#your friends exist when you are not in the room with them and you have to make the effort to to be in the spaces they invite you into!!

[agiiiiiiiiiiiii]

Until Now

Hiii. Let me know if you would like part 2.

nico hischier x reader

Theme: fluff, friends to lovers

Words: 3565

—————————————————————————

Walking into the Prudential Center as an official part of the New Jersey Devils’ staff feels surreal. You’ve been in locker rooms before, worked with athletes at the highest level, but there’s something different about this. Maybe it's because the team is new to you or perhaps it's because one particular player isn't.

Nico Hischier.

He doesn’t know you’ve been hired yet. The team only found out a few days ago that they were getting a new physio, and with their game schedule, there wasn’t much time for introductions. You were hired based on your experience, and despite your history working in high-performance hockey, you can’t shake the nerves buzzing in your stomach.

“Hey, you must be the new physio,” one of the trainers greets you as you step into the medical room, offering you a warm smile. “I’m Mike. Welcome to the team.”

“Thanks,” you say, shaking his hand. “Excited to get started.”

“Good,” Mike grins. “You’ll fit right in. Most of the guys are good about their recovery, but you’ll quickly find that some of them think they’re invincible.”

You smirk, already knowing exactly who he’s talking about. “Let me guess—hockey players who refuse to admit when they’re hurt?”

Mike chuckles. “Exactly. You’ll see soon enough.”

Before long, the locker room begins to fill as players trickle in from the morning skate, each offering a greeting and a warm welcome to the team. You’re busy organizing some rehab protocols when you hear a familiar voice.

“Mike, do you have time to check my—”

Nico stops mid-sentence when he sees you.

You turn, trying not to smile too wide, but the look on his face is priceless. His eyebrows shoot up, mouth slightly open, like his brain is short-circuiting trying to process what’s happening.

Your story with Nico was never simple.

You met through mutual friends years ago, at some party where the music was too loud and the drinks were flowing, but somehow, the two of you had ended up in a corner talking like you’d known each other forever.

From the start, there was something there—something easy, something that made you gravitate toward him without even meaning to. And from what you had heard from his friends, that feeling wasn’t one-sided. Nico fancied you. A lot.

And you couldn’t say you weren’t interested.

But something was always in the way.

One of you was always in a relationship or tied up in something that made timing impossible. There were stolen glances, lingering conversations, maybe even a fleeting moment where it almost happened—but it never did.

It just wasn’t meant to be.

So you remained in each other’s orbit, moving closer, then apart, again and again—like fate had a twisted sense of humor. You would see him at gatherings, catch up with ease, laugh at inside jokes like no time had passed.

But the years passed. Life happened. And eventually, you convinced yourself that maybe this was all it would ever be.

Until you got the offer to work for the Devils - an opportunity you couldn’t turn down.

You told yourself it wouldn’t change anything. That after so much time apart, you and Nico had both moved on, that whatever almost existed between you had faded into nothing more than a fond memory.

Being around him again would be fine. Easy. A reminder of the years before, when timing was never on your side but friendship had always been enough.

But now, standing here—seeing the way his eyes linger on you, the way his expression flickers between surprise and something deeper. You can’t help but wonder if this was ever going to be as simple as you tried to convince yourself it would be.

“You’re—” He blinks. “What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too, Nico,” you say, teasing.

He runs a hand through his hair, still looking completely thrown. “Wait. You—are you working here?”

You nod, trying to suppress a laugh. “Just started today.”

Before Nico can respond, Jack walks in, glancing between the two of you. “Oh, you two know each other?,” he says, grinning. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Cap.”

Nico finally snaps out of it, shaking his head and crossing his arms. “No one told me about this.”

Mike chuckles from the side. “Surprise.”

Nico glances at you again, and you can see the way his mind is racing. You've always meant something to him—unacknowledged, lingering, yet constant. And now? Now you’re part of his world in a way he never saw coming.

Jack slaps a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “Man, this is gonna be so fun to watch.”

You laugh, meeting Nico’s eyes. “Looks like you’re stuck with me now, Captain.”

Nico exhales, shaking his head with a half-smile.

————

Over the next few months, you and Nico fall into an easy rhythm as always—friendly banter finds its way back into your dynamic. You joke with him during treatments, roll your eyes when he insists he doesn’t need rest days, and sometimes, you catch him watching you in a way that makes your stomach flip.

But you don’t let it go beyond that.

Because you have a boyfriend—a fact you hadn’t told Nico about. Yet.

In his mind, everything had been falling into place. Nico feels like, for the first time, the stars have finally aligned.

For years, it was always something—bad timing, distance, relationships that never left space for anything more. But now, with you here in a part of his world that feels permanent, he can’t help but think that maybe this is it. Maybe this is the chance he’s been waiting for.

But then, in the middle of an easy conversation, you mention something—someone—and the ground shifts beneath him.

A boyfriend.

You don’t say it like a confession, don’t drop it like a bomb. It’s casual, slipped into conversation like it’s nothing, like it doesn’t change everything.

But it does.

Because all this time, Nico thought the universe was finally on his side. Turns out, it was just playing another cruel trick on him.

After hearing you mention your boyfriend, Nico takes a moment, his face betraying nothing but the quiet storm raging inside. He forces a small, tight smile, but there’s a flicker of something else—disappointment, maybe even a little hurt—behind his eyes.

“You have a boyfriend,” he repeats softly, like he’s trying to process the words in a way that makes sense.

You nod, watching his reaction closely, but you can’t read him. “Yeah, we've been together for a while now.”

Nico looks away briefly, running a hand through his hair, then meets your gaze again. “I… didn’t know.” He lets out a small, almost inaudible laugh, shaking his head. “I guess I should’ve figured it out. I don’t know why I thought…” He trails off, eyes downcast for a second, as if weighing his words carefully.

It’s clear he’s trying to mask whatever else is there, but you can still feel the weight of what he’s not saying. He might not want to admit it, but the truth is, hearing you’re with someone else stings in a way he didn’t expect.

There’s a stretch of silence, thick with something unsaid. Finally, Nico clears his throat. “Is he… good to you?”

You pause for half a second before nodding. “Yeah. He is.”

It’s not a lie. Not really. Your relationship isn’t bad—it’s just… not great, either.

But Nico doesn’t push. He just hums in acknowledgment, his jaw tight, and you pretend not to notice the way his entire demeanor shifts after that.

————

From then on, things are a little different.

Nico is still friendly, still professional, but the lingering tension that had started to build between you evaporates. He keeps a little more distance, doesn’t hold your gaze as long, doesn’t joke with you the way he used to.

And you tell yourself that’s a good thing.

And because, deep down, you know that if Nico really wanted to, he could ruin every single feeling you’ve been trying to suppress.

————

A few months after that conversation, things only get worse. The constant fighting with your boyfriend has taken its toll, and you’re at a breaking point, feeling like you need to confide in someone before you completely lose it.

It happens late one evening after a long road trip. The team had just gotten back, exhausted but relieved to be home. Most of the guys had gone their separate ways—some heading straight to their beds, others to grab a late-night meal—but you and Nico somehow ended up in the training room.

He had come in for a quick post-trip stretch, and you had stayed behind to finish organizing some rehab plans. It was quiet, the hum of the therapy machines the only background noise, and for the first time in a while, it felt like there was space to talk.

You didn’t even mean to say it.

But as you stood there, watching him work through a shoulder stretch, the words just… slipped out.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Nico looked up, brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

You hesitated, fingers tracing the edge of the clipboard in your hands. “My relationship…,” you say, your voice soft but firm, the truth slipping out before you can stop it. “It’s not what it used to be, and I don’t even know how it got here. We’ve been drifting, and I’ve been trying to ignore it, but I can’t anymore.”

Nico’s expression softens, and for a brief moment, you see the hesitation in his eyes, as though he’s unsure whether he should say anything at all. But after a beat, he steps closer, his voice gentle.

“You deserve someone who makes you feel good, who makes you feel happy,” he says, his words full of sincerity. “I don’t want you to stay in something that’s not right for you.”

You nod, fighting the urge to explain more, to justify yourself. “I don’t know what’s been happening. It’s just… been falling apart, and I don’t know what to do about it.” You look at him, your voice cracking a little. “It’s been hard to admit, even to myself.”

Nico falls silent for a moment, letting your words sink in. He wants to reach out, to comfort you, but hesitates, unsure if it’s his place. Instead, he meets your gaze with quiet understanding, his expression softer than it has been in a long time.

Nico stays quiet for a moment, taking in what you’ve said. He wants to reach out, to comfort you, but he doesn’t want to overstep. Instead, he looks at you with that quiet understanding, his expression softer than it’s been in a while. “Since when?”

You sighed, setting the clipboard down. “I don’t know. A while, I guess. It’s just been feeling… off. Rocky.” You let out a humorless laugh. “Guess it happens.”

Nico was quiet for a moment, studying you. And even though he didn’t say it, you could feel the way he was carefully measuring his reaction. Because deep down, you knew he wanted to hear this. You knew that part of him still hoped. But more than anything, you knew Nico—and he was never the kind of person who would want to see you unhappy.

Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

You huffed a soft laugh. “Are you?”

His lips quirked slightly, but there was no real amusement in his expression. “I mean, yeah. I don’t want you feeling like that.”

The way he said it—so simple, so genuine—made your chest ache.

You nodded, glancing down. “Yeah. Me neither.”

A heavy silence hung between you, filled with words neither of you were brave enough to say.

After a moment, Nico reached for his water bottle, his voice softer this time. “Do you think it’s fixable?”

You exhaled, shaking your head. “I don’t know.”

And for the first time since this conversation started, you met his eyes again.

The moment stretched, charged and unspoken, before Nico finally gave a small nod.

“Well,” he said quietly, “for what it’s worth… I just want you to be happy.”

The sincerity in his voice almost broke you.

And maybe—just maybe—that was the moment you realized where your heart had been all along.

————

The tension in the Devils’ locker room is so thick you could probably cut it with a skate blade. Someone is shouting at someone else, their voices cutting through the room, but you keep your head down, focused on your work. You don’t feel like yourself anymore—you just go through the motions. Your mind is somewhere else. Or, more accurately, on someone else. Your boyfriend—if you can even still call him that—has been distant, arguments bubbling up over the smallest things, and at this point, you’re starting to wonder if you’re just holding onto something that’s already broken.

And Nico knows.

He hasn’t said anything outright, but you can feel it in the way he watches you. The way his eyes linger a little too long when he thinks you don’t notice. The way his jaw clenches whenever he overhears you on the phone, your voice tight with frustration. The way he always asks if you’re okay—like he already knows the answer but wants you to say it out loud.

Today, it’s no different.

You’re finishing up with one of the guys when Nico walks in, fresh from the ice, his hair damp and his jersey clinging slightly to his frame. He offers a polite nod to the other player but doesn’t take his eyes off you as he makes his way over.

“Everything okay?” he asks, leaning against the treatment table as the other player exits.

You sigh, rubbing a hand over your face before looking up at him. “Yeah. Just tired.”

He hums, not buying it. He never does. “Tired from work, or tired from… other things?”

You give him a pointed look. “You know you don’t have to ask.”

His jaw tightens slightly, his fingers drumming against the edge of the table. “Did something happen?”

You exhale sharply, shaking your head. “Just the same old fight. Different day.”

Nico is quiet for a moment, his gaze searching yours like he’s debating whether to say what’s really on his mind. Finally, he speaks—carefully, like he’s choosing his words with precision.

“You deserve to be happy,” he says, his voice quieter than before. “Really happy.”

Your breath catches, because there’s something in the way he says it—something unspoken but so incredibly obvious.

Your stomach twists, and not in a bad way. Because you both know what he’s really saying. You both know what’s been lingering between you for months now. And you both know he’s too good to ever cross a line.

But damn, do you wish the line didn’t exist.

“Nico—”

“I know,” he cuts in, shaking his head as if he already knows what you’re going to say. “I know. It’s not my place.” He pushes off the table, raking a hand through his hair. “I just— I hate seeing you like this.”

You swallow hard, your fingers curling into your palms. “I know.”

For a moment, neither of you say anything. It’s just you, standing there, your heart pounding, his eyes dark with something he won’t act on.

Not yet.

————

The breakup was inevitable. You knew it, your ex knew it. It wasn’t dramatic. No big fights, no yelling for once—just a quiet conversation that ended with both of you knowing it was over. It was overdue, really. And for the first time in a long time, you felt free.

You didn’t tell anyone right away, though. Not because you were hiding it, but because you needed time to process it on your own. And maybe, deep down, you knew there was one person whose reaction mattered more than anyone else’s.

Nico.

Which is why, when you end up out with the guys weeks later at , he’s still acting the same way he always does—watching you from across the bar with that same careful restraint, never letting himself get too close.

You’ve had enough of it.

That’s how you end up outside, the cool night air brushing against your skin as you lean against the brick wall, your heart pounding. You’re not second-guessing this. Not tonight.

And Nico follows. Of course he does.

The door swings shut behind him, muffling the music, and he stops just a few feet away. His hands are shoved deep into his pockets, his expression unreadable.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks, his voice low, cautious.

You don’t answer. Instead, you take a step forward, closing the space between you, and before he can say anything else—before he can stop you—you kiss him.

He freezes.

For a second, he doesn’t move at all, like his brain is still catching up to what’s happening. You’re kissing him—something he’s only ever imagined in his dreams, but now, it’s actually happening. The warmth of your lips, the closeness he’s always wanted, is real. Every part of him is aware that this moment, this thing he thought would never come, is finally here.

But then, just as you deepen the kiss, he pulls back, “What—,” he shakes his head, trying to process. “What are you doing?”

You blink, caught off guard. “Kissing you?”

His jaw clenches, and for the first time, you see something close to frustration in his expression. “You—” He exhales sharply.

“You have a boyfriend,” Nico says, his voice tight, like it physically pains him to say the words.

You blink up at him, your stomach twists, a mix of nerves and something dangerously close to excitement. Because you’re about to say something that changes everything.

“Nico,” you say softly, reaching for his hands where they’re still gripping your arms. “I don’t.”

His brow furrows. “What?”

“We broke up.” You give his hands a small squeeze. “Few weeks ago.”

He stares at you, processing, his lips parting slightly like he wants to say something but can’t find the words. His grip on you loosens, his thumbs brushing absentmindedly over your skin.

“You…,” he trails off, his expression still bewildered. “You didn’t tell me.”

You swallow, searching his face. “I wanted to. I just—needed time. And I wasn’t sure if…” You hesitate, heart pounding. “If it would change anything.”

Nico exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair, his whole body still tense. “Are you serious?” His voice is quieter now, almost disbelieving. “It changes everything,” he pauses, “And you know it.”

Something inside you flips, hope bubbling to the surface. “Yeah?”

He lets out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Jesus, I’ve been losing my mind watching you, thinking I just had to live with it—” He cuts himself off, his hands coming back to your waist. “And now you’re telling me…”

“That I want you,” you finish for him.

His breath hitches, his fingers tightening on your hips.

“You don’t have to hold back anymore, Nico,” you whisper.

For a second, he still looks like he can’t believe it, like he’s waiting for someone to tell him this isn’t real.

But then, finally, he exhales, his shoulders relaxing, and his lips crash onto yours.

And this time, he doesn’t pull away.

Nico’s kiss is urgent, almost desperate, like he’s been holding back for too long. His hands slide up your back, pulling you closer, his body pressed against yours as if he can’t get close enough. You respond just as eagerly, your fingers threading through his hair, tugging him even nearer, deepening the kiss.

For a moment, it’s like the world falls away—like it’s just the two of you standing there in the cool night air, the buzz of the club a distant hum in the background. His lips move with a kind of practiced hunger, but there’s a gentleness beneath it, as if he’s waiting for your signal, checking to make sure you’re still with him.

When you pull back, gasping for air, your chest rises and falls rapidly, and Nico’s forehead drops to yours, his breath uneven. “God,” he mutters, his hands still resting on your waist. “I can’t believe this is real.”

You chuckle, a soft sound, still trying to process the whirlwind of emotions flooding through you. “It’s real,” you whisper. “I’m right here.”

He takes a slow, deep breath, his hands gently cupping your face now, as if to make sure you’re not going anywhere. His eyes are dark, intense, but there’s a warmth in them now—something that feels different. Something that feels… right.

“Are you sure?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. “Because this… this is more than just a kiss for me.”

You smile, your thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. “I’m sure.”

Nico’s expression softens, his smile slow and tender. He leans in again, pressing a light kiss to your lips, before pulling back just enough to look you in the eye.

“I’m not going to screw this up,” he says, determination in his voice. “I won’t.”

You rest your hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your palms. “You won’t,” you promise him. “I know you won’t.”

His eyes search yours, cautious but certain, like he’s trying to memorize this moment, just in case.

There were so many chances, so many times you could have fallen into this. Every moment before this was a chance left untouched.

Until now.

[idontcare4urmom]

˘ ͙ᵕ˘͈ “LACY,OH LACY”┊͙ ˘͈ᵕ˘͈

when being a bit too much of a secretive and insecure person lead to your best friend getting what you always wanted since kid,matt sturniolo

•*⁀➷ angst,mentions of insecurities and self doubt,traumas,mentions of crying,envy,jealousy,etc. (inspired by the song «lacy» by olivia rodrigo ✧*)

!! first language is not english ¡¡ (masterlist,taglist)

———————————ღ————————————

you’ve always been secretive, quiet,never sharing your personal information or preferences with no one. not because you wanted to be, but because the world never felt like it had space for you. your words, your wants, your feelings—they have always seemed like things to be swallowed, locked away. you never speak much.you never ask for too much.

you are the kind of person who lingers in the background, watching rather than stepping forward,observing in silence. it started young—this creeping sense that you were never quite enough. maybe it was the way people overlooked you in conversations, the way your parents never quite celebrated your achievements the way they did for your siblings, the way people always seemed to forget your name until they needed something from you.

you watched girls who were louder, who took up space without apologizing for it. girls who could make a room bend toward them, who didn’t hesitate before speaking, who didn’t second-guess their worth. you watched them and wondered what it felt like to wake up in a body that didn’t feel like something to be ashamed of, to exist without the weight of self-doubt pressing into your ribs.

and yet, deep in the marrow of your bones, you have always wanted him,matt.he is the boy who was once completely attached with you, but now only existing in the deep past,leaving you only with the heavy weight of vividly memories.

he was there in the soft haze of your childhood, in summers spent running through golden fields, in winters where you watched the snow settle in his dark hair, his laughter curling into the air like smoke. he was the first person who ever made you feel something close to special. the first to hold your wrist when you almost tripped, the first to call your name like it actually meant something.

but he was also the first thing she took from you.

your best friend. the girl who never needed to ask for things because the world placed them at her feet. the girl who shined so brightly, so effortlessly, that people mistook her glow for their own warmth. you love her —because how could you not? but love unfortunately does not erase envy,even though you really wish it did.

you compared your face to hers—the shape of her lips, the curve of her nose, the way her eyes caught the light just right. you compared your voice to hers, how easily she spoke, how people listened to her without her needing to beg for their attention. you compared your body, your laughter, your very existence, and every time you did, you came up short.

it all happened quietly and maybe way too fast.you saw the way he would start looking at her all the time, and the part of you that is still a child—still hopeful, still stupid—pretended not to notice. you watched as his laughter becomes softer whenever she would be near, as his hands would find her waist, as she would lean into him like she has a right to.

then one evening,sitting almost peacefully on the hardwood floor of your balcony,she told you that she decided to test out committing a relationship with him—she said it all so simply,so calmly, sickeningly unaware that it shatters you in the most silent way possible.

you forced yourself to remember that she loved you. that you were not an afterthought to her, not something lesser. but love does not make comparison disappear. and comparison was something you carried with you like a second skin,

and now—you try not to see the way he touches her. you try not to hear the way he says her name. you try not to remember what it was like when he still looked at you like you were something to be seen. but trying means nothing when the universe has a cruel sense of humor, placing them in your path at every turn.

she tells you stories about him, as best friends do. how he surprises her with coffee in the mornings. how he texts her goodnight with little inside jokes that make her giggle. how he kissed her in the rain like something out of a dream,

you only could listen,not realizing that you were slowly becoming an echo of your older self,the one who wished to be heard by anyone.

then it also comes the worst part—the guilt.the shame of it,curling around you like a suffocating fog.you weren’t supposed to ache for the person your best friend chose, and he had chosen her.

yet you couldn’t resist your thoughts,wondering what it would be if things were switched,different.if he ever would glance at you again as if you were something sacred,if you were the one someone had reached for instead of just passing by.

———————————ღ————————————

one evening, after too much pretending, you slip away from a party neither of them noticed you at and find yourself by the lake. the moon hangs low, it’s reflection fractured in the water, and you feel like something unraveling,

you swore your heart skipped a few beats when you heard a familiar soothing voice behind you,the one who would send tingles in your body and make you all warm,him.

you don’t remember when exactly you fell for him, it wasn’t sudden, not some grand realization that struck you like lightning. it was slow, torturing, like the tide pulling in, so gradual that by the time you noticed, you were already drowning.

he had a way of making the world feel lighter. he could turn anything into a joke, could tease you without it ever feeling cruel. and you loved that about him. loved the way he never treated you like you were fragile, like you were someone to be handled with careful hands. he made you feel real, solid, like you weren’t just floating through life unseen

but that of course,didn’t last long—cause when she stepped into the light,he followed right behind.

“are you okay?” his voice was practically dripping with kindness and softness,and it only made you feel like you were some sort of a pity,

you honestly didn’t know how you were even supposed to respond to him,the lump in your tight throat suddenly roping like a knot,desiring to basically let your emotions wash over and to cry your heart out.

instead you hollow a smile in the corner of your lips— explaining that you needed some air, and he hesitantly lingered his gaze on you,causing your stomach to flutter pathetically,

“you can go back,i will be there soon” you whispered out,afraid that if your voice was a tiny level louder it would betray your hidden tone of sadness.

he could sense you were yearning for some alone time,so he only nodded,eventually walking and disappearing in the shadows so he can step back inside,where she is waiting for him—like you always have been secretly,even though it wasn’t enough,and the truth is that it will never be.

———————————-ღ———————————-

ev’ note: colliding olivia with the sturniolo’s cause why the fuck not?😛 by the way i don’t know if it’s painfully obvious that this is my first angst,i hope it doesn’t suck but i can already picture it flopping hard🥹

love youu<3

taglist: @wiidfi0wer33 @chrislova @cutiepaiquill @zainabthescientist @jetaimevous @toysizee @chratts-left-ball @savvyratatouille @bellassturniolo @justexisting12 @mattsbrowser

[kizuovarius]

Obey Me! But you're breaking up with them

My friend wanted to know what I thought, so I decided to write this. :]

Lucifer- It hurts his ego, but it hurts his heart worse, especially if you've been together long/ it's his fault. To make things worse, he drowns himself in work and doesn't smile as often. It only gets worse when you're in the human realm.

Mammon- At first he acts like it doesn't bother him, maybe he even seems glad, but when you fully move on, he'll beg you to come back and be a crying mess. If anyone else is the reason you left, he'll go as far as to fight them head on. If it was his fault, he drowns himself in more debt until he realizes material value doesn't compare to love, and that he misses your touch.

Levi- He instantly starts self deprecating and saying he knew this would happen, that he's just a horrible Otaku unworthy of love. He won't come out of his room anymore, and will not trust anyone else easily again. There will be at very least a solid month or two after that he doesn't come out of his room, even for the bathroom. He has a stock of food, and uses it.

Satan- This depends. If it was an argument that led to the breakup, he thinks back and dwells on it. If it was violence that pushed you away (especially out of fear), he will probably break down alone in his room, making sure no one sees. The anger turns to sadness and sorrow, even going as far as to turn to Edgar Allen Poe and questioning his existence. Not even pranking Lucifer could make him happy. He misses you endlessly, and writes love letters.

Asmo- Contrary to some belief, Asmo is still attached to all his old lovers unless they have wronged him. But, this is different, this is **you**. So, he starts to get a little cranky, and restless at night. Not sleeping because he can't cuddle you leads to a break out on his skin, which leads to him being even more upset. He buys bottles of your perfume/cologne/shampoo to get your scent again.

Beel- Beel doesn't know why you've broken up with him, and tries to get you food to say sorry. If you refuse, it will be the first time in a very long time that he couldn't finish the food for you. Probably the only time he won't be able to fix his feelings by a distraction. Every time he goes to places you visit, he misses you and thinks to call, before second guessing and talking to Belphie instead.

Belphie- When you tell him he's half asleep, but then looks shocked and sits up pretty quick. He'll ask why and then try to come up with a solution, only to eventually be left. This gets worse when he remembers you're Lilith's descendent, and he knows Lilith left him, too. Talking to Beel is out of the question, he doesn't want to bring his brother down with him no matter how much Beel worries. In doing so, he chooses to sleep it all off. In his dreams, you're still with him.

That's all I got, lmao. Have a good one!

[jybyls]

Haunted feelings || T.C

Masterlist

Synopsis: Fear turned out to bring out hidden feelings. (Thanks @darkpoetdreamer for the idea)

Warnings: Fluff, strangers to friends (?) to friends to lovers, haunted house, bad writing, not proofread, I think that's all.

Words: 2.3k

- 📜🎧🍂 -

Sam, Chad, Tara, and you were sitting in the living room, bored to death. You had no ideas of what you could possibly do, so you were all just minding your business on your side. Well, I'm not really minding your own business. You kept glancing up at Tara every now and then.

You wanted to talk to her but you didn't know what about, it's not like you guys weren't friends, actually you guys were basically best friends but lately it's been oddly hard to act normal around her and you couldn't figure out why. Yes, you did not use your brain on that one.

"Guys !! I have plans !" Mindy exclaimed as she ran into the living room, almost slipping down. Y'all looked at her excited frame, wondering what she had in mind, "What, Mindy ? Wanna do a horror movie marathon ?" Chad mocked his twin sister, which only led to her giving him a dirty look. You slightly giggled at the scene in front, looking at Mindy to hear her answer.

"Don't say this. I might consider it." She said and that ended up with all of you screaming 'no' because you're sick and tired of watching the same horror movies Mindy propose, "No, please, let's not consider that as an option of a plan. What was your main idea ?" Tara spoke up, but your brain didn't listen.

It just went, 'blah, blah, blah, proper name, place name, background stuff..' Safe to say you're a simp. It didn't go unnoticed by Sam. Her older sister sense has been tingling toward you for a moment now.

She definitely knows something is up with her sister and you. She kept her suspicion to herself, tho.

"Will you all shut up and listen to me ? My plan is to visit a haunted house. Y'all are down, or are you too afraid to follow me ?" Mindy exclaimed with a teasing tone, taunting you to follow her in her amazing idea.

"If we don't agree to come with you, you won't go. You're too afraid to go by yourself, that's why you're asking us." Sam, more than calmly, explained her point, which was true, but the shorter twin would never admit it. "That's not the point ! Are you coming or what ?" She shouted, distracting you from Sam's words. You all laughed at her.

"You know what ? Fuck it." Tara said, "Where's that haunted house of yours, anyway ?" The younger Carpenter mocked her friend, not really believing that place existed. "It's down town." Mindy grimaced and Tara reciprocated it, "Very mature of you, girls." You sarcastically said before standing up to get your jacket. They watched you with a dumbfounded look on their face.

"Well ? We're going or not ?" You asked. The twin immediately smiled and screamed, "YES ! Let's go, bitches." And with that everyone is outside, walking to that haunted house. Chad and Mindy were in the front, arguing, Sam was right behind them, not even listening to their faded words, while Tara and you were awkwardly walking next to each other.

You quickly became friends when she moved to New York. You were going to the same college and had the same classes most of the time. You didn't know Tara's story, you didn't know what she experienced, well, at the beginning of your school year you didn't even know who was this Carpenter girl and why was everyone whispering stuff about her and her apparently psychotic sister.

You didn't really care, tho, you thought it wasn't your problem until one morning in your English class your teacher assigned the class for a group project and you got teamed up with Tara. Everyone's eyes were on both of you, but again, you didn't care. You didn't know her, how could you judge her ?

By the end of this class, you came to the conclusion that you liked her. She wasn't mean, like students said. She was actually sweet. She did come up strong at first, but how could you blame her when the whole world wouldn't listen to her until she had nothing left to say ? Well, you couldn't.

You couldn't blame her for anything. And you felt like that when you just met her, so it's safe to say that now that you're down baf for her, it made it impossible to blame her.

Even with her trauma and her sister's advices for some reasons she trusted you. She quickly opened up to you and talked about what happened to her in Wosboro. She talked about Ambet, her sister, her parents, everything. You know everything about her, and you took care of that information. Obviously, you trusted her equally.

You told her everything she needed and wanted to know about you. And ever since you never left each other's side. Eventually, Sam learned to appreciate you, and so did the twins. Oddly enough, everyone agreed with Tara when she suggested that she should be part of the group.

It's been three mot hs now that you're part of the group, and they can all easily say that they like you a lot. You're trusted, and your company is always more than welcome.

You've currently all arrived at the so-called haunted house, holding you phones up with the flash lights on because of the darkness inside. Tara and you stayed close to each other, Sam was behind the two of you while Chad and Mindy were walking to the front, but they quickly backed up with a jump once they heard a noise.

"Did you hear that ?!" Minday whispered-yelled to all of you with a hint of dramatist, "Yes, I fucking did ! What was that ?" Her brother answered with the same tone. "It's the floor." The short brunette rolled her eyes at their dramatist, "It's cracking." You continued, slightly laughing at their reactions.

They huffed, "Yeah. No, yeah, we knew. We were trying to scare you guys." The boy answered with fake confidence, trying to stand taller. "Sure." Sam tried to hold back her mocking smile. You and Tara weren't has strong tho, not only were you mockingly smiling but also directly laughing at them, shamelessly making fun of their sudden fear.

The twins rolled their eyes, huffing again but eventually gave up. They knew they couldn't win with Tara as an enemy. The brunette might be small, but God knows she can and will bite back. With no mercy whatsoever.

You all walked, trying to call in any spirit, but obviously, nothing happened. The scariest thing you saw was a drawing of penis probably made by some teenage boys who found this place before you. The twins kept getting scared by random noises, and they also kept claiming not to be, which was quite ridiculous but strangely funny. It gives Sam something else she can mock them about, and that's enough to make this woman content.

Midnight suddenly hit your watch. You wanted to go home. However, you didn't want to ruin everyone's fun, so you stayed quiet. You lazily follow your friends around. Your mind was far away, thinking about a thousand different things but mostly one thing. Actually, one person. Your best friend, Tara Carpenter. This girl has been haunting all your thoughts.

At first you believed it was nothing, 'It's just because she's my new best friend. That's why I'm always thinking about her.' You told yourself, trying to get some sort of reassurance even tho you knew you were lying to yourself.

Because you knew damn well you're not supposed to think about what your best friend's lips taste like, neither are you supposed to think about her hands on your body and yours on hers. But since you didn't want to ruin your friendship with her, you closed your mouth.

Whenever you felt like telling her she looked pretty, you didn't. Or you'd just say something like, 'cool outfit' or 'cute haircut', when in reality you wish you could tell her how stunning she looks, how you can barely brung yourself to believe that she's real because of her beauty. You wanted to ramble about how much you loved her freckles, how you wanted to kiss every single one of them.

But you couldn't. That was the best you could do. Small, furtive compliments. You were to fucking scared to say too much and risking making her uncomfortable. Or worst disgusted by you. That'd be the end of your world. And your world resolve around her so it's easy to say that if she rejects you in any way you'd be a heartbroken mess.

Little did you know that the girl you were crazy about was head over heals for you. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, she barely even admitted to herself to began with but damn was she down bad for you.

She didn't want to say anything by fear of ruining your friendship. You were so dear to her she would never forgive herself for losing you. So instead of trying any kind of move on you she decided to stay quiet and cherish every second she gets to spend with you.

"Can we head back home or do you still want to walk around like idiots ?" Sam spoke up, clearly tired of this little adventure. You immediately nodded, "Yes, let's go home. I'm getting tired of this." Tara followed you, "Yeah, we're going home." Mindy whined however she agreed.

"Alright, alright. Let's go home. This place's a dump anyway." Chad led the way out of the building, Mindy on the other was terribly disappointed. She wanted to see a ghost or any spirit so badly but nothing happened. Sad for her, but good for all of you because it meant you could head home with a quiet Mindy.

The walk back home was full of teasing against the upset girl who kept huffing and rolling her eyes. You and Tara didn't participate much to the teasing since you shared earplugs with your shared playlist blasting in your ears. To make sure the earplugs wouldn't fall you stayed close to each other, your fingers brushing against one another. Your heartbeat went faster as you hardly blushed, thanks to the darkness it wasn't visible to anyone.

You hesitated for a moment before taking all your courage and interviewing your pinky with hers. You were about to pull away but she was faster to react, squeezing your pinky with hers. You looked down at your hand, a shy smile appeared on your face. You bit your inside cheek, trying to suppress your smile as you looked in front of you.

Beside you Tara was shamelessly smiling, evidently happy about what just happened. Neither of you spoke a word, the simple yet loving gesture meant more than anything.

The older Carpenter had a suspicious look on her face when she saw you and her sister hurrying upstairs the second everyone got home. She trusted you enough not to worry about anything, but her older sister instinct was hitting like crazy. She knew something was going to happen in this room. And she wasn't wrong.

You closed the door behind you as Tara connected her phone to her speaker, soft music was playing in her room. You sat on the chair of her desk while she sat on her bed. For a short time neither of you spoke, enjoying the calm music until Tara broke the slight awkwardness of this moment. "I think we need to talk." Her tone was eripus which cause you to panicked, "What-? What about ?" You faintly stuttered, your eyes widened a little bit. "About what happened earlier." She knew she was making you panick and this brat was savouring it.

You were overthinking like crazy, 'Did she just held my pinky by politeness ?', 'Did I make her uncomfortable ?', 'Oh my god. Did I just loose my best friend ?' Were one of the few questions that went through your brain when she mentioned what happened some minutes ago.

You shakingly breathed out, "What about it ?" You anxiously fidgeted with your rings, waiting for her answer but your mouth had other plans. "Did you not like it ? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I really didn't mean to. It's the last I ever want to do. I love you too much for that."

Fuck.

Maybe you should learn to think before speaking in anxious situations. You both froze at your final words. You tried to speak again but nothing came out of your mouth. Oh, you definitely screwed it.

"You love me ? Like love me, love me ?" Tara asked but again you couldn't find any words to answer so you just nodded. She was dumbfounded. She didn't know how to react. She dreamt of this moment but never expected it to actually occur.

A long silence came between you, even the music couldn't make the situation less awkward. You were so incredibly ashame. You felt like you were burning. You finally found some words, "I should go. I'm sorry." You stood up however it wasn't in Tara's plan to let you go anytime soon. "No, no. Sit back down." Her tone was enough to make you melt. You listened without thinking twice, sitting back down on your chair.

The brunette shook her head and tapped the empty place next to her on her bed, quietly telling to sit next to her. You understood her command and moved to sit next to her.

As soon as you were next to her, her hand found yours. "You didn't make it uncomfortable. Yes, I liked it. And I love you too." She gently whispered, her soft smiled grew on her face, "Like love me, love me ?" You murmured, you barely had the strength to find your voice. The whole thing was unbelievable.

Tara chuckled then nodded, "Like, love you, love you." She nudged your shoulder which caused you to follow her chuckle. "How long have you liked me for ?" You quietly asked, "For too long. So what do you say we stop waiting, hm ?" She smirked as she looked at you. You instantly nodded, "Yeah, that sounds great." You smiled, squeezing her hand.

Waiting this long was worth it, you're finally with the one you love.

- 📜🎧🍂 -

A/n: Rushed end because I'm tired. This was supposed to be a Halloween fic- my bad lol. Have a good day/night. I hope you forgive me for how bad this is. Love y'all <3

[letupabit]

Are you ready to apologise?

A/N: IT IS FINALLY DONE. ALMOST THIRTEEN WORD DOCUMENT PAGES AND MY MAD RAMBLINGS ARE FINISHED. Holy SHIT this is long, but man I had so much fun writing it. Requested by @ryoko-loves-roses , thank you so much for your ask, what a gem you are!!

Summary: In-ho gets utterly fed up of Thanos' arrogance. He's had enough of seeing him bully everyone around as though he thinks he's invincible, and after witnessing him pick on Player 333 yet again, he decides he needs to teach him another lesson that'll really stick; even if that means using a rather...unconventional, method.

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‘The great Thanos and his team succeed again!’

In-ho, donning the fake name of ‘Young-il’ as he infiltrated the games, watched from where he and his team were sitting as the figure of Player 230 strutted through the dorm, the almost-comical gait adding to his obnoxiousness. Yes, the Frontman was purely playing pretend, but one thing he could never stand was arrogance- especially from the younger generation. Young-il quietly scoffed as he saw the purple haired man direct a nasty glance toward Player 333, who was sitting innocently at his bunk. 

Player 230, otherwise known as Thanos, quite obviously had a humongous ego, assuming himself untouchable. The way he spoke to others, even sometimes his own teammates, was nothing short of downright disrespectful. In-ho thought back to when he had to break up a fight between 230 and 333- the sheer arrogance of the man was staggering. He couldn’t help but feel a wave of satisfaction as he recalled how he decommissioned both Thanos and his little crony, 124, in a few swift moves. 

This alone should have humbled the both of them. Player 124, Nam-gyu, had an obvious tendency to blindly follow Thanos, although this was mostly down to the fact he had become strongly dependant on the drugs Thanos supplied- nobody knew the specifics, but it was glaringly obvious that the two players were high on something 100% of the time. Even so, Nam-gyu wasn’t anywhere near as bold or brass as his pill-popping friend.

But Thanos’ failed attempt at a fight hadn’t seemed to falter his ego.

He was still the exact same conceited, opinionated person he had been since the beginning of these games. One look at him and it was obvious there wasn’t even a shadow of a doubt that he thought himself above every other player, utterly convinced that the prize money would be his. He cared about nobody other than himself. 

In-ho couldn’t stand him. He couldn’t stand his arrogant attitude, his dismissive nature, his obvious natural instinct to treat the people around him like dirt. Whilst yes, he himself was manipulating his ‘teammates’, he had an awful lot of respect for them, and could willingly admit that they were truly good people. Thanos, on the other hand, was seemingly far too high to even recognise other people as people. 

In-ho also couldn’t stand the fact that Thanos didn’t take anything seriously. 

Not only had The Frontman infiltrated the games to manipulate Gi-hun, but he was also purely curious and intrigued to see the extent of human nature up close- the raw, primal extent of human nature; How far would people go to save their own skins? To ensure themselves a future?

This stupid, happy-go-lucky idiot was ruining it for him.

Whilst, yes, he still had 454 players who were authentic, the very existence of Player 230 was so over the top it practically nullified his observance of everyone else. After every death, every vote, every win or lose, Thanos would be prancing around like a little child, chanting some absolute nonsense that In-ho didn’t care to give a second thought to. Despite his attempts to drown this specific player out, he just…couldn’t. 

Wherever he looked, 230’s exaggerated mannerisms or catch-phrases were annoyingly attention-consuming. 

‘I swear I saw him kick his own teammate to the floor to free up a room…how can he be so happy right now?’ remarked Jung-bae, sitting with a protective arm around Dae-ho, who was fully invested in devouring his bean bun.

‘He’s obviously on something. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed?’ Dae-ho replied, his mouth half-full.

‘Of course I have. But surely he’d still have some kind of remorse?’

In-ho scoffed at this.

‘Someone like him isn’t able to feel remorse’ He passed his own meal wordlessly to Jun-hee, who was sitting beside him. She gratefully said a quick ‘thank you’, In-ho nodding back at her. Unlike the actual players, he didn’t need to worry about a ‘last meal’. 

‘Even without those pills, I doubt he’d care’ He said, staring at Thanos, who was now harassing his younger teammate, Player 125. In-ho narrowed his eyes as 230 slung his arm around Min-su, his affection obviously just thinly-veiled manipulation. 

‘He’s clearly just in this for himself. He’d kill his entire team if it meant he got out of here alive’

In-ho’s team went quiet, unsure of what to say to this. Jung-bae and Dae-ho exchanged glances, whilst Gi-hun gave a quick look at his friend before staying silent himself. Honestly, they were all in agreement- Player 230’s obnoxious behaviour was distracting, but it would’ve been all too easy to fall into a negative discussion spiral, and that’s the last thing they needed- or, wanted.

In-ho quickly picked up on this, ever the socially-adept person he was. 

‘Ah, I’m sorry- it just grates on me that he could be so oblivious at a time like this, aha’ relaxing his face into a charming smile, he thought quick on his feet, not wanting to decrease his team’s morale. After all, these were the people he’d be sticking with until the end- and as much as he didn’t like to admit it, he was quite fond of them in his own way.

They settled into idle conversation, casually chatting about this-and-that. For a while, in a long long while, things seemed…normal.

However, just as In-ho had gotten comfortable, forgetting his grievances, he couldn’t help but notice some kind of…of…god, what was going on over there? 

He reluctantly shifted his gaze over to the other side of the room, a clear scuffle taking place. Player 333 was picking himself up from the floor, evidently having been knocked down, his stance defensive and on edge. He was angrily staring straight ahead at- oh, for gods sake. 

Player 230.

He barked out something malicious, something In-ho couldn’t quite make out, before turning on his heels and walking back to his bunk. Player 124 trotted along next to him, smiling into his sleeve as they laughed nastily together about what had just happened. It was obvious they’d just been in another two-against-one fight, this realisation becoming even more evident as Myung-gi limped back to his own bunk with a sour look on his face.

The surrounding players who had gathered to witness the altercation slowly dispersed, the brief distraction over and relatively uneventful. Before long the dorm’s atmosphere returned to normal, everyone keeping to their teams.

However, In-ho was outraged. Those two still had the gall to pick on the same player he had previously separated them from? Still fighting in pairs against a single individual? Not even that, the smug look on Thanos’ face told him everything he needed to know. The purple haired man had learnt absolutely nothing- or, if he had, the drugs had clearly made him forget. 

Pain evidently didn’t work on someone like Thanos. He needed to be taken down a peg by something…sillier. Something that would really put him off engaging in his usual stupidity and bullying. In-ho narrowed his eyes in thought, and he formed an idea.

He got to his feet, ignoring his friend’s confused remarks, and strode purposefully towards the bed that Thanos sat on. His legs were crossed and he was leaning back leisurely, engaged in conversation with Nam-gyu who was standing next to him. They both seemed so relaxed- almost as if they’d forgotten completely the assault they just took part in. It wouldn’t be surprising, but it was more than likely they just didn’t care.

Nam-gyu was the first to notice In-ho as he approached quickly. Unlike his oblivious friend, he seemed to recall the ass-beating he received from the very person who was getting closer by the second, and he sheepishly halted his chatter and stepped back. Thanos was clearly too high to realise anything, or simply didn’t care, up until In-ho was standing directly next to his bed. 

There was a silence, the two of them staring at each other.

‘Uh, can I help you?’ Came Thanos’ laid-back response, only adding to In-ho’s frustration. 

Thanos suddenly got a knowing look on his face, remembering that this was the man who had showed him up not even a day ago. 

‘Didn’t I tell you not to gang up on people? Have you no shame? Are you scared you’ll be the one on the floor if you were to fight single-handedly, is that it?’ In-ho’s face was unreadable as he stared unblinkingly at Thanos, not wavering his gaze for even a second.

Much to nobody’s surprise, instead of apologising or even mumbling a hasty ‘I’m sorry’, Thanos jumped up to his feet with an indignant look on his face. The two men were now standing mere inches from each other, the taller of the pair glaring down at his provoker. It was no secret that despite the appearances, Player 230 held a very fragile ego. This insinuation that he couldn’t hold his own, on his own, completely enraged him.

‘What the hell are you talking about, old man? Why don’t you go on back to your nursing home over there’ he nodded pointedly at Gi-hun’s team, who were now watching with intent ‘and mind your own, yeah?’ 

Nam-gyu watched with wide eyes, standing to the side of the tense duo, making sure to keep somewhat of a distance. He felt a phantom pain shoot down his shin as he recalled the sharp kick he’d received during yesterday’s fight.

‘You’re a joke. Flaunting yourself around, shouting nonsense. When was the last time you were sober for more than five minutes?’

At the mention of his drugs, In-ho noticed Thanos’ eyebrows twitch uncomfortably. Hm, seems he hit a nerve. Let’s see what he could do with this…

‘Tell me honestly, who are you when you’re not forcing pills down your throat? Do you even know?’

This burrowed itself deep under Thanos’ skin and was the comment that sent him over the edge. In-ho took a step back, anticipating the fist that flew past his head, Thanos playing right into his trap. 

Grabbing the younger man by the elbow, Player 001 effortlessly threw him back onto the bed. Thanos yelped, pulling himself further onto the mattress in an attempt to make space between him and In-ho. 

‘What the fuck, boy!’ He shouted, as if he hadn’t literally thrown the first punch. For a man of smaller stature (although Thanos would phrase that in a slightly less polite way) his strength jolted him back into reality, almost as if he were remembering how easily it was for Player 001 to decommission him in yesterday’s fight. But alas- his ego overshadowed that brief logical thought.

He attempted to stand back up, more than likely planning yet another punch, but In-ho bent down and shoved him right back onto the bed. 

‘I’m not sure where you think you’re going’ Muttered In-ho, not really caring if the protesting man heard him.  He remained bent over Thanos, his hand firmly on the younger man’s chest, putting his whole weight on him and effectively holding him down. Out the corner of his eye he saw the blur of Thanos’ fist coming up to sock him in the jaw, but his fast reflexes kicked in and he grabbed the offending wrist, pinning it to the bed roughly.

‘OW! Fuck you man! Get off, you’re hurting me!’

‘It only hurts because you’re struggling, relax your arm and you’ll be fine’ Replied In-ho matter-of-factly.

‘Like fuck I’ll relax! You’re fucking crazy, what the hell are you doing?’ The fight in the younger man was strong, even in such an obviously one-sided situation he didn’t relent in hurling insults and profanities. In-ho chuckled inwardly- what an idiot.

Before In-ho could reply, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. More than likely another one of Thanos’ cronies- Fuck, he couldn’t believe he had been caught off guard like that- 

‘Young-il! Are you alright?’

In-ho sighed a small breath of relief, his dark eyes never having left his victim. That was unmistakably the voice of Gi-hun, the dark-haired man rushing to his side after he had witnessed everything. Young-il was his friend, and in this shithole they had to have each other’s backs. 

Young-il finally broke his relentless glare aimed toward the squirming man underneath him, turning to look at Gi-hun, his eyes softening. 

‘I’m just fine’ He remarked, ‘him, on the other hand, maybe not’ He directed his gaze back at Thanos, who was frantically pushing at Young-il’s chest with his free, non-dominant hand. 

‘Get OFF me, boy! You’re going to fucking regret this!’ He snarled, his anger building by the second. He wanted so badly to just beat the hell out of him but he simply couldn’t get free. The hand on his chest kept him pinned to the bed, the other hand holding his wrist down making it impossible for him to escape. That didn’t stop him, though- he squirmed and wriggled and kicked, however everything he tried proved to be completely uneffective. 

‘Tell this fucking psycho to lay the hell off!’ He shouted, craning his neck to meet Gi-hun’s eye.

Young-il turned back once again to say to his friend, ���He’ll tire himself out in a minute. Come closer’

Gi-hun did as he was told, truly intrigued by whatever it was Young-il had in mind.

Player 124 had retreated to a higher bunk, keeping a keen eye on the scene below. He wanted to help Thanos out, truly he did (if only to save his drugs more than anything), but he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against Young-il; not even mentioning player 456. Together they were a formidable team and he didn’t fancy going up against them on his own. He started to realise how Myung-gi must’ve felt…

‘Are you fucking deaf?! The two of you are insane! I’ll kill you both! Slit your throats whilst you’re sleeping!’ Wow, Young-il thought to himself. He must’ve been really high to make such intense threats despite obviously not having the upper hand. 

Speaking as if he didn’t even hear Thanos, Young-il said- ‘Hold his arms, Gi-hun’

‘What are you going to do?’ Asked Gi-hun, already very hesitant to go along with Young-il’s request. He had rejoined the games solely to save other players, not to inflict additional harm upon them. Even if they were arrogant nuisances. 

‘I don’t plan on hurting him- it’s not my style to stoop to harming defenceless individuals’ he looked down pointedly at Thanos, blatantly referring to the 2-on-1 fight with player 333. ‘I’m just taking him down a peg’ he braced himself as, at this, Thanos renewed his struggling. 

‘FUCK! Let me go or I’ll skin you alive!’ His threats, although most likely not empty, were completely unattainable. He was absolutely stuck.

At this, Gi-hun set himself at the other side of Thanos’ bed, grabbing the purple-haired man’s arms, holding them securely out the way. He still didn’t know what the purpose of this was, but he trusted Young-il to not shed any blood- especially to an, although annoying, helpless man.

Young-il stretched his now empty hand, satisfied that both of them were now freed up. This would make it a lot easier to carry out his plan- thank god for Gi-hun, eh?

He began to speak, this time directed at the squirming man beneath him.

‘Was yesterday not enough of a lesson for you? You think it’s big and clever to go two against one, huh? Maybe you just need to see what it’s like for yourself’

‘I swear boy, if you so much as TOUCH me I’ll-‘

‘You’ll what? You’re pathetic, look at you. You’re lucky I have more integrity than to harm someone who can’t fight back’

Gi-hun, not knowing what to make of the situation, felt Thanos’ wrists strain against his grasp. 

He was both relieved and confused. Relieved, because it truly did seem like Young-il wasn’t intending to inflict pain. However, confused, because if he wouldn’t be hurting Thanos, what on Earth could-

‘AH!’ 

Gi-hun was brought back from his thoughts by the sound of Thanos yelping. Young-il, having shifted the hand pressing on Thanos’ chest, was digging with a single finger at the skinny man’s ribcage. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly- that was just the reaction he needed.

At his friends confused expression, Young-il said ‘I told you I wouldn’t hurt him, Gi-hun’. He smiled at his friend, excitement sparking in his eyes. His finger continued digging, finding its way inbetween a higher rib. He noted how Thanos tensed up and his angry yelling (attempting to hide his strained giggles) got louder- ah, jackpot.

He focused his energy there, still using just the one finger, and felt a sense of immense satisfaction as Thanos crumbled immediately.

‘AHAHAHAHA! FUHUHuhuhHUHUCKING GEHEHET OHOHOFF!’ 

‘Wow, all this fuss from just one finger, huh?’ Taunted Young-il, smirking nastily down at the now frantically laughing man. ‘Is this why you always fight unfairly? Scared that your opponent will find out and you’ll be stuck laughing until you cry?’

Thanos couldn’t reply. All he could do was take it. He could feel a burning anger at this humiliation, unable to verbalise just how furious he was. He wanted nothing more than to hurl insults and threats, but everytime he tried to do so it was rendered unintelligible through his hysterics. He shook his head from side to side, the sensation driving him insane. Oh, how he’d love to just punch the pair of these fucking assholes- 

‘AhahahAHAHAHAHAAHA! FUUHUhuHuhuHUHUCK YOU- EHEHAHAAHAHA!’ He was pulled out of his frustrated thoughts by the sensation of Young-il using the entirety of his hand to tickle him now, the feeling getting so much worse. His other, now non-occupied hand, secured itself firmly to the other side of his ribcage, methodically squeezing up and down.

 Thanos screamed and his legs kicked out. Fuck, this was bad. He had no control over his own reactions, his hands wildly trying to grasp at anything to alleviate the horrible feeling.

Young-il rasied his eyebrows. ‘Ohoho, this must be a really bad spot, huh? Or maybe you’re just that sensitive?’

Meanwhile, Gi-hun couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. He was glad Young-il wasn’t hurting the laughing man, and although he was still humbling him, tickling wasn’t anything dangerous. It left no marks, excluding Thanos’ bruised ego. Although he still had a vague sense of uncertainty, he decided this was probably the best outcome in a place like this.

And, If anything, it was pretty funny to see the usually so arrogant Thanos on the verge of tears and laughing his head off. He could feel from holding the wrists of the druggie when a bad spot was hit- when a particularly more ticklish rib was assaulted, he would strain against his bonds harder, to no avail as Gi-hun kept a strong grip. 

‘This certainly was not what I was expecting, Young-il. Seems it’s effective, though’ 

‘I used to have to do this to my brother when he forgot his place’ Replied Young-il. ‘It always managed to get him back down to Earth when he thought he was bigger than he really was’ he shifted slightly as he felt Thanos’ legs kick out behind him. ‘But he was a good kid so I didn’t have to do it often- It’s a good job we weren’t brothers, Thanos. I have a feeling I would have to do this to you almost everyday’ The only response was a strangled growl that quickly dissolved into laughter as Thanos did his absolute best to throw out some wise-crack or insult. The fact he couldn’t defend himself with his usual quips enraged him, but he could do nothing but cackle.

The two older men chuckled. Gi-hun, readjusting his grip around Thanos’ wrists, saw the first hints of tears beading at the corners of Thanos’ eyes. ‘Do you think whatever it is he’s high on makes him more ticklish?’ There was a teasing tone to Gi-hun’s statement, and Thanos attempted to glare at the older man, completely failing as his features were twisted with forced laughter. Gi-hun met his eye, unable to keep a smile from his own face, raising his eyebrows in a fake display of confusion.

‘Hey, what’s so funny, huh?’ 

Young-il chuckled at this, forming his left hand into a fist and knuckling up and down the length of Thanos’ ribcage. His eyes screwed shut and he threw his head back, laughter coming through jagged breaths, feeling his arms ache from how hard he’d been trying to break them loose.

Well, actually, everything ached. His chest and stomach burned with the prolonged intensity of his laughter, his cheeks ached from his forced smiling. But worst of all, his ribs ached, having been non-stop assaulted for a while now. Thanos couldn’t focus on anything else but his rage and the unbearable sensations shooting down his sides- fuck, why was Young-il so good at this? His strong fingers didn’t miss a beat, hitting the worst spots along his ribcage. He quickly realised that Player 001 was picking up on his reactions to pinpoint what tickled the most, the older man scarily observant. 

He tried to hold back his reactions, but Young-il was absolutely devastating him, and he gave up as he laughed freely. 

‘Look how much you’re laughing, you must be loving this’ and then sarcastically, ‘oooh, bad spot?’ when Thanos’ laughter turned squeaky as he focused a knuckle on one specific rib.

‘Hey, Gi-hun’ Gi-hun looked up from the hysterical player. ‘It’s not really a two against one right now, is it? He needs to learn his lesson, so help me out okay?’

This took Gi-hun slightly by surprise. He looked back down at Thanos, who now had tears running freely down his flushed cheeks. 

‘DOHOHOHOHN’T FUHUUH-AHahHAHAHAHahahaha-FUHUHUHUhuhuhuCKING TOUHUHUCH ME!’ 

‘Can you not form a single sentence without cursing? Is your vocabulary that stunted?’  Young-il, much to the immense relief of Thanos, stopped his assault. The older man wanted to give him a chance to speak- and maybe false hope that the attack was over. It was a mean thing to do, but Young-il thought it would be amusing to let the purple-haired man think he was in control, only to rip it away.

Thanos immediately gasped much-needed breath, his chest heaving. He blinked away tears, turning his head to the side to dry his damp face with his shoulder. 

‘Yeah, that’s what I thought…fuckers…I’m gonna kill both of you’ he spat out through ragged breaths. The two older men shared a glance- even after all that, he was still just as cocky. He turned his head back to its position so that he was staring directly at Young-il.

‘You’re fucking crazy, man! Nam-gyu, get down here and help me!’

Nam-gyu wasn’t about to put himself in harms way, and this was even further solidified when In-ho turned his head toward him and said ‘If you interfere, you’re next’. 

Thanos felt a slight sense of panic that his only hope of escape was refusing to come down from his bunk. ‘Dude!’

Player 124 shifted uncomfortably in his bunk. ‘Sorry, man…you kinda got yourself into this one…’

‘Your friend knows what’s good for him’ said Young-il.

‘You’ve been throwing your weight around since these games started- you need to see that you’re not as invincible as you think’ he carried on, his tone similar to that of a parent chastising an unruly child, which only served to enrage Thanos further. 

‘Didn’t I tell you to save the lecture for your own kids, old man? Get off me now and I might not punch out what little teeth you have left’

Young-il snorted. 

‘Your attitude needs a readjustment, so I’m going to give you one last chance. You can apologise now and promise to stop being such a brat, or we can keep going until you learn’

Thanos laughed in his face, this time not from fingers in his ribs. 

‘Are you serious? You sure you haven’t popped something yourself, man?’ 

‘Is this really what you want to do? Think carefully’

Truthfully, Thanos could feel a knot of worry and dread in the pit of his stomach. He was astoundingly ticklish, as had been made obvious, and being stuck in such a position wasn’t…ideal. In the back of his mind he couldn’t help but feel like apologising wouldn’t be a terrible idea-

No! What was he thinking? He couldn’t let himself give in to something as stupid as tickling. Especially not at the hands of this old man, who had embarrassed him in front of everyone yesterday. He had an image to uphold.  But, this was a different kind of embarrassment… at least being caught up in a fight showed he wasn’t all talk. What was this doing for him, apart from making him laugh like a kid?

Again, his ego overruled any sensible thought, and he glared at Young-il with an arrogant sneer. 

‘I’ll say it again, you bastard. You’re going to let me the fuck go, or I’ll choke you in your sle-EHEHEHEP!’

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as his face broke into a huge smile and he was once again hurled into forced laughter. But it wasn’t Young-il’s doing. 

Confused, the shorter man looked up and quickly realised that Gi-hun had taken both Thanos’ wrists in one hand and was drilling his thumb into the hollows of his armpit. 

Noticing Young-il’s surprise, Gi-hun said ‘I was getting bored of listening to him talk. Besides, I like him better like this anyway’.

The two shared an amused smirk, and Young-il looked back down at their once-again squealing victim. 

‘NAHAHAhahahahAHA’ Thanos renewed his squirming, chest trembling sporadically as he couldn’t help but laugh with ticklish mirth.

‘You had more than a fair warning. I guess you wanted this, huh?’ Teased Young-il, bringing one hand to tweak at 230’s hip bone and the other to gently trace circles on his stomach. The light, fluttery feeling of his skilled hands was almost just as bad as the rougher tickles. 

Gi-hun picked up on this and moved his hand to Thanos’ neck, scratching and teasing with an almost delicate touch. The boisterous laughter died down to frantic giggles, becoming higher pitched. 

‘Awh, listen to him’ Cooed Gi-hun in a mockingly sweet tone.

‘Almost cute, isn’t he?’ Replied Young-il. 

Thanos was losing his mind, shaking his head back and forth whilst giggling uncontrollably. These lighter tickles were a whole different sensation and were all he could think about. His train of thought was derailing by the second, trying to use his head to knock away Gi-hun’s gently-tracing hands. 

It was kinda poetic- this man who was usually so confident in himself, so sure of his invincibility, reduced to nothing but child-like giggles. His styled hair was dishevelled and sticking out in all directions, his face flushed and cheeks shiny with ticklish tears.  

‘Maybe you’ll think twice before picking on someone weaker than you’ quipped Gi-hun, having admittedly a lot of fun. This unconventional method had taken his mind off the games and the usual anxiety that sat in his chest. 

Thanos felt a surge of panic as he felt Young-il’s hands moving back up to his ribs. Suddenly he wished he’d just apologised when he had the chance, his bravado falling apart as those same deft fingers returned to vibrating between his ribs. 

‘nonoNOHOHOHOHO NOHOHOHOT THEHERERE! STOHOHOHOP!’ The gentler tickles seemed a lot more appealing now as he screamed with laughter, his worst spots being assaulted at once. 

‘Not where? Here? Or here?’ Chuckled Young-il, punctuating each word with a jab. Gi-hun once again drilled at his armpit, watching with satisfaction as Thanos’ laughter somehow went up an octave. 

‘You know how to make this stop’ stated Young-il casually, as if he wasn’t wrecking the younger man. ‘Are you going to get a grip and act normal?’

Thanos couldn’t even reply, laughter going silent. His strength was completely sapped- as was his fight. He threw his head back angrily, knowing he had no choice but to give in. God, he hated these two. 

Forcing a ragged gasp, Thanos mustered up every ounce of willpower he had and started to beg. The tickling was too much and he knew when he was beaten, not even considering his ego or pride as he shouted out near-unintelligible pleading.

‘YES! YEHEHEHEHES YESYEHEHeheheHEehES! PL-AHAHAHA-PLEAHAHAHASE! AHAHAHAHAHahahAHAHA-!’ His laughter going silent once again. 

Gi-hun and Young-il shared a look, hands not relenting.

‘Think he’s had enough?’ 

‘YEHEHEHEHES! PLEAHAHASE! HEHEHAHAAHAHA!’

‘I wasn’t talking to you’ 

Gi-hun looked down at Thanos, who was absolutely beside himself. He didn’t want to kill the poor guy, but he thought he could prolong the fun just a little longer; after all, they could’ve been much meaner, and he had it coming.

‘hmmmm, I don’t know…’ he mused in an exaggerated tone, pretending to think. ‘How do we know he’s really sorry?’

All hopes of keeping his reputation intact had long flown out the window. Thanos would agree to anything at this point.

‘IHIHIHI- I AM! IM SOHOHOHOREEHEHEEHE! STAHAHAHAHAP!’

And suddenly it was over, the two older men stilling their fingers in synch. Gi-hun released the arms he held captive and Thanos immediately snatched them away, wrapping them round himself protectively. Young-il straightened up, looking down at the gasping man, who was now red faced and trembling with lingering giggles. 

He watched as he curled up, as if he were expecting the tickling to start up again. Thanos tried his best to glower up at Young-il but much to his annoyance, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He attempted to catch his breath as he slowly pulled himself further onto his bed, trying to keep as much distance as possible.

‘F-fuck you guys’ he stammered out, quickly yelping an apology and holding himself tighter as Young-il raised his eyebrows, worrying that he’d just dropped himself in for another a round. 

But it was obvious in his now-meek disposition that his words were empty. Young-il patted him condescendingly on the cheek. ‘That was fun, but don’t make me do it again’.

The purple haired man watched in relief as his two attackers threw one last glance at him before walking back to their space in the dorm, as if nothing had just happened.

‘You were right, Young-il. That was a lot more fun than punching him’

Thanos glared at them (as best he could anyway) as they engaged in idle chatter until they were out of earshot. He jumped slightly as Nam-gyu dropped down from the safety of his bunk.

‘Er…you good, dude?’

‘Not. A. Fucking. Word’

[jenn2d2]

Ah, this is so different for the two Rooks that really fit this prompt:

Gladius Mercar (warrior) - His first and best friend Aurelia. She was the daughter of an abolitionist Altus family who lived near him growing up. They spent a lot of time having adventures in her family gardens, and he'd always visit her first after family when on leave from the military as an adult. Her death at Venatori hands is essentially what pushed him into Shadow Dragons, especially when he found out it was her younger brother responsible (and blaming it on enslaved people, of course.) Gladius is all about acts of service, and open, honest affection. He loves his friends, and will say so, often (unless this embarrasses them.) He will always help them move, be someone to talk to, or just clear a room when they need space.

Carina de Riva (mage) - Viago was the first person to act like her life mattered at all. Being fair, he thought she was dead at the time and got the jump scare of his life when she wasn't. "I tolerate your existence but am secretly quite fond of you" is their whole vibe. Also, it isn't particularly secret if you've been in company with them, or heard them talk about one another, but it's the style that counts. The most unstructured time they've spent together were discussions or lessons on poisons, especially how that intersects with magic, when they're just a couple of big nerds. Carina takes an active interest in pretty much anything her friends like or are a part of, and will always show up for them (even if, being a Crow, she's hidden in the rafters somewhere - they know she's there.)

Rook Introduction Hour 2/10/25

Hello, everyone! It's Valentine's Day week! 💕 Hope you have fun, if you're celebrating!

How it works: I ask you a question about your Rook(s) and you answer it with as much brevity or verbosity as you desire. You can do this whenever you want, and I’ll reblog it + add some comments! There’s no time limit— if you want to do the older ones, they are collected here! (The post is updated on Fridays!)

2/10-- RIH is scheduled out to rb once per hour from 8:30 am - 10:30 pm my time. I already have some RIHs in waiting, so you may need to wait a while for your reblogs! Thank you for your patience!

Today's Question(s): It's ALL ABOUT LOOOOOOVE 💕 But there are many kinds of love, and fortunately we will have a RIH on the day itself, so today, let's talk about platonic love! Who was the first person to show your Rook care and affection? Does Rook still have a relationship with that person? How does Rook like to show affection for their friends and family? Are there any special places they love to visit with the people they care about? Are there any particularly special memories they have with those people?

Answer whichever questions you want-- but please keep it platonic, today! I promise I will ask about the LIs on Friday <3 Have fun, and thanks for sharing!

[cyrantelnovapaleorayeeso]

"i dont see what ppl see in the lore its so boring"

shuffles my feet around, most ppl talking about the lore are exclusively talking about love nikki and shining nikki, the two games most ppl started the series with and have been around longer so theyve had time to explore their stories

now granted im assuming this person has only played infinity nikki, if not then hey not everyone is gonna like/care for the lore thats just how it is with video games

i havent spent too much time with infinity nikki bc i move at a snails pace and only play a little bit at a time so i cant say much on its lore

but these games tend to slowly move towards the more out there lore ok you gotta wait like a year before someone dies off

its also a gacha game so ur not getting all the lore at once ok they gotta have reason to keep ppl coming back and playing

[la-galaxie-langblr]

what is going on w my brain

[lookatmytitle]

people really hate only children a lot, which let me tell you, does not help that lifelong feeling of desolate isolation we only children come pre-installed with

[frgdsecrts]

Mathias was so confident that they would all be okay, that Ricardo would be able to live in a world in which he did not exist, that he just did not have it in him to burst that bubble. He pushed it down , like he always did, and gave his friend a gentle smile at his words. They were kind, perhaps not the most comforting, but he could appreciate the kindness in them. He knew Mathias loved him, loved them all, and it was that love that helped keep Ric looking strong when he was anything but that. “If you say so, Mathias. I trust in you. Always.” But he did not trust himself, that was the problem he was facing.

His gaze falls down to his hands for a moment, studying the outlines on his palms. “Maybe…it was a good thing that I didn’t know early on about your fate. I would have done anything to try to convince you to run away from it, to help you pick a path that did not involve such a cruel ending.” He looks back up to his friend, “You don’t deserve any of it. There is no doubt in my heart that you’d be a great god, a fair one even, but it doesn’t change the fact that you deserve much than that too. And I wish I could give you everything that is good in the world, that I could be your protector for once, but I know I can only do so much. I think that’s the part that kills me the most. That I can not save my friend from something so terrible.” And even if Mathias had told him before to never get in the way if something were occurring, Ricardo made a silent vow to himself to go against those wishes. Even in the face of death, Ricardo would not hesitate to stand between it and Mathias.

“Do you have to be anywhere this evening? If not, would you like to spend the night? I don’t think I’ve shown you my room since I finished it.”

Mathias lived his life as if it could end the next day, and there was a possibility that it could. There wasn't time to hesitate nor to back away from the leap of faith. His time was ticking away and he wanted to do so much with what he had left. Even if there were times he felt fear or doubts about his abilities, he still did his best to brave through it. Hearing that Ric assumed Mathias wouldn't want there to be something between them made him wonder if he wasn't being more clear with his intentions and wants with life.

It was nice to get lost in each other. It was nice not to think nor worry about things. It was just a moment shared with two people, and that was what Mathias liked the most. He craved connection and intimacy at times. The need to feel living flesh against his dying skin. He wanted to remember what it felt like before he could no longer feel it. A steady heart beat, and warmth.

As they pulled away, Mathias looked at Ric with a gentle sadness and empathy. Mathias wouldn't and couldn't lie to his friend. He couldn't sit there and assure Ric that he wouldn't lose him. "I know. I can see it in all of you how scare you all are of losing me. I can feel it too...I can't tell you it won't happen, because that brings false hope. But what I can tell you is that I'll still be here until I cannot. And I know when that time comes it'll be very difficult, but I also know that you'll make it through it. I know you will".

[cryolyst]

~

[abimee]

ruyan is literally so beautiful that i get ill looking at her

[ame-to-ame]

Oh on last rb's note my friend actually read love bullet per my recommendation hehe and she likes it and it makes me so so happy hehe

[classicintp]

one day i dream of owning a second house that i will rent for an actually reasonable price (say $400 a month? $500 a month?) and, unbeknownst to the renter, when they leave and any damages/cleaning get taken care of, every dollar they paid in rent minus said cleaning/damages gets returned to them in a lump sum. i just keep doing this forever.

[scarletwitch1918]

Today was the second birthday this year of a friend that I thought I was really close with that i didn’t get invited to

[phagodyke]

ykw actually I am angry + disappointed w them. I've been pushing how I feel aside and trying to make it my own fault so it's all contained but I think theyve just been mean. and they really should know me better ik I try to pretend I don't expect more from them so I feel less hurt when they do things that upset me but we've been friends for years by this point. like come on.