#you get your reputation ruined and the public and media turn on you

[champagneshoey]

.

[sparklingchim]

game on | jjk

pairing: jungkook x reader

word count: 2.2k

genre: footballer!jungkook, fake dating, f2l

rating: pg

warnings: koo gets scolded for sleeping around 🥺, playboy jk <3, hints of a threesome 🫢, oc fights w a laundry machine

summary: jungkook is in desperate need to polish up his playboy image, and naturally, he turns to you for help.

a/n: hii my pretty besties!!!! it's my bday😋 so i wanted to share this silly piece i've been having so much fun writing!!! love uuu n treat urself to smth nice for me today <3 mwah😙

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

Jeon Jungkook is a charming man – and he is well aware of the fact. He plays that card effortlessly.

Most of the time, it works in his favour.

But sometimes, it backfires spectacularly and gets him into trouble.

Which is why he stands in front of his fuming manage, who is radiating enough anger to fill the entire office.

The sight isn’t foreign to Jungkook. He wouldn’t say he is used to it, but he has found himself often enough in this situation to recognise the signs of deep trouble.

Not only is Jungkook’s charm complicating things, but the fact that he is famous too.

Sometimes, he uses that as an advantage. Not in an obvious way — never by flaunting his own achievements or demanding special treatment.

That’s not his style.

His name alone carries weight, and he knows how to let it work for him, quietly bending the world to his will... until the world pushes back.

And right now, it’s pushing back hard.

One thing Jeon Jungkook does enjoy about being a pro footballer, though, is the way women obsess over him.

He knows they love him – sees it in the comments they leave on his ig posts, sees it in the DMs flooding his inbox daily, and experiences it firsthand at public events, where hordes of fans scream his name. Jungkook thrives on that attention.

However, something he doesn’t love, and what he was never prepared for, is the media. The way they scrutinise his every move, how his face ends up on every headline anytime he does something remotely noteworthy.

And now, thanks to his latest shenanigan getting caught by the press, here he is. Standing in front of his manager, Taesung, and his PR agent, Jiwoo, eyes downcast, bracing himself for the scolding that’s already begun.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Jungkook.”

His manager speaks in a flat, monotonous voice, void of even the slightest hint of disappointment, as if he’d long since given up expecting anything different.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean up the mess you leave behind?”

A sense of guilt creeping up on Jungkook, even though he knows if he were just a regular guy, none of this would matter at all. And he finds it a bit unfair.

But to survive in this business, you can’t complain about unfairness.

“Have you completely lost your mind?” Taesung barks.

Jungkook remains silent. He forces himself to.

“If there was more involved than just alcohol-”

“No! Nothing like that,” he denies, his response firm and immediate. “It was just alcohol – and, well, just good vibes because we won the last match, and with the World Cup being next, everyone was just really excited.”

If he had known what kind of trouble a simple, innocent celebration of his team’s win at a club would bring, he would’ve gone straight home yesterday. He would’ve skipped the rounds of drinks, the flashing lights, the loud music, and definitely the attention. But hindsight was useless now.

“Good,” his manager says. “I’m glad you were happy.” Mock sympathy drips from his voice. “Perhaps the last time you are going to be happy this year.”

Jungkook nods, accepting the gravity of the situation. No more clubs, no more parties, no more girls.

At least, not for a while. His reputation had taken a few hits recently, and this latest mess wasn’t helping. He could almost hear the whispers: reckless, irresponsible, unprofessional. The kind of things that could ruin him if he didn’t get a handle on it.

He clenched his jaw. No more distractions. From now on, it was all about the game. He needed to remind everyone why he was Jeon Jungkook — the best on the field, not just the headlines.

“You’re no longer in for the World Cup. You’re out.”

His head snaps up at that. Did he hear that right?

“What?! What do you mean?”

“Myungbo doesn’t want you on the team anymore.” Taesung’s words sound heavy and final.

Jungkook’s heart pounds in his ears.

His world tilts. The room seems to spin, the edges of his vision darkening. This wasn’t just a setback — it was a disaster. The World Cup was everything to him, and now it felt like it was slipping through his fingers. The crushing weight of the news settles on his chest, making it hard to breathe. One silly night is all that happened.

He can’t believe that a single photo of him leaving the club with two girls clinging to each arm has cost him his spot on the national football team. He went home with two girls – so what?

But he doesn’t voice his frustration. He knows better than to add fuel to the fire. Speaking his mind now would only escalate the situation and make things worse. Jungkook knows from experience.

He swallows hard, forcing himself to stay calm. His pulse is still racing, but he takes a deep breath, focusing on controlling his emotions. He has to keep a level head if he’s going to find a way to fix this.

“There has to be a way to fix this.” His eyes move to Jiwoo, his PR agent. “Right?”

His manager fixes him with a stern glare. “Jungkook, remember the promise you gave everyone a few months ago?” Taesung reminds him.

Jungkook cringes. When he made a promise to avoid actions that might damage his reputation, he didn’t think it’d be that serious. He cut back on going out, made the effort to play the role of the “good boy” but really – come on. He can’t maintain that facade for an eternity. Especially after a triumphant victory like yesterday’s.

Taking away his spot on the national football team? He didn’t think that was possible.

“How many more times do we have to fix your problems, because you don’t care enough? How many times do we have to repeat this scenario?”

“I promise I’ll better myself,” he pleads desperately, looking back and forth between his manager and his PR agent. Someone has to believe him, help him.

“Do you genuinely believe this country wants to be represented by a 20-year-old boy, who can’t keep his personal life under control?” Taesung asks, eyebrows deeply pinched together. “This isn’t just about you, Jungkook. It’s about the team, the fans, and the nation. They need a role model, not a scandal waiting to happen.”

“I know. I know.” Jungkook scrambles for something convincing to say, desperate to sway their decision. This can’t be it. He won’t let his career take a hit because of something like this. “But – but this isn’t too bad. This is fixable. I can fix this.” His voice quivers with a desperation he barely recognises as his own. “Jiwoo.” Jungkook turns to her with pleading eyes. “You always know what to do. Please, help me”

“I did propose an idea but-”

“We’re not doing that,” Taesung cuts in. “It’s off the table.”

“What is it?” Jungkook’s eyes bounce back and forth between them. “I’ll do anything. This is – this is everything to me. You have to give me a chance.”

Taesung scoffs. “A chance? As far as I know, you have been given countless chances.”

Sweat coats the back of Jungkook’s neck.

Taesung understands just how much Jungkook has fought to secure his place on the national team. He’s well aware that it’s one of Jungkook’s greatest dreams, a pinnacle of his career that he’s poured countless hours of hard work and sacrifice into. That’s why, each morning, when he wakes up to the latest news of Jungkook’s escapades, he feels a deep sense of disappointment, texting Jungkook with a dejected shake of his head to visit his office first thing in the morning.

When it’s all he wants, like Jungkook claims, why doesn’t he act like it?

“If the head coach won’t give me a chance now, he’ll never do. This is my last opportunity to change his mind, make him rethink. I need to at least try.”

Jiwoo looks at the manager, waiting for his approval. He nods.

“Very simply put: you need a girlfriend,” she says.

For a second, Jungkook is at loss for words.

“A girlfriend? How’s that going to help?” Jungkook tilts his head in confusion. This is not how he thought Jiwoo was going to save him.

“You need a girlfriend to help polish up your image as a player. It’ll make you appear more like a gentleman, softer and nicer. We need to completely shift public perception and counter the negative image they’ve formed about you. It’s all about changing the narrative,” she explains.

“And that is not something we can easily achieve,” Taesung interjects. “Rebranding your entire persona is not feasible at this stage. You’ve been projecting what kind of boy you are to the media for the past two years. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to make a sudden shift look genuine.”

“No! We — I can make it seem real. This is my only chance,” Jungkook insists, his voice gaining a hint of determination. For a moment, breathing feels a bit easier again. “The World Cup is just a month away. That’s enough time to shift public opinion and prove I’m worthy of representing the country on the team.” There’s a hopeful lilt in his voice as he speaks, clinging to the belief that he might not have to bid farewell to his biggest dream after all.

But his manager doesn’t look as hopeful as Jungkook feels.

“How are we going to find a girl who will agree to this? Someone who isn’t an obsessive fan, understands this is purely professional, and can keep quiet? You won’t be able to pull this off.”

“I was actually thinking-” Jiwoo starts, but she’s cut off.

Jungkook hesitates, glancing between them before speaking. “Actually... I think I already have someone in mind.” His voice is more measured now. “That’s not the issue.” Jungkook doesn’t need to think twice.

Taesung sighs while Jiwoo looks at Jungkook apologetically.

“You can’t rebrand your entire persona from a playboy to a lover boy within a month, Jungkook. This is over.” His manager shakes his head, a sense of finality glimmering in his eyes.

One thing that Jungkook forgot to mention is that he is an extremely competitive man, too.

~

“This is ridiculous.”

You kick the laundry machine in frustration, but all you end up doing is yelping and clutching your aching foot.

“That’s the third time this month,” you mutter under your breath. “What did I even spend all that money on if it’s just going to break down whenever it feels like it?”

You shoot a death glare at the machine, teetering on the edge of losing your mind.

“Guess I’ll have to use the public laundromat again,” you sigh, grabbing the overflowing laundry basket filled with your and your roommate's clothes, and heading out of the bathroom with a huff.

On your way to the front door, the doorbell rings.

Please, you think. You were hoping for some quiet, uninterrupted time to deep-clean your dorm on this peaceful Sunday with no one around.

But when you peek through the peephole and see Jungkook standing there, your frustration melts away. You swing the door open, the laundry basket tumbling to the floor beside you in your haste.

“Jungkook!” you exclaim. “You’re timing is perfect! Can you please fix my laundry machine again? It’s been acting up, and I’m getting frustrated.” You groan annoyed.

Jungkook doesn’t share the same excitement upon seeing you.

You grow smaller and take an indecisive step back.

“What’s wrong?” you ask, noticing the tension in his features. “Did you lose the match yesterday? I couldn’t keep up because I had too much cramming to do last night.”

While studying medicine had always been your dream, the reality is less exciting. Right now, it means sleepless nights and relentless pressure. You know that pursuing this path will offer you many privileges later in life, but you have to suffer first.

“I need your help.”

His dark eyes, usually bright and full of energy, seem clouded with worry, and his hair falls messily over his forehead, like he’s run his hands through it a hundred times in frustration.

“Are you okay?” You study him closely, scanning his face for any signs of injury. Physically, he seems fine — still tall, muscular, and as fit as ever. But something is clearly off.

“You need to do something for me.”

“I can help,” you reply, your voice soft with concern. ‘But what is it…?”

“Can you be my girlfriend?”

You blink, repeatedly.

“Huh?”

You start giggling when he doesn’t add more. You expect him to clarify or laugh along, but Jungkook stays serious, stepping closer and gently taking your hands in his. You look down at them, then back up at his face, utterly bewildered.

“You’re silly, Jungkook. If someone on the team made you do this, tell them you did the punishment and quit acting so weird.”

It’s too early in the morning for Jungkook’s nonsense.

“No, ___, you don’t understand.” He squeezes your hands when he feels you trying to pull them back. “I actually need you to do it.”

“Do what?”

“Fake date me.”

[sheep-from-rad]

Imagines: Batfam x Social Media Handler! Reader pt. II

Note: This is a random idea. I also had coffee and I’m now allowed to have coffee because it makes me throw up sometimes. Well, i’ll get on that later but right now let me publish is mini idea Original: Batfam x Social Media handler! reader Masterlist

After coming back from a good two months of annual Wayne paid vacation, you were immediately greeted by a salary raise, a few more tasks added on your weekly routine, an access to the liquor cabinets and a private therapy. 

One of the new tasks added to your weekly routine is playing fan made games. No, not those games made by big companies but those fanmade itch io dating games. It was Stephanie’s idea, she said that it’s a good idea to keep track of fan’s headcanons and see if a thing is too close to their real identity. The rest of the family shrugged at the idea but now you have a throwaway account for all those games in case you need to sign in and a smaller bank account for paid DLCs. 

Unfortunately, from one to two games a week, you now have to review double the amount because Nightwing accidentally quoted a word for word line from one of the dating games during his patrol. Their idols playing their fan made game= happy fans. Happy fans= more games made. More games made=more stuff for you to review. You now record the gameplay as well and you send it to them during their downtimes to share whatever cringe you come across with. 

Reading fanfics also got added to your weekly routine. The Batfam usually just ignore fanfics most of the time until that one Damian Wayne x reader fanfic got viral in the media. The plot is good really, it’s a fake dating turned real dating  AU where Damian blends in the society with fellow vigilante reader by masquerading as lovers at day. It was good but it almost blew his cover as Robin when hardcore readers started following Damian during school time and then following his other persona during patrols. Damian had to exchange patrol schedules with Tim for a week because of the thing. The fanfic reading is a rare task though because Jason already reads most of it during his breaks. 

The pay raise wasn’t just because of the new tasks added to your job, it was also a compensation for every horror you have witnessed and will be witnessing while handling DMs. Handling creepy/flirty DMs is normal given that you’re the first person that will always read them but you forgot the fact that handling DMs means also opening the private and public accounts at 4 a.m. in the morning and suddenly being greeted by nudes. Kate made a good suggestion for Alfred to give you an access to the liquor cabinet because sometimes coffee is really not strong enough. 

Speaking of handling public account DMs, handling Bruce’s public account is like reading the gossip page of the newspaper every morning. His DMs can be sorted to three things: Business related messages (which you redirects to Lucius Fox), party and social gathering invitations, and of course, nudes and ex-flings claiming that Bruce is their kid’s father (and occasional threats that they will ruin Bruce’s reputation if they don’t pay child support or take them back as a romantic partner). Most of the Friday reports are just you making appointments for paternity testings. Of course, how can you forget? You can’t handle Bruce’s DMs around the Batkids. The last time it happened, Jason took control of the account, and posted embarrassing pictures on the business page.

[lomlhwa]

scandal (l.c)

pairing: idol!reader x idol!chan

preview: you got into a dating scandal with another idol and chan is not happy. it should've been him, he's your actual boyfriend after all.

tags/warnings: fem reader, mentions of beomgyu and other idols, possessive chan, kisses galore, pet names (pretty, baby, my love, angel), oral (fem.receiving), holding hands while fucking, so much praise, monster cock chan, marking, did i say possessive?, unprotected penetration (wrap it before you tap it), creampie

trigger warnings: n/a

wc: 1.8k

song rec for this fic: obsession by exo

a/n: i tried making fake tweets + texts for this how did i do? also i just threw in random female idols to make a fake group lol

you sigh, putting your phone down and rubbing your temples. dating as an idol is so tiring and sometimes you honestly forget why you even try. but you love your boyfriend so much. beomgyu is your good friend and sometimes you fail to remember to be sneaky when hanging out. even small things like going out to eat together makes fans assume you’re madly in love. this isn’t the first time you’ve been roped into media with beomgyu and you’re certain it won’t be the last. 

with your swift rise to fame, you’ve had many dating scandals in your time. what pisses chan off the most is the fact that it’s never been him that you’ve had a scandal with. you’ve gone out on many public dates before and no one has ever picked up on the fact that you’re together. he even kissed you in the view of a sasaeng one time and they didn’t notice. he wonders if it’s intentional on the media’s part or if they’re seriously just that oblivious. 

you run your hand through your hair, trying to fathom why the general public knowing about your relationship is so important to him. everyone within the industry knows so why does everyone else have to? relationships can ruin idol reputations and he doesn’t seem to care. maybe it’s because you’re both already so big that he’s not worried? or he’s hoping your fans are just accepting enough to be okay with it? 

your members come wandering into the living room and you’re quick to compose yourself. you don’t want them to know you’re having relationship problems again. “you okay, y/n?” minji asks you, concern spreading on her face. you nod and smile to the best of your abilities. “hmm, i don’t believe you but we have schedules so i’m not gonna push,” karina shakes her head before gesturing for you to follow the group out the door. you gather your things and do your best not to think about anything but the late night ahead of you. 

___________________________________________

after a late night at dance practice you finally get the time to check your phone. you know chan had a fansign today so you decide to check on some of his fan accounts. you smile as you’re met with cute photos of him posing with gifts from fans. you find lots of updates on things he said as well. his current favorite movies, foods, tv shows and… songs. of course he mentions you. it’s cute that he listens to your music and likes to promote you to fans. 

you jump as you realize sana is perched over your shoulder, reading your text messages. “he’s gonna get in trouble when people realize he keeps talking about you,” she comments, clicking her tongue. you sigh dramatically, slouching your shoulders. “that’s what he wants.” suddenly all your members are gathered around you, confused as to what you’re talking about. “i got into another scandal with beomgyu and chan is jealous that it’s not him. so he’s putting in extra effort to try and get people to assume things.” your members share a weird look between them before turning back to you. “i think you should go on the most public date ever and make sure everyone knows you’re with lee chan of seventeen,” lily smiles brightly at you. this comment shocks you a little but you agree. 

“will you guys help me set up a giant celebration at the restaurant under our dorm?” you ask and they all agree excitedly. you all rush to get back to your dorm, eager to plan an extravagant dinner for you and your boyfriend. you talk to the owners of the restaurant and they agree to vacate the restaurant for you. they even promise to make food on the house. your girls help you pick the perfect outfit, hair and makeup for the event. they even “accidentally” tell a well known media outlet that you have plans for tomorrow and they should be there. 

___________________________________________

you sit in eager anticipation waiting for your boyfriend to show up. you can see a photographer out of the corner of your eye, waiting for something to happen. you hear the backdoor open and chan walks in, confidence filling his every step. your eyes fall on the suit he chose for tonight. he left his blazer undone, showing off that the buttons resting on his chest were begging to burst open. 

“hello, my love,” he says as he pecks your cheek before sitting down across from you. “what’s the occasion for such a fancy dinner?” his face changes to panic for a moment before he speaks again; “did i miss our anniversary? your birthday?” you shake your head and chuckle just as a waitress comes scurrying out of the kitchen with pre prepared food. you thank her and shoot her a quick wink before turning back to your lover. chan looks at you with an unreadable expression, but you hope it’s positive.

the two of you eat your food happily, the atmosphere feeling very comfortable. your share anecdotes from your lives as idols, laughing that the ridiculousness of your respective companies. before long, your meal is coming to an end. chan gives you a look you know all too well and you’re quick to scurry away, up the stairs and to your dorm. your boyfriend follows swiftly behind you after thanking all the staff. 

you thank your members mentally as you enter your normally occupied dorm. as soon as the door is closed, chan’s hands are on you. he drags you by your hips, crashing you against him. he kisses you with such aggression that you would think he was trying to eat you. your tongues tangle like snakes, drool spilling from the corner of your mouth. “fuck, baby. you’re so sexy, you know that?” he connects his lips to your jawline, sucking on your skin gently. he sucks dark red marks on your collar bones, taking a moment to lean back and admire his work. 

“jump,” he mutters as he hooks his hands under your thighs. you hop and he catches you before quickly scurrying towards your room. he lays you down on your bed, pressing your legs wide open. he groans as he realizes you aren’t wearing any panties. you bite your lip as he admires you. “stop fucking me with your eyes and fuck me for real,” you demand. chan drops to his knees in front of you, desperation filling his eyes. you lift yourself onto your elbows so you can see him better. he kisses his way up your thighs before meeting his lips with your drenched core. 

his skilled tongue darts out to circle your clit, small whines escaping from your throat. he grips your thighs, holding you exactly where he wants you. he slurps and drinks you up as you twitch and squirm under him. he focuses his attention on your sensitive clit, rubbing his tongue back and forth over it. “channie, please please ple-ah,” he silences you with a harsh smack to your inner thigh. “let me enjoy your cunt. god, i love that you’re mine,” he presses kisses against your slit, licking a fat stripe up it to follow. “fucking mine.”

he grazes his teeth over your clit, drinking in the way you squeak and raise your hips towards his mouth. your hands fly to his hair and drag his mouth back to you. he chuckles before he wraps his lips around your clit, sucking on it before letting it go with a small ‘pop.’ you grind your core against his face, his nose brushing your clit as you get more and more desperate for release. “you have the most perfect pussy, baby. could eat you forever.”

a low moan slips from his lips as he watches you clench around nothing at his words. he places one final kiss to your core before rising off his knees. “you’re so tasty, angel. but i think i might explode if i don’t get inside you.” he reaches down to undo his pants and let them pool around his ankles. he aligns himself with your desperate hole before pressing in gently. “my pretty, pretty girl.” he grabs your hands and intertwines all ten of your fingers with his. a gesture like this always felt so romantic to you. 

he arms flex in reaction as you clench around him in an eager effort to get him to move. he draws his hips back slowly before returning himself to the hilt. your eyes cross and your back arches off the bed as he repeats this ritual over and over before he can’t take the slow pace anymore. he tightens his grip on your hands as he speeds up, the sounds of skin slapping filling the room. he stares between the two of you, watching as he disappears and reappears between your legs.”fuck, baby. you’re all mine. i don’t care what the media says. i’m the one fucking you. not beomgyu, me.” you nod your head, panting like a dog in the summer heat. “say it. who does this pussy belong to?” he thrusts into you faster, as if to make it harder for you to answer. “y-you, chan. fuck, it’s all yours.”

he lets go of your hands and opts to wrap his arms around your waist, pressing his face into your chest. he ruts into you with such vigor you think you might snap in half. he lifts you partially off the bed so you’re kind of sitting in his lap. your grind down on him, desperate for more. “channie… god, need it so bad,” you plead, your orgasm threatening to rip its way out of you. he runs his tongue between the valley of your breasts before pulling back to look at your face.

“keep eye contact with me while you finish. let me see how fucking good i make you feel.” you nod, digging your teeth into your bottom lip as he connects the pad of his thumb to your clit. you let out a deep sigh and fight your hardest not to throw your head back. the way chan looks at you through his sweaty bangs has you seeing stars. “cumming. oh my god i’m cumming,” you cry out as your whole body spasms. “yeah, that’s it baby. squeeze my cock like that.” your arms give out and you fall back onto the bed, gripping the sheets until your knuckles turn white. 

your lover’s orgasm is quick to follow, ropes of cum painting your walls white. he moans and whines out your name like a hymn, gripping your waist so hard you might bruise. you twitch as he rides out the last of his high before stilling completely. he pulls out of you slowly before laying next to you. he pulls you tightly against him, panting slightly as he settles. “i promise i don’t care what the media says. i love you."

___________________________________________

© lomlhwa 2024

[starwrighter]

1/?? Halloween prompt

I’ve got brain rot for creepy Deadserious content but only when it’s only seen as creepy by outsiders. (I know I’m writing a fic with a similar plot but it’s different I swear! Also my grammar is shit because I’m getting dental work done tomorrow and I’m nervous) Tw for stalker behavior

So Damian has a crush on Danny and immediately goes about acting on these feelings much to onlookers horror. Danny is swooning because someone made the effort to do a background check on him. Danny thinks Damian doing this is really smart because, he could be a serial killer for ancients sake why would you risk that? Others say this is a horrible invasion of privacy.

Damian not realizing he's being creepy (being liminal and being an ex assassin, turned vigilante wasn't doing him any favors) Plus Danny also not realizing it's creepy unless you relay Damian behavior towards him with different names.

Damian's just being a textbook stalker, breaking into his house and shit and Danny's all like "awwww he likes me" because this is just normal ghostly courting rituals! His dormroom isn't his lair so Damian breaking in doesn't feel like he's violating any sort of boundary. To him it's like a friend showing up at the coffee shop you work at to say hi.

Danny's had stalkers before, he's very cautious of his behavior to insure he never stalked anyone. Being stalked back in Amity was a horrific experience for him. From cameras in the locker rooms at school (wes) to cameras in his bathroom and bedroom at home (Vlad)! He couldn't feel safe anywhere! To Danny Damian's not a stalker, he's his protector. Nobody seems to understand when he tries to explain this though they just look at him like he's lost his mind.

Damian’s not subtle at all and Danny’s kicking his feet like a lovesick school girl who found out her crush likes her back. Overall it’s super cute from their points of view Damian’s planning an official confession to ask him on a date while Danny’s trying to figure out if Damian actually likes him or is just being nice. They’re just doing normal couple things but people just jump and attack Damian’s character while painting Danny as some kind of brainwashed victim.

The thing is… Danny’s become very good at appearing normal while Damian refuses to pretend to be a bumbling idiot like the rest of his family. He also refuses to dull down his personality for anything other than secret identity reasons. For these reasons since their relationship had become public, Damian had been painted by the media as a creepy possessive boyfriend who threatened Danny into a relationship. This infuriates Danny, the only one doing any kind of possession is him god damn it!

They want to be around each other all the time and that’s normal behavior for ghost/liminal couples! They live much longer than regular humans do they’re like elves, their perceptions of time are messed up. They still spend time apart they still have hobbies and an independent life, people just get hung up on the amount of time they do spend together. It’s normal behavior for them to know mountains of information about each others interests to the point they almost know more than each other. It’s normal to know each other’s schedules and background check the people they associate with. (The realms are very dangerous with shapeshifters and manipulators like spectra and Desiree who can ruin your afterlife in a matter of minutes) Their relationship is creepy to those who haven’t gone to extremes to survive.

Damian has taken to ignoring the reputation press has given him. He’s dealt with paparazzi and tabloids before it’s just frustrating to deal with. It’s when people start accusing him of hurting his beloved that really pisses him off.

(Bonus if Danny’s the one frothing at the mouth to maul a reporter while they try to paint him as a poor innocent victim)

I’mma end the prompt with this so everyone understands why Damian specifically being targeted by press. The more liminal you are the more creepy/uncanny you appear to other people and the more effort you have to put in to hide it. It’s why the bats are more believed to be Eldritch creatures than actual humans in suits. Surprisingly becoming a Halfa completely changes this effect to do the complete opposite. It’s easier for the human brain to look at a halfa and think “Innocent or normal,” Vlad and Danny were morons when it came to actually hiding their identity’s it was only their statuses as halfa’s that prevented people from comprehending them being anything other than normal.

In short Damian’s too dead to be perceived as normal while Danny’s too alive to be perceived as anything other than normal.

[themultifanshipper]

George knew he was fucked.

Well, preferably he was going to be doing the fucking.

Warnings: being disgusting in public, infidelity? Kinda fluffy? Idk

George spotted you from across the paddock on media day. You were new on the media team but you were already proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Didn't take anyone's bullshit, didn't ask mundane, stupid questions that made the drivers internally cringe. You were smart, that much was obvious the first time meeting you, and it didn't take long for the drivers to warm to you, especially George.

He was instantly drawn to you and always went out of his way to talk to you first, guaranteeing he'd be in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Then he spotted you from across the dance floor after the last race of the season, at some overpriced privatised club everyone was invited to celebrate at.

You were wearing a strapless thing that showed off your figure, perhaps more than was appropriate, but it was certainly effective in making sure you caught his eye constantly, only leaving the dance floor periodically to get drinks.

Every time you walked past him he would catch your eye and you would exchange winks and conspiratorial grins.

That night, he decided he needed you. He walked over and you danced awkwardly for a while, in true George fashion, but the songs got slower and it quickly turned into dirty whispers and roaming hands.

If you asked anyone else, your behaviour would be qualified as indecent, and even Lando, the expert on public indecency, told you to "maybe cool it a bit". But George's thigh between your legs made it hard to think straight and soon enough the two of you needed your clothes off.

You inevitably ended up in his hotel room and he picked you apart, learning the ins and outs of your body.

He made you writhe, gasp, shiver and moan in pitches you didn't know you could manage, and you knew you were screwed. Ruined for anyone else.

That was the first time. And you both knew it wouldn't be the last. His house, his drivers room, various private jets, clubs, hotels all around the world, Charles' yacht (that was a night to remember, Charles' scream still ringing out in the collective memory).

You were convinced Carmen knew about it. How could she not? The two of you were inseperable, fucking like rabbits all over the place. It was clear to anyone who knew the two of you that you were made for each other.

But as it turned out Carmen didn't care at all, only interested in sponsors and her carefully curated PR image that made her rich. So the only reputation their breakup could hurt was George's.

And it didn't really hurt it, let's be honest. Famous, popular Mercedes formula 1 driver George Russell could pick whoever the fuck he wanted, and that was you.

You celebrated with champagne and a very drunken, very public wedding in Vegas at the Grand Prix, which just happened to be the next weekend...

It was quite the blowout. All the drivers showed up, showering you in champagne which almost made you cry with how symbolic it was of their acceptance of you into the F1 family.

But it didn't take long for you and George to dissappear into the night together, stumbling along, giggling away as you made your way slowly up to your hotel room.

He undressed you carefully, worshipping your body like it was made just for him. He spent over an hour between your legs, sliding his tongue over every inch of skin he could find, sucking and biting the sensitive skin until you were begging him for release, which he took pleasure in denying over and over again.

When he finally slid into you, rubbing gentle circles over your clit, you were so riled up you came instantly. The feeling of being filled and stretched enough to send you over the edge.

He didn't stop though as you held on to his hair and scratched down his back, driving the final nail in the coffin that sent him over the edge as well.

You fell asleep like that, and when you woke up you went again, and then once again after breakfast, plastic ring pops hanging on to your fingers for dear life.

You were in love with George Russell, and he was equally in love with you.

Horny bastards that you were.

[xomakara]

Only One For Me

SUMMARY | Hanging out with your friends at the hottest club in Chicago, you never expect to see Johnny after you had left the idol life, your friends and him after a scandal. Johnny says he misses you and shows you how much he really does miss you. PAIRINGS | Johnny/Fem!Reader GENRE | friends to lovers, smut, unprotected sex, fingering, dirty talk, angst, drama, fluff(?) towards the end. RATING | Mature LENGTH | 11,413 words AUTHOR'S NOTE | This was supposed to be short but I guess it turned out longer than I expected LOL. Once my fingers are on a roll, anything is possible haha. Anything in italics is spoken in Korean. Enjoy lol

Your music is not cut out for it. Who's gonna listen to that shit?

You shook those words from your mind as you tried to focus on what was happening in front of you. The lights were dimmed, there was pumped up music, countless sweaty bodies out on the dance floor, drunks making moves on men and women. It was hard not to focus on anything else but the music that the club was playing was horrible.

Who listened to this crap anymore?

You obviously didn’t.

“Ouu~ this song is my jam!” The dark-skinned girl next to you yelled out, wiggling in your seat. Tori was one of your best friends since high school and was notorious for being a party girl. Even at the age of twenty-eight, all she did was go to clubs, bars, and lounges.

And you blamed her for dragging you there.

“Everything is your jam, Tori!” Another woman, whose blond waves bounced about, yelled back. Becca was your other best friend from high school and was still the smartest person you knew. Since you left for Seoul a few years back, Becca was a successful business owner with a tendency to party nowadays. Tori was most likely rubbing off on her.

“Uh huh, but you’re dancing too!” Tori yelled right back. Both women wiggled in their seats, drinks in one hand.

You never really liked the club scene. You were much more reserved and preferred to be in a bar or lounge, where they tended to play better music and have less sweaty bodies. Those were the places where you got most of the inspiration for writing your own music. You were feeling a bit out of your element here.

“Come on, Y/N. Loosen up and let's get partying.” Becca danced in her seat next to you.

“No thanks.” You shook your head, swirling the alcoholic concoction in your hand with the stirrer. “I feel out of my comfort zone here.”

“Girl, don’t they party in Korea?” Becca asked, taking a sip of whatever drink she ordered, nodding her head to the music.

You shrugged. There were parties in Seoul but you were so busy working that you never had the time to go and party. Your days were packed with dance practices, song rehearsals, variety shows, music programs. It was hard being an idol.

Correction... 

An ex-idol.

You used to be a member of a now popular girl group but left due to differences in music and joined another company. The group you were in, tended to go for the cute songs and concepts but because you were the oldest of the group, you wanted to try something new. Something sexy or mature. But the company and the other girls didn't like it. ‘We would lose our public appeal’, they said.

Another reason why you left, certain sources claimed, was the scandal with a very popular male idol with a huge fanbase. Well… that was how the media portrayed it. But there was some truth to the news.

Glad you’re out of the group. We don’t need a whore like you ruining our reputation. You really thought a girl like you could really be with a top idol like him? Dream on, Y/N.

You shook your head, clearing your mind of those bad memories. In the wake of your scandal, you asked your new company if you could take a leave of absence or go on an indefinite hiatus. They gave you permission, halting what little schedules you had. You cut all your ties to any idol friends and boarded the next available plane to come back to the States. 

And here you were. 

Back home with family and friends.

A place you could truly feel at home.

“I was so busy working that I didn’t have time to party or even go out for drinks.” You replied, taking a sip of your alcoholic beverage. “I feel like I’ve forgotten how to party.”

Tori placed her now empty glass on the table and reached forward to link arms with you and Becca. “Well, come on girl! You’re back home and away from all that negativity! So let’s just have fun and dance!”

She had a point. You were away from all that negativity. All those bad vibes. You had a chance to be free.

The music in this joint still sucked though.

Tori led Becca and you to a clearing in the middle of the dance floor. Back during your high school and college days, you were considered a horrible dancer that lacked confidence but you guess those dance training lessons paid off. You still weren't an amazing dancer like other Korean idols but you could still hold your own. Plus, the alcohol flowing through your body made you feel free and relaxed. Swaying your hips and occasionally doing some body rolls seemed to attract some attention towards your way. You were suddenly feeling the hype and despite the bad music, your body wouldn’t stop moving. You really couldn’t believe that you forgot how to have fun.

“Ouuu~what song is this?” Tori asked excitedly as the beat and tempo of the music changed.

“Are they performing this song live or something?” Becca asked from in front of you.

It wasn't typical club music. That quickly died down to be replaced with the sounds of a live band playing. Different yet familiar to your ears.  The powerful drums, the rhythmic strumming of the guitars and bass, the beautiful melody coming from the keyboard. All sounds that were too familiar.

It couldn’t be, could it?

You shook your head and didn’t even bother to turn around to see who was playing. Chicago always had some new talent out in the streets and it wasn’t uncommon for aspiring singers to be playing a gig.

“I think it’s Korean.” You heard Becca call out.

“How do you know?” Tori asked her.

“I listen to enough K-Pop to know what Korean sounds like.” Becca stated matter of factly. Which was true since she showed you her extensive playlist of popular groups like Stray Kids, Got7, Infinite, etc. “I've never heard of these guys before though. But then again, their music isn’t really my style.”

“You sure it’s in Korean? Sounds like English to me.” Tori softly swayed to the music, joining the crowd that was enraptured by the live band playing and singers singing. “So this is what the bartender meant when he said that there was going to be live playing and singing later.”

“We'll take the highway to heaven And I can't wait to love you all alone (Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, yeah) We'll take the highway to heaven On the 101, let's see just where it goes (Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah, oh yeah yeah)” 

Wait… what? Why did you know this song? And why does it sound like he’s here? It has to be a joke right? You shook your head and pushed the thought to the back of your mind. You were probably going crazy getting cooped up in your room all the time.

“Last call, are you coming with me? I got some things you want to see Tell all your friends that you're busy, they know They know we got the chemistry Love how your body feels on me When you get back, let me get that”

But why did those lyrics sound so damn familiar? You just couldn’t put your mind on it. You were going crazy, weren’t you? Yeah that had to be it.

“Baby you should know, I won't let you go I'll show you the world if you say so Oh, she's so bad (So bad) I'll make it last And baby, I can't leave you alone”

“Why does this song sound so familiar?” You muttered mostly to yourself but Becca heard.

“You know this song?” She asked, clearly feeling the music as she grooved to the pop song.

You shrugged, still a bit confused. This was clearly a Korean song but why is it sung in English? “Kind of. I mean it’s originally in Korean. Are they doing English covers of Korean songs?”

Becca shook her head. “The bartender said that it was a group of Korean men that was going to perform though. Maybe it’s an English version?”

Can’t be… Could it? The boys surely couldn’t be here… You doubt their company would send them to a venue like this. They would normally play in bigger venues.

“Damn, they’re good.” Tori muttered from next to you. She gave you a small smile and nodded to the stage, all the while swaying along to the song. “Do you know them by any chance?”

You sighed. You guess you could turn around and indulge your friends. You turned and it felt like your world ended.

Of all places...why here? Why at this time and place?

They danced as great as they always did. They sang with passion as they always did. They looked even more emotional than usual and when he turned his head towards your way while singing his lines, he caught your eyes. He didn’t falter even once as he locked his eyes on you. He continued dancing, those mesmerizing eyes piercing through your very soul. That sweet, velvety voice singing into the microphone, the sound of it ringing through your head.

God, you missed him.

You missed his voice, his face, the way his long fingers would push back his hair from his face. You missed his laughter, his smile, his eyes. You missed everything about him.

You turned back to Becca and Tori and took a deep breath. “I need some fresh air.”

They didn’t stop you as they continued to feel the music. You made your way towards the bar and asked for some water to hydrate your now dry throat. What will you say when they find you? What do you say when he talks to you? You shook your head and finished your water not noticing that the group finished their set and was replaced by another live band performing.

You turned to head towards the door to get a breather when you bumped into someone, spilling his drink all over the counter. “Oops! I’m so sorry!”

He turned to you and you saw that he was an Asian man of about five feet eleven inches and he seemed to have an air of sophistication on him. He raised his eyebrows when he saw you, his mouth opened slightly to speak.

Shit. Why Jeffrey of all people?

“It’s you! What are you doing here?” He asked in rapid Korean. “Do you know how much everyone has been asking about you?”

Oh no. What do you say?

“Hyung, there you are.” Another man approached him, his voice carefree and lighthearted. He looked at Jeffrey’s stunned face and then turned to you, his eyes going wide. “Oh! Noona! You were here all along?!”

Full Sun...

Fuck. You knew it. Once you saw one of them, you’ll end up seeing the rest of the guys. You turned away from them, leaving them stunned and a sputtering mess. “Sorry, I don’t know you!”

You pushed your way through the small crowd that gathered by the back door and went to an empty clearing. You needed to catch your breath. It’s been a year since you had seen anyone from the industry so why were they here of all places? Did they have a gig here somewhere in Chicago and decided to let loose or something?

You weren't paying attention as you bumped into something, rather someone, again. What the hell was wrong with you today? You were losing it. You had to be losing it. Seeing the group made you lose composure. 

Yeah, that was it.

“You okay?” A voice said from above you. That voice. That smooth velvety voice.

Johnny.

You couldn’t hide so you looked up at him with uncertainty in your eyes. “I’m fine... It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”

A soft chuckle. “Yeah it’s been a year. How have you been, Y/N?”

Breathe in and out, Y/N. In and out. “It’s been dandy. Just living life one step at a time. How have you and the boys been, Johnny?”

A smile and the sound of his clothes shuffling about. From the corner of your eyes, you saw him lift his hand but placed it back at his side. “Oh, you know. The usual. Making new music, performing with the guys.”

“So why are you guys here? Randomly partying?” You asked out of curiosity.

He nodded, slicking his hair back. “Yeah. You? I couldn’t help but see a few old friends with you.”

You shrugged. “Apparently I was too cooped up in my room writing music. Tori dragged me out.”

“You're still writing music?” He asked. You gave him a small nod. “I'd like to hear it one day.”

“One day…” You muttered, your voice drowning out when you heard the voices.

“I swore I saw her, Mark.”

“You sure Jaehyun? Y/N has been avoiding all of us. She hasn't even been picking up Johnny’s calls.”

“I saw her too, Mark.”

“Even you Haechan? Wow, where was I at?”

You scanned his profile. Has things changed since the last time you saw him a year ago? He was still tall but he seemed to gain muscle. He hadn’t changed one bit. You let out a soft chuckle. “Jaehyun saw me first. Then Haechan. I ran away from them.”

“That sounds like you.” He chuckled. He bit his lower lip, probably thinking of what to say next. “Everyone misses you.”

But did you? You weren't about to ask him that though. “Yeah, I missed everyone too.”

“Y/N, I-” He started but was cut short when you shook your head.

“It's okay, Johnny.” You muttered, shaking your head. “You don’t need to say anything.”

Out of the blue, someone pushed you and you landed into Johnny’s outstretched arms. You pulled back almost instantly and he looked at you with sad eyes. If it was before your scandal and departure, you wouldn't have minded it. You would have thought he was joking or something like he normally did. Teased you, slightly pushed you away but… He didn't. His eyes held a certain sadness in them, as if he was telling you he was sorry for everything that happened, telling you that it was alright, telling you that he didn't mean those words.

You wanted to hear those words out loud. You wanted…

What did you want?

He reached out, cupping your cheek. “Y/N. I missed you.”

A Year Ago

“But why noona?” Haechan asked.

The rumors and the hate you were getting about your scandal and departure from your ex-group was stressing you out that the new company you were with was having trouble trying to control the situation. You had come to visit one of your best friends in the industry, letting him and his group mates know that you were going on a hiatus indefinitely and that you were going back home to the States.

“Do you really have to go noona?” Jungwoo asked from the couch.

You nodded, your hand touching the scar you received a week ago on your neck. It wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. “Yes. I’m tired and I just want to go home.”

“But Y/N, how will we keep in contact?” Yuta asked, frowning next to Haechan.

“I'm always a phone call away.” You gave him a small smile. “You can always call me when you need to.”

“You’re going to be on the other side of the world.” Taeyong muttered, Doyoung nodding next to him. “It's going to be hard to contact you with our schedules and the time zone difference.”

“I know. I don’t want to do this but…” You trailed off and looked down at your feet.

“If you hadn’t gone to his house late at night, you wouldn’t be in this predicament.” Johnny muttered from his seat in the kitchen. 

Here it comes again. 

The fighting.

“And how was I supposed to know that some crazy paparazzi was going to be taking pictures?” You retaliated. This was not the first time that you and Johnny got into a heated argument about this topic. He felt so strongly about it and as much as you wanted to let it go, he always brought it back up. “He’s a friend. There was nothing going on between us.”

“Friend, my ass. You think the media thinks that? To them a female idol and a male idol are meeting in secret.” Johnny argued back, getting up to stride towards you. Sure he towered over you with his height, but there was no way you were going to be intimidated. “You really thought a girl like you could really be with someone like him? Dream on, Y/N. Get over yourself. He doesn’t love you.”

“I know he doesn’t! And I don’t like him in the romantic sense. Why are you being such an ass?” You glared up at him. You could tell the boys were getting concerned, Doyoung and Jungwoo backing away from whatever fist fight Johnny and you were going to put up. Jaehyun and Taeyong stood close by to step in if anything.

“I just wonder what’s going on with that thick skull of yours?! Of all guys, why him?” Johnny muttered out in English. For the past few times you've argued, it's been in English. He brought up his hand, as if to strike you, but clenched his fist and put it down. “If you wanted to date someone, you could’ve dated one of the guys. Yuta or Taeyong is a better choice than him!”

“Why do you always think I like him?! Why do you always jump to conclusions whenever I have guys as friends?” You retaliated back in English. “Why are you concerned about who I date and don't date?”

Johnny scoffed and threw his hands in the air. He gave you an incredulous look. “Who wouldn’t like him? He’s popular compared to NCT. You’d like to be the center of attention, don’t you? Especially after your group kicked you out.”

Center of attention?

Ouch. What a way to hit someone when they were down.

“Of all people, I thought you would be supportive of me Johnny! We go way back since our high school and college days and this is how you think of me?!” You shouted, the other members of NCT 127 backing away. You took a deep sigh out of frustration and looked him in the eyes. “Fine! I’m done.”

“What are you talking about Y/N?” Johnny shouted back, his hands grasping your shoulders.

“Yeah, it’s like you said Johnny. I like being the center of attention since I'm not the popular one in my ex-group. What else can I do when even my vocal trainer says I can't sing but you know for a fact that I could sing better than any of those girls? But you know what? I don’t need your permission or approval to do the things I want to do.” You shook yourself from his hands and stared at his angry face. You grabbed your things and headed towards the door. “I’m leaving Seoul. And I’m not coming back. Not for those girls, not for him… And especially not for you.”

“Y/N, I missed you.”

What a liar. No he didn’t. He was the one who pushed you away first.

Johnny looked down at you, his eyes filled with sadness. Perhaps regret? You looked away, not wanting to get drowned in those eyes of his. And as much as you missed the man, you couldn’t forgive him for pushing you away like that. What he said was a hard blow. It even hurts to think about it. You hated to admit that you missed him, but after remembering what he said, you just couldn’t help but be mad and angry.

“Sure you did, Johnny.” You shrugged his hands off. You crossed your arms across your chest, and couldn’t help but notice that Johnny looked down at you. “I don’t have time to listen to your excuses. Now if you excuse me…”

“You’ve changed Y/N.” He muttered, running a hand through his hair. His eyes ran over your body, probably checking out your outfit.

“I’m still the same person.” You looked back at him. “You’re the one who’s changed.”

“I…”

“Is hyung hitting on a girl?” You heard a voice call out in Korean. From the corner of your eye, you saw the other members of NCT 127 make their way towards you both.

“Hush. Maybe she's an old friend of his.” Mark replied in Korean, as they stopped in front of you and Johnny. He took your profile in, his eyes scanning up and down, and if he noticed who you were, he didn't say anything.

“Hyung, are you making this pretty girl cry?” Jungwoo asked, giving you a concerned look. It was like he didn't recognize you because he started to speak in broken English. “Oh, is Johnny making you sad?” 

You giggled. That broken English of his was adorable. It made you want to protect him despite him being in his twenties. “I'm fine Jungwoo-ah. Your English is improving a lot. Speaking full sentences now!”

“She’s speaking Korean! Wait, she said my name. Do we know each other?” The man asked in Korean, as he looked at you, his face scrunched up. He had to remember you with the way his face lit up a few seconds later. “Oh! Y/N-noona!”

You nodded, a small smile lighting up your face. “Hi guys. It's good to see you again.”

“See? I told you we saw her, Mark.” Haechan frowned at Mark.

“Why'd you bolt out like that earlier?” Jaehyun asked seconds later. “Almost gave me and Haechan a heart attack.”

“I'm sorry.” You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair. “I had a little too much to drink and thought you two were going to do something perverted.”

“More like you'd do something perverted, Y/N.” Mark chuckled, coming forward to give you a small hug. “It's been a year. We all miss you.”

“I missed you too, Mark.” You returned his hug, hands coming to pat his back lightly. “But can you let go of me now? My friends are going to fight you if you hug me too long.”

“What friends?” Mark muttered as he pulled away from you. You pointed behind him and he turned around, noticing the two girls who stood a few feet away, both glaring at him and the other members. “Them? They look like they won’t hurt a fly.”

“You’d be surprised.” Johnny answered back, his members giving him a confused look.

You nodded, Tori and Becca coming to your side instantly. They linked their arms with yours and stared at Mark, the male backing away. Johnny couldn't help but chuckle. You let out a small smile. “Hey, you two. Sorry about that. I needed a breather.”

“Were these guys bothering you, Y/N?” Tori asked menacingly, looking over at each of the guys. 

“You're okay, right?” Becca looked you over, checking for any signs that you were hurt. She gestured to Mark. “That man over there didn't do anything inappropriate to you, did he?”

“Inappropriate?” Mark softly asked, Johnny stifling a laugh. 

The girls both spoke to you in English, with only Johnny, Mark and Jaehyun understanding everything. The other five probably understood, since they were English capable on command. When did you start speaking to them in Korean? Heck, when did you start speaking in Korean when it was just Johnny and you alone earlier?

You shook your head. “It's okay, girls. They're friends of mines from Korea. Plus, I think you know one of them already, although I don't know if you'll recognize him.”

“Why would we know idols?” Becca asked, eyeing the members. Yeah, she really didn't know the group.

“I'd like to refer to ourselves as musicians and artists.” Johnny responded, suddenly throwing an arm around you. “Right, Y/N?”

You looked at him and debated on whether you should fling his arm off but then thought better of it. You couldn't let your friends think that you were having drama with the guys despite what happened a year ago. “Uh huh. Sure, Johnny. The boys think of themselves as musicians and artists. Tori, Becca, meet NCT 127. Guys, meet my best friends, Tori and Becca.”

“Before you introduce yourself,” Tori said to Johnny and gestured to the other members behind us. “Do they all even know English?”

“Yeah! It’s one thing to speak and understand English and it’s another when you memorize just words.” Becca inputted.

“Of course, they understand. They’re English capable. Apart from Mark and Jaehyun…” You sighed and ran a hair through your dark hair. Johnny tucked a random piece of your hair behind your ear and looked down at you, nodding at your answer. You looked up at him and gestured with your chin, “…and this guy, the others understand. Introduce yourself already.”

“Geez, okay. Don’t have to be mean about it.” Johnny, with his arm still around you, let out a chuckle. He lazily waved at the other two girls, leaning his tall frame unto your short one. “Hey guys. It’s your boy Johnny. Hope you guys remember me.”

Tori bit her lip. “Johnny…”

“I don’t remember a Johnny...” Becca asked, her face scrunched up. “Wait…OH! The one dude that always followed after Y/N back in high school?” 

“I never followed after her.” Johnny grumbled. Despite the protest, you could tell he was enjoying the banter since his chest rumbled with laughter, ever so slightly. “She followed me.”

“Whatever, John Jun Suh.” You retorted, using his full name. You never used his full name unless it was to tease him or when you were mad with him. “You were following me, along with all the boys that were in my fan group. Goes to show that I was a beauty back in high school.”

Upon hearing the words coming from your lips, Johnny gave a side look, his eyes soft. His big smile turned into a small soft one. He replied in Korean, so Tori and Becca couldn’t hear. “You still are beautiful.” 

“Hyung.” Doyoung frowned, obviously catching what the second eldest member said. “Don’t be flirting with Y/N-noona like that. You know how she gets.”

“Johnny,” Taeyong started, eyes flickering back and forth between the two of you. It was clear that the boys would be speaking in Korean, since they wouldn’t want the girls to know what was going on. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be casually flirting with Y/N.”

“Yeah, especially with what happened.” Jaehyun muttered, slightly concerned about how this was going to go down. Yuta nodded next to him.

“Are you guys dating?” Becca interrupted everyone as she pointed to you and Johnny. “Because you two look really friendly.”

Jaehyun responded with wide eyes but you shook your head, signaling that you had it under control.

“It’s okay, guys.” You smiled at them. Suddenly wrapping your arms around Johnny’s neck, you gazed up at him. “You owe me for this. And don’t think I forgive you too.”

And before Johnny could respond at the sudden act of you wrapping your arms around him, you stood on your toes and pressed your lips to his. 

Even you were surprised at your own actions.

What were you doing? Of all people, why is it Johnny Suh that you’re kissing?

Did you miss him that much that you just wanted to kiss him?

It couldn’t be. You and Johnny were friends. You’ve known each other for years and never once did he show any romantic interest in you or you in him.

You felt his strong arms coming to wrap around your lower back, his fingers lingering on the span of naked skin that was exposed from your clubbing outfit. You felt him tightening his hold on you, his soft lips slowly moving against yours, the deep breaths he took, the rise and fall of his chest. Your bodies were so close that you could feel his rapid heartbeat through the layers of his clothes and it made you wonder if he could feel yours.

You mentally scolded yourself, wondering why you were doing this. No, you shouldn’t have done it. You shouldn’t have kissed him just to have your friends think that you’re friendly with him. Or dating him. What will the boys think after? That you’re suddenly making a move on the eldest NCT member?

What would Johnny think?

Johnny rested his forehead against yours as you broke the kiss, trying to get his breathing back under control. His arms were still wrapped against your lower back, your own still around his neck. His eyes were closed, a small chuckle escaping from his lips. “Y/N…”

“Don’t.” You whispered, slightly shaking your head against his. “Don’t ruin the moment because it won’t happen again.”

He kept quiet, as if he was contemplating your words. He pulled his head back some, still holding on to you as he stared down at your face. “I─”

“We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.” You heard Tori call out. Shit, you forgot about them. You glanced over to where she stood, her arms latched onto Yuta's right arm and Jaehyun’s left arm. The boys had confused expressions on their faces and looked at Johnny for some sort of guidance.

“Yeah, you two probably have a lot to catch up since it’s been a year since you last saw each other.” Becca nodded and you noticed that she too, had her arms latched onto Taeyong and Haechan. “So we’ll go back into the club with the guys.”

“You guys can drink, right?” Tori asked Jaehyun, who nodded in return. You watched as they walked into the club and you couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle when you saw the look on Mark’s face when he realized that he had to translate for everyone.

“Johnny-hyung!” Haechan called out, as Jaehyun shot you both a look. “Don’t do anything stupid!”

“What did he say?” Becca asked Mark, stopping momentarily as she nodded at Haechan. Mark shrugged in response as Becca just smiled and dragged the poor guys into the club.

“I miss that laugh and smile.” You heard Johnny mutter, still aware that his arms were settled on your lower back. He gave you a boyish grin and you couldn’t help but bite the inside of your cheeks before you let out a weird shriek. “So…can we talk about what’s going on between us?”

You shrugged yourself out of his grasp, moving away to put some distance between you both. Now this was awkward. Really awkward. You ran a hand through your hair and gestured to you both. “This kiss that happened between you and I, forget about it. It never happened.”

“Y/N.” Johnny started, coming to stand in front of you. “If you’re still mad about what happened a year ago─”

“I am!” You interrupted him and looked away. Did he not understand that what he said made you furious? “I’m still mad at you, Johnny. That fight, those words…I still remember it so clearly. I thought we were best friends and nothing could come between us, but I guessed wrong. What happened when we suddenly started fighting? What happened that made things take a wrong turn?”

“He happened.” Johnny muttered, looking down at the ground. “Ever since he came into the picture, things have changed between us. You started hanging out with him and his members more than you hung out with me and the rest of the guys. You’d blow off our plans to do other things with them.”

“You were mad because I had other friends?” You asked, with an airy sigh. “Johnny, you’re my best friend. Even if I made new friends, you’re the most important one. We grew up together.”

“Yeah. But people change Y/N.” Johnny said as he stepped in front of you and laid a hand on your arm. “You changed and I changed.”

You looked up at him and shrugged his hand off. “Because of him, huh? Because I was getting closer to him than anyone else.”

“He wasn’t good for you Y/N.” Johnny muttered as he returned the stare. “Anyone is better than him.”

“Like who?” You asked, watching as he averted his eyes. “The boys? You?”

“You know I’m only looking out for you.” Johnny replied back as he bit his lower lip. “You’re one of my best friends and I want what’s best for you. Taeil or Taeyong, heck even Jaehyun, was a better choice.”

Friends, huh? 

Why was that a slight blow? Did you want something more from him? Were you expecting something else from him? You just felt disappointed and you didn’t even know why.

You just wanted to hear something else. Something that showed that he saw you as a woman and not a friend.

Even something little.

“Don’t deny that you guys aren’t together.” Johnny said, as he stuffed his hands in his pocket, and blew his hair from his face. “I know you too damn well to know when you lie to me.”

“Even a year later, nothing escapes you huh?” You muttered, as you crossed your arms across your chest. “Things wouldn’t have turned out this way if I hadn’t gone to his place in the middle of the night and kept my legs closed.”

“Wait, what? You slept with him?” Johnny asked, his voice somehow getting a bit loud. The wrinkles started to form on his forehead as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

You bit your lip and shook your head. “I’m not kidding Johnny. We had sex a few times. I never told you because I know how you get.”

“Y/N─” Johnny started but you shook my head.

“See, you’re doing it again.” You interrupted him as he ran a hand through his hair. “Can we not fight again, Johnny? I’m getting tired of always fighting with my best friend.”

“I’m not going to argue with you or anything.” Johnny sighed as he crossed his arms. “I just wished you’d told me. Then I could have prevented it from happening.”

“Prevented what? Having sex with him?” He nodded in reply and you let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m a grown woman who has urges, Johnny. I don’t prevent you from having sex with other girls.”

“What other girls?” He asked, blinking a few times.

“Don’t play dumb with me.” You muttered. “What girl wouldn’t want to sleep with a handsome guy like you?”

“Oh?” He raised his eyebrows. “So that explains everything, huh?”

“Shut up.” You rolled your eyes. You were curious about why he never wanted you to date others. “Besides, I fell for his sweet stupid words and lies. Why don’t you want me dating other men? You can’t be jealous, can you?”

He turned away quickly and you caught a slight nod of his head. Just a slight nod. “Yeah, I get pretty jealous. It’s because…”

“Because…?” You cocked your head slightly, waiting for an answer.

“You’re my best friend.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s because Jaehyun likes you.” He muttered, averting his gaze away. He looked over to the small crowd that gathered around the venue’s door. “That’s why.”

“Jaehyun?” You scoffed. You knew Jawhyun didn’t like you. “Yeah right. Jaehyun’s in love with himself. What’s the real reason?”

“Okay, okay!” Johnny turned back towards you and took a deep sigh, before pulling you into his arms. He took you by surprise as he tightened his hold. He rested his chin on your head so that you couldn’t see his face. But his heart was beating pretty fast. “After I tell you this, I’m not sure if we can go back to what we were before. But still I have to say this. I like you Y/N. I tried to hold it down but I can’t do it anymore. It took me a long time to say this…but I really, really like you. Fuck, I might even love you.”

“Wait. What?” Before you could even let out another sound, he silenced you with a kiss. It was different from the one you gave him earlier. His was soft and tender and you couldn’t help but revel in it. It was different from other kisses you’ve had with other men and...you can’t believe you’re actually saying it...but you really like it.

“Johnny, say it again.” You breathed out in between kisses.

“Please don’t make me say it again.” He muttered against your lips, resting his forehead against yours. Johnny cupped your face with one of his big palms, his thumb softly caressing your cheek.

You let out an oddly satisfying sigh. “Or you’ll do what?”

“Geezes, woman.” He chuckled lightly before pecking you softly on the lips again. “You drive me crazy.”

Johnny wanted to hold hands in the club, but you weren’t quite ready yet. At least not mentally. Sure you both exchanged a couple more kisses here and there before making your way back into the venue. Sure your best friends thought that Johnny and you were a couple.

But you weren’t so sure about the boys. Hell, you don’t even know about your own damn feelings.

Were you a couple? Were you officially a thing?

Did you like Johnny like how he likes you? Or has it been so long since you felt the touch of another man, that your body is just yearning for him? Yeah, it had to be that. You had to be sexually frustrated to even think of sleeping with your best friend.

God, does he look good right now.

NO. NO. NO. NO. 

Y/N, stop it. You’re just a bit horny all because Johnny just kissed you.

Stop it.

You looked over at him as he conversed with Tori and Becca, no doubt catching up on old times. As if sensing that you were looking at him, he turned his head to look at you and sent you a smile that made you weak in the knees and momentarily short of breath.

“You okay there, Y/N?” He asked in Korean, swiping at the hair that fell into his eyes. “Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a bit?”

You shook my head. “I’m okay, Johnny. Where are the boys? I haven’t seen them since we got back into the club.”

“Jaehyun went to the bar with Doyoung.” Johnny pointed towards the bar where you saw the three members waiting on their drinks. “Jungwoo went to the restroom and Mark, Haechan, Taeyong and Yuta are dancing in the corner over there.”

“Does he really dance like that?” Tori asked as she watched Taeyong dance.

“Yep.” Johnny nodded. “He’s one of the main dancers.”

The boys came back to your cozy spot at the club and settled themselves comfortably in the lush seats. Although not as fluent in English as Johnny, Mark or Jaehyun, the boys conversed in English as they tried to get to know Tori and Becca better.

“Where are you guys staying?” You randomly asked Johnny as he fiddled with the beer bottle in his hand. He opened another one and handed it to you. “At a hotel?”

“Nah, I’m crashing back at home for the duration of our stay here. The boys are at a hotel.” Johnny chuckled as he pulled out his phone and showed a recent picture he took with his mom. “Mom is pretty happy that I’m back home for once. Oh yeah, are you staying with your parents?”

“No, I got my own place.” You replied, as you cooed over the picture, complimenting how cute his mom was. “Mom and Dad were pretty disappointed that I moved out.”

“Because you keep bringing guys over?” Johnny joked as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

“It’s because I don’t bring guys over.” You rolled your eyes and Johnny couldn’t help but laugh.

“But imagine the look on our parents' faces if they knew we hooked up.” Johnny chuckled as he took a drink of his beer. So you were just hooking up, huh? “My mom would make you move in ASAP.”

“Not unless my mom makes you move in her house instead.” You laughed as well. “They live down the street, so I don’t understand why they make such a big deal over it.”

Johnny leaned back in his seat and looked over at you. His eyes seemed to roam along your whole body and for once, you felt pretty self-conscious around him. “It must be nice to have your own place though. I share a room with Haechan in the dorms.”

“You’d think by now you’d have your own place with the way you are bringing girls home.” You raised your eyebrows teasingly at him. “Hey, I had a weird thought. Did you want to stop by my place maybe later tonight?”

“Holy shit, Y/N.” Johnny let out, his chest rumbling in laughter.

Shit.

Did you really just say that? Did you really invite Johnny to come back to your apartment later? What in the hell is wrong with you?

You looked towards the others and noticed that Tori and Becca talked about some random hottie they saw on the dance floor. The boys seemed distracted by a group of young men and women dancing in front of them, Taeyong debating if he wanted to join them. But the look Johnny gave you, made you curse myself.

“Yah, Y/N.” Johnny started in Korean as he scooted closer to you, his hand snaking around your waist and pulling you closer. “Are you inviting me over to your place to have fun?”

“Forget I said anything.” You rolled your eyes at him. “Who’d want to have fun with you?”

“Hey, you’re the one who said that girls can’t resist a handsome man like me.” Johnny chuckled as his fingers tapped against your naked midriff. “I’m handsome. I can dance. I have a deep voice for singing and rapping...”

“Dammit, Johnny.” You cursed aloud, the others looking your way. They raised their eyebrows before continuing their conversations and whatever the hell they were doing. “I hate you. I really hate you.”

Johnny moved his body even closer to yours and raised his eyebrows. “So onto a very touchy subject...How was sex with Hyunsik?”

Why did he bring that up? “It was okay, I guess.”

Im Hyunsik, one of BTOB’s vocalists and the father of majority of their music. The man you’ve slept with on numerous occasions. The man you had a scandal with. When was it that you started that forbidden relationship with Hyunsik?

Ah.

You were also promoting with the girl group you were in as well. You remembered after your performances, NCT 127 invited your group out for drinks but the other girls declined since they were quite a bit younger. 

You met the members of BTOB at the restaurant you went to and despite being attached to the members of NCT at the hip, the guys in BTOB seemed to attract your interest. And before you knew it, you started to hang out with them more and become friends with them. You vaguely remember Hyunsik asking you to meet up with him alone one time but how the relationship progressed from being just friends to friends who have sex with each other...you don’t remember at all.

“Oh?” Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Hm…. I would’ve thought that Im Hyunsik would’ve blown your mind. I mean he is a great vocalist and probably has lots of skills.”

“Yah. Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, Johnny Suh.” You muttered, seemingly distracted by him. “And stop mentioning his name. It’s weird.”

“So then you don’t mind me asking…” Johnny smirked as he leaned his face closer to yours. “What do you think about us going to your place and just fuck?”

“What did you just say, Johnny?” You heard him wrong, right?

Johnny gave you a slight smirk, his long fingers touching, caressing, my naked midriff. You could see from the corner of your eyes that Tori and Becca were watching you both and if the boys saw it too, they probably ignored it. “You know what I said. Let’s go back to your place. Unleash the beast. Let this soldier have the spoils of war. Fuck.”

“Did you compare yourself as a soldier and me as the spoils of war?” You asked, scrunching your nose. You could care less about his vulgar language considering you used it pretty often, but did this guy really compare himself to a soldier?

“Did you like that? It was good, huh?” He asked, pretty proud of himself for coming up with that analogy. “Man, I’m a genius.”

“What a loser.” You rolled your eyes and looked at him. Just because he was being a tease, you thought you’d tease him back by running a finger down his chest. He took a sharp breath, his eyes wide. “But I’m down to let this soldier surround himself in his spoils of war.”

“Geezes, woman.” Johnny let out as he tried to control his breathing. “Were you like this with Hyunsik?”

“Yah,” you frowned and stopped. “Didn’t I say not to mention his name?”

He frowned as he grabbed hold of your finger. “Well, I don’t know what type of things you do with Hyunsik. Did you tease him like this too?”

You shook your head. “No. He did most of the teasing.”

His face lit up when you said that. He looked like a happy child at the candy store, surrounded by a whole bunch of sweets. “Ouuu~ So I get to experience sweet little Y/N’s teasing.”

“Go get a room, you two.” Tori called out, Becca nodding beside her. “We know you guys missed each other but come on.”

“Yeah. Go explore each other elsewhere.” Becca added, holding in her laugh. She turned to Tori, a big smile on her face. “I can’t believe today is the day we see Y/N with a guy.”

“And not even telling us about him, at all.” Tori shook her head in disappointment. “How could you not tell us that you had a boyfriend? Were you scared that we wouldn’t approve of Johnny?”

“I forgot to be honest.” You shrugged. You and Johnny were not a couple. You’d probably never be. At least you think so. “And you were always annoyed with Johnny back in high school. If I remember correctly, you kept getting annoyed with him whenever he signed up for the talent show.”

“Well this was before he started to sound so good!” Tori exclaimed, giving Johnny a sad frown. But it was only for a little while until her expression changed into that of a fangirl. 

“And before he started to look this good too.” Becca raised an eyebrow in appreciation. “Damn, what a glow-up. Y/N, you lucky bitch.”

“Stop giving him googly eyes, Becca.” You pinched her arm and she jumped in response. You gave her a small smile. “He’ll start getting a big head if you compliment him like that.”

Taeyong was sitting across from us, shaking his head in disapproval as the girls and Johnny laughed. He spoke in Korean, giving you and Johnny a frown. “Johnny, didn’t we tell you not to flirt with Y/N like that?”

“They haven’t seen each other in a year because of you-know-who and now they’re back to being normal.” Doyoung pouted.

Normal? Things did not get back to being normal, Doyoung. 

If anything, it took a weird turn. 

You had the biggest fight ever with Johnny a year ago, got reunited with him a few hours ago, kissed him like thirty minutes ago while he confessed to liking you, and now he wants to have sex with you. That’s normal? 

Oh, Kim Doyoung, you cute, innocent man.

“So noona and hyung are back to being friends?” Haechan asked as he shook his leg to the music.

Jungwoo shrugged. “I think so. Hyung, are you and noona back to being friends?”

Johnny looked at you, a mischievous smirk on his face. “Oh yeah. We’re back to being friends. Right, Y/N?”

That wink. Why did he have to do that? Be still your heart.

Johnny is just your best friend. Just your best friend of many, many years. A friend who is apparently attracted to you. Nothing more, nothing less… 

But what if…? No. 

You doubt Hyunsik will care about what you did or who you do. And if he does, you’d deal with that matter the next time you’re in Seoul.

If you ever return.

“Yeah, we’re back to being friends.” You nodded, not letting Johnny’s suggestive tone get to you. “Oh yeah. Do you guys want to go to my apartment so we can just chill and catch up?”

Johnny furrowed his eyebrows, when he heard you invite the others. 

Johnny Suh, I can not be alone with you anytime soon. You are apparently not good for my heart.

“It’s okay, Y/N. It’s kind of getting a bit late out so we’ll visit tomorrow if you don’t mind.” Taeyong smiled, the others agreeing.

“Johnny could walk you home though.” Mark nudged Johnny playfully. “Right?”

“Yeah. I don’t mind.” Johnny chuckled, glad that the boys were bailing.

Damn. 

You thought you could get away with it, but apparently not. You told the girls that you were going to head home and they happily saw you and Johnny off. It had taken you about maybe fifteen minutes to walk back to your apartment since you didn’t live that far from the club. You opened your door and let Johnny in, he took off his shoes and slowly padded into your territory.

Your somewhat empty territory.

“Yeah… Sorry it looks empty.” You muttered as you scratched the back of your head. Your living room barely had any furniture apart from the couch, a coffee table, the TV, and a keyboard on one side of the wall. Your kitchen only had the basics such as a microwave, a coffee pot, and a few pots and pans scattered around the counter. “I haven’t had the time or money to buy more things.”

“I hope you don’t sleep on the floor.” Johnny shook his head as he took in the condition of the apartment.

“Nah, my bedroom is the only place that has the most furniture.” You laughed as he plopped himself on the couch. “I spend most of my time there anyway. Writing lyrics, composing music, playing the guitar, and sleep.”

“You still playing the guitar?” Johnny asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Yeah. Just because I couldn’t when I was an idol doesn’t mean I stopped playing it.” You muttered as you sat next to him. “Now that I’m no longer in the group, I could write my own music and play the guitar all I want.”

“I want to hear one of your songs one day.” Johnny took your hand in his big ones and entwined your fingers together. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“I know. You’re amazing too.” You smiled up at him, he returned an even bigger smile.

“I really am sorry, Y/N.” Johnny muttered as he brought his other hand to tuck your hair behind your ears. “If I had the chance to return back to that time, I would have told you how I felt, how I like you. You would’ve been mine and you wouldn’t have been in this predicament. You wouldn’t have this scandal staining your reputation. You could have been happy with me.”

“I get it. And I accept your apology.” You gave him a soft smile. “But what’s done is done, Johnny. We can only move forward.”

“Moving forward, huh?” He let out a small laugh before leaning his body closer to yours, his hands on my waist. “Let’s move forward together.”

He closed the distance between you both and sensually placed a trail of kisses down your collarbone. Oh God. You loved it when he did that.

“So I guess we should talk about the future then.” Johnny stated as he bit your neck softly, his teeth grazing your skin.

“Uh huh.” You hummed as he trailed kisses down your shoulder, nibbling on your skin gently. “The future.”

“I don’t want to put you in this difficult position.” He looked up at you, those warm brown eyes brightening up.

Difficult position? As in sexually frustrated?

As in sexually frustrated, wanting to devour you?

Whoops. Way to give him ideas.

But no, you wanted to move forward, make something real. Even if it was just a one night stand even though you wanted more.

“Then what do you want?” You smirked, knowing exactly where this was heading. The kiss became harder, the movements more passionate. You grind your hips against his as he moaned in pleasure, both of you breaking away for a second to catch your breath.

“What I want is you. For as long as I want. I don’t want to leave your side anymore.” His words sent chills down your spine, goosebumps appearing on your skin. “I want to spend every waking moment with you. Whether we’re in Korea or America. Even if it’s just eating meals together, walking through the park, working out, watching movies, singing karaoke, spending holidays with each other, I want to spend every single second of my life with you. All of you.”

Wait, hold up. What? “What did you say?”

“Everything I said.” He grinned, a dimple appearing on his left cheek. “All of it. Every word.”

“You’re crazy.” You whispered. You hadn’t expected him to say that. Of course, you had hoped that he liked you but that was taking it to another level.

“Am I?” He asked, cupping your cheek with his hand. “Tell me. Is that crazy?”

You’d never thought someone could love you that much. Someone who wasn’t family or a lover. But Johnny loves you that much. You’re loved by someone else other than yourself. By someone who also made you feel special. Loved. 

You squeezed his hand tight, loving the feeling of his rough thumb running circles over your palm. “No, Johnny. You’re not crazy. I’m speechless.”

His lips met yours again, his tongue pushing its way past your lips, teasing you. You parted your mouth, welcoming his tongue inside, caressing yours, dancing along them in perfect harmony. It felt like nothing you had ever experienced before, every touch, every kiss, every movement meant something, each syllable spoken and breathed into your ear created memories to last forever. It was as if nothing existed outside of this moment right now, this connection between the two of you.

You broke the kiss and rested your forehead against his, breathing heavily.

“You’re too good to me.” You muttered. “How am I supposed to reciprocate this?”

“What do you mean?” Johnny cocked his eyebrow, clearly not understanding your question.

“I don’t deserve you.” You admitted, tears starting to form in your eyes. “Not after what happened. Not after how I left.”

“Y/N…” Johnny pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around your waist. “Please don’t cry. I can’t handle seeing you sad. Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry.”

“Why are you doing this to me?” You cried as he held onto you tighter. "I should hate you for pushing me away. But I don't. I can't."

"I know I shouldn't have gotten mad." Johnny started. "For me to blame you was wrong. So fucking wrong. That was all me. I got jealous. I was insecure. I'm just a stupid man."

"Don't apologize." You sniffled. "Apologizing means you're admitting that you're at fault. You're not at fault, Johnny. This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

"Y/N…" Johnny sighed, wiping the tears from your cheeks. "I've always wanted to tell you this. That I love you. That I like you. That you have this effect on me. That whenever I'm around you, my entire world stops. That I could stare at you for hours without moving a muscle. That when you touch me, it's electrifying. That when you look at me, I can't help but fall in love. That I'm not a person, I'm a pile of melting ice cream when you look at me. That I become this jumbled mess when I think of you. When I think of us. You are everything. Everything to me."

"Me too, Johnny." You giggled as you kissed him again, you pushed him back on the couch so you could straddle his lap. You ran your hands through his messy locks, brushing his bangs out of his face. "When I think of you, I'm instantly happy. Everything else fades away. Nothing matters when I'm with you. My anxiety, my fears, my doubts, my insecurities… They all go away."

"And I need you, baby. So much. Like air." Johnny brought his hand up to cup your cheek, his thumb running along your jawline. "I don't want to be without you. I need you in my life, Y/N. I need you to fill that void in my heart. You're the only one for me."

"Johnny..." Your voice cracked as you tried to speak. Your heart was racing so fast, pounding so hard that you swore it would explode. Tears continued to fall from your eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, baby." He chuckled. "Do you see anyone else sitting here besides you?"

"There's no one else but you." You mumbled, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Only you."

"Good. Because I'll never let you go." He murmured as his hand traveled down your stomach, towards your inner thighs.

You gasped loudly as he pressed a finger between your folds. "Oh god... Oh god, oh god, oh god."

"Ah, you like that?" Johnny teased as he lightly rubbed your clit with his middle finger. "Oh, you're so wet, Y/N. So hot."

"I need you. Now." You pleaded. "Right now, Johnny. Please."

"I'm not going anywhere." He whispered against your ear.

You don’t when or how, but both of you were suddenly naked. Your legs were trembling uncontrollably as he slid two fingers inside you, causing you to moan. You weren't even close to reaching climax yet, he had to stop. You needed him to slow down, prolong the pleasure until you could no longer bear it. Until your body couldn't take any more. You moaned louder, making him smile seductively.

"I bet you like this." He murmured, spreading your pussy open. "Wanting it, craving it. Telling me that you need me, that you want me. Don't deny it. Let go, baby. Let me take control. You won't regret it."

You nodded silently, closing your eyes. You felt his lips brush against your neck, your breasts, your abdomen. He traced little hearts all across your body with his tongue. Each touch, each lick, each kiss had you gasping in pleasure. One more minute and you'd come undone, panting as you writhed against his hand. "Johnny, please..."

"That's it, baby. Come for me." Johnny whispered as he continued to rub your clit. "Come on. Cum for me. Let go. Give me everything."

It was torture. You knew that once you came, he'd stop. And you didn't want that. It was bad enough that he had put you in this situation, why did he have to ruin it by stopping? You reached down and grasped his wrist, pulling his fingers away from you. He didn't resist, merely watched as you quickly brought your lips to his hand, sucking on his fingers. You hummed as his fingers touched your tongue, tasting yourself, tasting him. You moved his fingers back to your sex, licking them clean before pushing them inside you.

"Ah fuck." Johnny groaned as he watched you do whatever you pleased with his fingers. "You're killing me, baby."

"Sorry." You hummed, kissing his fingers once more before replacing them inside you. "But I really want to cum. I need to cum."

"You're damn right you need to come." Johnny growled, bringing his other hand up to cup your breast. "You've been denied for far too long. Just thinking about it has me horny as hell."

He slowly pulled his fingers out of you, leaving you empty and unsatisfied. You whimpered as he placed his fingers back in your mouth, letting you suckle on them once more. He wrapped his arms around you, pressing your body flush against his. "God, I need to be inside you."

"Please." You panted.

"Where, baby?" Johnny questioned, his fingers tracing patterns across your stomach. "Should I go deep or shallow? Should I use my fingers or just shove my cock inside you?"

You shivered, his words making your body quiver with excitement. "Shove your cock in me, Johnny. Please."

He grinned, opening your legs wide, his erection bobbing in front of your face. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, Y/N." He whispered, lightly running his thumb over your nipple. "So very hard."

You grabbed onto his shoulders, clinging onto him as he positioned himself between your legs. He pressed forward, his length rubbing against your slit, causing you to squirm and moan.

"Yes, baby. So beautiful." Johnny mumbled, lowering himself so that the head of his cock brushed against your entrance. "I want to slide inside you so badly."

"Please." You whined, biting down on your lip as he pushed forward slightly. The head of his cock slipped inside you, stretching you gently. His shaft pushed against the walls of your vagina, forcing you to widen your legs slightly. You arched your back as he penetrated you deeper, sighing as he filled you completely. "Oh god... You're so big, Johnny."

"Damn, you feel amazing." Johnny groaned as he began to thrust inside you.

"Goddamn, you feel amazing." Johnny echoed as he continued to thrust in and out of you.

You clung onto his shoulders, rocking your hips back and forth, meeting his thrusts perfectly. Each thrust caused you to moan louder, your body begging for more. "Fuck, Johnny. Please fuck me harder. Harder, faster."

"Give me everything, baby." Johnny panted as he fucked you hard. "All of you. Cum for me."

You gave him everything. Every bit of yourself. Giving in to his demands, accepting his commands, doing whatever he asked of you. Doing anything he told you to. All because he made you feel so fucking amazing. As you exploded around him, your orgasm pulsating within your womb, you came apart in his arms, screaming his name over and over again.

“Fuck! Johnny!”

"Oh god, baby." Johnny whispered as he slowed his thrusts. "I've never felt anything like that before. I'm cumming."

You closed your eyes, enjoying the sensation. You wrapped your arms around his neck, locking your legs around his waist, grinding against him as he shot his load inside you. He collapsed against you, both of you catching your breath.

"Holy shit, that was intense." You laughed, kissing him on the lips. "I haven't cum like that in like a year."

"Fucking hell, Y/N." Johnny cursed, wiping sweat off his brow. "You took my breath away."

"You did that to me." You laughed, grinning as you snuggled into his chest. "Let's go to bed. My bedroom is right over there."

"Yeah." Johnny smiled. "Bed sounds great."

"So does being in your arms." You smiled as you leaned in to kiss him.

"It doesn't get much better than this, Y/N." Johnny said softly, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.

You woke up to the sound of your phone ringing on the bedside table next to you. Slowly getting up, you rubbed your eyes, the sunlight glaring through the curtains. You picked up your phone and looked at the screen, groaning when you saw Mark's name lighting up.

Pressing the green icon on your phone screen, you pressed the cellular device against your ear.

“Ugh, it’s so early, Mark. What do you want?” You muttered out, the blankets pooling around your waist. Your skin was sticky from the aftermath of whatever occurred during the previous night.

“Good morning to you too, sleeping beauty. Johnny over there?”

“Mmhmm. Why?” You let out, a muscular arm reaching out from the covers to squeeze your hip. You slapped his hand away, prompting him to peek his head out from the sheets to frown at you.

“He ain't answering his phone. Plus his mom keeps calling us.”

 “What did you tell her?”

“We said something about him meeting up with old friends and spending the night there or something.” You heard him mutter from the other side. There were groans from the distance and someone muttering about coffee, so you assumed the boys were all getting up from their sleep. “Just call his mom and let her know that you finally slept with her precious son.”

“Yah. Why do I have to be the one to tell his mom that we finally fucked?” You asked, looking at the man next to you, a mischievous smile on his face.

“Because you’re close to his parents. I mean your parents and his parents are friends right?”

“Yeah… But I don’t want to tell Johnny's mom that we had sex.” You groaned out, Johnny chuckling softly next to you. “It’s just so weird. Johnny's mom would probably tell my mom. And then my mom would probably tell me to lock Johnny down...”

“Well...not my problem! Have fun!”

“Yah! Mark Lee! Mark! He hung up.” You frowned when you noticed he disconnected the call. Shaking your head and leaving the warmth of your bed and Johnny's arms, you grabbed the closest towel you could find. You went to the other side of the bed and shook the muscular figure. “Johnny, stop pretending to be asleep. Go call your mom.”

“And tell my mom that we had wild, passionate sex?” Johnny grinned, suggestively raising one eyebrow.

“Nevermind. Don’t.” You shook your head. “I don’t want your mom to suddenly be treating me differently just because I took her son’s virginity.”

“I was not a virgin and you know it.” Johnny pouted. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been screaming my name so loudly last night.”

“I hate you Johnny Suh.” You replied back, your cheeks suddenly turning pink. You had to admit...he was good in bed.

“Mmhmm, I know. Are you going to shower?” Johnny muttered against the bedsheets, his eyes soft. You nodded. “Want me to join you?”

“If you did that, we’d never leave my apartment.” You chuckled as you gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. You moved towards the bathroom and gave him a small smile. “Can you start the coffee while I grab the shower first?”

“Why don’t we just shower together?” Johnny muttered as he sat up in bed, scratching his bare chest. “It’ll save us time.”

“You make a good point…” You scrunch your nose and then shake your head. “But no. Knowing you, we’ll be doing other things than shower.”

“Damn. It was worth a try.” Johnny mumbled under his breath as you chuckled and retreated to the bathroom. Swinging his feet out of bed and shrugging on his jeans, he made his way towards the kitchen to start up the coffee maker. He looked towards the bathroom, noticing that the door was wide open. “How do you like your coffee!?”

“Black please!” You called out through the bathroom door, the sound of the shower running.

Johnny chuckled, walking away from the coffee maker as it continued brewing. He went into the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe, eyebrows raised as he made out your silhouette behind the shower curtains. “You sure you don’t want it sweet and creamy like me?”

“You’re so weird Johnny.” You peeked out from the curtains and made a face. You nodded towards the shower. “But since you were being such a cutie by making coffee, you might as well join me.”

“Score!” He called out, discarding whatever clothing he had on and joined you in the shower.

[fifteenminutes-if]

Screaming fans. Blinding stage lights. A multitude of camera flashes.

It's all you've ever wanted. It's all you've ever worked for.

So where did you go wrong?

You were always told you had the X factor.

Something indescribable. Something exceptional.

Perhaps you doubted the truth to those words when you took in your rag-tag group of bandmates in your high school music room. But, your first performance together–for a crowd–was electric.

And you've been pursuing that same feeling ever since.

Now, with a recording contract, a debut album, an EP, and a #1 Billboard hit under your belt, your band is gearing up for the biggest album release of the year. With major publicity and curiosity from fans and critics alike, you can feel the potential thrumming beneath your skin. You're on the edge of a precipice. You're going to be a star.

Until the shocking truth hits the tabloids and–eventually–major news outlets.

Your career falls apart before you in a matter of days.

Your manager resigns, the media turns against you, your fans wage war against each other as lines are drawn in the sands of stardom.

You become a pariah.

How will you rebuild your legacy, and what will you sacrifice to reach the top once again?

Fifteen Minutes follows an artist in the music industry who is on the cusp of a meteoric rise in fame until a leaked scandal lands their reputation in the grave. A story about the ugly underbelly of fame, our glaring mortality, and the way love fails to save us from ourselves. Rated 18+ for explicit language, substance use (and abuse), death, sexual content, and mild violence.

Choose the scandal that ruins your character's career!

Customize your superstar's pronouns, gender, name, stage name, appearance, celebrity persona, their engagement with their fanbase, and more.

Make choices that affect public perception, headlines and the media narrative.

Create your character's previous and future discography, including choosing the genre(s) your character commands and their musical influences.

Deal with the aftermath of a career in ruins and decide on its trajectory/how your character rebuilds their tarnished reputation (if they choose to do so at all).

Romance (or befriend) a colourful cast of characters–all with varying degrees of proximity to fame and obscurity.

[THE PUBLICITY STUNT ◦ primary RO] MADDOX, 27, M/F An internationally beloved megastar with a media target on their back. A long trail of broken hearts and sordid deeds follow them, but their talent overshadows their attitude enough for those in the industry to turn the other way. For now. Caustic, jaded, and charismatic enough to get exactly what they want. Fresh out of a public breakup, they're acting out more than ever and the bitter taste of fame in their mouth might just kill them faster than their long list of enemies. RO Routes: FWB PR relationship or PR relationship with feelings involved. (Engaging in a PR relationship with Maddox is a mandatory plot point, but does not prevent MC from engaging in romance with other characters)

[THE INDUSTRY SWEETHEART ◦ primary RO] CARMEN BAILEY, 30, F ◦ she/her The antithesis to MC—a pop star that rose to fame in her teen years and has maintained relevancy well into her late twenties. Carmen Bailey is the golden girl. Gracious, kind, and praised for being family-friendly yet edgy enough to capture both old and young demographics alike, Carmen holds tightly to her image at the cost of everything else in her life. Sometimes, it's difficult to tell whether Carmen herself knows the difference between her image and herself.

[THE RECLUSIVE SOCIALITE ◦ primary RO] MATEO EL AMRANI, 25, M ◦ he/him Born to a wealthy, legendary family within the heart of Hollywood, Mateo shuns the limelight that comes with his heritage at any given opportunity. Unfortunately, the mystery surrounding him keeps the cameras and the public intrigued and hungry. Only close with his oldest brother, Elias, and has a strained relationship with the rest of his family. Often seen as quiet and emotionless by the media, Mateo in reality feels very deeply and desperately wants to know and be known by those he loves. RO Routes: Ex-friends, ex-lovers, or just acquaintances.

[THE JOURNALIST ◦ primary RO] ROBIN FRASER, 32, M/F A shrewd investigative journalist with the ability to destroy a career or launch someone into stardom. Has a history of major exposés and reliable pop culture predictions under their belt. Needless to say, their words hold a whole lot of power. They value truth above all else, no matter how ugly it may be and while they're privy to the manipulations and machinations of the upper echelons, they're not willing to play the game.

[THE EX BAND MEMBER ◦ primary RO] VAL PARK, 24, M/F A whirlwind of a person that has taken Hollywood by storm since their abrupt departure from your life. Ambitious with a cutting tongue, Val is persistent in their chase for fame. Tends to be reckless, hot-headed, and easily provoked with a deep need for independence and creative freedom. While they're not everyone's cup of tea, they've charmed the right people to gain entry into opportunities that you've only dreamed of. RO Routes: Ex-rivals or ex-friends (can opt to have had a crush on Val in the past). Val was in love with MC in both routes.

DEMO TBA

[hrtbreakanniversary]

Back to Me | Satoru Gojo

I could make you mad, I could make you scream I could make you cry, I could make you leave I could make you hate me for everything But I can't make you come back to me

pairing: prince!satoru gojo x maid!reader

warnings: 18+ (minors dni), modern royal au, mentions of sexual activities, suggestive, they are college aged (gojo is about 23 and y/n is nearing 21), no use of japanese honorifics

word count: 1k

_

Annoyed was an understatement for what Y/N Y/L/N felt at the moment.

At the break of dawn, Prince Satoru Gojo begins his routine of an early morning run before going to the gym.

He's tried to do a public gym once but someone took a picture of him from an odd angle that made it look like the woman that was helping with his weights so that it didn't fall on his chest was sitting on his face. Social media went into a frenzy for the prince's exhibitionism. His publicists having a field day and his parents having a hard time believing him too because of his reputation that constantly bought him a spot on gossip websites.

Because of so, he's been instructed to stay home by his parents until everything dies down and also to just contain him. They have no idea what they did to create what they call an "embarrassment to the throne." and his need to cause destruction to his title.

Workers around the castle struggled to keep up with the male's new schedule. His very unpredictable new schedule.

One of these being Ms. Y/L/N herself who was up much earlier to direct the staff of what to do. Having basically raised the boy since he was born, she knew just about everything about him. How Satoru liked his breakfast. How he liked his clothes smelling. How he liked his bath.

Since it was the summer before her junior year of college, Y/N decided to come back home from the summer and visit to spend time with her Mother. Always forgetting that her mom's second home was the castle and that is just about where she spent all on her time.

Each summer consisted of her working at the castle to help her mother out. Well since it was legal to at the age of 16. All the summers and weekends before that when Y/N wasn’t preoccupied with school or homework, she too find would have considered this place her second home as well because how often she was here but the perception of that was ruined when she turned the grand age of 15 and heard who she once considered her safe person, her best friend, whispering things to Suguru Geto, another prince from the neighboring city that tore her heart into two.

Some would say it’s petty to hold such a grudge for so long. But she didn’t care especially with how bothersome he was being at the moment.

“Ow… Ow…” Satoru swatched at the other maid’s hand, “Are you trying to exfoliate my skin off? Shit hurts.”

In fear, the young maid moved away. Dropping the sponge into the tub, bowing with apologies spilling from her mouth.

Muttering underneath his breath, he looked at Y/N who stood in the corner of the room with her arms crossed.

“Aren’t you suppose to be doing this?”

“I’m teaching her.”

“Well, she’s rubbing me raw.”

“Sad.”

“Shouldn’t you be showing her how? What kind of teacher are you?”

“It’s 2023, Gojo. Don’t you know how to take your own showers?”

“It's Satoru to you. And don’t you know procedure?”

“I don’t know. Seems like I’m hearing this is the first time we've done something like this and that you specifically requested it.”

He should’ve known better. I mean your mother was the head steward. Of course, she’ll go into detail about specific things. Especially about how he suddenly required assistance in the bath. Complaining that he was struggling to scrub his body because he pulled something earlier this morning. Y/N too rose an eyebrow as Satoru didn’t usually take baths, he just took showers because it took less time and he was able to leave the castle quicker when he did so.

“Just hurry up and get over here.”

Y/N resisted the urge to roll her eyes. While picking up the wet sponge from the tub, she also resisted the urge to let her eyes wander down to his sculpted body, features of his abs and biceps prominent because the water that dripped down. Harshly pressing the sponge against his back, she began to roughly rub up and down his back.

Satoru warned, "Y/L/N."

Turning her head to the younger maid, Y/N glanced towards the door. Granting permission for the younger maid to excuse herself from the room before Y/N began to scrub again. Not as rough but definitely not gentle.

"I'm just doing my job, it's all."

Y/N ran the sponge up and down his back once before moving to his arms. Running the soap up and down the muscles xf his biceps that still appeared even though his body was relaxed. The motion reminding her of the last time she had her hands on him like this.

That's when she began to apply more pressure again, resulting in Satoru turning his head to look at her from over his shoulder. Her hands falling into the water behind him.

"What are you doing?"

"Perv."

"How am I a perv? I'm just trying to get washed up after my long workout." A smirk played it's way onto his lips which pissed her off more.

"Oh please! Who does this anymore?"

"Some people do!" Satoru actually got this idea from a tv show he watched on Netflix the other night. Although the show was set in the 1800's and the clothes that they were wearing were much older than what they're wearing.

"Yeah, babies do! You're a grown man."

"I can't move my arms." He pouted. "I need help getting to certain areas."

"Is this the only way you can get a woman to touch you, is that why? Oh my, are the rumors in fact untrue? Is the crown prince being a playboy a facade? Is he actually just a virgin?" Y/N switched positions so she was kneeling on the side of the tub and was now facing him. She placed her hand swiftly onto his chest, resting where his heart is," Tell me, is your heart beating fast just from the opposite sex touching you like this?"

“You, of all people, should know I’m not a virgin.” Satoru's blue eyes falling from hers down to her lips.

Y/N quickly yanked back her hand. The memories from 2 summer ago flowing in. Grabbing a handful of soapy water, she tossed it into Satoru's face before standing up abruptly.

"Whatever, do this yourself."

Y/N splashed him again with the dirty tub water, her back towards him as she walked to the door.

"I'll tell your mom!"

"Oh yeah? What is she going to do? Fire me?!"

_

a/n: might make this into a series hehe

[petersasteria]

because i liked a boy - T.C.

Pairing: T.C. x SabrinaCarpenter!Reader Words: 1,224 Warning/s: curse words, kylie jenner being mean

You knew you weren’t at fault. You knew that no one was. You also knew that this whole situation was blown way out of proportion. According to the media, you and Timothée started your relationship while he was in a relationship with Kylie Jenner. That was not the case and all three of you knew that. Since the devil works hard, Kylie Jenner’s team works harder. They seemed to add fuel to the fire by pushing the narrative that maybe you did “seduce” Timothée to get in the way of their relationship. Because she’s so powerful, everyone turned against you. Her fans commented nasty things on your Instagram, sent you death threats, and harassed you when they saw you in public.

The funny thing about this whole ordeal was that when this whole narrative began, you and Timothée had already called it quits. It was baffling to say the least, but in true fashion, you chose not to say anything. Instead, you hid in isolation for a year and wrote a few songs about the whole thing. It saddened you that not even Timothée defended you against Kylie’s false claims. He just watched and let it happen. You reached out to Kylie’s team about it, but they never responded. You were never one to create drama, but when everything simmered down, you released a music video for your new song, “because i liked a boy”.

Meanwhile, Timothée was scrolling on YouTube to watch something. It was his day off and he was happy just lounging around. As he scrolled, he saw your newest video. He looked around to see if he was alone before clicking the video. Immediately, he was in awe. The melody and the visuals were appealing. The video opened with you lying down on a trampoline. He watched intently as you sang.

I said I wanted thin mints

And you said you knew a guy

You showed up with a boom box

And stars in your eyes

He smiled to himself as he remembered the first time he’s been to your place. It didn’t take a genius to know that the song was for him. He knew from the first line. Listening to the first four lines made him excited to listen to the rest of the song.

Who knew cuddling on trampolines

Could be so reckless?

We bonded over Black Eyed Peas

And complicated exes

It was true. You and him have always talked about your exes. Mainly because they seem to be all the same in terms of personality. He was glad to finally meet someone who sees on the same page as him.

Fell so deeply into it

It was all so innocent

In the video, you sat up, grabbed the newspaper next to you, and opened it. The front page revealed the words: “Y/N, THE WRECKER OF RELATIONSHIPS”. In the next frame, you were walking down the red carpet and everyone was pushing you away, ostracizing you in the industry.

Now I’m a home-wrecker

I’m a slut

I got death threats filling up

Semi trucks

Tell me who I am 

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked

Timothée was surprised at the choice of words you used. He genuinely felt bad for everything that you’ve been through. You didn’t deserve any of it. He hated his management team for advising him not to say anything because it could ruin his reputation.

I’m the hot topic on your tongue

In the next scene, you got a Kylie Jenner look alike to portray what she does on Instagram live and then she holds up a picture of you, gags, and rips it apart. 

I’m a rebound gettin’ round

Stealing from the young

Tell me who I am

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked a boy

In the video, you were back at your house while holding your heels. A man was waiting for you and you had an argument about something.

I’m not catastrophizing

Everything’s derailing

You let go of your shoes and hugged the man from behind, but he pushed you off and walked away. You cried and sat on the stairs. Timothée’s heart broke seeing you like that.

Was only tryna hold you close

While your heart was failing

It’s not internet illusion

Just two kids going through it

You said I’m too late to be your first love

But I’ll always be your favorite

That part was true. He did tell you that. He was surprised you included it in your song. He still meant what he said. You were, and still are, his favorite. It just didn’t work out in the end.

Now I’m a home-wrecker

I’m a slut

I got death threats filling up

Semi trucks

Tell me who I am 

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked

I’m the hot topic on your tongue

I’m a rebound gettin’ round

Stealing from the young

Tell me who I am

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked a boy

Fell so deeply into it

It was all so innocent

Dating boys with exes

No, I wouldn’t recommend it

He proceeded to watch your video intently, not knowing what was about to come next. He watched as the man left with his belongings, leaving you crying. In the next scene you were in the dining area, holding up the newspaper from the first scene. You put it down and sang.

I’m a home-wrecker

I’m a slut

I got death threats filling up

Semi trucks

Tell me who I am

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked a boy

Just then pictures of you and Timothée popped up, making him smile a bit. He missed you. There was no denying that you two were a good match; a great match. His smile disappeared when all your pictures were replaced with real headlines regarding the situation, calling you nasty names. The camera slowly zoomed in on your face to show your real emotions.

And all of this for what?

When everything went down

We’d already broken up

Please tell me who I am

Guess I don’t have a choice

All because I liked a boy

Timothée teared up and sniffed. You didn’t deserve any of that. He read the comments and all of it was positive; people immediately switched to your side after being cruel the previous year. You didn’t release that song as an intention to hurt or shade anybody. You just wanted people to know your side of the story seeing as Kylie and her team loved to fabricate the shit out of everything. You wanted people to hear it from you through song. Needless to say, you didn’t disappoint.

A few weeks later, you were invited to perform at an awards show. You were walking down the red carpet, taking pictures, and avoiding interviews like the plague when you saw him. You both looked at each other in shock. He smiled at you and gave him a curt nod. You didn’t speak to him after that. Your chapter with him already closed and both of you knew that it was done and over with. You looked away, but he stared at you longer. After a while, he smiled to himself, looked away, and went on with his night.

[hauntedrain]

Part 4: For Our Own Sanity | Alex Turner x Fem Reader |

social media AU Summary: Alex and readers relationship turns public after a string of events.

part 1: Here! part 2: Here! Part 3: Here!

✰▹Warnings/Notices: use of milo as ex bf. timeline is probably all messy atp. use of Taylor swift as face claim, as well as reputation album use. Not edited.

liked by 1,345,457 others

@POPupdates: Milo Manheim and his gf have made a few comments recently about their opinions on Y/N L/N and her reputation with the media. Both stated that they agree with the backlash she's getting and find it reasonably as its consequences to Y/N L/N's actions. The Singer has yet to make any comment on any aspect as the L/N has been MIA from the media and hasn't been seen publicly since February 13th.

View all 19,495 comments

user1: Honestly she deserves it, the way she was with him is clear and clearly she has boy problems.

user2: I would leave social media too if I was that much of a train wreck. Ruining your own relationship and then running away from the problem you created is crazy.

user3: No wonder why Alex got a new girl.

↪ user4: AGAIN. NOTHING. IS. COMFIRMED. ABOUT. A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. its all he said she said, one side of the story isn't a complete story.

liked by 5,679,564 others

@Alexupdates: The Arctic Monkeys have arrived for their first out of 4 shows in New York City. The four shows will span over 2 weeks, and the first show started this evening!

click to view all 1,345,567 comments

liked by 1,346,568 others

@Alexculture: The Arctic Monkeys Have started their North America section of their World Tour after 2 months of touring the UK, however during this tour there's been many comments and talk about his relationship with "singer" Y/N L/N. Alex has yet to make a clear comment on their situation or if their is a situation at all, but he did say in a interview last weekend that he would "prefer privacy in relationships and life.".

View all 54,568 comments

user5: I thought they weren't together after his story with a black haired girl?

↪ user6: I mean its not like Y/N has never dyed her hair before. She's dyed it black before.

User7: I just want Y/N back. She hasn't posted since that one post, but she deleted it.

↪ user8: I heard that she's gonna release something soon.

↪ user9: they've been saying that for the last 5ish months. she never has.

↪ user10: I guess we just have to wait.

Y/N has posted to their story!

liked by AlexTurner,TaylorSwift & 25,456,358 others

@Y/N: 8/10/24

comments have been disabled

taglist: @mathdebate00 @ouroboros311 @joannfabrics @tangointhequango

[thomase1]

Asgard, land of... aphrodisiacs?

My masterlist

How fast an innocent litte fic can turn into pure filth:

Pairing: Boss!LokixFem!Employee!Reader

Warnings: Smut, Boss/Employee dynamics, Sex-Pollen trope, effects of the sex-pollen-toxin described, obedient reader, overstimulation, praise kink, soft Loki, biting [by reader], outdoor sex, fluff, touch of angst if you squint

Wordcount:~3.300

Deviders by @harlequin-hangout

If someone had predicted today's events to you, you might have thought them crazy. But let's start at the beginning.

You are Lokis assistant, or how he likes to put it, maid. He had to get back to Asgard for his parents annual feast and you came along since, well, its your job.

Loki is a strict boss, he has you call him my lord or sir for example, while he rarely ever calls you by a professinal name. Truth be told, he only calls you by your name if you truely messed up.

He was reluctant to even hire an assistent, but since all of the famous heros of earth do, he was practically forced to hire one. Your job mostly consits of keeping him from ruining his reputation; which was alredy hard enough to restore given his past history. This consists of managing his social media accounts as well as public appearences.

What also took a lot of time was keeping the fans at bay. The emails, dm's and letters are mostly benign, but the abundance of them gathering at public events was always scary. His old adress got leaked at the very start of your employment.

You went over to talk about an upcoming event, shocked as you saw the crowd of people swarming the house. Even the garden, they jumped the fence. None the less, you fought your way to the door, pulling out the spare keys he gave you. Seeing the door open, the fans nearly trampled you had it not been for Loki pulling you inside the last second.

That day, when you were trapped inside the house for hours until the coast cleared, you truely talked to another. Discovering a shared love for litrature, nature and music. Before that day, you thougt of him as a stuck-up dickhead, after it, you though of him as a stuck-up dickhead with a damaged soul.

And you felt he no longer only tolorated you but actually began appreciating your assistance.

Arriving in asgard you noticed one thing: away from the day to day buisness and irritating city, he is far more relaxed. Still, you know that can change at any moment would you make a mistake, take a joke too far for instance.

He shows you the fairground in the city of Asgard, the beautiful castle and its gardens. The gardens are glorious. Homey conservatorys with small sitting areas are dottet around; rainbows dancing inside as the sun hits the colored glass. Loki insisted you get up so you can visit the next sight of his home, you would have fallen asleep in a hammock if he hadnt.

Said sight is the forests outside of the city. The walk there was already spectacular, seeing how the people of asgard live, but the forest was even better. Its unlike anything you could have imagined, the giant moss covered trees gave a sense of security, yet left you feeling tiny and insignificant in their presence. At one point a giant moss covered root lead the way across a river, it was very slippery but also impressive.

Calming bird songs sound in harmony with cicadas and crickets; if they were a thing on asgard, they at least sound like the familiar animals back at home.

Small creatures glide from branch to branch, unaware of your presence. They seem to be some sort of flying squirrel, never have you seen anything that adorable. After a while they pop back into their little den, out of your sight.

Not long after that, you spot another interesting creature. Fireflies. But not like the ones back home, these glow even at daytime. The small purple and turquoise beetles swirl around the air, a hand full of purples after one turquoise.

To your questions, Loki explained that the females glow turquoise, the males purple. Their dances are mesmerizing, to the extend where you forget to watch your step.

You stumble and fall down a small hill, right into some thorned bushes.

They look a little like blackberry bushes. At least they hurt just as much. He had warned you to watch where you're going, now it's obvious why.

Loki is quick to help you, gracefully walking down helping you untangle the thorny vines from your form. "I'm sorry darling. I should have warned you the ground is loose.", he looks at you with guilt, trying to unwrap your calf and shin. "No, you warned me plenty. I should have watched my step, the fireflies distracted me.", you sniffle from his attempts to free you, once he gets a tendril off, it pierces another part of your flesh.

"They got you really badly. There is something I should probably tell you though.", he rips the last one off your arm like a bandaid, so it won't get you again. "What is it?", you ask him, rubbing your side to ease the growing burn sensation. "They contain a toxin. Now it is not lethal before you panic. However, in Asgard it is often used as... aphrodisiac.", he looks away embarrassed. "Wha-what?! So- so what does that mean, what is going to happen?", you ask shyly. "You will feel its effects soon. I just hope it won't be too unpleasant for you. We should get back so I can look up if there are past occurrences where a non-Asgardian ingested the toxin.", he lays a hand to the small of your back, guiding you out of the ditch.

You mentally curse at the fact he had to give up the tesseract. It would have been a blessing to teleport back, walking becoming unbearably painful. Every step set your skin on fire, every movement of your hip heightened the frustration within you. Your panties are thoroughly soaked.

Seeing Loki walk in front of you isn't helping either. He is a gorgeous being. Unmistakably a god.

You stifle a lustful sound from fleeting you as you catch sight of his hips. Pants ever so tight around his thighs and ass. His broad shoulders strain against his shirt. It's been a challenge not to ogle him constantly.

"My lord?", you groan, forcing yourself to keep up with your boss's pace. "Yes Darling?" Your stomach tightens at the usual nickname, "May I ask what the symptoms of this aphrodisiac are? For asgardians at least?". He stops walking and turns around, taking in your form. At this point, your skin glistens with sweat, your thighs are pressed together and you are panting heavily. "You are feeling its effects?"he asks concerned. You only nod, squeezing your eyes shut and biting your cheek.

You hear the gravel under his boots as he walks to you, his hand startling you as it grips your upper arm. He hums, "I can feel you warming up even through your clothes.". For a moment, there is silence, only the soft chirping of birds from the treetops.

That is until you groan as something that feels like a cramp rips through your lower abdomen. "I know of a spot where we can sit comfortably. Since I don't think we will make it back in time." You whimper at his words but know it's true, so you nod and let him lead you off the trail.

After a short walk, you got to the destination. A spot covered by thick moss, so thick, it looks like a plush mattress. Loki conjures a blanket, draping it over the moss and gesturing for you to sit. You could say it's comfortable, if your whole body wasn't on fire leaving you to squirm trying to ease the burn. He sat down next to you, eyeing your movements with concern, "It's rather uncomfortable I see. It progressed quicker than it does usually.". "And how do you know what is the usual?", you groan. He smirks, "One gets quite adventurous in over a thousand years of living in one place.", he says simply.

"Oh, I see... So uhm, what are the symptoms exactly?", you try to change the subject back since the imagination of Loki under the effects of this drug really isn't helping your nether regions. "Of course. It starts off with burning where your skin has been pierced. That burn will soon consume your whole body, your temperature will rise and your nerve endings will feel everything with higher intensity. That's when the growing ache in your core will start, your knees weak and body tense."

You listen intently but notice you have passed every stage he is listing, making you concerned for what will happen after those. "How long does it usually take for it to get to the... aching bit.", you clear your throat, growing more and more humiliated to discuss such matters with your boss. "A couple of hours. It's the build up that is so thrilling, making it interesting.", he eyes you, focusing on the way you shift around on the soft blanket. "Sir, I have surpassed every state you just listed and it's been less than an hour.", you say nervous. His lips thin and his eyes lose their stern expression usually anchored deep inside of them. "It looks like it is progressing quicker in midgardians. Come to think of it, that makes sense, asgardians have a higher muscle density. You did get a pretty high dose of it as well..."

You try to listen intently to him, you really do, but it's getting unbearable. The fabric of your jeans feels rough on your skin, constricting almost. And your sex... you have officially soaked through your panties and jeans.

"What comes after... Am I going to get sick? I feel so warm, somethings not right.", you groan, rolling up the sleeves of your shirt. "The painful part. If not treated, it will leave your body aching and spasming for hours. Your flesh is growing hotter and hotter. Y/n, we must act on it now, it... it could very well be that you experience these symptoms with a higher intensity. As I told you, I am not certain if any other midgardian has been exposed to this plant. I am worried for you.", he tells you earnestly, shifting closer to lay a hand on your knee, a whimper confirming his suspicions. "Darling, you are in pain, aren't you?" Your eyes dart to the hand on your knee, then your own. Reluctantly, you nod, knowing you cannot lie or hide things from him. He looks at you with pity and concern, moving his hand to your shoulder. You whimper from that slight touch alone; your skin like a burning fire, his hand cooling you down, relieving the burn. You push against his hand, earning a content scoff from him.

"I'm going to help relieve your discomfort now. Is that alright?", he strokes your cheek, making you sigh. "Please", you breathe, closing your eyes from embarrassment. He pushes you back slightly, "Lay back for me darling, I am going to help you.".

You do as you're told.

"I will make no show of it, I think you want to feel better as fast as possible.", he hovers over you, one arm next to your shoulder, the other making its way to your zipper. "Just help me, please-", you sob. He hurriedly pulls down your jeans and panties, hissing at the sight, "Gods, you're dripping.".

His fingers make contact with your heated sex, head falling back with a moan, "Sir please-". "Loki darling. Call me Loki.", he coos as his thumb starts to play with your clit. You feel a finger slip into you, another one following suit not long after the first. He curls them just right where you need them, your hips grinding down on his palm for some friction on your weeping clit. He picks up his pace as your hips buck desperately from his fingers alone.

"M-more please", you plead. It's just not enough. "Are you sure?", he looks at you with doubt and concern. "I need you, please Loki-", you plead pathetically.

He draws back his hand and fumbles with his trousers, freeing his rock hard cock from its hold. He leans back down, lining himself up. You whine and try to sink down on him, so he hurries and pushes in slowly, bottoming out as he meets no resistance. Both of you moan at the feeling of your sex twitching around him.

He starts to kiss your neck as he starts gyrating his hips. Your mouth falls open and your eyes close, savoring every little touch. When he finds a sweets spot on your neck, every muscle of yours convulces. It's somehow painful and yet it feels so good.

His pace picks up in no time, your legs shaking from the feeling. "Kiss please-", you grab his arm, looking up at him. Seeing his face painted with pleasure makes you want to kiss him so badly. He leans down and kisses you passionately, sloppy and firm. His hands grip your hips and he plunges into you like a beast.

He hits a spot deep within you, the coil in your stomach tightening painfully. You feel yourself spasm around Loki and he can too, a pleasured groan an audible confirmation. A pained whine of yours makes him hold you closer, as if he were hugging you and says, "It's alright sweet, I will make you feel better.".

By now, Loki is dripping with sweat and so are you, he vanishes the remains of clothing left. He is holding your upper body to his, his forearms under you and his head in the crook of your neck, kissing and nibbling away. The pace has slowed down a little, due to both of your exhaustion and Loki almost coming.

It's become too much for you a long time ago, its blissful agony. But never enough to tip you over, no matter what he does. You thrash around, losing control of it all, you have to ground yourself. It's just too much.

But still, he is your boss, so you hold back, gripping the moss even tighter. "Do what you must to get comfortable, my sweet.", he coos into your ear. Did he notice?

You shakily lay your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. You look at him uncertain if it's ok, your hips shuddering. "Go for it kitten.", he tells you softly, one hand cradling your head. You bury your teeth in his shoulder, unsure if it is really ok and claw at him for some form of control. He snaps into you hard, making you cry into him. It's really painful, this must be overstimulation. "Shhh, I'm sorry darling. We have to do this now. Try to relax for me.", he hugs you tighter.

His pace steadens again, pelvis brushing your clit with every thrust. You are a mess, small painted 'mmmhh' sounds escaping you. Loki keeps praising you, softly kissing your neck and jaw.

"You're doing so good little one. Almost there, just a little longer."

"I know it's a lot but it will get better soon. Just hold onto me."

Your hips try to meet his thrust, something urgent growing within your lower stomach. "C-close- need more-", you keen into his shoulder. He thrusts harder, meeting the spot inside you that makes you jolt with pleasure. You moan his name loudly. Sinfully. "Thats it. Good girl, you won't have to bear it much longer now.", he strokes your hair. Tears are streaming down your face, collecting in your hair.

All you can do is chant "Please!" as your boss pounds into you from above, praising you repeatedly. You come with a last strangled cry of his name, stars exploding behind your eyes as every muscle of yours goes limp. He holds you tight as your whole body convulses, your channel clenching and unclenching around him. He swore he would not, but he cant hold back his orgasm, nails digging into your hip bone as he buries his seed deep inside of you with a single violent thrust.

Everything's a blur as a green light wreaths around you and puts some clean and comfortable clothes on you. "Let's get you back to the palace darling.", he says calmly, satisfied. "Mhh", you humm, nuzzling against his chest. All you feel is yourself getting lifted up into his arms, your body rocking back and forth as he walks the path back to the palace. Only when he picked you up did you realize Loki put on some clothes too. He smells devine; like pines and fresh air. And sweat, something about that is just too calming. You can't fight off falling asleep.

You wake up as you feel yourself being moved around, laid down onto something. Opening your eyes, you see Loki eyeing you deep in thought. He is laying you down on a bed, his bed by the looks of it. "There you are. How are you feeling?", he strokes your hair, his gaze soft. You think about it for a moment, really coming to your senses. "Mhh, better. Just a bit of a headache and I feel warm.", you yawn. He nods, "I expected that. I will keep an eye on you until its effects have laid off completely.". You smile, eyes shutting again, "Sounds good to me.".

They snap back open when you feel his warm aura leave the side of the bed.

He went to his window sill and started to read. You hesitate for a moment, chewing your lip. "Sir, could- Would it be rude to ask for cuddles?", you almost whisper, your cheeks getting even warmer than they were already. He looks up from his book, seeing the bashful look on your face. His book snaps shut as he gets up, "It most definitely is not. And do call me Loki please. We are past the formalities I think.".

You lower your head when reality sets in.

You two had sex. Crazy sex-plant from another planet type of sex. With your boss, a god and prince of said realm. Loki Laufeyson.

You swallow the knot forming in your throat, "I guess we are.". He sits down next to you, "No need to feel ashamed. About any of it. Come here.". His arms open up, inviting you in. A bit reluctant, you scoot closer, laying your head on his clothed chest. His arm wraps around you, head tilting to kiss the top of your head, "Rest a bit more, it will help you."

"But I just woke up, don't you need me to work?", you ask, your fingers painting small patterns on his chest. "That can wait, your health is more important. Just close your eyes darling.", he strokes your hair, attempting to lull you back to sleep.

"Wait, we didnt- You uhmm-", you stammer, looking for the words. "I took care of it, I used a contraceptive spell when I cleaned you up.", he assures, thankfully understanding your senseless rambling.

You pause and think, feeling your head throb. "What if it gets worse again?", you ask anxiously. "I'm right here should anything happen.", he starts to stroke your back, your eyes falling closed but your mind still racing.

You're silent for a moment, pondering if you should say it or not.

"I'm scared s- Loki.", you mumble into his shirt. He squeezes your shoulder, "No need dear one. I will look after you, I promise." You take a deep breath, calming down a bit.

"Thank you for helping me, getting me here, clothing me... Just thank you for today.", you hug his torso, inhaling his scent once again. "It was my pleasure darling. Rest now, I'm right here if you need me."

And you could swear, you heard a smirk in that statement, yet it made you feel safe and secure as you drifted off again.

Everything taglist @slytherclaw1227 @their-love @vickie5446 @buttercupcookies-blog @peaches1958

The peeps from the society ;)

@lokisgoodgirl @lokischambermaid @mischief2sarawr @michelleleewise @holdmytesseract @fictional-hooman @holymultiplefandomsbatman @mochie85 @fictive-sl0th @thedistractedagglomeration @vbecker10 @xorpsbane @alexakeyloveloki @lovelysizzlingbluebird @muddyorbs @november-rayne @sarahscribbles @maple-seed @simplyholl @gigglingtigger @loopsisloops @theaudacitytowrite @wheredafandomat @lady-rose-moon @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @dangertoozmanykids101 @animnerd @joyful-enchantress @mygfloki @lokiprompts @springdandelixn @superficialdomina @peaches1958

And of course my wifey @plushcrushdoll

[fumikomiyasaki]

Melodic Misconceptions🎹

 Side Track- Gardenia Wind

After the interview with the Magazine, the group Co-connect withdrew for a break, however Ellis noticed Carol wander off from the group. She found her in the practise room, playing a familiar tune on the Piano... many of the other members followed this Melody and soon they all sat around it listening to her.

Eventually Ellis spoke up after she was nearly done with the song.

“This was the Debut song you had, right? You do play it a lot.”

Carol withdrew the hands from the Piano and looked a little bit down.

“Well... it has deeper meaning than that... it has elements from the first song my best friend taught me...but also... it was a song meant to be tribute to her.”

Juvia smiled and put her hands together.

“Thats a wonderfull thing though, this way you keep her in mind... it still has a more somber note...”

“That is.. because... not all were happy memories... we met in that park by coincidence, I heard her music and asked her about it... since then we chatted each day where I helped her with school and she helped me learning notes and how to play the piano... things changed when we were about to enter middle school...”

Miren was still snacking on something as Chizuko ellbowed him to stop so they could listen to her. She continued her story.

“My best friend since then hasn’t gotten in contact with me anymore... I overheard from some people that knew her that... a family member died... and since then they barely saw her... and it didn’t help in middle school that a teacher wanted to ruin my reputation and wanted me to be alone for the rest of my time there.”

Ellis gasped.

“Right and I remember... once you started Highschool and we met... you barely wanted to be near Pianos...”

Carol sighed and nodded. “Just given it reminded me of those lonely times, I didn’t want to pick it up anymore... however Ellis said when she wanted to be older she wanted to try to be a star... and given I didn’t want to lose another friend... I slowly tried to overcome my past and tried to play Piano again... “

Yuuta chuckled.

“And you really thought you two could just make it that easy?”

“Yuuta.... it was not about making it... it was that I could share a hobby with Ellis... that we often had something to work on... and.... music really did help me vent out my emotions... Gardenia wind was named after the favourite flower of my friend... and I hoped with this song... even if we might not meet again... that she will listen to it and see how far her best friend has come.... and maybe we do cross paths again.”

“That so sweet.” Juvia seemed happy however as Ellis noticed something she had a slight smirk on her face.

“Is that also why half of the songs on your solo track involves Crushes you are having...”

And so Carol quickly turned red and avoided her face.

“T-thats not....”

Yuuta chuckled. “Did she hit a nerve there?”

“Just can we ignore that... I just... vent out my feelings.”

Suddenly Mayuu came in and sighed.

“There you are... but seriously there is no wonder dating rumors are usually public about you. Given all the romance songs.”

“The media just.... always interprets a lot... I try to be more carefull...”

“I know... its not your fault...  Anyways, I need you all to come back to the tour bus, we have to leave to our next appointment to go to.”

The group nodded and slowly packed things as Juvia tapped on her shoulder.

“Actually about that, as we stayed over at the last hotel, who was that tall guy you did talk to in the night?”

“H-huh you saw that... um he was just the manager, checking up if the stalker was bothering me or not...”

“I see... cause he did look awfully familiar to a fan of yours...”

“R-really?!“

Ellis noticed the conversation and joined in.

“Don’t get me started also on these two idols you eyed at the award show.”

“Please... can we drop the topic again.. I know I have too many crushes... “

The girls giggled and then help her carry out her keyboard.

Tagging: @rosietrace @starry-night-rose @authoruio @sakuramidnight15 @windbornearchon @nem0-nee

[donnabroadway]

The year was 2011. I was a QA tester, and I spent most of my time at work watching YouTube videos. While I don't recall exactly what I was watching, I do remember wondering how kids who were born and raised on social media — at the time, mostly YouTube — would turn out. Now, more than a decade later, I have a bit of an answer, but it’s more related to the parents than the kids.

Someone commented on a video that women have been having babies for social media since 2010. I would raise that point further: women and families have been having babies for the prospect of fame and fortune since the late 1990s. There was a baby story on TLC, The Duggars, John and Kate, 16 and pregnant, MTV True Life, and probably more that I can’t recall. While I can’t definitively judge, I’ve seen enough examples to suggest that the pressure to maintain a public persona, often an unnatural one, has been detrimental to families, friendships, and relationships, especially for those who went on reality TV.

Most people can barely handle the scrutiny of loved ones or acquaintances discussing them in a negative light, so I can’t imagine how people handle the level of fame and judgment that comes with being on reality TV. It’s broken many families, as seen in countless exposes, deep dives into reality TV shows, and the stories of children who grew up in this environment — most notably, the Duggar and Gosselin children.

I sometimes wonder if I could have built a successful social media career if I were willing to exploit my family and personal life. There are a few individuals who have created large followings based on their talents, personality, or other unique qualities without sharing too much of their personal lives. But many people break into the industry by capitalizing on embarrassing dating stories, marriage struggles, friendship fallouts, messy family "tea," and, my personal favorite, their children.

Let’s face it: people love looking at family pictures, hearing love stories, and watching cute kids. That’s why so many family vlogs became popular during YouTube’s heyday. However, most of those couples have either broken up or had very messy public divorces, and maybe it’s just me, but certain things should remain offline. You should not be monetizing the breakup of your family, no matter how much money you make. Creating hashtags about your ex-wife, the mother of your children, "going out sad" isn’t the flex you think it is. Sharing co-parenting struggles and airing out family issues for public consumption isn’t helpful. I don’t care if you think you're protecting yourself or your kids — save it for the judge.

Posting a video of your ex-wife seemingly abusing you while holding your child is not a good look. It’s disgusting and only harms the child. If you believe your life, and the life of your children, may be in danger, don't pick up a vlog camera in hopes of documenting and protecting yourself, instead, pick up a phone and call police, as they are the only ones that can truly help.

I understand wanting proof but why does that proof need to be shared with the world? Videos from any time period can go viral, so if a video from almost 100 years ago can resurface, who’s to say your "truth-telling" video won’t make a comeback in 10-15 years and ruin your family’s reputation? These things have long-lasting consequences, but people often fail to see that. They only see their "careers."

I don’t care if you went from making tens of thousands on social media to driving for a rideshare company — consider how to build a career without involving your children. I see too many parents get online and talk about how uncomfortable their children are with the public attention they receive from their "internet aunts and uncles," those parasocial relationships they’ve created for money. Instead of limiting their children’s exposure online, these parents chastise the public for not respecting boundaries. While I understand that frustration, it’s not up to the public to protect your children — it’s your job. And the easiest way to do that is by not posting your child on social media.

There are too many warning signs about the long-term effects of social media use for children and too many stories of inappropriate things happening to kids shared online. Yet, when people talk about how much money they make online — often claiming they can make ten times more than they would at a traditional W-2 job with just a bit of controversy and going viral, even without millions of followers — you end up with cases like the Resilient Jenkins and Nurse Hannah, who post things that can be perceived as neglect and mistreatment of their children, all to go viral and make money.

I am, however, happy to see that more and more states are finally creating guidelines, similar to those in Hollywood for child stars, on how long children can work and how their finances are set aside for the future. It’s a step in the right direction.

I understand why many families pursue social media fame. Initially, they may have enjoyed sharing memories, pictures, and videos, only to realize it could provide a career with high earning potential and the flexibility to spend more time with their children. However, as social media continues to evolve, it’s important to be mindful of how we share personal details online and the potential long-term effects, both positive and negative, on our families.

While negativity and criticism are inevitable, no matter how carefully parents may post about their children, it’s essential to consider the possible fallout. Posting your child in less-than-ideal circumstances — such as during difficult living situations, rage-baiting, punishment, or illness — may harm their long-term mental and emotional well-being. It could also lead to ostracization or isolation from their peers. I urge everyone to think carefully before sharing content that could have lasting consequences.

[talesfromasnarkylisa]

Lacey: Chapter 11

August 15, 2023

After the initial onslaught of drafts passed onto me for Music Refined, I finally had a bit of a break. I did still get two pieces to go over, but they were both rather short at under 500 words. Turned out, Lacey also had some spare time - though less than mine.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:00 PM): Hey Archie

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:02 PM): Hi.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:04 PM): How’s being a beta reader for you?

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:05 PM): It’s tiring. But I have less stuff to go over now.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:08 PM): Same. Anyways, wanna hear some fun news?

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:09 PM): Tell me.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:11 PM): I submitted an article to Artsy Carolina. Not only did she accept it, but I also got a link to her semi-private Discord server! We’re hitting it off pretty well right now.

Oh, I thought to myself. Yay. Totally disastrous for my plans to ruin her damn reputation. Sure gonna make things awkward.

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:15 PM): Congrats, if that’s what you want.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:17 PM): Why wouldn’t I want it? Folkin’s a great publication for amateur music analysts like me. Not to mention Artsy and the editors are so nice. Way better than Music Refined, for sure.

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:19 PM): Good for you, I guess.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:22 PM): You were there once, right? Wasn’t it fun?

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:24 PM): Correct. Look, I really don’t want to talk about this.

Lacey Hannah (7:25 PM, 08/15/23): Sorry.

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:27 PM): Don’t worry about it.

I realized I hadn’t bothered to ask Lacey about Writer’s Delight in a while. This mixed bag was crucial to my plans, so I had to get back on track.

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:28 PM): Have you started drafting a piece for Writer’s Delight yet?

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:30 PM): Sorta. I’ve had a lot on my hands for a while, so I kind of forgot to finish up my submission for that.

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:32 PM): Alright. Just saying, they have a pretty good acceptance rate. Don’t overthink your writing.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:34 PM): I get what you mean, but they do have editorial standards. I still have to put effort in. 

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:35 PM): True. However, I think you’re a great writer. Do your thing and I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Lacey Hannah (08/15/23, 7:36 PM): Thanks for the advice

Archer J (08/15/23, 7:37 PM): No problem.

Later on, I checked the two drafts I got. One of them was about Black artists in punk. The other analyzed the evolution of dance-pop music. Micah told me I could only send one to the main editors.

I made the tough decision of rejecting the first one. Well, officially it would just get ignored. The end result would’ve been the same, though, so why use different terminology? It wasn’t because it was bad or plagiarized or heaven forbid, the writer used ChatGPT. Rather, I had to appeal to the editors’ biases.

It’s not that people like Micah, Tate, or Theodore were bigots or anything of the sort. They weren’t even racially insensitive like the Writer’s Delight editors often could be when it came to media and others’ campaigns. 

The former’s problems were an over reliance on good grammar and mass appeal. “Good grammar” always meant that writing outside of standard American newspaper English would strike down the piece no matter what. “Mass appeal” really translated to appealing to the most reliable audiences. Perhaps due to its near-monopoly on free starter publications, the Writer’s Delight crowd significantly overlapped with the Music Refined one. And that required taming anything social justice related - especially when it came to race.

Sucks? Sure. But Medium doesn’t really seem to care and neither do a lot of readers. There are also a dearth of free and accessible publications. As long as most of these apply, nothing changes.

August 16, 2023 (Morning)

It’s my birthday. Technically, I was born at 12:05 PM. But legally, it doesn’t matter. I’m a year older all the same on my birthday no matter the time.

I didn’t really have huge birthday parties as a kid. With few friends and mostly estranged family, when it came to people other than my parents, there was little point in having large festivities. Either it was my mom dumping sugar onto one of her leftover muffins and calling it “cake” to give to me, or I had to buy a few cupcakes myself for Darian and me. 

I still don’t really party much nowadays. I have some casual friends at Yale, but having a summer birthday means that they won’t bother to come over for a get-together - let alone a party. The most they’d do would be to wish “happy birthday” to me. Not that it matters anyways. I’m too broke to party all that much.

Darian texted me early in the morning.

Darian Stewart (Wed, Aug 16, 5:57 AM): Wishing the happiest birthday to the coolest broski out there! Wanna come to my dorm after work? I have a little surprise for you.

He sent me a Doge meme to go along with it.

That’s nice of him, I thought to myself. Getting up this early and remembering my birthday.

I found it far more palatable than Lacey’s and Augusta’s tastes for cuteness or even Corianna’s fascination for crudeness. After searching the Internet for a response image, I sent Darian my thanks.

James Hill (Wed, Aug 16, 7:00 AM): Thanks, that really means a lot. And I’d definitely like to come over!

Corianna also messaged me after I finished breakfast, so I messaged her back.

Artsy Carolina (08/16/23, 8:00 AM): Happy birthday, my dude. Thanks for being a great friend these past few months.

Archer J (08/16/23, 8:05 AM): No problem. Have a nice day.

What I didn’t expect, though, was to see something from Lacey.

Lacey Hannah (08/16/23, 7:31 AM): Happy BDay Archie! You’re such a wonderful guy to be around. 

She was online, so I messaged her back. Work only started at 9:00 AM, so I had a decent amount of time.

Archer J (08/16/23, 8:10 AM): Thanks.

Lacey Hannah (08/16/23, 8:12 AM): Anyways, I wouldn’t want to disturb your birthday. But there is one little thing I want to ask you. Are you still in Writer’s Delight?

Ughh, not that trainwreck of a publication, I silently sighed.

(Wattpad version: ​​https://www.wattpad.com/1494001627-lacey-chapter-11)

[iamsumati]

Choice of Words is The Voice of Words

In an age where our thumbs type faster than our mouths can speak and emojis supplement our emotions, the power of words remains undiminished. Words, those tiny vessels of meaning, hold the capacity to build bridges, ignite fires, or burn down entire villages of understanding. Welcome to the exploration of the paramount importance of the choice of words in our hyper-connected world.

Imagine a world where words are like spices. A dash of humor, a sprinkle of kindness, a pinch of wisdom, and voila! You've got yourself a dish that can leave a lasting impression. But what happens when you throw in a spoonful of sarcasm or a tablespoon of carelessness? Well, you might just end up with a recipe for disaster.

In our fast-paced, tweet-it-before-you-think-it society, the choice of words is more crucial than ever. A single misplaced word can ruin relationships, derail careers, and turn opportunities into missed chances. Consider the case of a hasty email sent in the heat of the moment, or a poorly phrased social media post that goes viral for all the wrong reasons. The consequences can be swift and severe, as public opinion turns on a dime and reputations are tarnished in an instant.

Conversely, words chosen with care and precision can work wonders. They can heal old wounds, inspire greatness, and create bonds that last a lifetime. In the realm of business, a well-crafted proposal or a thoughtfully worded negotiation can seal the deal. In personal relationships, expressing gratitude, empathy, or love with the right words can strengthen connections and build lasting trust.

But let's face it, in the race to communicate quickly and efficiently, we often sacrifice quality for speed. We text shorthand, abbreviate emotions, and rely on autocorrect to fill in the gaps. This rush can lead to misunderstandings, as the subtleties of tone and nuance get lost in translation. The message received may not always be the message intended.

Take a moment to reflect on the words you use daily. Are they chosen with intent and purpose, or are they simply the first that come to mind? The ancient wisdom of "think before you speak" is more relevant than ever. In fact, in this era of rapid-fire communication, perhaps we should adopt a new mantra: "Think, edit, then speak."

In the professional world, this can mean the difference between sealing a deal and watching it slip away. Imagine a job interview where your words convey confidence and competence, versus one where they betray nervousness and uncertainty. Or a business meeting where your succinct, well-chosen words display your expertise, as opposed to rambling, which suggests a lack of focus.

The same principles apply to personal relationships. Saying less can often mean saying more. When we speak less, our words carry more weight and meaning. They show that we have taken the time to listen, to think, and to choose our response carefully. This considered approach can build deeper connections and foster mutual respect.

So, in a world where words fly at the speed of light, let us not forget the power they hold. Choose your words wisely, for they are the voice of your thoughts, your intentions, and your character. They can open doors or close them, build bridges or burn them, heal wounds or inflict them. The choice is yours, and the impact is profound.

In conclusion, let us embrace the art of thoughtful communication. Let us speak less but say more. Let us remember that our choice of words is indeed the voice of our words, and let that voice be one that builds, inspires, and connects. After all, words are the threads that weave us together. Choose them wisely, and watch the wonders they can create.