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ateezmakemeweep · 3 years

Text

playing with fire (part 1)

word count: 23k

fluff, smut (warning: age gap, infidelity, roommate’s father)

(series masterlist)

“is there any other way you could pay?” the woman behind the desk asked, stout and soft spoken with sympathy in her eyes.

she probably has to have this conversation with students a lot, tell them that their tuition payment didn’t go through or that they’re not eligible for government support.

or that the athletics department needed more scholarship money, successfully rendering you, one of the many photography majors on campus, unable to pay for your last semester of college.

“a loan of some sort or another scholarship, maybe?” she tried to help, “i could send over an e-mail of ones you might be eligible for.”

you swallow the lump forming in your throat, attempting to calm all the anxiety and stress violently making its way through your body.

“y-yes, that would be great, thank you,” you barely manage to get out, hoping and praying to some unknown force above that you don’t burst into tears.

you were nearing the end of the fall semester, the last fall semester you ever anticipated of having, when you found out just last week that you were no longer eligible for your scholarship.

in a short, curt e-mail explaining that, while you kept up your gpa and never strayed from the requirements, they’ve maxed out their amount of funding and are looking to use that money elsewhere.

“can they do that!?” your best friend and roommate of four years yelps, gucci sunglasses atop her head as she stomps around your shared, off-campus apartment.

“they can’t seriously do that! you’ve been a straight a student since you started and now they wanna take it away?! before your last semester of senior year?!”

“eunbi, it’s not ideal but i’ve already come to terms with it,” you explain gently, leaving out the part where you did, in fact, have a break down right outside the bursar office only an hour ago. “i’ll just save up money and come back in the fall to finish.”

“that’s so not right or fair though!” she whines, something about the concept of not getting what she wants unfamiliar to your roommate.

you first met park eunbi during freshmen move in day, your two raggedy luggages and beat up backpacks an embarrassing contrast to the multiple louis vuitton travel bags she lunged in.

you were intimidated for all of three seconds, before she looked at you with a smile and threw her arms around you like a long lost best friend.

it was obvious she came from money, the way she spoke and carried herself so confidently before her parents came in and introduced themselves.

they were both gorgeous and tall and looked far too young to have an 18-year-old daughter, covered in fancy jewelry and expensive looking clothing.

her dad, who introduced himself as mr. park seonghwa, didn’t seem to bat an eye at your more humble appearance. he reminded you a lot of eunbi, honest and genuine in the way he was kind and nonjudgemental.

mrs. park seemed nice enough, too, though you could see the judgement behind her pretty eyes.

the way she sneered at your bags and looked down at your hands, so different from her and her daughter’s not covered in diamond bracelets or acrylic nails.

“did we just miss your parents?” she asked, her voice just as pretty and rich sounding as she appeared; you bet if she laughed, she’d had have that melodic, care-free laugh all rich women seem to have.

“oh, uh, yeah, i’m sorry,” you apologized, lying through your teeth with a shy smile and averting gaze - you had to move in by yourself, the same way you traveled here all alone with no one to send you off.

“it’s okay, we just thought it’d be nice to meet them,” eunbi’s father interjects, the smile on his handsome face causing your stomach to swoop - how is he a dad?

“we were gonna take eunbi to an early dinner before we left. do you wanna join us?”

“oh no, it’s okay, i’d hate to intru-”

“no, you’re coming, c’mon!” your new roommate whined, grabbing your hand and pulling you toward the door. “we’ll be able to get a lot of dessert out of them. probably the whole menu if we wanted.”

and you saw that over the years, eunbi knew she could, in fact, get whatever she wanted from her parents. they had the money and the means and the fondness in their hearts for their only daughter.

but it never seemed to get to your friend.

she was always kind and thoughtful of others and never said or did anything to suggest she was just a brainless, spoiled rich kid.

even in your guy’s second year when she found out you were going to school on an academic scholarship, she didn’t care. she didn’t turn her nose up or think you were lesser than her for not having the funds; if anything, it only made her praise you more.

that you were smart and ambitious enough to work under the strict guidelines of a prestigious scholarship.

“i know it’s not fair,” you mumble, not wanting to cry or have another anxiety attack over this matter. “but it is what it is. i’ll figure it out.”

she lets out a dejected, defeated sigh so uncharacteristic of the girl, plopping down on her pink, fluffy bed and bringing you down with her.

“we’ll sell feet pics over winter break,” she concludes after a few minutes of silence, wrapping her arm around yours and curling her body into yours. “you know how much money we can get from that? and we have pretty feet,” she says, sticking her leg up and wiggling her red, painted toes.

there’s a little less tightness in your chest and a little heaviness lifted in your stomach as you let out a giggle, looking over at your best friend who truly got you through the last four years of school.

you really don’t know how you’d still be functioning if it weren’t for her.

“you’re sick.”

“i’m serious,” she giggles out, flipping on her side and causing the bed to bounce under you. “you’re still good with coming tomorrow, right? i told my parents you were.”

she had invited you to her house for the winter break this year, the girl not wanting you to spend a month alone in the apartment.

you’ve shared with her how strained your relationship with your parents has been, really, since birth. never seeing eye to eye to them and feeling as if they never had your best interests at heart.

when most kids get full ride scholarships, their parents are immensely proud. bragging about how smart they are and telling them how proud they were.

but your parents were the opposite.

they didn’t want you to up and leave them to pursue an education. they thought you were gonna stay with them forever, not go to college like them and help run the family business back home in your tiny little hometown.

it was your dream to go to college and get a degree, though, so that’s exactly what you did for yourself; but they saw it as a giant fuck you.

saw it as you thinking you were better than them and basically told you to never come back if you thought you were so much smarter and better off without them.

so you’d spent every winter or summer vacation in the dorms, this year finally being the time you accepted eunbi’s invitation to stay over - reluctantly.

“i packed all my stuff, yeah,” you mumble, hands twisted into one another nervously. “but... are you sure they’re okay with it? i don’t wanna intrude or be there if i’m not wanted.”

“y/n, please,” she whines, “my mom may be a raging bitch but you know i make the rules in that house.”

“that’s not what i meant,” you mutter immediately, looking to the girl with a small frown on your lips.

although it was no secret eunbi’s mom didn’t ever seem too fond of you, always sneering at your off-brand items or questioning the logistics of why exactly you needed a scholarship to afford college, you always tried to remain polite.

smile at her and greet her happily even though there was always a thick, palpable tension between you two.

“oh but it is,” she chuckles out, the girl far too aware of what a materialistic snob her mother is. “it’s fine, i know she’s a bitch. my dad’s just coming tomorrow anyway. i told him to bring one of the bigger cars so we can lay out in the back.”

you have to bite back a snarky comment about the fact there are multiple cars in question, though the look in your eye certainly gives it away. she can only giggle and shrug her shoulders, flopping onto her back as she tells you about how excited she is to be reunited with her boyfriend.

eunbi and jiwoon have been dating since their second year of high school, going to colleges only an hour away from each other; he was just as handsome as he was kind and good to her, leaving you with no other option but to love and support the both of them.

and you try to listen to her rambling that ensues, you really do, but your mind is swirling with some slight anxiety about staying with her family for a month.

you don’t wanna make her mom even more irritated, deal with the side eyes and passive aggressive comments and overall feeling of just not being wanted.

you don’t want eunbi to feel obligated to be with you 24/7, act as a cock block to her and her boyfriend who haven’t seen each other in almost six weeks.

and maybe, you don’t want your tiny, small, miniscule crush on mr. park to make you feel any more awkward than it does, wondering how a married man who has a daughter in college is still so handsome and alluring.

it also doesn’t help that he’s just so incredibly kind, always making everyone feel so comfortable and welcomed, it’d be hard not to just develop a little, secret crush on him.

“eunbi, who is that sexy ass man who just dropped you off?” one of your suite mates asks your roommate, everyone gathering back in front of the dorm building after winter break.

it was sophomore year and you spent a month in the quiet, almost eerie college dorms alone (apart from the ra down the hall). you were grateful for everyone to return, no matter how loud or catty things were about to become.

“yeah, for real. is that your new boyfriend? he’s hotter than the last one and i didn’t even think that was possible.”

“uhhh.. no,” eunbi says, shooting the crowd of girls with lustful eyes and curious glances a look of distaste. “that’s my dad.”

and that’s when a chorus of disbelief and inappropriate comments erupted from the group of college girls.

asking how a dad could look like that while hoping and praying he’s single.

inquiring about just how much her dad’s on campus and when’s the next time he’s gonna pick her up.

about how he’s definitely hotter than her boyfriend, with a more mature and sophisticated look than these college boys.

“are they fucking serious! like how disgusting? he’s my literal father!” eunbi rages once in the dorm room, sharing a few curse words and vulgar phrases at the girl’s before stomping away from them.

“and for them to say that shit in front of me? did they think i want to hear that?”

“i know, that was so sick,” you agree, because even though you, too, think he’s attractive, it’s not something you would ever verbalize to your friend.

“like... i know he’s younger than most dads, my parents had me when they were teenagers, but shit! how sick,” she rants, throwing down her heavy designer bags and flopping on her bed.

you can tell by the look on her face how much it truly bothers her, everyone always noticing her dad and making comments like that. she handles it well, she’s always able to handle herself well, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s something that worries her.

people getting close to her to get to her dad, even if it was teachers or other moms in elementary school or her friends when she got to college.

it’s one of the many reasons you would never give away your little crush on him - because it’s not only inappropriate and uncomfortable for her to know but there’s also no need to tell her.

because it’s not like it would go anywhere.

he’s a married man and your roommate’s father, a twisted, dark, forbidden fantasy that will stay in the walls of your head and never see the light of day - no matter how thrilling and fulfilling being with him would be.

“eunbi, your dad’s gonna be here soon,” you yell into your roommate’s doorway, met with the sound of her groaned “five more minutes!” that you’ve been hearing for the past twenty.

she was on facetime with jiwoon when you went to bed around one, briefly waking to the sound of her girlish screams or high-pitched giggles three hours later; you wouldn’t be surprised if she only went to bed a few hours ago.

“you said five more minutes thirty minutes ago,” you say, stomping your way over before smacking her over the head with a pillow. she lets out a loud sigh before swatting you away, your surprisingly fast reflexes grabbing her wrist.

she peeks one eye open as a smirk covers her morning face, looking from you all dressed up and ready in your pink pleated skirt and white thigh high stockings, down to her wrist in your hold.

“that was kinda hot. and you look good. i don’t know how to act right now.”

“shut up and get your ass out of bed,” you demand, biting back a smile as you storm out of her room.

you’d been pacing around the apartment ever since you woke up at seven a.m., more and more unsettled about staying over her house as the time drew closer.

you checked to make sure you had enough clothes and chargers and skincare products for nearly an hour, finally settling the same purple suitcase you moved in with freshmen year near the door.

you hope mrs. park doesn’t notice, remembering the way she sneered at the wonky zipper and slightly stained bottom.

you also hope you can keep yourself in check, not get too nervous or flustered by eunbi’s exorbitant wealth or a new setting you don’t feel welcomed in or her hot ass father whose bones you wanna jump.

the knock at the door completely sobers you, jumping in your spot just in time to see eunbi fly across the living room to get to the door. there’s a big, happy smile on her face, ripping open the door and greeting her father in typical eunbi fashion.

“are those for me?” she asks, snatching the red box from his hands.

excitement bubbles inside the girl as she unveils twelve chocolate covered strawberries, a speciality at one of the local dessert shops just a few miles from her home.

“you shouldn’t have, dad, really. i’m much too tired to appreciate this.”

the man can only look at his daughter with a look of disdain and affection, waking up to an extremely passive aggressive text that she’d really appreciate an early morning treat from her favorite place ever and that it’d really inspire her to be ready.

but as he can currently see, given the state of her hair and pajamas pants, it didn’t at all act as a motivator.

“then maybe i should just-” but upon her father’s hand reaching out to grab the box of strawberries, the girl brings it to her body and runs away, yelling that her bags are packed and she’s just gonna wash her face.

he looks to you with a mock annoyed expression, your heart jumping in your chest as you send him a small, polite smile.

“how do you deal with her, y/n?” he asks, a smirk on his face rising as you let out a soft, slightly forced giggle - this man looks too good for his own good at ten o’clock in the morning.

“don’t talk shit about me!” she yelps before you can even think to say something, a smile lighting up his face again before he nods his head down the hall.

“i’ll bring down your girl’s bags,” he says, his tall, large frame coming toward you making your knees feel slightly wobbly.

you swear you see his eyes roam over you for the shortest of seconds, down to your shirt and exposed legs before back to your face, until he’s looking into your eyes questioningly.

totally not like someone who just checked out their daughter’s roommate - this is what you feared, your own delusionals and attraction making your crazy little brain see something that’s not there.

“her bedroom’s down that hall?”

you resist the urge to swallow nervously, begging yourself to snap out of it and remind yourself you have to deal with the man for a month. a month of his dark, piercing eyes and bright, white smile and skin so smooth and clear, it’s far too easy to forget he’s almost forty years old.

“yeah,” you barely manage to get out. “i-i can help and bring down mine.”

“no, it’s okay,” he insists, “help in getting eunbi ready. you know she’ll delay us thirty more minutes.”

you let out another strained chuckle as you nod your head, finally letting out the breath you’ve been holding when you hear his footsteps disappear down the hall and into her room.

as long as you distance yourself from him, not look him in the eye or let any sort of idea get in your head that an older, married man could want you back, this will be fine.

it’ll be a nice, calm, relaxed break actually full of interaction and socialization opposed to your usual lonely bubble of solitude.

eunbi’s not making that very easy though, when twenty minutes later, she’s opening the back door of her father’s black g-wagen and sprawling out on the black leather seats.

“where’s y/n supposed to go, eunbi?” seonghwa asked, the fatherly tone is his voice causing eunbi to let out a huff; the only time you see eunbi’s spoiled tendencies come out is around her father, the girl knowing he’ll do anything and everything for her.

and apparently, so will you.

sitting in the front seat of her car, next to her extremely hot father you’re trying to stay calm around, while she sleeps soundly in the backseat - if she didn’t invite to stay at her home, meals and bed and transportation free, you’d say she has to owe you.

“was she up all night talking to jiwoon?” mr. park asked, the past few moments of silence just as comforting as they were terrifying. it felt awkward to you, extremely tense and full of suspense, but you knew it was completely normal.

you bite down on your lip, looking back at eunbi sleeping soundly on the seat, even prepared with a fuzzy white blanket. you let out a soft giggle when you see her mouth open, the slightest bit of drool hanging from her mouth and threatening to spill on the dark leather.

“she might’ve been,” you mutter, a breathy laugh leaving her father that causes you to sneak a glance at him.

there’s not a hint of a wrinkle or imperfection on his glowing skin, black hair hanging in his face and red lips quirked into a content smile. that’s something you always noticed about him, despite his dark appearance and looming figure, he always appears to be happy.

smiles and laughs and never gives anyone without his same wealth a dirty glance - he treats everyone the same and that’s another reason you’ve taking a liking to him, not just because he’s the hottest man you’ve ever seen in your life.

“y/n?” he asks, your intrusive thoughts being ripped away at the sound of his voice calling your name.

your eyes move to his and he’s watching you in slight amusement, a rampant blush creeping up on your cheeks at the way you’ve been caught. you’re quick to look away, shake your head and let out an awkward chuckle and apology.

you miss the way his eyes roam your side profile, a delightful smirk and feeling in his chest blooming before he speaks again.

“how was your semester?”

“it was good,” you say, hands placed nervously in your lap. “a lot of work on top of an internship but it was good.”

“and you girls are almost done,” he hums lowly, one hand atop the steering wheel while his eyes focus on the highway in front of him. “eunbi’s been talking about a combined graduation party since the moment you guys met.”

you let out a small laugh as you remember eunbi’s plan since your second semester of freshmen year, ignoring the twinge of sadness in your stomach.

you could’ve never anticipated delaying your college career when you first received your scholarship, happy and proud and eternally grateful for the opportunity.

but you suppose you’re lucky enough to have gotten this far, and delaying one last semester is nothing compared to people who never get to go to college - but it still makes you feel upset.

you think you have the right to feel disappointed and sad, the lingering sick feeling in your stomach making you feel nauseous.

“is it okay if i open the window for a second?” you mumble to mr. park, the man looking over your face.

he presses down on the passenger window button immediately, your face met with cold air as relief floods through your body.

“are you okay? do you get car sick?” he asks, remembering how much eunbi used to get car sick (on the rare occasion she wasn’t passed out during a road trip).

“not usually,” you mumble, resting your head on the side of the door.

then again, i’m not usually freaking out about making tuition money or repressing my violent attraction to my roommate’s father.

seonghwa watches as you close your eyes for a few moment, allowing the cold, windy air to hit your face. he couldn’t help but notice the pinkish tint to your cheeks, suppressing the urge for his eyes and thoughts to wander.

you’re a college girl in the prime of her life and his daughter’s best friend, he’d be a fool to think you were blushing and nervous because of him - but he also doesn’t remember you looking like.... this.

so pretty and dressed up and pink in the face as you check him out with a soft and curious look in your eye.

“maybe try to take a nap,” he suggests, his gaze lingering back onto the road so he doesn’t look at your exposed legs. “i’ll pull off at a rest stop to get you ginger ale.”

“that’s not necessary, mr. park,” your sweet voice says, something about it causing his insides to jump - he definitely doesn’t remember you sounding like that. “i’ll be okay. just need the window open for a little longer.”

you spend the next few minutes with the cold, december wind blowing through the car, your back pressed against the comfortable seat behind you. a chill runs through your body, goosebumps rising on your exposed thighs, but it feels better than the alternative.

potentially panicking or vomiting due to current stress of your life.

your gaze shifts to the man beside you, whether it be to check him out or ask if he’s cold unknown to you.

“are you okay with the-”

the words are stuck in your throat when you see his eyes aren’t on the road but your exposed, goose-bumpy thighs, the white lace of your thigh high stockings and pink skirt leaving little to the imagination.

you wish you could see the look in his eye, if it’s judgemental and shameful or full of lust and curiosity. if he’s wondering what you have on just a few inches under your skirt and if that’s something he even thinks about.

or maybe he’s just looking because it’s there - your skirt blowing in the wind and him caught off guard by the sight right there in his passenger seat.

“um, i think i’m good now,” you mumble, watching from your peripheral as he shifts in his seat and tightens his hold on the steering wheel.

“alright, let me know if you wanna stop.”

you bite down on your lip as you nod your head, keeping your eyes on the view in front of you.

the faint sounds of eunbi snoring behind you act as a way to ground you, remind you that these thoughts and feelings you’re having can’t stay.

maybe you have to get it our of your system now, take all the looks you can and feel all the hopefulness your delusional brain needs until you act as if eunbi’s father is a mean, disgusting, grotesque man.

not someone who gets your heart and body pounding.

you’re not sure how many songs play on the radio until you both are talking again, seonghwa looking in the rearview mirror to see his daughter still passed out on the seats.

“do you think she’ll sleep the whole time?”

he hope for his sake, she doesn’t.

you look back at eunbi sleeping soundly, the drool previously trickling down her mouth successfully making a pool on the black leather.

“probably,” you chuckle out lightly. “i have a feeling she went to bed around six.”

“shit,” he laughs out, remembering the days he used to be able to pull all nighters in college or dreaded the idea of waking up in the morning. “i can’t remember the last time i was able to stay up past one.”

“you’re not even that old, mr. park,” you tease, not sure where you got the balls to say that and feeling, at least for a few seconds, that you overstepped; but then he lets out a deep, amused chuckle and it causes butterflies to erupt in your stomach.

“not that old, huh?” he quips, your tooth sinking into your lip at the tone of his voice. “you know i’m turning 40 in a few months, right?”

you crane your neck to look at the man in the driver’s seat, swallowing thickly when you see his eyes are already on you. there’s a certain type of lightness and teasing in them that you’ve never seen before, the man always happy and jovial but never like this.

never looking so... teasing and playful.

“yeah,” you say with a growing smirk, not being able to help your own nervous excitement. “that doesn’t seem too bad.”

the deep, low chuckle that leaves him causes your stomach to swoop, eyes wide and the small smile on your face causing him to look over you once more.

it’s shameless and bold but neither of you seem to care in that moment.

“i’ll keep that in mind,” he says, deep brown eyes piercing through yours before his face turns teasing and.. appropriate.. “the next time eunbi tries to call me an old man or something.”

“right,” you chuckle out, cheeks burning and heart pounding as you allow yourself to break eye contact.

the ride to eunbi’s house is just over two hours, hoping and praying that it goes by quickly - because you’re not sure how much longer you’ll be able to be alone, or mostly alone, with him.

you’re thinking too much into his words and his gaze and the way he makes you feel, making you silly enough to believe that, maybe, a part of him wants you too.

the second you arrived at eunbi’s, you had already felt unwelcomed.

not only because of mrs. park, who just about sneered at your presence in her exquisite home, but because of the dozens of other socialites in the immaculately white living room.

it looked and felt almost like a hospital. a white color scheme with black accents, extremely cold and spotless - the only bit of color was in eunbi’s room where it felt like you could actually breathe.

“i’m sorry, i told her not to throw her fucking gathering today,” eunbi complained, grumpy from her nap but still happy to finally be home.

“a bunch of stuck up snobs, i swear to god. they either have to get the stick lodged so far up their asshole removed or get dicked down by their lousy excuses of-”

“eunbi,” you hear her father’s deep voice reprimand, the girl not even feeling the slightest bit of shame or embarrassment for talking that way in front of her father.

“oh, c’mon, dad, you know it’s true!” she whines in a whispered tone. “they’re the worst! and she knew me and y/n were coming today, do you really think that wasn’t a coincidence?”

because, as far as eunbi thinks, she has sinking suspicions that her mom did this solely to make you uncomfortable.

she had already been hesitant to let you stay in the first place, had eunbi not gone full on bitch mode and stubbornly proclaimed she’d spend the break with you at the apartment.

but you didn’t have to know that.

“i don’t care, it’ll just be my first christmas without my family, mom, who cares about that,” she had said, all types of manipulative and toxic behavior that she learned from the best.

she’s sure her mother was sweet and good at one point in her life, she wouldn’t have ended up with her father in the first place if she wasn’t, but money changes people.

wealth and greed and having the power to get anything you want because you flash a stack of money around or write out a check.

“i told her to have them out by dinner,” he said, his eyes moving from eunbi to you, standing there with tense shoulders and a shy, uncomfortable look on your face.

“you’re more than welcomed here, y/n,” he said, his voice low and full of kindness as he stands in eunbi’s doorway. “don’t worry about it, okay?”

you resist the urge to pout at the touched feeling in your chest, looking from the man to eunbi who’s nodding at her dad’s words.

“thank you, mr. park,” you say, a phrase he swears has never effected him this deeply.

and because of that, he’s quick to haul ass out of there. tells you guys that dinner will be ready around seven and to come down whenever.

you and eunbi spend that time in her room to unpack both of your things and watch movies, her king sized bed nearly lulling you to sleep until her loud squeal and bounce of the bed causes you to jump in shock.

“y/n, don’t be mad at me please,” she whines directly in your face, all wide-eyed and cutesy as she looks at you with mock innocence.

“what did you do?” you mumble tiredly, pushing her away with the smallest of sneers.

“i’ll be back for dinner, i promise, but... is it okay if i go to jiwoon’s for a little?” she asks, cocking her head to the side before shimming closer to you. “i have to get railed so bad.”

“jesus christ, eunbi,” you snort, pushing her away again and burying your face in the pillow - you’ve never met someone who overshares as much as she does.

she plops down on her back with an unabashed giggle, popping right back up like an annoying little dog and looking at you with a smile.

“of course you can go, i’m not gonna hold you hostage here,” you say when she pulls your face away, looking at you so expectantly and sweetly, you couldn’t say no if you wanted.

“okay, but i don’t want you thinking that i’m gonna ditch you this whole time. i’m really not, y/n,” she pouts, knowing that was one of the reasons you were apprehensive about coming - that and her bitch of a mother. “i just miss him.”

a pout falls on your face as you look at eunbi and the genuine look on her face.

“bi, i’m serious, go. i want you to,” you insist, moving a piece of her tangled hair away from her face. “we were just gonna be up here anyway. i’ll probably take a nap, i was about to fall asleep before your loud ass-”

“thank you, thank you, thank you,” she says, pulling you into a tight hug before jumping off her bed and rushing toward her door. “i’ll be back a lot more calm and happy. oh, why, you ask? because i’m about to get my back blown the fuck ou-”

you thank god for your impeccable aim, promptly whacking eunbi in the face with one of her pillows.

“get out of here,” you groan, eunbi throwing the pillow back with a smile on her face.

“sweet dreams, y/n!”

you let out a sigh when she closes her door, falling back onto her bed with a soft plop.

you were definitely tired from your anxious pacing this morning but aren’t sure how much sleep you’re gonna get right now, tonight or for the rest of the month.

knowing that you’re unwelcomed by one person, extremely attracted to another and silently betraying the person you should be most loyal too - but as long as it just stays in your head, and you remind yourself that there’s no way mr. park could feel anything back to you, it’ll be fine.

you’ll just get by quietly and smoothly at dinners or in passing through the hallways, enjoy eunbi’s comfortable king-sized bed and the fact that you don’t have to spend yet another holiday alone.

reruns of drake and josh play in the background, keeping your giggles quiet as drake soaks his feet in lizard pee. you feel your eyes grow heavy the more episodes you watch, the shitty laugh track and loud, bickering brothers eventually lulling you to sleep.

it takes about five knocks on the door to eventually stir you, your eyes fluttering open to see mr park’s figure in the doorway. you can only stare at the man as you adjust to him, taking in his tall, slim figure just a few feet away from you.

taking in the way his white shirt clings to his body, broad shoulders and slim torso on display in a way that makes you wish you could see, just for a second, what he looks like underneath that a-

“sorry if i woke you,” his deep voice hums, the slightest bit of amusement in his voice that causes your cheeks to warm. “i didn’t think you’d be sleeping at seven p.m.”

“no, it’s okay,” you stammer out, sitting up in eunbi’s bed. “i... i don’t even know when i fell asleep, to be honest.”

he looks at the screen to see drake and josh playing, a smirk pulling at his lips as his gaze shifts back to you.

“it’s funny,” you defend with a mumble, a deep chuckle leaving his mouth that causes butterflies to erupt in your stomach - he’s far too handsome, everything about him is just far too attractive, even in his laugh.

“that’s what eunbi claims,” he says, remembering all the years of his daughter forcing him to watch ridiculous shows.

despite his daughter’s outgoing nature, she never had a lot of friends growing up.

there was once a small group of girls she hung out but they quickly drifted apart throughout high school, leaving eunbi really only with him and her boyfriend.

the boyfriend who seonghwa really didn’t wanna like out of principal but seeing that the kid really does love his daughter quickly coming around.

“speaking of, where is she? jiwoon’s?”

“yeah,” you tell him, settling back into the pillows and stretching your arms out in front of you. “she said she’d be back for dinner.”

“well she’s wrong, as usual, because dinner’s ready,” he quips playfully, the smirk pulling at his lips causing you to smile back at him. you swallow nervously when his eyes roam over your face, your own gaze trained on him before you see his mouth start to move again.

“do you want me to bring some up for you? or you’ll come down?”

he can see the apprehension on your face immediately, fear crossing your eyes and your arms folding into each other uncomfortably. he tries to ignores the way your soft white sweater dips by your chest, a hint of perky cleavage just barely showing that causes his dick to twitch in his pants.

he doesn’t know when this happened.

he didn’t know when he became a pervy old man who checked out college girls with his wife just downstairs and the knowledge that you’re his daughter’s friend.

“i’ll come down,” you say, surprising him just as he was about to insist he brings some up for you. “she’ll probably be back soon anyway.”

but five minutes pass by, then ten, then twenty and eunbi’s still not home - it’s just you, seonghwa and mrs. park at the long, glass dining room table.

white chairs with high backs and comfortable cushions to match the immaculate, hospital-like color scheme and environment; truthfully, you’ve never been more terrified to eat a plate of chicken parmesan in your life.

the sound of utensils scraping on the china and the crackling of the fireplace a room over are the only noises heard throughout the home, mrs. park taking a swig of wine and gently placing it on the table with a light clack.

“so, y/n,” she finally says, breaking the tension with her rich-sounding, nasally voice. “how has school been, dear? you’re an... art major, am i remembering that correctly?”

“uh, photography, yeah,” you smile tensely, trying to ignore the judgment in her voice.

“ah, so you never switched over to business then,” she hums, her wine glass back in hand as her dark, gorgeous eyes look you over.

you bite the inside of your cheek as you feel a pink flush cover your face, faintly remembering your roommate saving you a few semesters ago when her mom was grilling you about picking a more practical and useful major.

“she can do whatever she wants, mom,” eunbi eventually snapped, “whether she does business or photography or even liberal arts is none of your business.”

“no,” you mutter out, dropping your gaze to look over the intricate pattern on the table. “i thought about it but it wasn’t something i wanted.”

“so you didn’t want something practical? or useful?” she asks, using those two words yet again while cocking her head to the side with a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

“a business degree would’ve been great, y/n. everyone always has connections to somewhere, you could’ve found a job right out of college.”

you bite back the urge to tell her no. that not everyone has connections to multi billion dollar companies or numbers of ceos in their phones or the ceo of a tech company as their next door neighbors.

but instead, the same way eunbi defended you against her mother, seonghwa does against his wife. gives you a soft, sympathetic side eye before placing his larger hand on his wife’s.

“there are tons of jobs in photography too, honey,” seonghwa says, his voice so warm and soft and welcoming compared to hers even despite the slight edge in it.

“and she can travel to build her portfolio. it’s a fantastic opportunity to explore the world and make money. is there a particular type of photography you’d wanna do?”

you feel yourself relax slightly, a small smile on your face as you nod your head toward the striking couple.

“i would love to be a wedding photographer actually,” you mumble, a romantic at heart who’s read and watched far too many novels and romcoms.

“taking pictures of all those moments would be really fun, i think. like when the groom sees the bride for the first time or just everyone dancing and having fun. weddings are usually happy and i like to photography happy things.”

“that sounds perfect for you then,” seonghwa smiles, his brown eyes lighting up and making you feel even more at ease.

“i think you’ll do great, y/n. and you only have a semester left, right? maybe you and eunbi you could travel for the summer before you start your jobs.”

you ignore the swish of dread and anxiety in your stomach at the mention of next semester, instead choosing to smile softly and nod your head at the man.

“i think she’d love that,” you giggle out, knowing damn well your roommate already has an extensive list of cities she wants to visit before ‘real life begins.’

“and how do your parents feel about everything?” mrs. park asks, making your stomach twist with even more dread and discomfort. “are they proud?”

you wish you could fold in on yourself right now, swallowing the growing, nervous lump in your throat.

because not only is she making you incredibly uncomfortable right now, with her harsh looks and topic of conversation and snide little tone, she just mentioned the people you haven’t spoken to since you left home at eighteen.

you don’t know what to say, you have the slightest bit of concern you might throw up on her, when the loud, chipper voice of your roommate floats through the cold, silent house.

“i’m back!” her chipper voice yelps, sock-clad feet running through the house and sliding on the marble floor. “what’d you guys make?”

“you’re late, eunbi,” seonghwa mumbles warningly, an innocent smile on her face as she picks up her plate of food and plops down next to you.

“am i? or are you girls just early?”

“i’m not a girl.”

“it’s a figure of speech, father,” eunbi says, smiling playfully at her father before turning to you.

she’s able to tell the second she sees your face that you’re uncomfortable, the pink flush still lingering on your face and the tenseness of your shoulders making her frown.

“i’m sorry you were alone with them,” she whispers, genuine sorrow in her wide, mock-innocent eyes. “i got held up. or... down, rather, but i tried to leave on time. i promise.”

“uh huh, i bet,” you mumble back, fighting back a smile despite your discomfort.

because eunbi has always had something about her that made it impossible to stay mad at her, her carefree, unfiltered way of communicating that made being her friend so easy.

even if, sometimes, you wanted to kill her.

“so mom,” eunbi quips, turning her soft gaze to you before looking over her mother.

“what was with your little group of bitchy housewives today? you couldn’t have had them over any other day? what kind of christmas disgrace is that?”

“eunbi...” seonghwa chastises lowly, the girl with her brow already quirked and eyes narrowed.

“i can do whatever i want in my home, eunbi. are you forgetting how things work around here?”

“how could i, when i’m met with thirty middle-aged women with botox out the ass in my home the second i get back from school?” she asks, “you didn’t think me and y/n would wanna spend the break, like, resting?”

“you ran off to your boyfriend’s the second you got here,” mrs. park bites back, her glass of wine empty as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “left your friend all alone in your room. what did i tell you about leaving... guests unattended in the house?”

the accusation and direction of conversation is quickly making you feel uncomfortable, your head turned down in your lap and leaving your cheeks aflame.

she’s making it sound like you would steal something in her home for christ’s sake, like you’re not a guest who’s dreaded coming here due to this very reason.

you block out the back and forth between eunbi and her mom, a few more seconds of yappy feminine voices before a deeply spoken “enough,” echoes through the dining room.

you even look up at the sound, watching as mr. park’s eyes rest on you. his eyes narrow as he takes in the sight of your red cheeks, his gaze shifting from you to his daughter to his wife beside him.

“y/n’s here for a month and we’re gonna make her feel welcomed the entire time. if you two are gonna fight, don’t do it at the dinner table.”

“but dad, she totally-”

“maybe you should’ve taught your daughter-”

“no more,” seonghwa growls, a sense of finality in his tone that causes the room to go silent.

you can tell your friend is unbothered by the reprimanding, shoveling food into her mouth and sipping from her wine glass completely unbothered.

sometimes you wish you could be more like her, so unfazed by conflict or loud voices or the strained relationship with a parent.

eunbi was always open with you about the rocky relationship with her mother, saying more than once to you that if it weren’t for her father, she would’ve long cut off any contact with her.

she had never really been there for eunbi growing up, having nannies and chefs take care of her for most of her life - it was her nanny of fifteen years who taught her how to walk and talk, was there with her for all the milestones she met through infancy, childhood and even adolescence.

but even then, eunbi was nonchalant and carefree about it.

saying that she’s not gonna waste her time being upset over it when she knows her mom doesn’t think about her at all. it makes your heart hurt for eunbi, grateful that the girl at least has a good relationship with her father and boyfriend.

and you, of course. you consider her your best friend and you know she does the same - even if sometimes, you wanna pull her hair out.

“i’m gonna go the food store tomorrow, eunbi, so if you and y/n want anything, just text it to me.”

“oooh can we come!” she squeals, knocking her arm into yours like an excited kid in a candy store. “we wanna try making our cookies again.”

“you’re gonna bake?” the girl’s father asks, a look of doubt on his face that causes you to bite back a smile.

“no, we’re gonna bake,” she corrects with snark, “y/n measures the ingredients and stirs, i put it in the oven and watch.”

“right, silly me,” the man hums, a smirk pulling at his lips the more he sees his daughter get irritated. “but of course you girls can come,” he says, his eyes flicking to you for just a few seconds too long.

you can only look back with a small smile, a quiet “thank you,” leaving your mouth that you’re positive he doesn’t catch.

(he did).

you help clean your plate off before you and eunbi go up to her room later that night, once her door’s closed and she’s sitting down shooting her a look of disdain.

“i know you’re mad, okay, i’m sorry, i really am!” she whines, holding her arms out for you to come over. “i tried to leave but he wouldn’t let me. he just kept wanting to-”

“i don’t need the details you sick freak!” you yelp, going over and plopping down on her bed. “ugh, it was just... so awkward. your mom hates me. she was utterly perturbed that i didn’t switch my major to business.”

“ugh, she’s a crotchety bitch i swear,” eunbi says, falling onto her back and looking at you with sorrow in her eyes. “i’m sorry, i really am. i won’t leave you alone with her again, i promise.”

you quirk an unconvinced eyebrow her way, eyes full of doubt and distrust before she throws herself on you and squeals that, at least, now you can have a scary movie marathon without any interruptions.

it seems you also probably should’ve made her promise last night that you’d never be alone with her father either; it didn’t even occur to you at the time, not thinking that she’d really ditch you two days in a row.

but alas, jiwoon’s car pulled up when all three of you were walking out of the house to the g-wagon for the trip to the food store, her shooting you an apologetic look and whispered condolences in your ear.

“i’m technically not breaking my promise because my dad’s nice,” she mumbled, the feeling in your body more nervous and aroused than it is angry and upset.

but she could’t know that.

“and when i break your head? then what, eunbi?”

“i love you,” she giggles in your ear, the playful tone of your voice letting her know she got off the hook again. “it’ll be fine. my dad’s a good man. he wouldn’t ever talk shit to you the way my mom does.”

little does she know how much you want her dad to talk shit to you.

talk to you in a way that’s casual and playful and teasing, like the hints of it you’ve seen in the car or in eunbi’s room when you were alone last night. you just want him to look at you with the slightest bit of something, even though it’s wrong.

not only because of his wife, no matter how big a bitch she is, but because of-

“do you still wanna come with me?”

seonghwa’s voice pulls you away from your thoughts, looking to the man dressed in a long, black jacket and expensive loafers. he looks far too fancy and delectable for a trip to the grocery store.

eunbi is long gone by now, her giggles and carefree run down the driveway and into her boyfriend’s car leaving you and mr. park alone, with only the blue sky and crisp air as your witness.

him looking you over hopefully, with a twinge of teasing and longing in his gaze.

you looking at him full of nerves and excitement, biting down on your lip as you nod your head timidly.

“s-sure, if that’s okay,” you say, looking from him to his car just a few feet away. “it’d be better than sitting in eunbi’s room again.”

a handsome smile crosses his face as he nods his head, heart pounding and throat constricting as you watch him walk toward the car.

he walks around the front of a smaller, sleek suv, your own eyes watching in confusion until he opens the passenger side door.

you can only stare blankly, head cocked to the side as you really start to wonder if this man is about to make you drive his car costing more than your life.

“are you getting in, y/n?” he asks, an amused smile pulling at his lips - almost like he’s making fun of your nervous, intimidated disposition.

you shake your head of the confusion, cheeks flushing in the cold december air as you do an awkward jog toward the car. you dip in beside him as your body hits the cool leather, craning your neck to shoot him a small, grateful smile.

your faces are closer than you anticipated, breath catching in your throat as his gaze watches you closely.

he doesn’t say a word or move a muscle, taking a few moments for his eyes to roam your face and body before mumbling to buckle up.

you wish you knew how long the drive to the store would be, as it would slightly settle you and the thick, awkward tension in the air. it appears to be enough time for the heat to go on, warm air blowing from the vents before he asks if you want your seat heater on.

“oh, sure, thank you,” you mumble, a smile quirking on his lips as he presses down on the small circular button.

more silence lingers in the air as the trees outside you pass by, the bright winter sun and blue sky not making it feel like christmas is only a few days away.

you can’t remember the last time the holidays have actually felt like it, though, all the lonely days blending into one and feeling as if they were the same.

maybe this year, because you’re surrounded by eunbi and her family, it’ll feel less lonely. maybe you’ll actually enjoy yourself and find that you’ve missed out when you denied her invitation each and every-

“i’m sorry about my wife last night.”

those are words you don’t expect so they shock you even more, looking at the older man beside you with a wide-eyed, confused gaze. his dark eyes are expressionless and casual on the road, one hand on the wheel while the other rests beside him.

“i... what do you mean?” you ask, knowing damn well you understand his apology - and given the unamused look he throws you, he knows you’re full of shit too.

“i don’t think she means to judge you so harshly,” he begins, his deep, smooth voice full of sympathy and softness. “it’s not her place to question your education or major, so i just want to apologize for her.”

“that’s not necessary, mr. park,” you insist, shaking your head as a small, breathy chuckle leaves you. “and it’s not like i haven’t heard it before.”

because no one is ever too confident in any of the arts being your main source of income or profession; even your own parents, although it really wouldn’t matter what you would have chosen, haven’t been supportive.

and you especially haven’t missed the looks of pity or distaste when you tell people on campus or at parties in the frat house, future business leaders or stem majors looking at you like just said the sky is hot pink.

“well that’s just ridiculous,” seonghwa says, ripping you from your thoughts so you can roam over his strong, handsome face. “it’s a great field to work in and something you’re passionate about. that’s what matters most.”

he can tell by the way your cheeks flush that you’re slightly embarrassed and he can’t help but find it endearing, licking over his lips as his mind begins to wander.

wonder about what other parts of you could flush so easily or what else he could say to really make the pinkness deepen.

“i guess,” you mutter, shrugging your shoulders as you look at the passing oak trees and mansions.

“and... what you said last night about traveling to build my portfolio,” you begin, shocked by the words continuing to leave your mouth. “that’s something i’ve thought about doing. i think it’d be really fun, regardless if i did wedding photographer or not.”

“yeah?” he asks, the smile on his face causing your head to jump. “i think that’d be good, too. where would you wanna go first?”

your lips purse to the side as you think it over, a love for traveling anywhere you could but having an especially strong pull toward the tropics.

“cancun or the maldives,” you answer, the financial aspect of the trip leaving it most likely impossible for you. “it’ll probably never happen, because i’d have to sell my first born, but i’ve always wanted to go somewhere like that. somewhere tropical and fun.”

seonghwa bites his tongue about his multiple trips there, instead letting out a chuckle that causes butterflies to erupt. his eyes are too drawn to your body in the front seat, legs crossed and arms over your lap politely.

“you never know,” he hums, ripping his gaze away before you catch his gawking. “you might get there one day, after being the best wedding photographer the city has to offer.”

“oh, please,” you glggle out, cheeks flushing despite the absurdity of the comment.

you catch the smile that creeps on his face, the same handsome, carefree smile you saw in the car last time.

you try not to let it get to you, let your brain convince you that maybe he likes hanging out with you alone as much as you like it too.

“i’m serious,” he says, the earnest tone of his voice slipping into dad mode in a way he doesn’t even realize. “your parents must be proud.”

you bite down on your lip as you let out a soft, almost scornful, chuckle, a quietly mumbled “yeah,” leaving your mouth that causes his eyebrows to pull together.

he always thought it was a little suspicious that in the four years eunbi has known you, she’s never told him about your parents; as far as he knows, she’s never even seen them.

“she has her scholarship and stuff so she doesn’t really need them,” his daughter said one day, the two of them discussing why you were spending yet another break alone in the apartment.

“but they don’t want her home for the holidays? you told her she was welcomed, right?”

“ugh, about a thousand times,” his daughter groans in the seat, throwing herself against the window dramatically. “i basically begged her, dad, but she said she didn’t wanna intrude. i’m telling you it’s because mom is the biggest fucking-”

“eunbi...”

“you know it’s true!” she squeals, seonghwa biting his tongue in an effort to be the bigger and better parent. “i don’t even know why you guys got married.”

but that’s what happens with teen pregnancies and rich families. how they were destined to marry anyway, due to their parents companies and stupid business politics.

it was one drunken night at his dad’s company party and a broken condom that sealed his fate with finality - made him go from a single, carefree high school student to a married businessman with a child just two short years later.

his wife was good at one point he likes to think, remembering she was gorgeous and sassy and not like the other girls who would drop to their knees for him.

but marriage and a child and just life quickly caught up with them, already trapped in a loveless, pointless marriage by the time he hit 25.

he’d be lying if he said he didn’t stay for eunbi, that they both didn’t stay for eunbi throughout her childhood and now just grew too used to being an unhappy married couple who live separate lives.

there was never any reason for them to divorce though, no one serious in his or his wife’s lives and the hassle of money and disputing houses and cars and assets far too draining.

“i don’t believe i’ve ever met them,” seonghwa says, pulling into the store parking lot to see it’s less crowded than he suspected it’d be. “what do they do?”

you couldn’t imagine anything more unbearable than disclosing to your friend’s hot dad who you may or may not have feelings for about the messed up relationship with your parents.

it just screams daddy issues, which might say a lot about your very attraction to him in the first place.

“they run a little restaurant back in my home town. it’s about three hours from campus, which is why i don’t really go home for breaks.”

seonghwa hums lowly, nodding his head as he looks at you at a stop sign.

you’re unnerved by the way his eyes roam you, like he can see signs of you being uncomfortable about your parents and wants to know why - but why would he care? you’re only his daughter’s roommate.

“do you miss seeing them?”

you lick over your lips nervously, watching as his eyes darken every so slightly.

he watches each and every of your movements carefully, so in tune with your reactions and breaths you can just feel yourself getting more and more worked up.

not in the slightest, you wanna say. i’ll probably never see them again and have no qualms about it, mr. park.

“i suppose,” you mutter, shrugging your shoulders as you apprehensively meet his gaze.

“you suppose?” he asks, concern etched on his face. “when was the time you’ve seen them? since your freshmen year?”

you avert your gaze as your teeth sink into your bottom lip, in no way wanting to have this discussion at ten a.m. when, much to your pleasure, an impatient car behind beeps at seonghwa’s mercedes.

his dark eyes move to the rearview mirror, narrowed and irritated in a way you can’t help but think is sexy, before he puts his foot off the break and turns into the parking lot.

“i think this person’s leaving,” you mutter when you notice another car go in reverse, seonghwa snatching the spot before the impatient, crotchety lady behind him could steal it.

you can’t help but smirk as seonghwa eyes her when you get out of the car, giving him a look that’s half judgmental and half amused.

“what? she beeped at me.”

“aren’t you supposed to be, like, an adult?”

he rolls his eyes as he takes a cart from the pile, nodding his head for you to go in front and “stop talking back to an elder.”

you can’t help but smirk at his playfulness, taking your spot in the front and pretending as if you always move your hips this much when you walk casually; you would’ve felt embarrassed, had you not turned around a few moments later to see his eyes already on you.

“where to first, mr. park?”

he has to bite back the groan threatening to leave his mouth, reminding himself to keep himself in check this month - starting tomorrow.

“depends, y/n,” he hums, voice far too deep and sultry to be surrounded by innocent bystanders in the grocery store. “what do you want?”

words are caught in your throat and you can only stare dumbly, your plan quickly back firing as he appears to do the same - but it’s gotta be in your head, right?

regardless, it quickly humbles you in the form of a small, unsure shrug.

it’s how you two start walking up and down the aisles, seonghwa putting in what he remembers and items on his mental list while also insisting you put in anything you want.

your arms bump ever so often, softly apologizing and acknowledging it the first few times before you both realize it may be happening on purpose.

you stick close to him when the aisles get tight and crowded, his deep voice telling you to “go ahead,” causing you to swallow shakily. you feel the presence of his hand just a few inches from your hips, lingering and hovering but never fully touching.

it’s finally when you’re in the bread aisle, seonghwa a few feet away talking to the man at the bakery counter, that you decide to put something in the cart.

you would usually never accept someone’s offer to buy you something, already feeling bad about staying with them rent free and eating their meals without compensating.

but the brioche loaf brand is one of your favorites, only sold on occasion at the corner store near campus.

you press up on your tippy toes to grab the bag of bread, stretching your arm up with all your might. the plastic slips through your fingers just as you’re about to snatch it down, letting out an annoyed huff as you pulled down your sweater dress.

you mumble your annoyances before trying again, back on the tips of your toes with your arm raising when you feel a hand on the small of your back.

it’s large and warm and seeping through the thin material of your burgundy dress, a snappy protest about to leave your mouth when you catch mr. park’s face in your peripheral.

there’s a content look on his face as he takes the bag with ease, holding it above your head as his hand moves from your back to your waist with a gentle touch.

you look at him with wide eyes and a pounding heart, his hand on your waist so foreign and strange but... good. something you didn’t even realize you’d been craving until it happened.

the strength and warmth of his hand, though if you think about it just enough, you can feel the weight of his wedding band through the fabric.

“is this what you wanted?”

his voice is deep and low as he speaks to you and you alone, your eyes raising to see him staring down at you. you can’t make out the expression in them, just the darkness in his eyes and the frantic beating of your heart.

you can’t even being to understand the context of his words right now because, yes, this is exactly what you’ve wanted - but he doesn’t know that, right?

“w-what?”

he can’t help the smirk that crosses his face, all sorts of pride and satisfaction and arousal coursing through his veins at your current disposition.

“the bread,” he says, stepping back and holding it out to you. “is this the one you wanted?”

your eyes narrow as you look at him, the smirk on his face, the amusement in his gaze, the playfulness that’s radiating off him - is he fucking with you?

“oh... i... yes,” you finally say, coming to your senses and not allowing yourself to think this way anymore. “that’s the one. i hope it’s okay.”

“of course,” he hums, placing the bread in the cart before going back to the front handles. “you can get anything you want, i already told you that.”

you nod dumbly as you follow beside him, seonghwa picking more things off the shelves and muttering the list to himself as you try to get your shit together.

because yes, you’re attracted to him and yes, you’ve found yourself alone with him for more than two days in a row and yes, there’s been some lingering looks and touches but that doesn’t mean anything.

you can’t let your own deluded thoughts and desires get in the way of reality.

the reality that he’s your friend and roommate’s married father and you’re a college student. he doesn’t want you just as much as you shouldn’t want him so what’s the problem here?

maybe it’s that you’re a 22-year-old woman who’s only been on a handful of dates.

that the last time you made out with someone was when you were drunk and dared to kiss the first guy that walked through the bar (luckily, somewhat attractive and surprisingly polite).

that, maybe, you’re so horribly touch-starved and aching for affection, you’re trying to find it in a hot father figure who’s just as kind as he sexy - and that, you think, is the second most tragic thing here.

because the first would absolutely be thinking that any of this, any of these stares or touches or coincidences of eunbi leaving you two alone, means something.

means that maybe this break is for you two is create an attraction and build some sort of bond and-

“y/n.”

you’re barely able to register seonghwa’s voice before his arm is wrapped around your waist, pulling your body into his taller one and having you pressed up right against him.

you were so lost in thought of him that you didn’t see the older women skirting her cart around the aisle quickly, phone pressed to her ear as she yells to her husband about the christmas ham.

you’re not even sure if she shoots you a look of sorrow or utters any apology, too consumed and distracted by the feeling and proximity of mr. park.

his arm wrapped around you, your body pressed flush up against him, his neck craned down to look at you with a building... something in his eyes. playfulness and teasing but also something darker, something that makes your stomach swoop and renders you unable to move.

“are you always so clumsy and distracted?” he mumbles lowly, his deep voice quiet for only you two to hear - like he knows even in a sea of strangers, he has to keep these interactions quiet.

“what would you do if i wasn’t here to help you, y/n?”

i wouldn’t have been distracted in the first place, you’re tempted to say - but you certainly don’t wanna open that can of worms, especially not in the middle of this grocery store with the way your heart is pounding.

“i... i’m sorry, i was distracted,” you mutter, playing up the damsel in distress just a little bit. “my mistake, mr. park.”

he licks over his lips, swearing his name just being spoken has never effected him like this. he doesn’t even know where this attraction came from, seeing you leave the dorm building yesterday morning and something in his body jumping at the sight of you.

maybe it’s just showing how unhappy he really is with his life, living day to day to just work. hang out with his friends and go to sleep alone - he doesn’t remember the last time his wife touched him, looked at him like she wanted him or made any move to be with him.

he just knows that you showed up, looking so pretty and wide-eyed and coy, and is now about to lose his mind.

“it’s alright,” he says, hoping you don’t hear the thick tension he hears in his own voice, like he’s some idiotic, hormonal young boy. “i think we only have a few more aisles left, anyway.”

he plucks the remaining items off the shelves before you both make your way to the self check-out, him scanning and you bagging because “eunbi says if my career as a photographer fails, i could be the best grocery bagger ever.”

“that’s just because she puts the bread on the bottom,” seonghwa mutters, a smile on your face as you nod your head - she squished one too many of your brioche loafs before you realized bagging just wasn’t for her.

your fingers graze ever so often, the coldness of his tips a stark contrast to your warmer ones.

a particularly big, bulk bag of vegetables proves to be a challenge for you, working through the packed bag with some difficulty. you let out an annoyed groan as you play a dangerous game of tetris, trying not to rip open the brown paper bag.

you finally get the box inside, a little bit prouder than you care to admit, when your precious brioche loaf is dropped right atop. you look up at seonghwa to see him already apologizing, your brow raised as you look at the older man in confusion.

did he think your hand was out? why would he just throw the food at you?

but it’s only when you feel a little more air than normal on your chest that you see what could’ve possibly caused the distraction, the white lace from your bra sticking out.

your cleavage in this dress was hidden for the most part, only becoming a little more obvious when you moved around or packed a shitload of groceries. it makes you bite back a smirk as you put two and two together, looking up to see his eyes still lingering over you.

two can play at this game mr. park.

“mr. park,” you begin, feigning a certain kind of innocence as you place your bread atop the other groceries and finally look up at him. “are you always so clumsy?”

it takes a few seconds for a smile to pull at his lips, the tick in his jaw not going unnoticed to you - so maybe this wasn’t all in your head. maybe he wants you too... possibly.

“you’re funny, y/n,” he mumbles, a smile pulling at your lips as he takes out his black card. “i guess i was distracted, too.”

you swallow the lump in your throat as you feel the slightest hint of arousal run through you, shaking it off and letting out a forced, girlish chuckle.

you pack the car a few minutes later without any lingering eyes or touches, seonghwa telling you about the meals they plan on cooking for christmas.

they usually don’t make their own food for holidays but decided to have a more traditional set up for you and eunbi’s arrival - he also hasn’t cooked a meal for his family in god knows how long.

“that’ll be great, thank you,” you tell him, clicking your seatbelt in as he backs out the spot. “i’m kind of a picky eater but i’ll eat anything you guys provide me.”

“and you have the whole brioche loaf,” seonghwa says, a giggle leaving your mouth as you nod your head.

“true. it’s really good.”

“i’ve never tried, perhaps you’d be willing to-”

his wife’s name popping up on his car dashboard acts as a way to bring you back to reality, brings a certain kind of silence over the both of you for a few seconds.

like he wasn’t just rubbing his body against yours and you weren’t just flirting with him in the form of smirking lips and snarky comments.

you watch a twinge of annoyance behind seonghwa’s eyes, gaze roaming over the screen as if he’s in contemplation before muttering “one second.”

“hello?”

“where are you?” her voice snaps in annoyance, “i told you we had that board meeting at one.”

“and it’s only noon,” his deep voice mumbles, not matching her level of irritation but sounding a whole lot different than a few seconds ago. “me and y/n are coming back now.”

“y/n?” she spats, like it’s a disgusting piece of food she wouldn’t dare put in her mouth. “what about eunbi?”

“she went off with jiwoon before i could get her in the car.”

“so it was only you two?” she asks, the snide judgment and underlying tone in her voice causing your stomach to churn. “did she ask you to buy a bunch of-”

“i’ll be home in twenty and then be on my way over,” he says, cutting her off and hanging up before she can even get another word you.

your stomach churns and a sick feeling comes over you, her utter dislike and disdain for you causing you to bite your lip.

because not only does she not like you to be with her daughter, she doesn’t want you with her husband (although, you suppose, you can’t really blame her for that one).

“i’m sorry about that,” seonghwa winces, the silence lingering between you two heavy. “you could’ve gotten anything you wanted, y/n. this is your christmas too. don’t feel bad about anything, okay?”

you swallow the lump in your throat, your gaze moving to his as he stops at the red light.

your eyes lingering over his and his doing the very same, hand twitching to reach out and move the piece of hair from your slightly flushed face.

and there was something about the way you were both looking at each other, eyes so focused and unwavering and honest, that had you thinking maybe all of this wasn’t in your heads.

but it didn’t mean either of you could act on it - they were just... feelings of lust and wonder and all things forbidden, not seriously believing that a relationship like this could unfold right under the nose of his wife, his daughter and your roommate.

unless the pull was so desperate.

so overwhelming and all-consuming and present between the both of you, little moments couldn’t help but happen.

strike one:

with none other than eunbi as a distraction, the girl promising she wasn’t gonna leave you alone anymore, you were able to take your mind off everything.

the tension-filled, heart pounding moments with mr. park that felt just as wrong as they did right.

you spent a few nights going out with her, jiwoon and all of their high school friends, a surprisingly nice group of young adults who you got along well with.

they were loud and crazy and did far too many shots but they also seemed to be genuinely kind. even the boy who was flirting with you all night, handsome and tall with pretty dark eyes, acted as a good distraction.

grinding up against him as the music pounded throughout the bar, alcohol coursing through your veins allowing you to forget about the older man who’s been living in your head for almost a week now.

“how have i never met you before, y/n?” the boy mumbled lowly in your ear, your head against his shoulder carelessly.

but it was right there in that moment, him saying your name, that the moment was over.

because it just didn’t sound like seonghwa, as delusional as that was.

it didn’t get your heart racing or lips quirking the same way it did when you heard the older man say it. the smile attached to his handsome, mature face and the deep, lowly spoken tone that always held a hint of teasing and sincerity.

“but danny really is so freakin’ nice!” eunbi squeals to you on christmas eve, the two of you in her immaculately white and modern kitchen prepping the chocolate chip cookie cough for tomorrow.

“and you two seemed to be getting along, i saw your ass all up on him.”

“eunbi, that wasn’t me. that was the vodka. i don’t know who that girl was.”

she throws her head back as a loud chuckle leaves her, telling you again that she warned you her snobby, rich little friends have been able to handle their liquor since middle school.

it’s how they cope, she had said, unloved kids with more money than god learning to deal with the world of limitless funds and minimal parental supervision.

“well he hasn’t stopped asking me about you, you know,” she hums, her eyebrows quirked suggestively as she mixes the bowl of ingredients lazily.

“and not just because of your newfound grinding skills, which by the way, are usually learned by the tenth grade.”

your eyes narrow at her comment, throwing a small ball of dough at her that she, impressively, catches in her mouth.

“he really is just, like, so taken by you, y/n. seriously. i told him that you’re graduating this year with a degree in photography and he nearly came in his pants. he loves the artsy girls.”

“you are so vile,” you snort out, shaking your head at the girl sitting criss-crossed on the counter. “and stop saying that. we both know i’m not graduating this year,” you mumble, her face falling pathetically.

“i told you we’re gonna find a way,” she whines lowly, looking at you with all kinds of sympathy and sadness in her eyes - she would offer to pay for you, if she didn’t think you would smack her upside the head.

“oh and what? is my new boyfriend danny gonna do that for me?”

“in exchange for more grinding and a photoshoot, i think. do you want me to try?”

she lets out another giggle despite the way you pinch her leg, peeking inside the bowl with a surprising amount of pride.

"this looks good,” you mumble, swiping your finger to collect some of the chocolate dough.

“hey!” she whines brattily, thrusting a spoon toward your hand just a second too late.

“why are you whining in here like a child, eunbi?” seonghwa asks, walking through the entryway and the large, white island in the center. “what are you making? please don’t burn the house down.”

“haha dad, you’re so funny,” she mocks sarcastically, jumping down from the counter with her hands on her hips. “where are the baking sheets?”

a simple shrug from her father causes her to roll her eyes, grumbling about how she was really trying to avoid her bitch of a mother today. he holds back his smirk, about to reprimand her before she’s out the kitchen and shouting for her mother upstairs.

it’s only you and seonghwa in the kitchen now, a heavy silence in the air as you stand there dumbly - bowl beside you, cookie dough adorning the top of your finger.

“what are you girls making?” he finally asks, his body moving closer and closer causing you to swallow.

“i... uh, cookie dough. for tomorrow,” you say, lifting your finger and wiggling the tip full of batter. “chocolate chip.”

his eyes move to your finger before grazing over your mouth, his tongue peeking out ever so slightly as he reminds himself to act right.

he hasn’t been alone with you since that day at the food store, just seeing you in passing in the hallways or outside the house as you and eunbi went to and fro.

he hears your giggles at night and tired groans in the morning, quietly yelling at his daughter to wake up and get her ass out of bed.

and he knows it’s probably for the better, that you two don’t find yourselves alone with each other, but he can’t help but feel a rush of excitement right now.

you watch as he moves closer, with the same wide-eyed look you’ve been giving him since he first saw you in your apartment weeks ago.

“ahh, you’re making it from scratch? that’s ambitious.”

“yeah, we googled a recipe,” you tell him, finger still beside you in the air.

you don’t know what causes you to be so bold, maybe him attempting to carry out a normal conversation even though he’s looking at you with so much lust and desire, but you can’t stop once you start.

“how’s it taste?” he asks, his voice deep and slightly strained as he nods his head toward your finger.

you don’t even bat an eye as you slip the tip of your finger in your mouth slowly, swirling your tongue around as you take up all the dough on your skin.

it’s sweeter than you originally thought it’d be but it tastes good nonetheless, keeping your eyes on him as you reamin as innocent and unassuming as possible.

“it’s good,” you say, dropping your finger like you didn’t just make a show of licking and sucking it. “i like it better raw.”

you don’t even realize your words until you see the fleeting look on his face, tongue swiping across his lip and eyes hardening. they roam you so slowly and darkly, you can’t control the growing butterflies and swooping in your lower stomach.

“mm, me too,” he hums lowly, the hardening of his cock in his pants something he hasn’t felt in forever. it’s taking everything in him to control himself, from his eyes popping out of his head to letting out the deepest of growls in the back of his throat.

“do you want some?” you ask, cocking your head to the side questioningly.

he has to desperately hold on to his composure, not think about how easy it’d be to pin you against the cabinet right behind you. take just a few steps closer, have your back against the cold granite and let you feel just how much he wants some.

but he has to play it cool, push down these building desires and ignore your teasing because he’s almost fucking positive that’s what’s happening here.

“want some what?” he asks, his voice lowering just a tad.

he hasn’t played a game like this since college, watching as your eyes widen and brow quirks up.

but he sees that’s exactly what it is when you turn around and face the bowl of cookie dough to him, a smile just as sweet as the cookies on your face.

“cookie dough. before we put them in the oven and possibly burn them.”

the breathy chuckle he lets out leaves your stomach in shambles, his tongue peeking out and poking the inside of his cheek causing a swooping sensation to flood through you.

but before he can even think to say anything, before your eyes can look over his body and make you feel even more warm and bothered, eunbi floats back in and fiddles in the cabinets for the baking sheets.

“that woman is too much, i swear,” she grunts, whipping out the materials quickly before her head snaps to her father. “why are you still here?”

“i wanted some cookies. and to ensure y/n won’t allow you do burn down the kitchen.”

“it was one time, dad, and an accident. how many times do i have to defend myself in this house?”

you let out a giggle as you look from eunbi to seonghwa, your roommate turning her back to set up the practice baking session.

“let’s go bitch! i hope we didn’t fuck this up.”

seonghwa’s eyes roam over you for a few more moments, his tongue swiping across his lips before, finally, leaving the kitchen with his dick hard as a rock.

strike two:

christmas consisted of successful cookies per your and eunbi’s homemade batch, passive aggressive comments from mrs. park about your degree and a whole fuck ton of sexual energy between you and seonghwa.

you could almost always feel when his gaze was boring into you, when you got up to take more mashed potatoes or kept your attention on eunbi as she told her parents about what job she wants to start at next semester.

it’s also when eunbi almost let it slip about your scholarships, had you not viciously pinched her arm and caused a pained cry to leave her mouth - if you ever thought jiwoon was gonna verbally assault you, it was certainly in that moment.

“why did you pinch me so hard?” she whined later that night, jiwoon passed out on the couch after five too many homemade cookies. “look at my bruise.”

a genuine frown crosses your lips as you look at her arm, rubbing her skin gently as you mumble your soft spoken apologies.

“i’m sorry but i just... i didn’t want your mom to know that,” you say back just as whiney and pathetic. “she already thinks i’m an incompetent idiot. knowing i have to wait a whole year because i’m broke is just too embarrassing.”

it’s an admission that, while eunbi already suspected that, still makes her feel bad - it nearly makes her wanna cry, that you don’t feel welcomed and loved in her home because her mom has to be a judgmental bitch.

“y/n...”

“bi, it’s fine, oh, my god do not cry right now,” you grumble, flicking her in the head lightly.

“i just feel bad,” she cries lowly, moving hrself closer to you and away from her boyfried. “it’s not fair, y/n. you worked so hard and now you have to wait. how could they do this to you?”

a small, touched smile crosses your face at eunbi as you shake your head, dabbing at her watery eyes.

if jiwoon wakes up, he’s literally gonna beat my ass,” you say, smiling when a wet giggle leaves eunbi; you don’t want this time to be sad or upsetting. “i thought he was gonna hit me at dinner.”

“okay if he’s hitting anything, it’s gonna be my-”

“no. no, no, no.”

the snort that leaves her mouth doesn’t help the sinking feeling in her stomach, looking at you with a frown still adorning her face.

“i’m sorry if my mom’s making you feel uncomfortable. she does it to every single person ever and i don’t-”

“it’s fine, please stop apologizing for her,” you say, the sinking reminder in the back of your mind that seonghwa had been doing the very same thing - apologizing for that woman.

“i know she’s stressing you out, too. we’re in it together.”

“that’s true,” she sighs, letting out a long, dramatic groan before resting her head on your shoulder. “i’m so bloated, i don’t think i’m ever gonna be able to eat again.”

and it was funny that, days after the holiday, eunbi was still convinced that she was bloated from christmas dinner.

“babe, i don’t even think that’s possible,” jiwoon consoled her, you and him sitting in her room as she gets ready to go down to the pool.

because, naturally, like everyone in this godforsaken rich town, they get ready to go to the pool that’s inside of their homes; when eunbi told you to pack a bathing suit back at your apartment, you looked at her like she was insane.

until she clarified that her pool is heated and, conveniently, indoors.

“just through the backyard,” she had said - and she truly meant it.

just a few yards away from the main deck area, with floor to ceiling glass windows that showcase the extravagant landscaping and, of course, the outdoor pool and jacuzzi just a few feet away.

“eunbi, this is insane,” you say, marveling at the sight before you.

“don’t you wish you came sooner?” she asks with a wink, your eyes rolling as you place down your towel.

you had the option to bring two bathing suits - a skimpy black one you don’t remember being so scandalous or a red one you remember eunbi insisting you buy last summer.

and you just knew it was because danny was coming, currently showcasing his impressive eight pack that, truly, just doesn’t do it for you - maybe if he was twenty years older, apparently, and somebody’s father and husband.

you shake the thoughts out of your head, walking a few steps toward the pool before eunbi tackles you from behind. you both land with a loud splash, followed by the excited shouts and loud splashes of her other friends.

you’d be lying if you said you could remember the last time you had this much fun, splashing and giggling and acting so carefree despite the many challenges you’ll have to face soon.

but that’s not any of your concern right now, currently sitting atop danny’s shoulders and trying to knock down eunbi in a game of chicken.

“you little bitch! get your nails out of me!”

“coming from the girl who literally just tried to choke me two seconds ago!”

“like it’s your first time being choked!”

and you don’t know whether jiwoon was shocked by you saying that statement or the fact that his girlfriend exposes all of her sexual kinks to you but alas, it did the trick in sealing you a victory.

a smug smile on your face as danny jumps up and down in excitement, your body bouncing and nearly falling over him had you not gripped onto his shoulders.

it’s at that time eunbi pops up from the water, hair a soaking mess and mascara running down her face. she’s about to open her mouth, probably to yell at you, before a volleyball is thrown through the air and just misses her face.

instead, it hits danny square in the head. the boy letting out a yelp before you promptly fall backwards in the water, hearing eunbi’s shrill squeal and giggle on your way down.

you pop up and throw her a dirty look, danny rubbing at the back of his side before apologizing profusely.

“it’s okay,” you giggle out, about to say you shouldn’t have been up there for so long before eunbi’s squealing in the air.

“dad, what the hell kind of aim was that!”

you feel your body stiffen before you quickly shoot around, none another than mr. park standing there looking as handsome as ever.

he puts the young men around you to shame, good-looking, muscular college boys who anyone in their right mind would find attractive - but they just don’t beat him.

his striking eyes or tall, lean stature or the fact that he’s just so fucking-

“got worse with age, bi, what can i say?” he chuckles, extra white fluffy towels in his hold that he places on the chair. “sorry, danny.”

seonghwa’s known danny for a few years now, one of jiwoon’s friends who seems... alright. not a bad guy but also not a good guy - just kind of there; but it didn’t occur to the man just how much he was bothered by him until he saw you on his shoulders.

because he could’ve put you in danger, of course. put you in danger at his house where if things got bad, he’d be responsible; as for the ball, it merely slipped from his finger tips.

“no problem mr. park,” the kid smiles, the other friends gathering around and looking at him expectantly. “we’re gonna play a round of volleyball. you in?”

“no. no dads allowed,” eunbi whines, seonghwa rolling his eyes at his bratty adult daughter.

“why not? because i’m better than all of you, eunbi?”

“oh please,” she grumbles lowly, rolling her eyes and grabbing you to lead you toward the stairs. “you know what, we’re going in the hot tub anyway. since she decided to rock my shit in chicken. enjoy my father traitors,” eunbi grumbles to jiwoon and his friends.

“i did not,” you protest weakly, feeling two pairs of eyes on you as you make your way out of the pool with your friend.

the first thing that strikes seonghwa, apart from the major twitch in his pants, is how skimpy your bikini is.

red bottoms with thin straps holding it up, a matching red top showcasing cleavage and beauty marks on your chest and all the things that are proving to drive him fucking crazy upon seeing you every day.

it’s taking everything in him to control the growing ache in his shorts, your eyes looking at him so coyly and attentively that you’re ignoring the college boy gawking at you right in front of him.

there’s a certain sort of twisted pride in his chest, you giving him attention and seemingly reciprocating his interest, when there’s someone younger right there for you.

younger and unmarried and more suitable for you. someone you can actually be with where it wouldn’t be considered dirty or wrong or secretive; but maybe that’s why you’re both drawn to it in the first place.

that, and because you’re both really hot.

“he’s literally hot, y/n! why don’t you like him?” eunbi whines to you, the two of you sitting across from one another in the hot tub outside.

the december air is crisp but feels nice comapred to the steaming water you’re gratefully submerged in. anything to take you away from mr. park shirtless and wet in the pool right now.

“i do like him, bi,” you mutter, trying your best to convince her and now seem suspicious.

“okay, yeah, as a person but who cares about that!” she whines, flopping her hands dramatically in the water. “you don’t want him to rail you.”

“eunbi!” you squeak, splashing in her direction as a warm, embarrassed blush rises to your cheeks.

“i’m serious y/n. you’ve never been railed before and danny’s such a good option. he’s hot and he’s sweet and he’s so pathetically into you, it’s a little sick.”

you don’t know what to say so you don’t say anything, shooting her a look that screams can we please not talk about this because you don’t know how much i actually wanna be railed by your father so let’s stop this discussion.

but she only rolls her eyes, moving herself closer to you so she can tug at your arm annoyingly.

“is he just not your type?” she questions, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion for a few moments before utter shock crosses her face.

“wait, what is your type? it’s... men, right? have i been hooking you up with the wrong gender this whole time?” she asks in disbelief, “could we have been hooking up this whole time?”

you press your lips together so you don’t burst out laughing, dryly replying “yes, eunbi, i’m into men.”

but the more you think about it, the more you think maybe you don’t have a type.

“and i’ve... never really thought about it before, to be honest. i just know i’m not into like... frat guys or whatever.”

because any party you’d been to, any douchey college guy wearing a backwards hat or cut off shirt, you had never been more disinterested. you couldn’t ever picture yourself falling for someone like that, romantically or sexually.

the one time you remember thinking someone was hot was when you took film and lit with your 31-year-old professor.

“so older guys?” eunbi concludes after hearing that, a smirk on her face as she raises her eyebrows playfully. “we gotta scope out some golf courses or retirement homes?”

“please,” you scoff, a giggle leaving her mouth as she throws her head back gleefully.

“okay, really though, i’ll tell danny you’re not interested and to stop trying so hard if you’re really not interested.”

but maybe danny as a distraction will be good.

will make you see that, perhaps, someone single and your own age and not your best friend’s father will be good thing for you to explore.

so you shrug lightheartedly, the smirk on your face causing eunbi to let out a low “oooh shit.”

you look over at her and your smile only widens when she knocks your shoulder, saying that you’re looking to be a play girl and drain a rich, lovesick man of some christmas presents.

“yeah, right! why drain a rich man when i can drain my best friend,” you tease, looking around her yard and still in astonishment that this is really her life. “i mean, two pools? is that really necessary?”

“three actually. there’s one behind the guest house on the other side. a small one. very humble.”

“oh, a small one, okay. great.”

she lets out another giggle, the two of you talking over plans for new years eve.

you might go up to jiwoon’s parents house in the mountains for the weekend, spend the time drinking with the small group of friends you’ve come to genuinely like over these past few weeks.

“it’s only two hours away so it won’t be that bad either,” she says, getting up to shake the hot water off her arms. “i’ll be right back, i have to pee.”

you nod your head, grateful she didn’t piss in the pool and allowing yourself to sit there, eyes closed, body relaxed, in the silence.

you can hear the faint screams of the boys from the indoor pool area and the swish of the hot tub filter, peeking open your eyes when, suddenly, you think you hear a boom of thunder in the distance.

you watch the sky darkening and clouds coming in, signaling a storm is coming in soon and quick. a sigh leaves your mouth, enjoying your last few moments of peace before finally standing in the hot tub.

the crisp winter air blows and sends goosebumps up your arms, a shiver running through your body as you attempt to splash some hot water on your upper body.

you don’t know how you know someone’s watching you but you do, some sort of strange intuition within you looking up to see none other than mr. park standing a few feet away from the hot tub.

his dark hair is wet and hanging in his face, swimming trunks soaked and his exposed chest still dripping chlorine water.

you press your lips together as your eyes roam his chest, a hint of abs on his lean stomach that causes a small, strangled groan to leave your mouth - you will never understand how this man is pushing 40.

but the same way you’re looking at him, he’s looking at you.

water covering your body, currently hunched over trying to warm the rest of your body; but it’s when you stand he really starts to gawk, your figure standing full and tall and giving him a perfect view of your hardening nipples from the cold crisp air.

you can see the lust in his eyes the same way you know he can and you’re about to do something to just make him crack. mistakingly untie your bottoms, catching them at the last second so he thinks he’s about to get a peak.

or undo the back of your top and pout at him, ask him to please tie it back for you because it’s way too hard to reach behind and do it yourself.

or maybe you’ll just drop to your knees right there, try to see if there’s any hint of a bulge in his swimming trunk bottoms and-

his body is gone just as fast as he arrived, confusion covering your face before you shake your head of your perverted thoughts - dropping to your knees when his daughter and wife are right here, what the fuck is wrong with you today?

you blame eunbi, all her talk about getting railed when you’ve been wanting to jump her father’s bones.

you carefully make your way out of the hot tub, not wanting to eat shit and scarp your leg on the concrete.

it feels like you’re about to freeze in the cold, another shiver wracking your body before you turn to stick your cold, goosebump-ridden arms back in the hot tub. it warms you for just a few seconds, a low, satisfied hum leaving your mouth before you hear footsteps coming up from behind you.

something in you tells you it’s him again.

whether it be the way your body heats up and feels prickly, the obvious feeling of eyes burning into your exposed back causing you to remain still and oblivious.

but you can longer remain oblivious a few seconds later, when a tall body is just a few inches away from completely pressing against you.

“you forgot a towel,” is all he says, placing it on the wet rim of the hot tub.

when he leans forward to place the white towel down, he’s careful and meticulous with his movements. brushing up against you every so slightly and carefully that you can feel his hard bulge on your ass for a few seconds too long.

at first you think you’re crazy, feeling what you were trying to envision in your head, but then you absolutely know it there’s.

you can feel the wetness from his bathing suit on your legs, his cock right there resting on the thin, red fabric of your bikini bottoms and if you were as weak as you felt inside, if he stayed there just a little bit longer, a moan would’ve absolutely left your mouth.

if you pushed back just a little to feel more of his cock on you, grind your ass his hardness just enough to hear him let out a low groan or maybe curse a little.

but he moves away, almost like he knew the perfect amount of time before that happened and almost like he did it by accident - but when you turn around and see the look in his eyes, you know it wasn’t.

the same way he can see a palpable desire and surprise and tension in your gaze, causing him to suppress a growing smirk. it makes you wanna tease him back in whatever way you can but you know that eunbi’s due back from the bathroom at any moment.

so you only cock your head to the side, lick over your lower lip carefully as you grasp the towel in your hands gently.

“thank you, mr. park,” you say, your voice as airy and sweet as you can possibly make it without sounding like an idiot.

“you’re welcome, y/n,” he says, taking a few steps back as his eyes lock on you. he stays there for a few moments until he hears the door to the pool house open.

you watch his lustful, dark expression change right then and there, a towel wrapping around his lower body and his face stretching into a happy, father-approved look.

“so you’re good with anything for dinner, y/n?” he asks, his voice loud and clear enough for his approaching daughter to hear. “i know you mentioned you were picky.”

“let’s get pizza!” eunbi screeches through the air, telling seonghwa that everyone’s staying over and they’ll need at least four boxes.

but you can’t even think about pizza right now, not when this moment right here is solidifying the crazy thought in your head that your best friend’s dad wants you just as much as you want him.

you called him out later that night around one a.m., after eunbi and jiwoon were the last to pass out to your scary movie marathon.

the others were sprawled out on the basement floor, an intricate array of blankets and pillows on the floor that you attempted to weave through, both, skillfully and quietly.

there was a dryness in your throat that could only be settled by a cold glass of water, making your way through the house quietly and praying you don’t run into mrs. park.

she’s been just as passive aggressive as she usually is in front of people so you could never imagine being alone with her. wondering what the hell she’d say to you without seonghwa and eunbi as buffers.

you were relieved when the lights were off in the kitchen, padding your way to the fridge to take out a bottle of water. you twist and turn the cap off to gulp down the cold liquid in the refrigerator light, a quiet gasp leaving you as your thirst is quenched.

you briefly consider going up to eunbi’s room to sleep tonight, not sure how you feel about being squished in with eunbi and jiwoon cuddling on the couch, when the light suddenly flicks off.

it causes you to freeze and halt all thoughts, fear running through you for all three seconds before you see seonghwa’s tall, familiar figure pass you. you watch him carefully in the dim light of the fridge, his shirtless chest yet again right in front of your face.

leaned back against the counter across from you, giving you a perfect view of his toned chest and gray sweatpants.

“midnight snack?” he asks, the smirk on his face almost causing you to roll your eyes.

instead, your lips quirk into a small smile. raising your water bottle by your head and shaking it, the water swishing in your pounding ears.

“just water,” you respond quietly, matching his low tone. “i hope that’s okay.”

“that you took water? of course, y/n,” he says, amusement in his gaze as he looks you over.

you’re freshly showered and in a pair of pajamas, matching pink sets that eunbi got you for christmas one year - he remembers because he was with her when she bought it.

a soft smile crosses your face, your back getting cold from the open fridge but not daring to move a muscle. not with him looking at you the way he is and with his body just a few feet away from you.

a silence lingers in the kitchen, you not sure why he’s looking at you and him waiting to see if you say something, before he bites the inside of his cheek.

“i wanted to say sorry about before.”

your eyebrow quirks up, interest so clearly peaked as you cock your head to the side.

“what do you mean?”

a smirk crosses his face as he watches you play dumb, head cocked and eyes wide and everything about you with such mock innocence, he thinks that’s what’s driving him the most crazy.

that you do this shit and say certain things with almost complete unawareness and innocence, if it weren’t for the hidden look of desire and teasing in your eyes.

“you know,” is all he says, his voice dipping and eyes twinging darker, it makes your lower stomach swoop.

a part of is positive, even if you ask, he’s not gonna say it aloud.

he’s not gonna say or acknowledge any of this aloud and make you guys play this game until you leave in a few weeks.

and then when you leave, unsure about your next prospects of college or education or even living arrangements, who knows if you’re ever gonna see him again.

so you only hum lowly, closing the fridge behind you and leaving you both in darkness. the only source of light is from the moon outside, lighting up half the kitchen from the large bay window.

it leaves you both incredibly exposed, anyone from the outside able to see the two seemingly innocent bodies standing toe to toe with each other; but they don’t see the lustful looks and eyes full of desire, both of you so entrapped by the other, it’s obvious with the tension in the air.

“oh, well, then... it’s okay, mr. park,” you say with a smile, taking a step back as your eyes roam his chest one last time. “i didn’t mind.”

you’re about to say goodnight when you see his arm reach out, shocked but oh, so ready ready to give into your desire and feel your body crash against his or your lips connect finally.

moan into his mouth and feel more of his hardness against you - but he only takes the water from your hand, presses his mouth against the plastic rim and swigs down a big gulp.

you watch with wide eyes as his adam’s apple bobs in the moonlight, head tipped back and body perched calmly on the counter as he takes a swig of your water bottle, spit exchanged and his mouth right where yours was.

he pulls back with an unreadable expression, licking the excess water from his lips before simply closing the cap, holding out the bottle and smiling at you with the most wise-ass smirk you’ve ever seen, you’re not sure how you’re ever gonna one up this man.

"sweet dreams, y/n.”

strike 3:

your new years weekend get away turned into an extended stay that consisted of sleeping on a lumpy air mattress, five extra guests and so much alcohol, you’re positive you’re still hungover three days later.

“it wasn’t that... we only did a... i mean it wasn’t like we were....” eunbi says, the two of you laying on her bed nursing headaches and body aches to the severest degree.

“okay, it was pretty bad. we were kind of rowdy and out of control.”

“you don’t say?” you grumble, never one to black out and get that shit faced and then doing it nearly every night - maybe to deal with danny’s pathetic soft looks or whispered sweet nothings to you.

“nothing is working either. not advil or water or greasy food. we might’ve fucked ourselves for life, bi.”

but if there’s one thing that always helped for eunbi, it was a nice, long bath. steaming hot water that burned her skin and the prettiest bath bombs to make the entire bathroom smell of strawberries and cream.

so even though you didn’t want to, nothing more comfortable than eunbi’s king size bed and warm, fluffy comforter, you allowed the girl to drag you to the bathroom down the hall to set up ‘your last resort, hangover paradise.’

it consisted of every type of bath bomb and lotion and bubble bath the luxurious could dream of, sending her out immediately when you saw her sneaking in with a glass of champagne.

“are you crazy?” you ask, dipping your toe in the water to test the temperature. “that’s what started this disaster.”

“fine, more for me!” she squeals happily, turning down the lights and pressing the bluetooth button for your phone’s music. “enjoy. i’ll see you in an hour, completely hangover free.”

“we’ll see about that,” you grumble, your words falling on deaf ears as she locks and closes the door to makes her way back to her ensuite.

and as much as you wanna give eunbi shit for her pompous tactics and techniques for everything in life, you have to say that this is certainly helping.

soaking in the steaming hot water, with cucumbers on your eyes and quiet music playing through the ceiling speakers. the jets in the tub also added another layer of relaxation to it, healing your sore muscles from days of waking up on a hard, wooden floor.

the mirrors were steamed and the room was boiling by the time you got out, stepping on the fuzzy bath mat and drying yourself off with a towel. you had tried not to get your hair wet but it proved useless, your relaxed body sinking further and further down until nearly your whole head was wet.

you stretch your arms above your head as you let out a content groan, feeling the best you’ve felt in three days and ready to take a nap.

but it’s at that moment, looking around the large steaming bathroom, that you realized you didn’t bring a change of clothes in. meaning you’ll know have to walk done the hall and into eunbi’s room in just a towel.

it’s fairly late, almost 11:30, so you’re hoping that her parents are in their rooms and fast asleep by now.

you peak your head out, feeling like a spy in a cheesy action movie as you look up and down the hall. you turn off the light once the coast is clear, walking quietly but quickly down to eunbi’s room - or wing, as it could be considered

you’re almost out of the gate, just a few more steps until you round the corner down eunbi’s hallway, when seonghwa’s tall figure is coming right up the stairs.

his head is down as he looks at his phone, still in his dress shirt and tie from his long day at work. you noticed that after the holidays, he’s been around the house less - working from home when he can but also needing to go into the office more often than not.

he’s at the top of the stairs when he finally notices your figure watching him, wrapped in a towel with a flush on your cheeks and your wet hair dripping on the floor.

it seems to be the thing to break him right now, not able to tear his eyes away or think of any fun, flirty comments to keep you from suppressing the need to roll your eyes.

because his days have been long and stressful and the only thing he needs right now is to just get off - and then there you are like something his prayers have answered, standing there quiet and awestruck at the sight of his loose tie and messy black hair he’s been running his hands through all day.

“h-hi, mr. park,” your quiet voice says, sweet and soft-spoken and utterly apologetic, like you’re embarrassed to be caught in just your towel - and he supposes that would make sense, to feel embarrassed about getting caught like this your friend’s father.

but he can’t find it in himself to care right now, two seconds away from dragging you down to his office so he can finally fuck you over his desk - but he knows that would be the worst decision in the world, for countless reasons.

“hi, y/n,” he grumbles back just as low, leant against the railing with a voice that sounds defeated and gruff.

“are you okay?” you ask, something about his voice and demeanor off.

he has to hold back a strangled laugh, his lips quirking up before he bites down on his lip.

“i’m... i’m fine, thanks. work’s just busy,” he says, a certain part of his chest warming at the fact you even asked - he knows his wife won’t when he walks in their bedroom in a few minutes.

“oh, okay,” you respond, twirling with the end of your towel nervously. “well... i’m sorry to hear that.”

he allows himself to let out a chuckle this time, shaking his head as he looks over your bare, wet face; you’re too pretty for your own good, he’s not even sure you realize just how pretty you are.

just how much he really wants you and just how much he’s coming to like seeing you in his house everyday.

“it’s alright, that’s why you gotta do something you love, right?” he quips, his long fingers up to recreate a camera, pressing down as if to snap a photo.

it cause you to let out a soft, genuine giggle, nodding your head and easing the slight embarrassment of him catching you in a towel.

“right,” you say with a smile, shy smiles and gazes shared until you finally look away in fear of your cheeks warming again.

but it doesn’t stop him from admiring the view of you, your bare face and exposed chest before the towel covers up all the parts he wants to so desperately explore.

he pictures dropping your towel and hearing it fall to the floor with a plop, take in the sight of your perky boobs and hard nipples in the air.

drop his mouth just a little bit to your neck, pressing small kisses against your skin as his fingers knead your nipples, all the quiet moans and breaths to make sure you two don’t get caught shooting right to his cock.

he probably wouldn’t be able to control himself, sliding a finger into you right then and there in the middle of the hallway, pressing your back against the wall to have you trapped against his larger body.

he’d pump his finger in and out of you slowly and tauntingly, hearing how wet you are and feeling how tight you are. it’d be similiar to how this past month has just been both of you taunting and teasing and beating around the bush, occasionally letting his fingers curl to his your g-spot or graze your sensitive clit.

and then he’d drop to his knees to taste you. make sure he sucks and licks and takes your clit in his warm mouth that you’re-

“i should get back to eunbi,” you finally say, breaking the silence and ripping him from his dirty, hidden fantasies. you can’t take the lust and desire in his eyes that you see when he looks at you, an painful ache building between your legs more and more.

“goodnight, mr. park.”

you nearly run into eunbi’s room and slam the door had you not seen her sleeping form, passed out right there in the middle of her bed wearing a baby pink robe.

you look beside her to see an extra one laid out, a silky lilac one that causes a small smile to cross your face.

you’ve never felt material like this on your skin, basking in the feeling of the smooth, silky material as you clean up her room quietly - both to tidy up and distract you from the ache in your legs and last encounter with her father.

for eunbi growing up with housekeepers and nannies her whole life, it always surprised you how clean and tidy your roommate was; the sink was never full of dishes and you alternated vacuuming the living room carpet.

but it’s obvious all of that is a facade because since the moment she got home, her messy ways have shown through - you find it endearing, though, and it’s all very eunbi: a homey, lived in mess of luxurious items and articles of clothing worth more than your childhood home.

the girl in question had moved to the right side in her sleep as you cleaned, a quiet chuckle leaving your mouth. you look to see both your water bottles are empty, deciding on the brave decision to go downstairs to grab two new ones.

the last time you’d done that, you thought for sure mr. park was gonna jump your bones - and you know you were gonna let him.

your mind is littered with memories of that night as you make your way through the dark house of twists and turns, carefully going down the stairs as you walk toward the kitchen.

there’s a room with beautiful double doors on your left, a room you’ve walked past hundreds of times throughout your stay here. eunbi told you it was her dad’s first floor office, where he usually worked and had his meetings from home.

the first thing you notice from down the hall is that the door is slightly cracked open, a peak in from the dimly lit kitchen showcasing some fancy decor of a globe.

as you make your way closer and closer, your ears are met with a quiet, strangled groan that causes you to stop in your tracks; your mind begins to race with a million different scenarios of what you could be walking past right now.

your first thought is that you’re about to see mr. and mrs. park in a very compromising position over his desk - and, as sick as it sounds, as delusional and crazy and absurd as it sounds, that prospect makes your stomach sink and twist painfully.

but that would be normal, you suppose; they’re a fucking married couple after all and seonghwa had seemed stressed from work. obviously he was gonna ask his wife to help calm him down and relax him.

get all of his stress out in the form of-

you shake your head before you can even think about it, forcing your feet to move past the office doors.

and it’s like you can’t even stop yourself from peeking in, confirming to see if your thoughts are correct and you’re about to be gutted, when you take in the sight before you.

seonghwa still in his loose tie and white dress shirt, pants around his ankles and his head thrown back in his office chair as his own hand jerks his cock off.

everything about it is dirty and wrong and you know you shouldn’t be looking in but you can’t stop.

you can’t stop watching the way his hand works around his cock expertly, long and thick and so fucking nice it nearly makes you drool. the thought of you on your knees before him, taking him in your mouth and licking and sucking around the tip, making you bite back a moan.

you can’t stop your eyes from looking at his face, his head thrown back and eyes squeezed shut with his neck on display - perfect for you to bite and give hickies, if you were on top straddling him.

you can’t stop the painful ache and wetness seeping in your thong as you watch him get off, his groans and grunts and heavy breaths making you wanna whine out in arousal.

and it’s that suppression right there, getting so worked up and horny over the sight of your peeping tina activities, that cause you to pull yourself away.

because as much as you don’t want to and as much as you wanna help him, you can’t.

you can only scramble into the kitchen and get water as fast and quiet as humanly possible, scurrying past the office and up the stairs with the stealthiness of a lion.

you can only lay in bed with the thoughts of your roommate’s father and the noises he makes, the sight of his cock and the hand movements replaying over and over in your mind.

and you realize that night, with only a few more days until you both have to leave for the spring semester, you can only hope to never see mr. park again.

let this flirtation and fascination and utterly screwed up infatuation with your roommate’s dad be nothing but a dirty memory you’ll keep to yourself for the rest of your life.

because if it’s not, if you have to see him again and have him in your daily life again, you won’t be able to hold yourself back.

your lust will turn deeper and you’ll find yourself in a much bigger issue than damp underwear and secret, forbidden moments with mr. park seonghwa.

you should’ve known with only two days left of your stay that eunbi was gonna let the news slip.

you were at least grateful for the fact that mrs. park had a charity ball with her clan of “botox getting, bitchy sounding gold diggers who need to desperately get laid,” successfully riding her of your last friday night dinner.

“so you girls don’t want a new apartment then?” seonghwa asked, glass of wine in his hand as he looks at the two of you questioningly. “that building’s looking for a new owner, eunbi, i think it’d be perfect for you both.”

“dad don’t be ridiculous, we can’t own the building!” eunbi says, swatting her dad playfully as she shovels a piece of food in her mouth. she’s casual and comfortable without her mom’s prying eyes and biting tone, her foot resting on the white fabric beneath her.

“and besides, i might be alone in there soon. we still don’t know if y/n is gonna be starting her-”

you kick the girl under the table roughly, her face pulling into a wince as a cry leaves her mouth.

“ow, y/n! what the he-”

but it’s upon seeing your white face and annoyed expression that she realizes what she said, her mouth falling open and silent as she looks at you apologetically.

“oh shit...”

you can only shoot her a pained, sarcastic smile, daringly looking at seonghwa who’s watching the two of you with a curious expression.

“what do you mean?”

silence hangs in the air, you and eunbi sharing side eyes and dejected looks with her dad before he cocks an eyebrow at the both of you.

“girls... what do you mean?” he asks, his voice deeper and more serious, taking on a dad-like tone eunbi isn’t used to hearing from her relaxed, playful father.

and that’s when, before eunbi can open her big mouth any further, you calmly and regretfully explain the situation with your scholarship.

how you got an e-mail a few months ago about alternate funding for the art department and that you were one of the many students who, while keeping up your end of requirements, could not be awarded money.

“it’s awful that they can do that,” seonghwa says, his eyes full of the same sympathy and outrage eunbi’s held - except he knows that this happens all the time. that it’s unfair and sick and a big ploy in the education system that needs incredible reform.

especially when it hurts students like you.

“yeah but it is what it is,” you say, trying your hardest to steer the conversation to literally anything but this (in fear that you’ll scream or start crying or have yet another anxiety attack).

“i can just finish up in the fall, it’s no big deal,” you lie through our teeth, a sad smile on your face as you look at eunbi. “i’m just sorry it messes up our combined graduation party.”

a frown crosses eunbi’s face as she smacks you in the arm, pulling you closer to her just so she could cuddle herself into your arm.

“i will wait for you,” she proclaims dramatically, a pout on her lips and starry-eyed look in her gaze. “i will wait as long as i have to. if they delay it any further, father, you will simply have to sue the school.”

“father, huh?” seonghwa hums lowly, his lips quirking into a smirk.

father is the term eunbi uses when she wants to use him and his money, whether it be blackmailing unfair teachers or shitty students or calling for him when her and her mom are fighting.

“yes, father,” she says, looking to you with a sweet, apologetic smile on her face.

“i’m serious, y/n. we got your back,” she quips with a wink, a pained smile on your face that she knows means you can’t wait to let her have it when you two are alone.

“you had one job, eunbi, and you were doing so good,” you say in her room later that night, pacing back and forth as she sits on her bed like a scolded child. “literally two nights left and you let it slip out!”

“i’m sorry, okay!” she whines for the ninth time, a pout on her face as she plays with fingers; you wanna roll your eyes seeing it, knowing for a fact that’s something she does when she’s in trouble with jiwoon.

“i didn’t mean to, it just slipped out!” she begins to defend, “and it was only my dad! he wouldn’t dare say a bad word about you, y/n, he loves you.”

you ignore the twinge in your chest when you hear her say those words, feeling a tad guilty at the bodily reaction you have about her own father. how much you’re hiding from her and that you have these suppressed feelings and secret moments in the first place.

“loves me or not, bad word or not, it’s still embarrassing, eunbi,” you say, a frown on your lips as you start to hear the situation aloud.

“i still can’t pay for my tuition and have to wait almost a whole year to take a degree in fucking photography. like how embarrassing is that, all of this just for me never find a job and live in a box.”

you’ve only seen a flash of anger on eunbi’s face a few times in your life, the incident with the dorm girls and her dad and when a sorority girl tried to kiss jiwoon at the bar.

and you see it right now, her small but mighty frame jumping off the bed and lunging toward you quickly.

“are you kidding me!” she squeals, smacking you in the arm and pushing you down on the bed.

“what the hell do you mean a degree in fucking photography? or living in a box? you’re gonna be the best photographer in the world and shoot every event in my life and charge me quadruple the amount!”

a smile pulls at your lips as you hear her go on and on, hype you up and build up your confidence and tell you to never talk that way about yourself again. how there’s nothing embarrassing about not being able to afford thousands of dollars when you were alerted about the expense on such short notice.

“okay, okay, i know that,” you eventually give in, letting out a sigh as you flop down on her bed. “it’s just.... stressful. i can’t move back home but i also need to get like, a real job. a job that’s gonna pay well so i can save up as much as possible.”

“and we’ll find you that when we get back,” she says, assuring with a confident look in her eye and her hands in yours. “i can promise you, with or without my father’s connections, we’re getting you a job.”

her words prove to reassure you for the remainder of the night, when, after she kisses your ass a little more, asks if she can go to jiwoon’s for a little.

you spent that time in her room looking at nearby job offerings and building up your resume and cover letters, working well into the night hours with a text from jiwoon that she fell asleep and will be back in the morning.

you stretch your arms above your head with a quiet groan, noting it’s almost one o’clock and you’re fucking parched yet again.

it’s no surprise to you when the lights in the kitchen are on, dimly light and no noise around as you pad your way to the fridge.

you almost expect the footsteps that come in a few moments later, when you take a sip from your water and close the fridge without hesitation.

“have you told your parents about tuition?”

you’re confused by the statement that leaves seonghwa’s mouth, brows pulled together and a sinking feeling in your stomach at this conversation again - because as if tuition wasn’t enough, he just had to bring up your parents.

but you don’t wanna beat around the bush any longer; you two seem to do that enough.

“me and my parents don’t talk,” you say, straight forward and quiet as you look right at him.

it’s the first time he sees you look a little broken and defeated, a certain kind of sadness shining behind your eyes that makes him wanna pull him into you. it feels like a protective instinct he’s used to, caring for the people in his life and not wanting to see them struggle.

“they wouldn’t help me anyway.”

this protective instinct feels a little different in this moment, something else tugging in his chest that he hasn’t felt in a very long time - not until he started seeing you more.

“but it’d be a shame if you didn’t finish, y/n. you got so far and you’ve done so well for yourself.”

you smile a little at the praise, tongue rolling over your lips in a way he certainly doesn’t miss - but this moment isn’t about that. it’s not something he cares even a little bit about right now.

“thank you, mr. park, but i am gonna finish,” you say with finality, the confident and sure tone making a strange sort of pride swell inside of him.

“i just have to save up money and i’ll start in the fall. it’s really not that big of a deal,” you tell him with a smile, taking a few steps back so you don’t feel too crowded by him.

“eunbi’s gonna help me look for jobs when i get back,” you say, a teasing smile pulling at your lips as you look at him. “a big girl job. something real and hard, that’s gonna make me super stressed and agitated.”

so much so that i have to get off at the thought of you.

a deep chuckle bubbles out of him that you match with ease, the two of you sharing small smiles and quiet giggles in the middle of this spotless, white kitchen.

“can’t do what you love quite yet, i guess,” seonghwa says, his eyes roaming your face so slowly and carefully, it makes you a tad bit nervous.

you hadn’t realized how natural and easy this conversation was between you two, like you were talking to someone you’d known your whole life opposed to someone you’ve barely known for four years.

his hand itches to reach up and touch your hair, tuck the soft, silky looking strand behind your ear and watch your cheeks heat up when your skin touches; but instead, he smiles down at you, inching closer until he’s just looming over you and staring down at you with a soft, undetectable look in his eye.

“but it’ll be worth it in the end, i think. it’s just gonna... take some time.”

you lick over our lips, throat and mouth suddenly so incredibly dry, as you nod your head.

“yeah, i think so, too,” you say, your lips smushing together nervously before you open your mouth to speak again - this could be one of the last times you’re alone with him.

“thank you for letting me stay with you guys, mr. park. it’s been... really nice spending time with people for the holidays.”

he feels his heart twinge in his chest again, his eyes falling down to your lips and swearing he’s never wanted to kiss someone so bad in his life.

“of course, y/n, it’s been a pleasure,” he says, a smile quirking at his lips with a hint of something you just can’t quite make out. “maybe we’ll see each other again soon.”

it was five days before classes started that you got the confirmation e-mail - a message confirming your tuition for the spring semester was paid in full and your current balance was $0.

you had to look over the message for three whole hours making sure you had read the e-mail correctly, even going as far to call the bursar office to make sure they had the correct address.

but they had confirmed with surety that your balance was paid off, urging you to quickly sign up for the classes you need before the day was over.

“okay, you will never believe what interview i was able to score for you,” eunbi says the moment she walks in the apartment, shopping bags up her arm and gucci sunglasses perched atop her head.

“i’ll admit, the vibe was a little off with the coworkers but i think it’d be a great opportunity to-” her eyes catch your laptop screen on the school website, a list of classes and times on your screen that causes her eyes to widen.

“oh?” she squeals, running over and throwing herself down on the couch beside you. “what the heck are you doing? are you... did you...?”

the lie came way too quick and easy to you, excitedly blabbering out that there was a change in the system and your scholarship was approved - “i think they felt bad that i was a graduating senior,” you said, eunbi’s face pulled into the happiest smile you’ve ever seen.

she clapped and danced and bounced around in excitement, proclaiming you guys just had to go out and get drinks to celebrate the fact that your surprise party was back on.

but you could only sit there with your thoughts and suspicions and this overwhelming feeling deep within your stomach that, while eunbi definitely doesn’t know, her father might’ve just paid your college tuition in full.

(part 2)

tag list: @mochibabycakes @atinyarmyx1 @middle-of-a-wonshua-sandwich @baekhvuns @marksflvr @bunbaebae @markleeyeosang @inkigayeo @nlost21 @hyunjeansuniverse @cherryeonii @songsoomin @reeateez @biaswreckingfics @yunhoiseyecandy @sophrosyneeeee @uglychildd @happycandynoelle @seolarjk @liqhtiny @maedesculpaeusoubi @revehosh @svt-mangos @hcwurld @ateezappreciation @sanisms @khjssss @yixing-jaehyun @yeosangs-left-ass-cheek

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#alright here we go again #shes up fr now jfdkvkd #seonghwa #seonghwa angst #seonghwa fluff #seonghwa smut #ateez #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez smut #seonghwa scenarios #seonghwa imagines #ateez imagines #ateez scenarios #seonghwa series #ateez series

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gojo-x-reader · 3 years

Text

Confessions in a Drunken Night

Relationship(s): Gojo Satoru x F!Reader

Warnings: excessive drinking, mentions of sex (not related to drinking), getting drunk, job stress

Tags: communication is key

AO3 Link: here

Words: ~2k

Request: “ Hey, I hope you're doing okay. I have read your scenarios and I fell in love with them They are so cute and adorable . If you take a request would you mind taking mine. About a f/reader who is depressed about her job pressure and Gojo not being home lately so she would be drinking at home not knowing that Gojo had arrived and was sleeping and he would wake up because of sound and he would find her saoul , and he would try to make up with her , with a lot of fluff please , thank you .”

You heard the door hurriedly slam from the other room and sighed. This was the third time just this week alone that date night was interrupted with you and your boyfriend, Satoru. Every time, he promised that nothing would come up, but every time something did. You didn’t understand why exactly his job was so important for him to just leave like that. He was just a high school teacher.

You sighed again, then picked up the uneaten dinner you cooked for the both of you. You placed the food in containers for later, if there was a later with him. You might end up eating both portions by yourself. You finished up cleaning up the romantic date you had prepared, now incredibly sad and frustrated.

You started pouring yourself a glass of whiskey. You weren’t a fan of the stuff straight, but tonight seemed like the night to drink. How many hours of overtime did you put in this week just to try to have an evening off to spend with your boyfriend? How much sleep did you lose just to stay ahead? How many times did your boss scoff because you asked off not one night, but three nights this week? You’d be lucky if you could get another night off in a month after this week.

You sipped on the whiskey, cherishing the warmth it brought to your core. You grabbed the bottle and glass and took them the to couch. The whiskey bottle was less than halfway finished; might as well finish it tonight. You lounged on the couch as you brought the glass to your lips and reminisced about your relationship with Satoru.

You had been together for over a year now, but it didn’t feel like it. You were practically in a long-distance relationship, despite only living twenty minutes from each other with how scarce you got to see him. He was always busy on “business trips” or whatever for his job. The thought that he was cheating on you crossed your mind a time or two, but Satoru didn’t seem like the type.

The two of you met in your favorite bakery just down the street. You had fought over the last piece of tiramisu, which he eventually gave you in exchange for your number. He was incredibly easy to talk to and within a few weeks, the two of you were going on your first date. He was suave, but you soon learned that was just a front he put up. The true Gojo Satoru was a dork with an almost insufferable personality that somehow you were able to stand.

You were sure that in the year you had been dating, you had only gone on three successful dates with Satoru and well over fifteen attempted dates. The three successful dates all had a special place in your heart.

The first successful date was your first date. It was a cozy café date followed by a nice walk through the nooks and crannies of Tokyo you never saw on your work commute. You remembered how you gained the confidence to hold Satoru’s hand on the first date, only feeling like there was a literal wall between you two for a few seconds. It was strange, but it was the only incident, so you never brought it up to him.

The second successful date was a few months later with another failed attempt in between the first and second. This one was a trip to a fancy restaurant in the heart of Tokyo. This was the date you learned that your boyfriend was loaded. Not just well off, but rich enough he could spend a couple hundred thousand Yen and it was just pocket change to him. Somehow, the reveal left more questions than answered them; namely, how did he become so rich with a teacher’s salary? Was he part of some kind of Old Money or something?

He never told you where you were dining, so of course, you dressed like it was a casual outing. Before heading to the restaurant, he bought you a dress that was worth more than two years of your yearly salary (against your protests). It was a gorgeous dress, in your favorite color. It still hung in your closet; while you wanted to sell it for some extra money, you didn’t want to upset Satoru.

The third and final successful date was your first anniversary. Neither of you wanted to go out, so you both stayed in. The two of you cooked dinner together; you were pleasantly surprised to learn that Satoru had a talent for cooking and wanted to taste more of his cooking. He insisted you were a much better cook than him, but you disagreed.

After dinner, one thing led to another until you were swept off your feet literally to the bedroom.

You smiled fondly at the memories of your first time together. It was only two months ago, but nothing had happened since then even though you desperately wanted a repeat of your anniversary tonight. Ah, you remembered why you were drinking. You swallowed the rest of the whiskey in your glass, grimacing as it burned in your throat.

You were already tipsy after one glass. You were a lightweight; you were sure you would be shit-faced before the end of this bottle. Satoru never drank, yet he always had the audacity to make fun of how much of a lightweight you were.

Who knows how long passed before you finally swallowed the last drop of whiskey. At that point, you were fighting your eyelids that were trying to close. Without Satoru there to entertain you as you were tipsy, you became a tired drunk. You just wanted to go to sleep but didn’t want to leave the couch. If you got up, you’d probably stumble and fall back anyway. So, you grabbed the blanket draped across the couch and wrapped yourself around it.

A sudden wave of sadness washed over you right as you closed your eyes. You missed Satoru, desperately. It felt physically painful being away from him at the moment. You brought a hand up to your eyes and wiped them, rolling over and finally going to sleep for good.

You woke up to the feeling of someone shaking your form. You groaned. Your head was pounding from dehydration, you were still sleepy from the alcohol; who dared interrupt your sleep?

You blinked a few times to find Satoru and his beautiful blue eyes staring at you. He appeared slightly worried, but also tired.

“Time?” you asked, not even forming coherent sentences yet.

“Almost 3am,” Satoru answered.

You groaned. “Let me sleep.”

“How much did you drink?”

“Does it matter?” you snapped back. You then realized how hostile you sounded, then started crying. “Please don’t be mad at me,” you said between hiccups.

Satoru took you into his arms, soothingly rubbing your back to calm you down. You suddenly felt worse because you were a mess, just because he left for an emergency with work? Pathetic.

Your sweet, incredible boyfriend helped you slowly sit up, then obtained a glass of water for you to drink. You chugged it, not even realizing how thirsty you were. Satoru refilled it for you, urging you to instead sip the water.

“What’s wrong?” Satoru asked as he sat down next to you on the couch.

“...Nothing,” you answered.

“Nothing? I come home to find my girlfriend passed out on the couch drunk off her ass and sad. You’re upset, and I want us to work through this. Now, what’s wrong?”

“I’m sad,” you admitted.

“Obviously.”

“I don’t feel like you--” hic “--love me as much anymore. You keep leaving during our dates, you don’t spend much time with me anymore, and my job is just so stressful because I keep having to work overtime to get days off and I doubt I can get another day off for a month now. That just makes me so fucking sad because I wanna see you every day but I can’t--”

Satoru gently placed a hand on your cheek. His gaze was filled with so much love it rendered you speechless. “That all?” he asked. You nodded.

Satoru tenderly placed a kiss on your forehead. “I’ve been keeping a secret from you,” he admitted. Suddenly, your brain raced through all of the possibilities, fixating on the idea he was cheating on you. Oh, no, here it comes…

“I’m a jujutsu sorcerer.”

“Excuse me?”

That was not at all what you were expecting. What did that even mean?

Satoru backed away. “Here, try to grab my hand.”

You reached out to him, feeling the familiar wall like you did on your first date. “Oh!”

“This is Infinity,” he explained. “As you get closer to me, you slow down, unable to reach me. It’s a jujutsu passed down through my family.”

“I think I’ve felt it before. On our first date.”

Satoru sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “I always keep my Infinity going at all times, 24/7, even when I’m asleep. I only let down my guard around you because I trust you with my life.”

“So. What does this all mean? What else are you keeping a secret? Your job too?”

“No, I really am a high school teacher. For the first years, to be exact. The bunch this year are… interesting to say the least. So I’ve been having to stay late to train them, and I actually do go on business trips. A lot of them are overseas.”

“What are they for?” You were now very invested in your boyfriend’s secret life he had been hiding from you all this time.

“We exorcise curses.”

“Curses?”

“The evil beings of the jujutsu world. I have to go on more missions than the average person because I’m one of the very few Special Grade jujutsu sorcerers in the world. It’s the highest rank a jujutsu sorcerer can reach. And your boyfriend is the strongest in the world.”

“Are you really, or are you self-proclaimed?” you asked, knowing his personality. Satoru pouted. You pinched one of his cheeks gently, then dragged his face to your lips, pressing them against his cheek. “I’m just kidding.”

“I really am the strongest, though,” Satoru continued to pout. “Anyway! I think it’s time for us to sleep. Tomorrow, I can take you to see my school and you can meet my students!”

“Really?” you asked, excited. Finally, your boyfriend was allowing you into the part of his world you were always curious about.

“Really,” he promised.

You yawned. The sun was just starting to peek through your windows. Suddenly, you felt yourself being lifted and carried to your room. You weren’t quite sober and made sure to warn Satoru about that, lest he moved you too fast and caused you to throw up on the two of you.

(“It wouldn’t get on me, though,” Satoru argued. “I can just activate my Infinity and I’ll stay clean.”)

Satoru tucked you into your bed, then made his way to your side. You were actually kind of glad you decided to get drunk tonight, as the liquid courage gave you the confidence to speak your mind to your boyfriend instead of keeping your feelings inside like usual. Tonight, you learned a side of your boyfriend you never thought existed. It brought you relief and curiosity to learn more about him and his life.

But for now, you needed sleep. Meeting part of Satoru’s world could wait until tomorrow.

#gojo satoru #gojo satoru x reader #gojo x reader #jjk x reader #jjk #jujutsu kaisen

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actlikeyoudidntdoit · 3 years

Text

ASSASSIN’S MODERN DAY PROFESSIONS

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ALTAÏR

College Professor

-We all know that Altaïr has spent most of his life teaching, so what better job does he have than a college professor?

-He knows what he’s talking about, that much is certain, but sometimes he gets a little too lost in his lesson to realize that his students are scratching their heads. So it’s normal to have students staying after class, but they leave understanding every word of what he said.

-He’s not the fun teacher, but he’ll be able to teach you what you need and still remember it at the end of the day.

-He’s pretty lenient, and even with the obnoxious students who cause a scene, he calmly gets them to at least do their work.

-Other teachers always use him as a reference when it comes to the perfect teacher.

EZIO AUDITORE

-I can see Ezio being a public speaker since he’s not all that scared of crowds and spends a lot of time giving advice, so I think he’d really enjoy being able to help a crowd of people whose lives are falling apart

-Ezio would be the single anchor in a sea of storms because he always seems to have an answer for everything. He’s a man whose words are turned into inspirational quotes that people hang on their walls.

-When he says that things will be okay, no one doubts him since they know that he lost his father and his brothers very early on and that it took years for Ezio to accept the loss the way he had. If he could soldier through it, why couldn’t they?

-He doesn’t involve himself in politics, finding them to be a waste of time and breath despite how many people ask for his input on the political status of the country he’s staying in.

-He speaks to a lot of people in private, letting them speak their minds and giving his advice if they want it. He’s a therapist without a license, and you always feel hopeful about life leaving his office.

Connor

Construction or Sports

-This boy was designed for heavy work, and I’ve heard some good points in saying that not only would he be amazing at sports, but he’d also really enjoy it too.

-In my personal headcanon, I think he’d be a good construction worker as well. Not the high end kind that build skyscrapers or anything, but I can see him building simple houses for small communities, taking the lower jobs that can’t afford much help like the sweetheart he is. He definitely volunteers to make houses for the homeless.

-Since most of the homeless he helps don’t have much money, he makes sure to offer them baked goods because he’s definitely a baker.

Edward Kenway

-As a young man, he joins the navy

-Once he’s on his own, he buys his own boat and treats it like royalty.

-He’s not a pirate himself, but he does let less legal people on board for a price. At the time, it was just an easy cash pay since people paid good money when they were desperate.

-When he’s older and gets a grip on some of the people he’s helping (like the REALLY bad criminals) he quickly lets it go.

-Yet after seeing some of the more decent people and the places they were running from, I can see him being a sort of smuggler, but instead of smuggling drugs or weapons, he sells medicines, canned foods, and clothes to the regions where they’re scarce or hard to pay for.

-When he’s older and found a fortune over time, he starts up his own official charity, hiring various sailers to sail supplies to more places than he himself could alone.

SHAY CORMAC

-Okay, I have to say it. Shay would DEFINITELY be an FBI spy. Maybe I haven’t thought of it as heavily as I could, but he just strikes me as a man who could kill someone in plain sight and still not be seen.

-He already knows everything he can about infiltrating and getting vital information

-He knows exactly how to manipulate people to get what he wants.

-He’s like Macgyver but as an agent.

-He does things that make sleeping at night impossible, but he tells himself that every long night for him is another person somewhere else having a peaceful night, and peaceful nights means he’s doing his job. Right?

-Constantly questions his morals, but he can’t bring himself to stop, not knowing that he’d do if he stopped, because at least here he’s doing something. He’s contributing.

-That and maybe I might or might not want to see Shay in a suit 🤷‍♀️

AVELINE

-Actress. And a damn good one. She’s one of the kind of people who get paid millions each job and gives most of her cash on people who really need it. Not only that, she’s a fan favorite everywhere.

-She takes extra jobs in smaller businesses barely staying afloat, and public morality boosts has nothing to do with it. In fact, she keeps her fame life out of everything, choosing to see it just as another job.

-I can see her sharing similarities of Zendaya or Zoe Zaldana

ARNO DORIAN

-High school teacher or actor, I can’t decide.

-Because let’s be honest, this guys brain is more wrinkled than a raisin. He knows his stuff.

-He’s good at simplifying what he’s saying, and that happens to be a very useful trait when it comes to teaching.

-If he was a teacher, he’d be a damn good one, that’s for sure. No one will fail his class because he’s so good at explaining things, and he’d be the one who actually cares for his students.

-When it comes to acting... just admit that Arno’s a theater boy through and through. If you need proof, he’s the only one with a crazy amount of fancy robes and colors. FOR GODS SAKE HE OWNS A THEATER! So on modern day, I could totally see him as an actor as well.

-He’d be the Ewan Mcgregor of the modern day, because everyone recognizes him from SOMEWHERE because he’s really tested his acting ability on multiple various roles. Well read, charming, and level headed, he’d totally rock being an actor. He’s good friends with Aveline, and when they both have time in their busy schedules, they stop by for coffee and fill each other in on their life.

JACOB

-Boxing

-I saw the photoshops of Jacob in boxer life, and I have not been the same because oh my god that is amazing.

-but absolutely he’d be a boxer. He’s the shortest guy in the entire match, but he doesn’t need a stool to knock you on your ass before you can laugh about it.

-His opponents are lucky shattering bones is against the rules because he knows how to make someone wish their dad wore a condom.

-A lot of people think that his rounds must be rigged, and his sister had to physically hold him back every time Jacob threatened to give him a close up of how ‘rigged’ his fights were.

-Jacobs a powder keg, so it doesn’t take much to make him explode, and a lot of the less respectful people he has to fight picks particularly sore spots to do just that.

-He might be pissed, but his punch isn’t the only thing that stings. He knows exactly what words to use, and when they’ve gone too far, he doesn’t hold back.

-Might have a temper, but he has a good heart despite it all. He visits schools and completely turns his personality around with kids. He signs autographs, takes pictures, and makes sure that every one of them have a fun day because he knows that there’s some kids in this school that don’t have those kinds of days. He pays the school for field days each time, making sure they all get out. They bring out the scooters, parachutes, capture the flag, and ‘wrestling’ matches for the kids who want to face him. He loses every time. He never has a bigger smile on his face than when he has children fans walk up to him.

EVIE

-She is totally a lawyer and you can’t change my mind.

-Logic and Facts are her strongest weapons, and so far she has yet to lose a debate.

-Every other lawyer knows that seeing Evie walk into court is an instant death sentence, because like her brother, her words are sharp as a knife and her mind is even sharper.

-If they didn’t look identical, no one would believe that she would be related with Jacob the hot headed boxer, because she was level as water and was near impossible to make angry, but god help the poor sod that presses her.

-Her clients almost always get the best case scenario with Evie by their side by how good she is.

-Also like her brother, children are her weak spot, and her hard composure melts whenever she needs to speak to a child in the witness post, making sure that the child feel comfortable unlike the others that drill the kid with questions when they’re too skittish to answer. She takes her time and gets the kid feeling safe, and gently asks their side.

-Evie might not do it as a profession, but Evie has beaten Jacob in the boxing ring in the gym. She knows damn well how to handle herself, knowing she’d need it since she’d be fighting corrupt politicians or gang members who have too often tried attempts at her life. Every time she emerged unscathed, using the attempt at even more evidence against them and insuring a spot in jail. No one dared try attacking her again after that.

BAYEK

-I’m thinking police officer or motivational speaker for trauma.

-Either way, he’s a guardian who takes care of the people he’s in charge of. He knows words well, and having been down the dark path himself, he knows exactly what people experience and what they want to hear.

-Be the change you want to see in the world, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.

-He’d be a well respected officer, and he’s not afraid of telling off a comrade if someone is wrongfully accused. He’s not very popular in the police station, but as long as he’s doing his job, he’s satisfied.

-He’s saved several people over the course in his life, and his word is well honored since he’s on no ones side. He sees things as what they are and doesn’t twist events he disagreed with to his point of view. Even if it hurts him personally, he doesn’t lie.

-He’s divorced, but they’re still best friends with each other and visit when they can.

AYA (ran out of gifs. Sorry)

-She is hands down a self defense teacher for women

-She sells hidden self defense tools for less than ten dollars, always sure to keep constantly supply of them since many have confessed that they’ve saved them from dangerous situations.

-Like her former husband, she’s a protector and makes sure she provides her students with the best.

-She teaches children what to do if they ever get grabbed, and she’s had many parents in years thanking her when that information ended up saving their child’s life.

ALEXIOS

-Hands down he is a stunt double

- Preferably Arno’s since he relies more on flexibility than brute strength. Then there’s the fact that they look similar enough in features

-He does the moves that would probably be safer if they were just CGI, but he hates those computers with a passion, preferring to do the real thing instead of giving out something fake. He’s broken more bones than he can count, and the companies he works with always have a medic on standby when something goes wrong.

-They tried convincing him that they only needed him for a few spots, but after realizing that he wanted this (and him assuring them that he doesn’t bother with suing), they let him do his thing. The results are fruitful since the most nitpicky movie fans are absolutely thrilled when there’s a particular move done right.

-He teaches Arno a good few things about how to do action scenes, and they’re definitely good friends.

KASSANDRA

-Roller Derby

-She lives for throwing people and smacking them without being judged for it, so the Derby’s her safe spot.

-Everyone on the opposing team is terrified of her, always scared when they see her devilish smile, knowing that they’re about to get their asses handed to them. Like her brother, she’s an adrenaline junky, and when she’s not doing the derby, she’s going off into car races in a water trench. She’s surprisingly very good with cars too, knowing the inside and out of a car like the back of her hand.

-She loves it when men try to catcall her. It gives her a perfect opportunity to punch them in the face.

-She loves the races themselves because no one expects it. Sometimes she pretends to act like a beginner and absolutely slaughter them, giving them a nice wink before driving out with her cash.

-Only has a soft spot for the girl who visits her on weekends. She’s practically her older sister, and there will be hell to pay if her favorite kid gets hurt in any way.

EIVOR

-BACA(Bikers Against Child Abuse)

-The moment I saw this, I instantly thought about them.

-they would absolutely be a part of this

-Looking all badass in leather while turning into a softie for children? That’s Eivors entire character right there.

-Eivors not afraid to get physical with an abuser. They’d beat the abuser to a pulp and right after take the child out for ice cream.

-No one messes with Eivor, knowing that their lenience was stretched only for children. Anyone else tried to pressure her? Your teeth would be shattered and they’d wear the bits for a necklace.

-Children are much more brave around them because they’re tougher than their parent and on their side, so they’re not afraid to give them to the police

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unsualfan · 3 years

Text

Maiko week day 7: Strangers

A Stranger to you

After a year and a half of his banishment, Mai wonders if he still remembers her.

@idonthatemaiko

It that's time of the year again. It was Mai's birthday. Most people her age are very excited but to Mai she already knew how her birthday goes very year. Plenty of presents from her rich parents and relatives, her mom trying to make her smile even though she appreciates everything, celebration and she's another year older. But this year her mom had other plans she didn't expect. Her parents rented a hotel right next to a beautiful beach. It was very fancy and it was in the earth kingdom for a change. And now here she was in the earth kingdom on her birthday. They arrive early because the ship was fast. They got to their room in the hotel and later Michi accompanied her daughter on a walk on the beach.

"Isn't the wind in the beach the best" Michi said. "Well yeah and sometimes you'll get sand in your eyes" Mai replied. "Oh smile a little birthday girl." While they were walking a merchant with a wooden cart pass by them. He was selling random items and Michi noticed he was also selling jewelry. "How about a nice jewelry for your birthday" She said. "Oh well" It wouldn't hurt to get one. Her mom was looking through the things the merchant was selling. Mai saw that he also sold other items that weren't from the earth kingdom so she assumed he was a traveling merchant. "Oh this one looks unique, what do think Mai?" It had golden beads and a big silver bead on the middle that had spiral designs. "It looks alright and simple." She never had a jewelry like this. Most jewelry her mom gets her had a fire symbol on it. Simple. "We'll take it" she then paid for it. "Pleasure doing business with you ma'am." Then he went off.

Her mom took her to the town not far from their hotel. The guess don't arrive until mid afternoon. The town wasn't poor it wasn't wealthy either. As they were walking Mai thought she saw someone familiar...Nah it was her imagination the person was facing sidewards but when he turned around...

Zuko?! He disappeared there were many people on street. Mai took off and followed him. She stumbled into an old friend she wanted to say hello it has been awhile though. Zuko turned to a corner. There was a small shop his uncle was there buying rare random items. Mai stopped on the corner and just observed. It hit her that they haven't seen each other in a while. Does he remember her?

"Uncle, we should be focusing on finding clues where the avatar is."

"But Prince Zuko check out this turtle duck sculpture. Isn't it cute?"

Zuko sighed. This wasn't an easy task. Zuko waited for his Uncle to finish and he was getting impatient. Mai saw her chance. she had two options on her mind. Say hello or pretend to be buying stuff at the shop and see if he remembers her.

Mai felt something tap her shoulder. "Mai there you are come on your father told me all the guess have arrived he have to go back at the hotel restaurant." She grabbed her daughter arm and headed for the hotel. "But mom wait I saw..." Her mom didn't hear her.

Back at the hotel restaurant Mai received a lot of presents from relatives and friends. During the celebration on her birthday she was thinking about Zuko. At night the party ended and guess were going home.

Mai took her coat and headed for the door "Mom I'm gonna walk outside and uhm... Catch some fresh air" but she was actually going to find Zuko. "Well alright if that's what will make you happy on your birthday." "Yes and uhm bye"

It only made sense why he was here in the earth kingdom he was banished from the fire nation. Mai went towards the direction of the docks. During her walk all her childhood memories with Zuko played out in her mind. When she arrived she saw the ship she rode and another ship that she recognize was from the fire nation. It was a good sign meaning he hasn't left and still was in town. But how is she gonna find him. She taught maybe start at the shop earlier of looking for him or wait all night near his ship. Nah all night her parents would get worried plus she taught it was kinda dumb idea. While she was thinking she felt very thirsty so she looked for a place to buy a drink.

Mai remember the tea shop she passed by earlier with her mom while walking through the town so she went there. And...what are the odds Zuko was there and with his Uncle. Luck and coincidence. Of course she remembered his Uncle is a huge fan of tea.

But now what they were many people in the tea shop. Approach him dummy. She thought to herself but her nervousness made her unable to move. Why are you so nervous just say hello. She yelled at herself in her thoughts.

Then the group of people sitting across Zuko and his Uncle left. The table across them was empty so she sat there but she still nervous. She didn't know what to say first. Then a waiter approach her. "Good evening ma'am what would you like this evening?" Maybe some tea will calm me down. She order one Chamomile tea. Nope she was still nervous. But on the other hand she got what she came here for. To get a drink because she was thirsty.

"Did that tea clear your mind Prince Zuko?"

*sigh* "No, I'm still on a dead end. I searched all the air temples and no clue where the avatar is"

"Don't sweat it Prince Zuko. The avatar hasn't been seen in all most a hundred years. Have another drink of tea it will help you calm down." He poured another tea on his cup.

Mai thought she should just leave. He was very busy so maybe next time. She felt bad for him having to search the entire earth for the avatar. If only there was a way to help. Mai stand up, got outside of the tea shop and made her way into the hotel. Exhausted she looked forward to sleeping on the luxurious bed on the hotel.

"Mai?! Is that really you?" Zuko called after her turns out he noticed her when she got up from the table and recognized her. "Its me...Zuko your old friend" she felt akward "Oh hey I thought you forgot about me since... you seem very busy" Mai said. Zuko chuckled a little bit

"Of course I didn't forgot about you. Happy birthday by the way"

"You remembered?"

"yeah I did"

They stared into each other's eyes though the street was dark at night the small smile on their face was visible. Two old friends united. The silence was getting akward and neither of them didn't know what to say next. Mai was still wearing the necklace her mom bought for her. The moonlight illuminated the spiral symbols it has and caught Zuko's attention. "Nice necklace" The spiral symbols, it was an air nomad relic. "Thanks" Mai replied. "I'm curious, where did you buy that?" Mai twiddled the large bead in her fingers. "My mom bought it from a traveling merchant." She noticed something written in the back. It had a name of a temple. It's location was in a high mountain. There's a high possibly that airbenders would inhabit a temple in the high mountains where it would be difficult to reach. Zuko knew where to look next. He hated to say goodbye to an old friend he hasn't seen in awhile but he had a quest to finish.

Well see each other again someday.

Mai went back to the hotel and her mom was waiting for her "oh there's that beautiful smile you must've had a good walk" Little did she know the reason for that smile nor the ache she felt in her hear.

Someday...

#Maiko week day 7: Strangers #Maiko week 2021 #Atla Maiko #Maiko #Zuko #Mai #Atla Mai #Atla Avatar the last Airbender

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crashingmeteorz · 4 years

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it’s the ba sing se bimbos, back again (jinjetsongko). here’s some stupid stunts these ridiculous kids would pull:

mixing the dangerous herbs and serums song and her mother have. they all get accidentally high one day. fortunately they do it at zuko’s apartment, so when iroh comes home and finds them tripping he just gives them calming tea and amuses himself by asking them philosophical questions.

“what is the meaning of life?” iroh asks them. “fruit pies,” song says very seriously. “FREEDOM!!” jet roars. “being the sexiest person in the room at all times,” jin says. zuko says nothing, because he’s too busy crying and hugging iroh and telling him he loves him.

“what do you think the meaning of life is, mushi?” song asks. “life is what you make of it,” iroh tells them. “personally, i find meaning in doing what i love, and spending time with the people i love. this evening, for example, is very meaningful to me.”

of course, since none of them have fathers, they all join zuko in crying and telling iroh they love him.

at some point, jin adopts a wild injured pygmy puma, who she calls sho, and is furious that he takes an immediate liking to zuko over her.

sho becomes their mascot, and also a fat lazy house cat since they all pamper him endlessly, but one day he goes missing.

they track him down to a butcher shop (similar to the one momo almost got chopped up in), release all the live animals, and somehow manage to set a fire in the process. song and jet assume between the grease and the heat and the commotion, it was bound to happen. but jin caught zuko’s look of rage when he saw sho crying in a cage. she knows who started the fire.

she’s not a snitch, though, and obviously she’s glad to have her pet back, so jin just keeps up the whole grease fire thing. plus, zuko’s such an awkward dweeb that she figures he really needs his some kind of deep dark secret to stay even A Little Bit Cool, so she lets him have it.

they don’t really stir the attention of the dai li since they mostly cause (and sometimes solve) problems in the lower ring, and while zuko and song are happy to fly under the radar, this just infuriates jet and jin. they want attention, damn it!

so they end up planning increasingly ridiculous heists in the upper ring. jewelry store underpaying their laborers? robbed and tagged as a scam. fancy government official is selling secrets to the fire nation? so sad, too bad, the guy goes missing but he leaves a chopped-off finger behind. children are being stolen and sold to wealthy buyers in the upper ring, eager to show off their “rescued” babies? the whole thing is exposed and kids are reunited with their families.

somehow, they still only barely get the dai li’s attention (probably because they’re too busy keeping tabs on the avatar). zuko has a talk with jet about thinking things through. this is the only thing that gets jin and jet to chill out because ZUKO using words like “irrational” and “risky” seriously is the wake-up call of the century.

(at this point, i could see the story going one of two ways: 1. life continues as normal for the friends, and jet learns his lesson, or 2. jin backs off but jet continues to go bigger and more extreme until he gets kidnapped by the dai li. he thinks he has a plan, until he gets brainwashed.)

(song, zuko, and jin notice primarily because he disappears for a bit. this isn’t unheard of, but as the days creep into a week they get worried. when he comes back, he’s just...weird. it’s definitely worth investigating. song and her mother use some herbal medicine to clear jet’s mind, and discover just how sinister the dai li is. obviously, they have to get revenge and figure out what’s going on. maybe they even run across a certain lost bison on their trip to lake laogai.)

other (happier) shenigans include: visiting the zoo and all of them being soft for the animals, accidentally starting a self-defense club for kids in the lower ring, and separately meeting different members of the gaang.

song meets katara while they’re both out at the market, and, in proper teenage girl fashion, they compliment each other’s outfits. they chat by the fruit for a while, song mentions how dealing with teenage boys can be annoying and katara’s just like tell me about it! then katara mentions she’s a healer, and obviously she and song geek out over techniques and medicines they can both use to supplement their efforts in the future. it’s a very wholesome encounter.

jin meets sokka and flirts her butt off. he’s funny and cute and a little awkward, but he tells her he’s got a thing with another girl. jin tells him she’s very lucky, and he says “actually, i’m the lucky one, she’s the leader of the kyoshi warriors!” and jin just flips out. the kyoshi warriors are her heroes. she used to want to run away and join them. holy shit dude DO YOU KNOW HOW COOL YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS??? and sokka’s just like i know! she’s amazing! and they spend half an hour talking about suki.

zuko meets toph, who vaguely recognizes his voice, but never really got an explanation about who he was, and since his uncle’s really cool, she doesn’t really care about the incident in the ghost town. zuko was so distraught over iroh at the time that he had barely even noticed toph (plus, even if she does look kind of familiar, that extremely powerful earthbender couldn’t have been a 12-year-old blind girl, right? right??) she compliment iroh’s tea-making ability, but admits she doesn’t really get the art herself.

“thank you!” zuko says, because someone else gets it - it’s just tea! then he blushes a little at his outburst and gets back to work. she chats with iroh some more before thanking him for the tea and leaving, and zuko lowkey thinks she’s really funny, and as she leaves she says “it was nice to see you again, mushi! well. hear you. i can’t see anything.” and zuko cracks up in spite of himself. (once zuko joins team avatar, their disaster-rich-kid-solidarity comes out in full force).

jet meets aang (again) but it’s via the graffiti he paints on the walls of the upper ring. it says stuff like “division is oppression” and “mr. earth king, tear down this wall!” and aang replies whole-heartedly, with something like “that’s what i’ve been saying! also this place is weird. have you lived here long? i’m aang bumi. i am called bumi. after the famous king. not the earth king. the other one. most importantly, i am not related to the avatar at all.”

i imagine sokka helped him write it, and since we all know they go into Stupid Mode when they’re together there’s a lot of crossed-out lines and rewrites.

jet responds by talking at length about the “resistance”, and aang’s just like “oh cool! power to the people! but also peace and love!” and jet thinks it’s dorky but he also is like “oh my god this kid is so stupid. when i find this idiot child i am going to teach him to about the revolution and then i’m going to protect him with my life.”

i like to think they all join team avatar, eventually, but the first meeting is just:

katara: song! why are you with zuko?

song: zuko? no, this is jet.

sokka: no, that’s jet! THATS zuko! he’s the prince of the fire nation!

jin, knowing full well zuko’s a firebender and suddenly panicking: he’s the what

jet: you think LEE is the prince of the fire nation? he couldn’t even lead this friend group.

toph: are we talking about mushi’s nephew?

aang: who the heck is mushi???

song: excuse me, all due respect, because you’re the avatar and it’s an honor, but please don’t talk about mushi in that tone.

sokka: oh it’s an hONOR IS IT????

zuko: (banging his head against a wall)

credit for this au as always to the awesome @azenkii

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 masterpost

#they are officially #the ba sing se bimbos #jin #jet #song #zuko #jinjetsongko #atla #my stuff

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purplesurveys · 3 years

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1256

surveys by taco-tuesdays

What steps would you take in order to track down a thief? Not too far, honestly. I accept things pretty easily so if I’ve processed that I’ve been robbed, I am most likely to just let it go. I’ll feel like shit, of course, but I would just let it go and scold myself for failing to be attentive.

What is something that one of your family member collects? My mom used to collect printed table napkins from different restaurants, but obivously she hasn’t been able to continue that for the past year and a half. My dad and brother used to collect magazines but both stopped a few years ago.

What would you do if you were able to have lunch with the queen? The journalist in me will probably just ask her questions about her everyday life, how she spends it, what she’s into and what she’s not into these days.

If you got to create a new flavor of ice cream, what would it be? This is a little hard considering there are a lot of small businesses out there already getting creative and quirky with ice cream flavors so it’s just hard to tell if a certain flavor has already been invented or not. One thing I haven’t seen, though, is curry. I’d buy a pint of that in an instant.

What are some questions that you would ask your favorite celebrity? His latest vlog finds. He once shared a video of this smaller content creator, so I’m guessing that’s what he likes doing in his spare time and I’m sure he would have a bunch of other just as interesting recommendations.

If you were able to set up a stand, what would you sell? Street food.

Would you like to go deep sea diving? Why or why not? Yeah. I’m always willing to try daring, not-the-safest-thing-in-the-world activities haha.

What would life be like if you lived on a cloud? The realist in me just wants to say I’d plummet straight to the ground.

What would you find at the top of a magic beanstalk? Idk, my creativity can’t be bothered to be challenged.

What is one food you would not want to have rain down from the sky? Durian. It would hurt and stink like shit.

Which animal's characteristics are similar to your own personality? I don’t really assign sets of personalities to animals.

If you were in a department store, which aisle would you check out first? I personally still go for the toys/video games section first HAHAHA

What are some of your hobbies? They include going to museums, exploring new food and restaurants, traveling to different cities and countries, and reading about history.

You've opened a store that only sells purple items - what do you sell? BTS merch hahahahah duhhhh

What is something important that you've lost, and did you ever find it? I lost a rosary that came straight from the Vatican. No, I never found it again. I feel bad about it not because it’s a religious object, but because it came from my grandma.

Have you ever moved to a new school before? If so, how did it feel? I mean, I had to change schools when I was moving up from high school to college, but I’ve never changed schools within the same chapter of my studies, like in the middle of elementary or high school. But to answer the question, it had been a very liberating and empowering experience. I hated the rules in my Catholic school and there were so many elements from that place that made me hide so much about myself. The fact that I could wear shorts and curse and attend rallies and cut class and make my own class schedules in college felt incredibly freeing and satisfying.

What would've happened if Cinderella never went to the ball? See magic beanstalk question.

If you had one day to do anything at all, what would you choose? I would drive to Tagaytay and find a cozy restaurant and eaaaaatttt awaaaayyyy.

What are a few of your favorite songs? I really really like Singularity by V, Over the Hills by Hayley Williams, and So Far Away by Agust D and Suran.

Have you ever legitimately forgotten to do homework? All the time. I never wrote down homework.

If you were a witch, what kind of a spell would you cast? On who? I don’t care about casting spells on people. I just want my cravings to show up in the snap of a finger hahaha. Can that be part of a witch’s scope of work? Kjdgfhsdfskjfhs

Do you enjoy autumn leaves or spring flowers more? Why? I wouldn’t know. I experience neither over here.

What is your favorite sport to play? What about watch? Table tennis. Favorite to watch would be either tennis or pro wrestling.

Have you ever gone on a cruise before? To where? Yeah. It was an East Asian cruise so I traveled to Shanghai, Jeju, and Fukuoka.

What would you do if you were invisible for a day? Probably go to the bigger houses in the village and see how fancy they get.

Depending on where you live, why might a day of school get canceled? Typhoon, floods. A lot of places are incredibly prone to flooding, so as long as it’s been raining super hard the chances for a class suspension will get high.

What types of transportation do you think we will see in the future? I dunno. It seems like we’re at that point where everything is in the process of being invented or perfected already.

What were some of your toys you always played with when you were little? I liked kitchen sets and anything with lots of buttons, so like toy telephones or cash registers.

If you were a movie star, what would a day in your life be like? I have no clue apart from the fact that I’m just glad I would assumedly have more than enough money to buy whatever I’m craving whenever I want hahaha.

If you invented a time machine, what year would you like to go to, and why? Realistically I wouldn’t change a thing; but if I had to answer this question I’d go back to 2016 and never ask out Gab a second time, so that the next four years wouldn’t end up being such a waste of my time.

What is your favorite holiday and why? I don’t have one. I’m not a big holiday ~celebrator.

What is something that you like to do while on vacation? Try food I’ve never tried before. The more unconventional or obscure, the better.

If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be? Eh, don’t really have anyone in mind.

What are some common places that people tour when they come to your city? There’s the waterfalls in the upper part of the city – I’m just not sure if it’s still a popular spot but it certainly was when I was a kid. There’s also an art museum that I’m certain is a lot more frequented now.

What's one food that you did not enjoy as a child, but do as an adult? Curry.

How would having no electricity affect your daily routine? I wouldn’t be able to attend work, at least not for the whole day. It would also feel a lot warmer without the electric fan, which would in turn make me cranky.

If you had one wish, what would it be? A renovated room with a dedicated corner for all my merch.

Say someone gives you a magic sweater. What happens when you wear it? Idk.

If you built a new city, how would you convince people to move there? I wouldn’t.

What is one of your favorite movies? Why is it one of your favorites? Two for the Road. It has Audrey Hepburn, it’s a realistic rom-com, and the chemistry between the two leads is superb.

If you were given a certain amount of time to live, would you want to know? Yeah for sure, I would want to know in a heartbeat.

What would you do if you were able to stop time? I don’t know what I would do, but that would be a nice...opportunity, I guess? to experiment with or try out certain decisions and see how well or unwell they would work out to be. So that when time resumes, I’d know better on how to best handle a situation.

Do you think that long distance relationships would be for you? I wouldn’t actively go for it, but I’m not shutting down the possibility either.

Is there a popular social media platform that you don't have an account for? I have one for all the main ones, I think. Even Instagram, I made an account not too long ago to finally join the platform.

How old were you when you found out about Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc? I never knew the Easter Bunny was a thing until I started taking these surveys at like 14. I never really believed in Santa either, and the only figure I was super disappointed to learn that it didn’t exist was the tooth fairy.

Who is your favorite Disney Princess? Rapunzel.

Which freaks you out more - clowns or porcelain dolls? Porcelain dolls. They look more innocent, which somehow makes them creepier.

What was the last mistake that you learned from? Hm, just a minor work thing that would be too complicated to explain here.

Do you prefer "regular pencils" or mechanical ones? Why? Regular. I always break off the tips of mechanical pencils.

What is one little-known music artist you'd recommend? Andi made me listen to The Drums recently and I’ve been loving their sound so far; they would be perfect on a road trip. I’ve only listened to one album, though.

What is your favorite Pixar film? Toy Story!

Who was the last person to send you any sort of message on social media? Angela sent me a video meme.

Where were you on September 11th, 2001? I don’t know...probably already being put to bed. Either way I wasn’t fully conscious yet as I had only been 3 and living on the other side of the planet.

Name your favorite green vegetable. Broccoli, spinach, bell peppers, or asparagus. IDK I love veggies hahahaha

Could you handle a friends with benefits type of situation? Not for me. I’m not even into sex.

Do you prefer using a brush or a comb on your hair? Comb.

What's your favorite flavor of potato chips? SALTED EGG. I’m obsessed; I had like five bags this week alone.

Would you rather build a snowman or a snow fort? Why? I dunno; I’ve never tried making either.

At what age do you believe children should begin having screen time? I’m not too sure at this point, but I do know I don’t plan on being too strict with my kids. I’d let them watch stuff on an iPad from like age 3 or 4, but one thing I would change from how I was raised is putting a limit on their screen time, maybe half an hour to an hour a day.

If you had to give a speech, what would it be on? I’d be down for any topic as long as I was given ample time to research, honestly. I like public speaking.

#survey #surveys

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pyrodarknessanny · 3 years

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Whilst the topic of treating women with respect is a hot button issue at the moment it got me thinking about my own experiences in life. and whilst I can say that I am one of the lucky ones who’s not been assaulted things have happened around me that had they gone differently my story would be very different indeed. it also saddens me that I know so many close friends and family who were not so lucky , many of them were children when they were first abused. and yes I do know “not all men” but as the brothers , fathers , uncles , cousins ,friends and co-workers the weight of this falls on you to call out the unacceptable behaviour of your peers. I’m going to list this instances in chronological order. and keep in mind that I am a goblin , short, weird , don’t care for looking nice and makeup and such but still ive been put on the spot numerus times in the past by “nice guys”™ high school , senior years . met some one I thought was decent online . we had an on again off again video call thing going it spanned years and started innocently enough however in the latter years when I was super depressed it turned quite toxic and manipulative where he would refuse to pay attention to me, controlling the calls , there was a time zone difference so I was up till 4am most nights hoping that this person would be around. When we did get into calls he had me doing increasingly dangerous things . he’d even convinced me to send him a substantial amount of money of the last 12 months of our contact. I’ve since cut them off cold some years ago now but they’ve certainly had an impact on me

In between this on again off again online thing when I was single I’ve and no less than 3 older male friends try to hit me up because their partners at the time were out of town. one even messaged me one night when I was high and tried very hard to convince me that it would be a good idea to drop round. I don’t talk to any of them now but each one I told to stay faithful to their partners and denied their offers.

Also in high school - this happened at my part time job. boss had a mate who would often sell him stuff for the store , bit of a flipper. one of the other senior staff thought it was FUNNY to tell him that I was fair game. so this guy who is well in his 40’s would seek me out at work and harass me. usually when I was at the back of the shop bagging the bulk produce into smaller retail portions. mind you I’m an 18 yr old autistic person . had to find excuses to avoid this person make it look like im working in the areas that had security cameras on them or hope that there were customers so he couldn’t talk to me. I had spoken out about this to the boss and the owner of the business ( as it was one of his friends) but they all thought it was a harmless game. guy bailed me up at the back of the store one afternoon as im bagging up animal feed. Store was dead quiet so not a lot of escape options I had had enough of it by that point and put him in his place. Fortunately for me he was a little old Asian man had he of been some one of my dad’s stature that scenario would have played out MUCH differently.

Hey now speaking of family! growing up in an abusive household sure dose wounders for building character huh? im on good talking terms with my family now but growing up was interesting.

Our house hold was one of hard disciplines. We didn’t just get smacked we got absolutely belted.

Or our things were broken… actually it was only ever MY things that got trashed out of discipline. my 4 brothers always got off Scott free. Whenever there was a fight or argument ? it was always me that was in trouble regardless of the circumstance.

Good lessons to teach the kids eh’

My real dad was off the sceen, we were more or less raised by our step dad but when he got an upper management job at his place of work , shit at home got bad. The abuse turned from physical to psychological . nothing was ever good enough. You were always trash or a disgrace. and praise was only ever given to the brothers. So yeah more good lessons for impressionable teens. shitty ex #1 - met them at a convention , seamed like a reasonable kind of guy we hit it off and it was great. Very quickly realised something was off about them. tried very hard to control me . would say one thing and then do something else entirely. caught them out on numerous lies and on more than one occasion said some very concerning things about minors. Moments that stand out the most . was staying at my place for a party , either a birthday or Halloween . at my house with my family and close friends , had the gall to try and control my behaviour because he thought I was being too weird , he did this in front of my mother and best friend. Another time , it was my birthday and he promised to buy dinner out . started out as we would go to this fancy casino restaurant . ended at a Mc Donald’s with me catching the train home by my self fuming. I should have ended that one much sooner than I did but I didn’t want to come across as “mean” or unreasonable so it let it drag out for another 6 months before I told him to fuck off.

Dude then proceeded to cyber stalk me and several friends there after. he was super bad at this and finaly backed off when I threatened to call the cops. YEET!

Shitty ex #2 - technically we only dated for a few weeks decided that it didn’t work for either of us but stayed good friends . had to tell them frequently about what things were and weren’t appropriate for the friendship afterwards , eneded turning into one of the biggest narcicists ive ever seen.

Miscellaneous things. Im mentioned before about peer pressure and that its on the boys to call this shit out when they see it. I’ve had to be the voice of reason for a number of male friends when they were getting a bit too obsessed over girls who had zero interest in them. One guy in particular could not leave it alone , this girl he was white knighting for was a friend from school , she had a partner but he swore black and blue that he could “save her” from making shitty decisions. I think he eventually gave up on her when she ripped him off over some digital art that was a trace job and he lost a good sum of money but it was disturbing to hear just how obsessed he was with her.

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caelum-in-the-avatarverse · 4 years

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Written for Kataang Week 2020. Prompt - Heritage/Responsibilities.

The morning after escaping the pirates, Katara studies the waterbending scroll, and Aang considers loss.

~~~

My Kataang Week entries are turning out to be a sort of Fluff-Angst-Fluff-Angst sandwich. Don't worry, tomorrow's fluff again!

Title shamelessly taken from Things We Lost In The Fire, which is a great song for anything victimized-by-the-Fire-Nation related. Is that song old enough that filching lyrics from it for titles could be considered Fandom Retro by now? I never got to go at it the first time around so I don't care either way lol.

Warnings for talk of genocide.

Enjoy!

~~~

Katara tucked the waterbending scroll away in one of the saddlebags and didn’t touch it again for the rest of the day. Aang had Appa fly as fast and as far as he could, heading northeast, away from the sea and further inland where hopefully neither the Fire Prince nor the pirates would be able to follow them. In the evening they camped beside a small river that was too shallow for a boat to navigate, feeling secure in their escape.

The next morning, Aang woke to find Katara carefully shifting her weight through the stances of the single whip, a stream of water floating beside her hands. The riverbank was a carpet of brown stones and pebbles that crunched under her feet with every movement, and the moon above her was a waning gibbous, hanging over the hills in the gray morning sky.

“Good morning,” Aang said, floating to Katara’s side. He approached carefully - yesterday her water whips had been all over the place, and she was still learning.

“Morning,” she said, her eyes darting to the waterbending scroll she’d left open on a log. It wasn’t a very good angle for glancing at. Aang picked it up and helpfully held it up. “Thanks.” She shifted into the next stance, the water following.

Aang watched her make the next few moves before asking, “How does it feel?”

“Like I have no idea what I’m doing,” she admitted, fumbling as she tried to figure out how to move her arms from one position to the next. The result wasn’t very graceful.

“That’s normal when you’re learning,” Aang said, cheerful. “You’ve just got to build up the muscle memory. Once you’re used to the movements, they’ll come easily.” He watched her nearly trip over her own feet, and said, “It’s okay, Katara.”

��It’s not okay,” she blurted, and the water spasmed in mid-air.

Aang’s smile faltered.

“It’s just - I should already know this,” she said, looking at her water. “But I don’t. These moves are - they don’t look super advanced, and I’m still having problems with them. It feels like I’m missing things. Warm-up stretches, katas, beginner exercises - but I don’t know this stuff.”

Aang gave her a sympathetic look. “Katara, it’s not your fault no one was around to teach you.”

“I know it’s not,” she said. “It’s the Fire Nation’s.”

Katara and Sokka didn’t talk much about the specifics of what had happened to the Southern Water Tribe in the last hundred years. Aang remembered the place as it used to be - dozens of distinct tribes with their own territories and cultures that tended to move with the seasons. They’d also had some permanent villages, trading posts, and one large town clustered around a main harbor where all the tribes could gather and the rest of the world would dock and do business. Generally speaking though, the Southern Water Tribes had always been rather nomadic.

But the tiny village Aang had seen wasn’t the summertime hunting camp of nomads, only meant to house a few dozen people between hunts. It’d been the last refuge of a society stretched too thin.

“Aang,” Katara said softly, “when I got angry, and...selfish...over the scroll…”

“It’s okay, Katara,” Aang said. “You’ve already apologized.”

“Right, but - that’s not what I’m getting at.” She fiddled with the water between her arms. “I was upset because everything came so easily to you, but I’m the last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe and I just...couldn’t get it. I couldn’t get my element to work with me. And I have to learn this, I’ve wanted to learn this my entire life. Not just for me, but for my family, my tribe…”

She trailed off. Aang gave her an encouraging look. “You know,” he said, “for someone who never had a teacher, or even seen waterbending that wasn’t yours in action...you did manage to figure out a lot on your own. Learning bending moves isn’t even easy when you have a teacher - but you did it without one!”

She smiled weakly. “Thanks.” She idly moved her hands away from each other and back in, stretching out the water between them.

“It’s a shame I didn’t learn waterbending before I got frozen in that iceberg,” Aang mused. “Then I could teach you!”

Katara shrugged. “It’s okay,” she said. “I can manage.” She stretched the water out again and peered at the scroll in Aang’s hands, which he held up obligingly. “I just...kind of wish this was a Southern Tribe scroll, instead of a Northern one.”

Aang blinked. “Uh...why?”

“They took our Waterbenders away,” Katara said. “All of them. That part of our culture, our way of life...it’s gone.”

“We’ll find you a teacher, Katara.”

“We will,” she agreed. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we got this scroll. And I’m going to work really, really hard to catch up on everything I’ve missed when we find a teacher. But...Gran Gran told me once that Southern style waterbending is different from Northern style. She couldn’t explain how, but she knew Waterbenders so it must be true, and...there’s no one who could teach me the Southern way. It’s...gone.” She gestured at the scroll. “This, and everything we’ll learn from a teacher - it’ll all be Northern-style waterbending.”

“...Oh,” Aang said softly, and he suddenly had to sit down on the log, the scroll going limp in his hands.

“Aang?”

“We had four Air Temples,” he said. He had to get the thought out quick, before it overwhelmed him. There were so many things about his people’s deaths that he was still coming to terms with - either because he didn’t want to think about it, or because he hadn’t had the realization yet. This was one of those realizations. “North, South, East, and West. We were all the same people, and we moved around a lot, but they were all...different.”

The nuns at the Western Air Temple had perfected the trick of walking upside down on the ceiling and had always laughed at anyone who tried and failed to mimic them. The Northern Air Temple had been home to many sky bison polo champions who’d known all sorts of athletic tricks. The Eastern Air Temple had been renowned for weaving the softest clothing and blankets from bison fur. The Southern Air Temple had grown a hybrid of apple that could turn such a dark purple it was almost black.

Aang didn’t know how to do any of that stuff. He was an airbending master, but he didn’t know everything. And now he never would.

You couldn’t fit the entirety of a culture into a single person.

He was distantly aware of water splashing to the ground, and then Katara was sitting beside him, blue eyes wide with shared grief. She pulled him in for a hug, clutching him tightly, one lost culture to another. “I’m so sorry, Aang.”

Aang thought of the traditional choreographed sky dances his people would perform at festivals, all careful drops and fancy spins and steps he’d never thought to learn because he’d always thought there’d be time later, and choked out, “Me too.”

~~~

Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated. <3

I always feel for Katara in The Waterbending Scroll. The girl has a very powerful gift that is an extremely important part of her, but she doesn't know how to use it and she's desperate enough to figure it out that she steals from some very dangerous people. And she gets upstaged by a younger kid who's never consciously waterbended before, after a lifetime of dealing with the fact that she is her tribe's only connection to this lost piece of themselves, and being belittled for her efforts to learn it. She was pretty mean, but I can see where the frustration was coming from.

And I always feel for Aang literally all the time because good god that boy truly did lose everything. There are so many Air Nomad things that will never be brought back, or at the very least will never be the same. Food, art, music, stories, knowledge...so much a twelve-year-old wouldn't know. :(

Black apples are a thing! Black Diamond apples are only grown in Nyingchi, Tibet, where the high UV light and cooler night temperatures turn the apple skins a very dark purple, nearly black. The apples are a variety of huaniu apple, which is a hybrid made from ten OTHER varieties of apples. They're extremely rare and are only found in high-end Chinese grocery stores, usually in gift baskets. There are also black apples grown in the US, the Arkansas Black, but they aren't as dark as the Black Diamonds. They also need to spend a few months in storage before they're ready to eat, so all the time and work needed before you can sell them means lots of farmers don't bother with them.

#kataang week #atla fanfic #avatar fanfiction #aang #katara #caelum writes

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calpalirwin · 4 years

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Meddling

Summary: Every story’s gotta start somewhere

A/N: The (way more detailed) origin story nobody asked for because after reading @cxddlyash‘s spin on the end of this story, I wanted to rework some of it on my end.

Content: Take a wild guess

Word Count: ~4k

And away, and away we go!

Caroline Bennett placed a sneakered foot on the rung on her dolly cart, shifting the weight so she could wheel it into the venue. “Merch booth, merch booth, merch booth,” she muttered under her breath as a way to keep her focus on the task at hand rather than how weird it felt to be walking through an arena meant to house far more people than it currently did. If she had to take a guess, there were maybe 50 people or so in the building, compared to the 5,000 that would be pouring through the doors in a matter of hours. But she didn’t care about the 5,000 people because she’d be long gone by then. Right now, her only focus was finding 1 out of 50, because god damn it, how hard could it be to find the fuckin merch table?!

“You’re not Nate,” an accented voice questioned, almost making her lose her grip on her cart with how close it was to her.

“Jesus!” she exclaimed, hurrying to adjust so the boxes didn’t go flying everywhere. Because that would be what she needed, to spill merchandise all over the place on her first day.

“Somehow I doubt that,” the voice said again, and she could hear the smirk before she saw who it belonged to- a boy, well man, she supposed, of about her age and about a foot taller. Soft brown curls were tightly contained by a bright-red bandana he had plastered to his forehead. If that wasn’t a dead-giveaway as to who he was, the drumsticks in the back pocket of his black skinny jeans sure were. Know everybody’s name, from the top to the bottom, her dad had taught her. “Wanna try again? It’s simple really. I say ‘hey you’re not my regular delivery guy.’ And then you go, ‘No, I’m,’ and then, here’s the crazy part. You tell me your name. And then I tell you mine, and well… you do know how meeting people goes, I hope.”

“Just point me to your promo team,” she scowled.

“Ashton Irwin, at your service.” He did a mock bow, somehow smirking even wider.

“You’re not the promo team.”

“And you’re not Nate, merch girl. But you clearly do your research.”

“I’m good at my job, you mean.”

“That’s still to be decided. Seeing how it’s your first day and all. C’mon, follow me.” He started to lead her towards what she assumed would be the merch table. “So, how old are you?”

“Nineteen.”

“Oh, so you’re the same age as my bandmates. Well, almost. Two of ‘em are nineteen. Luke’s still eighteen.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Ashton laughed. “You’re smart. I like that. You single, merch girl?”

“How is that any of your business?”

He held up his hands defensively. “Just making conversation, shit. If you’re in charge of our LA deliveries, then you’re gonna be seeing an awful lot of me.”

“I was told I wouldn’t be dealing directly with bands.”

“Yeah, normally. But we like to make a lot of our merch so I try to know as much about it as I can.”

“Mmm, and the rest of your band?”

“They’re around. Why? You happen to fancy one of them more than your dear friend, Ash?” He pouted his lips at her.

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know which is the bolder assumption. That I fancy you, or that we’re friends when you don’t even know my name.”

“I would know it if you told me, merch girl.”

“It’s Caroline.”

He grinned, and if he wasn’t so infuriating, the dimples in his cheek and the lights bouncing off his hazel eyes would be downright swoon-worthy. But good God, he was annoying. “You can drop this stuff right here, Caroline.”

“Thanks,” she muttered, setting her cart upright and reaching for the top box.

“Not a problem,” he said, grabbing the box underneath hers to help her unload faster.

“Did I make you mad or something?” he asked after they unloaded in total silence.

“What?” she asked, as she double checked the order form against the boxes. “No, I’m not mad.”

“Okay. Cuz I wasn’t joking earlier. Like if you’re on our account now, you will be seeing a lot of me. And I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable or anything. But stiff professionalism never really spoke to me. So I’d much rather if we could try to be friends, you know?”

“I can be your friend, Ash. I just can’t be more than that.”

Ashton chuckled, “Damn, you sound a lot like Luke.”

She arched an eyebrow in a silent question.

“Not that way!” he rushed, his cheeks flaming. “I meant that he’s also told me he doesn’t want to focus on a relationship right now. Which kinda sucks cuz thinking about it, you two would work really well together.”

“You hardly know me…”

“Call it instinct then, Miss Skeptic.”

“I think I liked ‘merch girl’ better. Here,” she thrust the order form in his chest. “Sign this.”

~~~

~Three Years Later~

“You seriously want more of the black hoodies than the white ones?” Caroline asked as she looked at the computer screen.

“Yes,” Ashton told her and she could hear the eye roll. “People like black.”

“People are also gonna like the white ones, especially when they see you modeling it,” she told him.

“Aw, you flatter me,” he deadpanned. “Who calls the shots here?”

“Fine, fine,” she said, punching in the right number for his order. “But don’t come crying to me when you get stuck with shit you can’t sell.”

“When have I ever?” he gloated.

She sighed. He was right. The drummer knew his audience in terms of what they liked and which items were more popular. And all she had was a hunch.

“Hey, how’d that date with… uh… fuckin hell what was his name…” Ashton fought to remember the name.

“Brandon,” Caroline reminded him. “We broke up like three months ago. Guy was a dumbass. Where have you been?”

“Making an album and planning new merch for a tour. Why was he a dumbass? I thought you liked him.”

“I did, up until he turned into every other guy, Ash. He thought my job is so fuckin sick until he saw that I’m actually friends with you other dumbasses, and then I turned into a groupie all of sudden.”

“That’s fuckin disgusting.”

“Yeah, tell me about it…”

“So what you need is a guy who gets it.”

“Ash, for the last time, I’m not going out with you,” she joked.

“Okay, 1.) Ouch. 2.) I’ve never asked you out so what the fuck do you mean ‘for the last time’? And 3.) I don’t mean me, although I’m flattered you think of me that way.”

“I don’t think of you that way. I don’t think of you at all actually.”

“Ha-ha, you’re hilarious. I see why all the guys are beating down your door.”

“Oh, fuck off!” she laughed. “But yeah, you’re right. I do need a guy that gets it. Problem is, I keep ending up with guys who are only pretending to get it.”

“Well… I might know a guy.”

“Oh, do you?”

“Yeah. Luke. About giraffe high. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Killer front man.”

“You mean the one who wasn’t looking for a relationship because he was working on himself?”

“The very one!” Ashton applauded her memory. “Look, I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think it would work out. I wouldn’t fuck with you both like that.”

“Yeah, I know, Ash. And I appreciate you looking out for me, I do.”

“So…?”

“You know me, Ash. If he asks me out, I’ll give him a fair chance.”

“Cool. You’re still making deliveries right? Or did they finally get wise, and promote you?”

“They promoted me. I’m in charge of your account now, along with a few others.”

“Nice! Although, that kinda puts a damper on you and Luke meeting. I was counting on that delivery next week. Damn…”

“Oh, I’m still making deliveries. It’s weird though. See, I got the promotion, but then my boss said I was still requested to do deliveries for one of my accounts. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”

“Not a damn thing,” he lied through his teeth. “But, that’s good. Must mean the promo team likes you.”

“Yeah, ‘promo’ team.”

“So, see you next week?”

She laughed. “Yep. See ya Ash.”

~~~

“Luke, mate, you gotta sign those posters,” Ashton said, stirring Luke in the direction of the merch booth, knowing Caroline would be there any minute.

“Alright, I got it!” the blonde huffed at his friend, stepping to walk beside Ashton so he’d stopped getting shoved forward. “Geez, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is, there’s a girl coming later and if you don’t ask her on a date, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Luke stalled, turning to face his friend, eyes wide. “You promised someone I’d ask them out?! Without checking with me first?! Ash…”

“Relax, mate. You’ll like her, I promise.”

“I’m gonna fuckin kill you, is what I’m gonna do,” Luke threatened.

“Kill me, and you’ll have to find another drummer. And that would suck on such short notice. Might have to cancel a show, maybe more, while you guys get a replacement. Really bad for business.”

Luke glowered.

“Just trust me, okay? Just ask her on one date. One single date. That’s it.”

“This better be one hell of a girl…”

“Oh, she is. Don’t worry.”

As Luke stomped off to sign posters and await this girl he was supposed to ask out, Caroline walked confidently through the near empty amphitheater, a feeling she had really come to enjoy. There was something calming about walking silently through a place meant to be packed tightly with bodies with music so loud you could feel it in your bones. The calm before the storm, as she’d come to view it.

“Merch order,” she said, walking right up to a booth with a single man behind it. His blonde curls covered his face, a stack of posters beside him and a Sharpie resting delicately between his fingers. She rolled her eyes immediately. Ashton was going to pay for this one way or another.

Luke didn’t look up as he scrawled a loopy autograph across the poster at the top of the pile, setting it aside before repeating the same practiced scribble. “Can leave it right there,” he said, curls shifting across his forehead as he nodded over his shoulder in indication of where she could put the boxes. “What’s the order?”

“You don’t know what you ordered?” Caroline asked, grabbing the top box from her dolly cart and dropping it in the ground with a thump! She knew he didn’t. In three years, she’d never once crossed his path. God, what had Ashton been thinking?

“Not part of the promo team. I just get told to sign the posters.”

“Careful not to get a hand cramp there, rockstar,” she teased, dropping another box.

Her comment was enough for the blue eyes to snap over in her direction. He swore under his breath, pushing his chair back and standing up to his full height. “Shit, here. Let me give you a hand with those.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Caroline tried to brush him off, but their hands were already knocking into each other as they both reached for the next box. Caroline’s cheeks flushed as she dropped her hands, letting Luke grab the boxes as she instead busied herself with the itemized order form on her clipboard. “So, it’s a box of extra large shirts. 1 box of large. And a half and half box of medium and small. All men standard sizes.” She could hear the slight shake in her voice and she was definitely going to murder a certain drummer for this occurrence.

“A box of the black hoodies, in various sizes, and then a last box of random odds and ends. Keychains, pins, CDs, the sorts,” another voice finished as a man with brown curls cut closer to his head than the blonde’s spoke up behind them. Just the man she was looking for. “Thanks, merch girl.”

“It’s Caroline, Ash. How many times do we have to go over this?” Caroline said as she turned on her heel, arms opening to hug the man. “I’m gonna fuckin kill you,” she whispered low in his ear.

“Good to see ya too, love,” Ashton chuckled, accepting the hug.

“You two know each other?” the blonde man asked, an eyebrow arched in confusion.

“Yeah, Care’s been handling our merch for years. Have you two not met? Luke, Caroline. Caroline, Luke.”

The pieces clicked in Luke’s head, and he would have loved nothing more than to wipe that all-knowing smirk off Ashton’s face. He noted the way Caroline’s own fingers curled, like she was itching to do the same. And damn it all to hell, wasn’t she cute with her polo work shirt tucked into her blue jeans, and her brown hair pulled up in a ponytail, with little escaped strands framing brown eyes that snapped like fire as she glared up at Ashton? If this was the girl he’d be promised a date with… well shit… to say the pressure was on was definitely an understatement.

“Yeah, I know who he is, Ash. I’m not blind. But nice to officially meet you, Luke,” Caroline spoke first, opting to be polite. After all, Luke had helped her with the boxes. And he was pretty damn cute up close and in person.

“Pleasure,” Luke smiled, extending out his hand.

“Alright, if I can just get one of you to sign off on this…” She switched back into work mode to distract herself from how pink her cheeks were under Luke’s gaze.

“I got it,” Luke said, holding up his Sharpie as evidence.

“And maybe you can convince this one to order more of the white hoodies because those are going to sell better than your black ones,” she joked to Luke.

Both of the men laughed while Ashton scoffed, “Is that so?”

“Yep. Matter of fact, grab me one in medium.”

“Small,” Ashton corrected as Luke started ruffling through the stack of white hoodies.

“Lady said medium, Ash,” Luke said, handing Caroline the hoodie.

“Ooo, I like this one. He listens,” she smirked at Ashton who rolled his eyes playfully in response. “How much are you charging for these things?”

“$55,” Ashton answered.

“Highway robbery!” Caroline told them, digging into her back pocket anyway.

“Don’t worry about it,” Luke said, his fingers brushing against her arm as he tried to stop her. “It’s on us.”

“Yeah,” Ashton agreed. “No one’s gonna notice if those ones go missing anyway, cuz I’m telling you, nobody’s gonna want one.”

“Well I want one, and that should count for something. I’ll throw an extra hoodie in the next order, and we’ll call it even. How’s that?” Even though her words were directed at Ashton, she looked right up at Luke, almost daring him to ask the question all three of them were waiting on.

“How about a date instead?” Luke blurted out the magical words, and Ashton had the nerve stifled a laugh at his friend’s outburst, like he hadn’t orchestrated the whole thing.

Caroline kept Luke’s gaze, pushing a copy of the itemized order form into his chest. “You’re on, rockstar.”

~~~

“You know, I’m really glad you said yes. I didn’t think you would,” Luke confessed, fingers tugging nervously on the curls at the back of his neck. “I mean… I know Ash sort of forced both our hands. But you still could’ve said no, ya know?”

Caroline smiled over at him. “And miss out on all of this?” She gestured out to the city lights blinking in the distance. “A midnight picnic overlooking the city. Gotta say, this ranks pretty high on my list of first dates.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah,” she nodded, leaning back on the palms of her hands. “Plus my date’s pretty fuckin’ cute.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Luke chuckled. “You look stunning by the way. Don’t know if I told you that.”

Caroline blushed. “You did, when you picked me up. But, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Shit, sorry I’m so nervous. I just… I’m having trouble getting out of my head I guess.”

“Because of Ash?”

“Yeah. I mean, I’m glad we’re here and all. Like you seem really nice. And you’re really cute. But…”

Caroline’s heart dropped. She had just been on the brink of forgiving Ashton for his meddling in the first place. But if his friend left her crying on the cliffside, she’d put that man six feet under if it was the last thing she did. “But what?” she forced herself to ask.

“Was worried you’d say no. Ash meddling or not, you’re still a woman with free will. You didn’t have to say yes.”

“Just like you didn’t have to ask me.”

“Why wouldn’t I ask you out?”

“Why wouldn’t I say yes?” she countered.

“We talked for maybe like what? Two minutes? And… I dunno. I know Ash is the one who pushed us both into this, but… you guys seem close. Shouldn’t this be you guys?”

Caroline shook her head. “Nah, Ash and I get along, sure. But no. I, uh, have that problem a lot, actually. A lot of rock bands are made up of men, and I supply a lot of rock band merch. People, guys especially, seem to take that the wrong way a lot of time.”

“N-no, I- I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not… I don’t see a problem with…” Luke fumbled over his words.

She laughed softly, moving one of her hands to rest it over his. “No, I know what you mean. Ash is your boy. You didn’t want to feel like you were swooping in on his girl, even if this was his idea. And that’s sweet of you. But, I am a free agent who can go on as many cute dates with as many cute boys as she likes.”

“How about as many cute dates as you like with only one cute guy?”

“Ooo, I dunno. He’d have to be pretty fuckin’ cute,” she flirted.

His eyes were soft, his touch softer as he leaned in for a kiss that sent shivers down her spine. “I’ve been told I’m pretty fuckin’ cute,” he murmured against her lips, his own quirked up in a smile.

~~~

“Merch girl!” Ashton chirped over the line. “You coming to the party on Friday? Lover boy misses you something awful.”

“Of course I’m gonna be there, Ash,” she laughed. “Lu asked me last week.”

“Well damn. What do I bother calling you for anymore now that you have him?”

“To bother me because that seems to be your favorite pastime? And you can’t be mad that your meddling worked, Ash. Wasn’t that the point?”

“Yeah, I’m happy for you guys, truly. But also kinda scared because now there’s two of you to plot revenge.”

“Oh, no fair! I didn’t know plotting revenge was an option!”

“Ha-ha, hilarious. Seriously, how high should my guard be up for this party?”

“If you want me to return the favor of meddling in your love life, all you need is ask.”

“See, I’ve seen the people you pick out for yourself… so, lemme think… yeah, hard pass.”

“Suit yourself. I’m still bringing my friend along. If I can persuade her to come, that is.”

“Ooo, shy friends. Those are always fun.”

“Oh, so you do want to be set up!”

“I didn’t say that. All I’m saying is that I happen to be a very, terribly so, single man. And if I so happen to be introduced to a pretty girl, I’ll take it from there.”

“Well I’ll see what I can do about getting that pretty girl to the party, then.”

~~~

“Oh, will you come on?” Caroline asked, exasperated as her friend Britt sat on the edge of her bed, picking at the skin around her fingernails.

“I don’t want to be a third wheel, Care.”

“You’re not gonna be a third wheel.”

“Is Luke going to be there.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m a third wheel.”

“Oh, c’mon! There will be plenty of other people there, too. Maybe even the man of your dreams. But you won’t know that if you sit here, so c’mon!”

“I’m not like you, Care. I don’t go to work and come home with a husband.”

“Okay, 1.) Luke is not my husband. We’ve been on like maybe four dates. And 2.) it’s a good thing this is a party then, not a delivery.”

Britt let out a long sigh, weighing her options. “Better be some cute fuckin guys at this thing…” she muttered finally.

“Oh, there will be,” Caroline smirked. It wasn’t technically meddling if she just introduced Britt to Ashton. Wasn’t like she was promising Britt a date with the man or anything crazy like that.

~~~

“Merch girl!” Ashton greeted, spotting Caroline as her and Britt walked in.

“Hey, Ash,” Caroline said, giving the man a hug. “Missed ya guys.”

“Missed ya too, Care. But not as much as lover boy, over there.” He jerked a thumb over at Luke who was quickly pushing past people to get over to where they were. “Who’s this?” Ashton’s hazel eyes flickered over to Britt.

“This is my best friend, Britt. Britt, this is Ashton.” Caroline matched Ashton smirk for smirk.

“And I’m Luke,” Luke said, wrapping his arms around Caroline and pressing a big kiss to her cheek. “Missed you, baby,” he whispered low so only she could hear.

“Let’s get you girls something to drink. C’mon.” Ashton led the way deeper into the party. “So, how’d you meet Care?” he asked Britt.

“Kids,” Britt squeaked.

Caroline laughed. “We’ve known each other since we were kids,” she elaborated.

“Mmm. Well, any friend of Care’s is a friend of ours.”

Caroline wasn’t sure her friend’s cheeks could get any darker under Ashton’s gaze. She had to hold back bewildered laughter of how well this was going already, while wondering if this was how Ashton had felt watching her and Luke interact for the first time. Like you had inside knowledge on a love story that hadn’t been written yet.

“So, what’s the deal with your friend?” Ashton asked Caroline later on in the evening.

“Why? You interested?” Caroline teased.

He scoffed. “I don’t think I’ve heard her speak, she’s too busy blushing.”

“I told you she was shy. And she’s also out of her element here. But yes, she is single, if that’s what you’re asking. Which it is.”

“I said I didn’t need to be set up, Care.”

“I never said I was setting you up, Ash. I just happened to introduce a pretty girl to a very, terribly so, single man.”

Ashton chuckled. “You’re devious, you know that?”

“That may be so. But you’re both my friends. All I did was introduce you guys to each other. Something that was bound to happen sooner or later. What happens next is up to you and her. Although, for the record, I think you’d be pretty cute together.”

“So you admit you’re setting me up with your friend?”

“Just like you set me up with Luke?”

“Oh, I fully accept responsibility for that one. Worked out great, don’t ya think?”

She laughed. “So clearly you’re the one with the matchmaking abilities. So go on. Go make your match. Get out of here, and go talk to her!” she laughed more, pushing at his chest.

“Tell that to Britt,” he called out over his shoulder.

“What was that about?” Luke asked, coming up with new drinks and handing one to her.

“Oh, I was just telling Ash to go talk with Britt some more.”

“Mhm, cuz you're setting him up with her just in a less in-your-face way.”

“I am not! I brought Britt along because I thought it’d be fun for her.”

“Sure ya did.”

“Okay, maybe I did mention something about there being cute available guys to persuade Britt to come with me. And maybe I did mention to Ash I was bringing her. But, you gotta admit that they would make a cute ass couple.”

Luke nodded in agreement. “But not as cute as you and me.”

“Thank God for Ashton Irwin, huh?”

“That meddling bastard.”

Tag List

@frontmanash @goeatsomelife @flameraine @creator-appreciator @cxddlyash @1-irwin-94 @sparkling-calm @tea4sykes @youngblood199456 @5-seconds-of-obsession @gosh-im-short @aquarius-hood1996 @talkfastromance4 @itjustkindahappenedreally @philthepegacorn @boomerash @teenwolfss24

#meddling #luke hemmings #luke hemmings fic #also a friend!ashton fic #5sos #galcal irwin

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sunsetinmyvein · 4 years

Text

I Know That I’ll Lose - Chapter Six - Give it a Rest, I Could Persuade You

It had been about a month since she last saw Matty. He and the band had to fly out quite early the morning after the festival, so there wasn’t really a chance to catch up again once they parted ways at the bar. But that was okay, because he was considerably more talkative this time around than what he had been the last time. It wasn’t quite the same as getting to properly hang out, and she missed seeing the rest of the band as well, but it was still better than nothing and made the distance more tolerable. She found herself holding her phone in her hand, contemplating if she should call Matty or not. Their last proper phone call was a while ago now – roughly a week she thought – and she wanted to tell him about the dumb thing that happened today that she thought he’d appreciate. She knew that it wasn’t too late yet where he currently was, and the show that they had played earlier that evening should’ve finished by now. But she was always wary that he was a busy guy. As she deliberated on this, her phone started buzzing in her hand. For a second she thought maybe he really did have some form of crazy mindreading skills. But it wasn’t Matty, it was her brother.

“Hey! How’s things?” She asked as she answered the call.

“I…” He sighed through the phone. “I got an email about you.” Her brother started saying, his tone sounding unsure.

“What sort of email?” She asked with a frown, sitting up properly on the couch. This conversation was clearly important.

Before her brain had a chance to jump to the worst conclusion, he continued, “A job offer. For you. To tour internationally with a band doing merch.” He answered.

There were a few moments of silence on the line as she processed this information. “Shit, what?” She asked incredulously.

“Some guy called No Rome?” It was more of a question than a statement, he clearly didn’t know who that artist was. “Their label emailed me.” He continued, but she had sort of tuned out of what he was saying. She had heard that name before but couldn’t remember where… “They said that they had received high recommendations about you or something.”

“That’s so crazy, I don’t even-” The metaphorical lightbulb went off as she remembered that band name. “Wait...” That was the regular support act for The 1975. The gears started turning at this point. “Did they say who the recommendation came from?” She questioned.

“No. Why?”

“I’ll call you back.” She replied instantly, knowing more than likely who had caused this email to be sent.

She hung up the phone before promptly starting another call. “Matty,” She began as soon as he picked up, skipping the pleasantries.

“Yes?” He asked, an innocent tone to his voice.

“What is this job offer thing that you’ve done?” She accused.

“What job offer thing?” He asked back.

“I know it was you.” She stated, not wanting to beat around the bush with something like this. This was a big deal if it was true.

“Did you get offered something interesting?” He continued. The amusement was starting to seep into his voice at this point.

“Just fucking tell me.” She said with a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

He hummed thoughtfully, waiting a moment before responding, “Maybe you should just accept the job and I can tell you next week in person.” Well, at least that confirmed that he knew about it.

“You really expect me to just drop everything I have here and come gallivant around on tour with you?” She questioned.

“Kind of.” He answered bluntly.

Okay. So, it was a real job offer then. A real job offer that had probably been suggested by Matty, which did lower the legitimacy of it a little bit. But it was still a job offer that wanted to pay for her to travel internationally. That was still a lot of information to handle. The first question that floated to the top was definitely the elephant in the room, “Why on earth did you get them to ask me to do No Rome’s merch? You’re fucking on tour together. It’ll be 1975 merch for the majority.” She pointed out.

“No, you only have to do No Rome.” He replied.

“But that…” That didn’t make any sense whatsoever. “Why isn’t that just included in whoever does your merch?” She asked in confusion.

“I thought he deserved his own merch person.” He answered.

“But they’re going to be sold from the same place? How am I meant to only serve people who want No Rome stuff?” This job offer was so far only raising more questions than solutions.

“Oh no, no, no. You don’t have to sell to anyone.” He laughed like it was entirely too obvious. “You just have to do the counts and setup.”

That made even less sense. Just the setup? That was like telling someone to drive to work, set their desk up, turn their computer on, log in and then just go home to let someone else do all the work on your account with all your settings and preferences. They wouldn’t know where anything was or what your methods were. There was no point in preparing everything if you weren’t the one dealing with it. “Matty… That’s not how working merch works.” She tried to explain.

“That’s how this job works.” He corrected. “You essentially do prep work.”

“And then what?” She asked.

“And then you can watch the shows and hang out.” He answered.

Right. That’s what this was about. The job offer was clearly just a front so that he could socialise with her without her work getting in the way. “Are you just shitty that we didn’t get to hangout all day during the festival?” She asked with a chuckle.

“No.” He shot back instantly.

“Liar!” She retaliated loudly with a laugh.

“Fuckin’ take the job, love.” He sighed tiredly.

“And if I don’t want to?” She challenged.

She was just met with his loud laugh in response. “You want to.” The level of certainty in his voice, that cocky tone. Fuck. She hated to admit that simple things he did like that were enough to pull a reaction out of her. He was attractive when he was confident. At that moment, she was thankful that he couldn’t see her because he would no doubt make it much worse in person. But he was right - it was a crazy good opportunity. It added a ridiculously good reference to her resume, and she was going to get paid good money to hang out with her friends. She would be insane to say no. But she was also well aware that being in close capacity to Matthew Healy for so long was probably going to be difficult. She weighed up the pros and cons briefly in her head as she tried to come to a decision.

“Fine.” She agreed eventually. “Send me the details.”

A contract was sent to her within a matter of minutes. It outlined that she was going to be on tour with them for a month and a half and would fly out late next week. A free holiday spent in good company? It was an offer too good to be true, really. And she was going to get paid to do it! Just over a week wasn’t much time to get everything sorted to be away from home for six weeks, but it would have to suffice. Before her flight departed, they had sent her the details of a taxi company that would take her to the lot that the tour buses were waiting in. They also sent through which bus number plate to meet them at with the code to get into it to dump her luggage. The only issue was, it was a huge lot. There were at least fifty odd tour buses in this place. It took a good deal of searching to work out which bus was the one that she was meant to go to, and lugging her suitcase through the lot was starting to get tiring. When she finally spotted the plate that she was after it was like the lagoon in the middle of a desert; she was worried that it might just be a mirage. But she started walking over to the No Rome tour bus, only to feel a hand land on her shoulder. She turned, half anticipating to see a security guard asking her why she’d been wandering around for the last half hour, only to see Matty standing behind her.

“Oh, hey.” She smiled up at him, not having expected to see him so soon after getting here.

“I have some unfortunate news,” He said with a crestfallen expression as he began steering her away from the bus. She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. “Rome’s tour bus is a fairly small bus, and was actually already fully booked by the time you were confirmed to come with us.” He admitted.

“Oh.” She said with a frown.

“So, you have to stay in the other bus.” He continued. She could see the stupid smile on his face that he was trying to hide.

“Oh.” She repeated with an eyeroll, suddenly realising where he was going with this. “And I suppose that everyone else on that bus has already picked out bunks?” She asked with a deep sigh.

“Yes.” He answered.

“And the only one that’s left free is conveniently right next to yours?” She questioned.

He let out an exaggerated gasp, “How could you possibly know such confidential information?”

“Call it a hunch.” She muttered under her breath.

The tour bus that he led her to was indeed considerably bigger than the one she had been told to go to originally. He punched some code into the keypad next to the door before holding it open and ushering her inside. The bus was empty save for all the suitcases and bags strewn across it. It reminded her of a fancy caravan; everything was sleek, black and designed to save space. It seemed to have a few fancy add ons, namely the impressive coffee making setup in the kitchen, which Matty assured her George couldn’t leave home without. As she was taking in the space around her, he stepped behind and walked through the kitchen to the bunks in the middle of the bus. He called her over, snapping her back to reality as she walked across to where he was standing. They were a lot more spacious than she expected them to be. All of the bunks except for two had bags already tucked away in them, a few had the curtains pulled shut. She recognised Matty’s backpack sitting in the one on the bottom right hand side. She looked down at the bunk next to his with disdain. This was only going to end badly.

“You don’t have to take that one.” He began. She looked back at him, urging him to continue with what the other option possibly was. “You’re welcome to be on top of me.” He offered. He tapped his fingers against the empty bunk above his as he said it, but the look in his eyes was definitely getting at a different angle.

“I’ll take this one.” She answered quickly, turning away from him and gesturing to the bottom bunk next to his.

“I assure you that I don’t mind.” He added with a suggestive smirk.

“I know you don’t. That’s the problem.” She huffed as she put her bag into the bunk.

“Or we could switch and I could be on top-”

“Stop.” She interrupted as she spun to glare at him. Had he always been standing that close behind her? It suddenly seemed far too close. “Stop talking.” He couldn’t help but grin at the flustered look on her face.

He left her to her own devices after that, figuring that he would wait in the front lounge while she got her bearings. At this point in his career, he’d spent a good portion of his life in tour buses. But he remembered having to find his way around them at the start; all of the tiny compartments took a while to figure out. Also, he’d probably overwhelmed her enough considering that she had just stepped off of a plane all of two hours ago. It wasn’t long before the rest of the band and the small amount of crew that were on their bus started filing in. Introductions were exchanged, luggage was stowed under the vehicle, a few snacks to get them through until the next stop were stored, and then their convoy were on the way to show number one. He hadn’t lied when he mentioned that Rome had a smaller bus. His bus only slept six, whereas The 1975 had two buses of twelve. It did make more sense for her to stay on one of the bigger ones, he just made sure to have a say in which of the two bigger ones she was placed on. The bus that they were currently on mostly housed the performing crew, and the extended crew behind the scenes stayed on the second bus. Typically, the latter had considerably earlier start and finish times for their working day than the former did, so it made sense to split the two to avoid people running on next to no sleep. These three buses in combination with the few trucks that were used to cart their stage, lighting rigs and merch across the country for the whole tour resulted in a fairly impressive operation. It was pretty astounding for Y/N/N to think that she was a part of it.

After the festival had ended, Matty had spent a good deal of time sending texts, writing emails and having meetings in an effort to try and coordinate what ended up being a considerably more extensive plan than what he had expected. Her comment about how she’d ‘never get anything done’ if he was her boss set the idea into motion that maybe if she had a role within Dirty Hit, he’d be able to see her more often. If he saw her more often, there was a pretty decent chance that he’d be able to get her to fess up to being into him. Because try as he might to just ‘let it go’ as George had suggested, he couldn’t drop it when he knew full well that she was. He hadn’t thought that arranging someone else to come on tour was really going to be that difficult, but apparently it was. It was less about money and more about the logistics of having another person to account into every single plan for a six-week schedule. However, now that she was actually here, all of his efforts felt worth it. Regardless of the bet with himself, regardless of the needier part of him wanting her around as an emotional crutch for when things got hard, it was just nice to have an extra friend around to bounce off of within the confines of the tour bus. It felt comforting to have another presence about to keep him grounded, George had probably done enough of that over the past few years to last him a lifetime. But being grounded and rational wasn’t the way to start off a tour. The way to start off a tour was with shots.

“Tequila? Really?” Adam groaned as the shot glass was forced into his hand by the eager singer.

“What’s wrong with tequila, Hann?” Matty asked with a frown as he continued pouring and handing them out.

“Nothing is wrong with the tequila itself, but you drinking tequila is a different story.” He elaborated. “And we’re only on night one of forty-six. You really wanna set the bar so soon?” Ross gave a nod of agreement as Adam spoke, and it was clear that George was hesitant as well.

“Look lads, we have someone on this tour who has never experienced the thrills of touring with us before.” As he spoke, he happened to be pouring the shot of the exact person he was referring to and he smiled fondly at her as he passed it across. She found herself suddenly feeling like the fifth wheel as he threw her under the bus like that. “We need to put in at least a little bit of effort, yeah?” He spun back to the group; his own tequila shot in hand. “To a brilliant tour.” He grinned, holding his shot glass up in toast. The boys all shouted a few words of agreement as the five of them downed their shots. But the burn of that tequila was only the beginning. As Adam had predicted, what started as one shot quickly turned to two, which turned to more, which turned to drinking games, which turned to everyone drunkenly stumbling into bed at two in the morning after a solid eight hours of drinking. To the bus driver’s dismay at his suddenly rowdy passengers, the rest of the crew had also rapidly gotten involved and suffered much the same fate. Y/N/N had quickly discovered when their celebrations finally wrapped up that getting into a tiny bunk on the floor while inebriated wasn’t as easy as it would’ve seemed. But she was very grateful that her bunk was at least level with the ground, as opposed to George who promptly rolled out of his and crashed against the hard surface when he tried to reposition himself in his bed.

A part of her understood why Matty had insisted on drinks on the first night. Once everyone was drunk, any awkwardness was quickly forgotten about. It was a lot easier to bond with people when you were too drunk to be self-conscious. Now that everyone on the bus had a friendship base to go off of, a funny story to reminisce over, there was no reason for anyone to be pushed to the wayside for the sake of cliques or not having anything to talk about. But as expected, Matty had to take it a step too far and was definitely the most hungover out of everyone the next morning. The tour bus had arrived at their first stop at about six that morning. Everyone else on the vehicle had been up at a fairly decent hour, the band a little bit later than the rest of the crew as they weren’t needed until later in the day. But not Matty. It was after ten by the time someone figured that they should do something about it.

“You should go check on him.” Ross urged, looking across the small kitchen table at Y/N/N.

“Why me?” She frowned.

“Because I’m sure he’d prefer to be woken up by you than us.” He explained, a small chuckle escaping despite his best attempts to hold in.

“The last time I had to wake him up for a show when he was hungover, I threw a glass of ice water on him.” George said. “But to be fair, the last time he woke me up, he did it with a fucking megaphone and I smacked my head into the bunk above mine…” He scowled at the memory, rubbing his forehead as he reminisced about the pain. “I’ll go get the ice cubes.” He offered as he motioned to stand up, suddenly motivated that only one glass of freezing cold water wasn’t enough payback for that event.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll get him.” She sighed, motioning for George to sit back down.

“You’re too nice to him.” Adam said, shaking his head with a small smile.

“Yeah, probably.” She agreed with a laugh as she stood up.

She made her way down the bus towards the bunks, slowly opening the sliding door that connected them to the kitchen to try and prevent any excess noise making its way through. As she did, the other boys decided that they’d make themselves sparse, just in case. The three of them were well aware of Matty’s intentions about bringing her on tour, and they had seen his track record with girls when he put his mind to it. As much as what they knew of Y/N/N would lead them to believe that she was pretty stubborn, they didn’t want to stick around to hear the results if Matty’s plan succeeded. Also, it was as good an excuse as any to start their day. “You alive in there, Matty?” She asked quietly, knocking softly on the side of his bunk above where his head would’ve been with her shoe. “You need to function at some point today.” The curtain slowly pulled open, revealing what appeared to be a very tired Matty. The five o’clock shadow he had going on highlighted the small amount of stubble that he had neglected to shave the day prior, and the bags under his eyes made him look like he’d just suffered an entirely sleepless night. He winced at the sudden amount of light flooding into his bunk, rolling over onto his back.

“I need a coffee.” He groaned, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes to try and dull how bright the artificial lighting was on the bus.

“I told you that you’d regret playing that drinking game.” She sighed. “Do you need me to go make you one?” She added with a laugh, staring down at the hungover man in front of her with amusement as he rolled his way onto the floor between their bunks.

“No, not that instant shit that we have here.” He huffed, slowly pulling himself to his feet. He pulled a hand through his unruly hair, trying to sort out how messy it had become in his restless sleep. “I need a real coffee. And George hates it when I use his contraption without askin'.” He continued as he started grabbing a few things out of his bag, throwing a jacket on over the top of the clothes that he had passed out in last night and slipping some shoes on. “C’mon.” He mumbled as he started walking towards the door.

He let out a grunt of dissatisfaction as he stepped outside into the morning sunshine. Even through his sunglasses it was still far too harsh and made his head pound ten times worse. The jetlag probably wasn’t helping his state of mind, either. But he knew from their last tour here that there was a café nearby that would give him a decent coffee. Once he got that into his system, it would start to get him back on the road to recovery before he had to play tonight. He looked behind him briefly to verify that she was following before starting down the street in the vague direction that he recalled his source of caffeine being in. She trailed behind him, mostly taking in the scenery around her rather than really focusing on anything else. Being in new locations always gave her such a feeling of unending potential. There was so much to discover and explore, so many nooks and crannies that you’d never find if you didn’t go hunting for them. The two of them walked to the café mostly in silence, except for the few ‘ow’s that escaped from the singer at the odd exceptionally loud noise that they passed.

Matty chose to sit down outside at the table closest to the café entrance, eager to have a smoke, get some sustenance as quick as possible, and then get back in time for a shower. Maybe a nap too if he was lucky. A server quickly made their way over to them, menus in hand and a friendly customer service smile on their face. He declined the menu, waving his hand dismissively as the server offered it out to him. “Just a black coffee, thanks.” He said with a nod. “Oh, and some toast. Dry toast.” He added as an afterthought. Experience had taught him that the sooner he could stomach food, the quicker he’d be out of this hangover. They seemed a bit taken aback by his abruptness, but took note of his request and her order of a cup of tea and toast anyway. Given the simplicity of their meal, it took all of a few minutes before it was placed in front of them. Matty took an eager sip of the hot beverage, feeling a much more comforting burn in his throat than the ones he had been feeling last night.

As they ate their meal, he found himself watching her carefully as he absentmindedly chewed at the dry carbohydrates that he knew he needed. It had been a while since he’d had a hungover breakfast with anyone other than the band. Partially because they were who he was around for 90% of his time, but also in part because he wasn’t comfortable enough around anyone else in his life to still want to hang out with them the morning after drinking. In fact, it had been a while since he’d properly felt comfortable around anyone except the band. And yet here he was. Again. He hadn’t really expected a few offhand flirty comments to turn into a friendship that he enjoyed so much. “It’s nice havin’ you out here.” He said casually around a mouthful of toast. The genuine tone in his voice set off the butterflies in her stomach for a brief moment. She looked back at him, feeling the need to verify if this was a joke or leading to a sleazy remark, but he seemed entirely serious.

“It’s weird being out here. Feels like stepping into a different world.” She replied honestly.

He nodded in agreement, “You’ll get used to it pretty quick.” He said as he took a sip of his coffee. The drink was slowly starting to take effect. “At least I hope so. I’d hate to have dragged you along only for you to have a shitty time.” He added with a laugh.

“I couldn’t have a shitty time.” She said, shaking her head slightly. He raised an eyebrow in question. “I came out here to hang out with four guys who I consider friends, and I get to do that every day.” She shrugged. He couldn’t help but grin at that.

“Good to know.”

They finished up their meal, and once Matty had decided that the caffeine had finally put him in a good enough mindset, he lit up a cigarette and suggested they head off. “The day is before us. We have endless possibilities.” He said as he gestured broadly at the city around them.

“No, we don’t. You have a show to sort out, and you need to show me what I’m meant to be doing with this merch, given you were so insistent that I take this job.” She pointed out.

He let out a long sigh, nodding slightly in agreement. “I should probably introduce you to Rome first so that you know whose merch you’re setting up.” He conceded, starting to walk back in the direction of the tour buses. She started following him, mulling over what he had said. Eventually she realised why he’d want to introduce her to Rome before showing her the actual job she was out here to do.

“You just wanna stall so you don’t have to start work.” She accused.

“Me? Avoid working?” He gasped. “Never.” He added sarcastically as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “Come on, now.”

He seemed to have entirely too much enthusiasm for someone who had been incredibly hungover not more than an hour ago, pointing out every building he recognised on their walk back to the tour bus. It was abundantly clear with how expressive he was that he was legitimately interested in teaching her about these things. She had to admit that it was nice seeing him passionate about things, even little things like the fact that he was able to kind of show her around a city he’d been in once or twice before. When they reached the bus, he held the door open and gestured for her to step in. On the inside, Rome’s bus did appear to be pretty much exactly the same as the other two buses that everyone else was in; it just simply had six less beds which made it considerably shorter than the others. As Matty stepped in behind her, he spotted Rome sitting in the open lounge at the back of the bus. He stepped around her, taking a few quick paces to close the distance and leaving her to follow.

“This right here is my good buddy Rome.” He said with a broad grin, his volume increasing with each word he spoke as he all but ran over and tackled the blue-haired boy into a hug. Matty hadn’t left very much time for Rome to react, pretty much only looking up from his phone in time to defend himself at the last second. It was reassuring to see that he was overly enthusiastic with his affection for all of his friends, not just her. The boy laughed loudly as Matty tormented him for a few moments before he was finally able to free himself, stand up to take a few steps towards her.

“Nice to finally meet you.” He smiled as he held his hand out to her. “I was a little surprised to hear that there was gonna be someone else doing my merch this tour.” He added as she shook it and returned his smile.

“That would make two of us.” She agreed with a light laugh, glancing at Matty standing behind him.

“I just figured that you finally deserved some of your own crew instead of stealin’ mine all the time.” Matty offered with a shrug, wrapping an arm around Rome’s shoulders. She noticed that Rome made Matty seem a lot taller than he actually was as they stood next to each other like this. It was a stark contrast to seeing him with his own band members who practically dwarfed him.

“So, should we sit down, maybe have a joint?” Matty offered in an attempt to play gracious host, gesturing back towards the lounge.

“Can’t. Meant to be working.” She reminded him. He rolled his eyes at her excuse.

“Fine, get to know each other a bit, then?” He rephrased.

“Adam was telling me you guys had soundcheck at twe-” Rome started saying, until Matty just spoke over him.

“Let’s sit down. How’ve you been, man?” He interrupted, trying to shut Rome up and pull him towards the couch.

“If that’s true then you only have fifteen minutes to get inside.” She reminded him. “And you still have to show me where my stuff is.” Matty groaned loudly at this, checking his phone to confirm that they were both telling the truth about the time. George had mentioned something last night about a midday soundcheck once the stage was set up so that the lighting guys could continue without being interrupted. He supposed it was sensible to be on time for that.

“Fine. Let’s go.” He huffed, starting to head towards the door. “Not much of an introduction, though.” He added under his breath. After shouting a quick goodbye to Rome over his shoulder, they headed back out of the bus and inside the venue. She assumed that Matty must’ve known where he was going because he beelined through the hallways like a man on a mission. This arena was a bit bigger than the one that she had seen them in the first time and she tried to retain the corners they were taking in her head so that she didn’t get turned around again. Eventually they stopped at a pallet towards the back of the building absolutely loaded with boxes.

“This-” He started as he scanned through the pallet of stock, eventually pulling a box down from the very top, “is yours.” He held out the box. “And you set it up in that van that we passed near the front entrance.” He added.

She looked at him, then at the box. Was he done..? Maybe they were waiting on extra boxes? Or there was more to grab somewhere else? Surely this couldn’t be it? “A box? One box?” She asked in confusion. As she looked back to him for clarification, he seemed unphased by this information. “For the whole tour?” She continued.

“Yeah.” He nodded.

“This is really it?” She asked incredulously as she took it.

“Yep.” He confirmed, still nodding.

“Oh my god, Matty. I’m going to die of boredom being out here with only this.” She groaned, opening the box to see if it was even full. Knowing him it was probably empty, anyway. Maybe she should take back her comment about not being able to have a terrible time while she was out here.

“Payback for the festival.” He chuckled as she was able to verify that it was, indeed, full of shirts. Thank god.

“Don’t you fucking start.” She said with a glare, turning to point at him. “You chose to do that.” She reminded him.

“And you chose to do this.” He quipped with a smirk. “Unless you had some ulterior motive?” He asked nonchalantly. She knew full well what he was trying to get at, but it wasn’t going to work in this instance.

“Seeing my friends was, in fact, the primary motive.” She answered with a smug look.

“Mmm… sure.” He replied in a disbelieving tone. “I have to go soundcheck, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” He said, turning on his heel and walking back in the direction that they had come from.

She trusted Matty - well, mostly trusted Matty - but she still read the labels on every box on that pallet just in case there was secretly more stock hidden somewhere. Once she had finally resigned herself to her fate of having next to no work to do at every show, she carried her one, single box back to the empty merch stand. It took her all of twenty minutes to set up merch for Rome. There were only sixty shirts in total to count in, and folding them was nothing compared to the amount of stock she had been forced to fold at other events. Rome had ducked in to the van once she was done to chat and keep her company, explaining a bit of the meaning behind the shirt design he had chosen and telling her about how he had met Matty. He seemed to be a really nice kid; she could see why Matty got along with him so well. They carried on chatting in the merch van until Ross came to find them and show them to the backstage waiting area so that the rest of the merch crew could set up. Everyone else had already made their way over there so that they could kill the time until it was finally time to play. Matty seemed to intentionally take his time getting ready for the show, asking her opinion on just about every little change that he made. Despite the confident bravado, he did seem to have a good deal of nerves bubbling away under the surface. He knew that he was setting the bar for what the whole tour would have in store. Kids would spread photos online of what they’d seen, what he’d done, what the setlist was. First impressions mattered. But as expected, the show was an astounding start to the six weeks that lay ahead. The band came off the stage buzzing with excitement and adrenaline, ready to tackle everything else that was thrown their way.

The next week was pretty much spent establishing a rough routine for the rest of the tour. It only took playing the one show for the band to get a feel for it again, and once the rest of the crew had set up and pulled down a couple of shows, everyone was back in the groove of what to expect. The band were also starting to get readjusted to doing interviews and social media releases while on the road. It was a gruelling schedule at times trying to fit it all in to one day and still somehow manage to get enough sleep for the next, but not one they were strangers to. However, what Y/N/N was quickly finding out in her daily routine, was that there was absolutely no personal space on a tour bus. She had been under the impression that bands generally took a few days here and there to have breaks between shows, but not this band. Nope. The thing about The 1975 was that they just did. not. stop. If this band wasn’t about to play a show, they were on the road to the next one. So, if they weren’t in a venue organising the day ahead, or pit stopped somewhere for an interview or similar, they were in the tour bus. They had a good mentality of everyone just being able to chill out and do their own thing when on the bus, which mostly consisted of trying to talk to people back at home or watching a movie wherever you could find space. But that many people crammed into such a tiny area who all shared conflicting schedules meant that you rapidly learned things about your roommates that you didn’t think you’d ever know. It hadn’t crossed her mind that she would have to quickly learn the bathroom habits of everyone else on this vehicle if she ever had a hope in hell of using it herself. On the plus side, it did mean that you also had to be comfortable in each other’s space for the sake of your own sanity.

As a result of needing people to vent to about this lack of space, she had found herself dragged headfirst into the chaos and hilarity that was Matty’s close friend circle. Having their stable company and friendship made dealing with the little issues about living on a tour bus a lot easier. Someone eating the last of the cereal was a lot less annoying when she could turn and laugh with Ross about it. She was finding out the more she got to know them that George was definitely the sensible one of the group who kept everyone else - namely Matty - in line, Ross was proving himself to be the funniest of the four of them - when Matty wasn’t around to try and one-up him - and Adam was a lot more reserved in bigger groups – especially when Matty was in them and just spoke over everyone else (there seemed to be a common theme appearing about how it was easier to get to know Matty’s friends without Matty present) - but more than happy to chat one on one when you got him onto a topic of mutual interest. And where she had already been fairly comfortable around the egocentric frontman, she was now finding that he was almost essential to her daily survival. From their in-jokes about dumb things, to having someone to talk to who knew her a slight bit better than everyone else, to just being able to have him around to watch TV shows with; the longer she spent trapped in the tour bus with him, the harder it was getting for her to be able to deny being into him. But there was no point in telling him any of this, because admitting her feelings wasn’t going to get her anywhere. It would just give him the satisfaction that he’d won and she’d be putting herself on the line with no reciprocation. However, Matty was also finding their time together to be having an overwhelmingly positive effect. It was incredibly convenient for him to have someone around who kept him in such a good mood all the time and who provided such good company. He hadn’t felt this happy in quite a while.

One afternoon on the bus she was trying to find something to occupy her time, deciding that maybe watching a movie would fill the void until they arrived at the next venue and she could get out and explore a bit. She knocked on the closed door of the back lounge, slowly pulling it open after she didn’t receive a reply. Upon peeking her head around the door, she was met with the curly haired Matty sitting on his laptop, a single headphone sitting in one of his ears and an open notebook on the table next to him. He didn’t look up as she stepped in, and it took her a moment to realise what he was doing. “Oh my god, are you working?” She asked in surprise.

“I do that sometimes.” He mumbled, not tearing his eyes away from his laptop.

“I have to admit, I was starting to think that you didn’t.” She laughed as she shuffled around the couch to see what he was doing. He was clearly fiddling with audio tracks in an editing program, but her knowledge beyond that was pretty limited. The notebook next to him seemed to be full of half-formed ideas that didn’t offer much context. She watched him in silence for a few moments before he decided to explain what he was doing.

“I’m trying to edit the bridge of this song and get it to sound how we want in our heads. George had a go at it this morning but couldn’t quite get the right sound, he asked if I could take a look at it.” He clarified. She nodded in understanding.

“It’s nice seeing you do something productive instead of just hindering the work of everyone else around you.” She teased, nudging him slightly with her elbow.

He flashed her a sarcastic look. “You know that I’ve spent the better part of two decades working to get this band where it is, yeah?” He asked bitterly, the sour mood he was in from not being able to sort this song out seeping into his tone.

“So I’ve heard. But most of the time you act like the cliché rock star that you tell everyone you’re not.” She shot back with a challenging look.

He opened his mouth to argue with her point, before realising that from her perspective, that was pretty much all that he did. She hadn’t had the chance to see him in the studio, in the label offices planning things out with Jamie, doing a serious interview, or do anything that was work related really other than perform and show off. He imagined that must come across as pretty arrogant of him to claim he got the band to where it is when he acted like he’d been at this point for all of his life. “How do I explain this…” He hummed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back into the couch to think of the right words to say. “I don’t often get the chance to fuck about anymore. I used to a lot when I was younger. I fucked around and partied enough when I was younger for all of us guys combined, really.” He gave a short laugh, “But as we got bigger, I had to get my act together. More people were watching us, social media was a very prevalent thing in regards to marketing a band and our image, I had to knock it off for the sake of the band as a whole. Even just how much time I was wasting on it started to affect how much effort I could put into where we were going, and I didn’t want that. But people don’t change until it’s too hard not to. I was sort of required to shift into a more serious place in my life, when… y’know, it all got drawn out into the spotlight. But I miss it. I miss the freedom that came with getting to fuck about all the time.” He explained, glancing across at her to verify if she was understanding him correctly.

“So… you fuck around now because you haven’t for ages?” She asked, not really following where he was going with this.

“No, I…” He let out a sigh, trying to make his thoughts more eloquent. “It’s nice not having to be on my best behaviour around you, is what I’m getting at. It’s just a breath of fresh air amongst constant press and being recorded.” He simplified. “And the band doesn’t let me get away with as much as you do. That’s why you don’t see me serious very often.” Ah. She got what he meant now. “But, for the next six weeks you’re stuck living with me.” He chuckled. “Which means you’ll get to see all sides of me, not just the ones that I want you to.” Matty seemed to have a good knack for making jokes out of comments that were probably more serious than he thought they were. He looked down at her once he was satisfied that she was following along with his reasoning, only now realising that she was wearing his hoodie that he had given her the day after they’d met. A grin slowly spread across his face at this. “Nice hoodie.” He said with a small nod of approval. She had to look down to remind herself of what he was referring to, before meeting his gaze again with a slight blush dusting her cheeks. “It looks good on you.” He added, keeping the ‘better than it did on me’ part of that sentence to himself.

“Thanks.” She mumbled, unsure of what else to say to the compliment.

He went back to working after that, still trying to shuffle around new samples into the audio file to get the sound perfect. She figured that it would be pretty rude of her to put a movie on while he was working, so she decided to just watch him instead. It became considerably easier to follow along with what he was doing when he unplugged the headphones and allowed the laptop speakers to play aloud what he was working on. The track sounded like a less bass-y version of Depth from the small snippets she was hearing. It was interesting seeing his creative process and watching the looks that crossed his face as he tried to get the thoughts out of his head and into the song. As they got closer and closer to the next venue, Matty was beginning to take note of just how long she had actually been watching him work. All he was doing was messing with files in a program, surely there was no way in hell a girl would watch him do that for over an hour if she wasn’t interested in him. The fact that she refused to tell him just ate away at his mind.

He slammed shut the laptop suddenly, forcing her attention to him and away from the screen. “You should just tell me.” He said.

“Tell you what?” She asked in confusion, but the look he threw back at her in response made it click.

“You’ve fuckin’ been watching me all afternoon.” He laughed loudly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, “Just admit it.” He added lowly.

“In your dreams.” She scoffed.

“Every night, love.” He shot back with a smirk.

As more time progressed on the tour, Matty could feel himself edging ever so slightly closer to getting her to crack. His plan to establish what the right buttons were to encourage a reaction was working well. He was already well aware that she enjoyed seeing him play guitar. During soundchecks he had seen the way that she watched his fingers move across the frets and how she got distracted by it, and she was always pretty enthralled whenever he was on stage. So, that was one item off the list that he could play to his advantage. The other week she had told him that she liked his hair when it was messy, that was another. He was pretty confident that she liked the physical attention because she had stopped pushing him away now and tended to sit next to him before she sat next to anyone else. She was only ever becoming more receptive to the comments and actions that he was trying to use to fish for what worked and what didn’t. But she was still so damn stubborn about it. The two of them were both getting more resistant the more the other pushed. He refused to let up until she admitted the truth, and she refused to say it to him purely on principle at this point. If she caved now, he’d lord it over her for the remaining four weeks of the tour. But this constant game that they were at was starting to grate on the rest of the band, mainly George. He was beginning to find that this girl’s company was actually very enjoyable and he didn’t want to see Matty go and fuck it all up when he finally won. He also didn’t want to find himself caught in the middle trying to console both parties of a messy situation while trapped on a tour bus with the both of them. But at this point, he knew that Matty of all people should know better. He figured that maybe he should take the time to remind his best friend that there was a time and a place for everything, and that maybe on a tour bus wasn’t the time for this.

On a fairly dismal afternoon, Matty had found himself sulking at the kitchen table for the last half an hour or so. He had opened one of his social media apps to check on how things were doing at home, only to find a picture of his ex kissing some other guy plastered across the front of it. It had been about six months since she’d left him, but seeing her move on didn’t sting any less. It still felt like a blow to his self-esteem that she’d move on before he had. He was knocked out of his daze of staring at his phone in discontent when the bus door suddenly flung open and a very determined George stormed inside.

“What’s your plan with all this?” George asked bluntly as he sat down across from him at the table.

Matty stared across at his best friend blankly, trying to catch up to whatever train of thought George had caught that he’d apparently missed the call for. “What do you mean?” He asked, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“What happens if she turns around and says that she’s into you?” He questioned.

“When.” He specified with a pointed look.

“Whatever, man.” The drummer huffed in annoyance. “What happens after you’ve conned this girl into falling for you?” He rephrased.

Matty wasn’t overly fond with the choice of words that George had used. Conned? That wasn’t what he was doing. He was just having a bit of fun, wasn’t he? But what did happen when she finally told him..? He hadn’t really thought that far ahead, he was too focused on accomplishing step one to work out what step two was. “Matty.” George called, clicking his fingers in front of the singer’s face to drag his attention back to reality. “All I’m saying is, don’t fuck her over, yeah? She deserves better than that.”

“Oh, I…” He scratched at the back of his neck nervously, suddenly feeling like a kid being told off by his parents. “Well, I wasn’t intending on it.” He mumbled.

“Good intentions only go so far,” He clapped a hand down on Matty’s shoulder. “and I’ve seen your track record. Be careful.” He warned as he stood up from the table and started heading back towards the door of the bus. “Oh, and,” He spun back around, pointing across the bus at his friend with a serious expression. “keep it to a minimum when the rest of us are around, wouldn’t you?”

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#Matthew Healy x Reader #Matty Healy x Reader #Sunsetinmyvein

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zuzuma-katpaws · 4 years

Text

The Day That Christmas was Not Ruined

Link to AO3 version: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21958318

AU - Dreamswap (Belongs to @onebizarrekai )

Words - Around 5,200

Summary - Dream has been trying hard to help the orphans this Christmas, but it looks like he is going to need a lot more help than he planned.

“A Visit from St. Nicholas” is credited to Clement Clarke Moore

“Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house not a creature was stirring,

Not even a little mouse.”

The little toddler in Dream’s arms squirmed just a little bit before, his full attention once more to the story.

“The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danced in their head.”

The other children in the orphanage were sitting down on the rug in front of Dream as he comfortably leaned back in the lounge chair, reading the poem that was printed in his hands. They were focused on Dream as he read the poem, however this didn’t bother Dream. He loved reading to the children, especially around the holidays. It gave the little ones a sense of wonder and happiness, which warmed his soul.

“Now Dasher! Now Dancer!

Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid!

On, Donner and Blitzen!”

Dream looked up from the words to see Ink messing with the Christmas tree, rearranging the ornaments into something that met his standards…which were not high. The two met eye contact briefly but long enough for Dream to give a glare as to warning Ink of the consequences of burning another tree down. Quickly, Ink left the tree and stood elsewhere, fidgeting because of his boredom. Satisfied, Dream continued on with the poem.

“His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow!”

The children, who most didn’t understand the words that Dream was saying, were smiling with glee. Their imagination was indeed working to picture the poem in their head with Dream’s voice being the narrator in this fantasy world. A world that was much better than the one they lived in every single day.

“He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle.

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight.

‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!’”

Once he finished, the children clapped along with the caretakers at the orphanage. “Boys and girls, what do we say to Lord Dream?” one of the caretakers asked.

“Thank you Lord Dream” all children said in unison. Dream smiled at this, a small joy filling his soul to the brim. He gently placed the small boy off his lap while saying, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must talk to the adults for a little bit.” The children were slightly disappointed, giving out pouts and whines but one of the Papyrus’ stepped around and said, “Now everyone please! Lord Dream is a very busy person. Go on and play while the bigger people talk.” The children begrudging agreed, and they scatter off to designated play areas in which the scene look rather chaotic at first. Dream got up from the chair he was reading from and readjusted his coat before approaching the workers.

“Thank you for coming and reading to the children today”, a Toriel said, one of the three working there, while shaking his hand in gratitude.

“It means so much to them whenever you come by a visit” another worker, an unnamed rabbit, said as her cheerful smile spread across her face.

“It’s the least I can do. These children have been through so much. They deserve a good Christmas after everything that’s happened to them.” Dream looked around the rather small building to see the children playing with well-worn out toys. For many of them, it will be their first Christmas in a safe environment while for the rest it will be the mark of another year of abandonment, rejection, and disappointment. None of them had many possessions such as their own toys or clothing, but thankfully the ‘Justice Reigns Orphan Rescue and Protection Program’ had enough donations, whether in the form of money or items, to help each child enough to get by. However, it was running low because of so many children in need and high-dollar contributors couldn’t see much of a point in it. Dream frowned just a little at this thought, which caught the attention of the Papyrus from earlier.

“Sir? If you don’t mind me asking, what’s wrong?”

“Oh! It’s something…that has been a bit disappointing as of late.”

“…Does it concern the children?” the young rabbit asked, a little worried about the change in the Dreams’ mood. Dream sighed, trying to push away the concern for now. “It’s fine. Nothing for any of you or the children to worry about.”

“Speaking of the children, when are we expecting…um…the delivery?” Toriel asked. Dream knew immediately of what she was speaking of. Every year, Justice Reigns had a fancy Christmas-themed fundraiser in an effort to provide toys to every orphan in the Multiverse. Then the presents were going to be delivered to every orphanage around. Even the orphanages outside of Justice Reign’s protection would receive a delivery (whether or not those places was willing to give the children the presents rather than selling the toys around JR’s back made things slightly more difficult on Dream’s part).

However, this year ended up in disaster. It started near Halloween when someone acquired a photo of Dream at run-down bar, getting drunk and being forced to leave. That someone ended up sending the photo to many paparazzi agencies whom did everything in their power to make Dream look like a relapsed alcoholic; the real truth was that the photo was taken long before Dream even met Ani not to mention that he hadn’t touch the stuff for more than a decade now, despite his cravings. Still, nobody would listen and rather believe a lie, thus tarnishing his name enough to cause problems. When the fundraiser finally came around, nobody wanted to help because it would only support Dream’s supposedly relapsed drinking. As such…they didn’t get far out of the starting gate when donations opened. The fundraiser itself didn’t make enough for one orphanage to receive presents, much less all the ones under Justice Reigns’ domain. They couldn’t deviate any of the funds from other programs because of the tight budget from the previous year. This upset Dream greatly, causing most of his depression, stress, and insomnia as of late.

Now, how was he going to explain this to these orphanage caretakers? Those working at Justice Reigns knew better than to believe such things, as this was not the first time paparazzi caused problems and they knew it would not be the last. They remained loyal to Dream, to which he was grateful. Most volunteers who worked in the programs provided by Justice Reigns knew that he wasn’t some drunk sycophant, because he would visit often, be friendly towards everyone, and smelling clean and being presentable, not like an ungrateful creature covering the stench of rotten alcohol and making a fool of himself. He hoped that they would understand as he explained in full detail of what was going on and why there wasn’t anything to delivery.

“That’s…horrible” Toriel said, in such a soft whisper as if she didn’t believe the words herself.

“No…” the bunny said, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

“There…isn’t…the children need something for Christmas! There is something we have to do!” Papyrus exclaimed. Dream agreed, however it was so close to Christmas already – only a week away really. But what could they do? He had been trying to figure out a situation since the fundraiser. Dream had even resorted to pleading with many of his past contributors, however they would not budge. He talked to many toy makers in an effort to donate some of the older toys they had failed to sell, but they were more concerned about their profits. It pained Dream to see how truly selfish and cold-hearted people were becoming this Christmas. It was a time of giving to those who are in need…and these children needed something good to happen in their lives!

“I will find a way. I will.” Dream said these words to the caretakers and he was determined to resolve this problem. He was. But after he left that day…things happened. Many of these problems were the ones that forced Dream’s attention away from this predicament, which would sometimes take an entire day. Sometimes it felt that the entire Multiverse was against him. Despite being able to make some progress, Dream ran out of time.

He was lying down on the floor in his office once Christmas Eve came, disappointed and depressed. The lights were out, leaving the office dark and hard to see if it were not for Dream’s wings glowing; however the wings were also dim from their usual brightness. The office slightly trashed due to Dream’s temper, however nothing valuable broken. Facing the ceiling with blank stare, he knew that he failed. The happy and proud atmosphere that once filled the castle called Justice Reigns was nothing but bitter moods and terrible attitudes. For once, Dream didn’t care. He was more worried about the children. He put so much effort into their well-being that…it hurt knowing they were going to wake without anything for them underneath the tree, thinking that they not good enough for Santa’s Nice List. His hand had grabbed the necklace softly, wondering what Ani would think of this. He concluded that they would be disappointed in him for not doing better.

The door cracked open, revealing Ink. His blank stare reached Dream’s eyes, but nothing was said. Instead, Ink huffed and went to sit on the desk, as it seemed that every chair and the couch were destroyed. “Things not going as planned?”

“Things didn’t go as planned” Dream replied dryly, his teeth clenched in anger as he scowled. Ink looked around the room a little bit but finding difficulty in seeing in the darkness. Ink looked up, seeing the remains of the fan still spinning.

“You killed the fan?”

“Yeah”

“…It was ugly. It needed to go.”

“Yeah”

They sat in complete silence for many minutes after that. Ink started up another conversation, perhaps out of boredom. “I don’t see what the big deal is. After all, isn’t this whole Christmas thing like a competition?” Dream sighed a little at this, understanding where Ink was going with this. “It does seem like it sometimes. Who can get the best gifts? Who can be the nicest?” Dream shut his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. “Christmas isn’t supposed to be like that though. It’s supposed to be a time where you help each other, despite what bad times might come through the winter.”

“…What were your Christmases like?”

Dream smiled a little. “You mean before Justice Reigns happened, correct?” He could tell that Ink shrugged, even though his eyes were still shut. Memories flooded back to Dream, most of them good this time but it still felt like his soul wanted to tear apart. “Nightmare and I would get each other presents. It was so hard to hide his because he was so damn nosy. But every Christmas, we managed to surprise each other every time. We even had a Christmas tree, but no matter how hard I tried to prevent it or redecorate, Nightmare would always botch up the appearance of the tree. He always claimed that it gave the tree ‘character’ though honestly it looked like a mess. I remember one year he managed to set it on fire. It didn’t burn down all the way though and we didn’t feeling like getting another one so it just stood there. I don’t even know how we managed to get the smell of smoke out of the house.”

Dream opened his eyes, done with reminiscing. He turned his head to Ink and asked, “What were yours like?”

“Never celebrated it.”

Dream’s stern gaze faltered for a second. “Never? Why?”

“Like I said, seems like a competition more than anything else. Besides, if I want anything then I just buy it or something like that.” Dream sighed, however it was a fair point. Nobody but Dream ever got Ink any presents and Ink never bothered to give any. However the thought itself was disheartening. The phone rang on Dream’s desk, to which Ink grabbed in quickly to answer it.

“Ello’? Who’s this?” Dream rolled his eyes, but in all honesty he didn’t feel like talking to anybody. He would rather let Ink mess this up than get up from the floor that he found comfort in. Ink listened to the phone call and finally answered, “Ok” before hanging up. “Someone just broke into one of the orphanages. Wanna come or just leave me to do it?”

“I don’t ca- WHAT?!”

“Yeah, someone broke into one of the orphanages. The worker said it was probably a thief. They’re still there.”

“GET OFF MY DESK AND LET’S GO!”

It was official. Dream was pissed. Who would rob an orphanage on Christmas Eve? Assholes, that’s who. Since the children didn’t even have presents in the first place, the only thing left to steal was the children’s belongings! That was not going to happen on Dreams’ watch! It didn’t even take them an hour to reach their destination. There they noticed that the door was ajar, the lock broken and everything.

Dream motioned Ink to stay behind him, than quietly snuck through the door without making a sound. He noticed dirt and snow tracks leading into the foyer, so he crouched down and sneaked along, following the path. The tracks then lead to the chimney area which was big and mostly bare except for the Christmas tree, which gave enough light to see the bare minimum. There was shuffling sounds nearby so they huddled the corners where there was no light to avoid detection. Dream saw someone messing around the Christmas tree before going to the chimney itself. Dream could tell that this person was wearing a red and green outfit but he couldn’t clearly see. Seeing as though there was only one person there though, Dream jumped out of his hiding spot and drew out his sword, yelling, “This is JR! Freeze and put your hands up now!”

The figure froze in their spot, hands automatically shooting upward in the air.

“Turn around slowly and do not try anything, or I will kill you”

“…I don’t think that’s a good idea, Dream” the stranger said, with a familiar voice that Dream knew all too well. Dream was shocked as the figure turned around. It was Nightmare, in a rather ornate red and green outfit that was similar to his normal one, only the moon symbol was replaced with snowflakes. His purple eyes show their usual mischievous look and his black messy hair was mostly covered with an elf-hat while his circlet was probably in his inventory. Nightmare smiled a cocky smile, which told Dream he was up to something.

“What are you doing here Nightmare?” Dream demanded in a strict tone, not backing down. Nightmare lowered his hands and started speaking, but a large paintbrush swung out of nowhere and struck him down onto the floor. Ink looked so please with himself as he kneeled down and handcuffed Nightmare behind his back. “DUDE WAIT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND! WE’RE ONLY HELPING OUT!” Dream motioned Ink to stop for a moment, and looked at Nightmare for an explanation.

“Okay so we heard about how bad the whole fundraiser thing went and we got to thinking about the kids at the orphanages and Error started panicking about the whole thing and went into a rant about ‘Kids need something for Christmas Nightmare!’ and so we decided do something about it” Nightmare explained quickly, not making full coherent sentences. Dream, however, quickly pieced together what Nightmare said. “You…you’re helping? How exactly? By stealing from them?”

Nightmare looked insulted from this statement. “No! What do you take me for? Sure I can be an asshole sometimes but I’m not soulless.” Ink narrowed his gaze at Nightmare, to which Nightmare turned his head slightly to face him and said, “You know what I mean.”

Dream had to think about what Nightmare said, which did make sense. Nightmare and his gang still had standards and if they stole anything it was for a decent reason or pure survival. They weren’t the type to hurt a little kid on purpose, unless it was an evil ‘Frisk’ or ‘Chara’ but that situation would fall under self defense. There was a problem with Nightmare’s story though. Nightmare had no toys on him nor was there any present nearby. “Pray tell how were you going to help then?”

“Well…here’s the thing…the presents that we brought are in the chimney…with…‘Santa’.”

Dream paused when he heard this before he directed his attention to the chimney. He approached it slowly and looked up, noticing someone stuck up there as evident by the casual swinging of his black boots. “…Who is up there, exactly?” Dream asked as he stared back at Nightmare; however he got his answer quickly as a person hollered out, “Nightmare! Nightmare, what are you doing!? Help me down already!” It was Cross’ voice.

“Yeah, ‘Santa’ had too much chocolate this year. Will you let me go now?” Dream was exasperated to say in the least, but he did motion for Ink to get up. Ink obeyed, but did not uncuff Nightmare. “Dude!” Nightmare hollered out as he got up from ground and glared at Ink. “Do it yourself.” “You have the keys!” “Why should I? I’m soulless after all”

“Boys, stop” Dream said in a low growl, not wanting to deal with this right now.

“Fine Boss”

“Fine Bossy”

Dream had to bite back a remark before returning to the task at hand. “Uncuff him, Ink, and help us pull Cross down.” Ink reluctantly done as he was told before Ink and Dream huddled in the chimney, each one grabbing a foot that was swinging and started pulling; Nightmare decided to go outside and investigate the top of the chimney to see if there was anything he could from there. Dream and Ink pulled as hard as they could but Cross only slightly moved downward.

“Stop Nightmare! That hurts!”

“Not Nightmare!” Ink hollered back in frustration.

“…INK? What are you doing here!?” Cross cried out in shock, clearly unaware of what was going on.

“Getting your fat butt out of there!”

“I’m not fat! My muscles are too big!”

“Yeah, your ‘table muscles’!” said Nightmare in a loud voice as he ran back inside and headed for the kitchen. Dream barely saw him go by, only to notice that they were not alone anymore. The children were all gathered downstairs along with the caretakers, watching the commotion with confusion and nervousness. “It’s all right everyone! Santa is just stuck right now but JR is working very hard to set him free” Dream explained nervously.

“Is Santa gonna live?” asked a small little monster child, who wasn’t but a foot tall and probably only two years old.

“YES! He will live!” Dream exclaimed, only to notice Nightmare running out of the kitchen with a few gallons of something and bolting straight outside before he could say anything else. “What’s going on?” Cross asked, to which Dream could tell he was panicking slightly.

“Don’t worry ‘Santa’! It’s just the ‘children’! They’re worried about you!”

“…Children? …OH! HO HO HO! I’m fine kiddos!” Cross hollered out; however it was clear that he was using a deeper voice than normal to fit the persona he took on. Dream groaned, knowing that he was only one right now realizing how terribly this was all going. Soon enough Cross cried out, “What are you doing Nightmare!? What is this stuff?!”

“Just pretend its chocolate!” Nightmare cried out, which was fainter and clearly farther above Cross. Dream didn’t understand what was going on until he saw cooking oil dripping down the sides of the chimney. Both Ink and Dream continue pulling on Cross’ legs, despite the complaints that the other was giving. They tried to be careful but the oil started getting all over Cross and themselves as well. Unfortunately, Cross had only moved a few inches. “Now what?” Ink asked Dream directly, however Dream had no time to think of another solution before chaos happened.

“SORRY NOT SORRY!”

“HOLY-!”

Cross was forced out of the chimney finally, colliding with Dream and Ink underneath him with full force. All in all, everyone could see the three dirty, oily men in a defeated pile with Nightmare casually sitting on top of them, saying, “I call that a ten out of ten.”

“I am personally adding ‘physical assault’ to your criminal records when this is all done” Dream growled on his back while Ink was squirming to get out from underneath.

“Hah. Bold of you to assume that those charges weren’t already in there!”

They all managed to get up, but they looked awful. Their clothes were practically ruined with the debris and cooking oil sticking to their coats and jeans, their hair sticking out in different positions, Cross’ beard was practically black at this point, the Santa suit that Cross wearing ruined-WAIT.

Dream stared at Cross’ face in disbelief, surprised at the foreign hair that was attached to it. It was awful looking, being untamed and un-kept. It wasn’t even that thick too, making it harder to look at. He even had side-burns and a moustache to go with it, being whiter than what his beard is now currently. All-in-all, Cross appeared like a sixty year old hobo instead of his normal age. Cross narrowed his eyes back at Dream, agitated at the fact that Dream was even staring at him. Ink merely looked at beard and decided to yank it to test if it was real.

“OUCH!”

“Huh. It is real. Go figure” Ink thought out loud while Cross tried to rub the discomfort out of his face.

“…Why?” Dream asked, slightly disturbed by this new look. Nightmare shrugged as he replied, “He wanted to look the part. Error and I wanted him to wear a fake one but he absolutely refused.”

“…Santa?”

All the men froze in their spot and looked down at the little human girl who walked up to them and spoke in such a soft voice. Cross, immediately in character, kneeled before the little girl and asked in a deep jolly voice, “Ho ho ho! Yes, little one?” The little girl looked up in awe, her eyes bright as she saw the nice man that she heard so many stories about. “Did…did you come to bring presents for us?”

“I sure did! Ho Ho Ho! Little elf, bring the presents!”

“You might not want to call me little, ‘Santa’” Nightmare said in a cheery tone however his eyes were definitely twitching from the insult. The bag of presents that was trapped in the chimney with Cross, which wasn’t fancy to begin with, made it safely down surprisingly without breaking anything. Nightmare had begun passing out presents while Dream, Ink, and Cross needed to wash up and get changed out of their clothes before helping out. The caretakers and other workers at the orphanage managed to find some extra clothes that fit Dream and Ink while Cross ended up with the spare Santa suit that was two sizes too big. At this point, it was evidently clear that Cross looked ridiculous however at this point he didn’t care as he was too busy having fun and being ‘Santa’ to the little ones.

After many of the presents were given out, Dream noticed a few things that were…off with them…so to speak. One, all of them was unwrapped so either Nightmare’s gang ran out of time or didn’t bother to do it. Two, some were crotchet stuff toys in a familiar blue string, being strong, sturdy, and soft as well. They were friendly looking and the smaller children took to the dolls extremely well. Three, the rest of the toys were like Frankenstein abominations, such as a walking doll with duck feet while wearing a rain coat, toy pirate ships with monster truck wheels, and a lot of stuff ostrich toys that had a horse for a head and reptile feet that actually wiggled; Dream showed this particular one to Nightmare and asked for an explanation. “Oh! That one there is what we call, ‘Harry the Horsetrichsauras’. We’re pretty sure it’ll be in popular demand before long.”

“Why is there mutant atrocities disguised as toys coming out of that bag?”

“Well, we knew that Error couldn’t make enough toys for all the kiddos, so Cross and I broke into this warehouse full of broken or poorly made toys that were going to be discarded. We decided to make actual suitable toys out of them. It was hard but looking at this scene…it was so worth it.” Nightmare looked at the kids playing with their toys with an endearing smile on his face, something that was very rare for him. To Dream’s astonishment, Nightmare and Cross did a good job on the variety and quality on the toys as the children play with toys ecstatically. It made Dream smile as well.

Nightmare’s phone rang, which interrupted the scene and getting everyone’s attention. Nightmare answered it without hesitation. “Error! What’s up?”

“Where are you? I just got the last of the toys finished!”

“Uhh…the first stop…”

Nightmare flinched as Error practically hollered through the speakers of the phone. “ARE YOU CRAZY? You can’t there any longer or Dream will find out!”

“Already did” Dream answered, a little startled as well after the screaming. There was a pause before Error said, “You have got to be kidding me…”

“Listen Error, it’s a long story but we finished delivering the presents for here, so we’re going on!”

“Nightmare, you don’t have enough time! You’ve been there for more than two hours and at this rate you won’t even get half done when Christmas is over!” This caused Nightmare to wince, and when the duo looked over they saw Cross staring back at them with a worried look on his face. Dream straightened up when he realized what he needed to do. “I can help, and I can get Ink to help whether he wants to or not.” Ink groaned when he heard this while Nightmare looked at Dream with surprise, but Dream continued talking. “I can get these presents delivered to these orphanages faster than any of you can, and I can do it legally for that matter. The caretakers or workers won’t hesitate to let me inside and I don’t need to slide down tiny chimneys like an idiot.”

“Hey! It was a accident!”

“Let me help…I failed these kids once so let me redeem myself.”

Dream was dead serious…and Nightmare knew it. Nightmare smirked and said, “On one condition; you don’t arrest us right after this.” Dream smirked as well and remarked, “Only if Cross shaves that rat off his face.”

“Now you guys are just being mean…”

‘Operation Save Christmas’ was a go. The plan was relatively simple. Nightmare and the now beardless Cross would bring all the presents to Justice Reigns where Dream and the other employees (who agreed on the truce just for tonight) would deliver the presents to each orphanage quickly and silently. They, along with the orphanage workers (who were informed by the sudden news) quickly got the presents inside and under the tree before any other children woke up.

It was a race against the clock…and they were a few bumps in the plan that caused Dream to personally intervene…

…but they did it.

Every orphan got a present for Christmas. Everyone in Justice Reigns celebrated and before long a party broke out in the entire castle with booze and quickly made hand-size food. Dream was swept up in the thrill of it all and celebrated as well. Nightmare and Cross attended too as well as Error, who was so happy about the results that he could barely stand it. It was a blast as everyone celebrated Christmas Eve with each other, deciding to ignore past the hardships of the year and be thankful for the upcoming new year. The party itself lasted even after every orphan woke up and opened their gifts, which they all loved their toys dearly.

Eventually Dream was forced to retire from the party, leaving the employees still giddy in their celebrations. Even though Dream did not touch any form of alcohol, he still felt light-headed and emotional from the whole experience. He walked into his office, since it was closer than his bedroom, only to be reminded and disappointed by all the broken furniture that he cannot sleep on. He did see Nightmare though, lying down on the floor and curl away from Dream. He was so sure that his twin was asleep until Nightmare turn to him and simply said, “Hey.”

“…You too. Tired?”

“You have no idea. I can’t remember the last time I slept…maybe before this whole Christmas ruckus started.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah…I was so sure that if I slept then there wouldn’t be enough toys and everything would fail. I was starting to have nightmares from the whole thing.”

“…Same here.”

They looked at each other for what seemed like several minutes in awkward silence before Dream asked, “You’re just going to sleep here?” Nightmare laughed before dryly commenting, “I was going to use the couch for a little bit but someone decided it shouldn’t exist anymore.” Dream smiled and shook his head, a little embarrassed. “It was not my finest moment.”

“Obviously. This whole thing must have made you upset and for good reason.”

“Yeah…were you the one who…you know…?”

“I didn’t get that picture or use it against you if that’s what you’re asking. You know that I will never stoop that low when it comes to embarrassing you.”

“I see…”

“Whoever that guy was must be pretty vindictive though. Or he could be just a general everyday asshole. Either or.”

“…Thank you.”

These words took Nightmare off guard for a moment. He studied his twin’s face, perhaps wondering if Dream really meant it. Dream swallowed his pride for a moment before saying, “Thank you for doing this. I couldn’t give those kids their Christmas this year and I was ready to give up. Then, out of nowhere, you swooped in and fixed it like some kind of superhero. While I was pitying them and just becoming more stress over the while situation, you and the others basically did the hard work for no reward whatsoever. So I want to say thank you.”

“…Uh…I really don’t know what to say”

Dream only sighed and decided to lie down beside Nightmare on the floor. This caused Nightmare to physically flinch but he did not move away from Dream. “Dude, your bedroom isn’t that far away.” “I know” Dream said, turning his gaze toward Nightmare after he got comfortable. To his surprise, Nightmare’s face started to heat up as he appeared flustered. Nightmare lightly punched Dream in the shoulders before curling up to him, slowly closing his eyes to rest. Dream smiled at this, closing his eyes and listen to the other one breathe in and out peacefully for what seemed like forever. Nightmare did wake up sometime later and grabbed Error and Cross before heading back to their hideout, just in case somebody got the bright idea of breaking the truce. However, Dream didn’t mind. Deep down, he was happy about the entire outcome.

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catb-fics · 4 years

Text

I’ve posted about this before, but got some new followers (hello!) so thought I’d post again. I know the smutty stuff isn’t to everyone’s taste (sorry!) but I do write other stuff too. Been working on this story for coming up to 6 months now (currently working on Part 79!) and it’s a love story, but with some heartbreak and a hell of a lot of drama too! Link is below to the story on Wattpad, but I’ve posted the first 2 chapters below if anyone does fancy a read....

Click here to read on Wattpad

Not sure what I’m gonna do when I finish this story as it’s been my absolute fave thing to write EVER! If you do take the time to read it, it would mean the world to me if you could let me know what you think 💕

All The Mixed Feelings (Van McCann)

Word Count: 5.2k

Chapter 1 - Abby

The loud beat of the music thumped in my ears as I made my way through the mass of dancing bodies in the club. It had been a long day. All I had wanted to do after work was to get home, kick off my shoes and curl up on the sofa. But my older sister Eve had other ideas. She'd dragged me along for a girls' night out. She meant well enough. I'd been single for only seven days, but that was long enough for me to wallow in self-pity apparently.

"You need to get back out there," Eve had said, "Come on, me and Jenny are out on Friday night. It will do you good. Just us girls! Invite Michelle along too."

Jenny was enthusiastic too. "Yeah it'll be a great night! And I still say the quickest way to get over a cheating bastard is to find yourself another man!"

Despite my protestations, here I was. I really didn't need a night out, or another man. I would have much rather been doing my best Bridget Jones impersonation, spending Friday night watching some unattainable romance on the TV, sobbing into my glass of Pinot Grigio.

As I made my way back to our booth from the ladies, I couldn't see Eve and Jenny at first, but then I spotted Eve's long blonde hair swaying as she danced with a guy I didn't recognise on the dance floor. Jenny was next to her. She was chatting to another lad and was draped all over him. So much for this being a girls-only night out.

There was Michelle, waiting for me in our booth with two large gin and tonics and I breathed a sigh of relief that not everyone had deserted me. Of course Michelle had the good sense to know that what I really needed tonight was some good girly chat and copious amounts of alcohol, not a night on the pull.

"I hope that's a double!" I nodded towards the glass. "I think I need it to cope with this place!"

Michelle grimaced, looking around. "It's a bloody meat market in here. I don't know why Eve and Jenny insist on coming here all the time."

"Well I suppose there's not a huge amount of choice," I replied. "And it looks like they've already hooked up with some guys... well Jenny definitely has."

Michelle rolled her eyes as we sipped at our drinks.

The small town we lived in boasted only one nightclub. The drinks were overpriced, the music was terrible, and the sorts of clientele it attracted were the sort who wanted to get as drunk as possible, hook up with a faceless partner, wake up hungover and full of regret, but then do it all over again the following weekend regardless.

It wasn't my scene at all. I loved going to gigs and would much rather spend a night bouncing up and down, singing at the top of my lungs, losing myself in the music. At least at a gig you could have a decent conversation with like-minded people.

Mine and Michelle's shared passion of music was one of the things that had brought us together. Five years previously I'd been desperate to attend a Killers gig in the city which was sold out, and she'd been selling a ticket on a local selling group. I wouldn't have normally attended a gig on my own, but after exchanging messages with Michelle we had hit it off. The spare ticket she was selling was her ex's and she was determined to still go after a messy break-up and have a good time. We ended up travelling there together and having the night of our lives and became firm friends.

I surveyed the crowded dance floor, catching the eye of a rather inebriated lad who looked like he was barely old enough to get served at the bar. He'd obviously managed it though, several times judging by the state of him. He shot me a lascivious smile and raised his pint glass. I hurriedly looked away.

"Don't look now, but there's a creepy guy eyeing me up!" I leant over to Michelle, who instantly shot up her head, despite my warning.

"Who? Oh I see! Shit, he's coming over!"

I kept looking away, focusing on Michelle who immediately leaned in to me and launched into conversation, hoping the lad would get the hint and see that we were busy. Unfortunately however he just stood there, looming over us, swaying slightly.

"Yeah?" Michelle challenged him eventually, after we'd ignored him for a good five minutes and he'd still not given up.

"Ladies!" He said with a wide smile. "Can I get youse a drink?"

"No thanks!" I shouted back over the music.

Michelle just ignored him and gave him a withering look. We picked up our conversation but he lingered. As he faltered unsteadily on his feet some beer slopped out of the top of his pint glass and dripped down my top.

I jumped up in shock as the cold liquid trickled down my chest. The lad was completely oblivious, and just stood there with that creepy smile beaming at me.

"Watch it!" I shouted. "You've just drenched me. Look, we're not interested, okay?"

"Yeah piss off!" Michelle cried, in her usual no-nonsense way.

There was no apology, or even recognition of what he'd done. The guy just looked me up and down, leering over me as I tried to dab at my top with a napkin.

"Just do one, okay?" Michelle said, getting even more agitated and rising to her feet.

"It's Abby Hastings isn't it?" The guy took a step towards me, ignoring Michelle.

That stopped me in my tracks. How on earth did he know me? I didn't want to engage in conversation but I was curious.

"Yeah, and...?" I answered, still dabbing at the wet patch on my top.

"You're Chris Hamley's ex, aren't ya?" He slurred, and I immediately bristled on hearing the name.

Of course everyone knew Chris. Everywhere we used to go he would always see people that he knew. He had that sort of personality that drew people in. Well, on the surface anyway. His superficial charm had certainly worked on me ten months previously when I'd met him in this very nightclub.

"Always thought you were too good for him!" The lad said, trying to snake an unwelcome arm around my waist.

"She doesn't want to talk to you, okay? Get the hint!" Michelle leaned right up to the young lad's face, then grabbed me by the arm and started to lead me away.

"Come on, let's go and find Eve and Jenny," she said as we pushed through the crowds. "Don't think I can stand another minute in this place."

As soon as Eve saw me on the edge of the dance floor, she tottered over, grabbing me by the wrist and trying to pull me into the throng. I resisted at first, pulling back, but then let myself be guided along. We came to a stop and Eve turned to face me, immediately moving to the music, swaying her hips, looking like she was having the time of her life. I just awkwardly shuffled from foot to foot stiffly.

"Come on Abby! You call that dancing?" She cried.

"You know I hate this music!" I groaned, glancing around to find an escape.

Michelle was stood a little way off, laughing at me. I beckoned her over to share the excruciating experience but she shook her head emphatically.

I had noticed that the lad that Eve had been dancing with earlier had moved aside when I had joined the dance floor. Now he was slowly making his way back to Eve with a purposeful look in his eyes. I saw this as my opportunity to escape. I drew Eve close so I didn't have to shout over the music.

"Sorry to be a party pooper but I'm gonna head off. It's been great, but I've had enough now."

Eve pulled a little mock sad face. "Just one more drink?"

"Sorry no, Michelle's up for going so we can share a taxi back if I go now. And it looks like you're gonna be here for a while anyway!"

I indicated Eve's admirer with a subtle nod of the head and she smiled back at me. We hugged and Eve waved to Michelle who was just saying her goodbyes to Jenny. After I'd also bid Jenny farewell, Michelle and I pushed our way through to the exit and emerged into the cool spring night air, relieved to be leaving the humid atmosphere of the club behind.

"Thank god we're out of there!" Michelle sighed dramatically.

I shivered slightly, crossing my arms across my body, wishing I'd brought a coat. Michelle fell into step close beside me as we pounded along the High Street, linking one of her arms through mine.

"I hope the girls weren't too annoyed I've buggered off," I said. "They were desperate to get me out tonight. I just wasn't feeling it."

"Did you see them? They were having a great time. They wouldn't have even noticed we'd left if we hadn't gone over."

As we turned the corner to head to the taxi rank, we walked past the local fish and chip shop, and the tempting smell wafted out, grabbing my attention.

"God I'm starving!" I pulled Michelle to a stop, rubbing my stomach.

Michelle glanced at her watch. "Come on, let's grab some chips. It's not even that late."

I checked the time. 11.30pm. I was a shadow of my former self. Girls' nights out used to consist of staggering home at 4am, but of course that was before Chris came along.

I shared my thoughts with Michelle, and this prompted us to launch into reminiscing whilst we were waiting at the counter for our food. Michelle was just in the throes of recounting a particularly messy party she'd been to when I noticed three guys about our age sitting at one of the plastic tables nearby. One was oblivious to our presence and tucking into a bag of chips and one was talking noisily on his phone, but one was looking over, straight at Michelle. I surreptitiously glanced over a few times, trying to work out whether he was trying to get her attention, or was just being nosey.

Michelle was in full-flow, talking loudly as per usual as our food was presented to us. She was completely oblivious to anyone else in the shop.

The lad who had his eyes fixed on Michelle was clad all in black, with a thick head of dark brown curls which had been tamed into a ponytail. He had a handsome face with a pair of striking blue eyes framed by dark-rimmed glasses. One of his companions was also dressed in black, with a leather jacket and skinny jeans, and a crazy mop of wild brown hair falling around his face. The other lad was dressed more casually in a hoody and jeans with short brown hair. He was pacing up and down whilst talking down the phone, his tone getting more and more agitated.

"Okay, okay we'll be back soon. Keep ya hair on!" He abruptly ended the call, and then he was shaking his head and gesticulating wildly to his friends as he filled them in on whatever had got him so riled up.

I noticed the guy with the ponytail whispering something to his friends, and then they were all looking over, and nodding in agreement about something.

"Shall we take the food with us?" I urged, not wanting to have to fend off more unwanted male attention, and Michelle was just about to answer when we both heard her name being called.

"Michelle! Over here!" It was leather jacket boy, waving and beckoning her over.

Michelle's eyes lit up with recognition and she was immediately bounding over to the boys in her usual enthusiastic manner.

"Benji, Bob, Larry! Hi! Fancy seeing you guys here!"

I relaxed a little, relieved that Michelle was obviously already acquainted with the lads. I grabbed my food off the counter and moved over, waiting for an introduction.

"Guys, this is my friend Abby," Michelle gestured towards me. "Abby, these are some of the guys from the band I was telling you about. You know, the one I went to see on Wednesday night."

My mind immediately went to a recent night I had missed out on. Abby had attended a gig at a venue just outside of town with some other friends. I'd been feeling sorry for myself after my recent break-up with Chris and had declined, deciding instead to mope at home.

I'd missed a great night by all accounts. The drinks were cheap, the band put on a hell of a show, and the band members had hung out at the bar afterwards where Michelle had met them. I remembered her enthusing about them, particularly the drummer who she'd sounded quite taken with.

As Michelle chatted easily with the lads, I sized them up, wondering if this drummer might be here. Michelle would normally be drawn to loud, brash, confident boys and I was not getting that vibe from Benji or Bob. Benji seemed mild-mannered and softly spoken, and Bob was quiet and almost bashful in our presence. I figured it might be Larry, who seemed like the joker of the bunch.

"Sounds like I missed out on a great gig the other day," I said, finally joining in on the conversation.

Michelle cut in, not giving the boys a chance to answer. "Oh my god yes! They were amazing!" Then she turned back to them excitedly. "You were fucking awesome!"

"Oh I don't know about that!" Bob spoke in a self-deprecating way. "We need much more practice to get to 'awesome' I'd say!"

"No way!" Michelle was having none of it. "Watching you on those drums was unreal!"

Bob looked down momentarily, embarrassed by the attention, but you could see a little glow emanating from him. Michelle had adoration etched all over her face and I hadn't seen that look on her for a long time.

Larry turned his attention to me. "So, what do you two have planned for the rest of the night?"

I went to open my mouth to speak, but before I could get the words out Michelle had announced that we had no plans. I internally sighed, but the look on Michelle's face was priceless and I didn't want to let her down. I looked back at Larry and reluctantly agreed that we were indeed free.

"Well... There's a party going on at mine and Van's. Bondy's up from Newcastle and staying over too. D'ya fancy it?"

"Yes!" Michelle blurted out, then looked at me guiltily. "They're the other guys from the band by the way..."

I gave her a weak smile. Michelle could normally read me like a book and wouldn't usually drag me along to something when I was feeling low. "I don't know," I said, unsure. "We don't wanna gatecrash or anything."

Benji sniggered. "When we came out for food the place was already heaving. Word's definitely got around. The whole town'll be there by now!"

Larry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that was Van on the phone. He's freaking out about how many people are there. We'd better get back and help him get things under control." Then he turned to me. "You certainly won't be gate-crashing love, it's MY house!"

Great, I thought, a loud, messy house party with loads of random strangers. Just what I don't need right now. Michelle leaned in to me whilst the boys were chatting amongst themselves.

"Abby I'm really sorry," she whispered. "I'm being dead selfish. Shall we just go home? I can see that you're not into it."

I wanted nothing more, but plastered a smile on. "Are you kidding? You're dying to go, I can tell. I don't mind honestly."

"I'm being serious now. Don't lie to me! You just wanna go home don't you?"

What to do? The sensible side of me that was still very much smarting from my recent break-up just wanted to go home and sulk. But maybe I'd had enough of moping around. Maybe breaking up with Chris was actually going to be good for me. The boys seemed nice and Michelle was usually a good judge of character...

"Sod it, I need another drink anyway!" I said to Michelle, and her exhilarated smile sparked in me a little flicker of excitement and intrigue that I hadn't felt for a long time. Who knew what the night ahead could hold?

The lads' conversation had trailed off and Larry was now looking between the two of us. "So what you saying girls?"

I stood up, grabbing Michelle's hand and pulling her to her feet. "Well come on then, where's this party at?"

* * * * *

Chapter 2 - Abby

The house party was only a five minute walk from town, which I was grateful for. I felt decidedly chilly now, and Michelle and I huddled together, walking slightly behind Benji, Bob and Larry.

At one point Bob stopped in front of us and offered one of us his jacket. Well that's how he worded it, but he was definitely looking straight at Michelle when he offered. She politely declined.

I spoke in a low voice so the boys were unable to hear. "So... Bob's the one you were on about then was it? You fancy him?"

Michelle instantly shot me a wide, cheeky grin. "Is it obvious that I like him?"

"Well he's a guy so he's probably completely oblivious!" We both giggled then, causing Benji to turn his head.

"What you pair giggling about?"

"Just checking out your arses!" Michelle could never resist a cheeky comment.

We all burst out laughing, and then Larry was announcing that we had nearly reached our destination. You could hear the low bass throb of the music emanating from the house from down the road and the sound of many voices and raucous laughter as we approached. There were small groups of people gathered outside on the front garden and driveway, smoking, drinking and chatting in huddles.

Then I saw it. I instantly felt like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water over me and I froze to the spot. The boys walked on a few paces but whirled around when they heard Michelle loudly asking me what was wrong.

Parked up on the kerb was an all too familiar car. What the hell was Chris doing here? Michelle's gaze followed mine and when it also came to rest on the car she let out a huge groan, throwing her hands up. The lads looked puzzled.

"Do you actually know Chris Hamley?" Michelle turned to the boys.

They all shrugged, blank expressions.

"Who's that? What's up?" Bob stepped forward, looking concerned.

I could feel something slowly coming unravelled inside me. For a week I'd kept away, unable to face him, not willing to answer his calls or listen to his excuses. I wasn't sure whether I was strong enough to see him now.

"I can't do it Michelle," I heard myself say, my voice sounding shaky. I started to turn away.

Michelle was pointing at Chris's car with an angry expression on her face as she spoke to the boys. "That... that... piece of shit broke my best friend's heart. I swear if I see him I'm going to punch him in the..."

"Michelle! I'm sorry I have to go... you stay. I'll phone for a taxi."

I fumbled in my handbag for my phone and I noticed that Larry had stepped in front of me. He placed a hand gently on my shoulder, making me look up. "Hey, I don't really know what's going on, but you shouldn't have to leave."

"It's my ex's car. If he's here I can't face seeing him. I caught him with another girl last weekend and I've avoided him since."

A lump had formed in my throat and I blinked back the tears. Benji, Bob and Michelle were also crowding around me now.

"If I were you I'd walk in, head held high, show him what he's missing!" Larry's pep-talk was sweet, but I didn't feel strong.

"Maybe I should just go and chop his cheating dick off!" Michelle raged, pacing up and down the pavement.

The look on Bob's face was a picture. He looked genuinely terrified, seeing this side to Michelle he'd obviously not been privy to yet. "Sounds like you'll be well protected Abby!"

His wide-eyed look was enough to raise a laugh out of me despite my predicament.

"Girls, you gotta come to this party," Larry pleaded. "If this idiot is here he's not welcome in my house."

I looked at Larry doubtfully, feeling self-conscious that everyone was making a fuss of me. It would be easier if I just left.

"Look stay here, I'll go in and ask around," Bob spoke calmly. "I've never heard this guy's name before."

Larry was in agreement. "I'm pretty sure I've never heard Van mention him either. If he's not invited we just ask him to leave. Simple."

I reluctantly agreed as Michelle led me across to the front of the house where we perched on the low brick wall there. Michelle put a supportive arm around me and I leant into her. "Are you ok Abs?"

"I know I'm gonna have to see him sooner or later, but I don't think I can deal with him tonight. Especially if he's been drinking. You know what he's like."

"Yeah," Michelle agreed. "I'm just glad you've finally seen sense and stayed away from him this time."

Benji walked over and I hadn't noticed that he'd been inside to get some drinks. He handed us both a bottle of beer which we gratefully accepted and started swigging. He looked slightly panicked.

"I can't believe how many people have turned up that weren't invited. Bondy's pissed as anything, I can't even see Van. It's outta control! The house is gonna get trashed!"

"That's not good," Michelle pulled a face. "What you gonna do?"

We looked towards the house as we heard raised voices and a little gathering of people outside quickly dispersed as two figures pushed through, shouting.

My heart plummeted as I recognised Chris to be one of them. I shrank down to hide behind Michelle but he hadn't noticed me anyway. The other guy was tall and slim with shaggy brown hair spilling out from the black cap that he wore perched on his head.

They were obviously having a heated disagreement and I was dismayed to see Chris squaring up to the other lad. He had a volatile temper on him and I could see from his stance that he was reaching boiling point. I couldn't hear exactly what was being said but expletives were definitely being exchanged.

All of a sudden, Chris pushed the other lad forcefully back, and he stumbled, his back hitting the wall of the house. Benji immediately ran over and I could see Bob and Larry also lingering close by. My heart was in my mouth. Chris looked furious. I knew at any moment he wouldn't be able to help himself and he'd start throwing punches.

I got to my feet and before I could even think about what I was doing I was running over.

"Abby, what the hell?" Michelle shrieked, taking off after me.

As I got closer I could hear snatches of the argument. The guy that Chris had launched at had righted himself and was reaching out to Chris's shoulders. He looked pretty drunk, swaying slightly. "Just piss off!" He slurred.

"Get your fucking hands off me man!" Chris growled. "Or I swear I'll put you down and you won't get back up again!"

Without thinking, I sprinted over and threw myself in between them, facing Chris.

"Chris, stop it!" I cried.

His face was a mask of rage and I could see a vein popping out on his neck, he was so pumped up with anger. As soon as he saw me however his expression changed to shock. His balled fists loosened and his arms went slack at his sides. "Abby, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm just here with some friends," I tried to sound calm and firm, but my voice was shaky. "You need to leave Chris."

He fixed me with an intense look, the adrenaline still pulsing through him, so I reached out a hand to gently rest on his shoulder and after a moment I felt the tension start to leave his body. His expression softened as he looked searchingly into my eyes.

"Christ Abby, I've missed you," he said quietly.

The small crowd that had gathered around the scene started to break away and people were murmuring as they made their way back to the house. I glanced over to see Michelle standing close by, with Bob, Benji and the lad who Chris was going for behind, all with concerned expressions.

"Just give me a minute," I called out to them.

Michelle looked worried but stepped away nevertheless, not completely leaving the scene but giving us some space. I noticed that Bob, Benji and the other guy lingered with her.

I returned my attention back to Chris, and felt my heart breaking all over again. He had a way of looking at me that made me weak, and he was doing it now. I hated myself for still feeling that attraction. He reached out to grab one of my hands but I snatched it away. I couldn't let him get to me, not now when I had been doing so well to stay away from him.

"Abby, you gotta let me explain myself. I fucked up. I'm miserable without you."

The tightness that was starting to unravel inside me threatened to completely undo itself, and I loathed the way I still felt weak around him. I forced myself to replay the scenes from the previous weekend in my mind. The dark, grimy alleyway behind the club. Seeing two figures entwined and hearing their low moans as I approached. Chris's lips on the girls neck, her head thrown back in the throes of passion. His hand snaked up her skirt, pleasuring her. His look of utter shock and guilt on being discovered.

I felt the tears forming in my eyes, but I tried to blink them away, trying my hardest to take my emotion and channel it into the anger I wanted so desperately to feel towards this man who had betrayed me.

"I can't just forgive you like that. Ten months we've been together, ten months! How can you throw all that away for a cheap thrill?"

Chris was stepping towards me and I felt myself backing up. Every time he reached for me I edged out of his grasp.

"I didn't know what I was doing. I was wasted, and then we had that row. I just lost my mind for a minute."

"I'm not interested in your excuses," I felt myself grow a little bolder, angered by his pathetic justifications.

"But I love you," he said, and I felt my back touch the wall of the house as he inched closer. I had nowhere else to go. "It's always been you Abby."

I pressed myself as far back into the wall as I could and he was inches from me. He placed a hand flat on the wall on either side of my head. I felt trapped and put my hands flat on his chest, trying to push him back.

"Back off Chris," I heard Michelle call from close by. "She doesn't want to hear your shit!"

He whirled his head to the side. "Mind your own fucking business!" He spat.

"Just leave me alone!" I cried, trying unsuccessfully to create a gap between us, but he pressed himself fully against me, placing both hands on either side of my face, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"I know you don't mean that. It's me and you. I don't want anyone else. I know you feel the same. You're always gonna be mine."

His face was now inches from mine and I felt claustrophobic. I couldn't escape and I was helpless.

"Chris stop it!" My cry came out strangled and distressed. He was making me feel really uncomfortable now. I clawed at his hands but he was much too strong.

I could hear a commotion close by, Michelle was shouting and I could hear heavy footsteps on the gravel driveway.

"You're coming home with me," Chris said, and his voice was harsh and demanding.

He suddenly stepped away from me slightly and I felt a fleeting relief, until he grabbed me roughly by the wrist and started to pull me down the driveway.

"You'd better get off her!" I heard a shout go up and Chris stopped in his tracks as a tall, slim guy stepped forward and came to a stop just in front of us, barring Chris's route down the driveway.

Chris's iron-like grip on my wrist instantly loosened as he pulled away and came face-to-face with my rescuer. "You fucking what?" He spat into his face.

They were a similar height, but Chris had twice the build of the guy, and he didn't back down. I took my chance and fled over to Michelle so I was far out of his grasp. I was thankful to see a small crowd gathering behind the brave lad, including Larry, Benji and Bob. Chris was outnumbered now and you could see a flicker of uncertainty cross his face despite the anger bubbling close to the surface.

"I think you'd better leave." The guy said boldly.

Chris glanced over to me. "Abby?" I looked down at the floor, ignoring the desperate tone of his plea.

There was nothing that Chris could do but turn and retreat. I felt a pang of something go through me, and wasn't sure whether it was pity or regret. I hated seeing Chris upset, it still pained me even after all the hurt he had put me through, but I needed to be strong.

Chris paused before he reached the pavement and turned around, pointing at the crowd that had gathered. "You've not heard the last of this, I can fucking promise you that!"

And then his car door slammed and there was a screech from his tyres as he sped off down the street. I physically felt my body melt into Michelle's hug as the relief coursed through me. It felt like I'd been holding my breath the whole time. I buried my face into Michelle's shoulder, trying to swallow down the sobs that were threatening to bubble up.

"Hey are you okay?" I heard a male voice close by, and slowly peeled myself away from Michelle and looked up.

My gaze met a pair of stunning eyes framed by long lashes. In the glow of the streetlights I couldn't quite tell what colour they were, but they had a certain sparkle. His long fringe had flopped on to his face and he casually swept it back with a hand. My god he was gorgeous.

"I... I'm okay," I stuttered. "Thank you..."

"You're shaking," his voice was loaded with concern as he stepped even closer to me. "Come on, come inside, I'll get you a drink...”

Read the rest of the story...

#catfish and the bottlemen #catb #van mccann #fanfic #vanfic #wattpad

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