#and babes that's why the way that wash came back at the end of recreation works so well! BECAUSE HE'S WITH WHATEVER WAS LEFT AFTER THE EMP!

[prophecydungeon]

finding out washmaine lost to lolix in the rvb divorced bracket and immediately shoving down about 75k words of a TED talk in absolutely rabid fury

#YOU FOOLS. YOU WATCHED SEASON SIX. AND YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND. NOT A SINGLE THING. YOU DID NOT SEE THE VISION. #'it's him. it's the meta.' the way it takes the meta literally three tries to just INJURE wash. AND THEY LOST? REALLY? #like yes the A-plot of recreation is obviously the church reveal #BUT NEARLY EVERYTHING ELSE WE LEARN ABOUT PROJECT FREELANCER COMES BACK TO THE FACT THAT WASH KNEW THE PERSON THAT THE META USED TO BE. #whether wash think he's going to save whatever is left of maine or destroy him is Reader's Choice but both options are EXTREMELY DIVORCED #and babes that's why the way that wash came back at the end of recreation works so well! BECAUSE HE'S WITH WHATEVER WAS LEFT AFTER THE EMP! #STICKFIGUREVIOLENCE.PNG #also just for the sake of clarity and context i'm like 40k words into writing a lolix fic as we speak. in the year of our lord 2023. #I HAVE HORSES IN THIS RACE. #i'm not saying they're NOT divorced also. but i AM saying that you can't compete with the washmaine divorced energy #red vs blue

[violetlilysunshine]

Like a Sleepover

Tom Holland x Female Reader

Requested

Anon: Sleeping over Tom Holland house for the first time. Lots of fluff please

WC: 3,544

Warnings: none, just fluff

A/N: I'm seeing this take place in Atlanta, but it’s not really specific if you wanna imagine it somewhere else!

REQUESTS OPEN - Or just come chat :)

MASTERLIST

You and Tom had been together for a little while; you were getting serious, spending more and more time together.

Last month, you finally put a label on yourselves, “is it...ya know, uh… can I, well…” he stuttered.

“Spit it out, Tommy,” you joked.

“Can I call you my girlfriend?”

You were taken aback for a second, “well, uh, to be honest, I kinda thought I already was…” you giggled.

He laughed at you gently, “well alright then, girlfriend…” he trailed off with a raise of his eyebrows.

“Okay, boyfriend.”

TUESDAY

Flash forward and you’re making plans for this weekend seeing as you're both off from filming.

“Yeah, so they’re showing Outsiders at the drive-in on Friday, and we’d have to go to the later showing after I finish filming, but uh, I thought it would be fun and something different for us and I know you love the movie. Might be fun to dress like Greasers too,” he proposed through the phone, calling you between scenes.

“Ooh that does sound like fun, but I wanna be Cherry,” you said, giggling a bit.

“Okay, you can be Cherry, I’ll be Ponyboy,” he finalized.

“Sounds good, well I gotta go,” you said, “duty calls.”

“Yeah, me too, but uh, one more thing real fast?”

“Sure, what’s up, babe?”

“Well seeing as it’s going to be really late, I just thought maybe after it’s over, you could maybe stay with me?” his voice tweaked up at the end. He was met with silence on your end for a minute before he added, “ya know, like a sleepover…”

“Uh, yeah, maybe…” you trailed off, “we’ll see what the wind blows, huh?”

“Oh,” he said, his voice dropping a bit, “yeah sounds good.”

“Okay, well I really do have to run.”

“Alright, darling, talk to you tonight.”

“Bye,” you said, already walking out of your trailer and back to set.

“Yeah, bye,” he answered to himself, seeing as you’d already ended the call.

You had never been nervous with him before, but now he’d casually invited you to stay over at his house for the night, something you’d never done with any boyfriend, ever. You didn’t know how to act, and it kinda freaked you out.

Was he expecting anything? What would you even wear? Should you bring a change of clothes? Would late night last into early morning? What if you woke up before him and didn’t know what to do in his house? What if he woke up first and you slept in really late, leaving him bored and trapped?

Questions swirled your mind, and you knew he would bring it up again, but you had to force them away. You hustled back to set, getting into character and trying to forget about everything.

He called you later that night, “wanna grab a bite with Harry and I?” he proposed.

“Uh sure,” you thought since Harry would be there, he wasn’t likely to bring it up again.

You met him just down the street from his house at the forgotten diner you frequented, never being recognized and getting some peace together. You grabbed burgers and chatted about your day as you ate and everything seemed fine. He didn’t bring it up again, and you thought you would have another few days to process everything and hopefully get over the hurdles in your mind. You wanted to stay with him, but you didn’t know how that would play out, exactly.

“Finished?” he asked, gesturing to your empty tray as he stood up.

“Yeah, thanks,” you smiled, and he cleaned up the table and took the trash to the can.

“I’m gonna walk back, if that’s okay,” Harry said, standing from the table, “got some photos I wanna edit.”

“Sure, bro, I’ll be right behind you,” Tom answered, coming back to you.

“Bye,” you waved as he left you and Tom alone.

“Walk you to your car?” Tom offered.

You stood up, turning around to thank the workers as the two of you left the diner. He walked you to your car, one hand secured around your shoulders, hugging you tight to his side.

“So, uh, I kinda got the sense that you didn’t want to stay with me earlier,” he said slowly, testing the waters to see how you would react.

You swallowed hard, turning to lean on the door of your car, “oh,” you whispered, “well uh, it’s not that, it’s just that I don’t - I’ve never really, uh, done that before.”

“Yeah I know we haven’t, love,” he chuckled.

“I mean, like ever,” you whispered, looking at the ground, “I just uh, don’t really know how that works.”

“Oh, well, uh, it’s not that hard really,” he soothed, “you just sorta sleep at my place, and I take care of you, and make you breakfast, and we just be together.”

You looked into his chocolate eyes, nothing but love pouring out of them. You don’t know how long you held his gaze for, but he started to get a little nervous at your lack of response.

“I mean, we’ve napped together before, it’s kinda like the same thing, just longer,” he added, trying to put you at ease.

“But like, what’s gonna happen?” you said, fiddling with your hands.

He understood what your emphasis meant, bringing a hand to your shoulder and rubbing it gently, “I’m not expecting anything, love,” he soothed you, “if it happens, fine, I’m ready for that. If you’re not that’s fine too, just wanna cuddle with you. Feel you pressed against me. Have my sheets smell like you when I get in ‘em the next night.”

You felt more at ease about it, but wrinkled your nose at his last statement.

His eyes grew wide, “no no no,” he hurried out, “I didn’t mean it, like, in a weird way! It came out wrong!”

You giggled at him, “it’s okay, bub, I get it. Why do you think I like wearing your hoodies all the time?”

He breathed a sigh of relief, chuckling at you, “yeah?”

“Yeah, and to be honest I don’t really even like hoodies. I’m a sweatshirt kind of gal.”

“Noted,” he answered, saving that info for later, “so what d’ya think about Friday?”

“I’ll stay, but like, do I bring anything?”

“You can bring whatever makes you comfortable, love,” he answered quietly, stepping towards you and cupping your face in his hands.

“Okay,” you breathed, connecting your lips to his.

You kissed for a while, his body pressing yours into the door. You pulled back to take a breath, resting your forehead on his, “but really, do I bring like, a toothbrush and stuff?”

“Yes, love, bring a toothbrush,” he chuckled, pecking you again. He swung his arm around your shoulder again, pulling you off the car, “let’s get you home, yeah?”

He opened your door, letting you inside the driver’s seat and closing the door. You started the car, him still standing there watching you. You rolled down the window, “are you coming or what?” you laughed.

“What?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I’m taking you home, obviously,” you giggled.

He ran around to the other side, hopping in quickly and buckling up. His hand rested against your thigh instantly, stroking his thumb across your skin.

You made the short drive to his house, lights on downstairs showing that Harry was already there.

“Thanks for the ride, baby,” Tom said, leaning over the console and giving you a quick peck.

“Anytime,” you whispered, pecking him again.

“See you Friday,” he said with a raise of his eyebrows, squeezing your thigh.

“Yeah, Friday,” you answered quickly.

He pecked you one last time before slipping out of the car and jogging to the front door. You watched him go inside, waving to each other before you drove off.

THURSDAY

After you were off, you took a long shower, exfoliating everything and shaving your legs, in preparation for tomorrow night. You carefully packed your bag: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, hair brush, extra ponytail holders, face wash, cute pajamas, fuzzy socks, extra undies (more than you’ll ever possibly need but can’t be too prepared, right?), a cute outfit for Saturday, and a book (because who knows what the tide will bring?).

You’d spent so long worrying about what you would take with you, that you’d forgotten that you had to find something to wear to the movie. You’d already agreed to be Cherry, so you had to come up with something.

You slipped to the back of your closet, finding an old-plaid-navy-school-uniform skirt. That’ll work. You pulled out a plain white sweater that you’d never found a chance to wear, thinking you could tuck that in, and a lace bralette to go underneath it; after all, you wanted to feel a little sexy. You pulled forward some old blue Vans and some white crew socks, planning to fold them over. You also planned to ask your hair and make-up artist to help you with your hair before you left set tomorrow, saving a few pictures for her.

By the time you’d done all that, you figured you better go to bed, turning off the light, crawling into bed, and thinking about what tomorrow would bring.

FRIDAY

You’d had a long and stressful day filming, stuttering over your lines, missing your marks, and overall just not giving your best performance. Everyone has their off days, but you knew this was coming from your worries about tonight.

You called Tom as you were getting your hair done after wrapping for the day.

“Hi, bub, am I interrupting you?” you asked as soon as he answered.

“Never, love,” he answered, “what’s up?”

“Well, I’m getting my hair done for tonight, then I was going to head home. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t want me to stop and get anything at all or bring anything specific with me..”

“Course not, darling. You just have to bring that pretty face…” he trailed off.

If you were with him, you’d have slapped his shoulder lightly. Instead you just giggled, asking, “you’re positive?”

“Yes darling,” he insisted, “I’ll pick you up at 9:00.”

“Alright…” you trailed, “guess I better let you get back to work.”

“I’ll see you later, beautiful,” he whispered, “bye.”

“Bye.”

Your hair and make-up artist finished her work, expertly recreating your example images. You thanked her profusely, complimenting her over and over.

She answered with a simple, “it’s nothing dear,” and a wave of her hand.

You hugged her thank you, heading back to your trailer to collect your things.

By the time you got back to your apartment, it was already 8:30. You quickly dropped your work and other set junk on the table, scurrying to your room to collect your bag for Tom’s. You checked over everything in there, playing all the possible scenarios in your mind before deciding you were prepared.

You changed into your outfit for the night, lacing your shoes and admiring yourself in the full length mirror. You snapped a few pictures, deciding that one was cute and posted it to your Instagram story with the caption, “where’s my Pony?” and a cherry emoji.

As soon as you put it up, Tom knocked on your door. You rushed through the living room to the front door, flinging it open to see what Tom had concocted for the evening. You took in his appearance, mouth watering at the sight. You admired his slicked back hair, tight grey t-shirt, sleeves rolled up a bit of course, loose jeans, cuffed at the hem, beat up black converse, and red flannel hanging over his shoulder; you didn’t realize the effect this dress-up would have on you. You giggled, eyeing him up and down as he did the same to you.

“Hey, doll,” he grinned, meeting your eyes again.

“Hey, Pony,” you laughed.

“Ready to go?” he asked gently.

“Yeah, let me just get my bag from my room,” you said, turning back to grab it from your bed.

At the last second you decided to throw a box of tampons in. You weren’t expecting to use them, but you didn’t want to get stranded without them. You sighed, zipping up the bag and turning off your bedroom light.

You emerged from the room, walking towards Tom, standing by the table.

“Ready,” you said, voice kind of quiet.

“Let’s go then,” he smiled brightly, taking your bag from you and grabbing your hand. You locked the door behind you before following him to his car.

~~~~

When you parked to watch the movie, Tom was quick to pull out his phone, snapping a picture of the title screen and posting it to his public story. You knew fans would be in a tizzy, considering your earlier post, but they always were so what’s the point in worrying. Then he turned to you, “take a photo with me, love?”

“Course, Pony, anything for you,” you said dramatically, even though you loved it.

“Are you gonna call me that all night?” he chuckled.

“Maybe forever,” you answered, laughing loudly.

He pulled his phone up to take a selfie. You smiled wide, pressing your faces together, and he turned to peck your cheek. He snapped another, smiling as well, saving it and setting it as his lock screen.

The movie was great, as expected, and the drive-in atmosphere made it even more fun. You didn’t have to worry about fans interrupting you, a big plus, but it also just fit the movie so well, and it was fun to be in costume.

When it wrapped up and you were waiting in the traffic to pull out of the lot, Tom asked gently, “still wanna come over?”

“Yeah, sure,” you said, trying not to overthink things.

“Okay, just making sure. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Just want you to be comfortable,” he said, dropping a hand to your thigh and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, well I wanna give it a go,” you said with a small smile, placing your hand on top of his.

He smiled wide, picking up your hand to give it a kiss, before dropping it back into your lap.

The drive to his house was quick after you finally made it out of the parking lot. He hurried around the car, opening your door for you, before grabbing your bag from the backseat.

He placed a hand on your lower back, gently guiding you to the front door. He shuffled around to unlock it, pushing open the door and allowing you to enter first. You stepped inside, making note of Harry on the couch. It was almost 1:00 AM, so you’d assumed he'd be asleep.

“Oh, hey Harry,” you spoke lightly.

“Hey, was wondering when you’d get here…” he trailed off, “I was just about to turn in. Outfit’s great by the way,” he said, standing from the couch and gathering his laptop.

“I don’t mean to chase you out,” you said, not wanting to be in the way.

“No, no, you didn’t,” he soothed, “it’s time to turn in anyway, gonna go golf in the morning.”

“Oh, okay, goodnight.”

“Night,” he said, trudging down the hall.

Tom had set your bag on the bench in the entryway, coming up behind you. He placed his hands on your hips, pulling you flush against his front, as he snuggled his face into your neck.

“Hi,” he whispered in your hair.

“Hi,” you giggled back, attempting to turn in his grasp.

His hands held you in place, wrapping around to cross over your stomach. He rested his weight against you, slowly swaying the both of you back and forth.

You eyed the mirror across the room, desperate to take pictures like this. After all, he got a new lockscreen earlier…

“Bub,” you giggled, feeling his breath fan across your neck.

“Mmm, yes, my love?” he grumbled, pressing kisses against your skin.

“I wanna take a picture,” you giggled, “over in that cool mirror.”

He squeezed you tighter for a second, before releasing you, “mmkay,” he answered, letting you lead him over to the mirror.

“Do that again,” you told him, guiding his arms around your waist.

He was quick to settle back into you, breathing in your scent as you snapped a few photos in the mirror: a few of him kissing your neck, a few with you both looking in the mirror, a few of him looking at you, lovingly. He buried his face even further into you, hiding completely, as you took just one more. You asked him if it was okay to post one.

“Let me see it first,” he said, wanting to check all of the surroundings for spoilers and whatnot.

He was quick to approve the photo with his lips pressed to your jaw, making you smile.

You put it up on your story, captioning this one, “found him,” with the horse and cherry emojis.

He kissed your neck a few times, watching you post, before mumbling, “ready for bed?”

You yawned slowly, “yeah, I think so.”

“Alright,” he whispered, pecking your cheek one final time.

He slid one hand down your arm, locking your fingers together, and pulling you towards the staircase. He picked up your bag, carrying it with him up to his bedroom. You followed him in and he set your bag on the end of the bed.

“Alright, darling,” he said, rubbing his hands together gently, “make yourself at home.”

“Okay,” you giggled, stepping towards the end of the bed gently.

He’d placed your bag in the middle, next to a sweatshirt. You looked at him, making note of its presence.

“Oh, well, uh, you said you didn’t like hoodies, so I uh, pulled this one out for you, ya know, if you want it,” he said, shuffling his feet.

All you could do was smile, You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him into you. You kissed him gently, lingering for just a second.

“Thank you,” you whispered against his lips.

“You’re welcome, darling.”

You turned towards the bed, stepping back from him.

“So what’d you bring?” he asked, one hand finding the zipper of your bag as he tried to get a peek inside. You were quick to stop his hands, not wanting him to see the box of tampons thrown on top.

“Things,” you said giggling, “teeth stuff, hair stuff, clothes, a book…” you trailed off.

“A book?” he laughed lightly, “what book?”

“Looking for Alaska,” you answered, “it’s my comfort book.”

“Well, you’ll have to read it to me,” he said with a glint in his eye.

“Okay,” you whispered with a sheepish smile.

“I’m gonna pop in the bathroom real quick, alright?”

“Of course, it’s your house,” you laughed.

In his absence, you changed clothes, dragging on your tiny sleep shorts and matching tank top and pulling his sweatshirt over the top. You moved your bag off the mattress, dropping it on the floor. He came back quickly, seeing your new outfit, and smiling widely.

“Looks good on you,” he grinned.

“Thanks,” you said, “can I take my makeup off?”

“Course,” he answered, gesturing to the bathroom.

While you did that, he changed as well, dressing in a new t-shirt and clean boxers; he didn’t want to get in bed with you for the first time in dirty boxers of course. He shuffled under the covers, tucking into his usual side and propping against the headboard. He scrolled through Instagram, reposting your stories to his own and liking a few posts of yours.

You returned, dropping your items back in your bag, and grabbing your book. You flipped off the overhead light and stepped into the other side, enjoying how utterly domestic everything felt.

He flipped on the lamp on the side table, opening his arm for you to rest against him. You settled against his chest, opening your book to start to read to him. He kissed your head and rubbed small circles into your arm.

Your eyes were getting heavy as you read, but you would gladly stay up all night reading with him. Unfortunately, he started to doze off, snoring just enough for you to hear. You closed the book, marking your page but knowing you’d have to go back a little bit tomorrow, and reached over to turn the light off.

He woke up a bit, grumbling, “what’re you doing, love?”

“Just turning off the light,” you whispered, “go back to sleep.”

He sank down to lay against the pillows. You dropped back over to your side, curling up, but leaving some distance between you two. You faced him, admiring his face as he slept.

“What’re you doing?” he grumbled, eyes still closed.

“What do you mean?” you giggled, “going to sleep.”

“No, c’mere,” he said, reaching an arm out to wrap around your waist.

He pulled you into him, tangling your legs together and pecking your cheeks. You giggled at him, pulling his lips to yours, kissing him goodnight.

“G’night, my love,” he grumbled, tipping his head back to rest his chin against your forehead.

“Night, Pony,” you whispered back.

He chuckled, squeezing you tighter before you both drifted off to sleep.

#tom holland #tom holland fluff #tom holland x reader #tom holland x female reader #tom holland x fem reader #tom holland oneshot #tom holland imagine #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland sleepover #violetwrites

[lunacyxxx]

Mistake

Tw: Toxicity, blackmail, Dubcon, forced cheating, and yandere vibes too. 

You regret going to that party.

You regret drinking more than you can handle.

You regret waking up in his arms, even if he was your favorite Pro Hero. You open your eyes and blink a couple times to adjust your eyes to the bright sunlight flowing in through the curtains. Your arm is numb and you try to sit up only to feel arms tighten around your waist.

You don’t know how you missed the head full of blond hair nuzzled into your breasts while bright red wings twitched slightly. Your heart started to race and you wiggle a bit more, Hawks grumbled before turning over and releasing you not without smacking you with one of his wings during the shift in positions. You sputter softly and slowly inch out of the bed, your feet land on the cold tile floor and your eyes trail over the room.

You see the outfit from last night splayed everywhere along with his clothing and a few feathers, you whine at the soreness between your legs and around your hips as you gather your belongings. Rushing quietly into the bathroom, you see that there are indeed a few hickies but you can easily hide them. You were just about to pull on your clothing until the man himself shuffled into the bathroom with a yawn.

Your body freezes and you stare up at him, his golden eyes still have a hint of sleep in them but he smirks at you. “You’re leaving already, when we had so much fun last night chickadee? You were so slutty and submissive last night,” he holds up his phone showing you a video. Your moans and whimpers were loud and clear, he had you on your back with one hand on your throat as he pounds your slick core.

Your eyes widen and you look at him with disbelief, “W-what are you gonna do with that? You need to delete it Hawks please!” You try and reach for the phone but he grabs your cheeks with one hand while holding the phone away with his other, “Ah ah baby. I wouldn’t do that if I were you. What if your dear boyfriend Deku found out hm, that would surely crush him especially since you all just made one year together too. You wouldn’t want this to end up on any of those forums now would you, all you have to do is let me have you whenever I want. It’ll be our secret.”

Tears well in your eyes and he hushes you while making you nod your head, his thumb rubs under your eyes wiping away your tears. He kisses your forehead telling you to shower while he fixes breakfast, after brushing his teeth and washing his face. As soon as he leaves, you step into the shower grabbing a towel and scrubbing yourself. Your skin was a red tinge once you were finished, you quickly dressed and left the bathroom and met him in the kitchen.

A few weeks later Hawks texted you to let you know he was coming over, Deku was at work and it was your day off. He had never came to your place, it was either quick flings in an alleyway or at his place, you were about to text him that you’d rather go to his place until there was a knock on your door. You hesitate to go to the door until he knocks again, your body moves on its own to let him in.

His hand is around your neck in a split second and you’re slammed against the wall, his lips claim yours roughly and you push on his chest. Keigo’s free hand grips at your breast through your shirt causing you to gasp, his tongue slips into your mouth and explores it like the numerous times before. The door is shut rather harshly before you’re pulled over to the couch, you stumble a bit and he pushes you down onto the cushions before he straddles you holding a sharp feather up to your throat.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted you, why end up with someone like Deku? He doesn’t fuck you like I do huh? Does he make you cum over and over, can you feel his dick in your stomach like you do mine? Don’t forget you might be dating him but you belong to me, your mind, your body and especially this cute, tight cunt of yours.” Hawks tilts his head as you look away blushing deeply and he nuzzles into your neck, “Let’s recreate our favorite night.”

His hand has a firm hold on your neck while his other hand is entangled in your hair, your nails dig into your covers as he thrusts his member in and out of your sopping pussy. His heavy breathing could be felt on your cheek as he presses his hips flush against your ass groaning, “You like that? You like watching me fuck your slutty pussy through the mirror?” He was on his knees behind you slightly hunched over your shorter form, while you were struggling to hold yourself up and watch him fuck you through the mirror on your dresser.

Your cheeks were red, mouth was open with your tongue poking out as you drooled slightly, you were completely fucked out. “You love being my little toy? Yes you do, yes you do baby girl. Why won’t you just leave him and finally be mine, I know every single thing about you. What you like and dislike, your favorites things to do in your past time, literally everything.” 

You don’t stop yourself from moaning out in agreement with him.

His hips began their quick pace again immediately making his tip hit your g-spot causing you to cry out. You soon found yourself face down and ass up, Hawks didn’t let up on his rough plowing even as you reached back to place your hand on his hip to slow him down. “I’m gonna fuck a baby into you. Ah? You like that idea huh, your pussy clenched so hard around my cock.” 

“Y-Yes Keigo please! I-I need you s-so bad!”

Your hoarse moans mixed with the sexual noises filling the room, your legs begin quivering as you feel another orgasm approaching. “Hawks p-please! I-I can’t,” he grunted and spanked your ass. You feel his two middle fingers at your clit rubbing quickly, you bury your face in the covers crying out as you cum for the umpteenth time that night. Keigo lets out a feral growl as his hips slam into yours with much more force than before, your hips hit the bed when your legs give out. 

 “You ready for this cum? I’m gonna fill you all the way up, your pussy will never be able to forget the shape and feel of my cock. You’re going to be mine after this for real, I’ll fucking drag you out of here kicking and screaming with my seed dripping out of you if I have to.” You tried focusing on his words but you were exhausted, you could feel his cock twitching before his teeth dig into your shoulder while he shoves himself as deep as he can go.

 Hawks’ warm cum could be felt flooding your insides, you both let out a shaky moan. The blonde holds himself up above you, you could feel a few droplets of sweat drip onto your back. Keigo leans down lapping at the bite mark with a small groan as he lightly thrusts pushing his cum deeper inside of you if that’s even possible. 

“C’mon babe break up with him tonight and just be mine already.”

#hawks x reader #Wh0re's Fantasies

[myuntoldstory]

Mystic Messenger | Unbridled Passion

AO3 | FF.net

A late Valentine's Day entry. Enjoy!

Rating: T

Pairing: Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character (Named)

Warning: N/A

Word Count: 8, 542

Summary: Zen is doing a lipstick ad! But he's doing it with a female model—all fine and good until he discovers who that female model is. What will he do? Will he maintain his professionalism or will he cast all that aside for a short fit of passion?

Unbridled Passion

Zen steps out of the studio with a sigh. Suddenly, his phone rings. Brows furrowing, he takes out his mobile and accepts the call without looking at the screen.

"Hello?"

"I have a job for you."

Tension sets in his shoulders at the voice.

“... CEO-in-line,” he says.

“You do know Elizabeth, yes? C&R’s makeup brand?”

Of course. Han Jumin only launched it last year. Despite its infancy, Elizabeth climbed up the top ten or five lists of any reputable name in any industry. Some say that that spoke of the trustworthiness of the company. In Zen’s opinion, it was a clear example of capitalist nepotism. The speculations surrounding the name were wild. Either Chairman Han named it after his new lover or his son had finally found a soulmate.

Oh, if only they knew…

“Yes,” he answers.

Jumin sighs.

Then, he fires off.

“We are launching a limited-edition collection for Valentine’s Day. The marketing team has made you their first choice to model for the lipstick line. I must emphasise that they’re hoping, avidly, that you are available.”

“Huh…” Zen mumbles in surprise. “Can’t say I’ve modelled for makeup before.”

“Ah… are you uncomfortable with wearing makeup?”

“Dude, seriously?” he snorts.

“Is that not a valid question?”

“No. Did you forget where I work? I wear makeup twenty-four-seven. I wear more makeup than most women in the world. I know it sounds unbelievable because my face is so handsome that it doesn’t need makeup, but—”

“Yes,” Jumin interrupts. “Thank you, I understand.”

Zen purses his lips. “So they want me to wear lipstick?”

“In a way.”

“In a way?”

“Your part in the campaign involves a female model—don’t ask me who. The team is still searching for your perfect partner. According to them, there are not many that can stand equally to your beauty.”

Zen laughs happily at that.

“Well, they’re not wrong.”

The sound that answers him is doubtful.

“I should sign up just for that,” he continues. “When is it, anyway?”

“Around late October.”

“Hmm…”

“Can you do it?"

"Hang on…”

Zen pulls out his planner from his bag. When he flicks to the calendar so many important dates already jump out at him. He has a few things in the pipeline for that month: variety shows, photoshoots, recordings, ad spots, and table reads. It’s not bursting, but it’s full enough. There are still a few days he can do… if Han Jumin is willing to adjust.

“Well…” he drawls, snapping the planner shut. “They did ask for me so it doesn’t feel right for me to reject it. I don’t have a lot of free days, though. Can I send you the details?”

“Send it to Jaehee.”

“Okay,” he says. “Then I’ll do it.”

“Excellent,” Jumin says. “We’ll talk. In the meantime, Jaehee will contact you with further information. Once everything’s locked in we’ll also arrange a meeting with you and the team to hash out the details.”

“Okay.”

“If you have any questions or need to discuss any concerns contact us first. We’ll do our best to sort it out. I must stress the importance of resolving any issues early on—this launch runs on a tight schedule.”

Zen nods. “Got it. I’ll call if I need anything.”

“Good.”

There’s shuffling noises on Jumin’s end. Zen senses the call is over.

“Thank you, Han Jumin,” he hurries to say.

“Of course.”

And the line cuts off.

Zen emerges from the bathroom, fresh and fluffy from a good shower and skincare regime. He hears the melodious sound of the piano filling the apartment and smiles. Venturing into the kitchen, he grabs a can of beer, snaps it open, and takes a generous swig. Then, he makes his way to the source of the music. When the melody transitions to the opening phrases of one of his songs, his smile widens.

Picking up the cue, he sings. Eventually, he sees the love of his life sitting before the digital piano. His gaze falls to her fingers, admiring the way they dance over the keys. When she turns to him and beams he just about melts. How beautiful she looks. The mere sight of her makes him feel at home. She comforts him and makes him want to do so many things to show his love for her.

Zen had spent so many years by himself. It was lonely, but he got used to it. Then, out of nowhere, she came in—beautiful, wonderful, kind, courageous, and so full of love. Little by little she carried the weight of his burden with him and made his barren days feel so alive. She took his hand and taught him many things, opening his eyes to the unyielding fact that he was not alone. There was no shame in asking for help, no shame in reaching out.

She taught him what love felt like again.

All kinds of love.

His heart. His Lux.

Zen sits next to her. She doesn't miss a beat and he doesn't falter. A feeling surges up from the base of his spine to the top of his head. It rises like a wave and crashes upon him in instantaneous epiphany. This is one of those important moments. They're creating a memory right now—one they'll remember and reminisce in the future. They might even recreate it from time to time. He smiles at the nostalgia that already fills him. He wraps his arm around her shoulders, twirling his fingers around the ends of her hair. Soon enough the song ends. Zen’s voice fades after Lux lifts her fingers.

“Your voice is so beautiful,” she sighs.

His cheeks warm at her heartfelt compliment.

“Aw, babe…”

“I can’t get enough of it.”

“Well, I can never get enough of your playing,” he quips.

“It’s not annoying?” she teases.

“Babe!” he gasps. “Never! How can you even think that? You make every song sound so beautiful. It’s magical—I feel every emotion so much that it sweeps me away.”

“Aw,” she chuckles.

“Also, your hands are super cute!”

He takes her hand, gently running his thumb across her knuckles.

“I love watching them dance…”

“Zen…”

He places the beer on the small table beside the piano. Then he returns to Lux, taking her by the chin and coaxing her to gaze at him. The deep brown of her eyes reminds him of damp earth after the rain. She’s looking at him in a way that pins him to the bench. His thumb traces the outline of her lips. At her shiver, he leans down and captures her mouth.

His heart pounds in his chest when she kisses back, her slender fingers circling his wrist. The utter softness of her lips never ceases to delight him. Just the feel of them is enough to tempt him, to urge him to sweep the tip of his tongue across the seam of her mouth. It takes him an effort not to push further. Any more and he’ll be unstoppable.

It’s too soon for his liking, but he tapers the kiss off. Zen opens his eyes just as Lux opens hers. Seeing them so dilated doesn’t surprise him; his must be too. Zen licks his lips to catch the last remnants of her, thumb tracing the edges of her mouth again. Gaze drifting down, he finds that they’re pinker and fuller—god, all the more tempting. How desperately he wants to answer their call, to nibble and suck until they swell.

“I really want to kiss you again,” he sighs.

“Then why don’t you?”

The question, whispered, almost unravels him. Groaning, he presses his forehead against hers—a bad idea. Her lips are now closer. Zen bites his own to fight against the urge. It feels like a losing battle, though, because he doesn’t want to stop. With difficulty, he pulls away and compensates himself by kissing her forehead.

“We’re having a good moment right now,” he reasons, combing back wayward strands of hair from her face. “I want to stay like this with you for a bit longer.”

“Okay.”

With a smile, she returns to the piano and plays a cheerful piece. The heady, intimate atmosphere between them dissipates, but it doesn’t encourage distance. As the playful melody fills the air, Zen straddles the bench. He wraps both arms around Lux loosely. Leaning in, he buries his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply to take in the scent of peonies. A feeling of calm washes over him, soothing his electrified nerves. What a blessing she is to indulge him like this.

“Honey, I have something to tell you,” he says.

“What’s up?”

“Han Jumin gave me work.”

“Work?”

“Hmm.”

He kisses her temple before moving on to the shell of her ear. Then, his chaste pecks travel to the back. He nuzzles close for a few seconds because the peony scent is the strongest there. He pushes her hair to one side before continuing on, keeping his mouth closed. For now, he doesn't start anything. He's been bursting with affection for her the whole day that he only wants to shower her with them.

“You know Elizabeth, right?” he continues.

“Hmm? Yeah, of course.”

"... Not the cat."

"Oh," she laughs. "The makeup brand, right?"

"That's the one."

"What about Elizabeth?"

“Well, they’re launching a collection for Valentine’s Day,” Zen explains, hugging her close.

“Ah, okay… and they want you to model for them?”

“That’s it.”

“I see—oh! Right, yeah, Jaehee was talking about this days ago!”

“Was she?”

“But she didn’t mention anything about you modelling.”

“Well, Han Jumin only called me today.”

“Right.”

“I’ll be working with a female model... I don’t know who yet.”

“Makes sense; it is for lipstick.”

Zen resumes kissing her, now paying attention to her jaw. As he goes underneath he feels the fluttering of her pulse on his lips. Upon reaching the side of her neck he takes his time to cover every patch of skin. Then, he begins to concentrate on one spot before suckling—gently so he doesn’t leave a mark. He tightens his arms around her as she melts against him. The desire for Lux always lies in wait deep within Zen. Feeling her shallow breaths ignites that. The kisses he gives her from then on are wet and open-mouthed. Lux sighs shakily, the little whimper at the end sending a jolt throughout his body.

“Will you be wearing lipstick, Zen?” she teases, a little breathless.

“Maybe,” he laughs. “That’s okay, right, babe?”

“What? You wearing lipstick? Of course!”

Lux speaks with such enthusiasm that it takes him a second to realise what he just said. When he does he laughs, squeezing her tightly and smacking a sound kiss on her cheek.

“You cutie,” he says. “I mean working with a woman.”

“Oh, right,” she chuckles.

“What do you think?”

“Well, I love you for your consideration,” she says, leaning into his embrace. “But don’t worry about me, Zen. You’re doing it for work so I understand—it’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” he persists. “If you’re uncomfortable…”

“I’m not.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

She stops playing as she faces him, her hands clapping together.

“I can’t wait to see them! I’m sure it’ll be amazing!”

Zen must be dreaming.

It's the day of the shoot and he had just arrived in the studio with Seongjin, his manager. Jumin and Jaehee greeted them at the entrance. After making introductions and small talk with everyone involved, they escort him to the dressing rooms. It's there he sees someone so unexpected that it makes him question reality. At first, he doesn’t recognise her due to the distraction of the shoot. It’s not until their eyes meet that every single detail sparks familiarity in him. He knows that face. Of course, he does. It’s the most beautiful face he’s ever seen in his life.

“Holy shit,” he gasps.

“Zen!” Lux says, waving with a grin.

The sound of her voice triggers something inside him. Instantly, he forgets everything—where he is, who’s around, why he’s here—and marches over to her. Reaching out, he pulls her flush against his chest. This can’t be real… but the warmth permeating through his clothes is no illusion. God, she’s real. He is not dreaming.

The love of his life is here with him.

“Honey!” he whispers, tightening his hold. “Oh my god…”

“Z-Zen…” Lux mumbles shyly. “We’re not alone…”

“I don’t care. This is the best surprise I ever had.”

After one last squeeze, he pulls away, but keeps his hands on her shoulders. His gaze can't help darting to her lips. Already he feels the pull, yet he stops himself from making a move. Now that he knows she's real, reality sets in. He recognises where he is and who's around him—details he needs to keep in mind from now on. As desperate as he is to kiss her, he can’t do it in public… in work of all places.

But… that doesn’t mean he can’t tell her how he feels.

“I am so happy you’re here,” he rambles. “My heart is so full—you came to surprise me, right? How did you get here? Did you come here yourself? You should have called Seongjin, he wouldn’t mind—”

“Wait,” she giggles, “one question at a time—”

“Ever heard of self-restraint, Zen?”

Because of Lux's presence, Jumin's sardonic question barely fazes him. Still, he sighs impatiently at the interruption. Zen gives her a petulant pout, making her laugh. Then, he faces the corporate heir with an unrepentant expression.

"Speak for yourself," he quips. "If your cat dropped by your office I guarantee you'll clear your day and spend it doing whatever you do with her."

Jumin quirks a brow. "There is no way I will ever allow Elizabeth the 3rd to venture outside my apartment unsupervised—"

"Sir," Jaehee interjects.

Jumin stops and sighs. "Anyway, Lux is not here to visit."

The conversation takes a sudden turn that it gives Zen mental whiplash. He furrows his brows.

"What are you saying? Of course, she is."

"She is not."

Zen's hackles rise when Jumin takes Lux by the arm. Every muscle in his body tenses. He wants to push Jumin away from her, but he holds himself back. It's unreasonable to think that Jumin is literally stealing his girlfriend away. He has to content himself with scowling when the corporate heir puts his hands on Lux's shoulders.

"She is the model working with you today," he reveals.

Zen blinks. Then, he glances at Lux who smiles.

"Say that again?" he says, dumbfounded.

"Er... I'll say hello to Jaehee and Seongjin," Lux interjects.

Jumin lets her go with a sigh, leaving her free to do as she pleases.

"The search for your partner reached a boiling point that threatened the collapse of the team. Time was running out and yet they continued to struggle. So, to help, I threw Lux's name in the lot." Jumin crosses his arms. "In the first place, it's misguided to focus on beauty when the concept is passion. They should've focused on compatibility."

Zen stares at Jumin.

“Are you fucking serious?” is all he can manage.

"I wasn't, actually."

What?

“Stop screwing around,” Zen grits, irritation rising.

"I'm not," Jumin says. "I gave them an ultimatum: either they pick someone or I sign someone unknown and undesirable."

Did Han Jumin just call Lux undesirable? Zen scowls at that.

"Hey—"

"Undesirable, am I?"

Lux emerges from behind Jumin, an amused smile on her face.

"As a model, yes," he deadpans, turning to her.

Giggling at the answer, she accepts it with a nod. Then, she returns to Zen's side. The moment she's close enough, he immediately puts his arm around her. Then, he pats her head comfortingly. She looks up at him in askance and he gives her a soft smile.

"Don't listen to him," he says. "I desire you a lot."

"Oh!" she says, cheeks pinking in an instant. "Wow, thank you—"

"Anyway," Jumin interrupts. "It all worked out in the end."

"It didn't, jerk," Zen snaps. "It backfired. They chose her."

"Lux wasn't the first choice," Jumin says. "The one meant to be here today turned out to be... an overzealous fan of yours. She manipulated the system to get on the shortlist. Of course, we decided it would be best to remove her before she removed you to somewhere. Lux was all we had left.”

“I—seriously?”

"Yes. The unsuccessful applicants moved on to other projects... you know how that goes. Lux had no such commitments so... here we are."

Zen's mouth can’t help gaping in shock at that. When he turns to Lux she shrugs, confirming every single word of Han Jumin's crazy explanation. With a sharp sigh, he runs his fingers through his hair, trying to make sense of all this.

"Are you really upset?" Jumin continues incredulously. "Isn’t this more beneficial for you? You’ll be working with the person you love most—it’s something only couples can dream of.”

“Of course I’m happy!”

The words escape Zen with more volume and force than necessary. It rings across the hallway, echoing at great distances. The people in the studio have most likely heard it too. Every part of him freezes when Jaehee and Seongjin turn to him with surprised faces. Han Jumin's knowing smirk just about makes everything worse. Zen's cheeks heat up and with a defiant noise, he turns his back on them to hide his embarrassment.

"Problem solved, then," Jumin says after a few painful seconds. "Should have signed her on from the start. Anyway, though we are all friends here, do keep in mind that you're here for a purpose—so keep it professional."

At the sound of footsteps, Zen looks over his shoulder to see Jumin leaving them alone. He watches the corporate heir engage Jaehee and Seongjin in conversation. With a snort, he turns to Lux, who gazes at him with an amused expression. The dusting of pink on her cheeks is her only reaction to his declaration earlier. Zen pats her head again.

"He didn't force you?" he says.

"Not at all."

"He didn't push this job on you?"

"No, no..." she says, shaking her head. "He called me this morning and explained everything. He said I'm the only one who can help you with this. I mean... I don't know how because he's right, I'm not model material, but... if it helps you then I'm willing to do whatever."

"Oh, honey," he sighs, cupping her cheek. "You're too good sometimes."

"It's not about being good," she says, holding onto his hand. "I'm here to help you, in whatever way I can."

"Which makes you good... but that's okay; it's one of the things I love about you."

The colouring on her cheeks grows vivid as she chuckles shyly.

"You're going to have to be patient with me, though."

"Patient?"

“Well, yeah, it’s my first time after all.”

Zen's hand slip off her cheek as his eyes widen. Lux beams at him, clueless to what she just implied. Why does that sound so sexy? The words are innocent. It has no double meaning and no sexy undertones. Even when she says it with a shy voice and bright pink cheeks, there is no way she means it like that. It's so alluring, but it shouldn’t be. He should take her words as it is—ignore the heat that spreads from his core to the rest of his body.

"Anyway, I'll be in your care today," Lux continues, taking his hands and squeezing them. "Zen sunbae."

Fuck.

Alarms, bells, and whistles blare in his head. The blush that had just left his face comes back full-force. Now he’s glowing from his forehead all the way down to his collarbones. God, even his ears feel hot; it wouldn't surprise him if it's steaming. His heart pounds, beating against his chest. Blood rushes to his ears... before going to a place inappropriate in their current situation.

Damn it all to hell.

“Zen?” Lux prompts.

Oh, no. Her voice erodes his self-control. Everything within him weakens for her, screaming for her touch and attention. Why aren't they alone right now? Why are they here? If they were at home he would've already shown her his overwhelming desire... in ways that pleasured them both. But they can't and it's killing him. With a defeated groan, he drops the full weight of his head on her shoulder.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” she says, voice softening. “Are you okay?”

He shakes his head.

“No?” she exclaims, now rubbing his hands—god, that makes everything worse somehow. “What are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere? What can I do?”

Well, she can do him… but he can’t say that out loud.

"Uhm... when we go home today—ah, no..." he mumbles, sighing in frustration as he rubs his forehead on her shoulder. "Today's no good... you'll be so tired after today. Uhm... tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow?"

He nods. "Tomorrow... let me have all of you. Please."

"W-what?"

“I want you so badly right now, but I’m holding back because of work. So today’s going to be hard for me—give me a reward? For being good?” he caresses her fingers before twining them together. “I want to spoil you to the point where you forget everything else except for me.”

“Zen…”

“Can I have that?”

“Uhm…”

“Please?”

“I—”

"Enough flirting; it's time to work."

Zen's lips purse at Jumin's voice. Sighing, he straightens and catches sight of Lux. She has bowed her head so her hair curtained around her face. Sighing guiltily, Zen hides her behind him to give her time to compose herself. Then, he faces Jumin with a defiant look, daring him to comment on the moment Zen shared with Lux just minutes ago. The corporate heir stays silent. They stare at each other, unintimidated. It doesn't take long for more people to file into the hallway, artists and stylists contracted to prepare Zen and Lux for the photoshoot. Han Jumin narrows his eyes at Zen in warning before walking away. Jaehee hurries after him. Seongjin shoots him an expectant look before walking into one of the dressing rooms.

"Are you okay, honey?" Zen asks Lux, turning to her.

"I am."

"Will you be okay?" he pats her head again, glad that she's looking like her normal self. "You haven't done this before... it's okay if you're nervous."

"I am a bit," she admits, "but you're here so I'm at ease."

His heart skips a beat at that.

"I'll help you," he promises. "If you have questions or if you don't understand something let me know. I'll guide you so don't worry too much about anything."

"I'll do my best. I won't let you or anyone down."

Smiling, he ruffles her hair gently. “I know you won’t.”

Click!

“Yes!

Click!

“Just like that!”

Click!

“Beautiful! You’re doing well, Lux!”

Zen watches with a happy smile as Lux strikes all different kinds of poses. At the start, her nerves got the better of her. The way she hesitated and was reluctant to do anything betrayed her shyness. Often, she looked to him for guidance. With encouraging smiles, he gestured at his face and body to show her what to do. That’s not all. Their photographer today, the world-famous Jiyeong, showered her with encouragement and praises. Thanks to that, and the kindness of the staff, Lux's confidence grew. Now, she looks more at ease.

Jumin and Jaehee had left ages ago. Seongjin also departed to attend some meetings, promising to return in a few hours. With no real authority to police and scrutinise him, Zen can’t help feeling wary. It'll be so easy for him to cast off all professionalism and indulge in the novelty of working with Lux. Yet, as he watches her work, he finds the strength to control himself.

It's because he doesn't see it often. This focused and dedicated Lux, who puts in a hundred and ten per cent effort in her work, is inspiring. She’s a sight to behold. Whenever Zen picks her up from her work he sees her co-workers fawning over her. He thought he understood… but he knew nothing. She makes no commentary or demands. Any instruction she receives she follows. Any and all criticism she accepts with dignity. She never lets it deter her from doing her job or partaking in discussions. She’s a true professional. Her easy-going personality is such a positive influence for the staff that they work with more enthusiasm.

Considering the industry he’s in, it’s refreshing to see.

“Okay—next,” Jiyeong says, putting down her camera to instruct Lux. “I need you to lift your chin a little—perfect. Now, twist your body a bit to the right and give me a serious look—not too serious…very good! Stay like that.”

The camera clicks away. As he watches, Zen catches Lux’s eyes dart to him. His smile widens. When it happens a few more times he gestures for her to concentrate. The way the corners of her lips twitch gets his heart fluttering. With one last glance, she gets back on track. If it were up to him he’d want her eyes on nothing and no one else but him. Still, he’s proud of her hard work and dedication. How lucky is he to be with someone like her.

Lux’s solo session lasts for another half hour. Then, Jiyeong calls for a small break for a set change, touch-ups, and to check on the photos. Zen watches Lux's makeup artist reapply the lipstick on her. It's the signature of the collection, aptly called Passion. That warm and vivid red colour contrasts with her skin. To match is a red lace sleeveless dress that gives a see-through illusion. It's both classy and sexy, both of which makes Lux irresistible. As he keeps his eyes on her the word sunbae, wrapped in her sweet voice, starts to echo in his head again. Ah, it would be so nice to see her like this at home… where he’s free to peel that dress off her as slowly as he wants to.

Unfortunately, all he can do is content himself with seeing her in it today.

The next hour is a true test of his patience. This next session is the main objective. Zen and Lux follow Jiyeong's instructions for the poses and everything else. Soon, he finds himself holding her in different ways. It's well and good at first—he's even proud of his restraint. Yet, gradually, the poses become more intimate. That familiar feeling of frustration crawls up his spine as he enacts them all with a straight face—well, the face Jiyeong tells him to make. The damn word continues to echo in his mind, now taking on a taunting characteristic. Thoughts of kissing her and holding her pervade his mind, refusing to leave. Reminders of Lux's efforts are the only things that help him hold onto that sliver of calm and control. He’s a professional, damn it. He can’t disrespect her like this.

Still.

This might be the most difficult job he's ever done in his life. To be so close to the woman he loves and yet not allowed to do anything about it. It destroys him. It's maddening, a perverted kind of torture designed only for him.

The last pose involves Zen holding Lux against the wall, face half-buried in her neck. The instruction is to look passionate and lustful. Both he can do... but he hopes he's not showing more than that. He's suffering deep inside; hurting to the point that he almost feels it in his body. The scent of peonies intoxicates him. This is the most intimate pose they've done today. He's so close to her skin that with a simple nudge his lips could be pressing against it... doing things that would produce the sweetest sounds from her.

But he can’t.

But he can't. That has been his goddamn mantra the whole day and it's getting old.

When will this day finish?

Zen returns to the dressing rooms after a quick break. When he finds his room empty he figures everyone must have taken breaks too. He decides to pay Lux a visit. He skips out and goes to the door right next to his. Upon finding it ajar, he peeks in. The sight of her immediately makes him smile. She stands by the vanity table, perusing her phone. From his angle, he can't see her whole reflection in the mirror—only her eyes. What an alluring sight. It seduces him, bringing the desire he's been keeping at bay to a calm simmer in the pit of his stomach.

Zen stands there for so long that, eventually, Lux looks up from her phone. Now he sees her completely. A jolt runs through his body when their eyes meet in the mirror. She smiles at him, the beauty of it so overwhelming it takes his breath away.

"Hey, sunbae," she says, playful.

Ah, shit. Not that word again. Something within him snaps, as though his resolve is suddenly made of twigs. The craving he's been holding back rushes in like a tidal wave, eroding his self-control like sand. He steps inside the room, closing the door behind him. He strides towards her with purpose, wrapping his arms around her waist when he's close enough. He pulls her flush against his body, delighting in her gasp.

"Zen!" she exclaims in a whisper.

He doesn't say a word, unable to help himself from kissing the back of her neck. He doesn't bother being chaste—keeping his mouth open and tongue peeking out so he can get a taste of her. He looks at her reflection from underneath his lashes... and almost falls apart at her enamoured look. The flush on her cheeks tempts him to make a mess of her.

“Where’s everyone?” he says against her skin.

“Uhm… on a break,” she says, a little breathless.

"So we’ll be alone for a while."

“Y-yes…”

“Good.”

Zen turns her to face him. God, she is so heart-wrenchingly cute right now. Still, he doesn't miss a beat, taking her by the waist and lifting her to sit on the vanity. He settles between her parted knees, hands planted on either side of her hips for balance. Her hands are warm through his shirt and he wishes to feel them on his skin. As if she read his mind, she brings her hands up to caress his neck. He shivers as she pulls him close, so close their breaths mingle. Unable to wait anymore, he leans down to kiss her—yet, at the last minute he stops, a hairsbreadth away from her mouth. The product they're modelling for is right there, glistening on her lips. It's sexy and seductive and right for her... he wants to kiss it off...

But he can't.

“Zen?”

He looks into her eyes and sees the confusion in them. He’s done everything with purpose up until now… all this hesitation makes him look a bit foolish. He wants to kiss her; he's so desperate for her it hurts... but not on the lips. So where? Just then Lux shifts and his eyes fall to her throat. Inspiration strikes. Ducking his head, he presses a wet kiss over her pulse point. It barely calms him. Her surprised gasp goads him into licking a thin line from the dip of her collar to the top of her neck. Then, he covers every inch of her delicate skin with kisses. Her restrained whimpers brings a pleasurable shiver down his spine.

"You didn't answer me earlier," he says in a low voice.

A quiet moan escapes her when he skims the edge of his teeth over her throat. Her neck is so sensitive—definitely the easiest way to get the most arousing sounds from her. He continues his affections, mindful not to disturb anything about her appearance.

"A-answer what?" she murmurs.

"About my reward."

"Your... reward...?"

It's a little magical, seeing her neck redden before his eyes. Zen follows the path the heat takes, enjoying the way her hands fist around his shirt. The urge to touch her too overwhelms him and he brings his hands to her knees. He inches them up past the hem of the dress, pressing his fingers into the softness of her thighs. It won't be wise to wrap her legs around him—that sort of thing will only lead to trouble. As it is he's already toeing beyond the line... but damn does he want to.

"Will you let me have you tomorrow?"

At that, she leans away. "You said it's for being good."

Smiling seductively, he leans close again to rub their noses together.

"Aren't I being good?"

"Well, not right now!"

He laughs.

"Well, I was going to…" he says, “but you called me sunbae! I’ve never heard anything so sexy… and even worse, they put you in this dress and, ugh, you’re so, so, so sexy, honey. I just want you all to myself!”

She raises a sceptical brow. "It's sexy when I call you sun—"

With a panicked yelp, he hovers his fingers over her lips. Understanding the gesture, Lux closes her mouth with wide, surprised eyes. Zen shakes his head at her. Already his heart pounds in anticipation. His core heats up in excitement at hearing her call him that again... but he can't hear it. Not unless he's willing to abandon all common sense.

“If I hear it again I won't be able to control myself,” he warns.

She nods. “Okay.”

"It's a good thing you haven't been calling me that the whole day." Sighing, he presses their foreheads together. "If you did then I would've gotten us both in trouble."

"Well, that's a relief, isn't it?"

With a chuckle, her arms wind around his neck. Zen catches her intent and as she reaches up to kiss him he leans away with a hesitant whimper. A sheepish look crosses over his face when she leans away slightly, frowning in confusion. Neither of them speaks, communicating in some silent conversation. Lux quirks a brow and reaches up again and once more Zen dodges her. With a huff, Lux settles back down.

"Don't get me wrong," Zen blurts when her lips pucker in the most sinful of pouts. Both pleasure and pain squeeze his heart in its vice-like grip. She is killing him. "It's not that I don't want—I want to, okay? I want to kiss you. I'm so desperate it's making me hurt—"

“Then why don’t you?”

A weird sense of déjà vu overcomes Zen. He shakes his head.

“Your lipstick,” he explains. “I can’t ruin it.”

“Oh…”

A look of realisation replaces her pout... and then after that, amusement.

"But I can kiss you, right?"

"I—wait, what?"

Suddenly, she cups his face in her hands. The smile she gives him makes his stomach flip. Within those deep brown depths of her eyes is a mischievous sparkle that looks a whole lot like trouble. Zen loves it... but he is also wary of it at the same time. He gazes at her, unsure of what's happening as his body prickles with nervous excitement.

“Don’t move,” she commands.

God, she can demand him to hug a cat and he’ll do it.

"Uh... okay, as my princess commands," he says, bringing his hands to her waist to steady himself.

She leans forward and he tenses when she presses her lips against his. Only for a second. When she pulls back he chases after her, but she takes him by surprise by kissing one corner of his lips. For the next few seconds, she gives him these quick kisses, roaming all over his jaw and neck. It's driving him mad, these teasing pecks. It's making a mess of him inside, pushing him towards his breaking point. A shiver runs down his spine when she undoes a button on his shirt so she can reach his collarbones. When he felt the warm tip of her tongue against his skin a growl escapes him.

He can’t take this anymore.

Taking control, he cups her jaw, pressing firmly to open her mouth. Then, without preamble, he kisses her. Without a doubt he has cast away any common sense... but the feel of her lips… soft, pliable, warm. After holding off for so long kissing them is like getting that first gulp of air after almost drowning. It relieves him, but... it also makes him want more. With her mouth open, he wastes no time tasting her, relishing in the same, desperate way she tangles with him.

He wants to spend the rest of the day kissing her like this...

But...

All too soon for his liking, he tapers the kiss off. He hears her disappointed whine and to compensate, he strokes her jaw. He sighs once they have parted, keeping his eyes closed in fear of what he'll see. But he does open them eventually... and to his pleasant surprise, it's not as bad as he feared—a little smudged, but nothing they can't fix. Their eyes meet and his breath hitches when she turns her head a bit to kiss his thumb.

“Lux!"

The familiar voice is like a douse of cold water. He meets Lux's panicked look and immediately helps her down the vanity. In the next second the door bursts open. Zen turns around in time to see Seongjin at the doorway. He steps in front of Lux to give her more time. It doesn't escape his notice that Seongjin's staring at them with wide eyes. He's probably surprised to see Zen in Lux's dressing room. Zen grins at his manager to ease the tension, clearing his throat against the hard throb of his pulse in his neck.

With a deep sigh, Seongjin purses his lips.

"You two..." he says, unimpressed.

"What?"

Seongjin crosses his arms. "Did you look at the mirror?"

"What do you mean—"

"Lux! Let's continue with—oh my god, what happened to your face!?"

The outraged exclamation comes from Lux's makeup artist, who emerges behind Seongjin. Zen turns to Lux as she emerges from behind him and... shit. Though not a hair on her looks out of place, the solid smear of lipstick on the corner of her lips is unmissable. How did that happen? He had only smudged it when he kissed her. Lux gazes at her makeup artist in confusion and when she looks at him he gestures at the mirror. He almost cringes at her gasp when she sees what's happened. She turns back to the makeup artist, eyes wide and panicked.

"Uhm..."

“Ms Lux? Are you ready?”

To complete the ensemble, Jiyeong pops in. Zen tenses when she catches sight of them, one brow rising high at the state of their appearance. Then, she tilts her head. Absolute mortification overwhelms him when an unmistakeable knowing smile stretches her lips. He shields Lux again as the photographer approaches them, her smile growing wider.

"Taking the concept to heart, eh?" she says with a teasing tone.

Zen winces. "Well..."

"But this look... it's interesting," she muses, waving his hesitation away. "I'm getting inspired... I can do something with this—I'd like some solo shots of you, Zen. Will that be all right?"

"Huh?" Zen blurts, blinking at this unexpected turn. "Oh... uhm, yes, sure—whatever you think is best."

"But they look like a mess," the makeup artist interrupts.

"Not really," Jiyeong shrugs, turning from the couple. "Anyway, this is a good fit for the concept—definitely better than the pristine look they had before. Now, come on, let's finish up so we can go home."

She walks off, leaving the four of them in the room looking a little dumbfounded. Seongjin shakes his head at Zen, gesturing for him to get out of the room. The makeup artist walks further into the room with a sigh, but her ire seems to have fizzled. Accepting the disapproving look from the makeup artist, Zen catches Lux's eyes. He winces in apology, which she accepts with a shrug and a smile. He goes to leave, but before that he catches sight of himself in the mirror. His eyes widen, seeing the vivid red lipstick marks around his lips, throat, and neck. Then he catches sight of something else. Lifting his hand, he sees a smudge of Passion on his thumb.

Well, that explains that.

It's Valentine's Day.

Zen stands by the bar, observing the hall as he waits for the drinks. To celebrate a successful launch and for selling out before the target date, C&R throws a party for everyone involved in the project. There is a palpable cheerful atmosphere in the air. Zen smiles at the attendees laughing and talking animatedly with each other. Everyone worked hard for this project, after all. It's always a good thing, to celebrate the positive outcome of a job well done.

Up on the wide monitors around the hall are the final products, the evidence of all that hard work. A slideshow presents images of the collection as well as the ads, one after another.

As Zen's wait continues, he catches photos of Lux. He can't help smiling at his love’s beguiling expressions, showing off the warm vivid red of the lipstick. Then, a jolt electrifies his nerves when he sees his own photos. They're the ones Jiyeong took after that moment he had with Lux. The lipstick marks are so red it’s almost embarrassing to see it on him. Still, it’s tasteful. This is one he will put on the front page of his portfolio. Jiyeong is undoubtedly a master at her craft. She made him look more beautiful than he already is.

When the drinks arrive he takes them to their table. Lux is exactly where he left her, perusing her phone in her wait. One different thing is a white nondescript box, held together by a bright red ribbon. As he comes closer she looks up, meeting his eyes and beaming in a way that makes his heart flutter. He places the drinks on the table before settling beside her.

"What's this?" he says, gesturing at the box.

"Jumin dropped by and gave me a gift," she says, smile widening. "For Valentine's."

He freezes at that. "He... what?"

"I guess he likes me..." she muses before giggling. “That’s fine, right?"

"Honey," he whines, pouting. "That's not funny."

She laughs. "All right, all right. It is a gift, but it's not for Valentine's."

"What is it for?"

"For a job well done."

At that moment the slide shows the one photo Jumin said brought them almost all the sales. Lux was against the wall. Zen had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, pressing her flush against him. The angle of the shot made most of the lipstick marks on him visible. Hazy and lustful can best describe his expression as he gazed at Lux—as if he wanted her to kiss him again, and again. Well, that probably wasn't far off. With his other hand, he held her chin, tilting her head towards him. Resting just at the edge of the lipstick smear was his thumb, as though passion had caused such a thing. Lux wasn't looking at him; instead, she turned those seductive eyes at the camera.

"I'm still embarrassed," Lux says when the photo fades away and another takes its place. "They literally used the photos we did after we—"

“Got taken over by our passions and made out?”

He whispers the words in her ear, enjoying the way she jumps.

“Zen!” she scolds, giggling with bright pink cheeks.

“Well, it doesn't even qualify—I only kissed you once.”

“I kissed you plenty, though.”

He grins at her smug tone of voice. “Exactly. So...really, what happened was that you preyed on me.”

Lux laughs, but says nothing to deny his playful accusation. Oh, how he wants to kiss her right now. The good thing about their current situation is that he doesn't have to worry about anything. They can go to a quieter place and spend time together without consequence. He finishes his drink and waits for Lux to finish hers before holding her hand.

“Let’s go out the balcony,” he says.

Her eyes light up and she nods. “Okay.”

The area is empty when they step out. Lux goes straight to the railing, leaving Zen to walk after her. The location of the party is in a high-rise building, showing off a glittering view of Seoul at night. But that’s not what occupies his mind right now. The woman before him does, with her hair blowing in the breeze. Placing her box on the chair, he reaches inside his jacket pocket to bring out the gift he has for her on this special day.

“Zen! Come look at the—"

He stands in ready as she turns to him. The joyful smile on her face freezes in surprise. Then, her gaze drops to the white leather box in his hand. When she looks at him again he grins, opening the lid to reveal a necklace. Lux gasps, now looking a little alarmed.

"W-what's this for?" she says, breathless.

"A Valentine's Day gift for you," he answers with a chuckle.

"But..."

She approaches him, hand outstretched. When her fingertips touched the necklace her shoulders sagged. A mixture of happiness and acceptance crosses her face. Zen is only happy to watch her reaction. He picks up the necklace. After setting the box aside, he moves behind her to put it on. He makes sure to brush his fingers over her skin as much as possible as he joins the clasp. He’s rather proud of his choice: intertwined silver vines adorned with red roses, held by a fine silver chain. The crystals glitter from the lights of the city. When he finally clasps it, he caresses the nape of her neck.

“And to celebrate your first ever photo shoot," he continues.

She faces him, touching the necklace with glimmering eyes.

“Zen,” she says, “You didn’t have to do all this.”

“Babe, you know by now I only do whatever I want to.”

“Don’t I know it,” she chuckles.

Slipping his arms around her waist, he nuzzles her cheek. He smiles when she wounds her arms around him and holds him close. Every minute he holds her his heart swells with love and affection. It’s a miracle that he hasn’t shattered in a million pieces by now. Maybe it's because of how tightly she holds him; she's keeping him together.

"Why this necklace?" she says, pulling away to look at him.

Smile widening, he touches the necklace with his fingertips.

"Well... red for my eyes," he says with a wink. "But also red roses for love and passion. I guess it's a bit silly... but I want to do whatever I can to show my love for you."

"Oh, Zen..."

"So when you wear this think of me, okay?"

"Of course!" she hugs him again. "It's not silly... when I wear this necklace you're all I will ever think of. Thank you so much, Zen... I love you so much."

"I love you too," he chuckles, stroking her back.

Inside the hall the party goes on, oblivious to the loved up couple standing entwined on the balcony. All his life Zen wondered what his happiness would be like. He was grateful for the people in his life and he was happy with his career. There was nothing, good or bad, that he'd give up for the sake of something better. But during the nights he ventured up the rooftop garden, when he looked at the stars, he wondered what would complete it... what would it take for this feeling of contentment to become happiness.

This is it, he concludes. The answer to his question is right here in his arms. Standing on a balcony, quietly embracing the love of his life... that's all it takes for him. With this he feels complete... happy. Life will go on and some days it won't be easy, but... with Lux beside him he can go through anything.

He hopes he is the same for her. That he completes her too.

"Uhm..." Lux says after what seems like a long while. "I actually have something for you too."

“Oh?”

She steps away and Zen watches as she approaches the chair to take the box. Upon her return he raises his brows in question, blinking when she holds it out to him. This is the very same she said Han Jumin gave her as a gift. Is it meant for him? He takes it, taking Lux's encouraging nod as permission to open it. He undoes the ribbon, giving it to her before lifting the lid. What he sees makes his brows furrow.

It's... lace. A red, lacy... thing. Is this really for him? It's more like something for Lux—oh. Recognition lights Zen's features. Memories of the photoshoot assail him. He'll never forget the distinct image of Lux wearing this delectable red lace dress. It has been a fantasy of his ever since, taking it off her in the privacy of their home.

"I remember you passionately telling me how much you loved me in this dress," Lux teases with a giggle. "So I asked Jumin if I can have it. I told him I was willing to pay, but he's kind enough to give it as a gift because I helped out in the photoshoot."

Zen shakes his head in disbelief. "Babe, you didn't have to do this..."

"I also do what I want."

"Don't I know it," he says with a wink.

She giggles. "And... I have an ulterior motive."

"Wow, babe, you're so naughty!"

Zen embraces her, pulling her close to him. This time he presses his face to her neck. He peppers light kisses on her skin, delighting in her gasp. This playfulness excites him. He hopes they never lose this. In the years to come he wishes for this part of them to remain the same—enjoying this spark, sharing in this love and desire they have for each other.

"What do you want?" he says in her ear, voice soft.

"My reward."

A shiver ripples all over his body at her answer.

"And what reward does my princess desire?"

"All of you."

At that, he gives a throaty laugh. He remembers the desperation behind his words. It was such a greedy request, wanting to possess her like that. Still, Lux indulged him. The day after the photoshoot was glorious as she pampered and spoiled him to the point where she was all he thought of. It was funny because that was what he intended with her.

“I’m already yours.”

With that, he kisses her gently, anticipation welling up within him at the thought of pleasing her. For her, he's willing to do anything. Be anything. For her love, he'll give her his everything—his life, his heart, his body and his soul.

From the day he met her until his last breath... he will always belong to her.

#mystic messenger #hyun ryu #mysme zen #mysme hyun ryu #mystic messenger zen #fanfic #fanfiction #mystic messenger fanfic #fanfiction: mystic messenger #mysmefanfic: oneshot #mysmefanfic: babe #mysmefanfic: zen #mysmefanfic: mc

[fckinsupreme]

ohufgstdtst ok but “I know for a fact that you can be a hell of a lot louder than that.” with Xavier ?

The water of the pool was cool, refreshing, reflecting in silver ripples upon your skin in the bright outdoor lights. Darkness had descended on a perfect summer day, and everyone who had attended the party at your home had either left or was passed out inside. That is, everyone except your friend Xavier Plympton, who decided a one-on-one skinny dip was just what you needed before the night came to a full stop.

The party had been mainly Xavier’s idea, a wild way to mark the beginning of summer. Your house was bigger and had an in-ground pool, so of course it was the unlucky location that was chosen. More people showed up than you were anticipating, and you spent most of your time back and forth between inside and out. The inside was a horrible mess that you would be cleaning for days; outside wasn’t much better. Beer cans, bottles, cigarette butts, discarded marijuana joints, and various other debris littered your lawn, patio, and pool area. There were even shoes and clothing that were strewn about, the owners probably long since gone. It angered you, it annoyed you, and most of all, it stressed you out. All of this mess with only you to clean it up? You didn’t have time for it.

But then Xavier made his offer to you. He had come from inside, clothing askew, styled hair slightly disarrayed, a visible hickey on his neck. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes, especially when he made a comment over the mess of your home from the party that was /his/ idea. He offered to help you clean, but under one condition: You unwind with him first in the pool, sans clothing.

“Look,” you told him, arms folded over your chest. “I won’t be another notch in your bedpost, Xavier.”

“I’m not asking you to fuck me,” he said, smirking. “Just a quick, nice swim. That’s it. I didn’t say one word about sex, baby doll.”

“Well, what do you think is gonna happen if we see each other naked?” you asked, then jealously added: “Why didn’t you ask that Christie Brinkley look-alike you took inside to come skinny dipping with you? Maybe recreate that scene from Vacation but with a sexier fucking twist?”

“How about we just see what happens?” he said, ignoring your comment about the girl he, no doubt, had sex with earlier. He studied you intently, trailing his fingers down your arm. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Promise. I just thought it would be a nice way to help you relax a little bit from the mess everyone made.”

You trusted him at his word. After all, you two had been friends for so long, and he had never betrayed your trust yet. So, you took him up on the offer to help melt away your stress, and your clothes were soon lying scattered among the trash. You dove into the water, swimming to one end of the pool before surfacing. He was watching you, licking his lips as he took sight of your naked form in the water. He quickly threw off his own clothes, climbing in via the ladder and swimming over to you.

“You look so fucking beautiful,” he breathed, his hands on your hips. You made no effort to stop him, instead relishing in his touch. The water was slightly cold with the cooler night air, but he was as warm and inviting as the summer sun.

“Thanks,” you said, meeting his eyes for a moment before starting to swim away with a wink over your shoulder.

He began to follow, chasing you as the two of you laughed loudly. He finally caught you after a somewhat lengthy pursuit, causing you to squeal in surprise as he tugged you backward by your leg. He turned you around, both of you still laughing, and pulled you against his chest. Your nipples, hardened from the cool water, pressed flush against his muscular chest and he noticed, moaning softly as he pulled you even closer. Strong arms held you in place, biceps bulging under the strain.

“Y/N,” he whispered, pushing some wet hair from your face before kissing your nose. “Remember how I said we should wait and see what happens?”

“Mmm hmm,” you hummed, although you couldn’t really remember much of anything right then. Not with the way his body was pushed against yours, or how you could feel his throbbing erection against your thigh. Despite the fact that your lower half was underwater, you could still feel the arousal that coated your pulsating cunt. “I remember.”

“Well...” Xavier said, his hands slowly making their way down your back to squeeze your ass. “How are we doing on that front?”

God fucking damn him.

You reached below the water in response, gripping his thick cock in your hand. It was heavy in your palm, the rushing blood within pulsing against your skin. You couldn’t help but moan, biting your lip as a smile threatened to form. “Why don’t you tell me?”

He chuckled softly, his hand groping one of your breasts. His thumb brushed against the sensitive, erect nipple, your skin flushing under his gentle touch. “I think you know, babe.”

“Remember how I said I didn’t wanna be a notch in your bedpost?” you questioned, squirming as he kissed along your jawline.

“Mmm...yeah,” he replied, giving your nipple a harsh pinch before tugging your earlobe between his teeth.

“Well, I change my mind.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but you silenced him by kissing him sloppily. Tongues swiped against each other, and his hands played with your ass as yours played with his nipples. He moaned richly in your mouth as you rolled both between your fingers, lips moving from his to trail all over his upper chest. You dipped briefly beneath the water to suck each nipple, glancing up at him as a hot moan rips from his throat.

“God, you are too fucking hot, babe,” he panted, guiding you back to his lips in another kiss. It was messier than the first, saliva dripping down your chin as you guided him toward the pool ladder without separating your lips. “Fuck, the things you do to me.”

“You can tell me all about that later,” you breathed in his ear as you sat on one of the ladder steps, directing his hand to your cunt. “Right now, I just want you to touch me.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, his long fingers gliding with ease over your folds. He mewled when he felt how wet you were, the water having not washed any of your slick away. Your cunt was hot under the cool water, the arousal that oozed from within warm and sticky. One of his fingers pushed inside of you and you moaned, nails digging into his shoulders. He groaned as your heat enveloped him, stopping when he reached the last knuckle.

“Fuck,” he gasped, thumb swiping lazily over your clit. “You’re tight as hell, Y/N.”

“I am,” you said, grabbing the back of his neck for a hot kiss. God, his lips were fucking addictive. He tasted of beer and marijuana, of vanilla and sugar, of paradise and freedom, of fucking everything you’d always wanted. “You’re the first in awhile who’s had me.”

“Must be my lucky day then, hm?” he said against your lips, shoving a second finger inside and soaking in the pleasurable sounds that tumbled from your swollen, open lips.

You didn’t say anything, too wrapped up in the feeling of his fingers fucking you to formulate any type of verbal response. You felt so full, a delightful burn in your cunt as his fingers stretched your walls. He curled them rapidly against your G-spot, causing you to arch and tip your head against the ladder as he massaged the pads of his fingers on that same spot. Lusty eyes met his, and he was staring at you in awe and desire. Another moan, this one a bit softer than the previous ones, filled the air from your lips. Xavier smirked, scissoring his fingers as another amazing stinging sensation overcame your pussy.

“I know for a fact that you can be a hell of a lot louder than that,” he rasped in your ear. “Let me hear it, baby. Let me hear just how loud you can be for me.”

“But the others inside might hear if I’m too loud.”

“Let them.”

He rotated his fingers as best as he could, giving you an entirely new sensation than you felt previously. He spread his fingers again, a little wider this time, and your eyes rolled back as a loud, filthy moan tore from your chest. It echoed all around, but you didn’t much care. Xavier didn’t seem to mind, either, adding a third finger to the mix after a moment and hungrily attacking your neck with bruising kisses.

“That’s my good girl,” he praised. “I’m going to have you absolutely /screaming/ for me before we’re done here tonight. Everyone left in that fucking house will wish they were us, baby.”

//

Baby tags: @littledemondani @wroteclassicaly @angel-langdon @leatherduncan @rebelyelll @lvngdvns @littlegirlsdontplaynice @codyfernmorelikedaddyfern @icylangdon @xaviersghost

#THIS IS HOT GARBAGE IM SORRY #xavier plympton x reader #xavier plympton blurb #xavier plympton fic #xavier plympton

[amberjade-rhodes]

Hard Conversations | AJ + Bryce

WHEN: 27 March 2021

LOCATION: AJ’s dealer’s apartment, undisclosed off-campus location

NB: Not having seen each other since returning from their camping trip last weekend, AJ runs into Bryce at her dealer’s apartment late one evening. It leads to an argument between the two of them that neither are fully equipped to process or deal with.

@brycecortez

Amber-Jade wasn't stupid. She knew that something was wrong with Bryce, yet she knew better than to pry or push for details that he wasn't ready to share. AJ had organised a week's worth of meals and had left them on his doorstep, along with a card to let him know that he could always reach out if he needed her, and was just hoping that she would hear from her boyfriend soon. His sudden absence from her life, in conjunction with the usual issues that she dealt with on a daily basis, was enough to send her running to her dealer's house; intending on buying whatever the dealer was willing to give her a discount on. Her eyes widened slightly when she walked in and saw Bryce already there, clearly in the middle of buying shit himself. A master at avoiding difficult situations, AJ fully intended to just turn and leave; only for that plan to be ruined when the dealer greeted her instead. /"Damn AJ, what a pleasant surprise. You're in luck, babe. I've got a special on ecstasy, cocaine and weed -- sale ends tonight and is only for people that walk in here looking that damn fine"/

To think that Bryce had already been two weeks deep into his relapse was beyond him. And yet, it was as if he never stopped. Everything had gotten so out of control in his mind, that the only way for him to possibly sleep or even be able to think straight was through drugs. Even then, he was barely functional. It had only been a week since he last saw his girlfriend, and a week was all it took for him to begin to let himself go. He stopped going to class, stop attending work, and was barely even trying to survive at this point. He washed himself up a bit before heading over to his dealers house; a guy he barely knew, but that his classmate told him was decent enough until the guy off located further from campus got back to town. He had just accepted the bags of coke, handing the man his money when he heard someone walk in. He didn’t bother to look before the other man announced Amber-Jade’s entrance, and Bryce could immediately feel his skin begin to burn up. His eyes raised in shock at how the man addressed her, his eyes darting back and forth between his girlfriend and the drug dealer. He took a moment to process before snapping, turning around and pushing the other male roughly against the wall. “What did you just fucking say?” He snapped, his voice coming out sharply as he spat out the words. “Listen to me here, she’s not the one to be fucking with, you hear me? If I even hear that you’re talking to her, looking at her, let alone dealing to her I will come back here and beat the shit out of you and anyone else that’s here.” He said coldly as anger took over his body. He looked at the man with stern, cold eyes to make sure he understood before letting go. Turning around, he began walking towards the exit. “You shouldn’t be here.” He said to his girlfriend as he walked past her to go outside.

Amber-Jade hadn't expected to run into her boyfriend whilst at her dealer's apartment. Whilst Bryce did know about the fact that she engaged in recreational drug use, theoretically having that knowledge and then seeing the realities of it were two completely separate things. As the dealer didn't know about the connection between the two customers who were currently in his apartment, he unintentionally made it worse by hitting on her; Bryce immediately seeing red and pushing the guy against the wall. "Bryce, stop!" AJ cried out, not wanting this situation to escalate any further. She was worried that a loud altercation could result in the police being called, which would result in the two of them getting busted for possession. Neither of them needed that right now and even though this was the first time that she had seen him in a week, it was immediately evident to her that he wasn't okay. Honestly, he looked the worst that she had ever seen him. "It's not worth it, okay? It's just a comment. He's not going to do anything to me. If he even tried, I'd knock him flat on his ass", she said as she crossed the room intending to separate the two of them; only for Bryce to let go and walk away; throwing one parting shot over his shoulder. AJ quickly apologised for causing a scene and then followed him, jogging to catch up with him. "You're literally here for the exact same thing as me, Bryce. Why is it okay for you and not okay for me?" she challenged once she had reached him.

Bryce stuffed the drugs into his pocket as he stormed out of the house. The last thing he needed was to bring more attention to himself that he already has. He wasn’t proud of his relapse, and the last thing he wanted was to get busted and viewed as another troubled vet that went down the drain. He was just about to reach his truck when he heard his girlfriends voice. “Did you not hear what the hell he said to you?” He asked, his voice showing his shock as he turned around to face her. “Or do you let every guy talk to you like that?”

Amber-Jade sighed softly when she heard Bryce's retort. His first sentence seemed angry about the situation itself, yet the second sentence was very clearly directed at her. "Of course I heard what he said, Bryce. I've literally heard shit like that every single day since I was about 13 or 14. If I shoved every guy up against the wall and threatened them for saying shit like that, I certainly wouldn't be where I am today", AJ told him. "I understand that you're upset but /please/ don't talk to me like that. I'm not privileged like most of the students here, alright? Sometimes I do let comments like that slide because it's easier, okay? You have no idea what would happen to me if I called out that shit every single time, no idea". As a half-Jamaican woman from a low socioeconomic background, she had seen the worst of society; and she knew full well that certain people wouldn't respond kindly to her rejecting them. She had learned to bite her tongue in certain situations. Rather than getting into the truck with Bryce, she made her way over to the nearest bus stop and sat down on the bench; waiting for the next bus to arrive.

Bryce was still trying to process what just happened moments ago. He typically wasn’t the insecure type, but with the comment on top of everything else...well, it was safe to say he had a short fuse. “I get it Amber, but I thought we were on the same page here with the whole committed relationship thing.” He simply stated, but not long before she walked away from him. His eyes darted between his truck and the nearest bus stop, debating on what he should do in that moment. Ultimately, he walked after her. “I’m not letting you take the bus this late.” He said quietly as he approached her, his arms crossed over his chest. “I can drive you home.”

Amber-Jade stared at him in surprise when he made the comment about the two of them being in a committed relationship. "So a guy makes a comment that objectifies me and suddenly you're questioning my commitment to you?" AJ questioned, her voice breaking slightly. Her quick retreat to the bus stop was so that Bryce wouldn't see the fact that she was quickly becoming emotional; not wanting to be vulnerable around him when he was like that. Instead, he followed her and insisted on driving her home. "It's fine, Bryce. I'll text you when I get home, okay? It's obvious that you're going through something right now and I really want to be there for you but you're doing your best to push me away. I haven't seen you in a week and the very first time that I do see you, you question our entire relationship. Committing to you wasn't a decision I made lightly and you know that. I've given you pieces of me that I always swore I would never give to /anyone/ and a couple of sleazy comments from a random dealer doesn't change that".

“Would you have stopped it if I weren’t there? Because I don’t think you would appreciate seeing random girls making it obvious they want to fuck me right in front of you.” Bryce stated back. He immediately swallowed his words as Amber stormed off, and as he found himself chasing after her. He looked down at the foggy street as she spoke, not being able to make eye contact with the brunette as she spoke. “Is this just a random drug dealer for you though?” He asked quietly before looking back at her. “Look, you don’t have to talk to me for the rest of the night, but at least let you take you home...or wherever you’re going. It’s late.”

“I would have rolled my eyes at him and told that I was taken, which is what I do every single time someone hits on me", Amber-Jade informed him. "You're right, I wouldn't like it if someone hit on you while I was standing right there. That doesn't mean that I would have questioned your commitment to me, though; and I certainly wouldn't have shoved the woman against the nearest wall and threatened her. I know that someone hitting on you doesn't suggest that you want to cheat on me", she told him. "If you must know, Joey is my usual drug dealer. This guy is my back-up option for when Joey isn't available so when he didn't answer my text tonight, I came here", she explained. "Why are you here anyway? What are you using and when did you start?" In the past, the most that Bryce did when around her was smoke a couple of joints. "You don't get it, do you? I'm stupidly in love with you, Bryce. Falling in love with you was absolutely terrifying because it officially gave you all this power over me but I took the chance anyway because I can't imagine not having you in my life and now? Now you haven't spoken to me in a week and you question my commitment to you and it feels an awful lot like you're getting ready to leave me. If that's your plan, can you please just do it already and put me out of my misery?" As she spoke, her eyes welled with tears and although she frantically tried to blink them away, a few stray tears rolled down her cheeks instead.

“Alright, I’ll just stay quiet next time.” Bryce conceded, dropping the topic. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. The man truly didn’t mean to be rude, or for his girlfriend to see this side of him, but he couldn’t find the mental capacity to put on that facade that he was okay, not anymore. “It’s nothing new for me. It doesn’t matter.” He quickly shrugged off the questions. He wasn’t proud of his relapse, as his sobriety was always the one thing that seemed to give him some purpose. He only got into smoking weed again a few weeks ago, and even that was bad for him. The man was officially risking everything with his drug use. “Do you really want to do this right here, right now? Can we not?” He asked, almost pleading. Bryce was never good at talking about hard things, especially when he wasn’t comfortable. “I’m not breaking up with you, unless if you want me to. But you’re not the only one that goes through shit that other people wouldn’t understand, Amber.”

"I won't go back to his place again, okay? If Joey isn't available, I'll just wait". Although she didn't necessarily agree with the way that he reacted to the situation, she didn't want to do anything that would make him angry or upset so she wouldn't have any further interactions with the guy. She just nodded when he dismissed her questions; whilst she wanted the answers, she knew that pushing Bryce wouldn't get her the answers that she was after and it would likely just push him further away. He clearly wasn't ready to talk about it. "Right, we don't need to do this". AJ could feel her walls rebuilding -- she had gotten raw and vulnerable with him; only for Bryce to question her commitment to him, avoid the questions she had posed, and shut down the conversation that she was trying to have. His final remark, about her not being the only one that goes through shit that other people wouldn't understand, did truly cut her and only served to further reinforce those boundaries and walls. "Go home, Bryce. I have no intention of getting in your truck with you right now and giving you more opportunities to take shots at me".

"You can do whatever you want. Doesn’t matter to me.” Bryce said with a shrug. He wished he could say he didn’t know how things between them exploded like this, but he knew exactly what it was. This was him ruining everything good in his life because he couldn’t talk about his feelings, once again. But it was way too late to back down now, as he was already in too deep. “Right. Fine, I’ll go. Feel free to go back in there and get your drugs once I’m gone, and do whatever the hell you want to do.” With that, he turned on his heels and walked back to his truck. He climbed inside and took out the bag of coke from the pocket of his sweatpants. Opening the small baggie, he put a finger in there and gathered some of contents of the drug, enough to cover the tip of his finger; sniffing it quickly and turning on the car. Not thinking twice about it, he put the vehicle into drive before speeding off.

The whole situation had escalated so quickly and AJ really had no idea how to deescalate it. The version of Bryce that was standing in front of her really didn't seem to like her all that much; it was like he wanted to pick fault with everything she did. She understood the behaviour enough to know that it was a defence mechanism and a survival strategy but that didn't mean that it hurt any less; especially when she had no idea just what was actually going on in Bryce's life. Her heart constricted painfully in her chest as he left, his comments sounding a hell of a lot like a breakup. Tears steadily burned down her cheeks as she watched him pull away at a high speed, not having been brave enough to ask whether their relationship was over; or make any sort of returning argument, knowing that it would just escalate the situation even further.

#chatzy #c: bryce #tw: substance abuse #finished #finished chatzy #finished thread

[psyched2b]

Baking, Not Recreational (James “Bucky” Barnes x Reader)

Here’s my submission for @loki-the-fox River’s Marvel Halloween Writing Challenge. Thank you so much for letting me participate!

A/N: @mermaidxatxheart Thank you for all your help with this, sweet babycakes!!

P.S. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated!

Pairings: Bucky x Reader, Platonic!Steve x Reader

Warnings: Swearing probably, a little bit of blood, lots of sass and some bets are made.

“Come on, babe!” you pleaded for one last time. “I’ve been planning this trip for weeks!” You gave your boyfriend the best sad puppy dog eyes you could muster. “This is the perfect time of year to go to the orchard. It’s early enough that all the good apples and pumpkins will still be there. And since I’ll be in DC the week of Halloween, I thought this would be a fun thing to do instead. Be festive and all that fun nonsense.”

“We celebrated last year,” Bucky told you, leaving down to lace up his combat boots.

You crossed your arms and popped a hip. “Eh, no. Not quite. We were in Wakanda, you just came out of cryo and were showing me your goats. There were no pumpkins, no costumes, no apple cider, and no donuts. APPLE DONUTS, Bucky! You can’t have Halloween without apple donuts!”

Bucky finished lacing up the last boot and stood up, a wicked grin on his handsome face. “You loved those goats,” he reminded you with a teasing tone. “And I seem to remember that we did have candy.”

You narrowed your eyes and scoffed. “No. You had candy. Something about not being able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures for the last seventy years?”

He offered you a sheepish smile, knowing that you were correct. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Releasing your defensive stance, you walked up to him and wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled yourself close. “How long will you be gone?” you asked, looking up at him, changing the subject.

Bucky met your gaze with affection in his eyes. “Just a few hours. Sam and I are doing a secret security check to see if we can break into Shield’s headquarters without being caught.”

You huffed, rolling your eyes. “You mean, you two are going to race to see who can break in first,” you corrected.

He smirked, rubbing his stubble covered cheek against yours affectionately, tickling you. “You know me so well. Plus, we both know Sam won’t make it through the first level of security.”

You pulled back and lightly smacked his chest with the back of your hand and scolded,” You’re so full of it.”

Ignoring you, he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to your lips.

Pulling away, you waved his off nonchalantly. “Go have fun with your manly man competition,” you told him, moving to step into your own boots.

The doorbell rang and Bucky gave you a confused look.

In return, you gave him a devious grin, walking to the front door while shucking on a light jacket to protect you from the crisp fall air. “I have a date with a manly man.”

Bucky walked to the door with you and pressed his chest against your back, wrapping his arms around your middle as you opened the door to greet the man who was picking you up.

You smirked at Bucky’s confused, “Steve?”

You and Steve had a blast at the orchard. It was a bit of a drive, but totally worth it.

By the time you were finished, you carried two 1 pound bag of apples each. Steve had to carry the pumpkins in one at a time because they were at least a solid twenty pounds each. You tried to tell him that you were more than capable of carrying your own pumpkin up the few stairs it took to get into yours and Bucky’s house, but Steve wasn’t having any of it, afraid you’d hurt yourself and have an angry Winter Solider hunting him down.

“What are you going to do with four pounds of apples?” Steve asked, rolling up the sleeves on his sweater and going to the sink, ready to wash his hands as instructed by you.

You grabbed the cutting board from its spot and pulled out a sharp knife to cut the apples with. “Apple pies of course.”

Steve dried his hands on the dishtowel. “Pies? As in plural?” he asked for clarification, eyeballing the massive amounts of apples.

“Mhm,” you hummed in confirmation, grabbing all the ingredients you would need. “I’m going to say at least ten.” You looked back at Steve and let out a laugh at his concerned look. “Don’t worry. I’m only keeping one here for Bucky. I’ll send you back to the compound with three and the rest are getting delivered to the VA.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “I was worried for a second. If you kept all of those pies here, Bucky would binge eat them.”

You rolled your eyes knowing he was right. “Yup, so that’s why we have to get them finished before he gets home.” You handed him a copy of the recipe.

He read over the instructions and looked back at you in awe. “How did you get this?”

You giggled and patted his cheek affectionately. “I may or may not have broken into the Smithsonian to get the Barnes Family Apple Pie Recipe. Not like they need it!”

Steve laughed. “I knew there was a reason why we kept you around.”

Together, the two of you managed to make 12 pies. Ten of which were already loaded into the back of Steve’s car. You decided to keep two and do a test to see if Bucky would be able to restrain himself from eating both in one sitting. You and Steve had a $50 bet on it, Steve saying there’s no way that Bucky wouldn’t eat both pies at once. Of course, Steve underestimated you and your skills at distracting your boyfriend. Poor Steve.

Steve had just finished carving his pumpkin and sat it down next to your on the kitchen island. He moved to stand next to you, wiping his dirty hands with a towel.

“I don’t understand how someone who is CIA can accidentally cut their fingers with a knife. Aren’t you supposed to be better trained than at?” He teased, nodding with his head towards your wound that you had covered with paper towel, trying to stop the bleeding.

You scoffed. “Says the one who added salt instead of sugar to the pie crust? Try me, Spangly Pants.”

“I’m not spangly,” he muttered as you heard the front door open, followed by familiar heavy footsteps.

“Bucky’s home!” you sang, giving Steve an evil grin. “I’m going to tell him it’s your fault I got injured.”

Steve gulped. “Alright, on that note, I’m going to leave. Protect the pies and all.” And with that, he was out the door, passing by Bucky.

Bucky turned and gave his friend a confused look, but didn’t try to stop him, instead, walked over to you and place a quick kiss to your lips.

“Hey, honey. How’s it going?” he asked, pulling away.

“All's good on this end!” you told him in a cheerful tone, casually sliding your cut hand behind your back so he wouldn’t notice right away. “How was the manly man competition with Sam? Who won?”

He sniffed the air, ignoring your question. “Do I smell pie?”

You snickered. “I swear, sometimes you’re a fucking dog.” Your boyfriend gave you a wounded look and you sighed. “There’s pie cooling in the fridge. But you have to wait until after dinner!”

Bucky smiled, eyes crinkling in the corners and pecked your lips again. “You’re the best!” He sniffed again and froze, eyes scanning your body. You knew you had been caught when his steel blue eyes landed on your arm that was still behind your back. With gentleness, he grabbed your arm and brought it forward and pulled the towel away and let out a low hiss when he saw the cut. His eyes then moved to the carved pumpkins on the counter and then back to you. “Did you seriously injure yourself carving a pumpkin?”

You let out a faux outraged gasp and pulled your hand back, holding it away from him. “How dare you assume things! I’ll have you know that this was a baking injury, NOT recreational.”

There was a moment of silence before he let out a loud laugh, pulling you to his chest and squeezing you tight. “You’re so cute when you try to be dramatic,” he cooed at you when he pulled away.

You just swatted at him, scowling. “I’m not cute. I’m downright terrifying.”

Steve owed you $50 and new pillows.

Sam never made it inside the perimeter whereas it took Bucky a total of 22 minutes.

Tags: @bettercallsabs , @thinkwritexpress-official , @geeksareunique

#2spooky4river #Bucky Barnes x Reader #james buchanan barnes #Bucky Barnes #Bucky Barnes fic #james buchanan barnes x reader #Winter Soldier x Reader #Winter Soldier Fic #Winter Soldier #Steve Rogers #Captain America #Halloween fun #apple pies #between #Marvel fic #Sass #Humor

[keisskyrunner]

Sweetest of Them All [Lúcio/!ShortReader]

“A little more to the right, Cio!” You called.

“Sure thing babe.” The DJ agreed easily as he slowly shifted to the side, taking care to maintain his firm grip on your ankles, steadying your balance.

“Okay almost got it! Ugh why is this shelf so high?!”

You and your boyfriend, Lúcio, were in the midst of an impromptu baking session. The idea was sparked out of nowhere while the two of you were hanging out during the downtime in between missions. You’ve been engaged in general small talk while cuddling on the recreation room couch, musing about the happenings on the base and on missions. That’s when you got the brilliant idea to bake some cookies for everyone in the base to spread a little cheer. Despite neither of you having any baking experience, your boyfriend supportive as ever, enthusiastically agreed.

Which was how you found yourself balanced precariously on Lúcio’s shoulders as you attempted to reach up for the bag of flour which had eluded the both of you when you were gathering ingredients to bake. Whose idea was it to put the flour so high up here anyway?! Sure everyone else here was practically a giant... but still! NO MATTER, with your combined height you managed to get within reach of the ingredient. Just as your fingers grasped the bag -

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS FINE DAY, MY FRIENDS?” A loud booming voice startled the both of you as the steady shoulders of your boyfriend flinched and all but disappeared beneath your feet. Hands still grasping the flour, you fell through the air with a yelp and landed on a very firm yet soft someone in a brilliant explosion of flour as if winter has come very early in the Overwatch kitchen.

Having closed your eyes as you fell, you opened them only to be greeted by the sight of your boyfriend underneath you, coated in a sprinkling of flour (you have absorbed a good amount of it on your back and hair) which contrasted with his dark cocoa skin. With the look of surprise on his face, your significant other simultaneously looked adorable and handsome. You couldn’t help but smile lovingly (and dopely) at him, your cheeks warming up as he returned it.

“Oops.” You looked up to see Reinhardt sheepishly survey the scene before him. “My bad.” You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped your lips which only served to infect Lúcio and Reinhardt, and soon, all three of you were simply laughing uncontrollably in the flour covered kitchen.

-S-

After cleaning up the mess, Reinhardt left your company owing to prior engagements, but not before eliciting a promise to save some cookies for him. Luckily enough, the baking session wasn’t called off since the crusader was able to find another bag of flour in the top cabinet (who keeps putting them up there?!). The both of you wasted no time in getting to work, all the while humming, singing, dancing and playfully bumping into each other every once in a while.

Working together in natural sync, it wasn’t long till you found yourselves closing the oven door on your trays of cookie dough and setting the oven timer according to the instructions on the recipe. You both collasped together on the kitchen chairs, a little bit exhausted from the baking process. However, it wasn’t long until Lúcio perked up beside you, pulled out a pen from his pants pocket and looked around quickly, only to start writing on his arm after seemingly unable to find what he was looking for.

“New song?” You asked curiously. Though you had seen him get suddenly inspired by a new song before, writing it on his arm was a first.

“Mhm,” Your significant other answered absently mindedly as he concentrated on writing the notes on his arm. After a beat or two, he started to hum, as he was prone to do as he wrote. The tune sounded cheerful and uplifting, having an all-around feel good vibe. After a minute or so, he switched the pen to his other hand and continued writing on his blank arm. It wasn’t long till there wasn’t much space left.

“Hey babe could I use your arm?” Your boyfriend flashed you an excited grin as his hand continued to write. With his passion and enthusiasm, how could you ever say no to him? You offered your arm to him and he grabs your hand gently, maintaining eye contact as he lifts it up to his lips for a quick tender kiss of thanks. And then he was writing notes on your arm, the nib of the pen gliding tickishly over your skin as you tried to stifle your giggles. If anything your boyfriend looked happier than before as he continued to hum the song in his head and gently marked the notes on your skin. It was hard not to fall in love with him all over again, to love him even more intensely than you already did. But every day, he pleasantly surprised you more and more. By the time he was done, almost every single available space on your arms were filled with notes. Altogether, they made a really pretty picture.

“I really hope I don’t wash this off by accident before you can get it down on paper properly.” You frowned at your boyfriend’s masterpiece doubtfully. Wrapping his equally inked arms around you, Lúcio pulled you into his lap and pressed a reassuring kiss to your temple.

“It’s alright babe I just needed to get it down somewhere, I’ll remember most of it now that I’ve written it.” He smiled brightly at you, a hand going up to caress your cheek.

-S-

The smell of baked goods rushed to meet your senses as you opened the oven door once the timer went off and you’ve switched off the power. Carefully, so as not to burn yourself, you manoeuvred your oven mitten-clad hands to grip the the first tray firmly and pulled it out. You were delighted to see that the cookies turned out great, at least appearance wise. Setting down the tray on the kitchen table, cleared meticulously by Lúcio, you repeated the process until all 4 trays were cooling nicely in the open.

Once they were sufficiently cooled and wouldn’t quite burn your fingers, you and Lúcio carefully arranged them on plates (after making sure you’ve washed your hands of course). You left the kitchen briefly while Lúcio was transferring the last cookies to grab a notebook. Scribbling a short note to say that everyone was welcome to the cookies, you ripped out the page and returned to the kitchen. You walked in just as your boyfriend arranged the last piece.

“Looks good for us first timers.” You grinned, folding the note neatly and sliding it under the plate. “Hopefully it’ll taste as good.”

“Why don’t we try one for ourselves?” The DJ suggested, picking up the topmost cookie on one of the plates and then extending it to your mouth in a gentle offering to feed you. “Would you like the first bite, babe?” You blushed slightly at his sweet gesture.

“Sure, thanks Cio.” You accepted somewhat shyly and took a bite out of the offered cookie. Eyes widening slightly in surprise, you looked at your boyfriend. “It’s good!”

“Really? My turn to taste then.” Instead of taking a bite from the cookie, he leaned forward and licked a stray crumb from your cheek. “Mm it’s pretty sweet, probably because it’s made by the sweetest of them all.” This time, you definitely couldn’t stop the stronger blush that warmed your cheeks.

“Smooth flatterer.” You protest, hitting his arm lightly. “Now try the cookie for real.” Still grinning cheekily, the DJ did as asked, making a face of approval at the pleasant taste. “We did good!” He was however unprepared for the quick and sweet kiss you pressed to his lips. Now look who’s the one blushing!

“What?” You said innocently at the wide eyed look your significant other gave you, “there was a crumb there, I was just getting rid of it.” The comment elicited a laugh from him. Before Lúcio could reply however, you were both reminded that this was very much a shared area.

“Ew, you guys do have a room you know. Could you restrict your lovely dovey fluffy love within that space?” Hana’s voice sliced through the moment like a sharp knife on butter, though one could hear the affectionate teasing underneath the pseudo-disgusted tone.

“We’re sorry Hana,” you laughed, “we made cookies, would that make you forgive us for our transgression?” It was then that the gamer noticed the plates of cookies on the table.

Reaching for one, she examined it critically. “Hmm, not bad. Fine, just this once.” Hana made to take a bite out of it but before the cookie could come any closer to her mouth, it was snatched out of her grasp.

“Ohh a most fine speciemen of the cookie kind.” Genji held up the treat, looking at it at all angles with overly exaggerated interest.

“Hey green man, that’s mine give it back!” Hana glared at the ninja as she tried to reach for the snatched cookie while Genji moved it further and further away from her.

“I believe it is in my possession now. Winky face.” After his cheeky imitation of D.Va’s signature line, the younger Shimada took off, Hana close on his heels.

“Hana there are -”

“YOU CAN’T EVEN EAT THAT!”

“-more over..”

“NEVER SAY NEVER THERE ARE SOME THINGS I CAN STILL INGEST!”

“-here...” you trailed off as you watched the gamer fruitlessly chase the cyborg ninja who dodged her skilfully every time she came close, almost laughing maniacally. Lúcio chuckled, placing a warm hand on your shoulder.

“Well Angela’s not gonna be pleased if he ends up in the medbay.” You turned to Pharah as she shook her head indulgently at the chase happening before her. She smiled at the both of you.

“You guys made these?” The security chief asked, eyes shining brighter at the sight of the cookies. “I couldn’t help but smell it on the way in.”

“We did, we wanted to do something for the base. It’s our first time though so we hope it tastes good, please help yourself!” You answered cheerfully, offering her a plate.

“Thank you,” Pharah smiled warmly in appreciation as she took one and bit into it. “They’re exquisite! I’m sure everyone will love these.”

-S-

And sure enough they did. Some like McCree and Tracer walked in and openly helped themselves to the treats, thanking you and Lúcio when they found out you’ve baked them.

Others like Hanzo and Solider 76 basically tried to remain unseen and sneaky in getting a sample of the cookies. You caught Hanzo the first time, and he left quickly, cookie in mouth, despite you telling him it was alright to help himself to them. You would later catch sight of him sneaking out 3 cookies, giving the other 2 to his dragons who purred in delight. You smiled to yourself and pretended not to see for the sake of the Shimada’s pride.

Lúcio did have to stop Junkrat from stealing an entire plate after he tasted his first cookie. Thankfully, Roadhog ended the matter when he took the plate from his partner-in-crime and rationed each of them a reasonable share of the treats, grunting a sincere thanks. Reinhardt did come back for his cookies as promised, and made sure to let everyone in the base know how delicious he thought it was and that everyone should have a taste.

-S-

The both of you collasped into bed at the end of the day. Lúcio was quick to pull you close to him, smiling as you snuggled closer to him.

“That was pretty successful for our first time baking wasn’t it?” You whispered contentedly.

“Mhm it sure was, we should do that again sometime.” Your boyfriend replied affirmatively, a hand sliding up to cup your cheek.

“Absolutely, as long as I’m with you, I’m up for anything.” You giggled, laying your hand on top of his. Glancing down, you noticed that the shower hadn’t washed off much of the ink on your arms and the notes were still quite legible. Then again you hadn’t made much effort to scrub it off even though Lúcio had already written them down in his notebook. “We still match.”

“I like to think that these are the notes that bind us together in moments like these.” The DJ grinned.

“Smooth talker. Even if these do fade, you’ve already inked them permanently on my heart.” You smiled as you kissed the tip of his nose.

“Who’s the smooth talker now?” Lúcio teased, his smile turning tender as he gazed at you. “And you’re the song that I’ll always hear in my heart.” Cheesy as it were, as the both of you were, a warm blush dusted your cheeks only to be interrupted by a yawn that came out of nowhere. Lúcio chuckled, kissing your forehead lovingly.

“Someone’s sleepy. Goodnight babe, tomorrow is a new day.”

“Goodnight Cio, I can’t wait to hear the song tomorrow brings.”

A/N: Had the idea to write this very self-indulgent fic out during my study breaks and between this and that, darkness, light, frantic essay writing and candy mountains this is finally done! Been a bit spaced out and anxed out lately and writing this did help since Lúcio has a special place in my heart. While I may no longer be good at him (if I ever was) his cheerful upbeat personality is really brightening and encourages a sense of positivity (and we both have the same height!). I was actually writing a Lúcio/!MuteReader fic which is going to be much longer but well, that’s going to take time *laughes nervously.* Hope you guys enjoyed my fluffy self-indulgent interpretation of Lúcio >_<! Cheers with love 💕.

#overwatch #fluff #self indulgent really #fanfiction #reader #lucio x reader #reader insert #!Short Reader #Lúcio #gender neutral (or at least i tried)

[aaronexplainsitall]

what (who) is Mks?? (I swear i googled but it came up with a productivity solutions firm rip in peace)

Ah, to tell the story of MKS, I must tell the story of the band of legend, the Sugababes. Are you sitting comfortably children? Good, then I’ll begin. 

Once upon a time, in a magical land named ‘Britain’, there was a mythical band, born of legend, known as the Spice Girls. Together, they conquered the world, bringing girl power back to a dire pop landscape filled with moody American boy bands and turgid R&B. They were on a quest to spread the message of girl power and pop music far and wide, and to everyone’s shock and awe, they were successful! 

But then, one fateful day, their kingdom began to crumble around them and they went their separate ways to pursue far less inspiring and interesting solo careers (except Geri because Scream if You Wanna Go Faster is a bop you can @ me if you disagree you’re wrong). A dark cloud fell over pop music and for 100 days and 100 nights the kingdom of Britain descended into the coldest winter it has ever known. 

Then, the evil men in the record companies hatched a dastardly plan. What if, they wondered, another band could rise up to take the infamous Spice Girls’ place? What if, they continued, we threw away everything that made the Spice Girls wonderful, and unique, and although they were manufactured actually quite organic in a way if you really stop and think about what organic even means in the context of pop music? What if, they squealed, we could RECREATE the Spice Girls with music that wasn’t as good and girls who weren’t as inspiring, FOR MONEY? 

They all wet themselves in unison when they thought of all the money they’d make. 

And so a new generation of girl bands rose from the ashes of the Spice Girls. Some were Genuinely Fantastic (Girls Aloud), some were Pretty Abysmal (B*Witched), some were So Terrible They Were Actually Quite Enjoyable (Atomic Kitten). But none were quite like the Sugababes. 

Three working class girls, Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan, were walking home from school one day when they stumbled into a deep, dark recording studio owned by nefarious sea witch Ron Tom. “Come, my pretties,” croaked Ron Tom, “I will make you rich and famous and beyond your wildest dreams!” “Um, cool?” said the girls in unison, “we’d sort of rather just sing though, because we’re all quite good at it?” Ron Tom laughed, and laughed, and laughed. What a funny joke, he thought. 

The three girls became known as the Sugababes, because originality wasn’t important to Ron Tom or the sea witch overlords at London Records, and to everyone’s Shock! And Surprise! they released a Really Very Good Indeed first album. However, because the general public are largely morons, they sold roughly 17 copies of their RVGI first album. The sea witch and his overlords were most displeased. 

Meanwhile, the Sugababes had bigger problems. Fighting! Arguing! Chaos! Like so many bands before them, they had fallen prey to the cancer which rips through pop groups… Infighting. No one really knows what went on behind the closed doors of Ron Tom’s ocean cavern, but legend says that the youngest Sugababe, Keisha, bullied the whitest Sugababe, Siobhan, so viciously that she escaped the ocean cavern by crawling out of a window (that bit apparently actually did happen you can look it up not the ocean cavern mind you but the window). 

The sea witch overlords were most displeased and they dropped the Sugababes. 

But! A shining ray of hope at the end of the tunnel appeared! Atlantic Records swept ashore a new contract and a brand new member, Heidi! Heidi was perfect, the slightly less withered sea witch overlords at Atlanic Records promised! She had been in ATOMIC KITTEN, they gushed! She would make you LIKEABLE, the cried! WHAT IS THE POINT IN LIVING IF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE YOU, they screeched, their masks falling slightly and their sea witch overlord noses poking out! 

And so for four blissful years, the Sugababes ruled British pop. They sold a lot more than 17 copies of their next three albums, each one going double platinum, and scoring 5 number one singles. They had made POP MUSIC, they sea overlords cackled, that GROWN UPS AND CHILDREN could listen to. They wet themselves again, because of how much money they were making. 

But the Sugababes were Unhappy. Rumours of infighting, bullying, ferocious arguments about Britney Spears’ Toxic (you can look that up too that’s true as well) followed them wherever they went, and they were branded moody, miserable, nasty, mean girls. How awful, cried the British press, festering in pools of their own shit, that women would not be instantly likeable? IT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED, they howled, shit filling their mouths. 

So the Sugababes were dogged by bad press and quite possibly the fact that they actually didn’t really like each other because okay they were quite different people all things considered, and eventually, after the birth of her first child, Mutya left the band. 

Darkness fell across the kingdom once again. What would the sea witch overlords do now? Their pot of gold appeared to be washing out to sea, and who, oh who, would bring it back to them. 

Until a second dastardly plan was hatched. Why not, wondered the sea witch overlords, just replace her? It worked once? Beyoncé did it 412 times with her back up dancers in Destiny’s Child? We couldn’t get away with it… they wondered… could we? They did. Amelle was introduced to the band, and in a strange twist of fate, she was exactly like Mutya, only not quite as good, but really who was paying attention anyway?

And for another four years, the Sugababes trundled along, not quite as magical as they once were, but equally commercially successful, so WHO CARED? They pocketed more number one singles and platinum albums, made more money, faced more press scrutiny for supposedly not being perfect little ladies who always smiled and curtsied, business continued as usual. 

But before our Babes of Suga could count their considerable number of coins, a new evil appeared on the horizon… infamous shit monger, Jay-Z, and his band of cretins, Roc Nation. Like so many before and after them, the Sugababes were seduced by the bright lights and empty promises of Roc Nation. “I’ll make you a star!” cried Jay-Z, stroking Becky’s good hair. “I’ll make your wildest dreams come true!” The babes were seduced. 

And so Roc Nation and Jay-Z set to work stripping away everything that made the Sugababes unique and interesting and replacing it with literal festering garbage produced by RedOne, who by now it was known, wasn’t actually an interesting musician but had been bolstered by the considerable talent of Lady Gaga and got the credit for Just Dance, Poker Face and Bad Romance because he was a Man and she was a Woman, so he had to be the brains of the operation, right? 

The Sugababes became a national laughing stock, and their ‘comeback’ single, the appropriately awfully titled Get Sexy, was ridiculed far and wide across the land of Great Britain. The British press rolled around in their own shit laughing uproariously. “Ha, ha, ha!” the cried, “How we love to tear women down!” their own shit caked in their own hair. 

But a worse disaster would surely fall upon our Sugababes. Amidst the critical disaster of their new material, two of the Babes were scheming and plotting against the other, whom the goblins at Roc Nation were said to have favoured over the two other bitter and forgotten members of the group. Amelle and Heidi launched a plan, a dastardly, dastardly plan to oust the only remaining founding member of the band and seize the glory for themselves. 

They crept quietly into the sea witch’s cave. 

They tiptoed silently up the cracked stone steps. 

They shuffled noiselessly across to the sleeping sea witch. 

They whispered breathlessly into his ear. 

“Oh sea witch, we’ve been so sad,” they intoned, “The nasty girl has been so bad. Send her away, sea witch,” they begged. 

The sea witch woke with a start, and immediately set to work carrying out the wishes of Bitter Babes because he didn’t have the foresight to imagine what a monumental cock-up that would turn out to be, despite literally every other person who worked in the industry at the time saying, “hmm, maybe don’t do that, because she’s the last founding member of the group and the shit gremlins from The Sun and The Daily Mail might just assassinate you?” 

But listen he did not, and Keisha had been sent away in a cloud of shame and dishonour. The shit gremlins at The Sun and The Daily Mail (and even the slightly less shit-covered gremlins at publications like The Guardian, which was quite interesting really, because who’d have thought The Guardian would care about this really?) stayed true to form, and fired off their canons of diarrhoea in the direction of the sea witch’s cavern. 

Keisha was replaced by someone who’s name I genuinely can’t remember and that should tell you all you need to know about her, and the kingdom of the Sugababes crumbled in a heap of total and utter misery and mediocrity. Their final album, released without Keisha, received such rave reviews as “bland, soulless, and repetitive”, and the Roc Nation goblins promptly dropped the band on their shiny behinds. 

The nation of Great Britain wept. In the streets, the children screamed. The profits cried, and the poets dreamed. Not a work was spoken, the church bells all were broken. Who would save us from this misery? Who would restore peace to our land? 

Three long, dark years passed. Years characterised by no joy, no laughter, no love. 

But then, just as the land had given up hope, and collectively lay down to die, on the New Year’s Eve of 2013, a miracle happened. In a tiny club in Central London, three young women took to the stage for the first time in 12 years, with one simple mission. To save pop music. 

Mutya. 

Keisha. 

Siobhan. 

The original Sugababes (now called MKS for a variety of legal reasons but of course they branded it as the desire for a fresh start and no one really argued because WHO CARED THEY WERE BACK) had reformed. Ne’er a brighter day had shone across our fair land. They grass grew back, the trees blossomed, our winter of discontent had ended. 

They toured, performing Sugababes songs both old and new, taking a fresh control of their legacy and promising the nation that they’d be remembered not as the band who kept splitting up, but the band who GOT BACK TOGETHER! OH HAPPY DAY! That summer the three young women released the finest pop song known to man, ‘Flatline’, ahead of their sure-to-be unstoppable return album. Nothing could go wrong, nothing stood in their way now, the saviours of pop music had arrived in the world’s unlikeliest trio! Anything felt POSSIBLE!

and then they split up again without releasing the album because no one bought the fucking single the end

#This took me an hour to write #I need a life #ASAP #sugababes #MKS #pop music

[autisticblueteam]

mainewash and southct on a double date B)

@tuckerfuckingdiditmain this took longer than I wanted it to, but hey. Thank you for the dual OTP prompt :P

Double Date

[AO3] [Fic Tag]

Word Count: 1671

Summary: When the Freelancers get some “shore leave” due to a supply stop, Maine, Wash, South and Connie go to the fair.

Shore leave wasn’t all that common an occurrence for theagents of Project Freelancer, most of their so called shore leave was lessorganised leave and more supply runs where the Mother of Invention had to dock somewhere. Most of the time thesedockings were at space stations with rather limited recreational spaces, so anytime spent off the ship was more about a change of scenery than relaxation.

But sometimes, they got lucky; their most recent supply runhad taken them to a nearby colony, where they would be permitted to leave theship for the duration of their stay. Their landing site was within a city, andthey had a good twenty four hours of free time. No training, no missions, noneed to stay on the ship.

Even luckier? There was a fair in town.

“Do you think it counts as cheating if we play the shootinggames?” Wash said. There was a low chuckle, a large hand ruffling his hair andmaking him scrunch up his face. He batted at the offending limb, laughing.“Hey, it’s a legitimate question!”

Maine shook their head, catching Wash’s hand and lacingtheir fingers together. “Don’t think so.”

Another hand plonked down on top of his head, flattening hishair so that it fell into his face and weighing his head down, forcing ittowards his shoulders. Huffing, he flailed his free hand towards his newattacker’s arm.

“Nah, anyone can be a good fucking shot, rookie.” Southgrinned, dodging every one of of Wash’s swats. “Now if Maine did that fucking−y’know− strong man game? That’d befucking cheating.”

Maine shrugged. Fair.

“South,” Washsaid, slumping as he finally giving up on getting her to move her arm. “C’mon.”

“Don’t be a terror, South,” Connie said as she popped upbetween the two of them. Wrapping her arm around South’s waist, she nudged her.“Besides, wouldn’t a much better use for that arm be holding me?”

South’s grin grew. “Well, when you put it like that…”

Finally her hand fell away, and Wash’s hair sprung back upinto its usual fluff and waves. He huffed, shaking it out and blowing away thestrands that lingered in his face. South, as ever, looked completely unashamedof her antics; with her arm now wrapped around Connie, she met Wash’s glarewith that same, unfaltering grin.

“Come on,” Connie said, shaking her head, “let’s just go andhave some fun! Play some games, eat somejunk food, go on some rides.”

“Fuck yeah, let’s get this double date goin’!”

“Why do you keep calling it a double date?” Wash said,waving his hands−including the one linked with Maine’s−vaguely. “Maine and Iaren’t dating!”

South stared at them, looking between their held hands andWash’s pink-flushed face. “Yeah yeah, that’sabout as fucking convincing as me saying I’m into dudes. Aka, not fuckingconvincing at all. Because it’s bullshit.”

“I− you− oh, shut up.”

Maine and Connie exchanged a look, a roll of Connie’s eyesgetting an amused chuckle from Maine. Tugging on their respective partners,they finally coaxed them deeper into the fair to get their ‘double date’ going.

There was plenty to do, the fair was packed with all of theusual activities from almost certainly rigged games, to rides like the Ferriswheel and ridiculous amounts of stalls packed with the unhealthiest foodimaginable. Of course that meant that they had to try everything to make the absolute most of their time of the ship,where the most exciting treats were the occasional cinnamon rolls in the messand the height of entertainment were their rec room movie nights.

“I feel like we’re going to regret eating this much junk inthe morning,” Wash said, cotton candy in one hand and Maine’s hand in theother. Not even trying to be subtle, Maine reached across and tore a chunk outof the candy for themself. The retaliatory glare was exaggerated, playful.

“Probably.” The voice came from behind a big puff of pinkcandy that almost completely hid Connie’s head from view; it was only when shetook a bite and lowered it that she was visible. She’d long since clambered uponto South’s back after several light-hearted jokes about her getting lost inthe crowd or getting stepped on. It was as good an excuse as any to have hergirlfriend carry her around. “Worth it, though.”

Winning at the shooting games proved just as easy as Washhad thought it would; even as rigged as some of them clearly were, theirmarksmanship was impeccable and it wasn’t long before they were winning prizes.Between them, Wash and South−the latter of which had somehow convinced Washthey should make it a competition−won several prizes of varying sizes. WhenSouth had handed Connie the biggest of the stuffed bears she’d claimed, it wasalmost as big as she was.

Maine ended up with the job of carrying it, in the end.

The shooting games were only fun for so long; once South andWash had pretty much drawn even on their ‘competition’ at least three times,they moved on. Connie had her time to shine when they came across one of thosegames where you threw a dart to pop balloons, adding more prizes to the pile.They stopped trying so hard, after that; it was more fun just to mess aroundwith the games anyway.

“Besides, I think the accuracy Connie threw those darts inscared the stall owner a little,” Wash said, grinning and elbowing her in theside.

Unfortunately, most of the rides were out of the question;South alone was too tall for most of them, let alone Maine. Connie and Wash almost went on the tea-cups, just becausethey could, but then they remembered their very full stomachs and decided thatprobably wasn’t the best idea.

The one big ride they couldgo on, was the Ferris wheel.

“You know this really couldn’tbe any more fucking cheesy. Like, seriously. We went on a double date to thefair, and now we’re about to get on a fucking Ferris wheel right as sunset’shitting. Is this a fucking cheesy movie suddenly?” South said as they queued.With Connie still on her back, she tickled under her knees and grinned at her laugh.

“Maybe,” Connie said, a sing-song note in her voice. “Nowall we need to happen is getting stuck at the top of the Ferris wheel.”

Wash shook his head. “Do not.”

“Oooh, right, you’re not a big fan of heights.”

“Nope. Nuh-uh.” He shook his head more adamantly, stoppedonly by Maine tucking him up against their side and leaning down to kiss hishair. “Do not even suggest that.”

“Don’t worry. Be up there with you,” Maine said, a hint ofamusement in their tone but mostly genuine reassurance. Wash calmed down atthat.

If South got a heel in the stomach when she opened her mouthto tease, then that was her own fault.

Their turn came around soon enough. Maine had to ducksharply to get inside, but once they were in and sat down−one pair on eitherside of the pod−they fit fine. Wash sat pressed up as close to their side aspossible, and Maine wasted no time in wrapping an arm around him to tuck himclose. They were warm, familiar, and reassuring. This was nice. More than nice.As the car moved, he clung onto them a little tighter and barely hid his grinin their chest when that got him pulled closer. Yeah, this was good.

Connie claimed her rightful place on South’s lap as the carcircled around the wheel, spending half the time enjoying the views out of thewindows and the other half being kissed by South. She was hardly complaining,cupping South’s cheek and twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.Today had been fun, it was the firsttruly stress free time they’d spent together in months and she couldn’t behappier. When they pulled away between kisses she could see the sunset, and asabsolutely cheesy as it was, it wasan almost perfect moment.

“C’mere babe,” South said, tucking her hair behind her ear.The next kiss she pulled Connie into was gentler, and she delighted in the wayshe melted into it and into her touch. Sure this whole thing was cheesy ashell, but she’d got to spend some quality time with her girlfriend without the pressure of everything elsethey had to do in a day, and even spent some time with friends. Today had beena great day, and she knew she’d belooking back at the ridiculous selfies she’d managed to drag everyone intoearlier long into the future.

Maine laced their fingers into Wash’s hair, watching thebeautiful sky outside as they climbed higher and higher up the wheel. Today hadbeen a day of firsts for them, the whole fair had been a new experience and as overwhelmingas the atmosphere had been at first the presence of friends had quickly madethat tolerable, allowed them to enjoy the activities. Wash had been so excited,re-living some childhood memory or just enjoying the fun anyway, and Maine hadbeen delighted to spend time with him and the others. They’d remember this fora long time.

“Hey, Maine?”

They made a faint noise of acknowledgement, only for it tobe cut off by one of the soft kisses that had become a part of theirrelationship with Wash so long ago now they could only pinpoint the first time dueto the unusual circumstances. Most people couldn’t say their first kiss wasmid-mission to provide cover at a seconds notice, but it was a fun story, atleast. There’d be plenty of kisses since that.

When Wash pulled back, he was grinning. “Had fun today bigguy?”

Maine’s answer was pulling Wash’s head so their foreheadsrested together. Yeah. They had fun.

#rvb fluff week #mainewash #southct #agent maine #agent washington #agent south dakota #agent connecticut #rvb #red vs blue #rvb fic #my fanfiction #prompt fics #collection: rvb fluff week 4 #autistic fics by me