into a collapsing building or intercept an alien invasion without batting an eye, but the moment she became a mother, everything changed. She vowed to give Mila everything she never had as a child. To break the cycle of uncertainty and pain that the Red Room forced upon her. Truthfully, you were so proud of how far Natasha had come. From growing up believing love was for children to giving nothing but love to both of you. 

Just then, Tony and Bruce entered the living room, arguing over their latest nanotech calculations, with Pepper following closely behind. 

“Hey, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, park it,” Natasha declared. 

“Ah, Rushman, wonderful to see you as always,” Tony says, winking at Nat. She rolled her eyes in response as Tony and Bruce hugged you before sitting down, and Pepper picked up your daughter.

“Come on sweetie, do you want to go play with Morgan?” Pepper asked.

“Yay!” Mila cheered as they walk down the hall to Morgan’s room.

“Okay, here are some quick dos and don’ts for this weekend. No guns, no repulsor rays, no arrows, and no using our daughter as a beta test subject for any new experiments. When Thor gets here, no Asgardian beverages in front of our child. Mila’s bedtime is 7 pm, and she likes it if you do the characters' voices when you read her bedtime story. If she has trouble falling asleep, a lullaby usually does the trick. Got it?”

“Geez, this is almost as bad as Budapest,” Clint whispered to Kate.

“It’s going to be alright, Natasha,” Wanda reassured. “We’re a family. You know we would do anything for that little girl. Please, go and enjoy your anniversary. No one deserves some special alone time more than you two”, Wanda says as she hands you a tin of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for the trip. 

You put your arm around Natasha and kiss her cheek. “Wanda is right, my love. Mila will be fine.” 

Just as you complete the sentence, Mila runs back into the room. “Mommy, Mama! Morgan has Puss and Boots: The Last Wish, and we will watch it tonight before bedtime.” 

“That sounds like so much fun, sweetheart! I know you will be a good girl for your aunts and uncles, and Mommy and Mama will see you on Sunday night, okay? We love you so much.” you said. 

“Okay, Mommy. I love you!” She said as she hugged you so tight. Natasha knelt to kiss your daughter on the cheek and squeezed her hand three times. Their unique way of saying I love you. After one last hug and kiss, you walk to the Quinjet. Tony had offered one for easy and convenient travel. 

*^~^*

By the time you arrive at your hotel in Paris, it’s almost dinner time. After sightseeing, you two enjoyed a gourmet candlelit dinner under the Parisian moon and a romantic stroll under the stars. When you returned to your room, you received a text message from Clint with a photo of your daughter asleep on her bed—lovingly cuddled under a blanket with Yelena. 

“See, she’s okay,” you said lovingly as Natasha smiled at the picture of her little girl and her little sister.

As you lay in bed that night, you feel more grateful than ever to be here with the love of your life. Both of you had learned firsthand to never take anything for granted.

You were one of the lost souls left behind after the Blip. Struggling with the loss of your loved ones, you began attending Steve’s Brooklyn Support Group once a week. It was after one of those meetings that you were first introduced to the Black Widow. 

Natasha hesitated at first to let anyone in. She was too scared to lose anyone else and was convinced that nothing should take away from her commitment to bring everyone back. However, she still found any excuse to attend Steve’s meetings. Whether that was to bring homemade peanut butter sandwiches for the snack table or shyly offering to give you a ride home. 

You weren’t a hero or a super soldier. You didn’t remind Natasha of the guilt she carried over the last five years as the fallout from the Blip continued. You were just yourself, which Natasha loved the most about you. You began to visit her at the compound, and slowly but surely, the walls came down for both of you. 

When she told you about the Time Heist, you didn’t want to hear it. You couldn’t comprehend the thought of losing Natasha, but you knew she believed in her heart that she owed it to everyone they had lost to try. When Clint returned from Vormir alone and dropped to his knees, so did you. Grief overtook you all over again.

As the Battle for Earth became inevitable, the team hid you in a safe house off the grid. Days went by and you lost track of time, stuck in your grief and unaware of what was happening. It wasn't until a knock on your door awoke you in the middle of the night that you dropped to your knees again. This time in shock at the sight of Natasha on your doorstep. Tears streaming down her face, she told you they had won. Tony defeated Thanos with the Snap, and Steve performed a miracle by bringing her back upon returning the Soul Stone to Vormir. 

So much life has happened since then. You were married in a beautiful autumnal ceremony shortly after Nat returned and bought your house. Five years ago and twelve hours of labor later, you welcomed your daughter into the world that your wife sacrificed herself to save. You couldn’t believe how much you loved them both. Returning to the present moment, you gently move a strand of Natasha’s unbraided red hair away from her face. Her hands move effortlessly to the nape of your neck, and you lose yourself in her touch.

*^~^*

It’s Saturday morning back at the compound, and Mila is eating blueberry pancakes when Clint strolled in from his morning workout. 

“Hey, squirt! Those pancakes look amazing. Did Auntie Wanda make those?” he asked, reaching for the extra plate of pancakes on the counter. 

Before Mila can respond, the plate glides quickly away from him, enveloped in Wanda’s red magic. “Auntie Wanda did make those, but they’re only for adorable little girls named Mila. Is your name Mila?” Wanda said to Clint with a raised eyebrow.

“No,” Clint grumbled.

“Then make your breakfast, Hawkeye,” Wanda sighed, patting him on the back. 

After breakfast, Sam and Bucky take Mila outside to play. Meanwhile, Steve is working on a mission report in his room when FRIDAY interrupts his concentration. “Mr. Rogers, I’m picking up an elevated heat signature from your shield just north of your location.” Steve looked curiously out the window to see Mila giggling as she slid across the grass. She is sitting on his overturned shield, pulled by a rope tied to the back of Red Wing. 

“My shield is not a toy!” Steve yelled out the window. 

“Oh, hey, Cap! It does make a great sled, doesn’t it?” Bucky answered, pretending not to hear what his best friend said, as Sam laughed out loud. 

Steve shakes his head to hide his smile. You meant the world to him, having spent countless hours processing your grief together in that dark and dank recreation room in Brooklyn. He was honored when you and Natasha asked him to be Mila’s godfather. His shield was made from Vibranium, after all. If his goddaughter wanted to play with it, he knew no harm would be done. 

That afternoon, Peter arrived at the compound to work on his newest suit upgrade with Tony. Mila is engrossed in coloring at the kitchen table with Auntie Kate when Peter walks in to get a soda. 

“Hey Mila, what are you up to?”

“Coloring, do you want to help us?” Mila asked happily. 

Peter nodded, and they got lost in her Disney Princess coloring book for the next twenty minutes. After adding pretty sparkles to Elsa’s Frozen dress, Mila noticed Peter’s Spider-Man suit sticking out of his bag. 

“Pretty!” Mila said with wide eyes.

“You like it?” Peter asked.

“Yes, is this how you fly? Mama says you can fly!” Mila exclaimed. 

“Something like that,” Peter chuckled and tousled her hair. 

Down in the lab, Tony had been waiting for Peter to arrive for half an hour. Unusual, as his protege was typically annoyingly punctual. Running out of patience, Tony asks FRIDAY for Peter’s current location.

“Mr. Parker is in the kitchen with Ms. Bishop and the young Ms. Romanoff, sir.” Tony rolls his eyes as he trudged up the stairs.

“Hey Hawkette, have you seen Peter? He was supposed to — “

Tony stops as he sees Peter swinging from the ceiling with Mila on his back. Kate was too busy filming the spectacle on her phone to notice Tony standing there. 

“Wee!! Faster, Uncle Peter!” Mila shouted as Peter’s web carried them across the room to the top of the bookcase. 

Tony’s eyes follow the pair around the room. He put on his best poker face, “I won’t tell Romanoff or her better half, but if you break it, you pay for it. That includes the kid.” Tony warned.

“Sure thing, Mr. Stark,” Peter gives Tony a thumbs up. 

“And for God’s sake, at least put some pillows down on the floor!” Tony hollered as he walked back to his lab. 

*^~^*

You and Natasha took a Saturday evening cruise down the Seine River in the city of love. It was magical. When your phone alerted you to an incoming FaceTime from Carol, you had seen the Musée d’Orsay the Notre Dame Cathedral and had just reached the top of the Eiffel Tower. You swiped, her face appearing on the screen.

“Hey, you two, I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be on Earth-616 tomorrow for a meeting with Fury and thought I’d drop in on my favorite couple. Wait, where are you?” 

“Paris, for our anniversary! Our first vacation alone in over five years. Can you believe it?” you said giddily as Natasha put her arms around your waist and lovingly kissed your cheek. 

“Wow, that’s wonderful! Where’s your little mini-me?” Carol asked.

“With the team if you’re going there anyway, could you just make sure that everything is good with Mila?” Natasha inquired. 

“Of course. You know you never have to ask.”

“Thank you, Carol,” you gratefully respond. We’ll be back tomorrow evening, so I’m sure we’ll see you then.” Carol gave you a mock salute before you ended the call and put your phone back in your coat pocket. 

“You look so beautiful, dorogaya. After all this time, I still can't believe you’re mine.” Nat waxed poetically as she removed her scarf and wrapped it around your neck. Natasha could not look more beautiful in the glow of the Eiffel Tower. You decided this is the perfect moment to give her your anniversary gift. You slowly hand her the red velvet box you had snuck into your satchel. Her green eyes went wide at the sight of it.

“Detka! We said no gifts this year. This trip is gift enough,” Nat facetiously scolded.

“I know, but I still wanted to do something special for you,” you said sheepishly. 

Natasha opens the box, revealing a simple, delicate gold heart locket necklace. Upon opening the pendant, she is greeted by a candid photo of all three of you. Clint took one during your last visit with his family in Iowa. Nat was sitting on Clint’s front porch with a smiling Mila on her lap. You are leaning behind her with your arms wrapped lovingly around her neck. It quickly became one of your favorite photos of your small yet precious family. 

“This is so beautiful, Moya Lyubov. Can you put it on me?”

You moved Natasha’s braid away from her neck and clasped the necklace in the back. The heart locket fell directly on top of her own heart. It looked perfect on her. You're not sure who leaned in first, but your lips met in a kiss that made your stomach flutter like it was the first time. You couldn’t be happier than you were at that moment. 

*^~^*

The Sunday morning sun was slowly breaking through the compound windows. Yelena was pouring your daughter a bowl of Cheerios and singing along to the sound of American Pie from her phone when The God of Thunder entered through the Bifrost. Mila jumped and started to hide behind her Auntie Yelena but ran toward him when she realized only her Uncle Thor was materializing before them, leaving his trademark on Pepper’s Persian rug. 

“Must you do that every time? You’re becoming more of a poser than my sister.” Yelena remarked. 

“Of course,” Thor said nonchalantly. “It is the only entrance fit for the God of Thunder.”

He lifted Mila with one arm, “Odin’s Beard! You’ve gotten so big since I last saw you, Mila,” Thor declared

“I know! Did you bring me a present Uncle Thor?” Mila squealed. 

“Yes! Now, let’s see here… Asgardian Ale, Mead, no… ah, here it is!” He handed the little girl a small snow globe set in gold with her name engraved elegantly on the base.

“Wow. Pretty snow globe….” Mila whispered. 

“It is indeed,” Thor said, sitting cross-legged on the carpet before the little girl. “This is a special Asgardian snow globe. Look, see the rainbow bridge inside it?” He pointed. “Most importantly, Lady Mila, if you shake it, I shall be there in a flash. If ever you need me, I will be there.”

“Thank you, Uncle Thor!” Mila said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. I’m going to show it to my Teddy Bear!” Running to her bedroom. 

“You spoil her, you know,” Yelena stated with a smirk, as she began to clean up the kitchen. 

“I know, but she is such a grand example of goodness and joy in such a tiny human. She deserves the world.” Thor declared.

Carol arrived shortly after lunch. After a short meeting with Fury in the conference room regarding upcoming mission targets, she finds your daughter in the compound courtyard. She is wearing her vest to match her favorite auntie as Yelena demonstrates the newest tricks Fanny has learned.

“Roll over! Good girl, Fanny!” Yelena praised the dog. Mila takes a treat out of her vest pockets with her tiny hand and tosses it to the Akita.

“Well done, Mila! Before you go home tonight, I will show you what else you can hide inside those pockets,” winking at her niece. 

“Fruits and veggies, right, Yelena?” Carol deadpanned as Mila ran over and jumped into Captain Marvel’s arms. 

“Auntie Carol! When did you get here?” Your daughter giggled. 

“Just a little bit ago. I talked to your Mommy and Mama last night. They miss you and can’t wait to see you when they get home tonight,” Carol shared before kissing your daughter on the cheek.

*^~^*

As the sun started to sink on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the ancient city of Paris, you found yourself immersed in the rich history of the Louvre museum. You had eagerly anticipated this moment, and after spending the afternoon exploring the countless treasures within the museum's walls, Natasha was determined to ensure you had the chance to lay eyes on the iconic Mona Lisa. As you weaved your way through the bustling crowd of tourists, Natasha's determined presence caused a path to effortlessly clear before you as she kindly asked them to move the fuck over.

You returned to your hotel and enjoyed a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries when Natasha’s phone dinged. 

Carol: Hey, lovebirds. It's all good here. Mila is doing great and excited to see you when you return. However, you may want to check her vest pockets when you get home for some “special” presents courtesy of Auntie Yelena. 😘

Natasha giggled, showing you the text. 

“The important thing is that they’re bonding,” placing a delicate kiss on her temple. 

Following Wanda’s delicious Chicken Paprikash dinner, your daughter watched Frozen II. Vision attempted to explain the science behind snowflakes to her when Tony strolled into the lounge.

“Hey, kiddo, do you want to come to the lab with me and see the new suit modifications that the Jolly Green Giant and I are working on?”

“Yay!” Mila said excitedly, jumping up and down.

“Sir, Ms. Romanoff indicated there was to be no experimenting with young Ms. Mila while she is in our care.”

“Relax, chrome dome. We’re just looking at the new holographic mockup.” Picking up Mila and carried her to his lab. 

*^~^*

After a few hours, Natasha gracefully guided the Quinjet to a smooth landing. As the engines powered down, she took a deep breath and gently reached across the console to grasp your hand. Together, you gazed out at the glittering lights of the team living quarters in the distance.

"Thank you for making our anniversary so wonderful," you said. "I love you so much. I know it was tough for you to leave Mila for three days, but not only did we have a beautiful anniversary, but our daughter got to spend meaningful time with her family, which she will always remember." You pressed a kiss to her knuckles as Natasha caressed your cheek.

You were right, dorogaya. This was perfect. I’m sorry I was so nervous about leaving her. I just never thought I would have my happily ever after. That little girl and you are my everything. It breaks my heart every time I leave either one of you.

“I know, my love,” you said quietly. “Now, let’s go get our daughter and go home.”

As you entered the compound, the air was filled with shouting and the excited barking of Fanny and Lucky. Natasha instinctively reached for her spare Widow Bites, but before she could react, both of you heard the unmistakable sound of your daughter's laughter. Following the noise, you entered the common room to find your daughter joyfully running through the compound. She was wearing her pajamas and had one of Tony’s Iron Man helmets perched on her head while clutching a can of whipped cream. Yelena and the rest of the team were in hot pursuit, with puffs of whipped cream trailing behind her as she raced through the room.

Kate skidded to a stop in front of both of you. “Oh, you guys are back. Awesome! Umm, we made ice cream sundaes for dessert. Mila enjoyed hers, as you can see”, Kate motioned, breathing heavily.

Mila took her last lap around the couch when she caught sight of you and Natasha. 

“Mommy, Mama! You’re here!!” she squealed, running into Natasha’s arms. 

“Hi, Moya Lyubov, we missed you so much!!” Natasha said as she wrapped Mila in a big hug before passing her to you to do the same. 

“It looks like you had fun with your aunts and uncles this weekend,” removing the helmet and brush a red curl away from her eyes. 

“I had so much fun, Mommy! I got to eat yummy food, ride a sled, fly, and Auntie Yelena helped me hide special treasures in my vest pockets. Oh, and I got a magic snow globe with my name on it!” Your daughter rambled happily. 

Natasha looked at you slightly skeptical, wondering if your sweet little girl was exaggerating. With your family, you were never quite sure. 

“Wow, that sounds amazing, kotyonok!” Are you ready to go home now?” Nat asked as Mila gives you her best puppy dog eyes. 

“It’s okay sweetheart, we’ll come back and see everyone next weekend. Why don’t you go get your Teddy bear?” you suggested.

“I’ll help her with her things,” Yelena said, scooping up your daughter and walking to her bedroom. 

“We can’t thank all of you enough for taking such good care of her. I know she would stay here forever if we let her.” You said as you move through the group hugging every one. 

She is always welcome here, you two know that.” Wanda said, confident she was speaking for the entire team. 

A short while later, Mila emerged with her unicorn backpack, followed by Yelena, carrying more bags than she had when you dropped her off. You couldn't help but shake your head, knowing the team had showered her with gifts. Natasha crouched down to Mila’s eye level, tenderly placing her hand on her back. “Can you say goodbye and thank you to all of your aunts and uncles, dorogaya?” she asked. Mila made her way around the room, hugging everyone. It warmed Natasha to witness her family showering your daughter with so much love and affection.

Mila drifted off to sleep only five minutes after being placed in her car seat. Upon returning home, Natasha carried her to her bed with the utmost care. She tenderly laid Mila down, ensuring she was tucked in snugly, and then, both of you gently kissed her forehead before quietly slipping out of the room. You decided to postpone the unpacking until the following day, feeling too exhausted from the long journey. In the bedroom, Natasha was sitting in bed, engrossed in a book with her reading glasses perched precariously on the edge of her nose. The day's fatigue faded as you turned off the bathroom light and joined her in bed.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more romantic anniversary, my love,” you admitted as you carefully removed her glasses from her face and gently kissed her lips. “But there is nowhere I would rather be than at home with you and our beautiful daughter.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Nat said, returning the kiss. 

As Natasha drifted into slumber, her mind wandered back to the tumultuous path that had brought her to this moment. She couldn't escape the memories of her past—a life of manipulation in the Red Room with no autonomy and the unending pursuit to cleanse her conscience of the bloodstains it bore. But then came the shot that Clint didn't take and the chance that Fury did. Her deeply unconventional yet cherished family culminated in the arrival of you and your precious daughter. In these precious bonds, Natasha Romanoff found the strength to thrive and, at long last, find peace.

[muniimyg]

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chaebol!jungkook (8) ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ *nsfw*

series m.list // taglist closed.

note: for my og readers... iykyk

🏷️ permanent taglist: @joonsjuice @pamzn @defzcl @maryy1300 @whoa-jo @taetaecatboy @jksusawife @un06 @firesighgirl @rrosiitas @butterymin @parkinglot-nights @musicjournalsjdb @kissyfacekoo @jkslvsnella @vampcharxter @bloopkook @kekerrreke @somehowukook @bbystarcandykoo

//

jungkook doesn't know if he's gone completely mad or if he's just mad.

it's so blurry right now. the difference in feeling, the moment, the way he feels like he lost all control. it's so strange. in his head, he knows it isn't that bad. so what if you've been ignoring his texts for the past two weeks. so what if you've been absent from all the events he expects to see you and your fiancé at. so fucking what?

so what if he storms downstairs and knocks on your door?

he brought three excuses to offer you but as he stands in front of your door, his knees go weak. he ignores his gut feeling to follow his heart. without another thought, jungkook knocks on your door.

once.

twice.

then, he loses it. he begins to bang on your door like a fucking psycho.

just as he takes a breath, you open the door. wide-eyed, you stare at him in complete shock. then, when you find your words, you spit them at him. "are you out of your fucking mind?"

jungkook takes a step inside your home.

"are you?" he hisses. "two weeks? leaving me after we fucked and i fell asleep was one thing, but ignoring me for two weeks is another. do you get that? what the fuck could you be up to that requires your attention for two weeks—"

"keep your voice down!" you yelp, pushing him back. "he's—"

"jeon?" your fiancé identifies as he comes out from a door. jungkook catches a glimpse. it's your bedroom.

your fiancé walks towards you two, adjusting his tie. he smiles, greeting jungkook warmly.

"is everything okay? you've never visited our home before," he says as he snakes his arm around your waist. your lips curve into a gentle smile as he does this to you. "are you here for business matters? ran out of sugar? or a wedding invite? we just finalized them." he rambles rather excited.

none.

i'm here for your fucking wife.

jungkook shakes his head. "are you headed out?"

your fiancé nods. instantly, you break away from him and open the closet door nearby. taking a jacket out, you help put it on your fiancé. he thanks you as he puts his shoes on.

"last minute meeting. gotta head to the office since my study is filled with wedding prep stuff. ___ here wanted the space. of course i had to give it to her," he laughs. "i'd give her the world."

jungkook bites his tongue.

"y-yeah. i, uh, i just came by because the penthouse cleaning lady did my laundry and mixed our clothing—this belongs to you, right?"

you and your fiancé freeze as jungkook offers your panties.

"total mix up."

your fiancé lowers his gaze at jungkook. he sucks his teeth in and thinks for a moment. you grab your panties from jungkook's hand and hide behind your man. why would jungkook do this? he's swimming too far out. he's crossing too many lines.

you feel him grow suspicious as he states, "there's only three penthouses in his building... kinda weird that ms. kwon would get our loads mixed up..."

you clear your throat.

"love, you're going to be late." you reach over and give him a kiss on the cheek. "come home soon, okay?"

he shakes off the moment and nods. "godspeed. it was nice seeing you, jungkook... thanks for bringing back her... love, while he's here, you can give him the invitation! it'll be a waste to mail it. oh, hey! come to our rehearsal dinner too. it's next friday. go on, love. invite him to that too!"

"for sure," you comply. "jungkook, join us then too."

jungkook blinks at you. "i'll have my secretary clear my schedule... yah... you should get going. good luck with the meeting. if you need anything, let me know." jungkook adds, offering his hand to your fiancé to shake.

he tugs jungkook's hand and grins. "is this you saying you want to merge? i can draft a contract by tonight. join us for breakfast tomorrow and we can be one big happy family."

jungkook chuckles, declining his awful offer. "you wish."

your fiancé laughs heartily. "we can't be competitors forever," he says. "to be honest, i constantly feel like i'm losing against you."

you gulp at his words.

jungkook's eyes shift to you.

then, your fiancé glances at his watch and notices the time. he bids you two goodbye. pushing past jungkook, your fiancé hears him say something he never expect to hear.

"jin," jungkook breathes, "i feel the same."

with that, jin gives him a gentle look. as he turns around to leave for real, he reminds you to give jungkook the first invitation to the wedding. when jin is out of sight, jungkook turns to you. he doesn't say it, but he feels it.

he feels heartbroken.

jungkook takes a moment to look around your home. he's never seen it, really. it's beautiful. there's a lot of things that remind him of you and your taste. the colours, textures, and even placement of art... there's a lot of pictures. pictures of jin and his fishing trips, yours and his travels, and family.

so many pictures of family.

there's a burning feeling inside of him that he can't contain. it's either jealousy or guilt. he doesn't know. he doesn't really want to know.

"what the hell was that?" you cry, shoving jungkook.

jungkook doesn't move.

"not that i have to explain myself to you, but i've been busy with the wedding stuff. why can't you be patient? why can't you leave me alone—"

"goddamnit, don't you think i've tried, woman? do you think i like doing this? i've done everything i can. i even fucking bought you a new phone since yours must be broken—" he pulls out a new phone from his back pocket and tosses it across your kitchen island. you watch it slide, eyebrows knitting together.

"why? my phone isn't broken—"

"then fucking answer when i call. when i text. when i want you."

you glare at him.

"i'm not yours, jungkook."

he towers over you.

"so fucking what?"

a silence falls upon you two. it's almost upsetting. it's almost like if heartache had a sound—this would be it.

"why'd you come here?" you whisper. "you didn't need to bring my panties down. you didn't need to give me a new phone. you—"

"i miss you," jungkook confesses. "i miss you so much that nothing feels the same. my home doesn't feel like home anymore. i miss everything about you. i miss the way you'd come back to me... now, you don't even send me a text back?"

"jungkook—"

"do you miss me too?" he asks, sounding desperate. he takes your hand and pulls you close. "say you miss me, please... i'm losing my mind. i need to know you miss me too."

you take a breath in, feeling dizzy from the truth.

"say it, ___," jungkook begs, as he drops your hands and places his on your waist. pulling you even closer, he places soft kisses on your neck. "you miss me too, right? say you miss me."

you stay silent.

"y-you're going too far, jungkook... you can't come to me home and demand things like this. you can't speak to jin like that—"

"fine," he yields. "i'm sorry. i apologize. i'll send you a fruit basket to signify my regret. i'll behave at the rehearsal dinner. i promise to do all of that... if you j-just—"

"okay, okay," you cup his face and run your thumb across his lips. looking at him sweetly, you see his eyes tearing up. he was hurting. you know it.

"i missed you too," you cave. "i miss you, jungkook."

just like that, jungkook's whole world lights up again.

he kisses you deeply. so much so that when you pull up for air, you lose balance. he picks you up and takes you to your bedroom. the bedroom you share with jin.

there, he sets you down. he takes off his shirt, and then he unbuckles his belt. you watch as he strips and salivate over his body. he crawls on top, hands reaching for the nape of your neck. jungkook then brings you to his lips, kissing you once again. then, he begins.

he has you in all the way he wants to.

you give it to him.

he places himself in between your legs and brings heaven to you. jungkook does everything he's been missing to do with you. he eats you out until your legs shake. he fucks you until you can't take it. somewhere in between your moans and uttering his name, jungkook cums inside you.

he spills himself inside you. onto your sheets. yours and jin’s.

when he rolls off of you, you take a minute for yourself. as you gather your thoughts and he dresses himself, you can't help but feel shameless. your stomach twists and turns. it flips and flops like never before. there’s a sudden wave of indescribable emotions that take over. your mind floods with morale attempts to fix this.

then, it draws a blank.

"do you want me to help you change your sheets?" he asks, breaking the silence.

you shake your head.

"n-no... i just... i can't believe i just—"

"we just..."

"yeah... we just..." you feel yourself about to cry. "can you go? the invitations are in his study. third door to your left. keep your promise, okay? behave at the rehearsal dinner. bring a date. figure it out, jungkook."

"___—"

"i'm begging you... i don't know what else i can do. it's like i have no control when i'm with you. i always cave. i always go to you. i always... is it always going to be like this? am i always going to be this messy?" you choke on your own words. as you feel yourself sob, you let him know one more thing; "it feels like i've known you all my life. is that weird? like we've met before. we've loved before.... but here? in this life... it's like we can't even..."

"we can't what?"

"we can't even be friends."

jungkook takes a breath. he doesn't go to you when you start to cry. he lets you have this for yourself. rushing out, he doesn't bother to take an invitation for your precious wedding.

from the beginning, he had decided what to do with you.

he'd wait.

he'd wait for you to like him again.

he'd wait for your love.

link to paraluman ... again, iykyk :)

[satanghulu]

lucky strike! 

satan x f!reader series

✦ SUMMARY: Your luck has always been terrible, you knew that. But getting dumped a month before your wedding was not on your bingo card for the year. It seemed like you only had the shittest luck meeting the worst kind of men until you went on Craigslist. Hm? A cat-loving blond man was willing to accept your listing? ✦ WARNING: Modern AU, fake dating, reader works in the corporate world (not specified), fluff, unresolved emotional tension, mentions of cheating (reader's ex), reader and satan are noted to be in their late 20s, drunk texting ✦ WC: 7.8K

| PART ONE | PART TWO | MASTERLIST

══════════════════

Luck is a mysterious and unexplainable phenomenon. Unfortunately, the God of Luck has never cared enough to shine down on you. Your unluckiness manifested in all sorts of ways; from birds pooping on you to delayed flights. It was a recurring theme in your life. But seriously? Getting cheated on by your ex, a month before your wedding is a new low, even for you. 

You slumped over the table, hair tangled as you rubbed at your eyes. The murmured voices in the background blend together as you refuse to lift your head from where you are currently face down on the table.

“Hey… are you sure you’re alright?” A gentle hand touches your shoulder and you resist the urge to flinch and snarl at the voice to go away so that you could drown yourself in your sorrows – maybe in the sink in the washroom, which was becoming much more tempting by the minute.

Regrettably, you remember that you had called over reinforcements from when your stupid, shitty, rotten, pathetic ex had flaked on you through text so that you don’t try to do something stupid. 

And now, you had company, but all you wanted to do was maybe throw yourself off a building so that you wouldn’t wake up in humiliation the next morning. Seriously, you still can’t believe that this manchild had the audacity to break up with you over text, and he even flaunted his new partner hours later on social media.

…He had never posted you on his account, citing that he didn't see the purpose of it. You scoffed, laughing at yourself for your stupidity in believing him. It wasn’t that, you just weren’t important enough for him to want to do it.

You could feel your eyes start to get wet and you vehemently tried to force those tears to go back into your tear duct. You were not going to waste a single tear on a man, especially on one as despicable as him. 

In his defense, you couldn’t say that you didn’t see this coming. He’s been acting much more distant lately, unwilling to even hug you when he leaves the house to go to work. Your sex life had also been at an all-time low. You remember just a couple weeks back when you had dolled up in the cutest set of lingerie you had owned and waited for him but you ended up sleeping on the couch when he didn’t make it back throughout the night.

You had just convinced yourself that the stress of the wedding planning got to him and didn’t bother investigating further. But honestly, you weren’t an idiot. You could smell the unfamiliar reek of perfume practically wafting off him whenever he returned from “work”. But you played it off, thinking that you were being an anxious freak.

…At least he had the foresight to break up with you on a Friday night instead of a weekday. You would hate to drag yourself to work in this state. 

You groaned again, finally lifting your face from the table when you were sure that you weren’t going to burst into tears. However, as you met the worried glances on your friends’ faces, a sob unilaterally ended up escaping from your throat.

Before you knew it, you were crumbling and breaking down with tears streaming from your eyes. God, now you were being pathetic.

.

After bawling your eyes out and evaporating whatever sort of water you had left in your body, you were finally ready to pick yourself up and move on. You told your friends as much albeit with your eyes blotched with tear stains and a warbled voice.

“Er babe, not to rain on your parade but what about the photoshoot?” Your friend cautiously asked, hands raised for protection as if afraid that you would throw a bottle at her. Though, that thought did run through your brain for a split second. Your lips parted with surprise as a jolt ran through you. You don’t answer your friend right away as you pause to search through your jumbled memories.

Fuck, she was right. Your scumbag of an ex had wanted to cheap out on the wedding costs and had persuaded you to opt for a more reasonably priced package but it came with conditions – no refunds and no cancellation. This meant that he had fucked you up again.

You could feel the waterworks and stress bubbling up inside of you, as you buried your face into the palms of your hand. The next time you see your stupid whore of an ex again, you swear you were going to fuck him upside down.

.

After a much-needed sleep, you finally gathered up your courage to call the wedding planner that well, you wouldn’t be needing their services anymore. She had been sympathetic in her response but had immediately still tried to sell you another package – as if you hadn’t just been broken up with or were even ready to dip your toes into the dating pool. You should be angry but it was hard to muster up any emotions when you just felt empty.

It was unfortunate that all of the bookings had been made under your name else, you would have just let that pathetic bastard cancel all of the appointments. You were not looking forward to the next call. In a fit of nervousness, you stood up to pace around the room.

All you had left was the final boss. You swallow thickly as you shakily bring up the contact profile of your photographer. The first time you had met him, he had chewed you out about every single thing possible from your fashion sense to the way you talk. You swear that for some reason, this guy had a vengeance out for you.

For once, you hoped that your photographer could find the compassion buried deep down inside his rotten heart to be nice to you. 

“What do you want?” The all-so-familiar satiric voice bleeds through the line and your grip on your phone turns tighter, as if it was trying to escape.

You winced. 

It seemed like you had caught him in a bad mood.

“Hi Mephisto, just wanted to ask how you are doing?” In a fake voice, your first course of action was to butter him up.

“How many times have I told you that my name is Mephistopheles? We are not close enough for you to call me by that.” 

If words could hurt, you were sure that you would be scalded and burnt by the sheer force of his acidic tone. Somehow, today his words held even more venom than usual.

“Damn okay. What got your panties in a twist today, Mephistopheles? I was just checking in on you,” You tried again, keeping your tone light while you hurriedly punched down the urge to reach out across the virtual world to wrap your hands around his neck.

“Quit it. What do you want? You must be calling for something. I’ve already told you that there are no refunds or cancellations, so if it’s about that, you can go ahead and hang up now.” With that, you could see your imaginary money waving pitifully across the river bank. 

With a tight smile, you briefly contemplated the choices laid out for you. Maybe you should just take a bath with your toaster plugged in tonight? Sleeping on the train track is shaping up to sound like a great idea as well.

“Well, no. I just wanted to know if it’s possible to push back the date for the photoshoot?” With an airy laugh, you gritted out your words. 

Your petty self would not let your stupid ex have the last laugh, you were going to make sure to live your life happily and take those damn wedding photos.

A few seconds passed before you heard a condescending laugh on the other side of the line. “Did you get dumped?” For some reason, Mephistopheles always had a sixth sense regarding the state of your relationship. The last time you had gotten into a tiff with your ex before a consultation, Mephistopheles had chortled right in your face and told the pathetic bastard to buckle up.

Your silence must have answered his question because you could hear an even louder cackle through the phone to the point where you were sure he must be tearing up or choking on his saliva. Unfortunately, there went all chances of saving any sort of money or dignity.

With a click, you promptly hung up the call. There was no point dealing with him when he was in this state. You chucked your phone on the sofa, letting out a huge groan as it bounced off and hit the floor. Thankfully, the screen didn’t shatter else, it might have been your tipping point.

As you collapsed on the couch, praying for your demise to come, a ding caught your attention. Turning your attention to where your phone had landed, a message flashed brightly across the screen.

[11:05AM] pretentious bitch: I’ll allow you to postpone and change the concept of the photoshoot. Let me know if you find a person who is willing to take pictures with you.

[11:06AM] pretentious bitch: I’ll only wait for two months. Any longer and I will cancel the booking. No refunds.

You went through different variations of mildly concerning threats before settling on an amicable phrase that you could send to him without the police knocking on your door.

[11:06AM] You: thanks. ill lyk soon.

And with that message sent, you swiftly threw your phone (safely this time). You watch it slide, unharmed to the other side of the couch. With a deep breath, you stood up ready to conquer the day. You were not going to let yourself mope around in the house.

.

“Yukiii,” You pleaded with a hopeful gaze, hands clasped tightly around hers. “Help meee, I don’t know anyone who can do a photoshoot with me,” With as much pitifulness as you could muster, you flashed her the saddest look you could.

Your friend sends you a tight-lipped smile as she purses her lip with furrowed eyebrows. “I would love to but I don’t think I know anyone available for a photo shoot,” With that answer, you immediately slammed your head down on the table with a loud thud – causing the waiter who had been walking over with your order to retrace his steps.

“Urgh…. Why does life hate me,” You mumbled indistinctively from your position even as Yuki pinched the skin on the back of your hand in an attempt to get you to be more socially aware of your surroundings. With a loud sigh, she pried open your entwined hands and twisted the side of your ear hard.

With a loud cry of pain, you finally sat properly in your seat with a sulk. After getting your attention, she cleared her throat while folding her hands primly on the table. “I think you can try your luck on Craigslist. Try listing for a photo shoot partner online, people might just contact you.” 

“Why didn’t I think of that? You’re the best, thank you!” You almost want to launch yourself across the table to kiss her for her wit and barely held back. Yuki fixes you with a threatening stare and thus you settle yourself deeper into your seat with a chastised pout.

.

After all your bravado earlier, you were at an impasse. How on earth do you write a listing without it reeking of desperation? You brooded over a cup of tea, that was now lukewarm due to your fickleness, as you scowled at the screen of your laptop, unable to type another word.

Looking for a partner to shoot an HK-style photoshoot with! Free of charge and I can provide you with free entertainment and pictures of cats. I will provide more details once you message me! Also attached is a photo of me so that you know that I’m not a scammer.

You stared at the words blankly, before emphatically deciding, to hell with it, and posted it.

.

You wake up in the middle of the night, throat parched and the light on your phone blinking obnoxiously in the darkness. Who on earth is blowing up your phone -- you checked the time on the screen, eyes half-closed -- at 4 in the fucking morning?

After grabbing a cup of water and planting yourself in front of your screen. You looked in dismay at the hundreds of notifications that flooded your inbox and instantly regretted putting a picture of yourself up on the listing. The amount of unwanted pictures you got was abysmal and you hurriedly deleted all emails with attachments. As you were about to delete the last email in the thread, you accidentally misclicked and the page popped up.

[12:25AM] 

MrBubblesLover29@yahoo.com: Dear Miss, could you please provide more information about the photoshoot? I am interested to hear more and if all goes well, I have some terms of my own to provide too. You can contact me at the number attached: XXX XXX XXX

Thank you and I wish for your timely response.

Yours sincerely,

Satan

What was up with this guy? You squinted at your phone screen, rubbing your eyes to get a better look. You marveled at how awkward and formal he managed to sound over an email for a listing that you took at most five minutes to write.

But he was your best bet considering the rest of your emails are filled with unwanted appendages that you certainly weren’t in the mood to look at. And at least, you were confident that he wasn’t going to send you unsolicited messages for now. Regardless, a new contact profile was created, and you threw yourself back in bed while mulling over a message to craft.

[05:15AM] You: hi, thanks for reaching out! i got ur number off the email u sent to me abt the craigslist thing. can i ask what conditions u have? ill also send the mood board here. dw i also hv the outfit prepared tho u may need to alter it if it doesnt fit u or u can also get ur own fit. 

[05:20AM] You: Attachment sent - 1 File

[05:21AM] You: oh sorry abt the late msg, i didnt notice the time haha

In your efforts to keep yourself awake for a little while longer, you thought that it would be a good idea to scroll through articles on stranger danger. Quickly, the memory of your plastered picture on the internet haunts you and from the articles, it appeared that you had already failed the first step in keeping yourself safe. 

With a grimace on your face, you quickly took down the listing on the website and prayed that whoever this Satan guy was, he would come through so you wouldn’t need to put yourself back up on the Internet.

.

Birds chirped distantly in the background as you groggily reached for your phone. It seemed that sleep had claimed you while you were surfing the net for cute animal videos. Somehow, you had woken up much more tired than you had been when you went back to sleep.

With one arm raised to shield your eyes from the sunlight peeking through the blinds, you checked your notifications and almost dropped your phone in your state of sleep.

[08:10AM] Satan: Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have run through the mood board and it seems good. Also, no worries about the outfit. I will be able to provide one. For my condition, I would prefer that we meet up in person to discuss it. Would that be alright with you? Do let me know what time would work best for you.

You almost puked in your mouth. Would it be wrong to say that he seems a lot more suspicious now? Also, what was up with his concept? You barely resist the urge to throw your phone across the room and inhaled a much-needed breath of fresh air and instantly choked on it -- screw it, what was wrong with this guy? 

Suddenly, you very much regret placing your personal information up on the internet for the whole world to see. The articles on stranger danger flitted through your brain and you grimaced at the thought of the possibility of being trafficked.

You have watched enough true crime podcasts to know that this was sufficient for sirens to be blaring and your guard to be up. In your head, an imaginary true crime commentator deduced that he could either be trying to get into your pants or perhaps, searching for his next victim. With your hackles up, you quietly tried to swipe away from his profile when you noticed something. 

With a peer at the saved contact profile, you realised that Satan must have saved your number seeing as there were now multiple display photos for you to scroll through.

You gaped at what you saw.

A pretty blonde man with a cat. He was cute, in that classic pretty boy style that was unfortunately exactly your type. With an excited hum, you scroll through the stranger’s photos. It was a visual treat. Your eyes trailed over the sharp angles of his face before belatedly noticing that he had on a pair of glasses. You might just about faint.

After catching a glance at yourself in the mirror, you swiftly straightened up and frowned. You were not going to go against your morals and fawn over a random stranger you had met over the Internet. For all you knew, he could be catfishing you. 

(He wasn’t. You had reverse image-searched his photo on the net so that you could further stalk look him up but you couldn’t find much additional information on him.)

[10:12AM] You: sure! we can meet at this location tomorrow at 1pm?

[10:12AM] You: Location sent

Admittedly, it didn’t take you much time to, well, go against your morals but you didn’t have any other choices to fall back at the moment. Either way, it was only a meeting in a public place so if the situation went awry, you would still be relatively safe.

Plus… it would be a shame to not see that handsome face in person at least once.

.

It’s about fifteen minutes from your scheduled meet-up with this stranger at the cafe you selected. Oddly enough, you haven’t started to feel the nerves set in which was uncharacteristic of you, considering the old you would have already been in the washroom trying to drown yourself in the sink.

But you do feel terribly out of place sitting alone. Wherever your sight falls on, there was always a couple being lovey-dovey and almost distastefully happy, rubbing salt in your wound. Thankfully, before you can start burning holes into your cup, a low voice abruptly cuts through your thoughts to call out your name.

“Hello. Are you the one who made the Craigslist post?”

Alarmed, you quickly raise your gaze from the table to meet bright green eyes. Silently, you brought a hand to your nose to check if your nose has started bleeding. The photos you had seen earlier did not do this angel man any justice. You could almost see a halo of light behind his head. 

Satan was much more handsome in person.

“Did I get the wrong person?” 

You could see the man’s eyebrow furrow as he glanced at his phone before examining at your face. You were too caught up in staring at him to realise that you had forgotten to give a reply. Hurriedly, you scrambled to tug on his sweater as he turned to leave.

“Oh sorry. Yes. That’s me.” Your voice came out stilted, as your back aligned as straight as a ruler. Thankfully, it seemed that Satan was too busy looking around the interior of the cafe to notice your mini-mental breakdown.

“Satan right? It’s good to meet you,” Without forgetting your manners, you offered a hand. Satan regarded your outreached palm with a passive expression before accepting it courteously. A few seconds passed as your eyes took in the view before you appreciatively. 

An awkward cough cut your daydreaming short.

“Could you please let go of my hand now?” Satan said politely.

You mumbled an apology, shuffling back in your seat with a red face resembling a tomato. Belatedly, you hadn’t noticed that you were still grasping onto his hand, tightly. How did you already make an embarrassment of yourself on the very first meeting?

“Right. We’re here to talk about the conditions, correct?” You started, leaning back into your seat to get into a more comfortable position. Satan pulls out the chair opposite you and sets his briefcase on the floor. At a glance, you notice the various luxury brand logos on his person; taking a double look at the sweater which was easily more than what you make in a month.

Satan nodded, leaning down to rummage through his briefcase before pulling out a stack of paper to place on the table. You dumbly stared at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

You reckon that if your jaw wasn’t already unhinged during your leering session earlier, it would have made a comically loud sound.

“A contract?” You said lost, rubbing the back of your neck when he slid the document over for you to read. Maybe, he really was a serial killer and he was about to make you sign your life away in an unfair contract.

 COMMERCIAL CONTRACT 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into this XXX…

You barely get through the first sentence before the peculiarity of the situation dawns on you. Somewhere, in the depths of your subconscious, a metaphorical Yuki was screaming right in your ears, “What the hell is wrong with you?!” while shaking you by the shoulders. Alas, she wasn’t here so you opened your mouth instead. 

“What is the contract for?” You inquired hesitantly, scanning through the pile of paper, and wondered whether it was possible to rewind time.

Satan looks up from his phone, (when had he even taken out his device?), before replying matter-of-factedly, “An exchange for services. You require my help for the photoshoot and I require your attendance for a schedule. This arrangement works out perfectly for us, I would say.”

That was certainly an unconventional way of thinking. You were impressed by his …uniqueness. You were almost moved by his little spiel to sign the contract.

You blinked. “Do we really require a contract? I can just help, you know? I mean, you’re doing me a service by helping out with the shoot.”

Satan turns to face you again, evidently bored. “Do you need time to read through the contract? We can do the signing at a later date.”

What a jerk. He just ignored your question.

“Could you please tell me more about your conditions first?” You tried again, keeping your voice even with fists clenched under the table.

He looked at you, with an edge of displeasure in the set of his mouth. “I may need your attendance for an event where you will need to act as my romantic partner.”

“That doesn’t tell me much-- Wait-- Are you asking me to pretend to date you?” You spluttered, thrown off by the derail in the conversation.

He went quiet, wearing the most uncomfortable expression you have seen so far.

“No. Just your attendance for an event to give off the impression that we are in romantic relations.” Satan said sharply, as you nodded along to his words.

“Uh. Right. So fake dating.” You were still befuddled by his sudden proposition, leaning closer. “So, what does this entail? And what event is this for?”

“Everything is in the contract. Please refer to it instead of asking me.” Satan looks pointedly at the stack of paper arranged in front of you. 

You let out a weary exhale. In the five minutes that you have known this man, he has proven himself time and time again to be a douche. You didn’t want to argue with someone that you had just met but it was vexing trying to communicate with him who was refusing to cooperate while you tried to pry information from the clutches of his grip. Before you could stop yourself, you pushed the documents to the other side of the table.

“Satan. I’m not going to sign the contract. It’s fairly unreasonable to spring this onto someone who you just met for the first time. Just let me know what are your conditions so we can discuss further.”

For the first time since you met him, Satan stares at you as if he is searching for something within you. You paused for a second, fumbling for words that didn’t sound remotely stupid before adding, “There must be an issue. Are you afraid about something?”

You must have hit the jackpot as Satan remained silent, leaving your question hanging in the air.

“Is a contract really necessary?” You pressed.

You watched as Satan seemed to battle his inner thoughts, face scrunching up adorably. “I will… retract the contract as you wish. You’re right. I was hasty in presuming a contract was needed. I apologise for my mistake.”

The quick apology on his part was a pleasant surprise. You never had anyone admit their mistake so quickly before and he didn’t even try to shift the blame to you! You mentally gave yourself a pat on the back before letting out an amused chuckle.

You waved a hand, dismissing his apology. “Thank you. Anyways, if you want to go forward with this fake dating thing, won’t we need to know each other better too?” Satan stares at you strangely as you blow gently on your iced coffee.

There’s a pause.

“Correct. I was hoping that we could correspond on a cover story and I would also like to get the chance to know you better as well.” You nod along in agreement this time sensing that this would turn out to be a long talk.

It was only after the meeting that you realised Satan never answered your question. 

.

You scratched your head as you turned around looking for the egg that you had set down on the counter as you reflected on the meeting today. Honestly, the meeting went better than you had expected. Both of you had left the cafe pretty late. Thankfully, Satan turned out to be much nicer and a better conversational partner than you had guessed from his first impression.

After locating your egg on the table, you proceeded to whisk your mixture together when a loud bzzt caught your attention from where your phone was lying on the counter. Holding the mixing bowl under one arm, you took a cursory glance at the screen.

[07:32PM] Satan: Hello, this is a refresher on the meeting we had earlier. I have compiled the notes in the PDF below. Please take a look and let me know if I have missed out on anything.

[07:32PM] Satan: Attachment Sent - 1 File

…This guy was so uptight. Does he have a stick up his ass?

Continuing to stir the batter, you squint at the message again. Had all of the joy in his life been sucked out? You decide to take it upon yourself to educate him about having some fun.

[07:35PM] You: looks great! also, i think u need to relax :< if anyone sees ur phone, they wld think that im ur business partner instead of ur gf lol

Satan is typing…

Satan is typing…

You waited by your phone for a minute, leaning against the kitchen island. When no reply comes, you decided to start buttering up your frying pan to get started.

[07:40PM] Satan: Right, sorry. I’ll try my best.

The message flashes on the screen, and you let out a small chuckle. It was rather endearing to see him take such a long time to type such a short message.

[07:40PM] You: shld we hv nicknames for each other? or nah, ik some couples dont do petnames

[07:41PM] Satan: Yeah, nicknames will make it more believable. Are you alright with honey?

[07:42PM] You: works with me. what do i call u? tantan??

[07:43PM] Satan: I’m 29. Please do not call me that.

[07:49PM] You: bringing ur age into this? okay old man. ill js call u babe then. also brb let me cook

[07:50PM] Satan: Go ahead. Also, isn’t this a case of a kettle calling the pot black?

You let out a scandalised gasp even as you bite back a laugh over the loud sizzling from your pan. Your kitchen timer beeps distantly in the background, signaling you to check on the stew bubbling in the back. 

[08:30PM] You: never tell a lady shes old!!! thats the first rule in How to Woo A Lady 101 (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

[09:10PM] Satan: Alright then, my apologies to the lady. 

[09:10PM] Satan: Also, I’ll be heading to bed soon. Sleep well.

[09:15PM] You: ???? its 9??

[09:16PM] You: r u fr?? ure actually sleeping already??

[09:16PM] You: n u deny the claim that ure old…….. ok pops, lets get u to bed.

[09:17PM] You: goodnight ig. and also thks for helping out w the shoot! i rlly appreciate it.

Your messages were indeed left on delivered till the morning.

.

The commute to work was tough even though you do this every week. The lights in the building were grating and you were already sweating, having to squeeze into this tiny elevator with everyone else. God, it wasn’t like your company was lacking in money. Why couldn’t they upgrade the damn elevator? After elbowing someone in the chest, you finally made your way out of the elevator to your desk.

“Good morning!” A voice called out as you placed your bag on the table. The cheery voice was too loud in the early morning and you turned around to snap at the person. It was Simeon, holding a mug of coffee in his hand. The retort immediately dies on your tongue.

“Morning.” You greeted back, miserably.

Simeon just laughs at you before handing you a packet of coffee from his pocket. “Take it. I brought this for you to chase away the Monday blues.”

“Simeon, this is why you’re my favourite.” Eagerly, you grabbed the sachet and stared at the label for a second. “That’s the brand I always get! Seriously, you’re the best.” 

If it wasn’t for the fact that you were at work, you would have jumped to hug him. Simeon reaches past you to grab your mug and raises an eyebrow. 

“Pantry?” He questions.

You follow Simeon to the pantry, making small talk along the way. He places your cup in front of the coffee machine, motioning for you to take over the process. As you work on making your coffee, he leans back on the fridge to study your expression. 

“Are you okay?”

The sound of the coffee machine whirring to life thrums in the silence enveloping the both of you. “My wedding is off.” You finally admit when Simeon continues to wait as he inches closer, practically crowding you against the wall.

“He called it off.” You diligently kept your gaze on the appliance, not wanting to risk seeing pity in Simeon’s expression. You had thought that you had done a good job keeping yourself together but Simeon had seen through your facade at one glance.

Simeon opens his mouth to reply but the tell-tale sound of footsteps grows louder and sure enough, the pantry suddenly swarms with black-suited employees. He pins you with an expression that screams “We’ll talk more about this later”. Finally, the soft ping of the coffee machine announces the completion of your drink. Quickly, you swoop up your mug and brush past Simeon to head back to your table.

“See you at lunch!” He calls out from behind you.

That’s fair. Although Simeon works in another department, he has always been your closest friend in this forsaken company. The difference in departments had rather helped both of you blossom a camaraderie and you would like to presume that he thinks of you as a dear friend as well.

It doesn’t mean that you still want to talk about that though.

Finally, you slink back to your desk before anyone else can stop you.

.

The clock read half past eleven. You stand up from your desk to head for lunch – earlier than your usual break at twelve but it was a necessary sacrifice to avoid seeing Simeon. However, as you round the corner to the elevator, you spot Simeon coming out from his office.

Urgently, you dashed into the lift and smashed the ‘close’ button. Please, please, please. The doors were closing at a snail’s pace and you could see the delayed realisation on Simeon’s face as he dashed over. However, you were faster than him.

“Thank you.” 

Or so you thought.

Unfortunately, a passing colleague had noticed the situation and held the door open for Simeon who thanked him with a smile. You quickly wipe off the dismay on your face, “Oh Simeon! I didn’t think you take your lunch this early haha…”

He only looks at you in disapproval. 

The lift door closed gently behind him as a silence filled the air. “I’m sorry.” You say, head down. “I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.”

Simeon only sighs. 

“You could have told me. We could just grab lunch and not talk about it, you know.” Thoroughly reprimanded, you kept your head down, suddenly finding his loafers very interesting.

Your knee-jerk reaction was to accept his suggestion and disregard this entire conversation. But you know that it wouldn’t do you any good, especially in the long run. Simeon only had your best interests at heart and it's a clear fact that he cares about you. Yet, you still feel dread at the idea of opening up and talking about Feelings™.

But you have to try, at least to reciprocate his efforts. Taking in a deep breath, you started. “I saw this coming--“

The lift lets out a cheerful ding, cutting you off as it arrives at the lobby. For a moment, both of you don’t move but as people start trickling in, you grab Simeon by the arm to drag him out.

.

Inside the restaurant that Simeon picked out, you bemoaned and bitched about your ex and the tumultuous entirety of your relationship. At some point, Simeon had even ordered more sides and drinks as you continued ranting. 

“I’m just upset that I wasn’t the one who broke it off.” You end, somewhat petulantly. It’s the same mantra you repeated to yourself the past weekend; deluding yourself that it was the only reason why you were upset.

Simeon just looks at you with a somewhat tired glance before adding, “He was honestly a bastard. It’s a blessing in disguise that you guys broke up.” You whipped your head up to look at him with surprise, dropping your chopsticks with a clatter.

Nice, friendly, kind Simeon was cursing? For whatever reason, that made you burst out into a peal of laughter – you covered your mouth with the back of your hand to stifle the sound when a vibration caught your attention.

[12:11PM] yuki <3333: club on fri. not takin no as an ans

[12:11PM] yuki <3333: the rest r comin too

[12:11PM] You: 🙁

[12:12PM] yuki <3333: dress hot. see u

[12:15PM] You: k…

Simeon looks at you curiously as you tap away on your phone. You pursed your lips as you turned your phone in his direction for him to read. 

“Yuki asked me to go clubbing on Friday. I haven’t clubbed in years!” You threw your hands up in exasperation, almost flipping your bowl by accident. You quietly collect yourself when you notice the glares from the neighbouring table.

“Ah.” Simeon laughs as he glides the phone back to you.

“You should go though? I think it would be good for you to take your mind off…recent events.” 

You frowned deeply, gesturing vaguely in exasperation before flopping into your seat. You didn’t want to go down without a fight but you couldn’t refute his sentiment.

“You’re right.” You grumbled. “Urgh. I hate you. Why are you always giving me such good advice?” You sniffed, as you wriggled a finger at him accusingly.

“It comes with the job. Come on, let’s head back to work.”

.

After leaving your office, you finally have the time to check the notifications on your phone. You were terribly busy after coming back from lunch with Simeon. Some asshole in your team had messed up and the boss had called for all hands on deck – leading you to be overworked on the first day of the week.

With a sigh, you swiped to open the notification from Satan.

[03:10PM] Satan: Good afternoon. I would like to make a proposition that we start a daily chat so that we can get to know each other better.

[05:40PM] You: sure! how was ur day, satan?

[05:50PM] Satan: It was good. I had a late start to the day so I spent the time with my cat. How was yours?

[06:10PM] You: U HV A CAT???? omg. send pics now. 

[06:11PM] You: my day was great, thanks for asking. i had lunch w a co-worker

[06:16PM] Satan: Album - Video

[06:16PM] Satan: His name is Mr Bubbles.

You opened the video and immediately let out a squeal. This had already made your day a hundred times better. You couldn’t believe that Mr. Stick Up His Ass had such an adorable cat.

[06:18PM] Satan: That’s nice. What did you eat for lunch?

[06:18PM] You: OMG! hes so cute!

[06:19PM] You: wait lol is that why ur email is mrbubbleslover

[06:20PM] Satan: Smart. I use his name for my personal email.

[06:22PM] You: thats so cute lol

With a smile creeping on your face, the conversation between Satan and you continues throughout your commute home. Without even realising it, you had already arrived at your apartment.

.

Friday evening finally rolled around. The week had passed in a blur and the only thing that kept you sane was the daily reprieve when Satan texted you. It was on a fast track to becoming your favourite part of the day. Feeling generous, you decided to stop by Simeon’s office on your way out to bless him with your presence.

“Simeon!” You flung the door open with a dramatic gasp, “Wanna come with me tonight?”

The office was as pristine as ever. The colour-coded filing cabinet was pulled open as Simeon rummaged through it to search for a document. His office always reminds you of a hospital, with the bitter hint of antiseptic lingering in the air. You had previously complained about the smell but he was adamant in disinfecting his office every few hours to not bring any germs home.

Without looking up, Simeon answers. “I can’t, I have to take care of Luke.” 

Simeon doesn’t even need to check. As always, the only possible person who would disturb him at this hour was you.

“You’re giving up a chance to go out with me for a puppy?” You say, pouting from your position in the doorway. The answer was expected, Simeon was the kind of person who would rather spend time indoors with his pet than out at a bar. 

“Boringg.” You droned, still intent on teasing him.

“Unfortunately, Luke is still young and I would hate to leave him alone on a Friday night,” Simeon quipped back, sliding an unimpressed look your way. You heaved your bag higher up on your shoulder as you sighed, realising it was a lost cause.

“Fine, I’ll leave first then. See you.” Simeon just waves you off, as he continues in his work.

With his dismissal, you quickly exit the office – thankfully not bumping into anyone you know. The employees at this company were talkative. Once, you had spent a whole hour stuck in a conversation with your superior in the lift lobby. Simeon had just given you a pitiful look as he walked past you to leave.

On the commute home, you spent time doing your daily catch-up with Satan. You had learned much about the once-elusive man. You could rattle off a whole list – he had six brothers and a half-sister, he likes green, he’s an acclaimed professor with multiple degrees, the list just goes on. It’s a given that he knows as much about you too. 

Briefly, you wonder if this little transactional relationship was spiraling into something bigger.

[06:13PM] Satan: Stay safe while clubbing.

[06:22PM] You: aye, aye sir

.

For the next hour or so, you spent your time getting ready as you waited for Yuki to arrive at your apartment to pick you up. You couldn’t tell if you were nervous. The clubbing scene has long ceased to be familiar to you – it was also the first time since the start of your previous relationship.

A chime sounds throughout the room and you struggle to put on your pair of heels. The incessant chiming of the doorbell alerts you to the urgency of the person on the other side of the door.

“Stop trying to break my doorbell.” You huffed.

“Sorry.” The amusement on Yuki’s face says otherwise.

You wait for her to lead the way but she pauses to glance down at you approvingly. “You look insane.” She remarks before tugging you by the hand, uncaring even as you stumble shakily down the hallway.

What an impatient woman.

“You could just say I look good.” You retort.

 Yuki just laughs in response. The conversation between both of you flows easily from there and before you know it, you have arrived at the place.

.

Sensing your apprehension, Yuki slows down while approaching the table, giving you a chance to gather your composure together. You slide your palm up and down your thighs, to try and fend off the tension building up within you, in a sort of comforting motion.

A chortle of greetings rings throughout the table. There was a flurry of motion and suddenly, you were no longer standing but sitting by an acquaintance’s side. Both of you exchanged pleasantries, and time seemed to pass quickly.

At some point, drinks started coming out. With a couple of drinks in your system, you began to open up, your past inhibitions forgotten. For the most part, you bitch about your superiors, your stupid ex, and then for some reason, you brought up Satan. 

Another couple of drinks blurs your judgment and suddenly, you get an intense urge to check in on him. With enough liquid courage and cheering from your friends, you whipped out your phone to draft a text.

[11:50PM] You: hi

[11:50PM] You: imisyyou

[11:52PM] You: hAHHA u knowwwww

[11:55PM] You: urrrrrrrrrr xtee

[11:56PM] You: cue

[12:01AM] You: cute**********

Satan is never awake at this time so you don’t expect to receive a reply. Instead, you shove your phone back into your pocket and return to the conversation at hand, enjoying the company of your friends and the thrill of the weekend.

.

You shouldn’t have drank so much. The raging headache that greets you when you wake up the next day felt almost like an assassination attempt. It was supposed to be a nice, chill, relaxing Saturday morning for you to sleep in. Yet, the saliva pooling in your mouth tells you otherwise.

“Yuki…I’m going to kill you…” You garble into your pillow, forcing yourself to sit up while you fight back the urge to vomit. The conscious realisation that it must be afternoon dawns late on you when you notice the sun high up in the sky through the open curtains.

You rubbed your eyes with one hand as you reached out a hand to blindly feel around the bed for your phone. The brightness of your phone temporarily stole your vision as you let out a grunt, waiting for your eyes to adjust. 

[08:10AM] Satan: ?

[08:10AM] Satan: Are you drunk?

[08:11AM] Satan: Did you get back safely?

[08:40AM] You have one missed call from Satan

[08:45AM] Satan: I presume you must still be sleeping or hungover. Let me know if you’re safe once you see this message.

Mortified doesn’t even begin to describe the rollercoaster of emotions that you are feeling. Was it possible for you to move abroad to a place where nobody would find you? You searched up the cost of moving abroad to a distant village and were sorely disappointed by the sheer amount.

[03:01PM] You: hi

[03:03PM] You: i was drunk, im so sorry

[03:04PM] You: i didnt mean to send all that

[03:04PM] You: pls accept my apologies and if possible, erase this from ur memory pls

Satan comes online almost immediately.

Satan is typing…

[03:05PM] Satan: I’m glad to hear you’re safe.

[03:05PM] Satan: It’s nice to know that you think I’m cute though :)

You drop your phone.

[03:05PM] Satan: Have you eaten or drank any water? Hydration is very important after a whole night of drinking.

You scramble to grab your phone, looking back at the message again. The dull thudding in your head becomes distant as you stare at the text.

[03:10PM] You: ah yes, thank u for reminding me to drink water haha

Your fingers are still trembling as the next message comes in with a ding.

[03:12PM] Satan: Do you have time tomorrow? I discovered this new cafe known for their bubble tea and sandwiches. Are you free to accompany me?

[03:12PM] Satan: Location sent

You screenshot the message with bated breath and send it to Yuki.

[03:13PM] yuki <3333: GIRL WTF

[03:13PM] yuki <3333: IS HE ASKING U ON A DATE

[03:13PM] You: thats what i wanted to ask u…

[03:14PM] yuki <3333: I THINK SO?? JUST ACCEPT AND GO

You swiped back on the chat with Satan, unsure fingers hovering over the keyboard.

If it was a date, you honestly weren’t sure if you were ready for it. The heartbreak from your previous relationship was still fresh. It’s only been about a week since you got dumped.

[03:20PM] You: maybe not tomorrow :<

[03:21PM] You: i already have plans w my friends :’)

[03:21PM] You: maybe another time?

You shoved your phone in the pile of blankets watching as the screen lit up, probably from a reply from Satan. The dull thudding in your head had come back in full force as you gazed up at the ceiling.

══════════════════

| PART ONE | PART TWO | MASTERLIST

[smoochkooks]

—chapter nineteen: illicit affairs

this is a part of my an ode to a broken heart drabble series.

pairing: jeon jungkook/reader genre: unrequited love, best friends to (?), heavy angst, smut word count: 1.6k words summary: it dies a million little times...

previous || next

Five months later

There is a park nearby your apartment, sandwiched between the residential buildings. It has been here way before some chaebol had decided to buy this land and transform it to yet another wealthy neighborhood in downtown Gangnam. It looks almost surreal – tracts of green among concrete. There’s not many people here today. It feels like a scene from a movie: remote, run-down bench by the pond standing directly underneath the only magnolia tree in the park, and the girl sitting on it with an unreadable expression. What's going through her mind? What, or who, is she thinking about? She's clutching the phone in her hand in a death grip – the only sign she's feeling any emotion right now. Nightingale sings somewhere in the far distance, the sound breaking the deafening silence. Then, a phone rings. Once, twice, three times. 

You pick up.  

“I told her.” Jungkook waits a beat and then adds, “She wants to speak with you, in private.” 

You wonder if he can make out your ragged breath through the speaker. It's the only thing you can hear now, as if the whole world has gone quiet just to listen to your conversation.

“I gave her your number. Is that okay?” 

It was all your design to come clean, to free your conscience from the burden that's weighing you both down day by day. You agreed to do this, but he still makes sure if you're ready. A single magnolia petal lands on your thigh. You stare at it, transfixed. He calls your name. So softly, so gently and you break a little. 

“Okay.”

The line cuts off. No one says goodbye. 

Soojin contacted you soon after that. She sent you a message, asking whether you would have time to meet with her on Friday. She had chosen a coffee shop in SNU’s neighborhood where she had met Jungkook all those years ago. When you googled later the address you found out it's one of those places designed to serve both as a coffee shop and bookshop. How ironic. There's no doubt your book will be sitting on the bestseller shelf, mocking you as your best friend's wife is confronting you. 

You arrive almost fifteen minutes earlier. Your heart is beating so fast it's borderline painful, your entire body trembling from anxiety. You don't know exactly how much did Jungkook tell Soojin, so have no idea what to expect from her, which makes you even more uneasy. She has the upper hand here. You notice a stack of ‘An Ode To A Broken Heart’ copies laying on one of the tables and avert your eyes somewhere else.

You try to pass the time by swiping through social media but it's too hard to focus. You keep re-reading sentences because you can't make out what they mean. You've never been good with handling stressful situations, ever since you were a child. You envied kids who didn't worry about tests and exams. Growing older, you managed to control your nerves a little, once you realized you couldn't possibly continue living like this forever. In high school your parents took you to a therapist and that, along with anxiety medication, helped you survive finals and college. However, today you can't help but feel like the girl who couldn't sleep before a math test all over again.

Soojin enters the coffee shop on time. She looks flawlessly, just like during her wedding day. Her silky, black hair is styled in pretty curls and she's wearing light make-up accentuating her features. She’s dressed in a formal attire, a white button-down blouse and beige pants, so she’s probably here on her lunch break. Not much time for a private conversation it is, then.

She orders her coffee to go and looks around. She smiles when she spots you but you can easily tell it’s not sincere, more of a courteous manner. “Hi,” she says and takes a seat in front of you. “Have you ordered something yet? They have amazing lemon tarts here.”

“I’m fine with just coffee.”

“I’d love to eat something sweet but I’m currently trying to cut down on sugar, so just coffee for me, too.”

You nod, not knowing how to respond to what she said. It has always been hard for you to talk to her, ever since Jungkook had introduced you two together. She doesn’t really speak down to you but she carries herself with such superiority it’s making you feel self-conscious.

Soojin was born into an upper-middle-class family from Seoul. Her father owns a prospering business, so they’ve never really had to worry about money, as far as you recall what Jungkook had once told you. She used to attend ballet classes but dropped out of dancing school before entering university. That’s probably where her poise comes from. Thinking about it makes you straighten your slouching pose.

“Are you working around here?” you ask, trying to ease yourself into the conversation. She hasn’t moved straight to the point yet, so you’re panicking a little.

“Yeah, the company I work for has office nearby.” Soojin answers courtly. She takes a sip of her coffee and in a flash, the polite tilt of her mouth vanishes. “You know I’m not here to chit-chat with you, though.”

There it is.

“I’m aware.”

“What did Jungkook exactly tell you?”

“That you want to talk.”

Soojin raises a brow. “That’s all?”

“I’m assuming he didn’t want to intervene,” you say. “He only told me you know about the book.”

Or was it the only thing he meant? Did he perhaps tell her about the New Year’s Eve kiss as well?

“Weird situation, isn’t it?” she asks. “I just found out that the book I liked so much is actually about my husband and his childhood best friend. I sympathized with someone who’s been in love with him for twenty years. Can you believe it?”

Irritation laces her voice already but you remain calm. “He didn’t know. If he didn’t read the book, he would have never realize it. Don’t blame him.”

“I’m not blaming him. I actually believe he had no idea about the book. Maybe he did suspect something about your feelings but he decided not to do anything about it. He married me after all, right?” Soojin says. “What bothers me though, is you writing a whole goddamn book about your silly crush.”

You frown. Silly crush? You wouldn’t go to such great lengths if this was just a crush. And Soojin knows it too, she read the book after all. But she’s not here as a reader who enjoyed your work. She’s here as a wife whose husband you’re in love with.

“I published it under a pen name,” you counter. You’re hoping your voice doesn’t tremble too much. Soojin would gladly use your weakness to her advantage. “I changed names, locations. No one beside me and Jungkook would have known it’s about us.”

“What gave you an impression that you could just use someone’s life like that?”

“It was my life too,” you respond firmly. Jungkook was mad at you because you didn’t tell him about your feelings and now Soojin is going to be angry in his stead for writing a book about your relationship with him? “I talked to Jungkook about it after he had found out. I already apologized and he said he doesn’t mind that–“

“Of course he won’t hold a grudge against you. You’re his best friend.” Soojin snorts.

You sigh heavily. This is going nowhere. It’s crystal clear why she wanted to talk to you but for some reason, she won’t say it directly. Maybe it’s a matter of pride for her, or she’s afraid to admit it out loud.

“I’d like to apologize to you too. I’m sorry for using your relationship with Jungkook for my book, however I am not going to apologize for the way I described it. I didn’t write anything malicious or improper about you. I put on paper what I had seen as a mere bystander,” you say. “I know you’re probably worried now that since everything is out in the open that I am going to act out on my feelings but I can assure you it’s not going to happen.”

Soojin chuckles. “Oh, I’m not worried about that.”

Maybe she shouldn’t feel so sure of herself, you think. It’s not your place to tell her about the kiss. If Jungkook chose to lie by omission, that’s on him. You can’t carry the guilt on your own.

“Because you will, from now on, refrain from hanging out with him,” she continues. “You won’t meet up as often as before, you won’t text him about your mundane life, you will contact him only if necessary.”

Your heart skips a beat. “What?” you croak.

“I don’t want you near Jungkook anymore, it’s as simple as that. I don’t trust you.”

She has all the rights to feel displeased. You’re in love with her husband, after all but forbidding you from seeing him? She cannot control your lives like that.

“Does Jungkook know?” you ask.

Soojin’s rose-tinted lips stretch in a smile. “No, he doesn’t know yet because you will be the one to tell him so,” she replies. “You will tell him that you don’t want to be as close to him as before, that you need distance. If he asks to meet and talk, you will ignore him. If he asks about our conversation, you will say that you apologized to me and I decided to move on.”

“And if I don’t?”

Soojin’s expression is almost triumphant. She got what she wanted at last: you, finally out of Jungkook’s reach.

“Then the world will find out who Magnolia May really is and how she seduced her best friend and made him abandon his wife.”

[biasbuck]

BiAsBuck’s ficrec Fridays

shhhh pretend you do not see what day of the week it is (dear brain, please get back into a routine!) Happy Frunday? Back again with another round of the fic I've been reading this month. Deep in my 'Chris' away, now what' feels. You can find previous rec lists here.

14 July 2024

not a demon, there's a reason by @ithilien-writes oooooh my god I love 'kid learns about their parent's past' fic, and the Chris season 8 set up is just a gold mine for it. Here's an absolutely incredible entry into the fic canon, in which Chris, bored and lonely in Texas, stumbles upon Eddie's teenage diary. He reads it as a conduit to learning more about Shannon than his Dad has ever told him, and in doing so comes to understand Eddie like he never did before. (I would also recommend reading other fic from this author for some lovely interconnected story telling and further insight into some of Eddie's teenage secrets.)

kid, you better come home by @wildehacked is a short one shot with Buck's POV on Chris being away, navigating calls to him, established but relatively new bucktommy, and how Buck copes with all that whilst looking after Eddie and nurturing their queerplatonic family set up. A really interesting exploration of Chris and Buck's relationship with the basis that 'Every other time Chris has fought with Eddie, he’s gone to Buck.' I love Chris' voice in this, it's so well captured.

i’ve seen a couple suns that set forever by @cal-daisies-and-briars '“So?” Chris asks. “You’ve said things are going to change before, and it always ends up with people leaving, and me feeling terrible all over again. How is it different now?”' in which Chris and Eddie go to family therapy, and Eddie comes out. Really wonderful exploration of how not everything is fixed so easily, and Eddie working to repair the damage whilst Chris works on understanding his Dad and coming to a place of forgiveness, whilst dealing with his own abandonment issues. Luckily a conversation with Bobby helps him look at his Dad in a new light.

my home is your body by @coldbam 'This is Buck’s first Pride. Sue him, he’s excited. He’s going all out.' After Buck and Tommy have a rather acrimonious split during Buck's first pride out, he discovers Eddie has had a very different night. There as an ally, Eddie embarks on some steep self discovery learning curves. Exploring grindr leads to a serious friends with benefits situationship, but of course there's no miscommunication over feelings here...right? Oh Buddie...what are we gonna do with you. A delightful comedy of errors whilst also being hot. Loved this!

let the world have its way with you and thousand times (which isn’t half enough) by @shitouttabuck in which Eddie convinces Buck to seize the day post-lightning strike by making a bucket list and helping him make his wishes a reality, from the smallest hopes to the biggest dreams. With a heaping of Buckley-Diaz family and firefam time, so much pining and longing and heart...and the most sweetly loving tree root metaphor I've ever read. Now with a gorgeous follow up fic to answer some of those lingering questions!

so far away but still so near by @exhuastedpigeon yes, yessss Eddie and Lucy and Ravi bestieism. In which, based on Frank's advice, 'Eddie Diaz learns who he is outside of being a father, builds some new friendships, and loves his best friend.' I really loved the dynamic that Eddie built up here, his tentative steps into finding friends outside of the support system he'd previously relied on, and the way it peeled back new facets of himself in order to love his loudest. Gorgeously written as always! Ravi and Lucy are just absolute bestie goals.

I know the words, I know the sounds by @try-set-me-on-fire in which 'Buck and Eddie dance at Tommy’s wedding.' Oh yeah, I see you SalTommy shippers, and I absolutely get it. As does Buck...sometimes the heart just wants what it wants, and what are you gonna do? Exploring the 'what if Tommy's the one to run off with his best friend' prompt to hilarious and heartwarming ends.

good pretender by @likeshipsonthesea an oldie but a goodie circa season 5, in which Buck and Ravi are secret fully platonic friends with casual sex benefits, Eddie pines A LOT, and everyone is just failing to communicate. I love the introspection here, what each character learns about themselves along the way, and how everything is eventually worked out. Give me season 8 Ravi main please show, I'm begging.

That's it for this week but I'm once again putting out a call for any Hen POV or henren ficrecs (please feel free to self rec), buddietommy, and canon compliant Tommy POV because I've fallen out of the loop!

[guardian-angle22]

Thank you to @heartstringsduet & @liminalmemories21 for tagging me in a revival of Fic Rec Friday! I wasn't sure what fics to pick for this one so I went through my history on AO3 and here are all of the completed 911LS fics that I read (or re-read) in the month of May!! (if I also added the WIPs or the fics from other fandoms we'd be here all night so I narrowed it down 😅)

◆ Meet me in the afterglow by @mi1kc0ffee (Words: 2.9K; Rating: E)

So maybe Carlos is just a bit upset that his new boyfriend isn’t into cuddling after sex. Or, TK experiences aftercare for the first time.

◆ The Shadow of You by @littlemissmarianna (Words: 798; Rating: G; TW: discussion of grief & canon character death)

TK should be safe in the grocery store, and yet, Carlos feels himself begin to panic when aisle after aisle turns up empty. The cans and boxes are in perfect rows on each shelf, and the strangers seem friendly enough when Carlos passes by them…but TK has vanished.

◆ Hold me too close by @paperstorm (Words: 1.8K; Rating: T; TW: discussion of grief & canon character death)

“Hey, baby,” TK whispers, soft enough that were they a few inches further apart Carlos might not be able to hear him. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to make you cry.” Carlos’s lips curve into a small responding smile and he shakes his head. “It’s okay.” He tilts his chin forward, asking for a kiss, that TK gives him readily because he thinks it would hurt like having a limb ripped off if he didn’t. Carlos’s lips are smooth and damp against his, wet with the salt from his tears. “Wanna go for a walk?” TK asks when they part, and Carlos quickly nods. - A small extension of the scene after Tommy sings at their wedding.

◆ Five fingers on each hand by @sloganeeer (Words: 323; Rating: G)

Carlos didn’t put a shirt on last night, after, and TK gets to rubs his palm over the short curls of Carlos’s chest hair. “You wanna?” he asks. - Or, TK wakes up with his husband.

◆ love in a series of bursts and inches by @lemonlyman-dotcom (Words: 35K; Rating: G)

It’s Eid 2024 and Tarlos is preparing to host Marjan and her parents for a celebratory dinner at the loft, where they will be meeting Joe for the first time. Over the night before and morning of Eid, both TK and Marjan reflect on the past four years in Austin, and the Eids they’ve spent together building a bond as found family.

◆ breathing deeper than i've ever done by @your-catfish-friend (Words: 4.6K; Rating: E; sweat/scent kink)

Carlos smells good, and TK has feelings about it.

◆ Silence and Gloom by @wandering-night19 (Words: 13K; Rating: T; TW: PTSD, physical abuse, aftermath of torture & violence)

Carlos is fine. So he wishes TK would stop looking at him with those wide, green eyes like he's something fragile that might shatter at any moment. He's fine.

◆ all is not lost by @strandnreyes (Words: 14K; Rating: M; TW: brief discussion of grief & canon character death)

As they tear through the loft, Carlos gets flashbacks to when he had to do the same for a lost lizard. Twice. Except this time it’s not a reptile, but a very expensive engagement ring that doesn’t even belong to them. They flip cushions and roll rugs and dig through the dishes filled with pretzels or chocolate covered almonds, but even after their home looks like a tornado ripped through it, they’re still empty handed. TK slumps down on the living room floor after a last ditch effort to look under the couch, staring up at Carlos with wide, horrified eyes. “The ring is gone,” he mutters, and all Carlos can do is swallow past his dry throat and nod. Or, a tale of three lost rings

◆ The Rest of the World Was Black and White (But We Were in Screaming Color) by reyestrand (Words: 9K; Rating: T)

TK Strand doesn’t like the world he lives in. The best part of his day is at night when he closes his eyes so he can’t see anything, and the worst part is in the morning when he has to open them again - open them back up to a world that lacks in beauty. He wakes up and everything is just gray. All there is are shades that are making him numb every day that passes without meeting the one person who will bring color into his world. - A soulmates AU where the world is seen in black and white until soulmates share their first kiss

◆ Thirst Trap Thursday by @chicgeekgirl89 (Words: 40K; Rating: M)

When Carlos accidentally sends a sexy picture to a random stranger he apologizes and vows never to text again. But when T.K. Strand receives that picture, he can't help but start texting back. It starts with a thirst trap. It ends with love.

◆ You Keep Coming Back With a Bird In Your Teeth by vaguenotion (Words: 133K; Rating: T; TW: kidnapping, stalking, violence, non-consensual touching)

When a gesture of goodwill is misinterpreted, a patient begins to develop a dangerous attachment to TK. The whole point of the job is to save patients, not to have to be saved FROM them.

◆ The Greatest Gift I’ve Found, The Sweetest Thing I’ve Known by @lemonlyman-dotcom (Words: 7.3K; Rating: E)

“You know, there’s a lot of things to adore about TK. But do you know the thing we love the most about him?” He makes a questioning noise. She points a finger into the dimple in his cheek. “This.” He furrows his brow in question. “Oh, I’ve known you for thirty years, niñito.” He bites back his quip about how he’s not 30 yet, wanting to know where she’s going with this. “But I’ve never seen that smile, not until about four years ago.” “When I met TK.” “When you met TK.” She nods. “We all knew something was different. Even if it took you a while to work up the courage to bring him around. You seemed so light, so happy. We knew something had happened.” He looks over to where TK is chatting away with his abuelita. “He’s a special person,” Carlos says. “He is, but honey. So are you,” Lucy grips his bicep softly. “We love you, Carlitos, and I’m sorry that we ever made you feel like you had to hide any of your specialness from us.” --- Nochebuena at the Reyes house. It's Tarlos's first Christmas as husbands, and the family's first without Gabriel.

[lizzy06]

Haiba Lev x Reader Fic Recs!! (Tumblr/AO3/Wattpad)

Haikyuu! Fic Rec Masterlist

Nekoma Fic Rec Masterlist

You’re jealous but you can’t do anything because you’re not dating him ✨✨by @screamin-abt-haikyuu (angst to fluff) There’s jealousy and there’s the more frustrating kind of jealousy when you cannot even act or make your feelings known since you ain’t dating the person.

soulmate au ✨by @haikyuu-sins (soulmate au, oneshot, fluff) Soulmate AU where you hear ticking in your head and when you see your soulmate a sound like a grandfather clock goes off in your head. [COMPLETED]

soulamte au✨ by 0Game0time0 (oneshot, fluff) You are born with two different colored eyes. Your left eye is the eye color you're born with and your right eye is the color of your soulmate's. When you and your soulmate see each others' eyes, they change to their own color.[COMPLETED]

Airport crush ✨by @sweet-citrus-candy (oneshot, soulmate au, fluff) at the airport you spot a cute silver haired boy and you absolutely must get his number! but as you walk run away you realize you forgot to ask for it[COMPLETED]

who are you? by @rikorene (oneshot, soulmate au, fluff) you switch bodies with your soulmate[COMPLETED]

you mean it? by @kairismess (oneshot, fluff)shy reader finally building up the courage to ask him out since he’s never caught her “subtle hints”[COMPLETED]

soulmate au ✨ by @karasuno-writings (soulmate au, oneshot, fluff) “When you first listen to your soulmates name (first and surname), for a second you exchange perspectives seeing the world from their eyes, however, you have to hear it from someone other than them”. [COMPLETED]

A Swing and Miss by dasfreefree, imagine_that_haikyuu (fluff, oneshot, mutual pinning, manager!reader, summer camp ) Lev and you fall for each other at the summer training camp, but the universe keeps getting in the way of a proper confession.[COMPLETED]

Meet You at the Altar by dasfreefree, imagine_that_haikyuu (oneshot, wedding fluff )Planning your wedding is more stressful than you imagined. Thankfully, you're marrying Lev, and he always finds a way to remind you why you fell for him in the first place.[COMPLETED]

It's not size that matters, it's how you use it. ✨✨ by  orphan_account (oneshot, smut)Every time you stood beside him, you couldn't help but come face-to-face with his crotch every time. You decide to make a joke about it- and then you decide to never joke about it again.[COMPLETED]

Friday's good morning by the-TomatoBoss (oneshot, fluff)[COMPLETED]

[anincompletelist]

fic rec friday: I ask you how you're doing (and I let you lie) by @matherines mature | 6k

The first time Henry sees it happen, he knows instantly that it is not the first time it has ever happened. They’re sitting in the living room of the brownstone, the two of them surrounded by their favorite people in the world, a night of board games long abandoned in favor of mocking the eighth season of Game of Thrones.

“God, don’t you have an off switch?” June groans, laughing as she chucks a piece of popcorn in Alex’s direction while he rambles passionately about the international legal implications of the Red Wedding. Nora cackles. “Whatever you do to thank Henry for putting up with you, it’s not nearly enough. Jesus, I can’t believe he put a ring on your loud mouth.”

Or: Alex is fine. Really, he’s fine — he just wants Henry to stay, even if Alex is too much. Henry just wants his husband back.

--

happy fic rec friday ya'll! this one broke me and also put me back together again :') I hope you guys enjoy! (gif by me!)

(longer fic rec coming soon because there's far too many building up in my bookmarks. see you soon!)

xx

[eretzyisrael]

Good News From Israel

Israel's Good News Newsletter to 10th Mar 24

In the 10th Mar 24 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

A massive project to rehabilitate southern Israel’s farms.

He trained the IDF medic who later saved his life.

Israeli hospitals are recognized as First Class.

Israeli women are a beacon of light to the nations.

An Israeli bedtime story-telling app is now a global educational tool.

Huge confidence in Israel’s economy.

The 13th Jerusalem marathon was an especially moving event.

The Israeli wedding(s) of the year.

Read More: Good News From Israel

Five months after Oct 7, Israel is certainly Up and Running - even stronger than before.  Residents have returned to battered communities in the south and rehabilitation hospitals and charities have successfully been getting the wounded back on their feet. Meanwhile, an Israeli NGO has even been helping get the devastated Ukrainian healthcare system back up and running.   On International Women’s Day, the Israeli news includes the first woman to run an Israeli Air Force base, the women in charge of several Israeli NGOs, and the woman who runs one of Samsung’s Israeli subsidiaries.   Israelis have developed material for putting up buildings and remove greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, up in the air, synchronized Israeli drones extinguish wildfires.   Things are also looking up for Israel’s economy. Employment is up, as is confidence in the Shekel and in the Israeli bond market. Israel’s gas revenues are on the up, and even the avocado harvest is at a record high.  The Israeli foldable electric car now can be seen running around town, and Israeli startups ran some 2,000 business meetings at the Mobile World Congress.   Finally, Israeli women and men have again been climbing up on sporting podiums, many more Jews have been going “up” on Aliyah, and even the Kinneret has been filling up, thanks to benevolence from above.   The photo (TY Sharon) shows competitors gathering for Friday’s Jerusalem Marathon, where a record 40,000 were up and running.

[louisupdates]

LOUIS TOMLINSON PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS FOR HIS SHOW AT THE O2 IN LONDON

WED 22ND NOVEMBER, 2023 | 12:38 PM

At London’s O2 Arena, Louis has it all.

Words: Jessica Goodman. | Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett.

“I’ve got these lot behind me, who the fuck is gonna stop us?” This question, asked by Louis Tomlinson moments after headlining his Away From Home festival for the first time two years ago, has become something of a mantra for his fans. It’s been shared on social media ad infinitum, worn on homemade merch, waved proudly on banners and signs, and shouted to the rafters at his concerts. Headlining a sold-out show at London’s O2 Arena on Friday night, it seems clear that the answer to his question is that no one ever will.

Taking place just over a year after the release of his celebrated second album ‘Faith In The Future’, and almost twelve years to the day after One Direction released their first record ‘Up All Night’, in the city where 1D formed and where he played his first full headline show as a solo artist, this might be the greatest full-circle moment of Louis’ career so far. But tonight isn’t a nostalgia trip, and there’s little time spent walking down memory lane. Instead, this show is all about the here and now, celebrating how a shared passion for music and the community that creates can build something that feels like magic.

From the moment he walks out on centre stage in front of his fans, Louis Tomlinson is at home – and his fans make themselves at home right along with him. Opening with ‘The Greatest’ – a song written for and about crowds and nights like tonight – it’s clear that, though it might’ve taken him a long time to get back here, stages like this one are where he belongs.

For tonight’s landmark show, he pulls out all the stops. A specially recorded video introduction? New and improved light shows? Pyrotechnics? A strings section on stage?! At London’s O2 Arena, Louis has it all. His dedication to making the night special is met by his fans in equal measure, using phone torches and synchronised apps to create light shows of their own.

A distinctive figure in trackies and a vest, Louis commands the room with ease. Playfully flipping fans off while singing, crouching down between songs to be closer to the people he’s talking to, he’s the star with his name in lights, but his show remains just as much about celebrating with the people that support him as it is about celebrating the music. Any mention of this sold-out show’s success is talked about as a collective. “O2, sold out?! You lot, unbelievable, right?!” he congratulates the crowd between songs.

Even when he’s talking about his own emotions, saying, “This might be the first time in my career where I have been under pressure tonight, and I feel fucking great about it,” it’s with acknowledgement to the people filling the room who make what he does possible. “You don’t have that confidence onstage unless you know you’ve got the best fucking fans in the world,” he states. “I never feel like I can find the words to ever truly thank you, but thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Restyling old songs to fit the sound he found for himself on his latest album (sir, we’re going to need a recording of ‘Back To You’ rock version ASAP) and giving a nod to his home county with a cover of fellow South Yorkshire sensations Arctic Monkeys between leading rapturous crowd singalongs to fan favourite hits, this is Louis Tomlinson at the top of his game.

“Look at what we’ve fucking done!” he yells to the room mid-set. The message, it seems, is clear: ain’t no one stopping Louis Tomlinson now.

MORE PHOTOS

[eclecticwitchbitchsworld]

Phases of the Moon

For our first post, let us begin with the phases of the moon! aligning your spellwork with the phases of the moon makes for stronger spells and better results.

New Moon - New Beginnings

It's time for a clean slate, start to gather your thoughts, and plan ahead. (Love, jobs, health)

Waxing Crescent - set intentions

send your hopes and desires into the world (luck, wealth, success, courage, friendship, love)

First Quarter - take action

when you face obstacles, do not waver- it's a time for pushing forward.

Waxing Gibbous - refine and hone

observe and align your hopes with the universe; momentum is building .

Full Moon - harvest endeavors

a time to harvest the intentions and wishes of past moons (manifesting spirits, divination, strength, power)

Waning Gibbous- introspect

turn inwards, think about your goals, and be greatful. (banishing, wisdom, scrying, divination)

Third Quarter - release and let go

release the habits that bind you and do you harm

Waning Crescent - surrender

recuperate and rest. it's okay to feel empty sometimes.

The best times for:

protection: tuesday/thurs/sat, waxing/full moon

cleansing: saturday , waning/blue moon

banishing: saturday, waning/dark moon

binding: tuesday/saturday, waning/full moon

healing: thursday/sunday, full moon/blue moon

enhanced psychic power: monday, full moon/blue moon

love/friendship: friday, new moon/waxing moon

success: sunday, waxing moon/blue moon

luck: wednesday, waxing moon/ blue moon

wealth: wed/thurs/sun, waxing moon

peace: monday, waning/new moon

courage/strength: tuesday, waxing/full moon

intelligence/wisdom: mon/wed, waxing/full moon

[purpleyoonn]

baby (you complete us)

P R E V I E W: C H A P T E R  1  

summary: Soulmates were a common occurrence, so common, in fact, that the world sought an easier way to find your other half: A bracelet that would scan your mark and match you with those who shared your mark. Within recent years, soul groups were becoming normal, and your own bracelet said you have seven matches.

Or where you wear your bracelet for ten years, and finally give up the hope you would find your soul group, only for BTS to put theirs on and see what they were missing.

genre: soulmate au, idol au, angst, fluff, eventual smut,

pairing: Idol BTS x Disabled MC

warnings: angst, mentions of depression, disabled mc (Ehlers Danlos syndrome), eventual smut, fluff, lots of fluff, mentions of disability, simp bangtan

Some warnings may be added to the beginning of individual chapters.

masterlist // taglist

@imnotlauriane​​ @mageprincess7​​ @m1sss1mp​​ @0funsite0​​  @strawberry-moonpies​​ @this-isthe-way​​ @singukieee​​ @btsw1fe​​ @gooooomz​​ @fluffy-canada-pancakes​​ @carolinexkpop​​ @agusfree​​ @sakurarukas​​ @iamkookiesforyou​​ @skyys-universe​​ @toughbook​​ @plutoneu​​ @whisperssuga​​ ​ @yourleftsock​​ @cryingpages​​ @strxwbloody​​  @drissteele​​  @dustyinkpages​​​ @crushedblackroses​​ @blaaiissee​​ @whisperssuga​​ @welcometomyworld13​​  @osakis-gf @kawaiikpoplover268 @violetpenguinkris @blackrockshooter780 @promiseokza @yuzon3​​ @wittyreader​​ @jnghs​​ @cyd0129​​ @exfolitae​​  @iiitsmaria​​   @azazel-nyx​​  @g-h-o-s-t-b-a-b-i​​ @knjkitten​​ @kleirielk​​ @foreverweareyoung7​​ @lachimolala22019​​ @namuficxs​​ @94z-93​​ @kimgmzmc​​ @thenaverse​​ 

COMING FRIDAY, FEB. 3RD: 5PM PST

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

You were a bridesmaid, right behind her own sister, the maid of honor. You were like a sister to Anna, having grown up with her and her family. But you never felt so out of place, like you didn’t belong as you stood there.

You were beyond happy for Anna and Chris, love in your heart for them as you witness their love for each other. But you couldn’t help but to feel your own heart break at the sight.

Your soulmates didn’t want you; it was the only conclusion you could think of. Ten years, ten years of knowing that you have seven soulmates out there.

“Thank you so much for being here with me!” Anna spoke to you, wrapping her arms around you in a tight hug. 

You were having a good day, not needing your cane but having it sat by your assigned seat just in case. You weren’t sure if you wanted to be in the wedding when she asked you, but knowing how happy she was, you said yes.

“I’m glad I got to be a part of your special day.” You smiled back, hoping she didn’t see the small sadness in your eyes. Anna nodded in response; just glad you were happy. 

She knew how hard your life had been in the past couple years, and she loved seeing the smile on your face whenever it happened. She wanted you to be happy always, never having to feel pain again.

“I can’t wait until you get to marry your soulmates. I will be right here for you, doing everything I can to make your day just as special.” She hugged you again before being called away for more pictures of the family, the bridesmaids and groomsmen being dismissed. While you smiled at your friend, you could feel the tears building.

You wouldn’t get that day, and you knew it.

Fate was determined to see you cry, and this only cemented your decision.

[forget-you-morelike-fuck-you]

Heartwork- E.M. Epilogue

You and Eddie settle into your new relationship

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 Masterlist

TW- none! Just fluff <3

Pairings- Eddie X Reader

Word Count- 847

(Gif not mine, credit to owner!)

As the weeks go by, you and Eddie settle into a new rhythm, exploring each other in new ways as your friendship transforms into something new. You come to adopt new rituals, like watching game shows on Fridays after work and eating at the diner together at least once a week.  

Slowly, as you continue this new journey into romance, you notice Eddie picking up his old hobbies again. He just invited what remains of the Hellfire crew over to play a quick one shot over at his house, on a weekend, of course, and he’s been playing his guitar more and more. He pulls it out and strums idly as you lounge around together, sometimes humming new tunes as he plays. You smile to yourself every time you hear it, and hope he’ll let you into his world of music sometime soon. 

You alternate weeks to have dinner with your parents and Wayne. Both houses are warm and welcoming, and the food is always good, but the conversation is even better. Wayne is a riot, always cracking jokes that make you snort with laughter between bites of food. You see where Eddie gets his sense of humor, even though he rolls his eyes at some of the cornier jokes Wayne makes.  With your parents, it’s a bit different. They’re just happy to hear about everything you and Eddie get up to. They treat Eddie like part of the family, except now, they love him even more for making you so happy. And, of course, your mom is absolutely thrilled when you come in the first time holding hands. She jokes about what your wedding will look like, and while you do get embarrassed at her playful jabs, you do it with a smile and a laugh, as Eddie does. 

When just after six months pass, you’re sitting at Eddie’s with him one night during one of your Friday night game show dinners. You’re both poking at your Chinese food, watching intently as you try to guess the puzzle on Wheel of Fortune. You figure it out, the phrase being “One in the hand is worth two in the bush,” and yelling at the TV, taunting the contestant spinning the wheel before turning to Eddie and laughing. His gaze on you is warm, those eyes you’ve come to seek most boring into yours as he laughs at your silliness.  

“I love you,” He suddenly says, his eyes sure and stable on you. Your smile drops for a second, stunned at the confession. You would be a flat out liar if you said you had never thought about hearing those words, but still, it’s disarming to hear them so out of the blue like this. You’re not even 100% sure you heard him right. You stare back at him, your heart leaping in your chest, and Eddie’s eyes start to dart around the room, backpedaling as if he almost wished he could take the words back. The last thing he would ever want is to scare you.  

“What did you say?” You ask breathlessly. The smile that starts to break out on your face is full of wonder, full of joy. Eddie’s mild panic cools when he sees it, and he takes a calming breath as he looks at you properly again. 

“I- I love you,” He states again. There’s no trace of doubt in his voice. Just wariness that you might not say it back. Not that that wouldn’t be okay, but still, you’re sure he’d like to hear it. You let out a little laugh before throwing yourself at him, overcome with the need to be as close to him as possible. You pull him in for an earth-shattering kiss, legs tangling together as you lay on him, and he holds you tight against him, the embrace absolutely crushing in the best possible way. 

When you pull away, your gaze is steady on those beautiful, deep brown eyes, hands going to hold his face as you feel the words building in your chest, pushing their way out like a new flower in Spring. “I love you, too.” Eddie’s smile blossoms across his plush lips as he pulls you in for another kiss. This one is a bit softer, but still, you feel like you could melt in the palms of his hands. 

“You love me?” He whispers, his forehead laying against yours. You bite your lip, your eyes closed as you breathe this perfect moment in, and give a small nod.  

“I think... I think I always have,” You’ve been remembering all the time you spent around Eddie and Y/BFF/N as a teenager, wishing to have what she had. It took you a long time to come to terms with the fact that you not only wanted what, but who, too.  

Eddie rubs his nose gently against yours, and he kisses you once, twice, three times, feather light on your lips. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to catch up,” He murmurs against you. 

“It’s okay,” You promise. “You were definitely worth waiting for.”  

@corrodedcoffincumslut @haylaansmi @bebe07011 @callsignraver

[humanerrers]

By Kamal Almashharawi

I was a young child, living in the Jabaliya area, in the north of Gaza, when I first saw an Israeli soldier up close. The Israel Defense Forces invaded the camp and our home. They stayed for three days. After that, I was afraid of Israelis. I always thought that they were coming to kill or kidnap me.

And yet I know the world can be better. I’ve seen how people in other conflicts have worked toward coexistence, and I know that one day I will work to better Gaza, to rebuild our community and to move forward. But this week I took the only opportunity that secured my immediate future: to flee.

I’m a Palestinian raised in the Gaza Strip, so I have long known conflict. My family are refugees from 1948; my grandmother used to tell me really great stories about our village, Al Muharraqa. It was on the eastern border of Gaza, about nine miles from Gaza City.

Still, every other time there has been a war in Gaza, it hasn’t really come to this level of intensity. This is the first time in my life I really didn’t know where to go or if I would survive at all. But because I have seen a different version of this world, I still held out hope.

Seven years after those first soldiers invaded my home, I met Israelis on my own terms. I was 15; my brother encouraged me to apply to attend Seeds of Peace, a summer camp in the United States that promotes coexistence and looks for future community leaders. Seeds gave me a full scholarship. It was 2015; one year after another war with Israel and seven years into the blockade that made travel into and out of Gaza nearly impossible. Attending camp was my first chance to leave the strip. The opportunity changed my life.

Gazans don’t really get to meet people outside the region. We don’t really get to travel and explore the world. With Seeds, I not only got to see beyond Gaza, I also learned how to describe my story in a way that touched others, connecting my life to the lives of others. I took the chance because I wanted Israelis and others to see how a Gazan has lived and survived. I wanted them to learn that we deserve to live. And I wanted to educate them about the culture here in Gaza in a way that could push them to take serious actions back in their communities.

Mr. Almashharawi this summer in Maine, second from right, with Seeds of Peace staff members from the United States, the Middle East and South Asia.Credit...Bobbie Gottschalk

After Seeds, I continued to take courses in political science and peace building. I attended law school at Al-Azhar University in Gaza and focused on conflict resolution. Two years ago, I attended a program based in Jerusalem — remotely — that also helped me build the skills I need to work toward peace building in and outside the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. I traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and met with people who had been involved in reaching the Good Friday Agreement. I now have friends from conflict zones around the world. And, this summer, Seeds of Peace asked me to help plan and set up its community action program, trying to teach the kids how to take serious actions in their communities.

Meanwhile, I went to work as a legal officer at a solar energy company, SunBox, trying to bring electricity to Gazans who, even before this conflict, would often go many hours without power. I had relocated to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for my work. I returned to Gaza for my sister’s wedding party and to visit my company’s solar projects in Gaza just before Oct. 7.

The past seven weeks were horrendous. When the war began, I was with 85 members of my family. We didn’t stay in one place for long. Instead, we moved across the strip from Gaza City to Khan Younis, Khan Younis to Rafah, Rafah to Khan Younis and then back to Gaza City, to my parents’ home, forever in search of safety.

For weeks, our daily routine consisted of finding clean water to drink and charging our phones. Even that could take hours and hours. Each morning, some people would go to get bread, some people to get other food and some people to get water. The luckiest were those who came back with something. But then as the fighting got closer, we had to hide in our basement, and we couldn’t go out at all.

We returned to Khan Younis earlier this month, traveling for hours by foot and donkey cart. All around us were shots and explosions. The roads were full of sand and sewage and bodies. It was very dangerous, but we couldn’t stay in Gaza City — all the kids in my family were starting to get sick. We simply had nothing to give them. I myself had gone days without food. Nothing felt certain.

Then, on Thursday, I had the enormous good fortune to cross into Egypt with part of my family, including my parents. To depart Gaza is excruciating. We leave behind friends and family to face the continued horrific reality of life lived between the rubble of their houses. I am so grateful my family has survived but saddened the people of Gaza are not surviving.

After all this, I still know two things for sure: Civilians should not be in the middle of this, and coexistence remains the only solution to this conflict.

I think there are two main steps toward making this happen. The first is on the personal and community level: People need to believe that there’s a chance for both peoples to exist at the same time and live peacefully. This could happen through schools, starting from raising awareness and promoting coexistence activities. That was a major part of what happened in Northern Ireland.

But there then must be another step at the government and international level. Countries and governments around the world have to promote the idea of coexistence and acceptance that both peoples deserve to live on the same land, peacefully, without the need to be biased toward one people over another.

I believe in coexistence as a solution because I’m fed up. And the more than two million people living in Gaza are fed up with conflicts. We need to live peacefully, as the people live on the other side of the fence. I think it’s possible; there just needs to be more effort invested in making it happen.

It’s going to take so much time to rebuild everything. But the devastation I see is not just about reconstructing those pieces of concrete. It’s about the stories behind those walls and houses. We need to restore those lives, those stories, too. And for that we need people to care about those stories — the very sort of connections I’ve made in my experiences with conflict resolution.

I think we can rebuild, even if it takes 50 or 60 years. We can find global interest in reinvesting in projects affected or damaged by the war. We need peace. Whatever the war does to this beautiful place, we will fix it. When I return, I will work to fix it.

[reyesstrand]

fanwork rec friday

thanks for the tag/putting this together @welcometololaland and @carlos-in-glasses for tagging me!

rules: rec a fanwork (fic, gifset, fanart, podfic - bonus points if you do multiple mediums) that made you feel warm and fuzzy inside (the 'feel good' fanwork). there’s going to be…….a lot because i’m so indecisive and this is such a talented fandom so!!!

just want to start with such a genuine note of appreciation for every content creator—it’s been a seemingly tumultuous period regarding the treatment of creators and i just want to bow down to every writer, artist, gifmaker, editor, creator. i want to bow down to everyone who comments, who reblogs, who shares work. we’re truly a little community here and it’s so special to see and the fandom wouldn’t be the same without each and every one of you <3 i’m so sure i’ll end up forgetting people here but i can’t wait to see the roundup to see everyone getting love <3

to build a home (fic) by @freneticfloetry

to love is to undress our names (fic) by @rmd-writes

i only want to be with you (fic) by @ladytessa74

16 weeks (fic) by @paperstorm

a mighty ocean or a gentle kiss (fic) by @strandnreyes

to build a home (tarlos fanvid) by @velvet-ink

francesca (tarlos fanvid) by @lonestardust

tarlos engagement kiss (tarlos gif) by @rosedavid

meeting the loves of their lives at the honky tonk (tarlos/gracejudd parallel gifset) from @lonestardaily

tarlos in the loft (tarlos gifset) by @lutavero

tarlos deleted s4 kisses (tarlos gifset) from @tarlossource

food as a love language (126 gifset) by @nelsonnicks

tk doing background shit (tk gifset) by @maxbegone

art by @birdclowns : tk and nancy / tarlos soulmates / tarlos “soon”

tarlos art by @herosiris

tarlos art by @heartstringsduet

tarlos drawn animation by @reyeslonestar

tarlos wedding art by @alwaysablossom

tarlos “being alive” art by @ambiguouspenny

nancymarjan art by @iinryer

tk and marjan art (plus marjan fic!!) by @iinryer

physical comfort (tarlos gifset) by tailoredshirt

the 126 celebrating each other (126 gifset) by @guardian-angle22

proposal face squish (tarlos gifset) by @3416

tk strand terms of endearment (tk/others gifset) by @lutavero

paramedic mom and her paramedic children (tnt gifset) by tailoredshirt

tarlos leg touches (tarlos gifset) by @lutavero

perhaps the world ends here (tarlos gifset) by @maxbegone

tarlos + blue (tarlos gifset) by @ayan-sukkhapisit

sleepy (126 gifset) by @ropoto

3am at the tarlos loft (tarlos gifset) by @ropoto

miracle (tarlos vows gifset) by @guardian-angle22

tarlos hugs (tarlos gif) by @chaotictarlos

come on nance (tk gifset) by @angeltk

tarlos dancing in the background (tarlos gifset) by @angeltk

no pressure tagging everyone included above, along with @alrightbuckaroo @morganaspendragonss @marjansmarwani @beautifulhigh @sunshinestrand @theghostofashton @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut and open-tagging anyone who wants to participate!!