#TAG NOTE: ASK SENDER IS A FRIEND

[sealsdaily]

What if i hurt you

#not daily #mod samuel #asks #TAG NOTE: ASK SENDER IS A FRIEND

[wonlovie]

— ALWAYS.

After being broken up with, the cherry on top was receiving an invitation to your ex-boyfriend's wedding, leaving you breaking at the seams. Luckily for you, your childhood best friend is there to keep you together.

— starring. childhood bestfriend!jake x fem!reader ft. the slightest appearance of niki, mentions of ex!heeseung and le sserafim's chaewon (she was the first one i thought of LOL)

— tags. friends-to-lovers, slowburn, minor angst, jake is highkey a thigh guy, road trip!!, the oh-no-there's-only-one-bed trope several times over, smut [fem. masturbation while in the same bed, vaginal fingering, oral (f. receiving), handjob, very soft-dom!jake, first time, praising, unprotected sex, reader cries, use of petnames (princess, pretty girl, baby; he also calls you a whore/slut like,, twice) kind of but not really fwb situation [MINORS DNI]]

— word count. 14.3k

— notes. this is the first fic i've posted here!! i also started writing this like,, the day i got covid so if some sentences make zero sense it's because i was loopy af lmAOO on another note jake??? sim jake??? writing this wasnt good for my heart bc he was driving me insane the whOLE TIME

SIXTEEN DAYS.

When you got the invitation in the mail, a single piece of cardstock carefully decorated with ornate blue lace and beautifully handwritten script, you had half the mind to ignore it. Throw it in the trash, maybe. If the sender asked, you could feign innocence. It got lost in the mail, and perhaps I never received it at all.

Unfortunately for you, your conscience kicked you swiftly in the ass before you could even step on your trash bin pedal. 

Begrudgingly, you really had no choice but to go. After all, it was your cousin’s wedding—a day you had both raved about since you were young children. You could still recall the silly Pinterest boards you put together, regrettably filled with tacky and outdated decor. Your cousin, Chaewon, even called you before the invitation was sent to your box, her excited voice crawling out of your phone speaker and taunting you with sharp licks against your ear.

You should be happy. Really, you should. Aside from Lemon, your newly adopted Jindo puppy, Chaewon was your favourite. Despite moving across the country for university, you were there for her as she was for you. Not a single day went by without an hour-long phone call between the two of you, filled to the brim with conversation or spent in peaceful silence.

The issue wasn’t Chaewon. No, it was far worse than that. The issue was her husband-to-be, a man you despised with every cell of your being.

Lee Heeseung. In other words, your ex. 

It was jarring for you to see the very man who seemed to date you out of pity, never truly initiating intimacy or even trying to pretend to be interested in the things you’d tell him, be so sweet to Chaewon. You had, unfortunately, witnessed their love firsthand on multiple occasions. The longing glances, the whispered sweet nothings, the subtle caresses when they thought no one was looking. 

You hated how bitter you felt about it. His last words to you felt like they were tattooed onto your eyelids.

“I’m sorry, but… I don’t think we should date anymore. I think I’ve found someone else.”

Of course, you were heartbroken. Heeseung was your first boyfriend and your first love. You had tried so damn hard to be the receiver of his affections, but your efforts always fell short. The next week, Chaewon approached you with tears brimming her eyes, begging for forgiveness; you knew that whatever you had with Heeseung was officially history. 

Chaewon, the angel, denied his advances until you pushed her to say yes, as you knew she wanted to. 

And now, your decision had come full circle, the ugly truth rearing its head at you. Your feelings for Heeseung were long gone, but with the breakup came a hundred insecurities you didn’t know you had, hence the big move. Maybe with space, you could heal.

“Stupid,” you whispered as your eyes scanned the invitation for the nth time in the past ten minutes. You rubbed harshly at your eyes, forcing the tears away. With a shaking finger, you traced the wedding date, briefly glancing up at the dog calendar that hung on the wall next to your fridge. 

Gingerly dropping the invitation onto the kitchen counter, you quietly counted the days left. The wedding was just over two weeks away, a beautiful August wedding. You don’t know how long you stood there, goosebumps prickling on your thighs as the morning air brushed against them. Your oversized tee did little to combat the cold.

A quiet knocking at the door made you jump. Swearing under your breath, you swiped at your cheeks to rid any evidence of tears. You shuffled to the front door and peeked through the peephole. A man stood there, hands in his jeans pockets, as he waited for you to answer. However, his head was down, which blocked his face from view.

When you didn’t answer right away, he knocked again just as gently as he had before. This time, though, he called out your name. 

Startled, you paused with your hands pressed against the door, eyes still pressed against the peephole. You knew that voice, instantly recognizing the accent that spilled into his words. Pulling the door open, your suspicions were correct when you were met with your childhood best friend, Jake.

A wide grin pulled at the corners of your lips as you looked the man up and down. “Holy shit,” you started, laughter in your voice. “What are you doing here?” Stepping back to let him in, you eyed his wide shoulders as he bent over to untie his shoes. “You never said you were coming to visit.”

Jake lazily smiled up at you as he tugged off the last shoe. His eyes drifted down for a second, catching sight of your bare legs. Not a moment later, he averted them. “Damn, hello to you too, sweets.” When he stood to his full height, he leaned into a comfortable slouch, shoving his hands into the pockets of his well-worn jeans. “Chaewon didn’t tell you?” He tilted his head at you in question.

Shaking your head no, you headed to the kitchen where you left your phone. Finding your chatroom with Chaewon, you scanned the contents quickly. “Look—”

You turned to show Jake your previous texts, but as you swivelled on your heel, you hadn’t expected him to be so close. You jumped slightly, the small of your back pressing into the cool countertop as Jake hovered over you, seemingly inches away. You could practically count his every lash from your angle, not missing how his eyes scanned your face.

Apparently, he didn’t expect to be so close either, as the tips of his ears reddened. “My bad,” as he moved to give you space. He pushed back his hair—when had he dyed it blonde?— to see your screen better. Reading quickly, he snorted at Chaewon’s lack of warning for his arrival, her last message simply being: ;).

“I thought you knew I’d be coming, so I didn’t bother sending a text,” he explained. “Chae wants me to be your escort to the wedding.”

“My what?”

Jake grinned at you, flashing his pearly whites. “Y’know, your stead. Your chauffeur. Your knight in shining armour, if you will.”

“Those aren’t the same in the slightest, Jake.”

“You get what I mean, sweets.” 

You hummed, resting your palms atop the counter by your sides. “Why so early, though? The wedding isn’t for a couple of weeks.” He opened his mouth to say something, but a sharp yip from your bedroom interrupted him. You practically watched as elation flooded his senses when he spun on the spot, searching for the sound source.

Pushing yourself off the counter, you lightly bumped his shoulder with your own as you manoeuvred around him. “Looks like someone’s awake,” you sang as you headed down the hall. You could hear Jake’s heavier, sock-clad footsteps following you into your bedroom as you called out for Lemon.

The little pup bounded toward you, jumping from your bed with a tail that wagged so fast you were concerned she’d sprain it. With her tongue out, she hopped on her hind legs, unsure of whether she should greet you or Jake first. “Lemon, this is Jake,” you introduced as you picked her up. Gently moving her paw in a waving motion, you smiled at him. “Jake, this is the love of my life, Lemon.”

He sent you a teasing smile, “I thought that was my title.” You flushed at the unexpected remark. Before you could respond, he turned to Lemon with a soft expression. “Hi, Lemon. Hope you’re taking good care of sweets for me.” Cooing at the pup, he booped her nose.

Without a word, you motioned for him to follow you back to the living room, situating yourself on the small leather couch worn from years of hand-me-down use. Lemon hopped off your lap, her tail wagging as she beckoned Jake to sit down. He was quick to join you, sitting close enough for your knees to touch when Jake shifted his body to face you. You scanned him up and down.

He’d changed a bit, clearly, since the last you saw him. He wasn’t nearly as scrawny as before, his broad frame apparent from under his unzipped jacket. He had lost the baby fat in his cheeks, leaving behind a sharp jawline. The biggest change to note was his hair. Long gone were the black tresses, and in their place were soft blond locks.

In other words, he was hot.

“When did this happen?” you asked as he shrugged his jacket off, reaching up to twist a strand with your finger. “It looks good on you.”

Jake sent you a teasing look, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. “You would’ve known I went blond like a month and a half ago if you actually read your messages,” he chided, clicking his tongue. His eyes stayed on you, flitting across your face.

“Whatever,” you hushed, “I’ve just been busy with school.” It's a lie, but he doesn’t need to know that. No one needed to know that you’ve spent the last few months acting like a heartbroken teen when you were a grown adult. Despite Jake having seen the worst parts of you in high school, you still wanted him to hold some esteem for you.

For a second, it was quiet aside from Lemon’s quiet sniffing, her nose working quickly on Jake’s discarded coat. Jake held eye contact with you, a silent question reflected in his eyes. 

“It’s still weird to me.”

Raising a brow, you rested your elbow on the back of the couch, resting your head against your palm. “What is?”

He stayed silent for a minute before leaning back against the couch, turning his head slightly to face you. “I can’t just walk down the block to annoy you now. Now, you’re four hours away unless I want to spend a few hundred on a plane ticket.” He stuck out his tongue, “‘Dunno why you didn’t stay.” His voice was light, teasing, but you could hear a slight edge to his words.

You huffed, “You know exactly why I left.”

For a moment, neither of you said anything. When Heeseung broke up with you, Jake was the first one you told. Despite being an incoherent, blubbering mess over the phone, he came the instant he heard the first sob rack your body. That night, he held you without a word until your tears ran dry.

“You still hung up about it?”

Pausing, you shook your head. “No,” you bit your lip, not catching the way his eyes darted down to watch, “not anymore, anyway. I don’t feel anything for Heeseung if that’s what you’re asking.” You cracked a sardonic smile at him, punching his shoulder and chuckling when Lemon followed your movement. “Not that pathetic yet, Jake.”

He fully turned his body to you, the leather couch squeaking under his shifting weight. His golden hair fell into his eyes as he bore into yours. “I was there, remember?” His voice was gentle as if he was worried he’d scare you off. “I know it hurt more than you’re letting on. It wasn’t that long ago.”

You silently cursed him for still being able to read you so well, even after so long apart. Absentmindedly, you tugged on the hem of your shirt, playing with the edge that was starting to fray after years of use. Jake leaned forward, placing a warm hand on your bare thigh. “I’ll be there the whole time. If you want me to, I’ll stay right beside you the whole night.”

Your eyes darted to where his large hand rested on your skin, swallowing harshly. “Yeah,” you whispered, looking back up at him through your lashes. “That’d be… really nice, Jake.” You shakily exhaled; his proximity and his touch made your every nerve go haywire. Since when did Jake, your best friend since you were in diapers, have this effect on you? Looking up at the mop of messy blond on his head, you blamed the change in colour.

Jake didn’t say anything for a while but never moved his hand. The two of you sat there, staring into each other's eyes. Lemon had long ago gotten comfy in the small space between you, round eyes closed in rest. “I’ll always be there for you, you know that, right?” He said finally, voice barely above a whisper.

You could only nod, your every thought directed to the hand on your thigh, his thumb rubbing circles on the inside of your leg.

You offered Jake your shower while you went to get his luggage from his car. At first, he refused, telling you that he could get the luggage himself and take a shower afterward, but you had practically shoved him into the bathroom, claiming he smelt bad from the drive. 

Truthfully, he smelt good as ever, having always possessed an addicting scent to you.

Besides, this way, you could clear your head with some fresh air as you left and headed to your apartment parking lot. Easily spotting his car, much newer than any of the models your neighbours had, you jogged over to it. Once inside, you noted how clean the car was, coming as somewhat of a surprise to you. A carwash receipt peaked out from the middle console.

Lugging his suitcase out from the backseat, you were quick to make your way back, lest Jake be left without clothes for too long. Shutting your front door behind you, you nearly let out a scream when, on cue, Jake emerged from a cloud of steam, donning only your fluffy blue towel. He hadn’t noticed you yet, using another towel to shake out the excess water from his hair.

Unknowingly, your eyes followed a bead of water as it trailed down his toned body, disappearing under the towel that threatened to unravel itself, sending your mind into a frenzy. Turning around before he could realize that you were ogling at him like some pervert, you cleared your throat. “Got your suitcase,” you forced out. “You can change in my room if you want.”

“Ah, thanks, sweets.” You listened for his footsteps, tensing as they came closer. “Why so shy?” He inquired with a chuckle at the tip of his tongue. “‘S not like you’ve never seen me naked before.”

“Jake, we were five.”

“Still,” he laughed. You were startled when he patted your shoulder, gently turning you to face him more. You swallowed harshly at the sight of his naked chest up close. “Joking. Thanks for grabbing my stuff.” Without another word, he turned around and disappeared behind your bedroom door.

Letting out a breath, you pressed your forehead against the cool surface of your front door, holding a hand over your heart. Lemon’s tiny paws brought her over to you, the click clicks of her nails against the hardwood taking your attention away from your thoughts. She looked up at you, her head tilted as though she was questioning you. “I must be going crazy, huh?” You knelt down to let her jump on you, her front paws pressing into your leg. 

“Layla’d love her,” Jake’s voice interrupted. You looked up to see him dressed in comfy attire, a dim disappointment settling in your stomach. “You hungry? I can order something for us.”

Rolling your eyes, you stood up. “You’re my guest, Jake. I can order.” You pulled out your phone and open a delivery app. Before you could get too far, the phone was taken from your grasp, left in Jake’s palm as he stared at you in challenge.

With a shake of his head, he denied you. “I may be your guest, but you’re also housing me for two weeks. Plus, I haven’t seen you in forever.” He hunched over to meet your eyes, “My treat. You can pay next time, promise.”

By the time the food arrived, you and Jake had settled in on the couch, a random movie playing on the TV. Quiet chatter filled the space. The movie had already been forgotten, acting as mere background noise to your conversation. You dug into your food without missing a beat, covering your mouth to retort whenever Jake would make a jab at you. 

“You never got to answer my question,” you prompted, putting down your chopsticks and resting the take-out container on the coffee table. “Why’d you come so early? Why not closer to the wedding?”

You watched Jake pause, his expression unreadable. “Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to see you?” he asked, voice low as he turned to look at you. His blond hair had been pushed up and back so many times strands framed his face, allowing you to see all of it. “Because I do,” he continued, shrugging as if he weren’t making your heart race, “I want to see you. All the time.”

Unsure of how to respond, you sputtered for a moment before turning away, your cheeks warm. “I’ve wanted to see you too,” you mumbled, “so thanks. For coming.”

“For you? Always.”

Rolling your eyes, you bumped Jake with your shoulder. “When did you get so cheesy?”

Jake pulled his lower lip under his teeth for a second, biting at the plump flesh as he mulled over an answer. “Just missed you, is all.”

Nodding, you turned your head to watch the rest of the movie. It was confusing since neither of you watched the first half. Beside you, Jake turned to do the same. If either of you noticed how the space between you had become nonexistent, thighs and shoulders pressed together, no one said a word. You couldn’t complain, enjoying how Jake’s warmth seeped through his clothes and into your skin.

Without realizing it, the both of you fell asleep. The TV had gone dark after hours of inactivity, the moon lighting up the room with a dark hue. Jake awoke first, grumbling when his neck had a familiar ache in it. But when he went to roll his shoulder, something was in the way. Or rather, someone. He turned, pursing his lips to stay quiet as he realized you were leaning on him.

Your legs were draped over his own, something you must’ve done in your sleep. Or maybe it was him searching for a source of warmth in the coolness of the night. His arm was wrapped around your shoulder, your head fitting directly in the crook of his neck. He felt his skin burn as he swore quietly. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the time.

3:02 a.m.

As slowly as he could, he hooked one arm under your knees and the other around your back. Standing, he hoped his racing heart wouldn’t wake you. Jake maneuvered the dark apartment as best he could without accidentally hitting your head against the walls of your hallway. Luckily, you left your bedroom door open, so he didn’t need to figure that out somehow. 

Lemon was already asleep, curled up on your left pillow. Carefully, he laid you down on the bed, pushing away stray hairs on your face afterward. He stayed there for a moment, staring at your peaceful expression. His heart warmed, a tingly feeling in his belly erupting at the sight of you. He tugged the blanket over your body, pressing a finger to his lips when Lemon startled awake.

Tucking you in, he hovered for a minute before pressing a soft kiss against your forehead. “Night, sweets,” he whispered before moving to his feet. Before he could get very far, a hand shot out from under the blanket and weakly grasped at his wrist. Turning, Jake held a breath at the sight of your sleepy eyes gazing up at him. “Only have one bed,” you slurred, sleep taking over your speech. “Sleep here.”

Jake balked at you, hands subconsciously balling at his sides. “Are you sure? I can sleep on the couch—”

“No! Sleep here.” You didn’t give him much room to argue as you scooted backwards to give him some room before lifting the blanket in invitation. This movement bugged Lemon, clearly, as she moved from your pillow to lay in the nook of your bent legs. “Come on, we’ve slept in the same bed before.”

Swallowing at the sight of you, eyes barely open and shirt riding up further than he could handle, Jake relented, knowing you would keep arguing with him until daylight. The last time we slept in the same bed, you were bawling your eyes out over Heeseung, he stopped himself from saying. The thought lingered as he crawled in next to you, keeping a respectful distance. 

Satisfied, you allowed your heavy lids to close, a small, contented smile painted on your lips. “G’night, Jake.”

He sighed. “Good night, sweets.”

You fell asleep instantly, hand resting on the pillow in front of your face. Jake mirrored your position, your pinkies centimetres from touching. He observed the slow rise and fall of your chest and the occasional sniffs when your hair would fall and tickle your nose. His eyes traced your every feature, from the curve of your cheek to your supple lips. 

Jake did not sleep well that night.

FOURTEEN DAYS.

Two days after Jake had made an appearance, he quickly fell into a routine with you. He would wake up first and have a cup of coffee ready for you whenever you’d sleepily bound into the kitchen. A bowl of cereal would already be sitting on the counter, the jug of milk sitting beside it. Your mornings were quiet as you both woke up, only a raspy “good morning” before you’d sit in silence over your bowls.

It had been a long time since you had such normalcy, and you’d be lying if you said you hated it.

“Hey,” he started, only half done chewing his cereal. “We have, like, two weeks left until we actually need to be in Seoul, right?”

You eyed him suspiciously for his cheery tone so early in the morning. Swallowing your food first, you nodded. “Yeah, but Chae wants us back at least two days before in case things need fixing or whatever.” Sipping your coffee, you raised a brow at him, “Why?”

Grinning at you, he leaned over to grab your arm in excitement. Your eyes darted to where you connected, noting how his thumb immediately started rubbing the inside of your wrist, making you cross your legs under the table. “Let’s make our trip back a road trip!”

You blinked. “Jake. You drove here—it was already going to be a road trip to go back.”

Jake threw his head back in a groan, inadvertently showing you his Adam’s apple as it bobbed up and down. You followed the movement down to his wide shoulders before looking away a second before he straightened up to meet eyes with you. “Dummy, I know that. Let’s make it a fun road trip with loads of stops and everything!” He talked animatedly, waving his hands with reckless abandon. “There are lots of small towns and pitstops on the way to Seoul, but we’ve never actually explored them.”

“How do you know I haven’t?”

Jake looked at you as if you had grown two heads. “If you have and I wasn’t invited, your best friend card is being revoked this instant. You hear me? Revoked.”

Laughing, you stood and grabbed both of your empty bowls. “Fine, we can have your fun road trip. You’re doing all the planning, though, since it was your idea.” You tilted his coffee mug toward you to see if he had finished it, placing it back where it was when you saw the brown liquid still swirling inside. He followed you to the sink, sleeves already rolled up when you placed the porcelain into the basin.

You didn’t say anything when he gently pulled you to the side and grabbed the sponge to start cleaning. “I already have the route!” He told you, not taking his eyes off the dishes. “It’s in my phone. You can look—it’s in the notes app.” Peaking at you through his lashes, he nodded his head in the general direction of where he left his phone. “Password’s still the same.”

You snorted, picking it up from the table before joining him at the sink, hopping up on the counter beside him. As you entered your birthyear into the phone, you didn’t catch the way he eyes your thighs, your shorts doing little to nothing to cover up the way they flattened slightly against the cool marble. “Y’know,” you started, ripping him out of his thoughts, ushering him to quickly place the bowls and spoons onto your drying rack. “This is a shitty password. You’re gonna get robbed one day.”

 He shrugged, pulling the hand towel off your oven’s handle to dry his hands. You watched him, silently ogling at the veins that popped out in his forearms when he turned to replace the towel. “Maybe, but it’s important to me.”

“My birth year?”

He grinned at you with a simple nod, standing between your thighs. His eyes fell to them once more when you absentmindedly spread your legs to give him room to stand. Biting the inside of his cheek, he shakily rested his palms on either side of you, moving slow enough for you to object if you were uncomfortable. "It's the year my favourite person was born, after all." You didn’t say anything, instead looking back at his phone screen.

He watched as your eyes flit back and forth as you read, his fingers itching to move closer to you, to touch your skin. He opted to curl his fingers until his nails dug into his palms. “When did you figure this out?” You asked, smiling at the title of the note.

Sweets and Jake’s Road Trip !!!

“Last night, while you slept.”

You shot him a look, searching for eye bags. You were relieved when you didn’t see any, but you punched his shoulder nonetheless. “Idiot. If you can’t sleep, you can wake me, you know? You don’t have to stay up by yourself.” You placed a hand on his forearm, rubbing your thumb over a jutting vein just as he had to you moments before.

His urge to touch you grew stronger, and he felt his mental fortitude crumbling at the contact. Clearing his throat, Jake shrugged. “You’re cute when you sleep, princess. Didn’t want to wake you.” Moving away before your scent could drive him any more insane, he rubbed the back of his neck. “So? What’s the verdict?”

Lips parted from his casual slip of a nickname you’d never heard from him before, you dumbly nodded. “Good. It’s good. Let’s do it.” You hopped down from the counter, Jake’s hands immediately moving to steady you once you got on your feet. “When do we leave?”

Jake grinned at you, revealing his canines. “Whenever you’re ready, sweets.”

You returned the smile, excitement starting to affect you. “Let’s get ready then, shall we?”

It didn’t take either of you very long to get your suitcases and essentials put together. Jake had mostly kept his things in his suitcase, only pulling out clothes he needed for the day or toiletries that you didn’t have any to spare. Two toothbrushes sat in a cup instead of the usual one, and the sight made you grin as you collected your things. Chaewon had your dress up in Seoul, so you didn’t need to worry about any of that either.

An hour after Jake proposed the road trip, he was waiting outside, one hand clasped over both of your luggage handles, the other holding Lemon’s carrier as you locked the door. The two of you walked out to his car in silence, the crisp morning air making you shiver under your thin jacket. “It’s still summer,” you complained in a long drawl, “why is it so fucking cold in the morning?”

Jake laughed at you, thanking you when you opened the back door of his car for him and carefully slid the luggage and carrier in. “Relax, princess, I’ll turn the heat on just for you, yeah?”

You grumbled at his teasing, taking your spot in the passenger seat without a word as he held the door open for you. You watched him jog around the car to reach his side, never taking your eyes off him as he fiddled with the A/C. As he turned the ignition on, he handed you his phone. “Put something on for me, will you?” 

As he drove, you noted the fact that he drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on the middle console. His arms were exposed in the black tee he wore, seemingly not as affected by the cold as you were. You willed yourself not to notice how the shirt was unfairly form-fitting, wrapping around the bulk of his bicep in a way that was sending you spinning. 

The first stop was five minutes away from your apartment as Jake pulled into the parking lot of a nearby convenience store. Jake unrolled the windows a bit for Lemon, telling her to be good as the both of you exited the vehicle. Once inside, you shivered at how strong the store had its A/C running. 

Eyeing you, Jake sent you a smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll be quick.”

Without another word, you followed as Jake made his way through the different aisles, picking up snacks that you easily recognized as some of your favourites. Even grabbing a heat pack, he waved it at you teasingly. “Weirdo, needing a heat pack in the middle of August.”

You sputtered, “Wha— I never asked you to—”

Interrupting you with a bark of a laugh, he shook his head. “Just poking fun. C’mon, let’s go. Lemon’s probably waiting for us.” You huffed but didn’t argue as he pulled you to the front cashier by the hand. You trained your sight on your connected hands, moving them so your fingers interlaced. Jake briefly looked down at what you’d done, but if it bothered him, he didn’t say anything.

“Oh, it’s you!”

To both your surprise and Jake’s, the cashier’s eyes lit up when he saw you. “We had English together,” he filled in when you didn’t seem to recognize him. “We were in a group project together for the final?” You blinked a few times before making a noise of recognition.

“Riki! Sorry, I didn’t recognize you with the new hair,” you explained, glancing at his newly dark brown hair. “It was blond before. Looks good now, though!” You gave him a thumbs up. Before he could reply beside you, Jake cleared his throat. Both you and Riki looked at him, realizing that the latter hadn’t even started ringing your items through, and there was a bit of a line behind you.

Riki immediately started scanning the snacks Jake had brought, never taking his eyes off you. “What’re you up to this summer? I haven’t seen you at all since the semester ended.”

You hummed, “My cousin’s wedding is in two weeks, so Jake and I—” You nudged him, not noticing how quiet he had gotten. “—are driving back to Seoul right after this.”

The younger boy nodded, glancing over at Jake before looking down at your hands. You forgot they were still intertwined, but Jake's grip tightened when you went to let go. You dropped your head to hide how warm your cheeks felt, biting your lip lightly. “Ah,” Riki put down the scanning gun, his tone noticeably less happy. “₩9000, please.”

Jake threw a few crumpled notes on the counter before bowing his head slightly in goodbye, tugging you toward the exit wordlessly. You waved at Riki over your shoulder before walking quickly to fall in step with Jake. “You okay? You were quiet in there, and then you pulled us out like that.”

Jake only nodded, carelessly tossing the bag of snacks into the back with your luggage. “Here,” he tossed you the heat pack, already cracked and warming up. He opened your door again without further explanation before taking his own seat.

You stared at his profile in confusion, the heat pack already doing its job on your frigid hands. As he pulled back onto the road, you glanced at his hand, which rested over the middle console as it had before.

Curiously, you turned his wrist until his palm was facing upward. Jake watched you from the corner of his eye, only turning his head when he reached a red light. He hadn’t expected you to put your hand in his, interlocking your fingers once again. “Your hands are warmer,” you mumbled, leaning back to get comfortable. In shock, Jake hadn’t taken his eyes off of you.

Smiling tightly at him, you squeezed his hand. “The light’s green.”

Snapping his head forward, he coughed as he focused on the road. For the next while, your hand would stay in his. The ride to the next town was spent in silence, with you mouthing the lyrics to songs you recognized from his playlists. 

In Jake’s phone, he had written that you were to stay at motels in towns along the way. When you protested at the cost it would be, he simply argued with it’s for the experience, sweets. And no worries! I’m paying for the whole trip. And when you argued with that last bit, he only replied, if I see your wallet at all, I might have to fight you.

Your first real stop was in a small fishing village, the last coastal town you’d see before you started driving inland. The morning chill was gone, replaced with the comforting warmth of the summer sun. Despite that, you didn’t let go of Jake’s hand until you had to get out of the car. Stretching your limbs, you groaned when you felt and heard some joints pop. 

You inhaled deeply, closing your eyes as you took in the smell of the ocean and the distant chatter of nearby townspeople. The motel Jake brought you to was a little rundown; it was obvious that it had been around for quite some time. The paint was peeling a bit, and the shingles on the roof made it look dated, but it had a cozy feel to it. Besides, it was the only dog-friendly motel in the area, so you couldn’t afford to be choosy.

“Hello,” the old woman at the receptionist's desk greeted you kindly, eyes shifting from you to Jake. You smiled at her, bowing your head in respect. Besides you, Jake did the same with that easygoing grin of his. “How may I help you?”

“A room for two, please,” said Jake.

The woman nodded, looking over at the remaining room keys. Grabbing one, she handed it over to you before telling Jake how much it’d cost. As Jake fumbled with his wallet, the old woman looked at you fondly. “You two are precious,” she informed you with an air of nostalgia, her wrinkled hand resting atop her chest over her heart. “I remember when me and my late husband were your age.”

You blushed at her insinuation that you and Jake were together but found that the idea wasn’t as jarring as you thought it’d be. You couldn’t tell if Jake didn’t catch the comment or chose not to reply as he handed her the money she needed. 

It wasn’t hard to find your room out of the ten total, and you were pleased to see that the coziness of the outside continued inside. Jake wheeled your luggage in while you opened Lemon’s carrier, letting her roam free in the room, sniffing the foreign air. The room itself wasn’t too big, consisting of the main room that could only fit a single queen bed and not much else and a bathroom that was longer than it was wide. 

“It’s like we’re teens again,” you giggled at Jake, shrugging off your jacket. “We’re sharing beds often.”

Jake let out a breath at the realization that there really was only one bed again and nodded stiffly. He supposed that was his fault for not mentioning how many beds you needed. “I guess so,” he gazed at you tenderly. “You sure you don’t mind?”

You rolled your eyes at him, “You can cut the gentleman act with me, Jake. If I minded, I would’ve said something already. We shared a bed in my apartment, remember?”

Of course I remember, he thought, it was driving me crazy.

In truth, Jake hasn’t been able to sleep because of how cuddly you were in your sleep. He’d purposely lay as far as he could from you so as not to give in to any temptations, but it seemed like you had other plans whenever you laid your head to rest. Not two minutes after he’d heard your soft snores, your hands were reaching for him, pulling you closer to his torso until you were snuggled up against him. 

He may have only been staying with you for two days, but he’s had to take just as many cold showers before you woke up.

“Do you wanna go on a walk?” you asked once the two of you settled. Lemon sat by your feet, circling them by looping under the chair you sat on to entertain herself. “It’d be nice to venture out! I think poor Lemon’s a bit restless from the carrier.” You bent over to rub behind her ears, to which she let out a yip of approval.

Jake smiled softly at the sight before nodding. “Let’s go, then.”

Thankfully, Lemon was an off-leash dog and stayed close by as you walked the streets of an unfamiliar town. In the distance, seagulls cried out to each other as fishing boats pushed off from the harbour. The sound of the sea lulled you into a peaceful reverie. You and Jake walked side by side, fingers brushing against each other every so often.

“It’s nice here,” you mumbled, “we should have done this sooner.”

Jake hummed, the low noise rattling in your ears. You closed your eyes as you walked, fully trusting Jake to guide you if you were going to walk into anything. He smiled softly at the sight of your relaxed demeanour, moving to hold your hand. You walked in silence for a bit before you reached the shore. Jake spotted some beach chairs, pulling you along. Lemon bounded ahead, happy to have room to run. You cracked open your eyes in time to see her jump into the water, barking happily as she entertained herself.

“Next time, you should bring Layla,” you suggested as you sat down. 

Jake smiled down at your hands. “Yeah, next time.”

Silence fell upon you, but it wasn’t unwelcome. You both watched Lemon as she played in the water, occasionally coming up to bring you a rock she had found before hopping back into the puddles the tide was creating. All the while, your hands stayed clasped, with Jakes's thumb rubbing familiar circles on the back of your palm.

“Why did you move so far?”

You halted, your smile slipping. “You asked me already.”

“But you weren’t being completely truthful with me.” He looked at you, concern shining in his eyes. “You’re not over it, are you?”

The topic dampened your mood, your heart rate rising as you avoided eye contact. “I told you already, Jake. I don’t love Heeseung anymore. I’m fine,” you pressed, lying through your teeth. Lying to Jake always left a bitter taste in your mouth, as you knew he could tell immediately that it wasn’t the truth. “What kind of cousin would I be if I were still in love with her groom-to-be?”

Jake’s frown deepened. “You have the right to be hurt—”

“But I’m not! So drop it.” Your outburst garnered the attention of a few townspeople who were out and about, causing you to flush in embarrassment. Lowering your voice, you stared down at the rocky beach, digging your dirtied trainers into the course sand. “I’m fine.”

Unbelieving, Jake continued, “It’s just… I thought you had enough reason to stay.”

His words made you look up, annoyed at how much he was pressing the topic on you. “Clearly, I didn’t.” Shaking your head, you dropped his hand before standing to your feet and dusting off imaginary dirt from your pants. You looked down at him, a mistake as you were forced to look at his hurt expression, lip trembling as he stared up at you open-mouthed. “I’m going back.”

He only watched your back as you walked away, beckoning Lemon to follow. The poor puppy got out of the water, shaking off the excess. She ran toward you but paused and looked back at Jake. She tilted her head as if she were asking Aren’t you coming? before running after you.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, shellshocked, until he realized that the sun was starting to set. Deciding he had been out there long enough, Jake slowly made his way back to the motel. When he got to your room, he hesitated, knowing that you could easily lock him out for the night if you were still upset with him since you had the only key.

Jake stood there, mulling over whether or not he should try knocking, but before he could even decide, the door opened. He was met with you, tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes. “Don’t just stand there,” you opened the door more for him to come in. His heart broke at the sight of you and at how wet your voice sounded, as if you had just finished crying.

“Sweets, I’m sorry—” 

You shook your head, holding up a hand to stop him. “No, you did… you did nothing wrong. I shouldn’t have exploded at you like that or left you alone out there.” You looked down in shame, gnawing at your bottom lip. “I’m sorry, Jake.”

He was quick to lift your chin with two fingers, keeping them there as he rested his other hand on your upper arm. “Hey, no, none of that. I shouldn’t have pushed you when you obviously didn’t want to talk about it.” He pushed your hair behind your ear before bringing you in for a hug. You wrapped your arms around him, burying your head in his shoulder. He kissed the top of your head before muttering in your ear, “I’m sorry, sweets. I promise I won’t ask about it until you tell me you’re ready.”

You let go of the hug, but Jake kept you close in his arms. Looking into his eyes with welled-up tears, you pouted slightly, bringing his gaze downward. “You’re sure you’re not upset with me?”

“With you, never, sweets.”

You opened your mouth but closed it before you could say anything. Hugging him again, your voice came out muffled. “Wanna sleep.”

Jake chuckled at you, dropping his head in disbelief. “Okay.”

Not long after, you were both situated in bed, with Lemon lying at your feet like usual. As he had for nights before, Jake kept his distance, but you quickly changed that. For the first time, you cuddled up to him while you were awake, fully aware of your actions. Jake’s breath halted as he felt you nuzzle your face into the soft fabric of his tee, which smelt so strongly of him that it was all you could smell. “I love you,” you whispered into his skin, sending his brain into a frenzy. “You’re the bestest friend I could’ve ever asked for.”

Jake could practically hear the record screech in his head, gritting his teeth a bit before relaxing his jaw to leave another soft kiss against your temple. “I love you too, sweets.”

The day had exhausted him more than he’d realized. For the first time in two days, Jake found himself falling asleep right after you, holding you tightly against his chest.

You awoke to the feeling of something warm attached to your neck. A quiet moan escaped your lips when the something bit down. You felt large hands explore the expanse of your side, your sleeping shirt pushed far up. Something hard poked against your thigh as you angled your head upward.

Your eyes fluttered open as you realized it was Jake, groaning as he nipped at your skin, leaving behind blossoms of red and purple. You moved your hips closer to his, gasping when his growing hard-on made contact with your clothed sex. “Fuck, baby, you don’t know what you do to me,” he uttered, his deep voice going straight to your groin. Your panties, you were sure, were already soaked with your slick.

“Please,” you whined as he bit down harder, and his hand roamed higher, tracing the curve of the underside of your breast with his fingers. His mouth felt oh-so-hot on your skin, and his teasing touch did little to alleviate it. “Show me, Jake. Show me what I do to you.”

He pulled back, ignoring the noise of disappointment you made. His eyes looked impossibly dark as he hovered over you, chest heaving. “Be careful what you wish for, pretty girl.” He easily flipped you onto your back, slotting himself between your legs. You moaned loudly when he ground his hips against yours, allowing you to feel just how hard he’d gotten. 

His lips met yours in a hungry kiss, tongue forcing itself past your lips to lick into your mouth. His hands moved wildly, pushing your shirt up until your breasts were fully uncovered, nipples pebbling in exposure to the cold air. “So beautiful,” he groaned into your ear as one hand kneaded your left breast. “Fuck, gonna make you mine, yeah? You want that?”

“Yes!” You exclaimed pathetically, a sob of need ripping through your throat as his free hand made its way to your shorts. “Please, Jake, need you so badly.”

He groaned again, pushing past the elastic waistband and guiding his fingers into your soaked panties. He moved down to collect your wetness and…

You breathed in harshly when you woke up, your heart racing faster than it ever had before. You blinked a few times to adjust to the darkness of the room, remembering where you were. Your chest heaved as you tried to calm yourself down, your face burning. Oh my god, you thought in slight mortification.

Jake’s arm rested over your middle, you realized, as he spooned you from behind. Your startle hadn’t woken him, his soft snores sounding in your ear canals. You were relieved that he wasn’t awake to ask why you woke up so violently because how were you to explain that it was because you were having a wet dream about him?

The dull feeling of disappointment had settled into your gut from having been interrupted before the dream could get good, a feeling that came with shame at how indisputable your horniness was. You’d never dreamed of Jake in such a light, but now you were worried that you wouldn’t be able to rid yourself of the sight of his eyebrows scrunching together in pleasure as he ground against you—

No. You need to stop.

Turning your head to groan into the pillow, you became hyper-aware of how wet you were, your panties sticking uncomfortably to your pussy. You pressed your legs together, silently willing the pulsing of your clit to calm down and let you fall asleep again. If you fall asleep, you might forget about this in the morning.

“Stop moving,” Jake’s tired voice scared you, making you jump. He used his arm to pull you closer against him, your hand against your mouth to stop yourself from making any noise. Not long after, you heard his deep breaths again, signalling that he’d fallen asleep. 

Fuck, you were screwed. You closed your eyes tightly, but all you could think about was how firm and warm he felt. Pressed against him like this, you could almost feel everything. From his tone chest and legs to his soft length, pressing against your backside. His gray sweats and your flimsy shorts barely acted as a barrier between you. Stretching your legs out, you realize that Lemon had hopped off the bed at some point, likely to sleep in her carrier.

Without thinking, your shaky hand made its way down your front, actively avoiding his arm. You bit your lip harshly as you slipped a finger underneath your shorts, listening carefully to ensure he wasn’t awake. This is crazy, you have never thought of doing something so indecent in front of Jake, but the idea was sending you into a frenzy. 

You fingertip made contact with your slit, and you had to stop yourself from moaning aloud at just how wet you were. Slowly, you rubbed circles around your clit, jolting slightly at the initial contact. Maybe it was from the dream or the fact that Jake was right there, but you felt more sensitive than usual, holding in whimpers with every movement.

“F-fuck,” you accidentally let out, screwing your eyes shut as you moved your hand faster. In the quiet stillness of the night, you could hear your slick with every flick of your wrist. If Jake woke up, there’d be no question to what you were doing, but the thought only spurred you on more.

Using your other hand to grope yourself over your shirt, you teased your entrance, easily inserting a finger. It wasn’t enough, your finger failing to fill you up how you know Jake’s would, a thought that forced out a rather loud moan.

Realizing how loud you were, you paused and listened to his breathing. Before you could even register that his breaths weren’t as deep as they were before, his arm tightened around you.

“Naughty fucking girl,” he hissed into your ear, pulling your hand out of your panties. You didn’t have time to feel humiliated before he rolled you onto your back, his thighs pressing into your waist as he sat on top of you. The look he gave you was just like the one he had in your dream, eyes dark and pupils full-blown, eyebrows furrowed together in desperate need.

“Touching yourself like that while my arm’s around you,” he spat, leaning until he was mere inches away from your face. “Thinking I wouldn’t wake up. Needed me that badly, yeah?”

It was clear that you were shocked, wide-eyed and jaw agape. Not once in your lifetime of friendship with Jake had you seen this feral side to him. You felt his hardening length when he pressed his hips down and groaned. “Come on, sweets. I know you’re smarter than that. You can answer me with words like a big girl.”

You smacked your lips together in disbelief before nodding slowly. “Yeah,” you stuttered. “Need you so bad, Jake.” Your own words surprised you, his boldness rubbing off on you. “Dreamt of you,” you confessed.

Jake raised a brow at you, laying his hand flat on your side. “Yeah? Was I touching you,” he used his hand to push up your shirt, moving faster than his dream counterpart had and groping at your breast, flicking his thumb over the hardening bud. “Like this?”

Nodding fervently, you bit your lip to hold in your moans as he handled you. He clicked his tongue using his other hand to pull at your bottom lip until it was released from your teeth. “Wanna hear you, princess. You had no problem moaning while I was asleep. Unfair to hide them in front of me now, isn’t it?”

He bent down to take your other nipple in his hot mouth, his searing tongue darting out to circle the sensitive bud. His eyes never left yours, watching your expressions as you arched your back to his ministrations. He let go of your nipple, only to blow cold air on it, making you whimper. “What else did I do, pretty?” He asked, pinching and rolling your nipple between his fingers. “Did I make you feel good?”

“Fuck,” you cried when he thrust his hips against you, giving you a hint as to what was to come. “Made me feel so good, Jake.” You threw your head back as he continued, shallowly thrusting against your clothed core. You weakly pointed at your neck. “Kissed me here,” you sighed when he leaned forward to leave kitten licks against your neck, nipping gently at the skin. “And…”

He bit down on the skin under your ear, using his tongue to soothe the mark before kissing up to your earlobe. “And?” His deep voice resonated within you, making you shiver.

“And then you…” You trailed off, instead opting to run a hand down your front to the waistband of your shorts, not missing the way his eyes followed. “Touched me here.” Tapping over your clothed clit, you avoided his gaze out of shyness, still in disbelief of this situation. “Then I woke up.” Your voice was weak, doused in lust and need for the man in front of you.

He smirked at you, moving back so he could pull your shorts off, leaving you in your oversized tee—an old shirt of his he’d given you before you moved—and your soaked baby blue panties. Even in the dark, he could see how wet you were, the thought making him groan as he palmed himself over his sweats at the sight of you. 

“Poor baby,” he sighed, though you heard no actual sympathy in his tone. “Couldn’t get off in your dream, so you touched yourself like a whore in front of me.” You squirmed at his vulgarity, his words sending shockwaves to your clenching pussy. Shifting his body down the bed so he was laying between your thighs, he left kisses up and down the sensitive skin there. His tongue traced a line from your knee up to where you truly wanted him before stopping right before your panties. His mouth wrapped around your skin as he bit down, hard enough to sting but not hard enough to really hurt.

When he pulled away, a dark hickey had formed. “Shit,” he groaned, “God, I love marking you up.” He looked back up at you, resting on your elbows so you could watch him. “Gonna leave marks all over, yeah? Then you’ll know who made you feel good, pretty girl.”

Mindlessly, you nodded, wanting him to do anything he wanted with you. His every word made you feel impossibly wet, almost embarrassingly so.

Without missing a beat, he kissed your clit over your panties, making you whimper as you thrust your hips up toward his face. “Patience, baby,” he mumbled, tonguing you through the thin fabric of your underwear. “Gonna make you feel good.” Using his teeth, he pulled your panties down, your slick stringing along as he got them to your knees before using his hands to pull them off completely. 

The sight of your exposed cunt, wet and clenching around nothing, made Jake crazy. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he admitted with a groan before he dove into your pussy, licking up your slick. He drew figure-eights over your clit before closing his lips around it and sucking, making you cry out. You felt his long fingers poke at your entrance, the stimulation leaving you a mess of moans and whimpers.

When two of his fingers pushed past your entrance, you both groaned at the feeling of him sliding inside your gummy walls. His tongue worked at your clit as he slowly scissored his fingers inside you, all while watching your reactions. “So hot,” you gasped, clawing at the bed sheets. “Fuck, Jake, gonna…” You cut yourself off, moaning loudly, when he started moving his fingers faster.

“Cum for me, sweets.” His demand seemingly made you snap as you came around his fingers in an instant. He closed his eyes as his jaw dropped in a groan, relishing the feeling of you clenching tightly around his fingers. He slowly took them out, biting his lip at how wet you were. The whine you let out once you were empty would live in his mind for the rest of his days, he decided, as he moved up the bed to come eye to eye with you.

You watched as he sucked his fingers clean of your wetness before leaning in and kissing you harshly. The taste of him mixed with your juices made you moan, grabbing at the fabric of his shirt tightly. He bit your bottom lip, pulling at it slightly before kissing you deeply once more. Your lips slotted together with ease, like two puzzle pieces.

He felt your hand travel down his stomach to the strings of his sweatpants, leaning back to watch as you undid the knot before pulling them down in a swift motion. He sat up to kick the garment off, before returning to his spot between your thighs. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, hunger in your gaze as you inspected his cock, hard against his stomach. It was red, needy and weeping, one pronounced vein running along his shaft. More importantly, he was thick—thicker than any toys you had bought on a whim.

When you looked up at him, he must’ve caught your fear as he cupped your face in his warm palm. Kissing you gently, he brushed your hair back. “We don’t need to go any further if you don’t want us to,” he assured you, even though the hardness of his length said otherwise. “We’ll only go as far as you want to.”

You bit your lip, “Then…” Without another word, you closed a fist around his shaft, watching his eyes widen. “I want to make you feel good, too,” you whispered. You collected some of his precum, using it to glide your hand up and down at a torturous pace, your eyes never leaving his face.

“Fuck, baby,” he groaned, shoving his face in the crook of your neck. You felt his hot breaths fan over your skin, leaving goosebumps, and he moaned in your ear. His arms were braced on either side of your head, his scent invading your senses as you touched him. “Doing so well for me,” he hushed, kissing at your neck. He nudged your jawline with his nose, sucking down on your jugular. “Shit,” his hips stuttered, thrusting up into your grasp. “Go faster for me, yeah?”

You nodded, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as you picked up speed. Using your other hand to grasp his balls, you delighted in the way he groaned a little louder, your name slipping from his lips wantonly. Leaning forward, you bit down on his shoulder, flicking your tongue out just as he had before. With your lips on him, he moaned your name once more, fucking up into your hand with reckless abandon. He swore lowly as his hips stilled, ropes of thick cum spilling from his cock and onto your hands and shirt.

He stayed there momentarily, catching his breath before hovering a bit higher to watch you. Inspecting your hand, you brought it to your lips. His eyes never left your tongue as he watched it dart out to catch any drops of his seed. “You don’t know what you’re doing to me,” he sighed once you finished, wiping off any remains on your soiled tee. He pulled the tee over your head before giving you his own, still warm from being worn. 

“Go to sleep, sweets,” he mumbled against your temple as he settled in next to you. “We’ll talk in the morning, yeah?”

Your morning talk ended up with his tongue between your thighs in the shower as you struggled to keep yourself up, one leg over his shoulder. You were sure the people in the rooms next to you could hear your cries when you came on his tongue for the nth time, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to care. 

Once he thought you had cum an adequate amount of times, he carefully set you down, massaging your aching thighs as he kissed you gently. Pulling away, he leaned his forehead against yours, eyes still closed. Taking the opportunity, you pecked his lips before reaching for the body wash, giggling.

You never ended up talking about it, getting distracted by Lemon, who whined at the door when you finally came out of the bathroom. 

The rest of the road trip went similarly. You’d hold hands as he drove to your next destination, and then you’d get each other off in your motel rooms until the motel owners eventually kicked you out for disturbances. Between towns, you’d talk as if he wasn’t just knuckles deep in your heat or as if you didn’t just have his cock shoved down your throat as he fucked your face.

Words that needed to be spoken never were. Your fearful thoughts kept you from initiating the conversation that could very well destroy years of friendship with Jake.

ONE DAY.

Finally, you had made it to Seoul. Unfortunately, a flat tire in the middle of nowhere stopped you from getting there two days before, as Chaewon wanted. Luckily, nothing did go wrong and everything seemed to be ready for tomorrow.

Tired from the long trip, both emotionally and physically, Jake offered his house for you to stay at. Without thinking, you said yes. You took his keys and unlocked the door as Jake grabbed your things from the car, Lemon pushing past your feet and into the house, eager to explore.

As she made her way around, her nails against the hardwood floor indicating where she was, you and Jake pushed your luggage into the living room before collapsing onto the couch.

“I’m so happy to be home,” he sighed, stretching his limbs. “As fun as road trips are, nothing beats sleeping in your own bed.” Glancing over at you, a million thoughts raced in his mind, but he pushed them away. He wanted to talk about what you were, the frequent hookups making his brain mush. But he could read you—he always could. You’ve always been so emotive that you made it easy, but he had your habits memorized. He knew exactly when you didn’t want to do something and that you weren’t ready for talking.

So he didn’t say anything, even though he knew it might hurt him in the long run.

Unlike your apartment or the many motels you stayed at over your trip, Jake actually had two beds. The thought of sleeping in separate rooms felt so foreign, but he told you anyway. You hummed, “Maybe I should sleep in the guest room then.” You grinned at him, “You’re probably tired of having to share a bed with me by now.”

Never, he thought.

That night, he lay in his too-empty bed, restless. Knowing you were in the same house, with only a thin wall separating you, was driving him mad. Not having you next to him, curled up against his side, drove him mad. His hand clenched around the bedsheets, where you would’ve been if you had taken up his silent plea to sleep in the same room as him.

In that moment, Jake realizes just how screwed he really is. Covering his eyes with his forearm, he quietly swore into the empty room, his heart aching. Jake had gotten so used to being so close to you, to have you by his side as he pleasured you, your high-pitched cries echoing in his ears. He knew it wouldn’t last forever and that he’d have to drive you home a few days after the wedding. Then, he didn’t know how long it’d be until he saw you again.

He wonders if everything that happened will get brushed under the rug. God, he hoped not. 

Just as he decided he’d need some sleep for the wedding tomorrow, he heard something through the wall. He held his breath, straining his ears to hear the noise's source. Before long, he realized it was you, your short breaths easily passing through the wall, the sound of your slick ringing clear as day to him.

Without another thought, he ripped off his blanket and made his way to the guest room. To his surprise, you hadn’t even closed your door, his eyes blessed with the sight of you atop the bed. Neither the blankets nor the sheets were disturbed, making it clear that you hadn’t even gotten comfortable before you started. He watched in a daze as your fingers plunged in and out of your hole, your face contorted into one of drunken pleasure.

He felt himself grow hard as he stepped closer. You whimpered out his name as you rubbed harsh circles over your clit, and something inside Jake snapped.

“You must love fucking torturing me,” he rasped, roughly pulling your fingers out of your pussy and pinning your hands to the bed, leaving your body fully exposed to him. “Always touching yourself in front of me like a slut. You knew what you were doing, leaving your door open.” When you turned your head away in feigned humiliation, he used his free hand to forcibly turn your cheek. His nails dug into your jaw as he forced you to look at him.

“Do you know how crazy you make me feel?” He asked, but he narrowed his eyes at you when you went to answer. “Do you know how fucking long I’ve wanted to see you like this? Needy and begging for my cock?” His words shut up, the implication of something more making your heart race.

“Do you know how hard it’s been for me to stop myself from making you mine every night we’re together?” He growled, letting go of your hands to push your legs up against your chest. “Do you know how hard it is to refrain from kissing you every time you look at me with that look in your eye?”

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pulled him in for a kiss, your lips meeting in a fight for dominance. His hands pushed you deeper against the bed as he pressed himself against you. His patience was wearing thin as he pulled away, only to pull off his shirt before he leaned in again. Your lips, your taste—all of you was addicting to Jake.

“Jake,” you moaned out when he attacked your neck, adding to the healing bruises from before. “‘M ready now. Please, please, make me yours,” you begged, spreading your legs wider for emphasis.

If he wasn’t hard before, he was now at your plea, a growl stuck at the back of his throat at the thought of fucking you like how he’s wanted to. “You sure, princess?” he asked, leaning back to look you in the eye.

“I’ve never been more sure,” you gasped, eyes darting from his left to right. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”

Jake only shook his head, pulling you in for another deep kiss. Jake swallowed your moans, a feeling of possessiveness taking over him as he fondled your breasts. “All mine,” he hissed, “you’re mine.”

He made quick work of his sleep shorts, the garment getting thrown across the room into some corner to be found in the morning. His cock was pretty as ever, and your hands instinctively went to grab at it. “Next time, baby,” he rasped, “Need to take you now.”

You cried out when you felt the tip of his length nudge against your folds, collecting your juices as he ran his cock up and down your cunt. A broken whimper of his name ripped through your throat when he bumped your clit, his own deep moan shaking in his chest. He felt like he was losing his mind, the warmth of your pussy felt so good against his shaft, and he hadn’t even entered you yet.

You felt him line himself up at your entrance, and you tensed. Noticing, Jake left gentle kisses against your shoulder. “I’ll take care of you, pretty, just lay back, yeah?”

You nodded but felt hot tears well up in your eyes as he pushed past your entrance, a stinging burn erupting between your legs. He moved slowly, but inch by inch, the burn became more intense. “It’ll hurt more when you’re this tense, baby,” he whispered, massaging your right breast in hopes of distracting you. His lips met yours in a kiss more gentle than any that preceded it. Screwing your eyes shut, tears beaded at the corners of your eyes before they fell, disappearing into your hairline. He kissed your temple when he finally bottomed out after what felt like years. “Doing so well for me, sweets.”

He stilled for a few minutes despite wanting nothing more but to drill into you. Leaving kisses all over your face and neck, he observed as your face relaxed more and more. “You can move now,” you whispered, out of breath.

“Yeah? Trust me?”

“Mhm,” you closed your eyes—the sting had disappeared, and now you just felt stuffed. “I trust you, Jake.”

Your admittance made his head spin as he dropped his head onto your shoulder. Slowly, he pulled out until just the tip was inside before thrusting into you. A low moan rumbled in your chest as Jake sucked at your neck. He repeated the motion, rocking into you slowly until you got used to it.

After a while, the pain turned to pleasure as you clenched around him, making him gasp against your skin. “Faster, please,” you begged, linking your ankles around his back. “Need you.”

Just as you asked, Jake upped his pace, moving steadily. He sat back gripping your waist as he thrust into you. He watched for your reactions, eyes darting from your scrunched up face to the bouncing of your breasts down to the jiggle of your thighs with each thrust. His speed picked up until he was pistoling into you, broken moans pushing past your lips as his hips slapped against yours.

The sound of your wetness was so obscene, if you were in a normal state of mind you would’ve been embarrassed. But the drag of his cock against your walls and the way his pelvic bone grazed your clit every time he bottomed out was deliciously addicting.  “Feels so fucking good,” Jake moaned, “you’re gripping me so tightly—fuck!—gonna make me cum, princess.” Falling forward, he braced himself on one arm, reaching for your puffy clit with the other. He rubbed fast cirlces on your clit as he pounded into you, the sound of skin against skin turning you on more. You willed yourself to keep your eyes open, to bask in the sight of Jake slowly losing control of his movements as he got closer to his own release.

The sight of him hunched over you, eyes glassy as he furrowed his brows in concentration, beads of sweat dripping from his hairline, causing his blond hair to stick to his forehead, was so fucking hot. You gripped at his arms, muscles bulging as he struggled to keep himself up.

You felt an orgasm fast approaching, your own whines coming out higher and higher. “Fu—ck, Jake,” you swore, “I’m so close, please, I—”

At your words, Jake’s hips moved faster, hitting the spot that made you see stars over and over again. “You look so beautiful like this,” he uttered breathlessly. “Fuck, I love you.” The words spilled from his lips unintentionally, the way your walls clenched around him knocked any sense of thought out of him, his only coherent thought being to make you cream around his cock.

His words echoed in your brain as you came with a cry of his name. The feeling of you cumming sent Jake into overdrive as he pistoned into you, overstimulating you as he chased his release. After a moment, he stilled, coming inside of your cavern. You felt his release paint your walls white, bringing you into a second orgasm.

He stayed inside you for a while, hovering over your tired body as he caught his breath. Eventually, he pulled out, his cum spilling from your clenching hole, making him sigh in pleasure at the sight. He kissed your temple before moving to get off the bed. You watched, spent, as he searched for his shirt in the dark, the hallway light dimly illuminating the room. For a second, you were scared that he was just going to go back to his own room, but after he found the shirt, he came back to your side. Wordlessly, he wiped you clean, even wiping at the beads of sweat that accumulated on your skin.

Tired, he let himself collapse beside you, pulling you against his chest.

“Did you mean it?” you asked in a small voice.

“Hmm?”

“When… When you said you loved me.”

You felt him tense under you for a second before relaxing. His arms held you tighter against his chest, letting you listen to his rapid heartbeat.

“Yeah.” He paused, the cogs in his brain turning as he searched for the right words to say. Nothing he came up with seemed right; he opted to stay silent and waited for your response. When it didn’t come, he looked down at you, only to be met with your sleeping face. He sighed, his breath shaky as his eyes burned. He pressed a single kiss on the crown of your head. “Good night, sweets.”

THREE HOURS.

Chaewon had been spamming your phone, the distinct buzzing of each message waking you up. Jake slept through the sound of you typing, exhausted from the night before.

Where are you???? Get your ass here NOW before I come and get you myself

Are you even awake? 

Girl, if you’re not here in the next hour I’ll punt you into the next century

Swearing, you carefully slipped out of Jake’s grasp. When he didn’t stir, you shook him gently. He mumbled incoherently, wrapping his arms around your middle as he deeply inhaled your scent. “Jake, we gotta’ wake up now. Chaewon’s having a cow and I don’t think we want to upset the bride today.”

At your words, Jake murmured something you couldn’t hear before finally peeling himself off you, looking at you with sleepy eyes and messy hair. “Wha’ time isit?” he slurred, stretching his arm.

“It’s twelve, so we have to go. Like, now.”

Thankfully, that seemed to wake Jake up, and he sat up quickly. “Damn, okay,” he pushed his hair back. “Get changed and everything, and I’ll meet you at the door.”

You watched as he leaped off the bed, picking up his soiled clothes from the floor. He made his way to his own room, and you heard the shower turn on. In the time it took for you to brush your teeth and get changed, Jake had showered and hastily shoved on some comfy clothes, his attire being left with Heeseung as well.

The drive to the hotel where the bridal and groom's parties were getting ready was quiet, partially from sleepiness and partially because of the unfinished conversation from last night, filling the air with thick tension. His hand rested on the middle console, palm up, but you didn’t take it.

When you got to the hotel, you were quickly ushered to your respective rooms by other bridesmaids and groomsmen. Jake could only watch as you disappeared behind a room door before getting shoved into one himself.

He didn’t see you again until later, when the wedding was about to start, and the pairs were meant to walk down the aisle. Since you were Chaewon’s maid of honour and Jake was Heeseung’s best man, you were paired together. When you finally saw him, you felt the air leave your lungs. His hair was styled so it was out of his face, save for a few strands that hooked over his forehead. His suit was entirely dark blue, from his blazer to his tie, and it made him look unfairly handsome.

Your mouth felt dry as you linked arms with him, listening for your cue to walk.

Unbeknownst to you, he felt similar. You looked stunning in your baby blue satin dress, and he thought it hugged your curves in such a way that he almost wanted to cover you up so only he could see you like this. His heart pounded in his chest at your touch. 

“You look beautiful,” he whispered as you waited, making the couples behind you snicker. You blushed, your face warming as you rubbed your lips together anxiously.

“As do you,” you mumbled, looking into his eyes shyly. “You look really good.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but the doors opened up, and that was your cue. The venue was gorgeous, as expected since Chaewon planned most of it. The sight of the aisle and the altar made your heart soar for her, and you absentmindedly rubbed at your own ring finger the closer you and Jake got to the end of the aisle.

You sent him a smile before you retreated to your respective spots. As the rest of the couples and the flower girl made their way down the aisle, you couldn’t help but keep your eyes on Jake. You wondered how you looked, staring over at the best man when there were so many things you should’ve been paying attention to.

Clearing your throat, you looked forward.

When you finally saw Heeseung, your heart clenched. You fisted the fabric of your dress as you watched him wait for his bride-to-be. This motion didn’t go unseen by Jake, whose jaw clenched.

When Chaewon appeared from behind the door, the room erupted into cheers as everyone stood. Tears sprang to your eyes as you watched your cousin, veiled, take small steps closer to her future husband. You knew your makeup was going to be ruined by the end of the night, but you couldn’t help but cry once she reached Heeseung. You glanced at him once more before staring down at your heeled feet.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch, Chaewon and Heeseung’s beautiful vows leaving everyone in tears. You had even caught Jake wiping away some stray tears. You watched with a sense of longing as Chaewon and Heeseung made their way down the aisle. You didn’t realize that Jake had been staring at you the whole time, not even when it was your turn to walk out.

The banquet was to start half an hour later. You and Jake had gotten separated in the commotion outside of the venue hall. You heard him call out to you, but you couldn’t see him over the large, bustling crowd of wedding guests. Knowing that you’d see him at the banquet, you slipped further into the crowd until you found a balcony. Peaking your head out, you let out a breath of relief when there was no one there.

The sun was setting, casting an orange hue over everything it touched. A beautiful sight, you thought as you leaned against the railing. You closed your eyes as you thought back on the wedding. It had been the exact wedding the Chaewon had planned years ago, but you couldn’t find it within yourself to be truly happy. How could you, after all, after watching Heeseung look at Chaewon with such love and adoration? 

When someone called your name, you turned around to see Jake standing there, slightly unkempt from the crowd. “I finally found you,” he heaved, gesturing back to the hall that was still full of busy wedding goers. “Man, the banquet is literally in the room over from the wedding hall—they couldn’t be a little more patient in moving over?” He shook his head in mock disbelief as he joined you.

He looked at you, ready to make a joke, but paused when he saw your face. His smile dropped as he turned to face you fully. “You’re crying,” he noted, cupping your cheek. You blinked in surprise, having not noticed how tears had welled up in your eyes. “What’s wrong, sweets?”

You turned around, pulling your face out of his grasp, wrapping your arms around yourself. “I don’t know,” you murmured, voice breaking. “I just… when I saw them—”

“Is it Heeseung?”

His cold, clipped tone shocked you. When you looked at him in confusion, his expression had hardened. “What—”

“Why does seeing him with her still hurt you? I thought you were fine,” his words were level, but you heard the slight tremble of his voice.”You said you moved on.” 

Sputtering, you turned to him with an indignant glare. “Jake, it’s not that easy—”

Scoffing, he took a step back from you. “So what? The last two weeks meant nothing to you? Last night meant nothing to you? I…” He gripped at his hair, stressed. “I told you I loved you, and you’re still crying over Heeseung?”

It dawned on you how he perceived your words, and an unsettling fear grabbed at you as you went to explain yourself. “What? Jake, no, I’m not—”

He gave you no room to speak, interrupting you hastily, words tumbling from his lips as though he had no control of them. “I have always loved you,” he confessed, voice breaking. “Ever since we were kids, for me, it’s always been you. I came to you because I love you. I spent these last two weeks with you because I love you, and I want nothing more than for you to see me as more than a best friend or… or someone who’s convenient for you.” You watched in horror as his eyes watered, stepping forward to grab his arm to explain, but he ripped his arm away from your grasp. “I can see now that you never will.”

“Jake, wait—!” Your cry fell on empty ears as he turned to leave you alone on the balcony, his back feeling unreachable as he reached for the doorknob to go back inside. At this point, the crowd in the hall had dispersed, and you were sure the banquet was starting. But none of that mattered—what mattered was stopping Jake from leaving before you could tell him the truth.

Swallowing your fears, you called out his full name. You sighed in relief when he paused, but your hands shook at your sides as you forced your next words out. “He made me feel like I was unlovable,” you uttered, voice just barely above a whisper. For a second, you were worried he hadn’t heard you, but he turned his head slightly. Finding the courage to continue, you stepped forward. “I’m not… I don’t love Heeseung, Jake. I haven’t loved Heeseung for a really fucking long time.”

But what happened between us gave me all of these terrible thoughts that I didn’t…. That I don’t know how to handle. I thought I was perfectly fine dealing with my insecurities on my own before you came.” He turn his head more, allowing you to see his profile. You saw him open his mouth, ready to retort, but you narrowed your eyes at him. “Sim Jaeyun, if you interrupt me again, I’ll kick your ass.” Your threat wasn’t all that threatening, considering the fact that you were near to tears, but he listened and shut his mouth.

“When you showed up at my apartment, I thought I was going mad. You made me feel like that. It was suddenly so different between us and I didn’t know what to do. You kept saying these things like you were trying to fluster me, and I couldn’t tell if you were being genuine or if my fucked up mind was just creating scenarios where you might actually love me.” Tears were freely falling now, smudging your eye makeup and leaving its trail in your foundation. You stepped closer to Jake, who had fully turned to face you. You stopped, leaving a few meters between you as if you were scared of crossing an invisible boundary.

“Last night was the best night of my life. And every time before that, you made me feel complete and made me so happy, Jake. You made me feel… normal. It felt like I was myself again for the first time in months, but there was something else there, too.” You looked into his eyes, unable to tell what he was thinking. You swallowed thickly, “I don’t love Heeseung, and you’re a fool if you think I do. But it’s so fucking hard to shake off the feeling that at any point you could find someone better, someone who’s prettier, or—”

Jake was quick to close the distance between you, his lips downturned into a scowl as he glowered at you. “Just shut up already,” he spat, cupping your face in his hands and bringing his lips to yours. You felt a thousand times lighter as you kissed him back with the same fervour as him, your tears mixing into the kiss. He dropped a hand to rest on your hip, bringing you flush against him. Once he pulled away, you were both breathless. He rested his forehead against yours as his shoulders rose and fell quickly.

When he finally opened his eyes, gone was the pain and hurt. Now, when he looked at you, he looked with adoring eyes. “I love you,” he whispered. “You might not believe me yet, but just know that whenever I look at you, all I see is the person I want to spend my life with. There isn’t anyone better or prettier—there’s only you.”

He met your eyes before kissing you again. 

You looked into his eyes once you pulled away, a thousand thoughts swirling behind your irises. “I love you,” you breathed out. You reached for his hand, interlocking your fingers together as you smiled tearfully at him. “Help me believe you.”

Jake laughed in disbelief, bringing you close to his chest.

“We have all the time in the world to get there, sweets.”

©WONLOVIE please do not plagiarize, repost, translate, or copy any of my works.

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[petertingle-yipyip]

DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER - MATT MURDOCK

nine - devil doesn’t bargain

tags: @astrobees @ironprincessstranger @americaarse @dusstory @johnmurphys-sass // eight // ten // masterlist

Pairing: Daredevil x Exodus (Matt Murdock x Reader)

Word Count: 7,981

Summary: Comfort comes with the familiar as Y/N and Matt find a way to something softer than bickering. But even then, a new revelation shakes their relationship with an old mutual friend.

You waited until you heard Matt get out of bed. You kept your movements to a minimum and your breathing even as you listened, hearing him rummage through a closet and a crate before taking off. You gave it another minute or so before you got yourself up. You bolted out the door and to your apartment.

It took you only minutes to change and get to your rooftop. Though you did pause at the package when you saw a hastily scribbled Nat Romanoff as the sender. You opened it quickly and found a pack with two staffs in it. There was a white harness that would strap across your chest and there was a blue glow from the weapons and the pack itself. There was also a small note with it.

do some good with these okay? i know you can -nat<3

You tossed the note aside but clipped the pack on anyway. You rolled your shoulders and did a couple turns, deciding it wouldn’t get in the way. You’d have to thank her for it later.

You didn’t know where Elektra or Stick - who you were guessing was the old man - would be but you knew someone who would. Benefit of giving Matt the microphone so long ago other than hearing him was being able to track him… Potentially.

It was an old feature on the mics to have trackers and you weren’t sure if the mic was old enough. But as you tapped your mask, sliding your finger along the edge to change what it was searching for, you found it. You made a small noise of triumph before taking off.

“When it comes to killing, I’ve always been better.” Elektra said proudly as you entered the room.

“Agree to disagree.” You cut in with a proud smirk. “Hi, El. Thought you left town.”

“Exodus? What are you doing here?” Matt asked.

“I put a tracker on you a while ago.” You shrugged.

“I wondered if you were gonna show.” The old man commented.

“For someone who’s being attacked by the girl he trained, you’re more chipper than I expected.” You said honestly as you stepped around Elektra. “What are you doing?”

“He tried to have me killed!” She said angrily.

“I’m not saying you don’t have a point, but there’s something bigger going on that we can’t do without you two. You know it’s useless to try and convince him to be on your side, alright? So don’t do this.“ You tried before you were knocked to the floor.

Looking up angrily, you faced a Hand member. You scoffed to yourself and stood, slowly pulling your staffs out. You connected the ends and twisted, watching them interlock and extend. You made a small noise of satisfaction before you dove into the fight.

The blade was easy to block with your new weapon. You could tell the staffs were capable of more than just connecting and it made you excited to use them in future endeavors.

The attacks kept coming and backed you into the next room where five other Hand members were fighting Elektra and Matt. You disconnected your weapon and slid your hand to the top, finding a small piece that rotated. Flicking it with your thumb, a blade shot out. You examined both weapons for a second before smirking and swinging your weapon.

You moved in to help Matt, rolling over his back and slamming your feet into the Hand member’s head. He fell limply to the floor but another was quick to take his place. You tossed one staff up and flipped your grip so the blade was under your hand. You drove your hand down, sinking the blade deep into his chest before twisting and pulling it out.

You ignored Matt’s scowl of disapproval and pushed past him to continue fighting. You swiped your blades in high arcs, blocking the Hand’s blades and cutting long slices into stomachs and chests. None of you stopped until all the lights cut out. You reached almost instantly, pressing the center of your mask to hit the night vision.

You glanced around quickly and found no one but your trio so you tucked your new weapons away.

“They’re gone.” You announced.

“Yeah, and they took Stick.” Matt continued.

You three hurried out into the alley. You disabled nightvision and pushed your mask up as Matt pulled his off. You leaned against the wall and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. You realized then just how exhausted you were. It had been a very long day.

“They’re gonna rip him to shreds until they find out what it is.” Matt continued.

“Good.” Elektra resigned.

“Unless.. Unless we get there first. All of us.”

“He could know nothing.” You offered. “It might not be about the old man at all… Could be about one of you.”

“What?”

“The ledger. The professor that encrypted it. The train. Whatever happened to her after I threw her off the roof. You deserved that, by the way.”

She waved a hand at you in annoyance.

“What I’m saying is that the Hand could just be making it personal.” You shrugged.

“You want me to help you save the man who ordered my death?” Elektra turned on you.

“No, I don’t really care…”

“I do. And I am asking you.” Matt urged.

“There was this group - which could be another reason the Hand is after you.” You gestured to Matt. “There were all these chemicals in their systems and they were being drained for them. But when he saved them, the Hand came after them. I don’t know what they’re using them for and I don’t know what the chemicals were… But if you’re up for it, I got some time to be nosy.”

“I need to know why the Hand took him and what they’re planning next.” Matt continued.

“I’m done fighting his war.” Elektra said firmly.

“Alright… Then I’ll go alone.”

“You’re not alone, dipshit.” You pushed yourself off the wall.

“You pushed everyone out of your life and now you want to put what little is left towards saving that broken old man?” Elektra mocked.

“He gave me a life when I was.. When I had nothing, when I was alone… He was the one who was there for me.”

“He abandoned you. Just when you needed him most, because that’s what he does. He’s abusive and he lies.”

“You’re so sure you can convince him but I know you won’t..” You sighed, though Elektra ignored you. “The Devil doesn’t bargain with lives, El. He’s never gonna change.”

“I don’t care what Stick did.. I’m gonna save him.”

“There it is.” You mumbled. “There’s the hero complex.”

“Can you not-“

“No, because I think you need to hear this.” You shook your head. “You need to be the one at the helm trying to save every insignificant person in this city. You need to put everyone around you at risk just to save one person. You focus so intently on a single person versus a whole community!”

“Coming from the person who worked with Frank Castle?” He challenged.

“What I did with Frank ended up with him probably dead!” You snapped and shoved him by his shoulders. “You wanna end up like that?” Another shove. “This single holy soldier bullshit is gonna get you there.”

“If I get to Stick first, I’ll kill him.” Elektra warned. “And if you get in my way, Matthew, I’ll kill you too.”

You sidestepped to block Matt.

“You know I won’t let you do that.” You said firmly.

“Good luck trying to stop me.” She mused.

“Funny…” You woke your Bite and lifted it, using the other hand to fiddle with it and draw her attention to the glowing device. “I was going to tell you the same thing.”

Elektra left after that, leaving you and Matt in the alley. Matt sighed heavily and slammed a fist against a nearby dumpster.

“Are you trying to do this tonight?” You asked and leaned your back against the closest wall.

“If you don’t want to be here-“ He complained.

“It’s not that! It’s the fact that my friend died only a few hours ago and I haven’t been able to deal with that. But of course, my problems don't matter! Do you even care?”

“About Frank?”

“About the fact that a man is dead!” You shouted and slammed your hot fist on the wall behind you. “My friend is dead! And you don’t even care!”

“I’m not gonna lose any sleep over the Punisher being dead.” He scoffed.

“God, you’re an asshole.” You sighed and dropped to the floor with a thud. “Just when I think we can fix things, you go and say some jackass shit.”

“You cared that much about him?”

“Yeah… I did.” You threw a small rock at the wall across from you. “Don’t know why but…”

“You in love with him?” He asked quickly, like he wanted to know but didn’t want you to hear him ask.

You looked over and saw a faint green haze around him and you couldn’t stop the laughter that tumbled out. He looked over at you with furrowed brows for a second before laughing with you.

“Y’know, you’re kinda cute when you’re jealous.” You teased and he grinned a little wider as some of the tension melted away.

He came over and knelt in front of you. You were still tempted to kick him over but instead you crossed your legs and leaned forward, which allowed him to put a hand on your arm. He was close enough that you could drop your forehead against his shoulder without having to scoot forward too much.

“I’m sorry about Frank.” He said quietly and you hummed softly. “We can handle everything else tomorrow. I’ll see what I can find and I’ll call you.”

“Thank you. He was starting to like you.” You sat up and let him help you to your feet.

“No he wasn’t.” He laughed.

“He was.” You smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, you still pissed him off. But he was starting to see you the way I do.”

“Yeah? And how do you see me?”

You felt him give your hand a gentle tug and it pulled you a step closer. By then, all of your anger had faded out without you noticing. All that was left was your persistent admiration for Matt. When you didn’t answer immediately, he put his other hand on your upper arm and pulled you yet again, leaving only a few inches’ space between you. The hand that wasn’t in his snuck between to land on his chest and stop you two from getting any closer.

“I see you.” You said finally. earning a small smile from him. “And despite everything, I'm glad to have you.”

“I'm glad I have you too.”

You hadn’t realized he had moved a hand to your cheek until that hand started a move towards the back of your neck. He gently tried to pull you in as he leaned closer and you nearly gave in. Instead, the hand you had on his chest caught his chin and turned his head slightly. You gave him a quick kiss to his cheek before you stepped away and his hold on you fell away.

You watched him smile and shake his head in light disbelief, which made you laugh quietly. You turned to leave but a question came to mind.

“Hey, how did you know I didn’t have my mask on when we were on the boat?”

“What?”

“I know you can’t see everything… It’s not hard to put together cause you’re always listening or focusing slightly off to the side of whatever it is.” You covered.

“Your mask has a different kind of buzzing sound cause the electricity in it. I didn’t hear it earlier.”

“Hmm… Interesting.” You nodded and smiled to yourself when you got an idea to mess with him. “One more thing..”

“Yeah?”

“So uh… Your name is Matthew?” You grinned and he smiled sheepishly.

“Yeah.. Yeah, my name is Matt.” He nodded with a small, nervous chuckle.

“Y’know, I know this guy named Matt…”

“Yeah? You like him?” He still smiled, seemingly

playing along.

“Mhmm, he’s a good guy.. He’s been a bit of a jackass lately, kinda like you. I don’t know, maybe you are the Matthew I know.”

“Maybe… Depends on who you are.”

“Nice try, Matt.” You smiled, finally being able to use his real name and he seemed to like to hear it from you because it was easy to tell how happy he was even without your powers. “I’ve kept my secret for how long?”

“I bet Frank knew your name.”

“People that know my name tend to wind up dead. I’d hate to see that happen to you.”

He knocked on one of the plates of his suit. “I think I could take it.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were bulletproof.” You mocked and he gave a cocky shrug.

“You remember when your buddy shot me in the head.”

“Is that one of the many times I thought you were dead?” You continued and he laughed. “I gotta get going.. Call me when you’re ready?”

“Wouldn’t do it without you..”

You clicked your tongue in disappointment. “Gotta say though, you seem more like a Michael to me.” You had to bite your lip to keep your smile and your laughter back.

He let out a genuine laugh before offering you a lazy wave. With that gesture, you turned and hurried to your apartment.

You changed back into your comfortable clothes and practically sprinted back to Matt’s apartment. You got in before he did and was able to climb into the bed. That second time, you actually fell asleep.

You woke up the next morning alone in the bed again. You were confused as you sat up and you wondered if maybe Matt didn’t come back last night. You climbed out of the bed and wiped your eyes as you padded out into the living room.

“Matt?” You tried, though you got no response. “Matty?”

You frowned when you still didn’t get an answer. Glancing around, you found the closet shut and the chest that was out when you took off last night was put away, so he had been home at some point. You made your way to the kitchen and poured yourself a glass of orange juice, though you almost dropped the glass when Matt came out of the bathroom.

“Jesus!” You exclaimed, wiping your hand on your shirt after some juice splashed over. “What are you dressed for?”

“Sorry.” He offered an embarrassed smile. “I just wanted to run to the office and do some research.”

“I’ll come, too. Just need to stop by my place and get changed.”

“No, it’s okay.” He tried. “You don’t have to.”

“Well, there’s nothing else for me to do.” You shrugged.

“I’m sorry…”

You nodded slightly, not really having words. Matt took both of your hands - putting your cup on the counter - and led you to one of the chairs at the table. He pushed you gently to sit before he knelt in front of you.

“Talk to me.” He said softly.

“Everything feels like it’s falling apart.” You sighed and his brows furrowed so you continued. “You and Karen aren’t trying anymore, and I know she made you happy. You and Foggy aren’t trying anymore and you guys are best friends! Me and you aren’t the same. And Frank Castle… I feel like he’s worse off now than before we got involved.”

“Hey..” He spoke gently as he leaned up and put his hand on your cheek. “You’re the same to me. You’ve never felt any different.”

“But it is… Different. We’re not the same as when I first came back.”

“Maybe… But you, Y/N, you are the same. You still feel..”

“Yeah?”

“You still feel.. You make me feel like I’m not alone. You’re always with me. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

“What about you and Karen? I thought you guys were dating.” You asked as you gently leaned away from his gentle touch.

“Yeah… But it just didn’t work out.”

“Didn’t work out? Matt, she’s always had a crush on you.”

His head tilted back and forth in acknowledgment. “Yeah but I guess I like someone else a little more. Karen didn’t feel the same way she does…”

“And then the firm fell apart because I insisted on helping Frank. And I couldn’t even do that! He ended up in jail and-“

“What happened to Frank wasn’t your fault.” He insisted. “None of us could’ve done a better job than you did. You gave everything you had and if anyone’s to blame for what happened, it’s Frank. He’s old enough to make his own decisions.”

“If we didn’t take the case, Nelson and Murdock would still be together.”

“Yeah, maybe… Maybe not. It wasn’t just the Castle case that got to me and Foggy. It was something else too.”

“Elektra?”

“No.. She got between you and me.”

“Seems to be her trademark.” You joked weakly and he chuckled. “Did you want to get back together with her?”

“I don’t know.. It’s always messy with her. I want someone who gets it, every side of me. And she does but she also wants something else out of me. Something I just can’t give her. I need someone who doesn’t just expect one part more than the other.”

“You want balance.”

“Yeah… And I know who I wanna find that with.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

You took the silent moment to look at him, really see him in a way you felt you hadn’t been able to do in weeks. Maybe even months. His gentle, unfocused eyes still seemed to burn into you and find you. His hair was messy, but still out of his face. He seemed tired, exhausted and worn down by his devotion to protecting his city. You didn’t notice it when he was in his suit, under the cover of the night, but it was hard to miss while he was on his knees before you. He crossed his arms over your knees and leaned his chin on them, so you gently ran your nails through his hair. You watched the tension melt off him like snow off a roof and you gave a small, enamored smile.

“I never should’ve tried to push you away, Y/N.” He said softly, closing his eyes and leaning onto your lap.

“What?” You said softly and lifted his chin up. “Matty, stand up with me. C’mon.” You pulled him to stand as

you did.

“I know we’ve been at each other's throats lately but I was never going anywhere.” You said honestly. “In every aspect of my life, I want you with me.”

“I thought I could protect you by keeping you away.”

“I’ve never felt safer than when you’re with me.”

His bottom lip quivered slightly, as if that was exactly what his fragile heart needed to stay in one piece. He put his hands on either side of your face and yours found the fabric of his t-shirt at his waist. He leaned down and his lips ghosted over yours, your hands tightening around the fabric.

You tried to think of something to say, but your mind was empty. The mingling of your breaths sent electricity through your muscles. The gentle pressure of his hands made your skin buzz and your pulse thump heavy against your veins. Matt must’ve felt it because you heard the slightest gulp and one of his hands shifted to the side of your neck. And you didn’t even bother to hide the feeling.

You wanted him to kiss you. You wanted to close the distance yourself. You wanted to wrap your arms around his neck and keep him close to you while his hands gripped your hips and held you the same way. You wanted to lose yourself in everything Matt Murdock. His touch, his sounds, his smell. And judging by the way you felt absolutely ignited, you knew he had the same idea. You even let your emotion show, letting your pulse jump and your breathing change with his actions. You gave yourself away completely to Matt, practically begging for him to do it.

Instead, he forced himself to gain control. He shifted and placed a kiss to your forehead before he stepped back. His fingers lingered on your skin as he left you, dazed and dizzy from the charged moment.

You understood why he pulled back. A real kiss between you two - not something faked to save your lives or an accident in a photo booth or when you wore the suits and saw each other as someone else - meant acknowledging the real feelings you two had for each other. And as much as you two wanted it, maybe neither of you were ready to be the one to say it first.

He went to finish getting ready before you two went to your apartment, neither of you acknowledging the near-kiss. You were glad you had thrown your suit and accessories into your closet last night rather than leave them across your floor. You changed into jeans and an old college shirt before you and Matt headed to the office.

Matt didn’t tell you what he was looking into and you didn’t ask. You figured it had something to do with the Hand and if so, he’d tell you about it later. But sitting in the practically empty office, it made you realize that it really was over. You had to move on.

Maybe the FBI wouldn’t be an awful choice. It’d mean you’d have to hang up Exodus for good, but maybe you needed that. A real reason to give it up.

You opened your phone to text Dex when Foggy walked in.

“Hey.” You smiled.

“Hey. How’s your arm?” He asked.

“Really good.” You moved your arm in a small circle. “I heard in a TedTalk that the mind can influence the body for healing and stuff. So I tried it and now it’s just a little scar.”

“Huh.” Foggy nodded. “The more you know… What are you guys doing here?”

“Research. Looking for something.” Matt answered and when Foggy turned to you, you shrugged.

“I’m just tagging along today. I don’t know what he’s doing.”

“Well, I paid the electric bill through the end of the month so enjoy it while you can.”

“It’s really over, huh? Nelson and Murdock.” Matt asked as Foggy headed into his office with a box.

“You told us to move on. That’s what I’m doing.”

“Did you find a firm that would pick you up?” You asked, following him to his office.

“Marci said she would float my name and set up some meetings. Some of the higher ups with her firm were impressed with our work in the Castle case.” Foggy looked at you. “Said there could be some openings, meaning plural.”

“Yeah, I’m not surprised.” Matt nodded.

“Neither am I. Not anymore.” Foggy smiled slightly and you felt the pride begin to radiate off him. “Castle case was a disaster in so many ways but it made me realize that I’m really good at my job.”

“You did great, Foggy. I’m happy for you.” You smiled.

“Nelson and Murdock was never just your job… It was you. You were there for every client that walked through the door. Rich, poor, didn’t matter.”

“Matt’s right. You were the heart of this place.”

“You trynna convince me it’s worth another shot?” His brows furrowed.

“No.” Matt answered for you and you frowned.

“There’s room for one more, Y/N.” He tried. “Word is they were blown away by your composure and conviction. Marci thinks they would make you an offer, too.”

“Actually, I have something else potentially lined up.” You tapped your phone against your palm. “Must’ve made one hell of an impression for this one.”

“What do you have lined up?” Matt asked as he moved to let Foggy out.

“Remember the guy from the prison?” You said carefully.

“The FBI agent?” You felt another ping of jealousy from Matt. There was something about Dex that he didn’t like and he clearly thought Dex had ulterior motives. It almost made you laugh.

“FBI?” Foggy repeated as you all moved to what used to be Karen’s desk. “You got an FBI offer?”

“He’s a special agent or something and he said he was looking for a partner.” You shrugged. “Just a thought, I guess.”

“If any of us could handle that, it’d be you.. I’ve never seen you not get up after a fight.” Foggy complimented and patted your arm.

“A couple community bare knuckle boxing fights don’t count.” You laughed. “But yeah, I think I’m gonna look into that.”

“You’ll do great.” Foggy nodded before turning to Matt, who was now gathering his papers. “What are you looking for?”

“You really wanna know?” Matt asked.

“Sure.” Foggy shrugged.

“There’s this group I’ve been following. They move through the city and then just disappear like magic. Last place I knew they were was 49th and 10th. Then they were gone… I thought maybe they’d be using subway tunnels.”

You stepped closer and glanced down at the map he had. Obviously, it was in braille but there was a line drawn down it. Foggy glanced at you and you shook your head, telling him that Matt hadn’t officially told you. Clearly, that fact had slipped Matt’s mind given how open he was discussing his current project.

“No.” You shook your head and Matt’s body tensed at your sudden contribution to the conversation. “Subway tunnels are too heavily patrolled and dangerous. You know how many aggressive homeless people are down there? There’s a reason I walk or take a cab.”

“My grandfather used to tell me about abandoned railway tunnels. They kept caving in so the city gated them up. Best thing that could happen for bootleggers like Grandpa, could go miles without seeing daylight. Probably wanna look for manhole covers.” Foggy explained, smiling at the memory of his family.

“That makes sense.” You nodded.

“Yeah, that’s really good work. Thanks, Foggy.” Matt nodded and hurried to the door.

“That’s what I do.” Foggy said happily.

“Did you want us to try and convince you?” You turned to Foggy. “About this. About trying Nelson and Murdock again.”

“Give it a try as Nelson, Murdock, and Y/L/N?” Foggy smiled slightly and you offered a slight shrug, as if to say ‘Yeah, maybe’. “I was hoping you would but relieved when you didn’t.”

You frowned.

“The last step was just us admitting it… Now, we’re done.”

You nodded slightly as Matt left. You thought about following him but you knew he wouldn’t do anything about the Hand with you behind him. You blew out a sigh and leaned against the empty desk instead.

“You okay?” Foggy asked.

“He’s yet to actually say it.” You said simply. “That he’s Daredevil. But if I wasn’t sure before, I definitely am now.”

“If you want to hear it from him, you’ll probably have to bring it up yourself.”

“But he just so casually did that whole thing, like he knew or just didn’t care.”

“Or he forgot that you didn’t know… Cause he’s stupid.”

You laughed slightly. “Unless he knows something else…”

“Y/N.. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“You’re not.. You’re not her, are you?”

“Her?”

“Exodus…”

You nodded slowly with a small smile.

“It’s just..” He sighed. “You didn’t really seem too phased by any of this and the way you talk about things sometimes. Makes me wonder…”

Without answering, you pushed yourself off the desk and headed out the door.

“See you later, Foggy.” You waved.

“You didn’t answer my question.” He called behind you.

“Didn’t I?”

You went back to your place and considered putting on your suit. You thought about trying to find Matt and see what he was on to. See if you could help him save the bitchy old man. But as soon as you closed your door behind you, you fell against it and slumped to the floor.

For the first time since the night prior, you had a moment to process everything. You had an undistracted minute to let your mind wander, wander to a place you didn’t want it to be.

Frank Castle - your friend - was dead.

The grief hit you like a slap in the face and you broke. You cried, quietly at first but soon growing to full on sobs. Sobs that made you fold your knees into your chest and hug them tightly just to try and find some comfort. Sobs that shook your entire body until you felt you would be sick. Your ribs screamed at you and if you had anything in your stomach, you’d likely have thrown it up. But nothing could take away the pain.

The loss.

And you were tired of losing people. Tired of not being able to help them, to save them. So you took your grief and your sadness and you molded them into determination, into a laser sharp focus.

You got changed and hurried into the street, dropping down a manhole. Your feet landed lightly and you took a deep breath.

“I don’t know if you’re here yet.” You said quietly as you carefully walked the tunnel, tapping your scar to trigger your implant. “But I can’t let you do it alone. I can’t lose you, too.”

As you moved through the tunnels, you saw three shadowed figures running though their steps made no sound. You hurried alongside them until you were a few turns ahead. You moved to be in front of them and saw they were creeping on Matt.

You were quick to pull your staffs and ran towards Matt. He stood still, listening to everything around him. As the blade came down towards him, you were able to shoulder check him to the side and block it with your own weapons.

“You really need to use that microphone.” You groaned and pushed the ninja away.

“I figured you’d find me.” He shrugged with a small, knowing smirk as the fight ensued.

You swung your batons with a quick precision, aiming for soft spots and pressure points. You and Matt kept yourselves moving in a small circle, never focusing on one enemy too long. You made sure to pull your punches, only worried about knocking them out rather than killing them. Until the last one.

Two ran off and one stayed, watching Matt carefully. When you realized Matt couldn’t tell if he was there or not, you dropped your staffs and picked up the discarded blade before you stepped in front of Matt. Within a matter of seconds, the ninja came at you with a raised fist but ended up with the sword piercing through his abdomen. You pushed his limp body aside and turned to face Matt.

“Did you want him to punch you in the face?” You asked simply as you recollected your weapons and placed them in their pack.

“I couldn’t hear them.” He said in confusion. “It’s like.. like they don’t have heartbeats.”

“Looks like you’ll have to trust me then, huh?” You teased and tapped his arm to tell him to move.

“Guess so.” He said with the same joking tone and followed you.

As you two were treading the tunnels, something didn’t feel right. Deep in your chest you felt this sting of fear. Not your own fear but someone far away. Someone who you knew, someone you had a connection with. You had to try your best to ignore it, will it away and hope everything would be alright. No matter where they were, you wouldn’t reach them in time. Something in your gut told you that. Plus, you owed it to Matt to stick around for him.

You two followed the tunnels until you hit a wall. There was a ladder off to the side and Matt stood there for a minute, head tilted as he listened before nodding to you to follow him up. He helped you climb out of the hole and paused, waiting to hear if there was anyone there.

You, however, saw them immediately. You were quick to wake your Bite as he ran towards you two.

“Duck.” You told him and he did, just in time for you to take the shot.

“How many?” He asked as you moved in, swinging a sharp kick to the man’s jaw and watching him fall limp.

“Four more.” You glanced around and saw them coming closer while you pulled one of your staffs. Scanning their figures, you noticed they were empty handed. “They’re not using their swords…”

Just as the words left your mouth, you were hit with a sharp jab to your nose. You flicked your thumb over the top again and watched a curved blade unfold this time.

You swiped the blade quickly, forcing him to jump back. Your offensive didn’t cease and he had to quickly block and evade your attacks. When he turned his back and hooked the blade into his shoulder and yanked him back, jamming your Bite against his neck until he also fell limp. As soon as you turned back to the fight, you were met with a hard kick to your chest that sent you back into Matt. You rotated the top piece again and the curved blade folded back in and the straight blade shot out of the top.

You swiped the blade at the hands and feet that came at you, slicing sharp lines through their skin or chopping off chunks of meat. Two of them continued to try and pound on Matt while two came at you. It got to a point where you had to retract your blade because they were countering the swipes so easily. Instead, you kept one arm up to block as many hits as you could - though the contact with your ribs and face would argue otherwise - and slipped the other hand to your belt. You grabbed two of your shock discs and flicked them, forcing the Hand members back as they jerked from the electricity.

At the same time, Matt was able to figure something out and break their offense. You knocked your Bites together to clip the wire and kicked out the knee of one of them. You wrapped the wire around their throat and spun behind them, yanking hard to put him in the way of his buddy’s attack. You pulled your wrists apart to disconnect the wire and it retracted back into its home. You reached behind you for your knife but before you could fully pull it out, Matt had knocked out the last one. You couldn’t help the small smile on your lips.

“C’mon.” He nodded and you two ran.

Matt took out the member standing guard and you went for the man in the suit. You grabbed one of your staffs and slid between his legs, hooking the stick around his ankle as he fell to his face. He rolled to his back quickly and kicked out at your chest which sent you stumbling back slightly. You rubbed your ribs with a low growl as you put the staff away, opting for your knife instead.

You gripped it tightly and began an offensive strike. He tried to duck away from your hit, but even if he avoided your punch, your blade nicked him every time. You kept up your attacks until he backed against a wall. Then you kicked out his knee and one his fell, you grabbed him by his hair and banged his head against the wall until he fell limp. Dead or unconscious, it didn’t matter.

You tucked away your knife as Matt untied Stick. You kept your back to them and stood guard in case anyone else came for you.

“You got yourself.. one hell of a partner.” Stick told Matt and you smiled slightly.

“Yeah, she’s great.” He agreed.

“Save the sentiment.” You said, reaching a hand behind you to stop them. “Company’s here.”

“Hello, boys.” Elektra said as walked in. She tilted her head as she made eye contact with you. “You, I am surprised to see.”

You shrugged slightly as your hand hovered near your belt. “I had some free time.”

“Do you remember when we met? You told me you’d never abandon me.” Elektra said to Stick.

It was easy to feel her emotions. Her anger, her pain, her loneliness. She felt abandoned, betrayed by the one person she thought she could trust. The one person she was promised when she had no one else. It wasn’t that far off from your own. You remembered feeling that exact same way when Natasha left. You understood what Elektra was feeling and why she was on a warpath. You didn’t blame her at all. Any other circumstances, you probably would’ve helped her kill Stick.

But you had chosen to help Matt. Maybe you’d always choose Matt.

“They got you right where they want you.” Stick said, almost regretfully and you could feel the arrogance coming down the hall.

“Whatever you hid from her is about to bite you in the ass.” You warned as Nobu entered.

“It’s painful, raising children.” He said smugly. “We spend our lives teaching them to be strong, to be independent. Not realizing that one we have achieved that, they are no longer in our control.”

“Nobu.” Matt murmured.

“Didn’t I kill you already?” You called out, trying to draw his attention off Elektra. “I distinctly remember you burning up like a pile of scrap wood.”

“Ah, Exodus.” He smiled. “I have to say, I am surprised you’re here. Though, after your work against the Hand at the hospital, I must admit that I am impressed… I knew you to be formidable but that. That was astonishing.”

“Then you should be a little more worried about me being here.” You warned tightly and pulled your gun, easily pointing it at his forehead. “Let’s see you bounce back from a bullet through your brain.”

“Tell them.” He spoke past you. You took a step forward but were met with a sword at your chest. “Tell them why we’re all here tonight.. You, the loyal one, the disloyal one and it.”

“Let them go.” Matt offered from behind you, stepping closer to pull you back. Hesitantly, you let him move you and push your arm down. “Let these three go and you can have me.”

“I need it.” He countered. “But an offer could be made for her.” He glanced at you.

“My only offer is that bullet.” You sneered as Elektra spat “Call me ‘it’ again and I’ll cut you in half.��

“Seeing you fight, Elektra, I’d know you anywhere… But do you know who we are?”

“You call yourselves the Hand.” She answered.

“They’re pathetic.” You scoffed and waved your gun as you spoke.

“Your cracked ribs would say otherwise.”

“I think the six dead bodies I left in that hospital are far more telling than a set of cracked ribs.”

“Do you know who we serve?” He turned his attention back to Elektra.

“Yeah.” She shrugged. “Some mythical piece of shit called the Black Sky.”

“The Black Sky is not a myth…” Nobu began though you stopped listening.

You turned towards Matt and spoke quietly as you shoved your gun away. “Where is this going?”

“I don’t know.” He admitted in the same hushed tone.

“Black Sky.. Wasn’t that what you told me about that kid at the docks? A weapon?”

It hit you the same time Nobu said it.

Elektra was the Black Sky.

Desperately, Matt tried to convince Elektra that Nobu was lying. That it was all a game. But it all made sense to you. If the Black Sky was a living weapon, other than yourself, Elektra fit the bill. There was no way to convince yourself otherwise and Elektra understood the same thing. Elektra took the sword Nobu offered and turned to face you all.

“That’s why they all hated me, why everyone eventually does.” She said tightly, painfully.

“The woman I know is still in there.” Matt tried.

“Is she?”

“Elektra.” You stepped forward with your hands up in surrender. “I get it, okay? … Everyone in here is trying to decide who you are for you. They want to decide if your training and the blood on your hands is who you are or if it’s your heart. But it’s not up to them, okay? It’s not. It’s up to you.. Is this what you want?”

“You don’t get it.” She shook her head.

“I do!” You countered quickly, discreetly moving your fingers as you tried to find some emotion in Elektra that could calm her down. But all you found was pain. “If anyone in this room understands, it’s me.. Someone close to me told me that if I let everyone else tell me who I am, I’ll never really know for sure… So, I’ll ask again. Is this what you want?”

“You are home now.” Nobu said from behind her.

“The Black Sky is destiny.” She said quietly, as if accepting it.

“No, Elektra. Elektra!” Matt continued.

“Leave me.” She said simply.

“No, I’m not gonna-“

“Leave!” She shouted and pointed her sword at Matt’s throat, though you could bet it was an empty threat. Hurting Matt, it wasn’t possible for her.

But hurting you…

“Maybe this is my chance…” She said sadly.

“To what? To be loved?” Matt countered.

“Yes.”

“Then don’t let me get in your way.”

“No.” You grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Not you… She’d never be able to hurt you, Black Sky or not.”

“What are you doing?” He asked tightly as you stepped in front of him.

You unclipped your pack and pushed the straps aside. You undid the clasp on the collar to get the zipper undone before stepping forward and putting the tip of her sword against your sternum.

“If this is the path you choose, then this shouldn’t be an issue.” You said simply as you pulled your mask down to hang around your neck. Your eyes watered slightly at the thought of dying by your friend’s sword but maybe it was a fitting end for you. “Kill me… It’s okay.”

She let out a shaky breath and pressed the blade ever so slightly, digging into your skin but not quite breaking through.

“Prove them right if you really believe this is your destiny.” You said shakily. “Or prove them wrong and make your own decision about your future.”

“Ex.” Matt tried but you waved a hand to stop him.

You nodded to Elektra and she gave you a pleading expression, asking you not to do it.

“You never know when to give up, do you?” She said quietly.

“I forgive you.” You said in the same low tone and closed your eyes.

You were suddenly pulled away and your eyes shot open. You saw Matt pinning Elektra against him, holding her sword at her throat. You sighed loudly and wiped your sleeve across your eyes. You zipped your shirt, fastened the clasp, and clipped your straps before reaching for your knives. You pulled one for either hand and gripped them tightly as the Hand surrounded you.

Stick moved first, jamming one of the bamboo sticks into one of their throats. Elektra ducked under the swinging swords and moved to help Stick. You nodded towards her before jumping into the fight to help Matt.

One of the Hand swung their sword in a high arc so you had to spin to avoid it. You slammed your foot against it once it hit the ground and drove your knife into his throat. You lifted a knee to knock him back and free your blade. You hurried to Matt’s side and ducked under his aerial kick. You dug both knives into another one’s chest and yanked down with all your strength, cutting through the skin and cartilage. You yanked your knives free as Matt knocked out the last one with a devastating kick to the head.

You two hurried after Stick and Elektra as that fearful tug yanked your chest again. You willed it away but there was an underlying theme of hope, disbelief. You shook your head firmly and the feelings fell away like dust. It lasted only a few moments until you were drenched in the feeling of despair, sadness.

It was nearly enough to make you scream but instead, you used it.

You gathered all that sadness into your palms, watching the blue smoke creep from under your gloves and ghost over your blade. You two came across another group of ninjas and you were quick to take in one and shove your blade between their ribs. The blue haze series into the wound and practically pried it open as you yanked your blade out. You made a small face of surprise before moving on, running into Nobu around the corner.

“It will be ours. You cannot stop what we’ve started.” He said flatly. “But you can join us, Exodus.”

You turned to Matt with lips pursed. He turned to you and waited, trying to read your reaction.

“Let’s give him hell.” You said quietly, nearly a whisper.

He grinned and ran straight for Nobu. He tackled him to the ground and you planted your forearm against his back and hopped over, slamming your feet into Nobu’s chest as he was getting to his feet. You tucked your blades and knocked your Bites together in one swift motion to connect the wire as Matt landed a barrage of hard punches that the man couldn’t block.

You hurried behind the fight and climbed to the top of the small railing. You hooked one foot around the top pole as you waited for them to get just a few steps closer. Once you could reach, you leaned forward and hooked the wire around Nobu’s throat. You were quick to connect the ends to your belt and flipped backwards, hearing him choke and gasp as his back hit the poles. You landed lightly on your feet and leaned your weight back into a kneel before Matt landed a sharp upper cut that sent Nobu over the edge.

You disconnected the wire and stepped to the side so he crashed to the ground. Quickly, you climbed back up to the second level and reconvened with Matt. Together you went after Stick and Elektra again.

You were able to finally catch up with them after going through about ten more Hand ninjas. Your suit was splattered in blood, as was your face. Blood was dried under your nails and made your gloves stick to you, not to mention the busted open knuckles the gloves hid were stretching and burning every time your fingers moved. Your ribs ached and you felt the slimy sensation of a blood clot in your sinuses. You could feel the throb of bruises forming across your body and face. Your muscles burned from exhaustion and your eyes were heavy. And your mind… Your mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once.

You wondered who was so afraid earlier, who was reaching out to you. You wondered what gave them hope, if only for a second. You thought of Frank and how you survived, but he didn’t. Why would you survive instead of him? You wondered if Foggy ever worried about Matt when he was out as Daredevil and how often he thought of you as Exodus. So many questions, yet no means of getting answers.

#ptyy mag #matt murdock #mcu daredevil #matt murdock x yn #mcu matt murdock #netflix daredevil #netflix matt murdock #ptyy doms #marvel daredevil #marvel matt murdock #matt murdock angst #matt murdock fluff #daredevil angst #daredevil fluff #matt murdock x you #matt murdock x vigilante!reader #matt murdock x reader #daredevil x yn #daredevil x reader #daredevil x you #daredevil s2 #daredevil series #matt murdock series #matt murdock s2 #elektra natchios #elektra x reader #marvel fic #marvel x reader

[spaceyflowerswriting]

💬 Continuation to Eugene's text one if you can please.... also i decided tht can the sender be like a close, really close friend of eugene and yuseing that goes to the same school and knows what shit he does (i am trying so hard to not make an actual story for this seriously, i feel like i will and ship this y/n and eugene hard🥲)

》Oi foureyes! I have some spare so tell me!

》please damnit! Tell me...

》 Even tho i have known you for ages you only eat/ drink things me or yuseong choose

》 you never tell us your preferences! Like 'just choose whatever yoh want I'll payand eat whatever it is' and you actually eat even the shittiest of combo i could come up with!

》 Also you know i met this guy in our school named yeonwoo and he might be your tripket y'know, you might know him he is good looking, smart, on top of his classes, wears glasses like you and is actually quite famous, a newtuber.

》 I think i like him... he also has a good personality unlike someone... he is really nice as well

》actually you know what if you don't wanna hang out this weekend should i ask him out for a date?

》 before you say anything like 'go get him a gift and leave me alone'

》 i already did and bitc* please you knew what you were getting yourself into when you became my friend now deal with it.

》 You have to deal with it. No other options

》 also can i get that hot guy's no. Who is always with you, the one with the nice personality, the 3rd and 4th affiliate prez i think?

》 oh, and that weird mask one whose hair are blond and is always with neko

[Eugene will be grumbling about his phone notifs going off cause of this and that is what y/n wants]

(Can i have a jealous eugene and yuseong....? And you can decide whether eugene likes the reader or not, or whether yuseong likes her or not)

[a/n: omg if u do end up writing a story please tag me !! i would love to read it <3]

"That's funny. President Eugene always lectures us about keeping our phones on silent mode and yet his phone isn't."

After turning said silent mode on in his phone, Eugene slowly turned his head to smile at Eli. "Yes, well, this is a one time mistake. Why don't you try to remember to keep your remarks to yourself?"

The sharp tension stayed in the room even as the meeting continued, so when the meeting ended, it left Eugene in a somewhat bitter mood.

He decided to check who was texting him so much earlier, only to see it was you.

"What nonsense are they texting me now...?" As he read through the texts, he was originally amused but then began to feel... well, he refused to acknowledge the j-word. It was a childish emotion to him.

Softly exhaling, he texted back:

I have a nutritionist and whatnot on hand, I swear to you I eat well. You don't have to worry and my preferences mean little because often you and Yuseong pick things I like. Just continue what you're doing.

And about that boy... we may be similar in many ways but I've paid no attention to him. Also, no need for snarky remarks, I've had enough for the day.

You must know me so well if you knew I was going to reply, "Get him a gift and leave me alone." Just go on that date.

I'm glad we're such good friends you're happy to be insufferable towards me. And no, I'm not giving you the numbers of any of my subordinates.

Before Eugene closed out of his conversation with you, he felt a tap on his shoulder and just noticed Yuseong, who apparently had been quietly peering over his shoulder this whole time.

"What is it?" he asked his twin, who just frowned. It didn't take him long to realize why, and oddly enough he felt the slightest tinge of that j-word again. "Oh. If you're sad about our friend going on that date, feel free to make plans with them so they can't go. I can get you time off, if that's what you want."

Upon hearing his words, Yuseong eagerly nodded and Eugene took a mental note of it. Maybe he should hang out with you, too... but he didn't want to interrupt Yuseong, and he still had work to do. Another day, he supposed.

#lookism x reader #eugene x reader #texts #sorry this got long i had a lot to reply to lol

[gumi-gang]

SECRET ADMIRER KENMA x gn!reader

wc: 969

someone’s been leaving notes on your desk for a while now. it began a few weeks ago, two days after you cut your hair way shorter than you normally would. ‘your new hair suits you,’ the note read. at first you thought someone had just forgot to sign the note, and that it was from one of your friends that you hadn’t had the chance to see since you’ve been so busy studying for the upcoming exam season. 

that was until you received a second note two days later. this time accompanied by a cartoon of strawberry milk from the vending machine, which you normally get yourself during lunch. the note reads, ‘don’t work yourself too hard. make sure to take care of yourself.’ the thoughtful words don’t fail in making your blush. it’s nice to be reminded that people care about your well being. however, it’s once again not signed, and as you sip on your drink at your desk you go through a mental list of your friends, wondering which one it could be. 

over the weeks you’ve become a detective of sorts. the notes keep coming, now daily instead of sporadically throughout the week. sometimes accompanied by a cartoon of strawberry milk, or the candy you like, but mostly alone. you collect all the notes you’ve received and kept them in a box in your desk, every once and a while shuffling through it. you tell yourself that it’s to analyze the handwriting and to check if there are any clues that give away the identity of the sender. however, from the deep blush and huge smile on your face, anyone looking closely can tell that you’ve begun to indulge in the flattery your admirer provides you. 

you also begin to use your role as class representative to collect information on your fellow classmates. cross analyzing handwriting and writing style between class assignments and notes, you fail to make any consistent matches. eventually, you decide to stake out your admirer by watching your seat from the hallway. 

“what are you doing?” a voice asks you from behind, as you stake out your seat. you jump with fright, but quickly your adrenaline subsides as you look over to see your best friend kenma from two classes down standing next to you. he’d never call you his best friend, but if you add up all the times he’s allowed you to tag along with him and kuroo after school, the times you’ve went over to his house to watch him play video games as you read in the corner of his room, and the times that you’ve spent hanging out on the weekends, you’ve got enough time to foster a friendship strong enough that almost nothing could break. 

“jeez, you scared me,” you tell him. “i’m trying to stake out my seat to see if i get another note.” kenma doesn’t even bat an eyelash at your antics. the fact that you have binoculars doesn’t even faze him. you told him and kuroo about the notes after having received the first one. while you’ve listed theories on who it might be or why they chose to remain anonymous, kenma hasn’t proven to be much help in trying to discover the secret identity of your admirer. kuroo pretends to help by encouraging you to keep trying to find hidden messages in the notes, but you know that he’s just trying to catch you making a fool out of yourself. 

“everyone can see you y/n,” kenma informs you. “no one is gonna leave a note if they know you’re trying to catch them.” you frown at his words, but also put away your binoculars in defeat. 

“don’t look so sad,” he rests his arm on your shoulder. “maybe they’ll confess soon and then you won’t have to act like a spy in between class periods.” you let out a deep breath and nod. kenma’s been trying to get you to stop trying to figure out your admirer’s identity for quite some time, because, as he constantly reminds you, they probably aren’t ready to admit their feelings for you to your face yet, and you should give them some time. “look i got you a strawberry milk from the vending machine,” he opens your backpack and slips it into one of the pockets. “volleyball practice got pushed back a little later today so kuroo and i can’t walk home with you today, but i’ll see you later. let me know if you need anything, okay?” he sends you a soft smile and a wave as he walks back to his class. 

it isn’t until that night, when you’re doing your homework, that you notice a piece of paper sticking out from your math textbook. from the handwriting you recognize that it’s another note from your secret admirer. it reads: ‘i love the happiness in your eyes. i hope one day you look at me with those same eyes and behind them will be love.’ you blush and stare at the note, reading and rereading its words. you wonder how the sender could have managed to place the note in your textbook when you’ve been carrying it all day, but you can’t think about it too much. your brain it unable to process any logic when your heart is filling your body with joy. 

once you’ve regained some sort of control on your emotions you call kenma to tell him about the note. he picks up immediately. before he can get any words out to greet you, you tell him about the note and listens to you gush over how sweet your secret admirer is. he listens to you with his heart full. maybe one day he’ll get the courage to tell you how much he loves you to your face. 

gumi-gang @ 2022

all contents and its rights belong to me. do not modify or repost. 

#this was supposed to be a drabble #haikyuu #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x reader #kenma x reader #kozume kenma #kenma kozume #kenma scenario

[redline-editorial]

Redline-Editorial FAQ

Thank you for checking this blog out! If you've been working on a piece of art and something doesn't look quite right, send it in! I will do my best to help figure out what's off, or at the very least be a second set of eyes.

Q. "Does this cost money?" A. Nope! I'm just doing this for fun and to help people out. At some point I may plug my ko-fi if people are interested, but I want to make it clear I'm doing this just because I want to help people with anatomy/composition, as well as to become more comfortable with art critique. I, myself, had a bully of an art teacher in highschool and it left a terrible stain on my feelings towards art critique.

Q. "What kind of credentials do you have? Degrees?" A. None, technically. I've been doing art digitally since 2009, so I'd say 14 years of experience isn't something to snub. I draw daily, and my personal archive of finished works contains over 3200 pieces. That being said, I do have a specific style, so all of my art critiques are going to come with that addendum.

Q. "What if I want to submit art for my friend who's shy?" A. I'm sticking to my guns that only the original artist should post their own work. If the username/watermark don't match I understand (tumblr having your main blog be the default sending point, etc.) so I'm going to trust people to only submit their own work. People found abusing this in order to harass/bully others will be blocked and reported. I don't want anyone getting caught up in that by trying to do a good deed for someone else. That being said I do have tags in place for 'please be gentle/honest/ruthless' to give a better indication level of how much correction/compliments the sender would like. If this is used for bullying you will be reported and blocked.

Q. "How long will it take to get a redline edit back?" A. Typically not long, though I do have a day job. Expect 1-3 days as a good margin. If it's been over a week feel free to send a reminder ask.

Q. "Is this only for anatomical editing notes?" A. Primarily yes. If you are specifically looking for help with coloring I can do that, but I would like to make the focus on anatomy/composition. That being said, rendering is all parts of the same product, so it may be mentioned here and there. If you need help specifically with certain elements, please make note in your submission.

Q. "Can we see your art blog?" A. Maybe in the future.

Q. "Can we do private submissions/sessions?" A. Since this is meant to be a public learning space, as well as free, I'm going to say no for right now. Private editing is something I would feel is more appropriate as a paid gig, which I don't think I'm ready for just yet. Everyone is always learning, myself included, and advice I give today may not be the most factually accurate and others may have additional helpful notes. Remember that I am just a voice of suggestion and to take what I say with that in mind. It's your art, you can always do what you want with it.

Q. "I submitted something to redline but have decided I'm not comfortable with it being up, can I get it removed?" A. Yeah, just send me the post number and I'll delete it.

Remember yall, this is meant to be for Fun, Education, and Communal Respect and Betterment. Be nice, or else.

#redline #red line editing #mod talk

[hopewritcs]

hold me close, hold me forever.

pairing: eddie munson x reader

word count: 2.9k

request from anonymous: could you please do wait & inhale with eddie?? thank you sm!!

notes: ( [ WAIT ]:  realizing the receiver is about to leave the room, the sender hastily reaches out and catches their wrist, preventing them from continuing their departure. /  [ INHALE ]:  while standing in very close quarters to the receiver, the sender shakily inhales with desire/anticipation as they realize how intimately close they are to one another. ) set outside of current canon timeline, ie no major s4 spoilers other than eddie being a character. 

stranger things tag list: tba ! ( i’ve refreshed my tag lists. if you want to be added, please send me a message ! )

He was never supposed to be yours. 

Eddie Munson was not supposed to be the guy standing in the room with you, so said everyone you were friends with, so said your parents and their friends. Even the teachers would make comments around school. 

Munson? They said. He wasn’t worth your time. He was a high school has been, never was, repeater who would probably still not graduate this year even though they over heard him say “this year was my year” at least a dozen times. 

You, however, felt the total opposite way. While Eddie Munson wasn’t supposed to be yours -- you were in two totally different crowds in school -- he was the person who you wanted to be with. 

Somehow the summer between your junior year and senior year ( and Eddie’s senior years repeating ) the two of you had found your way to each other. Between Hawkins being a small town, and bumping into Eddie at local hangouts and the record shop the two of you had wound up on the quick slide from friends to more than. 

You had been at the record shop when you first bumped into him that summer, seeing him in the Hellfire Club shirt and rolling your eyes with a small chuckle while you browsed through the new vinyl selections. 

Eddie turned his attention to you, as you and he ( and the person behind the desk working ) were the only people in the shop, and spoke, “Something on your mind?” It was the first thing he’d ever said directly to you.

“Yeah, just wondering if you wear anything other than that shirt.” you hadn’t looked up again from the vinyls you were flipping through. 

“I am currently wearing pants.” He deadpanned, glancing down at himself dramatically as if he were double checking. 

Turning your attention up to look at him you shook your head, but smiled, “Funny.” 

“But if you’re asking to see me out of this shirt, I think the whole no shirt no shoes no service thing would go into effect and they’d kick us out.” Eddie gestured to the small sign by the door and you turned your head to look at the door.

When you turned back to look at Eddie, you’d glanced at the one worker in the shop and realized the person was paying no attention to the two of you and shrugged, “I don’t think they’re paying attention.”

“You just want to see me out of the shirt, I knew it.” 

You tried to hold back a laugh at his comment, especially as you watched the grin form on his face, but couldn’t help the bubbling laughter as you shook your head at him. 

And you didn’t just walk out of there with two records that day ( Prince & Whitney Houston ), you walked out with a tentative friendship with Eddie Munson. 

The following weeks you spent time with him, Eddie became more than just a friend. Before you knew it, you were together. It was the 4th of July and you’d convinced Eddie to go with you to the fair, where you spent the whole night wandering the carnival games and just having fun. 

You kissed him on the spinning tilt a whirl, like you couldn’t think of anything else. Your hands grasping onto his as the ride spun around, and somehow you just found your way to him, kissing him and forgetting the whole world around you. 

Eddie and you didn’t win any of the carnival games, but he had snuck behind one of the games while the worker was distracted and grabbed one of the small stuffed toys for you-- it was a lion with a top hat, and from that moment on you kept it on top of the dresser in your room in a safe place. 

The last night before school was back in session you said I love you for the first time. 

You were walking down by the trailer he shared with his uncle, in the woodsy area holding hands and you looked at him. Part of you worried that school would be different. This whole summer felt like something totally surreal, something you didn’t think could be happening. 

On top of everything happening in your personal life, the news of Hawkins being somewhat of a hell pit had come as a surprise and you still didn’t know how to wrap your head around that--or what it even meant, honestly. That was a thought for when you returned to school.

For when you left the bubble that was Eddie Munson and Y/N Y/L/N. 

Hands held tightly as you walked, you turned to look at him and smiled softly, finding him already looking at you. 

“I love you.”

Both of you said it at the same time, for the first time. 

You stopped walking then, but Eddie continued and he almost tugged your arm until he realized you stopped walking, so he turned back around and looked at you. 

“You love me?” you asked.

Eyebrows creased as he looked at you, he spoke, “Of course I do. Now can we keep moving, I’ve got this picnic set up for you and you’ve got curfew.” 

Before he could tug your arm and pull you in the direction he’d set everything up, you leaned up and kissed him softly. 

If you thought the summer of 1985 was going to change your life, you wouldn’t have predicted that it would have been in this way. 

Going back to school was different. You ran in different social circles than Eddie did, and the only time you really got to spend time together would have been lunch, but he spent that with Hellfire Club and you refused to be the kind of person who would get in the way of that.

You had a couple of classes together with Eddie, and he sat next to you in them, reading the notes you took over your shoulder and distracting you as you tried to focus in the classroom. 

When you were with your friends, they looked at you like you had two heads. Immediately asking what you had gotten into this summer. 

“Eddie Munson?” they asked.

“Eddie The Freak Munson?” they repeated, as if they couldn’t realize. As if they couldn’t separate him from the words they heard about him in town. The thoughts they had about him.

“He’s more than just some stupid shit people say.” You defended, anger coursing through you. It was true, you couldn’t believe it. But somehow your friends wanted to argue with you about it. They were worried about you, they wanted to talk you out of it all. 

When you would sit with them at lunch, they would point to the Hellfire Club table and laugh.

“That’s my boyfriend.” you said when you’d had enough of it one day. “If you can’t handle that, and don’t want to deal with it. Then that’s fine, I’ll find some other friends. But maybe since we’re seniors you should all grow the hell up.”

And you got up from the table and left the cafeteria in general, walking away from it all. You tossed your garbage away, and left it all. 

Later that day, you were at home, thinking about everything. Eddie was at his Hellfire Club night and you were home, working on homework with some of your vinyl record music playing in the background. It was all getting to your head, every single thing that your friends had been saying for the past few weeks. 

Maybe they were right, maybe Eddie Munson was totally different than you were. Even if you did love him and he loved you back. 

It was a month later, you were planning your anniversary. It was going to be a cute weekend thing, because your parents were going away. You had everything planned--promising that since Eddie had planned everything for the last day before school came back, now it was your turn. 

You had every detail planned.

Your friends may not be supportive, but you had new friends now. Robin Buckley for one, was someone who had always seen around but now you’d become friends with as you began spending a few nights at the Family Video to try and find some good videos for options. 

Except, Eddie never came over.  

You sat around waiting and waiting and it wasn’t like him to just not show up.  

But the next day, you were outside getting the mail when Eddie walked up your driveway and you looked up, seeing him. 

“Hey, Y/N.” Eddie said, hands grasping the balled up denim jacket in his hands as he looked at you. 

You looked him up and down, “You okay? I didn’t hear from you last night.” 

“I’m sorry. I was about to head out and then those new kids from Hellfire showed up at my door asking a couple of questions and before I knew it it was too late.” You could see how sad he looked, how he knew that he hurt you and he still didn’t know the right words to use to apologize. As he walked toward you while he spoke you took a half step backward, like you wanted to leave but didn’t really want to either. “I was going to call but thought it was too stupid to do that, and if I showed up that late I was worried you’d be scared or it would wake you up.” 

“It was our anniversary, Eddie, I was up waiting long enough.” you explained, crossing your arms. You understood that the Hellfire Club meant a lot to him, and that with most of the club graduating this year--himself included, because he was going to make sure of it and so would you--it would be left in the hands of the freshman kids. You knew how worried he was about that, how much he cared about the club and how he wanted to make sure it was in the right hands when he ( finally ) graduated.

But, damn it if it didn’t sting. 

“You should have called.” you said. 

“I’m here now.” he said, looking up at you. 

And you wanted it to be enough.

You shook your head and stepped away, “I have videos to get back to the store soon, anyway. Let’s just...do something a different weekend, or try again next month.” You tried to keep a light smile on your face, but you knew that it didn’t make it to your eyes with the way Eddie looked at you. With one last half step forward, you kissed the corner of his mouth, and then pulled back quickly, looking at him and then turning back to go inside. 

You didn’t dare turn back around once the front door was closed to see if Eddie had walked away yet. 

It was another week before you really talked to Eddie again. You claimed you were busy, which you were but you certainly could have made time for him if you wanted to. 

You were just upset with all the plans you’d made gone to waste. 

So when one of those Hellfire freshman ( the kid with the ball cap on his head, you couldn’t remember his name but Robin seemed to recognize him when he’d come into the music classroom that afternoon ) grabbed you after class and said it was important you only went because, well, you still loved Eddie. 

What you didn’t expect was the door to the Hellfire Club’s meeting room shutting behind once you stepped in, and a chorus of laughter and clapping happening behind the door. 

“Oh, real mature.” you mumbled toward the door before taking a small step into the room and looking around. It was always dark in here--which is why you didn’t love going to Hellfire nights ( not that you totally understood all of the campaign talks to begin with, but you liked how happy it made Eddie ). “Eddie? Are you in here?” 

Lights turned on, flashing the whole room into light and you could see everything in the theater storage room that was used for Hellfire Club’s game room. Including the throne that Eddie sat in every night. 

“I swear if this is some weird joke from Hellfire, I’m leaving right now and burning all those shirts sitting in my drawers.” you commented, half turning toward the door you’d been ushered in through. 

Only to be stopped by a hand on your wrist pulling you back, “Sorry, turning the lights on took a bit more than I expected.” Eddie’s voice was soothing to you in the echoing storage room, but despite taking the step backward you still didn’t turn around to look at him. 

“I’m still mad at you.” you said softly. 

Eddie’s hand slid down from your wrist to hold your hand, giving it a light squeeze as he tried to pull you to him still. “I know. I’m an idiot, I’m sorry.”

Slowly, you turned around to look at him, glancing up at him as you waited for him to keep talking. 

“I’ll make it up to you...I, uh, don’t know how, but...we can do something?” Eddie seemed nervous as he scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, looking down at you. 

A small smile pulled at the corners of your lips as you looked at him, “Y’know, I kinda love you Eddie Munson. Even when you get all nervous like this. Even when I’m mad. But, please do not mess this up again.” 

“I don’t want to mess anything up, Y/N. I promise.” Eddie said, his free hand moving from his neck to rest on your waist as he looked at you. “I’m not good with this stuff. But I’m sorry.”

“I know you are.” you replied, looking up at him with a slight nod of your head. It was hard to stay mad at Eddie. This was the longest relationship you’d been in, and the longest relationship he’d been in either--he’d told you as much that the only longer relationship was with D&D. “So, why are we in the Hellfire Club room to talk about this?” 

Eddie’s face brightened at the question and before he moved away he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead and then led you toward his throne. “So, I know you don’t come all the time and you’re not technically in Hellfire, but I figured since you have an open invite,”

You cut Eddie off with a small laugh, “Yeah, the guys just love that.” 

“They’ll get over it.” he shrugged his shoulders as he dropped your hand to move things around in the room, pulling out a chair and looking at you. “I got this for you! It’s your own chair.” he said, setting the chair beside his own and leaning against it while he looked at you. “For when you come to Hellfire Club.”

You looked at the chair and at your boyfriend and grinned, taking a step forward and looking back at the chair. “You got this for me?”

“Yeah. Of course. Why? Do you not like it? I thought it was a good idea. I want you to feel like you can come here whenever you want.” Eddie said with a soft worried look as he looked between you and the chair, wondering if he had done something wrong somehow. 

You cut him off and hugged him, grinning. 

“I take it you like it, then.”

“Don’t expect me to come all the time, but I love this.” you said. It was one of the sweetest things, and definitely made you feel welcomed in the group he had made. Even if you worried that you didn’t really fit into the group. 

Maybe you weren’t that different. 

The door handle jiggled and Eddie pulled you behind some of the boxes, with a grin on his face as the two of you hid. 

“Are you done using our club space for your girlfriend, Munson?” someone called out into the room. 

“Dude, chill out, he’s trying to woo her or some shit.” one of the others said.

“Yeah, and he used those freshman to help but kept us out of the loop.” 

“Hey, uh, guys.” the familiar voice of the freshman who had brought you in earlier clearing his throat appeared in the doorway. “They haven’t come out of there yet.”

Shuffling footsteps at the doorway and the door closed. Then it opened again before one of Eddie’s friends shouted back in, “We’re giving you five more fucking minutes, Munson.” Then the door closed again.

Eddie and you turned to look at each other, and you couldn’t hold back in laughter from everything that had just happened. Eddie’s arms held you close to him while the two of you laughed, still hidden behind boxes in the storage room as the world faded out. 

Slowly, it became just the two of you again. 

When you looked back at him, you realized how close you two were, hidden and cramped behind the boxes. A small breath hitched in your throat as you met Eddie’s gaze. 

“Well, they did say we had five minutes.” Eddie shrugged his shoulders as he leaned forward and kissed you. 

He was never supposed to be yours. 

And yet, you wouldn’t let want him to leave your side ever again. 

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #stranger things x reader #requested

[abyssusinvo]

Unprompted - Birthday shenanigans

@ikkaku-of-heart​ asked: Two boxes were delivered to the Liberal Hind by News Coo, both of equal size but far from equal weight. The heavier one boasted a little tag that stated “Open me first!” Within was a massive fossilized tooth from some ancient shark or aquatic reptile, as well as a pair of large gloves that, when the buttons on the cuffs were pressed, produced a great deal of heat straight into the palms and fingers. Useful for someone who might occasionally run more cold-blooded than others. To top it all off, there was a hand-sewn plesiosaur plushie that wore a tiny replica of Drake’s old hat.

The second box was empty save for a handwritten note. “I got you a birthday suit! You should wear it the next time we meet. I promise your third present will be wearing nothing but a pretty green ribbon. 😉 Love, Ikkaku.”

Seeing the two packages flown in by News Coo, Drake was quick to assume they’d be subtle gifts from the marines who remembered his birthday and knew his special position by the organization. Instead as he opened each package up, he soon realized that this was not the case but rather from another peculiar sender.

The first gift he pulled out was the prehistoric tooth no doubt belonging to an ancient creature of marine origin. This particular find will no doubt have a special place among his growing collection after he identified it. The second gift he pulled out was a pair of gloves that after a little bit of time inspecting it, he discovered their special function that he knew he would absolutely appreciate wearing on colder climates that’d usual make him regret being a reptilian Zoan.

The plesiosaur plush bearing his iconic hat got an amused snort beofre it two was set aside to be stored later... Perhaps the reptiles in his terrarium would appreciate a plush friend to look at.

But as for the final gift, he and his crew was perplexed to find the box empty save for a letter that he quickly snatched up before any of his mens curious hands could grab it. Seconds later upon reading just what was on the parchment as well as figuring out exactly who the mysterious gifter turned out to be and his face was turning a quick shade of scarlet.

When asked as to what made him suddenly so flustered, the poor Captain abruptly stood up with every thoughtful gift in his arms to take them back to his quarters to sort everything out himself with little more than a curt excuse that ‘he wasn’t feeling well’  in his wake.

#ikkaku-of-heart #🐍Call To Arms🐍Asks #Birthday edition #But Ikkaku plz #he can only get so red!

[ilovewhiteroses]

I posted 57 times in 2022

That's 57 more posts than 2021!

11 posts created (19%)

46 posts reblogged (81%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@thecorilove86

@boydholbrookfanpage

@ionlyjoinedforboydholbrook

@ithinkwehitametaphor

@placeinthemiddleofnowhere

I tagged 56 of my posts in 2022

Only 2% of my posts had no tags

#boyd holbrook - 37 posts

#sandman - 21 posts

#the corinthian - 19 posts

#💕💕 - 6 posts

#❤️❤️ - 3 posts

#charlie hunnam - 2 posts

#playlist - 2 posts

#100% agree - 2 posts

#preacher - 2 posts

#same - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 106 characters

#i would be a terrible employee in an office because i would be daydreaming of this beautiful man - all day

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Feeling like sh*t, but at least my buddy is here to comfort me

3 notes - Posted November 29, 2022

#4

You cast a spell on me – Part 2.

Pairing: The Corinthian x Female Witch Reader

Genre: Fluff, Smut

Warnings: mentions of violence; horror and adult themes

Rating: 18+

Notes: - I did some research on The Corinthian’s backstory in the Dreaming, so I could write it as accurate as possible.

 PART 1. HERE

"Ouch" you said as another stabbing pain shot through you. You are a witch, of course, but you are also a woman who has to deal with an unpleasant visitor every month. You hated these days, you always felt like shit: your uterus hurt and you always wanted to cry. To alleviate your condition, you ate lasagna and chocolate in your bed while watching Moonlighting on your TV. You loved old TV shows - like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Nanny, Married with Children - because they reminded you of your childhood.

You have had quite a busy week. You went to a family gathering at your parents' beach house which has a beautiful view to the ocean; you had lunch with your publisher, where you outlined your ideas for your new book and chose the best one together; and you had dinner with one of your best friends, Cole, who worked as a photographer. Your exes introduced you to each other a few years ago and people often see you as a couple. Although you thought he was cute there was never more than friendship between you two. Cole knew almost everything about you, except one thing: who you really were. Only your family knew about it.

And since THAT night, The Corinthian, your one night stand.

You could barely concentrated on your tasks for days afterwards. You kept thinking about the mind-blowing sex; you remembered his soft hair, his kissable lips, the sight of his naked body; you felt his hands and mouth on your erogenous zones... You were so immersed in sex with him that you didn't even think of using protection, even though your previous partners all wore condoms. But you didn't panic, being a modern witch, you had a birth control potion that you made when you were 18 years old and you had to drink it within 72 hours after sex.

When you weren't thinking about his skills in bed, you were thinking about other things. You wondered what he has been doing, where does he live, if he lives anywhere at all. And does he sleep? He said he has tiny teeth where his eyes are, does he eat with them? How many people’s beds he had been in and how many of them did he kill? You felt sorry for his victims, you only hoped that he kills bad people like Dexter Morgan. But of course that's none of your business and you'd better stay out of it.

At this moment, your phone suddenly buzzed. You received a text message that said:

Hey Y/N! What's up? How is work goin'?  🕶️🦷👄🦷

You didn't have to think much, the emojis gave away who the sender of the text was, which honestly surprised you. The morning after your night together, before Corinthian left your home, he asked for your number. At first you thought about a fake phone number, but in the end you gave your own, because you knew he won't call you anyway.

As if he sensed that you were thinking of him. You got so excited that you even forgot about the pain in your lower stomach. Suddenly you didn't know what to do, text him back or call him. In the end, you decided on the second option because you wanted to hear his sexy, deep voice. You pressed the call button.

"Hello there, sexy witch! How you doin'?" Corinthian said into the phone in a seductive voice

Oh my God, his voice was invented for phone sex, you thought.

"Hi! Nothing special, I'm just resting, watching TV." you said in a light voice. "And what about you?"

"I'm relaxing. I thought of you and I thought I'd send you a text. How is writing going?" he asked with interest.

Not only did he texted to you, but he also remembered that you were a writer. Your heart began to melt at the thought.

"Well, I'm about to start writing my new book. Basic Instinct was the inspiration for it, but in my version, the man is a supernatural killer and the female character is the cop."

"I love that movie." Corinthian growled. That didn't surprise you. Paul Verhoeven's 1992 film was a great mix of erotica and thriller.

What you didn't tell him is that he inspired your male character. Of course, not the killer part, but his looks and his huge sex drive.

"That sounds great. I'll read it as soon as it comes out, but first I will sign it with you." he said kindly, You twisted your hair like a teenage girl and promised him that you would sign his copy.

"Look Y/N, I called you not only for that, but to ask...would you like to meet next Saturday? We could go for lunch or a walk." Corinthian asked.

Your heart was beating so fast you thought it would jump out of place. Of course you said yes to the invitation. Since he already knew where you live, you arranged for him to pick you up at 1 o’clock and then you wished each other good night.

Is this going to be a date or am I just trying to make myself believe that? you asked yourself. By next Saturday, your period will be over and no matter what, you'll have to wear something hot. You will take your birth control potion in a small bottle with you, because it's obvious that he invited you out with that intention. You couldn't wait for the week to pass...

The long-awaited Saturday has arrived. Not only did you start writing your new book this week, but you also made yourself to be even more desirable. You bought new sexy lingerie, went to a beauty salon for a pampering massage and had French manicure done on your nails.

You wore white shorts, a red halter neck top and black high-heeled sandals for the meeting. You looked at the clock in the living room. It’s going to be 1 in 10 minutes, so you left and waited for Corinthian outside on the sidewalk in front of your house. While you were waiting, you wondered what kind of car he might have. You could imagine an old, classic one for him, you thought that modern cars were not his style.

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4 notes - Posted December 12, 2022

#3

Serious question:

I have been wondering for a while, why people call The Corinthian ‘babygirl’? Because when I see him I think “you hot nightmare” and “I’m going to climb you like a tree” 

5 notes - Posted November 22, 2022

#2

You cast a spell on me

Pairing: The Corinthian x Female Witch Reader

Genre: Smut

Warnings: horror and adult themes

Rating: 18+

Notes: - This is my first fanfic, I have never written one before.              - This post from @thecorilove86​ was my main inspiration, plus I had time and I was in the mood for it so I thought I give it a shot.              - Back in the day I was a huge fan of Charmed and that inspired me to write Reader as a modern day witch.              - The inspiration for reader's apartment

 PART 2. HERE

 You are a witch in your 30s, living in Los Angeles and working as a fantasy writer. You went to a bar one night and You met The Corinthian there. You asked him his name, but he didn't tell You, so You didn’t tell him Yours either. Regardless, you found eachother attractive and after chatting a little bit, you decided to go to Your place…

 ”Would you like to drink something?” you asked your guest.

"Didn't we just come from a bar?" chuckled the handsome man with sunglasses while he took off his beige suit jacket and placed it on the bar stool in the kitchen.

"Well, I was just being polite," you said embarrassed, then took out two elegant drinking glasses from the kitchen cabinet and poured whiskey into them. You felt weird. You are usually confident with men, but your guest made you feel like you were a teenager on a date with your crush and didn't know how to behave.

"I leave it up to you. By the way, where do I find the bathroom?”

"Next to the stairs to the right"

"Thanks"

While the man left for the bathroom, you went to his jacket and started searching in it. You knew it was wrong and you would never do such a thing, but your witch instincts told you something was wrong with the guy and you better find out what it was.

And you were right.

You found a sharp knife in the inside pocket of his jacket. You were scared at first, but weren't surprised, because to tell the truth, you had already guessed at the bar that there was something else behind the hot looks. You have been in dangerous situations before, but thanks to your supernatural abilities you always survived. If this man were to attack you, you would fly him to the other end of the room with one hand movement or teleport the knife out of his hand. Still, you wanted to know his intentions. You didn't want to interrogate him like a policewoman, since after all you brought him to your apartment to have fun, so you put a little truth potion in one of the glasses of whiskey, which makes even the best liar tell the truth. When your guest returned to the kitchen, you handed him the whiskey, he sipped it and slowly began to walk around your apartment. You joined him and waited for the potion to work. The man looked at your home curiously. After the kitchen came the dining room, then a cozy living room with an L-shaped sofa and an electric fireplace, which you loved because you didn't have to cut wood for it. Your furniture was in silver and cream colours because you didn't like the dark ones.

Modern, sexy and elegant. This place is just like you, the handsome blond thought to himself. You also drank from the drink and in the meantime you wondered if the truth potion has worked, so you started asking questions. "You didn't tell me your name at the bar, but I'm curious. Who are you, what's your name?"

"My name is The Corinthian and I am a nightmare. Sandman made me and I escaped from The Dreaming so I could finally do what I wanted." the man said with complete confidence.

"Sandman? Who sprinkles magical sand onto people's eyes so they have pleasant dreams?” you asked surprised.

"Yes."

Not human. So that's why he had such an effect on you. "And what do you do?" you asked, then downed most of your drink.

"I'll sleep with anyone who's available at the moment, and I'll kill them if I have to." Corinthian said all this as naturally as if he was talking about the weather.

Although the drink already had a pleasant effect on you, Corinthian's brutal honesty affected you as if you had been hit by a car, but you tried not to show it. There were many things on your mind, but you could only ask one thing.

"Do you want to kill me too?" you asked

"Not if you don't give me a reason," Corinthian said suggestively as he sipped his drink.

As Corinthian looked at you, even though no harm could come to you, you felt both fear and desire. It's true that the man just confessed to being a murderer, but at the same time he's insanely handsome, you thought to yourself. Even though you were the witch, he cast a spell on you. There was something in him, in his being, in his aura... You had always been attracted to men with darker hair, and now you were faced with a blond guy who could pass for a model, and whose sunglasses made him even more mysterious and irresistible.

 Danger and Sex. You could best describe the man with these two words. Before your thoughts wandered to some naughtier places, you continued the conversation.

"I have to tell you something: I'm not human either, I'm a witch." you confessed.

Corinthian raised an eyebrow, you couldn't tell if he liked the answer or not.

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14 notes - Posted December 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The comparison of The Corinthian and Cassidy

Hello there! I hope everyone is doing fine! In this post I looked at the similarities and differences between The Corinthian from Netflix's Sandman and Proinsias Cassidy from AMC's Preacher (they are originally from DC comics). I did this because I love both men and I thought it would be interesting to take a little closer examination at them  😀

DISCLAIMER: This post features mentions of violence, horror and adult themes so do not read it if you are under 18! Also, spoilers for both shows.

NOTES: - I never read the comics, this post is about the show version of the characters (as it is mentioned above).   - Keep in mind that these are my views and opinions therefore they may differ from yours. - I didn't go into depths, I wrote in general terms. - At the end of the post I listed the sources that I used and helped me in this writing. - The most important: All this was written for simple fun, please, no mean comments!  😇

THE STORY: Sandman: Morpheus, the personification of dreams and one of the seven Endless, is captured in an occult ritual in 1916. After being held captive for 106 years, Dream escapes and sets out to restore order to his realm, the Dreaming.

Preacher: Jesse Custer is a hard-drinking, chain-smoking preacher who, enduring a crisis of faith, becomes infused with an extraordinary power. He embarks on a quest to better understand his new gift and literally find God, alongside his trigger-happy ex-girlfriend, Tulip, and new vampire friend, Cassidy.

THE ACTORS: Boyd Holbrook: American actor known for Narcos, Logan, The Predator. Joe Gilgun: English actor known for Misfits, This Is England, Brassic.

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21 notes - Posted November 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

[nervocat]

⌗ — Title: To Pick Up the Shattered Remains ⌗ — Series summary: The High Cloud Quintet, known throughout the Xianzhou as legends, has six members (despite the name of “Quintet”). Yingxing, Dan Feng, Jingliu, Jing Yuan, Baiheng and [name]. What would've happened if the events that took place all those years ago involved that extra person? ⌗ — Taglist: @dumbificat , @ariicandy , @thetwinkims , @imanonandawkward , @klemen-time , @akuangels , @nyoomiin (sorry for any re-tags made)

There will be major spoilers for the High Cloud Quintet lore and the characters themselves like Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Balde, Jingliu and Baiheng. My headconnons and personal inferences of the Quintet lore will also apply to the story. Read at your own wishes.

# — Prologue (ch 0) - has been posted

The High Cloud Quintet, the legends of the Xianzhou, this is the beginning of that group and how it came to be. How [name] became mixed up in the friend group and became close friends with Yingxing and Dan Feng.

# — Chapter 1 (ch 1) - has been posted

About near eighty years of friendship between the Quintet, disaster strikes the friend group. Baiheng is dead, and they don't know what to do. Dan Feng and Yingxing make an impulsive decision, leaving [name] to decide.

# — Chapter 2 (ch 2) - has been posted

It is now present time and Jing Yuan gets a strange note from a specific someone addressed to him and [name], but he wishes to talk about old times with them again before he tells them about said note.

# — Chapter 3 (ch 3) - still writing

Jing Yuan and [name] know the sender of the note, and decided to meet up. They guessed that Jingliu had returned, but for what? They see that the others are here as well, and things happen. Old memories return, and what was carefully put together starts to crack for a second time.

more chapters coming soon . . .

[ ★ - send an ask if you want to be added to the taglist, inbox always open !! ]

★ — © nervocat || I appreciate any reblogs made, and pls don't repost or translate my works anywhere, ty — ✦

#🗯️ ͏— ⌗nervos series . ★ #DEBUT POST POSTED!! #WOOHOOO!!!!! #tho I did forget I'll be busy this weekend... #the prologue WILL come guys #I pinkie swear #just a bit later #much to my dismay.. 😞😞 #honkai star rail #hsr #high cloud quintet #hsr x gn reader #hsr x reader #honkai star rail x gn reader #honkai star rail x reader #platonic #strictly platonic #platonic angst

[sprinklekindness]

Hello everyone! Welcome to sprinkle kindness. A positivity blog for the rpc. This is a little place to gush about your friends or send inspiring words to writers you admire. We all need a little more positivity, don’t you think?

Hello! Since we only want positive vibes in this little place, here are some basic ground rules.

1. Any hate or inappropriate messages will be automatically deleted.

2. You can send positive messages via ask. All messages will be posted anonymously. I will tag the sender when I post the message. All messages will post via queue. Please make sure to spell the sender’s url correctly so I can tag them properly. 

3. Feel free to follow the blog if you would like. I will also be posting or reblogging inspiring messages. Note that this is a side blog. So I can’t follow back.

4. I will try to post the comments as promptly as possible. ( The benefit of this being a sideblog is that I will see them right away. ) But I do work full time so I may be a bit slow at times. Please be patient with me. 

#pinned

[soft-f1sh-yearnings]

Dear Oodles,

The days have dragged on and on without seeing your face atop my peaks. You know I love the island in which i was born, the fruits i was fed, and the fruity legacy I carry on my tail but all of that still shines dimmer than you're smile....I just traveled out to an unknown island and found a previously unexplored island with little star shaped fruits. Though i thought they might be a novelty fruit of sorts, they are actually quite tasteful! I'd be honored if you'd split one with me next time we meet.

Yours,

Ananas

[They held the letter close to their chest, cheeks red but they were beaming! Perhaps a trip to visit one of their favourite dragons would be something to do in the near future] A! I wasn't expecting another letter from an FO but it's very appretiated!! qwq Thank you so much Cici!!!! I suppose I'll get to work on another letter from an FO for you in turn!! >:D /lh /pos!!

#I am looking directly at a certain actor for the next letter sender >:3c #Though side note- if more then one or two letters makes you uncomfy lemme know /gen #I've just had little fluster wars with friends where we'd make eachother content before so I tend to make stuff back #But I dont want to do anything that makes you uncomfy ^^' So just shoot me an ask if it ever does! /gen #[ <3 Answers tag <3 ] #[ <3 Writing tag <3 ] #[ <3 earthbound devotion <3 ]

[etherealeeknow]

the fwb rules

• rated m for mature

• pairing: fwb!hyunjin x fem!reader

• wc: 4.559

• tw: explicit language, light characterization of an insecure reader, unprotected piv sex (stay safe, lovelies!), fingering & oral (f), nipple play, cream pie— i think that’s all, please do tell me if you find more c:

• note: last time i said long fic isn’t my forte and this time i’ll still say the same hahahahaha. but still, i hope i don’t disappoint 🥺 please kindly note that english isn’t my first language. therefore, i apologize for any mistakes. feedbacks are always appreciated because i’d love to grow! thank you for waiting and enjoy 💞 pretty banner made by my bestie!! ilysm 😽😽😽

• tag list: @charlieshelves @es-kay-zee @formidxble @oh-my-sparkle @bobateastay @http-hyxnjxn @lyralurexrattle @hyunsluvv @healinghyunjin @sailorhyunjinz

—

what happened to the rules?

it didn’t start off like this. you can’t remember when exactly you started wondering about the five word question. all you know is that you were one bite away from gobbling a spoonful of jisung’s ice cream when it struck you: since when did you and hyunjin stop going by the rules? he’s been occasionally texting you out of the blue lately just to know what you’re up to, and today he even asked you to stay the night at his, and as much as you want to believe they’re all normal, again, it didn’t start off like this. from the beginning, you and hyunjin have come up with three rules so your relationship can work: one, be very casual. two, no strings attached. three, no fucks given outside of the, well, literal fucking. but look at you now, lying naked and out of breath under his blanket while facing his ceiling, driving yourself insane over the haunted question. you have to get it off your chest somehow, but how? 

“hey, why so serious?” asks the culprit behind your overthinking, causing you to jump slightly over his sudden appearance and your hands instinctively pull up the blanket to cover your naked chest, which as a result, makes him chuckle. cute. “here. it’s my cousin’s,” adds the topless man as he sits on the edge of the bed and hands you a white shirt that even under the dim light, you can already tell won’t fit you.

“your cousin? the model? hyunjin, she’s tiny,” you utter, hands still gripping onto the blanket. “i’m—“

“you,” he cuts you off, placing a hand on top of yours while carefully glancing at you to make sure you there aren’t any signs of discomfort. “are fine, y/n. now hurry up. i’m sleepy,” he adds before letting go, leaving behind a lingering warmth on your knuckles.

nodding, you turn your back on him to change, and the room falls silent, causing you to hear how fast your heart is thumping even more than it should have. is it because you had too much coffee this morning? or it can probably be because the shirt is too tight that it’s cutting off your air circulation, right? right, of course. you tell yourself because as much as you dislike both reasons, they are still far better than having hyunjin as the cause.

once you’re done, hyunjin already has his back lying against the bedhead, his head tilting slightly to the side, avoiding the light coming from the night lamp on the bedside table, while his eyes bore deeply into yours. unbothered that he’s been caught staring, he averts his gaze downwards till they reach your chest and spot how your nipples are sticking out through the thin fabric.

“see? it fits you just fine,” he says, turning his vision back to your face as he opens his arms and motions them at you, only to have you remain in the same position with your increasing heartbeat.

“aren’t you gonna, uh, wear something?”

instead of a proper answer, all you get is his laugh—hyunjin’s contagious laugh that usually always succeeds in making you laugh too. but today hits differently. has his laugh always sounded this lighthearted before? no matter what the answer is, one thing for sure is that despite how sweet hwang hyunjin and his laugh are, they have never made your cheeks burn like this before, and this is forbidden. it’s against the rules.

“an hour ago we were naked while sucking each other’s face, y/n,” he finally answers after a while. “besides, i always sleep like this. now, come on,” he adds, repeating the same gesture, except this time his hands are open wider, eager to have you near him again because the space around him is starting to make him feel lonely.

complying with him, you fall into his embrace and hyunjin immediately lets his hands travel to the exact places of where they want to be—one around your head and the other around your waist. despite the room turning less cold with his warmth directly passing onto you, your heart and cheeks conditions remain the same especially since you can hear how hyunjin’s heartbeats are beating just as fast as yours when he lets you lay your head on his chest.

“hyunjin,” you call out, hands fiddling with the collar of your shirt.

“y/n,” he replies, replacing the collar with his fingers instead, intertwining them with yours.

what happened to the rules?

“do... do fwb do these?” you ask, the bravery in you finally decide to show up, even just for a little.

“do this?” he asks back while squeezing your hand with all his might, as if he’s nervous.

no. not ‘this’, but ‘these’. not only the hand grabbing, but also the fact that he asked you to stay the night, that he’s cuddling you to sleep, and that you’ve been getting unusual symptoms over them until this very moment.

“yes, this,” you nod and hyunjin becomes muted, but his heartbeats are growing louder, and his grip on you has become tighter.

after what feels like forever, he whispers, voice slightly cracking, and hands getting a little colder, “yes. yes, they do.”

then the two of you become muted, but both heartbeats keep growing louder, and everything stays that way until sleep eventually takes over.

—

as a homebody, you’ve always against the idea of sleepovers. you believe home is the sweetest place and your own bed is the comfiest even when your mattress is older than a decade and your favorite plushie has had too many holes here and there. but waking up in hyunjin’s bed has broken your stigma—never in your whole life that you’d have thought someone else’s bed can provide you twice the comfort.

“looks like someone had a good sleep,” chirps jisung as he sits beside you, causing you to wipe off the smile on your face before going back to your laptop.

“wow suddenly my best friend’s a psychic?”

“hey, that’d actually make a great drama title!” he exclaims and you roll your eyes. “please do spill the tea though. what happened?” he adds.

“what happened?” you ask back, eyes still on the screen, but the corner of your lips are on the verge of breaking into the smile, knowing full well he’ll complain—which he does by lamely calling you a meanie.

laughing, you tell him nothing happened, but the way he rolls his eyes is a sign he’s not taking any of your bullshit. you are telling the truth though. besides spending the night with each other, nothing really happened, right? it was just another casual fucking session. yes, it was amazing, but that’s no news for jisung. the guy’s practically your wingman—setting you up with hyunjin was his idea because he believes you should, “live your life. have that dreamy college sex orelse you’ll regret it like my old man changbin!”

right on cue, a notification popped out on your big screen, and the sender’s name makes your heart pop too.

“aha, see!” jisung points at it. “y/n, where are you?” he reads out loud, earning yourselves all the eyes from every other student in class.

“oh my god, jisung. shut up!” right when you’re about to log out from the chat app, hyunjin sends another one.

“can i call you?” jisung reads once more and you’re only one second away from smacking his head, but your vibrating phone holds you back.

shooting jisung a glare, you make sure to close your laptop before leaving the class, answering hyunjin’s call even when you’re still half way through the door. right when you’re about to greet him hello, hyunjin beats you to it—his voice a bit raspy, but the softness in his tone still lies within, and it creates endless questions in your mind.

has he just woken up? so is this how he sounds in the morning? why is he calling?

and the list goes on because this isn’t like hyunjin at all. sure, he’s not validating the rules, but he’s breaking his character despite already alarming you to anticipate morning booty calls from him at times. he’s never actually done that though. 

“hi,” you reply, startling yourself with how small your voice came out.

“you left,” says hyunjin and you can hear him sighing from the other line, which somehow causes a slight pang in your heart, wondering if perhaps he is disappointed. “can you come back? wait, actually, let me go to you instead.” he says and you can hear the rustling sounds coming from his side.

“hyunjin, i have class. that’s why i left. i—” should you apologize? but why should you? casual, no strings attached, and no fucks given, remember? “i’m sorry.”

“oh.” hyunjin stops on his track before plopping back down onto the bed, smiling. “i’ll pick you up after class then. when will you finish?”

unconsciously, a smile creeps up your face too, but the realization hits you right after, then followed by the five word question, and you know—you know this is your guts telling you that now’s the time to ask him about it, but your heart hates confrontation. plus, wouldn’t it be rude to reply to someone else’s question with a question? “hyunjin, are you, uh, horny?”

just like yesterday, hyunjin laughs, and with the raspiness in his voice still present, he doesn’t fail to make you laugh along, but at the same time waking the butterflies in your stomach and makes you rethink your decision. mayhaps, you should’ve left him a note or told him that you’ll leave early in the morning; or even, you should’ve ditched classes today and stayed so when he wakes up, you can get him a glass of water, not leaving the boy uncared for like this. but who are you to do so? 

“isn’t it normal for a guy to have a morning wood?” he jokes before quickly adding that he’s not horny. “i just want to see you so let me go get you.”

pressing your lips together, you contemplate on whether you should let him. if you do, won’t you be turning whatever the two of you have right now into something far more complicated? but it’s only until hyunjin adds a desperate “please?” that all of your dilemma disappears, as if you’re being cast into his spell—“okay.”

—

while heading to the gate, you have the biggest urge to book a massage appointment. dodging jisung’s questions and running away from him after the first period was draining, but having to spend the day running back and forth between two buildings because thinking that volunteering as the lecturers’ teaching assistant was draining on a whole new level. other than feeling like your legs are gonna come off, your mind also feels like it’s gonna blow off—you can’t stop recalling all the things you need to start working on as soon as possible, but stepping into hyunjin’s car turns everything to 180 degrees.

you’d like to think that it’s because of the faint lavender aroma coming from his car freshener along with the heavenly cool air conditioner, but no. you know full well it’s because of the way hyunjin’s smile lit up, his eyes disappear into two small crescent moons, and his blonde hair which is becoming one with the warm orange sky that brings peace to your heart.

“hi,” he breathes out the moment you close the door, and you do the same except for looking at him, which causes hyunjin to furrow his eyebrows while speeding away.

the way home is silent, just the way you like it, but you know full well that it’s not hyunjin’s cup of tea. he doesn’t need to say it, his action is showing it all as he’s been fidgeting non stop, wiping his sweaty palm along his jeans while occasionally licking his plump lips. hyunjin’s a very vocal person. he’s talkative and loud—including in bed. you press your warm cheeks over the realization of your own thoughts, embarrassed. you can’t possibly suspect hyunjin for being horny in the morning when you yourself are being like this in the afternoon. it’s uncalled for.

noticing you from the corner of his eye, hyunjin calls out, asking you if there’s anything wrong, totally catching you off guard. what should you say? lying is not your forte, but being honest clearly isn’t the best option right now, at least, not before you shower and appear presentable in front of him—but wait, since when did that matter so much? a few months ago, you even fucked after you ran a marathon.

“y/n?” calls hyunjin for the second time.

“look, hyunjin, really, it’s okay if you’re horny. you can pull over and i can, uh, relieve you and i can just take the bus home after,” you spit out shamelessly while looking at him straight in the eyes, eager to get far away from hyunjin as fast as possible before you go out of your mind.

just like the night before, hyunjin laughs. and just like the night before, his laugh hits differently and it does nothing other than burning your already burnt cheeks for the worse.

“i swear to god, y/n, i’m not horny. i genuinely want to take you home. nothing more,” explains hyunjin, head straight at the road but eyes repeatedly stealing glances at you. “and nothing less,” he adds, voice barely audible but you caught it.

“o— oh.” is all you manage to respond before the ride quickly turns quiet and hyunjin’s hands begin fidgeting again, all the while you’re trying to decode what he has just said—what does he mean by genuinely wanting to take you home? do fwb do this too? what happened to no fucks given?—and it goes on until hyunjin hits the break in front of your old apartment building.

“we’re here,” says hyunjin, breaking the silence by unlocking the car door.

“we’re here,” you repeat after him, already opening the door and setting a foot out. “uh, thank you.”

“don’t mention it.” hyunjin shoots you his signature smile the moment you lower yourself to meet his eye level from outside the car; this time, you have no choice but to fall under his spell.

“hey, uh, you wanna come in?” you ask, biting your lower lip as a way to punish yourself for being so indecisive. one second you want to run away from him and the next second you want to be near him. come on, get a grip.

as if the punishment isn’t enough, hyunjin declines your offer, all while chuckling with his head thrown back. “for the third time, y/n. i’m not horny. go in and rest up.” 

“if you say so.” you shrug, giving him a small smile before turning around, making sure not to look back, only to fail when you hear the engine driving away.

—

you can’t quite tell—no, you can’t tell. you don’t get it. there’s an unexplainable empty space in your heart that is caused by hyunjin’s rejection. is it because you’re just not used to see him without having to fuck him? or is it because you’re hurt over the fact that he’s not in the mood to touch you? is it because of last night? is he finally sick of your flaws? things would probably be different if you had retouched your makeup or at least combed your hair before seeing him, would they? either way, you’re fully aware you shouldn’t be torn over your friend with benefits, yet your aching heart says otherwise.

and so when the doorbell rings only a few seconds after you get in and the figure you see through the peephole is no other than the man in question, you spare no time to swing the door open. hyunjin, in return, spares no time to lock his lips with yours right after he utters a brief apology. just like the way hyunjin sneaks his playful hands down your ass, you sneak your tongue in his mouth, and your action makes him smile into the kiss as he leads you back into the room and kicks the door shut with his long legs.

the way to your bedroom is actually pretty short, but with your tongues moving in sync, bodies pressing—glued, even, and eyes continuously closing in pleasure, the short way to your bedroom consists of endless stumbling, tripping, and bumping the door. once inside, you break the kiss and are about to undress yourself when hyunjin beats you to it, settling you down on the bed as he begins taking off your attire one by one ever so effortlessly. and in just a matter of seconds, his lips are back on yours again, floral scented hair falling and brushing against your cheeks, leaving you no time to wonder over the fact that it’s the first time hyunjin has ever undressed you. 

as the kiss continues, you can feel yourself gushing more and more that you start grinding on him mindlessly, needing to feel more than just his bulge poking you. your hands leave his blonde strands to tug on his hoodie, only to have him stop you—one hand around your grip and the other rests on your hip.

“what do you think you’re doing?”

“need you. need to feel you,” you mumble, desperation so visible through your cracked voice. 

“what happened to the girl who was all flustered to sleep with me last night just because i was shirtless?”

autumn nights aren’t supposed to be hot, but hyunjin has proven he has the power to make the impossible happen just with his words and mocking smirk. but the rising heat on your cheeks is nothing compared to the emptiness you feel below, clenching around nothing surely isn’t the best feeling.

“please, jinnie,” you whine, tugging on his hoodie once more, hips moving against his hold.

“fuck.” is all he manages to say before getting off the bed to disrobe himself—hoodie and track pants thrown across the room, now showcasing his toned body and thighs altogether as he hovers over you.

“please take this off too. it looks suffocating,” you say, index finger running faintly through the bulge forming from his tight boxer, making it stand up even more and hyunjin has no choice but to obey you. “put your hair up too please,” you add just when he’s about to dive right back in, and again, your wish is his command.

biting to pull off his hair tie from his wrist, hyunjin smoothly ties his hair back and you’re only given a few seconds to admire his feature before his plump lips coming in contact with your hardened nipple while he toys with the other using his fingers—rubbing and pinching, making your breath hitch over the sensation, fingers digging into his bare shoulders because you don’t want to mess up his hair, and hyunjin’s low grunts pretty much indicate he’s loving it.

“more, please. give me m—”

hyunjin retreats his hand and tongue away from your breast, moving them to your naked pussy,  drawing circles on your outer labia with his middle finger. he teases you just enough and quickly slides in his digit and at the same time sucks on your clit right before you’re about to complain, making you tingle from head to toe.

“you hear that?” he asks, voice muffled, the effect of being too tongue tied from licking every part of your heat, but finger working its magic perfectly, creating loud wet noises from your fluid. “drenched. my pretty y/n is drenched,” says hyunjin, and as much as you want to comment on him for the pet name, you’re too caught up on how his lips vibrate against you the moment he starts palming himself with his unoccupied hand. if he keeps it up, you know you would come undone there and then, and you don’t want that—not yet. so you ask him to stop and he instantly does as told.

“what’s wrong? did i hurt you?” there’s fear written across his expression and heard from his tone, but you’d like to believe your eyes and lips are just playing tricks on you.

“n— no. i just,” you pause to avoid his gazes, but something within you pulls your attention back on him. “i wanna cum with you inside me,” you confess, voice barely audible due to embarrassment; all this time, it’s always been hyunjin to say such things, but perhaps, all the strange tension lately has finally gotten the best of you. you hear him mutter a low “fuck” while his pupils shakes for a brief moment before they somehow appear a shade darker. licking his lower lip, hyunjin pulls you by your legs and rests them on his shoulders, and proceeds to align his tip with your entrance, once again teasing your throbbing core.

the moment you whine is the moment hyunjin pushes himself inside ever so gently, but the stretching still has you throwing your head back, while hyunjin letting our airy moans upon your walls clenching around him. none of you can tell how it’s possible for your vagina to remain so tight after all the countless fucking session for the past half year, but hyunjin doesn’t find that troubling. in fact, he lives for that and it shows from the way his eyes roll to the back of his head as he begins thrusting in and out of you—slowly but steady, veiny hands secured on your hips, vision goes back and forth from your half-lidded eyes to your parted lips.

hyunjin leans down to kiss you for a couple of seconds, and when he lets go, he quickens his pace—leaning down once more so his length can go deeper in you, hitting your g-spot. at that very moment, you mentally praise yourself for placing the bedroom mirror right across the bed. it presents you with the magnificent view of hyunjin’s rounded, firm ass bouncing rhythmically whenever he snaps his hips, and placing your hands around them, squeezing them, nearly makes you drool over the sight. with hyunjin constant thrusts, the familiar knot in your abdomen starts to bubble up.

“oh my god,” the two of you whimper in unison as hyunjin begins to lose his tempo, moves also grow sloppy, but never once misses your spot.

“y/n, i— ah— i’m so close. fuck,” he breathes out, sweat forming on his forehead, wetting his baby hair down to his neck and chest, and you can only drool helplessly at the sight.

“me too. please cum inside me, cum with me, hyunjin, please, please,” you beg, voice a pitch higher, almost sounds like you strain your throat, and it stays the same. when you feel hyunjin twitch inside you, your hands automatically reach for the bed sheet again, but it only lasts for a second before they’re being taken by hyunjin’s own hands—he has never done this. while intertwining your fingers, his cock twitches again and his eyes roll to the back of his head, jaw falls open as he calls out your name—you naturally do the same, fingers pressing flat against his white knuckles

“hyu—”

“cum, baby,” he cuts you off, averting his hazy eyes on you, and that’s all it takes for you to break—your orgasm washes over you like waves and you cum undone around hyunjin, shaking and mewling altogether while feel the wet coldness around your inner thigh. hyunjin follows right after, shooting his hot cement inside of you; the man can no longer keep his eyes open as he buries his face on the crook of your neck, his choked moans bring music right to your ear all a while his hot breaths bring goosebumps to your unrecovered body.

after riding out your highs, none of you move. hyunjin stays on top of you, his chest rises and falls according to your hard breathing. somehow, it’s calming you down, but it shouldn’t.

“hyunjin, you’re heavy.”

“oh, sorry,” he chuckles and even without looking, you can tell his eyes are smiling too. with his remaining strength, hyunjin pushes himself up and rests on your thighs to pull his dick out of you, momentarily admiring the mixture of his juice and yours dripping down your cunt before fixing his eyes on you to study your face—also something he has never done before. 

“i’m sorry,” he mutters a few moments later, eyes now on you.

tilting your head, you sit up, resting your upper body with your hands on the bed. “all of a sudden? i came? you always make me feel good.”

“that’s what i’m sorry about. i— i didn’t mean to— i mean, i—”

you reach out to him, gently patting his thigh. “hyunjin, calm down. this isn’t like you,” you whisper the last sentence, knowing that perhaps, now’s the time to talk things out, to stop whatever is going on, and go back to how things are used to be, maybe? your heart’s just been restless for too long and apparently, hyunjin seems to be in a similar situation too.

“i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to keep using you like this. i genuinely meant what i said. i only wanted to take you home, but we ended up here and—”

“isn’t that what fwb do?” you pull your hand off his thigh, and a frown painted across his face as if he’s questioning your question. “that’s what we agreed on. we have our fwb rules, remember?”

“one, be very casual. two, no strings attached. three, no fucks given outside of the, well, literal fucking,” says hyunjin, proving he has memorized every words to the back of his mind.

nodding, you carefully bring back your hand to his thigh, repeating the same movement you did before. “exactly. so you don’t have to be sorry. don’t worry, i’m not feeling used at all.” you end it with a smile.

hyunjin mirrors you, he smiles too; his eyes fall to where your hand is. “but what if i’m breaking them? the rules,” asks the boy whose cold hand is now on top of your warm one. “what if i like you?” his eyes find their way back to you, and that’s when you know. the difference between your temperatures; the difference between your smile and his—the sadness that lies within.

that’s when you understand. everything finally makes sense; every one of hyunjin’s unusual acts. the constant texts and calls, the undressing, the pet names, the facial expression, the hand holding.

what happened to the rules? feelings. that’s what happened. to hyunjin, it’s his feelings over the rules.

but you, what about you? the butterflies, the irregular increasing heartbeats, the flushing cheeks, the overthinking, the disappointment at some point.

“y/n,” hyunjin calls out and you don’t get to get back to him because he’s already an inch away from you, momentarily eyeing your lips before he closes the distance. once again, his blonde hair falls down, brushing against his cheek before meeting yours and it tickles you, but not in the same way as how his kiss tickles your heart; giddy.

what happened to the rules? unwanted feelings. that’s what happened. to you, it’s the unwanted feelings against the rules. and for now, the unwanted feelings are too strong for you to push him away, so you pull him close instead. for now.

—

gen’s masterlist

repeating this!! special note: HUGE THANK YOU for my awesome bestie for the banner 🥺💞💞 ily, bish!! thank you for being my beta reader too 😽😽😽

#gen writes #hyunjin smut #stray kids smut #skz smut #hyunjin hard thoughts #hyunjin hard hours #stray kids hard hours #stray kids hard thoughts #hyunjin fic #hyunjin scenarios #hyunjin imagine #stray kids fic #stray kids scenarios #stray kids imagine #hyunjin imagines #kpop smut #kpop fic

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Portrait of a Dangerous Man🎨4

Warnings: (series) non-consent sex and rape; slow creep; cucking; (this chapter) only plot hehe

This is dark!mob!Clark Kent x reader and explicit. 18+ only.  Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Synopsis: Your dream of having your work hung in an art show comes true but your first buyer is not all he seems to be.

Note: I’m at my tipping point, I swear. I’m dealing with everything in our household, new bed (delayed delivery yay!), cleaning, cooking, dog walking, and working. My only escape are my fics and this weekend I’m telling everyone to fuck off so I can do the writeathon... but sorry for the rant, enjoy more Clark.

Thanks to everyone for reading and thanks in advance for all your feedback. :)

I really hope you enjoy. 💋

<3 As usual, I’d appreciate if you let me know what you think with a like or reblog or reply or an ask! Love ya!

Wednesday trickled by like sand in a glass. You could hardly keep your eyes open as you typed away and a double espresso shot was the only thing that saw you through your hours at the gallery. Vanessa was excited for her next event and already asking after some new pieces from you. You promised her some from your storage unit to stave her off as you held in your yawns. 

You collapsed into bed that night beside Marcus. He complained about his day until he drifted off and you followed suit shortly after. You awoke with a decision, the echoes of your boyfriend’s gripes in your head and heart. You hated how miserable his job made him, how dull your own was. It felt like there was nothing else but the almighty dollar.

You called Clark after an email to Jim, your nerves alight in anticipation of the disgruntled reply. It didn’t matter. You were done. You didn’t need to worry about the all caps messages and curt zoom calls.

“Hey,” Clark picked up, he sounded out of breath.

“Oh, hey, sorry, it’s me,” you swiveled in your chair, “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Nope, just getting in a work out,” he grunted, “you’re not bugging me if you have good news for me.”

“I think… I do,” you forced out, “I just sent in my resignation.”

“Mmm, you don’t sound… happy,” he hummed.

“I am, I think I’m just processing it,” you replied, “I said I’d let you know today so I’m letting you know.”

“Well, how soon can you be here?” he asked.

“Today?”

“Sure, why not?”

“I guess, I could leave as soon as you want me,” you said.

“I’ll send a car,” he intoned, “I’ll give the driver your number, if you don’t mind.”

“Yeah,” your voice almost squeaked, “I can do that.”

“Alright, sweetheart, see ya soon.”

The line cut out and you lowered your phone slowly. You stared at Outlook and the new email icon along the taskbar. You closed the laptop and stood. You could worry about the fallout later, right now, you had to get ready for another day of painting.

🎨

It was starting to feel like deja vu every time you arrived at Clark’s house. You got out and thanked the drive, Jeremy, before he drove off. The doors opened before you got to the top of the steps and your host was already dressed in the same outfit he wore for each session. His hair was neat but his beard was even thicker than before.

“I think you can tell I’m a little antsy to start,” he chuckled, “how are you, sweetheart?”

That pet name caught in your mind again. It might just be a habit of his. Nothing more than an absent-minded word.

“Me too, honestly,” you smiled, “but I have a weird question for you.”

“Ask away,” he said as he walked with you through the foyer.

“The beard… you want that in the portrait or--”

“Oh, ha, yeah,” he ran his fingers along his jawline, “I guess I wasn’t thinking. You’re the artist, what do you think?”

“Well, erm, either way is fine,” you said, “I was just… wondering. I’m not even close to starting on, uh, you yet. I mean, right now I’m just working on the background and basic shapes.”

“I’ll let you make the call when you get there,” he said, “say the word and it’s gone.”

“Alright,” you came to the top of the stairs and he pointed you ahead of him.

He followed you as you entered and you went about filling the jar with water and resituating the set up. He sat as you mixed and chose your brush. You climbed the ladder and peered around the canvas at him. He took on the same pose as usual and you dipped the bristles into the pigment. You could make a happy life of this.

🎨

Clark shifted and cleared his throat. You rolled your wrist and glanced back over at him as you drew your hand back from the canvas. He braced the chair and pushed himself up.

“How about a break?” he asked as he shook out his arms, “back’s a bit stiff.”

“Sure,” you said, “I think I could sit down for a moment.”

You took a step down the rung of the ladder but your toe slipped and suddenly your palette was against your chest. You slid down backwards as Clark rushed over and barely kept you from toppling the entire thing over. You laughed at yourself as he righted you and looked down at your paint-streaked shirt.

“Jesus,” you muttered.

“You okay?” he asked as he kept his hand on your upper arm, “be careful.”

“Yeah, I’m-- clumsy, is all,” you carefully pulled away and set down your brush and palette.

“Come on, sit,” he pulled up the stool and planted it before you, “take a minute.”

As you sat, he stretched his arms over his head and then out to the sides. He paced around the other side of the table, long strides as he worked the cramps from his long legs. He stopped and came up to play with a brush as you leaned an elbow on the table.

“Well, I did have another offer for you,” he said, “I was thinking of waiting but might as well ask now.”

“Oh?” you raised your brows curiously.

He swished a slender brush in the air then lowered it and picked at the tip.

“I’m having a get together on Saturday, some business friends and the like,” he said as he set the brush back with the rest, “it won’t be work. You’ve earned some time off. You can even bring the boyfriend.”

“Saturday?” you pondered, “I’m usually at the gallery on Saturdays.”

“It would be great networking,” he said, “and I already told all my friends about you. They’re excited to see your work. It will almost be like a viewing and it’s only right the artist is there.”

“I could make it work,” you mulled, “Marcus would love to come back.” You snickered, “he loves this place.”

“It’s a nice house,” he said casually, “a bit big for one person… hence, the party.”

“I’ll put it in my calendar,” you stood and slid your palette closer and cleaned it off to remix the mess of paints.

“Great,” he said as he rounded the table and brushed close to you, “it’ll be nice to look at a mug besides mine, huh?”

You laughed as you squeezed out the dark paint and nodded, “ha, sure.”

🎨

The rest of your week was spent much the same. Jeremy drove you to Clark’s and you went up to the studio to continue your work between small talk and silences that grew so thick you had to break them with mindless comments. It wasn’t enough to focus on the path of your brush as the man tugged at your attention.

Marcus was excited when you told him about the party. He raved about how he needed to let loose, about how much expensive alcohol he was going to drink, and the awesome backflip he was gonna do into the pool. You reminded him, he hadn’t done anything like that since college but he swore he could still do it.

You didn’t share the sentiment. You were anxious. You were flattered to be invited but despite what Clark said, it still felt like work. His friends were going to be there and he apparently was trying to sell them on your art. 

You didn’t realise until after you hit send on your email, but you put your livelihood in this man’s hands. A man, you reminded yourself, who was little more than a stranger.

On Friday, a day you were thankfully not called to the mansion to teeter on the ladder and paint, the buzzer rang and drew you off the couch from amid your YouTube binge. The man on the speaker called back that he had a delivery and you let him up. You took the box from him, the thick silver ribbon giving away the sender even before you could read the tag.

Inside you found a black dress with little gemstones set into the fabric like stars in the sky. It was nicer than anything you’d ever owned before and a pair of silver shoes were tucked in beneath the outfit. You took the shoes from the tissue paper and something else shifted in the bottom.

You reached in and revealed a velvet box from the depths of overzealous stuffing. You opened the lid and found a simple chain of diamonds. You gaped in disbelief. They were real. The fake ones didn’t look so nice.

You phone chimed before you could even think to call Clark. It was as if he could see you. You answered and your voice warbled pathetically.

“Hi, I was just gonna call,” you touched your throat as it constricted.

“Yeah? I got the notification that it was delivered,” he said, “you like it?”

“It’s too much,” you gulped out, “really, I can’t--”

“I want you to look nice. I want you to feel good and have a good time,” he said, “I feel like you’ve been working so hard. You need a chance to just let it all go.”

“Look, I…” you were uncertain how to handle it. It was more than generosity but you felt wrong denying it as much as you did accepting it, “I’ve never had a boss buy me diamonds. At least let me give those back.”

“Boss?” he mused on the word, “I suppose, but you gotta dress the part now, sweetheart. You’re gonna rub shoulders with a lot of rich dicks like me. Pardon my language.”

“I didn’t realise it was such an upscale thing,” you put the velvet box down and turned to sit on the couch beside the large box. You played with the silver ribbon and chewed your lip.

“Sweetheart, it’s nothing, you got this,” he said, “trust me, if you can win me over, my friends will be child’s play.”

“Mhmmm,” you stared at the tv mindlessly, “Clark?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you doing all this?”

There was silence and you heard him sigh then a subtle metallic click.

“Because I can. And you’re a talented artist. Didn’t all the big painters used to have patrons back in the day? You know, Da Vinci and all that.”

“Sure, I guess--”

“Look, sweetheart, I’m glad you like the dress, I gotta go.”

He hung up abruptly and you turned your phone to stare at it in confusion. You were starting to get a bad feeling and that little voice in that back of your head, that little sabotaging bitch, whispered in your ear. No, you wouldn’t let your self-doubt get the best of you this time. You either grabbed this chance or you spent the rest of your life doing menial work and painting the world as it passed you by.

🎨

Friday night, Marcus couldn’t stop rambling about the party the next day. You just couldn’t get over the tickle in your chest, the same one you got before job interviews and doctor’s appointments. You were on edge, even as you spent your stress on him, your body writhing against his as you panted and pouted. It had been a while since you fucked. All the work and the stress had just let things slip past you. Maybe with your new gig, you could get back to those early days when it was all you wanted to do.

You slept soundly. You blamed the sex and the momentous week. You got up, had a lazy brunch time meal, and beat Marcus at MarioKart several times over before he convinced you it was time to get ready. 

You pulled on the gifted outfit after fighting with your make-up and hair. You gave a little tada spin to Marcus and he lifted his brow as he tried to figure out his tie.

“Wow, where’d you get that?” he purred, “fuck, let’s be late.”

He ran his hands over your hips as you neared him and fixed his tie for him. You giggled and planted a kiss on his lips.

“Jeremy’s on his way,” you warned, “I don't wanna bite the hand that feeds.”

“Oh, and it feeds you well,” Marcus chirped, “you think he’ll let me have a spin in the McClaren?”

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t. I don’t need to scrape you off the side of the road,” you took your phone as the screen lit up, “come on, he’s here.”

“Fuck, babe, really, you’re gonna make me follow you out of here with your ass looking like that?”

“Stop,” you tittered, “you know, there might be more sellers tonight?”

“Oh yeah? I guess you’ll be paying a mortgage soon enough.”

“Me?” you scoffed.

“Sure, I’ll be your sugar baby,” he kidded.

“Well, baby is accurate,” you teased as you stepped onto the elevator, “please, just behave.”

🎨

You were surprised to see Vanessa at the party but reassured to see a familiar face. Clark had been distracted by his other guests and you did your best to mingle, letting Marcus take the lead until he was distracted by another guest’s Rolex and started asking too many questions. If you did start selling art to these kinds, you suspected you’d be paying for a lot of overpriced brands. That was a worry for another time.

You stood with Vanessa and a man she introduced you to. Bruce Wayne was tall and his dark-hair was combed back neatly as he spoke over the glass of wine in his hand. You were bored of the Monet-Manet argument, one you’d heard a million times from the stubborn gallery owner, and you were at your limit of socialisation.

You excused yourself and put down your unfinished drink on a table. You looked around but couldn’t see Marcus anywhere. The last you saw him, he was with Clark but you couldn’t find him either. You frowned and wandered between the pairs and trios gabbing around the room.

Just past the bar, you looked back and still no sign of either man. You huffed and your heels clicked into the foyer and to the stairs. You’d go to the studio and sit for a moment and collect yourself. You just needed to take a breath.

You climbed the stairs slowly, the din of the party floating up behind you. You came to the top but stopped as your eyes were drawn to a pair of open doors opposite the studio. You neared and stayed against the wall as you peeked inside. Marcus admired an old-six shooter and spun the barrel.

“You got everything, man, I swear,” you hid behind the door frame and listened.

“Eh, it’s all just things,” Clark replied, “I bought that from an auctioneer down in Texas. A verified antique but it just hangs here. Not good for much but looking at it.”

“Dude, what I wouldn’t do to live here? Have cool guns and even cooler cars? Shit, you know how fucked it is that my lady is making bank and I’m over here with my dick in my hands? I mean, I’m proud of her but… I mean, if I could get paid thousands for drawing, I would’ve tried to learn.”

“She’s good. Dedicated,” Clark remarked, “she’s special. Worth more than money.”

Marcus hummed and you heard the barrel click back into the place. Neither of the men spoke as you heard something shift and Clark cleared his throat. Subtle footsteps moved around the room and you pressed yourself to the wall. You should leave and let them talk but you couldn’t help but be curious.

“Isn’t she?” Clark prodded.

“Y-yeah, but… I don’t know. I just wish I had more,” Marcus said, “I probably sound like a chump, huh?”

“You can’t have it all,” Clark replied.

“Says the guy who can buy anything and everything,” Marcus moped.

“Oh?” Clark intoned, “so… how about it then? Fifty thousand.”

“For what?” Marcus chuckled nervously.

“Her,” Clark answered.

“Her-- I… my girlfriend?” he sputtered.

“If money can buy me anything, that’s what I want,” Clark said firmly, “it’s a one time offer… whether or not you agree to it, I’m gonna fuck her.”

You skin crawled at his words and you covered your mouth in disgust and shock. You inched closer to the door to hear better as you waited for the response.

“One hundred,” Marcus said.

“Seventy-five,” Clark countered.

“That’s my girlfriend, dude,” Marcus hissed.

“And yet you’re haggling with me over her. Eighty.”

You tore yourself from the wall before you could hear anymore. You felt hollow and heavy all at once. Your eyes were glossy as you scurried over to the studio doors and pushed the left one open. You unhooked the diamond necklace and tossed it onto the paint-stained palette and rolled up your brushes.

You stormed over blindly to the easel and pushed it over. It clattered to the floor loudly but you were already out the door and halfway down the stairs. You gripped your clutch and the bundle of paintbrushes tightly as you continued on outside and the blurred outlines of luxury cars passed you by. 

You stomped up the long drive in your heels as you flicked away tears and pulled out your phone. You knew it was too good to be true. Any of it; your art, Clark, Marcus. You weren’t good for anyone unless they could get something out of you.

#clark kent #dark clark kent #dark!clark kent #clark kent x reader #fic #series #dark fic #dark!fic #superman #portrait of a dangerous man #dc #dcu #mob au #au #mob!au

[andypantsx3]

subtle | shouto todoroki/reader

pairing: Todoroki Shouto / Reader

status: complete

length: 2,171 words

summary: Someone leaves chocolates on your desk. You're determined to track down the sender, certain it's a mistake, and Shouto Todoroki makes himself as unhelpful as possible.

tags: romance, reader-insert, fluff, valentine’s day

warnings: aged up characters (no smut though!!)

There was a box on your desk.

There was a box on your desk, and the sight of it was enough to instantly set you on edge.

The box looked normal enough, if a little fancy, maybe. Its lacquered top glinted brightly under the fluorescent office lighting, its smooth, polished sides waterfalling into the soft matte of your desktop underneath. You weren’t close enough to read the inscription, but you could just make out some elegant, curling script inlaid into the top of the box, possibly the name of whichever company had produced it.

The box looked very normal, in fact. Only, you knew it wasn’t. Boxes didn’t just show up in the middle of the Todoroki Hero Agency, a campus swimming with pros and armed with layers of security so deep it took even you--Shouto Todoroki’s manager--fifteen full minutes to get through screening every morning. It was something very much like being a prison guard at Tartarus.

So either this box meant the agency was dealing with a security breach the likes of which had scarcely been seen before, or someone had mistaken your desk for somebody else’s.

Which, considering it was Valentine’s Day, made a lot more sense.

Buoyed by the realization it wasn't a security risk, you crept closer, peering at the box, and the script resolved itself into the name of the extremely fancy chocolatier in Hiroo district that you made a point of drooling over every time you had to make a house call on Shouto. Their prices were literally insane, so you had never let yourself wander inside, unwilling to shell out an entire week’s pay for a tiny set of chocolates. Even if they did look absolutely fucking unbelievable from the window.

Your mouth watered.

That confirmed it--this was a Valentine's gift, and it was definitely a mistake. For the briefest of seconds, you’d wondered if maybe you had gotten obligatory office friendship chocolates, but this was too much. Some poor, love-sodden flop had gone out, spent their week’s pay on someone they were clearly very serious about, and then proceeded to fuck the entire thing up by plonking their gift straight onto your desk instead of their intended’s.

You frowned, quickly checking the box over for some kind of clue as to who had left it. There was no note included, nothing even mildly helpful that would give you the slightest hint of the person who'd left it here. Which left you with the question of how to return the box to the sender without knowing who they were, or how to pass it on to whoever they’d really meant it for.

You drew your bottom lip between your teeth, staring hard at the surface of the box like you could crack its code if only you glared hard enough. The box stared back at you, unhelpfully silent.

You were still skewering the box with your gaze some minutes later, determined to unravel its secrets, when a deep voice murmured from your doorway.

“You look puzzled."

You startled, whipping around to find Shouto propping up the wall, looking as unfairly handsome as usual. He was watching you intently, those heterochromatic eyes fastened to your face in that careful way he had, the one that always made you feel too warm and slightly unfocused. As usual, it was all you could do to remind yourself that you were a professional and he was something solidly between a friend and a coworker, and no matter how cute and attentive he was, you shouldn't get any ideas.

This morning, he was dressed in his hero uniform, tall and broad-shouldered, his distinctive hair only a little ruffled from his early patrol. It wasn’t often someone tried something in the districts he watched over anymore, probably too nervous to find themselves on the wrong end of the number four hero’s temper. You knew from the reports you received to your phone that the only trouble he’d encountered this morning was a pack of amorous school girls purposely misusing their quirks to draw his attention.

Thirty minutes ago, in fact, you’d almost spit out your coffee laughing at a photo of him looking wildly uncomfortable as he attempted to ice down some girl’s lava quirk with his right hand while fighting off her unfathomably enormous bouquet with his left. It was only right that he should suffer once a year, when every other day he got to stalk about as handsome as you please, oblivious to the effects his appearance had on every breathing person within a five mile radius.

You gave him an absent nod, gaze drawn back to the box on your desk.

“Somebody accidentally left something in here,” you told him, gesturing to it. “I’m trying to figure out how to track down who it was, or who it was meant for.”

Shouto made a small noise in the back of his throat, almost like a cough, and it was enough to startle you into looking up at him again.

“What?” you asked, peering at him. Was he coming down with something? It wasn't often he got sick, but when he did, he usually attempted to hide it and needed to be steamrolled into taking time off. You looked him over, trying to assess whether or not you needed to start badgering him now.

Shouto gazed back at you evenly, his expression deceptively bland. “...You think it’s not for you.”

You felt yourself blink at him, surprised by the comment and struggling to discern his meaning. What did he mean, you think it’s not for you? “Of course it’s not for me, Shouto, it’s from Grégoire Chardin.”

You knew he’d know the place, considering he lived in the same fancy rich people neighborhood as the chocolatier, but Shouto looked unimpressed.

“Why should that mean it’s not for you?” he asked, his tone dry.

The remark caught you off guard, as his comments sometimes did, and you bit down something like a smile. Bless his sweet, oblivious, rich boy heart. Either he overestimated your appeal to his agency staff, or he really did not understand the concepts of cost and return on investment.

“It’s expensive, it’s not something you would give someone as obligatory chocolates,” you explained, watching as a white eyebrow went up. His expression sharpened into something you couldn’t read well.

“It could be a secret admirer,” he said.

You stared blankly back at him, absolutely floored by the idea.

He thought you had a secret admirer? The idea sent an excited thrill all the way down to your toes, but you quickly squashed the feeling. So far, you'd never been on the receiving end of any furtive but romantic gestures, and you really didn't get any interested vibes from anyone in the office, no lingering glances or excuses to spend more time with you. The person who paid you the most amount of attention was Shouto, which was to be expected, considering how closely you worked together. And obviously he wasn't interested, he was just happy to stand in your doorway spouting wild conspiracies about his agency staffers like they were completely reasonable things to say.

“I don’t have a secret admirer,” you told him.

Shouto’s mouth pressed into a thin line and he took an intent step forward into your office. “Is the point of a secret admirer not to be exactly that--secret? How can you be sure?”

You couldn’t help it--you gaped at him, your face going weirdly warm. Okay, was he--was he serious? You obviously weren’t the most unfortunate creature on earth, and you even had your good days, but nobody in their right mind was going to attempt anything with you when there were girls like Nejire Hado and Ibara Shiozaki roaming the hallways of his agency. Even several of the analysts and most of the support crew had you beat out in terms of appeal--literally bless this man for his obvious indifference to your appearance.

“I, uh--thanks for your confidence in me,” you said, fighting down a laugh. “But I assure you, it definitely wasn’t meant for me. I just have to figure out who left it and who they meant it for.”

Shouto shifted impatiently, like he was waiting for something.

“You’re so certain,” he said, sounding frustrated.

“Of course I am,” you waved at him vaguely. It was actually super cute that he thought you could net yourself a dude who was willing to shell out Grégoire Chardin dollars, but you were just wasting time now, lingering over the least important part of this entire affair. “Listen, Shouto. I know sometimes men talk in the locker rooms. If you--if you hear anything, will you let me know? I just want to return it, it looks way too good sitting here.”

It was actually taking all your willpower not to open it and avail yourself of Japan’s finest chocolate, considering you would never have another opportunity like this again. Maybe you should just pretend it was for you....Really, no one could fault you for opening something left in your own office. But...no. No, you knew better.

Shouto appeared indifferent to your internal struggle. He watched you for a long moment, his features impassive. “Under one condition,” he finally allowed.

You cocked an ear to show you were listening, rifling around with the paperwork on your desk to distract yourself from the chocolate. You were strong, a good person. You had willpower like steel. You did not need to eat it, no no no.

“If no one comes looking for it by the end of the day, you will open it,” he said, moving closer.

You glanced up at him, shocked. “Shouto, this is someone else’s gift,” you hissed. “I can’t just open it.”

He placed a large palm down on your desk, leaning over you slightly. “That is my bargain.”

“You want me to steal somebody’s shit in your own agency,” you accused him. You tried not to pay attention to how close he had gotten, how straight his nose was up close, the way his eyes seemed brighter and his mouth pulled into a pout almost too pretty for a man.

The rest of his expression slipped into something like annoyance, matching his pout. “If no one comes for it, then it must be evident that it was meant for you.”

You suppressed a derisive laugh. Now was not the time to get shirty with your own boss, especially when his delusions were kind of sweet. It was honestly just short of a miracle that a man who looked like Shouto did could possibly think anyone on earth would have a thing for you, regardless of his own tastes.

“What if they’re just too shy to ask for it back?” you asked, watching those heterochromatic eyes flick over you curiously.

“If it’s as expensive as you say, someone will come looking,” he said. Which was actually kind of annoyingly reasonable.

A smirk flitted across his maddeningly perfect face when you failed to come up with another argument. He had a point, and he knew it.

You let out a gusty sigh. “Fine, but only because I’m certain someone will come looking for it. Please be subtle when you’re gathering info, okay? I'm sure this is embarrassing for whoever made this mistake.”

Shouto looked almost offended. “I am perfectly capable of being subtle,” he intoned in his deep voice.

This time, you did laugh. He was quiet, maybe, very perceptive, and unobtrusive when he wanted to be, but no one had ever accused the man of possessing tact. “Yeah, okay. Just, try to channel more subtlety than you think you need, okay? No one else but the sender needs to know about the mix up.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Shouto was leaning over you more fully, eyes glittering strangely as his clean, fresh scent met your nose. You froze in your chair, brain going horrifyingly vacant as he leaned impossibly nearer. What the fuck was he doing?

“It will be like I’m not even asking,” Shouto promised, his voice light. “Not asking anyone at all.”

You tried to scrape your thoughts back into something resembling order, but the effort was all but futile. You needed to get him out of your space stat before you embarrassed yourself.

”Okay, then it’s a deal,” you said quickly. “Now go...flambé a villain or something.”

Shouto lingered for a long moment, his mouth curling a little at the corner, like he was being let in on a secret you couldn’t hear. His eyes brushed over you, almost like a physical touch. And then he was gone, pulling open the door to your office, looking annoyingly pleased with himself.

“You will see,” he said by way of farewell. “You will find out how subtle I can be.”

You stared at him in confusion, but he didn’t explain himself. He just smirked, and closed the door behind himself.

#todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki x reader #todoroki shouto #bnha #bnha fanfic #bnha x reader #boku no hero academia #shouto todoroki x reader

[otomes-and-tears]

♦  You spin me round (like a record)  ♦

► tags/warnings: Background NakedToaster x MC, MC has female pronouns

► words: 1189

► summary: 

Opening the box was her first mistake. Inside there were two things: A smaller, white box with a transparent lid, that housed a bright pink fidget spinner and a note, that read:‘

‘‘It has begun. Get ready, LovelyLola, there is no stopping it now :)’’

► a/n: My entry for the Bloomic server’s 2k celebration ♡

I can’t believe that this is my first fic for this fandom lol

► Masterlist

It was a bright, summery day when the first package arrived on MC’s doorstep.

It was a box, too big for the contents inside it, with the familiar smiley Amazon logo.

It was odd— it was mailed to her, with her full name and address correctly typed out on the standard-issue sticker, but she doesn’t recall having made any recent purchases that would warrant receiving packages.

Still, it was an amazon box, a gift, probably and she was curious about what might be inside it.

Opening the box was her first mistake.

Inside there were two things: A smaller, white box with a transparent lid, that housed a bright pink fidget spinner and a note, that read:

‘‘It has begun. Get ready, LovelyLola, there is no stopping it now :)’’

It was ominous. But as she picked up her fidget spinner, taking it out of its box and giving it an experimental spin, she thought “that doesn’t sound too bad for a prank!’’

That was mistake number two.

The following package arrived three days later after she had promptly forgotten about the gift and its (not so) mysterious sender. It was still the same-sized box, but this time, with two fidget spinners inside it.

The note this time was simply a smiley face. Two dots and a closing parenthesis. Not a whiff of ominous text or any semblance of an explanation at all.

That night, when she entered the server, MC attempted, in vain, to drill out information from her online friends which proved to be mistake number three.

The very next morning, right as she left for work, she found package number three. The box was a bit heavier this time— with not one, or two, but ten fidget spinners. All in various types of leopard print. It had a note this time, which said “Thought we might up the ante.’’

You see, this is where MC grew concerned.

The note confirmed the existence of a ‘’we’’.

Before, MC had assumed that it was a result of Toasty messing with her.

He had sent her things before— new headphones after he had complained about her audio quality in calls, a steam gift card with just enough money to buy final fantasy XIV and paid for food delivery after she mentioned during a call that she was hungry but too lazy to cook. It was just one of those things they did as a couple in a long-distance relationship.

Her address was something that he’d long been privy to. She even knew theirs and sent them a package with gifts and a handwritten letter for Toasty’s birthday, months earlier.

She had suspected that one day, he’d use this knowledge from evil, but she didn’t quite expect Xyx to be involved in it too.

That surely complicated things. While Toasty might be influenced by MC batting her eyelashes and asking him, nicely, to stop, but Xyx would likely only make the torment worse.

Still, it couldn’t hurt to try, right?

The packages stopped for a while.

At first, she was apprehensive— the second package took three days to arrive, after all. But after a whole month, she had presumed that they had simply grown tired of the joke and wrote it off as a thing of the past.

They laughed at her expense, she has gotten thirteen fidget spinners out of that ordeal, Xyx and Toasty could tease her over it on the server and she wouldn’t have to worry about finding new places to store her collection of fidget spinners.

It was perfect. Everybody wins!

Believing that it would last was mistake number four.

The fourth box arrives, two months later, just a few days shy of MC’s birthday. It’s sitting innocently on her front porch.

It’s small, and just like the first parcel, it only contains a fidget spinner and a note:

“The worst is yet to come, doll :)’’

The message fills her with utter dread.

Xyx had Toast had months to plan.

She was terrified of learning what they came up with.

It didn’t take too long for MC to find out.

A mere hour later the doorbell rings, and she’s face-to-face with a new package.

MC closes her door and prays that one of the neighborhood porch pirates snatches it before she has to drag it inside.

She cracks the door just enough to take a picture of it— the box is considerably bigger than the others before it, and visibly heavier.

[LovelyLola has entered the chat]

Nightowl: H

Nightowl: E

Nightowl: L

Nightowl: L

Nightowl: O

Nightowl: you’re right on time!

June: Please tell him that the ocean isn’t a soup I’m begging you.

LovelyLola: @nakedtoaster @xyx CAN EITHER OF YOU EXPLAIN THIS? LovelyLola: [picture]

NakedToaster: ???

NakedToaster: it’s your birthday gift

xyx: it’s a box

xyx: looks like its made of cardboard

NakedToaster: you should open it

LovelyLola: i wont

LovelyLola: i know what’s inside.

xyx: and what would that be

LovelyLola: FUGDETSPINNERS

LovelyLola: **fidget spinners

xyx: fudgetspinners

LovelyLola: shut up

LovelyLola: quest back me up on this

June: Quest isn’t online

LovelyLola: June!! you’re a sensible human being…

NakedToaster: just open the box

LovelyLola: NO

June: Maybe you should open the box

LovelyLola: NOT YOU TOO

Nightowl: don’t open the box

LovelyLola: THANK YOU NIGHTOWL

LovelyLola: YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE HERE I CAN TRUST

NakedToaster: I promise you that it isn’t a fidget spinner.

LovelyLola: ….do you promise?

NakedToaster: i promise

LovelyLola: reallyreally promise?

NakedToaster: i promise

MC sighed. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her beloved partner, more that she knew him well enough to expect something.

She opened the door, slowly, carefully, as if the box was a wild animal, set to attack her, and dragged it inside.

It wasn’t an amazon package this time, she could tell by the lack of logos and the brown-ish tape used to close the lid of the box. It was also even heavier than expected and the effort necessary to bring it inside made her curse at NakedToaster and xyx so many times she half believed that their ears were burning from it.

She grabbed the box cutter from the counter and made quick work of opening it up, not wanting to delay the inevitable any further.

As expected, they were fidget spinners.

Hundreds of them, all free of the little white boxes with transparent lids that came with the previous fourteen of them.

So many that one fell just by MC opening the box.

For a moment she could only feel horror. How much money had xyx and NakedToaster spent on this? How many were even on the box? What the actual fuck would she do with so many fidget spinners?

As she stared at the contents, she noticed a small, white, envelope just barely peeking out from in between possibly hundreds of colourful, plastic toys. She reached to grab it, not caring about what toys fell.

MC was just desperate for an explanation. Any explanation at all.

The envelope had her nickname engraved on the front, with a small but neat cursive.

She opens it up to reveal the note inside:

…That was completely blank.

#originally this story was supposed to be about nightowl not the MC #i gave up halfway through #poor boy doesn't deserve this torment #blooming panic #bloomic #bee's writing #2k celebration #xyx #nakedtoaster