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#but i think that's just something you Also need to understand and weigh. sure you will gain something. by getting liscenced
Child!Yuu in Twisted Wonderland!
Here is a little link if you want to know a little more about this Yuu. https://www.tumblr.com/Little Yuu ideas! \^o^/ This is just how I think it would go when my Child!Yuu enters Twisted Wonderland!
"Yuu?"
"YUU?!"
A familiar voice snapped Yuu out of their thoughts. "Yeah?" Yuu says lifting their head to make eye contact with the owner of the voice, Yuu's close friend, Ava, "Ya gonna eat that?" Ava is pointing at the roll on Yuu's lunch tray, "Cause if you're not, I want it."
"Oh....I'm not. Here you go." Yuu says passing the roll to Ava, only for her to turn back to they're other friends at the lunch table, ignoring Yuu once again...This was the routine that happened every day since Yuu and her friends started middle school. They wouldn't talk to Yuu unless they wanted something then once they got it, they would completely ignore Yuu like they were a ghost. No matter how many times Yuu would try to speak they would just get ignored over and over again...I can't really blame them it's not like we're in the same classes anyway, so it's probably just a bit awkward trying to talk to me. Is what Yuu would tell themselves after the cycle repeated itself.
Maybe I need a breather...? Yeah, I should go wash my face or something like that. And with that thought, Yuu excused themselves from the lunch table to use the restroom. "I'll be right back guys." As Yuu got up from the table not a single one of their so-called friends responded, they didn't even give Yuu a glance or a nod, just silence. Almost like Yuu didn't even exist in their world.
Yuu took one of the bathroom passes off an empty table and retreated to the restroom. Much to Yuu's relief no one was in there. It was just them, all alone. They stood in front of mirror and a sink, looking at their reflection before they splash their face with some icy cold water. Even with the freezing water against their face it still felt uncomfortably hot...Geez, Yuu. Ava just asked for some bread that you knew you weren't going to eat, so why are you so upset? Yuu couldn't quite understand why they were feeling so...yucky. The nasty warm face that they only got when they were having anxiety, not to mention the empty pit they felt in their stomach. Maybe it was from the fact that they haven't really eaten anything today or maybe it was also from this uncalled-for unease.
Well, whatever it was, Yuu knows they can't stay in the bathroom for too long or the teachers will come to check on them, and they can't have that, now can they? I guess it's time to head back. Once Yuu dries their face off with the top of their shirt, they turn to head out of the restroom.... Why is my vision so blurry? Everything Yuu sees starts to contort and blur into each other. Yuu also starts to sway from side to side slightly in a zombie like mannerism.... Ouch my head! What's happening..? Before Yuu had the chance to balance themselves everything went black........
.
.
.
.
Once Yuu opened their eyes all they could see is black...? Huh?! Did I go blind!? No, no, don't be overdramatic, Yuu. I'm sure you'll be fine. Once Yuu attempts to calm down at this weird situation, they slowly moved their hands in front of them to get a feel of their surroundings. Their hands press against a wood like wall that felt cold to the touch causing Yuu to wince back. Seriously where am I? Before Yuu could think another thought-
BANG
BANG
The sudden banging quickly made Yuu back up into the corner of this cramped place. What the hell was that?! As Yuu thought, there was another voice that was coming from outside the box Yuu is trapped in. "I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me... Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton! Try this on for a size! Mya-ha!" As soon as the voice finished speaking blue flames engulfed the area around Yuu!
"AHHHH!!!" Yuu quickly shut their eyes tight and covered their face with their arms, "What?! You ain't supposed to be awake!" The voice says in a surprised voice. Since Yuu didn't feel any fire burn them, they slowly pecked their eyes open, still keeping their arms over their face. Yuu could now see the surrounding area outside the box. There were floating coffins running along the sides of the room with a large black mirror hovering over the floor in the middle of the room. Although, the thing that immediately caught Yuu's attention was a small grey cat standing on its hind legs in front of Yuu. The cat also had blue flames just like the ones before coming out of its ears with a pitchfork tail! Why does this seem so familiar...? Yuu glances around the bizarre room once more before it finally settled in.
"Am I in Twisted Wonderland..?"
Hope you enjoyed this little fanfic or whatever I just made is called. I don't know if I'm the best at writing, but I at least tried, right? Oh, and I'm going to start working on those requests I asked you guys for now. ( •̀ ω •́ )✧
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trans-axolotl2 · 1 year
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In my last residential treatment stay, I did have one psychiatrist who I trusted and had a positive relationship with. Her name was Dr. R, and when I came in on the first day of treatment and told her that I would not take any psych meds and that I had a lot of past psych trauma, she validated me and told me that she would not bring up meds unless I did. Throughout my stay there, she was empathetic, listened to my concerns, helped advocate for me, and generally made me feel heard. At the same time, when management took away our doors-she did nothing. When I needed to get a feeding tube--she lied to me about how long it would be in, and what I needed to do to get it out. She enforced policies about restricting outside breaks, restrictions on items, and contributed to treatment plans that my friends felt were unfair and damaging.
She was a good person and I liked her, but she was choosing to work within a system where she could not control the dozens of things happening there that harmed us every single day. This is what I mean when I say there is no such thing as a good psychiatrist in inpatient units--she was a progressive, validating, nice person --but her very job description made it impossible for a “good provider” to exist. To be a provider who wasn’t a part of the harm that was occurring on that unit, she would have had to quit, because the very requirements of her job required committing ethical violations, restricting peoples autonomy, and perpetrating iatrogenic harm. If she had stopped enforcing harmful policies and challenged her coworkers publically, she probably would have gotten fired. And that really is the problem--causing iatrogenic harm has essentially become a job requirement on inpatient units, and being a “good provider” by the metrics of the system require you to participate in that harm. 
I think Dr. R did a better job than most inpatient psychs in mitigating the harms she participated in, and finding ways to resist shitty systems when possible. I was glad she was there and I think she made my treatment better, but the two of us had a lot of conversations together where she acknowledged the fucked up things happening in the treatment center, acknowledged her role in them, and also stated that she did not have any power to change them. She could not fix the system by working within the system. 
I get a lot of questions by people who are interested in careers in the mental health system, and asking me on whether I think it’s okay for them to work there. My first response is usually if you’re asking because you’re feeling guilty after seeing what psych survivors say, I’m not someone who’s going to give you permission to ignore that guilt. The second thing I usually say is this: you need to go into this job aware with the fact that you will cause people harm, you will get into ethical dilemmas, and there will be times where you will either have to betray your personal values or quit. There isn’t one right answer on how to engage with mental healthcare as a provider, with the reality that until we build up alternative systems of care, the current structures still exist and have people who need support inside of them.  If that’s something that you think you can navigate in a way that lets you create the least harm possible, then that’s something you need to decide for yourself, and to think really deeply about if the reality of the psych system matches up with your goals.
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ohimsummer · 2 months
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TROUBLEMAKER ft. CAT! STSG AU
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— cat! au (gojo + geto), afab! reader, shoko cameo, stsg cat shenanigans, crack, some explicit language, gojo is the most annoying and insufferable he’s ever been ever (/affectionate)
⭑ ࣪ ˖ sum’z notes.ᐟ part 1! finally got around 2 finishing this :3 idk about satoru yet but suguru is a fluffy oriental shorthair in my head. no I will not debate this ♡
wc 4.2k
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“They’re…cats…?”
There’s an incessant sound of scribbling on Shoko’s clipboard. Her voice is almost drowned out by a white feline’s cries for your attention. “Yup.”
The other cat, the black one—Suguru, apparently—lies content in your arms, purring into your chest as you thread through long, sleek fur. A voice nags at the back of your mind that petting him is a little peculiar, but his hair is like silk. You can’t help it.
Satoru, ever the asshole, batted away all your efforts to pet him, and is now left in his regret to wander circles around your ankles. Angry, dilated pupils never leave Geto—who remains blissfully indifferent—as Gojo paws at your feet to be rewarded even a glance.
“It’s the side effect of a cursed spirit. I’m assuming it went ‘whoosh’ and they went ‘psshhh’.” Shoko makes a shrinking motion with her hands. “And now they’re cats.”
A frown weighs down your lips at her lackluster explanation. “I don’t think I understand—”
“Anyway, it should wear off in a couple days.” Her pen swivels in your direction, eyes steady trained on her paperwork. “You gonna need my help buying supplies?”
“Huh—!” The words choke up in your throat. “Why are they coming with me?”
Shoko finally spares you a glance, an audacious look as if you asked something idiotic. “Oh, please, you really think they’d be happier staying with me? Besides, I don’t wanna do it. Duh.”
There’s also the unspoken assumption that she wants the apartment to herself for a couple days. Or to have Utahime over in peace but, ultimately, you’ll be stuck catering to this feline duo.
“God, I—, fine.”
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The journey back to your place is going smoothly, save for when Gojo conveniently decides to figure-8 between your steps. Or stop in front of every sweets shop to blink his giant, round cat eyes at you over his miniature sunglasses.
“He’s so cute!,” a passing older lady stops to fawn over him. “Look at him and his little glasses, how adorable!”
And you just offer up a grin, afraid to dip a toe into this awkward small talk as if Gojo has always been this talkative, adorable kitty—knowing just yesterday he had you in a headlock over not sharing your own dessert with him. You also don’t want to be susceptible to any related teasing whenever they turn back, brushing off her comments with forced laughter as you continue onwards.
Gojo lags behind, responding to the woman with some proud cat noises before running ahead to reach your side again. Unfortunately, right on his heels is this persistent older lady.
You can hear her firing off a barrage of questions and statements: “What’s his name? Is he a Persian? I have a little gal at home that looks just like him!”
It’s a struggle not to roll your eyes. Sure, her chatter is innocent, but you don’t want to be bothered. Besides, these are not some childhood pets accompanying you on an errand—they’re two, 6-foot-tall boys in feline bodies, primed to snag onto any questionable comment you make as ammo to bully you in the future.
“His name is Gojo. Not sure of his breed. I just got him.”
Uninterested tone, closed-off body language, pace picking up—none of it seems to be enough to deter her.
“He looks so nurtured!”
Said he looks cranky and tired, legs a blur as Gojo runs to keep your pace. He growls out obvious complaints, nipping and clawing at your ankles to slow you down.
“You must be such a wonderful cat momma to him! I bet he’d make some pretty babies—“
Suguru makes a stuttered, breathy noise in your ear, an amused chuff that must be his cat version of laughter.
An incoming crosswalk threatens to leave you at the mercy of her conversation. Your eyes are trained on the mocking, red hand, the one thing that prevents you from booking it to the other side of the street.
You’re forced to slow down as you draw nearer to the heap of people awaiting the signal change.
Her “Could I get a picture of him?” sends a shudder down your spine. Perhaps jaywalking would grant you a ticket out of this.
The crossing icon switches right before you’re forced to a complete stop, and a sigh of relief escapes as you maneuver through a a confused crowd. Mutters of apology are left in your trail of dust, along with the ear-catching clamors of a white kitty.
You only peep behind you for a brief second, Suguru’s ticklish fur floating around in your nose, and you spot the lady getting swept away by the wave of ongoers. Her voice is lost beneath the sea, a camera-yielding hand flailing above unbothered heads.
Geto flicks a bushy, dark tail over your face, thoroughly getting hair on your tongue this time around. You’re about to turn and scold him before skidding to a halt right before colliding with a large, metal pole.
His white-furred partner is not so lucky, though he only makes an abrupt faceplant into the back of your lower calves. Gojo plops back on his rear, giving a low meow as he uses a paw to straighten his crooked sunglasses.
“Thanks, Suguru” you mutter, and he flicks an ear in response, continuing to guard his spot on your shoulder for the remainder of the journey. Geto is mostly silent, save for the occasional silky mew to either grab your attention or get his explorative friend in line.
Upon entrance to your apartment building, Satoru only seems to grow more unruly. He leaps onto the front desk, spitting sharp grievances as you gather him up and layer apologies to the worker behind the counter. Suguru makes sure to land a few light warning taps on his head, almost slipping off your shoulder when Gojo retaliates with his own irated slaps. The scene of you tottering into the elevator while also breaking up a literal cat fight makes for quite the show for the few people in the lobby.
“Looks like you’ve got your hands pretty full, eh?,” a man chuckles, arm held over the elevator doors so you may stumble inside.
“I don’t—stop it, you two—know what I’m gonna do with them,” you sigh, and he replies with a sympathetic head shake.
The doors ease shut, and then what should have been a short trip to your room is prolonged when Gojo decides he wants to swat at the buttons. Now, on top of stopping at floors where there are actual people waiting, you’re stuck visiting six others that he and his mischievous paws have so chosen. And also forced into more awkward interactions of people complimenting your wonderful animal caretaking skills.
“The black one is so well-behaved.,” a young brunette fawns. She raises a hand to scratch under Suguru’s chin, face falling in embarrassment when he pulls away from her. “O-oh, I’m sorry.”
You can’t tell if she’s apologizing to you or him.
A short cough disguises your giggle, and you inform her, “Ah, it’s fine, he’s just weary of other people.”
She seems reassured at your words, glancing at a wriggling Satoru in your grasp. “He doesn’t look too interested in being pet, either, haha.”
Gojo weighs heavy in your arms, and you readjust to get a better grip on him, ignoring his meows of complaint. “Yeah, he’s kind of an asshole—“mrrow!”—and he might scratch, so I’d advise against it.”
A shy grin spreads on her lips, and then the girl is exiting the lift, waving goodbye to you and the two kitties.
Upon reaching your own floor, Gojo zooms out into the hallway, vocalizations echoing in the empty corridor. Geto remains carefully seated on your shoulder, leaning onto your head and surely leaving strands of cat fur in your own hair. The white cat speeds ahead until he arrives at your door, and then immediately begins another cacophony of loud meows, seemingly in an effort to rush you.
“Satoru, be quiet!”, you whisper-shout at him from down the hall. The words are barely audible in your own ears over the sound of his impatient yells.
They only die down once your keys enter the lock, and Gojo slithers inside the second the door is cracked, Geto not far behind as he leaps from his anchor point. You roll the joint in a circle—he’s so cute as a little parrot on your shoulder, but the lack of weight is a welcome relief.
“Jeez, Suguru, you’re kinda heavy.” The obvious offense in his low ‘mrow?’ makes you giggle. “I’m gonna get changed and then I’ll make dinner after. Be right back!”
There’s a pitter patter of steps, and Gojo is sidling up next to you for your upstairs trip. He pounces onto the bed, watching as you grab a shirt (his) off a chair at your desk, and a pair of leggings from the closet. Geto resides at the top of the stairs to supervise, ready to intervene should his idiot other half start causing more trouble.
With the clothes in your hands, your next stop is the bathroom, though you halt in the vacant doorway with Gojo right on your heels.
“Ummmm…,” you scoff a laugh as blue eyes blink up at you. “Satoru, you’re not watching me change.”
He replies a conjoined, high-pitched ‘mrow-row?’, not making an effort to move. Geto strolls over and bats at his fluffy, white rear, an unamused look in his violet eyes. While Gojo turns to defend his haunches, you giggle a ‘Thanks, Suguru!’ for the second time and disappear into the bathroom, promptly ignoring the dull smack of a paw and a loud hiss as your hip bumps the door shut.
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A white head snaps in your direction upon your reappearance. Gojo trots forward to greet you, bushy tail straight up in a friendly gesture. His calmer counterpart is nowhere to be found when a flash of black catches your attention, and you spot Geto balanced on the railing of your bedroom.
“Keepin’ an eye on Satoru?” You realize you’re talking to him in somewhat of a babified pet voice, but he doesn’t seem to mind, only purring happily as you scratch a finger under his chin.
Someone doesn’t like that, and your hand rapidly recoils as an angry Gojo steadies on his hind legs, shouting angry yowls and hisses and furiously slamming a paw at any part of Geto he can reach, sending the black cat plummeting off the railing and you hear him land on the level below with a loud thud.
“Satoru Gojo!” Named cat looks back at you like he didn’t just essentially push Suguru to his doom. “You’re gonna behave in my house, sir, or I’m sending you back to Shoko!” He opens his mouth to complain, but you cut off Gojo’s meow with another scolding. “Nah ah, I don’t want to hear it! Don’t start trouble or it’s to the shelter, ya hear?”
His ears flatten back, expression akin to what you can only describe as intense worry, and Gojo grants you a final, pleading meow as he stands again, front paws against your leg. You reach down to pet behind his little ears, and he leans a fuzzy head into your palm, tail swishing as the rumbling in his throat grows louder.
“You’re such a baby.”, comes your gentle coo as Satoru’s lids ease shut. “Could’ve asked for pets way better than that.”
You only reward his bad behavior for a moment. The caress of your hand stops far too soon for Gojo’s liking, and he’s right behind to follow you back down to the first floor. Geto meets you halfway, looking behind you and leaving you to continue on interrupted. There’s the sharp sound of a ‘smack!’ and a pair of tiny, blue sunglasses tumble past to land at the bottom of the stairs.
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“Ah, ah! Satoru, get down!”
The guilty feline goes skedaddling off the countertops, casting Geto an envious glare as he scampers to sit right at the threshold where your kitchen meets the living room.
Your eyes narrow at him, suspicious and distrustful, before returning to your cooking under Geto’s careful examination from the marble surface. His tiny nose livens up at the savory smells wafting around the kitchen, pink tongue darting over a furry mouth as he curiously eyes the fried rice in the pan.
The delicious scent of cooked meat creeps up his nostrils, and Geto turns to eye his slice of the chicken breast you’ve so graciously blessed him with. It’s only partially nibbled on so a third of it still remains, but if Satoru had his way, both he and Suguru’s servings of the meat would have long since been given a home on his endless stomach. It’s why your gaze keeps traveling around the room. You’re keeping tabs on Gojo and his greedy whereabouts.
Speak of the devil—barely two minutes later and the snowy thief is back. His shrill meows pierce your eardrums, restless paws tracing steps between your feet, scurrying behind your couch when he almost trips you only to eventually return when your scowl has disappeared.
The air of your apartment feels happy, jubilant. It’s so serene considering these two are in the same room together. Just the sizzle of food, the background noise of the television, and Gojo’s constant yowling for any smidge of your attention—though it feels domestic in a way if you don’t think too hard on the fact that it’s Satoru. Maybe there’s also the quiet sounds of chewing whenever Geto decides he wants another bite of his chicken.
The hassle comes whenever you turn your head and Gojo makes his move, leaping onto the counter to cause havoc. His troublemaking comes in a plethora of ways, but his favorites seem to be taking a bite out of Suguru or attempting to steal whatever leftover scraps are in his sight. His sneaky plans are foiled by the black cat either wrestling him back onto the floor or meowing an alarm so that the Gods (you) may banish Satoru from the kitchen once again.
Matters are only made worse when you offer Suguru a piece of egg from your now-finished dinner, and the exiled, white cat screeches in a show of utter betrayal.
“Oh my god, Satoru.” You pluck another chunk of poultry from the skillet, kneeling to present it in your palm. “Here.”
Suguru’s eyes narrow at his dramatic feline partner, ears twisted back and dropped to flatten against his head as the tip of his black tail flicks back and forth.
Gojo pads over. His pink nose looks adorable, scrunched up as he sniffs your hand for a second or two before licking his lips, and then he snatches the cooked egg from your hand and scurries off. There’s a large sigh behind you; Geto gives you a half-lidded eye-roll from his new spot at the edge of the counter, before voicing a short ‘mroh’.
You grin at him. “He’s such a goofball, isn’t he?” ‘Mrow-ow’.
With your meal finally ready and a grumbling stomach, you curl up on the couch, bowl of oyakodon in hand. The movie playing on the tv is boring, and also halfway done so it doesn’t hold an ounce of your interest. Even so, you try not to notice the pair of blue eyes peeking at you over the coffee table.
Ignoring Satoru and his hungry gaze makes for a far more entertaining game. The tip of his bushy, white tail is visible from where you sit, swaying side to side as Gojo eyes your bowl of food.
“You’re not getting any, Satoru, you’ve already eaten most of the kitchen, today.”
‘MrraAAH!’ He lets loose a dramatic scream, squinting sky blues at you.
Gojo’s so focused on vacuuming up any possible crumbs that he doesn’t notice the black shadow creeping up behind him. It’s not until Suguru paws at his snowy-colored fur that his cerulean eyes turn towards him. They hold each other’s gaze before Geto ducks out of your sight, and soon Gojo with him. There’s a sound of scuffling, someone’s frantic meows, and then the white kitty skids into view with Geto pinning him down, both wrestling as he tries to sink teeth into Satoru’s back.
You take another nonchalant bite of food. “Get his ass, Suguru.”
Gojo’s continual wriggling finally grants him freedom from the black feline’s clutches. You watch in amusement as he flees the scene, Geto hot on his tail. Satoru goes careening around the corner of the coffee table, nails scraping your hardwood floors so he’s stuck gliding like a cartoon character before disappearing from view; Suguru takes a more parkour-ish approach, rebounding off the wall and he goes flying into his target if the following ‘thud’ and ‘MRAH!’ is of any indication.
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A late-evening shopping trip wasn’t on the schedule for today, but there was an unfortunate flaw in today’s system: the call of nature for your two new kitties.
Your original plan was to get everything tomorrow. Cat food and bedding could be improvised for tonight, and Satoru was enough entertainment for he and Suguru together. One thing had slipped your mind until you found the two causing a racket atop your closed toilet—a litter box.
One quick trip later, and now you’re back home arranging their little tray, pouring the grey pebbles inside and hiding it on a mat in the corner of your living room where they could have more privacy.
“There ya go!” Your hands fall to your hips, looking proudly over your work. The two large cats stand on either side of you, glancing between you, each other, and their new bathroom. “Go on, now, don’t be shy.”
Satoru grants you an offended glare over his shades, while Suguru turns and walks away entirely, the tip of his tail flicking in annoyance.
“Hey, I went through the trouble to go out and get this thing for you two and this is how you repay me?” Satoru nips at your leg in response. “Ow! Stop that! Fine, hold it then, but you two better not do your business on my floors.”
Though they seemed adamant about not going in the litter box, you can see the idea nudging it’s way into their little heads as the urge to go grows stronger with time. You catch them sneaking glances at their designated corner, easing closer and closer to the box. Suguru sniffs at the entrance before leaving it again. Satoru apparently thinks keeping his back to it will make his need to use it go away.
“Mrooww!”, Geto voices to you, clawing at your front door.
You sigh at him. “Suguru, just use the litterbox.”
He produces a sound between a meow and a low growl, still showcasing his irritation with flat ears and a swaying tail.
“Is it too little? You two want something bigger? Or two separate litter boxes? Either way, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow because it’s late out and I’m not walking you all the way to the park for this.”
“Mroh..?”
Arms fold beneath your chest. “And you’re not going by yourself, either.”
Gojo circles your legs, letting out a low chuff. No doubt this is amusing to him. His pouty friend sighs and struts away like a stubborn child, hissing as Satoru bats at his lowered tail and leaving to hide somewhere in your room.
You move on with your nightly duties—tidying up your kitchen, putting away leftovers, keeping an eye out for the shenanigans of a white-haired feline. Maybe twenty minutes have passed, and you suddenly hear the scritch-scratch of litter being tossed around.
From the corner of your eye, you see a bundle of black whisps protruding from the entrance of the box. It’s not any of your business until you have to clean the thing out. For now, you’re just content he’s using it and not tampering with the health of his liver.
Then, through your peripherals, Gojo pops up next to the box, sitting just outside of it. He peeks inside, meowing, and jolts back as a black paw reaches out to slap him away. There’s an exchange of curious cat noises and irate yowls, before a screech echos from the litter box and you rush over to break up their impending battle.
“Satoru—,” you snatch him away, spitting out clouds of his shedding, white hair,”—give him some privacy, damn.”
You heave Gojo and his massive self up your stairs throughout another set of his meowed complaints, watch as he cranes his head at the sound of more scratching litter.
“Why are you being a pervert trying to watch him pee?”, comes your exasperated question.
He wriggles expertly in your arms, instantly escaping your grasp around his upper body and goes fleeing downstairs no doubt to harass Geto again.
It’s the end of the day. You’re over it for tonight. “GET UP HERE.”
His swift steps and the scraping of litter both halt at the tone and base of your voice.
Satoru turns his shiny, blue eyes to you, head slightly lowered in shame like a child who knows they’ve angered their mom. He turns-tail, creeping back up the stairs with cautious steps. Once he reaches your side, blacks of his eyes wide and round, he gives you a squeaked ‘mrow…?’.
Geto peeks around the corner to peer up the steps at the sudden commotion, retreating when he sees your crossed arms and the fed-up taps of your foot.
“Up the stairs. Now.” Gojo skitters past you without a second thought. “You two, Suguru, let’s go. It’s bedtime.”
A short pause, and then he comes trotting up to the second floor, tail raised straight up and he gives a flurry of bright meows as he obeys your command.
They’re both on the bed by the time you travel the remaining few steps to your bedroom. Both sit side-by-side, obedient and still and awaiting your next move.
“I’m gonna finish my routine. Don’t you two start any trouble while I’m busy, ya hear?”
A harmonized ‘mrrow!’.
“Good boys.” You clap your hands together with a grin. “Now get ready for bed.”
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“Satoru, you can’t sleep there.”
While Geto has, of course, chosen a more ideal, comfier spot for bedtime near the edge of your bed, his counterpart takes a more…spacious approach. They’re both rather large cats, so him laying sprawled out on his back, smack-dab in the center in a spread-eagle is not the most suitable place for Gojo to slumber.
Your words elicit no reaction from him—not besides the flick of his ear, anyway. Geto’s tail swishes from side to side, a tell that he’s about to bop Gojo with a harsh paw to the face and a hiss. And he does just that, but it seems Gojo has caught on as he grabs hold of the furry black arm with his paws. You watch the duo wrestle as he tries to sink fangs into Geto’s shoulder. They’re like toddlers fighting over a toy, and the scene just elicits a shake of your head in defeated amusement at their childish antics.
He’s got Gojo pinned to the bed, the latter bunny-kicking his hind legs in futile efforts to shove Geto off him, before they both go tumbling onto the floor, breaking up their little quarrel. The two scurry off in opposite directions, Geto under the bed and Gojo into the open door of your bathroom. Two loud thumps. Your butt hasn’t even hit the mattress before the sound of things falling catch your ears.
“Satoru…?,” you call out, disappointment evident in your tone. A second passes before his purred 'mrrr?' and you feel Geto’s whiskers brush your bare ankles as he peeks from his hiding spot. “Did you break something in there?” More silence, and then the smallest, cutest squeak followed by a blue eye that peeks around the corner.
Walking into the bathroom, you’re not met with completely heinous results. He must’ve ricocheted off the walls to make such a mess in such few seconds. Your toothpaste and a few makeup products are spilled onto the floor, and Satoru approaches with your toothbrush carried in his teeth. Hands on your hips and a brow quirked, you just take it and make a mental note to get a new one in the morning.
“Alright.” The sound of your double claps echo off the tile. “Out. Both of you.” And off they go.
It takes a few extra minutes to clean up Gojo’s small mess, and bedtime this time around is easier when a large white cat isn’t trying to take up majority of the bed. You settle beneath the sheets, Suguru curling up on the other, unoccupied pillow this time, and Satoru so graciously plops down to lay on the curve of your back.
“Comfy now?,” you crane your neck to address the cat whose head rests at the incline of your ass. He murmurs a low meow in return, and you turn to Suguru, who’s eyes are the only thing you can see in the darkness. “And you?” The subtle sound of purring emits from his throat.
“Okay. G’night, you two.” And you are lulled off to sleep with their low, harmonious rumbling.
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tagz: @anthoosies @staryukis @elusivemoon @yunymphs @hellkaiserinphoenix @plutowrites @babytoshiii
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jeannineee · 8 months
Text
Closure (Ⅲ)
Azriel x Reader
a/n: part three!! Comment if you’d like to be added to part four :) quickly proofread, sorry for any errors
Requests are open for headcanons/short blurbs
ALSO IM A BIT NERVOUS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS PART IS GOOD SO YALL LMK PLS
Part 1
Part 2
PART FOUR
warnings: angst, allusions to sex (18+ please)
“What are you and Azriel doing?”
Mor’s question drew your attention from the book in your hands. You sat up on the couch, hugging your knees to your chest.
“I don’t know.”
That was the truth. You had no idea. It had been a few days since that evening with Azriel in the Hewn City. Unsurprisingly, he hadn’t spoken to you since.
Mor sighed, taking a seat on the couch beside you. “I thought you said you ended things with him.”
“I—I did. But…” you trailed off, fidgeting with the spine of your book. “…I can’t stay away from him.”
“Because he’s your mate.” Mor said. A statement, not a question.
Shock was written all over your face. “How did you know that?”
“Anyone with a brain can see it. Except for Azriel, apparently.”
You looked away, finding sudden interest in Feyre’s family painting on the wall. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why?” Mor’s voice was soft, understanding.
“Because he is only interested in Elain.”
Mor went silent for several moments. “I think Azriel feels he isn’t worthy of you.”
“That’s nonsense.”
Mor snorted, twirling her golden hair around her forefinger. “Trust me, I know. But as long as I’ve known him, Azriel has always thought himself to be a bastard-born nobody, undeserving of anything good.”
Something in your soul ached at that. You knew Azriel had issues with his self-esteem, but you didn’t realize just how much it affected him.
At your silence, Mor continued, “Despite his inferiority complex, his behavior is uncalled for. He shouldn’t be stringing you along while entertaining Elain.”
“I know.”
“And you need to grow a backbone.”
You glared. “I have a backbone.”
“Not with Azriel, you don’t.”
You couldn’t argue with that, as much as you hated to admit it. Perhaps it was the bond, that made you so weak to his advances. Perhaps it was your own naïveté.
“Do you…” You swallowed thickly, the question catching in your throat. “Do you think he knows about the bond?”
“I’m not sure.”
~~~~~~~~
Later in the day, you retired to your bedroom, after spending a few hours training with Nesta and Cassian. You loosed a sigh of relief and contentment as you settled into a warm bath, the scent of lavender and eucalyptus wafting through the air.
Normally, a bath would be enough to relax you, and calm your thoughts. But Azriel weighed heavily on your mind. As did your conversation with Mor.
Half an hour passed by, filled with overthinking. Scowling, you rose from the bathtub, wrapping a towel around your form, and headed into your bedroom.
Before you could enter your closet, a knock sounded on your door. You didn’t need to hear his voice to know who it was.
“Y/n.” Azriel called from the hall. “Can I come in?”
You replaced the towel with a silk robe, and sat on the edge of your bed. “Come in.”
Azriel silently entered your room, his shadows much more active than normal. The shadows only behaved that way when he spent time with Elain—they disappeared in her presence.
Yet the shadows reveled in yours.
If the shadows weren’t hint enough as to where Azriel had been earlier in the day, Elain’s flowery scent ensnared your senses. You swallowed down bile.
The Shadowsinger cleared his throat, leaning back against the dresser that stood against the wall, a few feet away from you.
“Did you need something?” You asked him.
Azriel chuckled. “Do I need an excuse to see you?”
You fidgeted with your hands. “I have things to do, so…”
“It doesn’t seem like it,” Azriel replied, taking a step forward. His shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal the tanned, muscular chest beneath, and the black, swirling tattoos that marked his skin. “I just wanted to check on you.”
“How kind.” You didn’t bother hiding the annoyance you felt.
“Did I do something wrong?”
You snorted. “Why are you so hot and cold with me? One moment, you’re trying to get me into your bed, and the next, you’re ignoring me for weeks at a time. Why?”
“I have other responsibilities to attend to outside of our friendship.”
You knew those ‘responsibilities’ likely included time spent with Elain. But you didn’t voice that.
Azriel continued, “You know, you can come to me, too. It doesn’t always have to be me who initiates conversation.”
“You’re never around. You don’t tell me where you are, what you’re doing.”
“As I said, I have responsibilities,” Azriel said, before sitting on the bed beside you.
“That’s a piss-poor excuse,” you muttered, not daring to look him in the eye, despite the bond urging you to do so.
Azriel scoffed. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
At that, you whipped your head towards him. “I want my friend back. I want…” You stopped yourself before the next words could leave you.
You wanted him. Wanted—needed more than friendship. You needed your mate. But instead, you repeated, “I want my friend back.”
“You have me,” Azriel said, reaching a hand to cup your face.
Your eyes fluttered shut as he swiped his thumb over your cheekbone. Damn him.
Part of you wanted to protest—to push him away. But each time he touched you, it felt as though every broken piece of you was being put back into place.
“You have me,” Azriel murmured again, brushing his lips against your forehead. He placed a soft kiss to each of your cheeks before his lips melded to your own.
Elain’s flowery scent filled your nose once again, yanking you back into reality. You abruptly broke away from the kiss, rising to your feet.
“Y-You should leave,” you sputtered out, furiously readjusting your hair, your robe.
“Do you not want to…?” Azriel let the question hang as he too, stood from your bed.
“Are you serious?” You spat the question. The casualness in his words, his actions sent you into a white-hot, blind rage. “Not when I can smell Elain all over you.”
Azriel stiffened, but didn���t respond.
You laughed, but the sound was devoid of any humor. “I don’t know what I was even thinking.”
The bond. It had to be the bond, making you forget yourself with him. He still smelled like Elain, for fuck’s sake. For that alone, you would’ve sent lesser males running.
“It always comes back to Elain,” Azriel said, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Shouldn’t it? How can you—do you even understand what you’re doing to me?”
Azriel looked taken aback. He opened and closed his mouth, coming short of a reply.
You debated simply kicking Azriel out of your room, and leaving it at that. But all the emotions of the last several weeks came bubbling to the surface, threatening to spill over. So you let the words fly out, consequences he damned.
“You are hurting me, Azriel. You—each time you come to me, only to turn around and go to Elain? That fucking hurts. It’s confusing, and I don’t deserve it.”
You loosed a breath, continuing, “I don’t know what you do with her. I don’t know what you feel for her. I don’t care anymore. Just leave me out of it, because it’s hurting me.”
You braced yourself. Braced yourself for a screaming match; an argument. Part of you thought that maybe he’d even laugh at you.
Instead, Azriel merely walked out of your room in silence.
That was far worse.
~~~~~~~~
“What’s got Azriel so pissed off?” Cassian asked you from where he stood on the balcony, nursing a mug of coffee.
“Y/n put him in his place last night,” Nesta interjected, her voice lined with amusement. “Poor Illyrian baby couldn’t take it.”
Cassian grinned. “Rhysie will have a field day when he hears about this.”
You rolled your eyes, staring down at the glass of water in your hands. “Yes, laugh at my turmoil,” you muttered sarcastically.
Nesta and Cassian shared a laugh at that, before the former patted your back comfortingly. “Don’t worry. We’ll go to Rita’s tonight and make you forget all about it.”
~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, Nesta’s idea of “making you forget all about it” included her running off with Cassian into the bathroom after an entire thirty minutes at Rita’s, leaving you alone at your booth, stone-cold sober and mildly annoyed.
After another ten minutes of sitting alone like an outcast, you were prepared to call it quits.
That was, until Eris Vanserra slid into the seat across from you, two mixed drinks in hand.
“Y/n,” he greeted with a smirk, sliding you one of the drinks. “It’s been a while.”
“Not long enough,” you muttered as you took a large swig from your glass.
Eris chuckled, amusement lining his expression. “Always the charmer. How’ve you been?”
“I’m fine. What are you doing in Velaris?”
“Tsk. Not even going to ask how I’m doing?”
You stared.
Eris sighed dramatically, though you noticed his lips twitching up in a smile. “Alright. I’m here for a few days. Just visiting.”
“I highly doubt you’re ‘just visiting.’”
“Believe what you want.” Eris mused, leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands. He studied you for a moment, before adding, “You seemed a bit lonely. No males around to warm your bed?”
You took another gulp of your drink. “My bed is of no concern to you.”
Eris grinned, undeterred by your disinterest. “Come on. Loosen up. Play with me.”
Perhaps it was the alcohol kicking in a bit sooner than normal. Or perhaps it was your determination to get Azriel off of your mind. You didn’t particularly care to find out as you replied, “What do I get if I do?”
Eris’s grin became feline. “Whatever you want.”
~~~~~~~~
The first thing that greeted you when you awoke the next morning was a pounding headache. You were never drinking again.
Your grogginess quickly eddied into panic as you realized Eris was sleeping beside you. If you pulled away the blanket that covered the lower half of his form, you were almost certain he’d be—
“It’s not polite to stare,” Eris murmured tiredly, his abs rippling as he sat up in bed, the blanket that previously covered his form sliding away.
You quickly averted your gaze, and rose from the bed, throwing on the nearest piece of clothing.
“My shirt looks lovely on you,” Eris mused, still lounging on your bed as though he owned it.
Your cheeks flushed. You cleared you throat, attempting to find any amount of dignity within yourself as you said, “You should probably leave.”
Eris chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t overstay my welcome.” He stood from the bed, and dressed himself. You prepared to return his shirt, but he halted you. “It looks better on you. Keep it.”
You cursed yourself as your cheeks flushed an even deeper color.
“I have to return home this afternoon,” Eris explained as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “But if you ever want a repeat of last night…”
You gave him a pointed look. “Eris, as much as I enjoyed—“
“Oh, I know you enjoyed it. Multiple times. You were quite vocal in showing it.”
“As much as I enjoyed it,” you began again with slight annoyance, “I think it best that we don’t do this again.”
Eris shrugged, unfazed. “That’s fine. You were a lot of fun,” he replied as he prepared to leave your room. “For what it’s worth, though, you are…nice to be around.”
You supposed that was the closest you were getting to a compliment from him.
You opened your mouth to respond, but Eris left before you could.
~~~~~~~~
The coffee you drank was a welcome remedy for your headache. Tiredness still gnawed at you from where you sat at the dining table, allowing your thoughts to wander.
You didn’t particularly regret last night. Eris was…fun. A distraction, even. Perhaps you’d take him up on his offer, in the future.
“Next time you bring a male over, at least have the decency to sneak him out,” Azriel said from behind you, his face frozen with rage.
You laughed. Laughed, to your own surprise. “I dealt with centuries of you, Mor, and Cassian bringing people home. Cope.”
The finality in your tone seemed to piss Azriel off even more. “You even smell like him, for Cauldron’s sake.”
It was then that you realized you still wore Eris’s shirt. Again, you didn’t particularly care. “Good,” you spat out as you stood from your chair. “Maybe now you’ll know how I feel when you smell like Elain.”
“Did you fuck him?”
You weren’t sure why he asked. He already knew the answer.
“What does it matter?”
“Did you?”
“Did you fuck Elain?”
Azriel went silent.
“Allow me to make one thing clear, Azriel,” you started, taking a step closer to him. “I am not yours. You are not mine. What I do, with anyone, is none of your business. Just as what you do, is no concern of mine.”
You ignored the way the bond hammered against your chest in protest. The way you could feel his hurt surging through you like a tidal wave. Good. Let him feel what you’ve felt for months, now.
Azriel didn’t respond. Typical.
You started to leave, but Azriel’s next words had your breath catching short in your lungs.
“I know about the bond.”
You weren’t breathing. It felt as though the floor had been swept out from under you.
You turned back around, facing him. “What?”
“I’ve known for almost a year.”
A year. He’s known longer than you have.
You couldn’t bring yourself to form a proper response—you could hardly think over the roaring in your head.“Then why would you—Elain—what?”
Azriel took a step forward, to which you immediately stepped back.
Azriel began, “There is no excuse—“
“You’re right,” you sneered, “there is no excuse.”
“I’m sorry—“
“Save it.”
Azriel’s throat bobbed. He reached out a hand, as if to caress your face. “Y/n—“
“Do not presume to touch me. Ever again.”
You hurried out of the dining room before you could further register the anguish on Azriel’s face.
The bond made you feel it all, anyway.
~~~~~~~~
taglist: @brekkershadowsinger @1nksta1neddesk @naturakaashi @officialleehi @sirenpearldust @j-pendragonx @positivewitch @aria-chikage @kemillyfreitas @librafairy @bbycowboi @theotheory @cat-or-kitten @azriels-shadowsinger @anyzandy @orangecomfortfoods @stargirl1714 @bubybubsters @morrie-rose @rubygirly @woodland-mist @previousloversandmuses @valeridarkness @thelov3lybookworm @going-through-shit @fussel9913 @starlight-hope @venuseuripedis @tothestarsandwhateverend @llovelydove @infinitely-kate @luvmoo @ladespedidas @torchbearerkyle @whysoanxious @hannzoaks @harrystylesfan2686 @amieinghigh @portkeytomyworld @i-am-infinite @leafsandstarlight @naturakaashi @illyrian-dreamer @wannabewolf @marvelpotter @thegirlintheshadows101 @nastynesta @honeycriess @anxemoon
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cerastes · 1 year
Text
I think some people need to hear this, so I want to say it.
The moment you start taking something seriously, that moment you decide “I’m going to improve at this, I’m going to become better at this”, you become slightly worse at it. This applies to everything: Art, games, sports, analysis, research, anything. You become slightly worse at it because you are actually thinking about it.
For most things, most people tend to run on autopilot, not particularly thinking too much and getting it over with or just enjoying it in the moment. When you really want to improve at something, though, you become slower and a bit worse at it, because now you are thinking about it, you are noticing things, you are making conscious decisions that are not as fast or as spontaneous or as natural as you just simply doing it. Now you’re performing, or attempting to.
This isn’t a bad thing.
It’s because of this period of temporary perceived weakness that we improve. That which we analyze, mull over, think hard about it, we start internalizing it, and the more we internalize something, the better we become, because that now becomes a part of our autopiloting, if that makes sense to you. Slowly but surely, that thing you really needed to focus on to do properly now just comes naturally, and now you have a much better skillset without thinking about it.
And what happens after? Since you became better, you also understand more, and can notice more things, more things that those really good at the thing do, more things that you were doing wrong all along, and can now identify it was bad and that you have to correct it, and now you have more things to think about and internalize. The cycle repeats. You become better through periods of being worse. 
It’s a cruel balance.
Ask any illustrator or writer: First comes the honeymoon period where they are improving by leaps and bounds with experimentation, thought, and exercise. Then comes the downs. “Oh I am so god damn bad at drawing”. “I can’t write to save my life”. Why? Because the artist learns, and they can see things they couldn’t before, and now they see their improvement, but they also see their flaws. It is at these crossroads where the artist will ask themselves, “do I dare go through this period of self-admonishment, or do I go back to the comfy laurels?” The comfy laurels are stagnant, they never stop blooming, but they only bloom once. The self-admonishment is a harsh self-imposed winter, but the flowers that grow after it passes bloom several times, and as the snow clears, yet another crossroad stands before you, and we go back to the same question once more.
It’s a beautiful balance.
Where I am going with this is, if you find your commitment to something has instead made it harder, has made you sluggish, has made you see perhaps too much for your own comfort: Hang in there. These are growing pains. You need these, and they aren’t wonderful to go through and good lord do they weigh heavily on you... Why? Because you care. That’s why you’ll improve. Hang in there.
It’s a necessary balance.
Hang in there. You’ll improve so much. You’ll be incredible, and then go on to agonize hundreds of times more and improve thousands of times more. Hang in there. If it was easy to improve, then there wouldn’t be merit to it. It’s hard because it matters, it’s difficult because you care. If you didn’t care, you’d be blind to hardship, but to so many beautiful things you can only experience after you’ve sought adversity. In the end, the rest follows, but only if you follow through.
Hang in there. You are getting better.
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Note
The boys reaction on the reader breast feeding 😅
Like would they want to taste it or would they watch idk lol up to you I feel comfortable 🫶🏻
Breastfeeding (Fluff)/(18+)
Bayverse!Turtles x reader
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A/N: oop. Don’t mind if I do👀💚 Not super long this time, as I've had a long ass day😭💚
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Warnings: I’m not sure if breastfeeding needs a warning, but I’m just gonna put it anyway to be safe.
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Leonardo:
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Leo could not explain it, but watching you breastfeed their children did something to him. It has never been in a turtle's nature to seek out their parents. Once the egg was laid, they were on their own. And therefore it obviously wasn’t a common thing to see a turtle suckle their mother's breast for milk. Damn it, turtles don't even have nipples. But with your children being part human, the need for breast milk was there, and to Leo the sight was… interesting. In all honesty, he found peace in the sight, watching you throughout the years with all four of your children. It was a different way of meditation for Leo, to sit with you and your child, in the moment your child’s small hungry cries turned to a content silence.
Raphael:
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This might sound strange, but Raph found it hot when you were breastfeeding. To be blunt and honest, he thought you looked absolutely amazing, and at times he wondered if he was willing to have another child, just to see you like that again, when you’re just sitting there with your tit out in the open, but other than that, he couldn't really explain why. Sure, your child was gaining sustenance from your nipple and he knew better than to ever interrupt that, but he just couldn’t keep his thoughts from going to that dirty place. And he would take you with him to that place, when you’ve laid your kid to bed, fighting the urge to put another child in you. It was like you brought a smaller mating season on to him every time, something he had thought had ended with your last child. But he still found himself thinking back upon it, weighing whether the pros and cons, figuring out if it was worth one more child.
Donatello:
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Donnie enjoyed watching you breastfeed for many different reasons. You were his wife, so of course he found a sense of joy and happiness while watching you feed your child. It brought him peace to know that both you and his child felt good and comfortable, and watching you in these moments made him feel warm and happy. Who would have thought that he ever got to experience something like this? But of course, it also evoked the more science oriented side of Donnie. He could not help but analyze and take mental notes, learning from all he saw, in order to understand. It was the way of nature, and in this case, two different natures coming together and forming a new one.
Michelangelo:
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Breastfeeding was a curious wonder to Mikey. He had never seen it before, and he did not know that was a thing with humans before you had your first child. There was no doubt that Mikey definitely wanted to taste. It started out with genuine curiosity. He wanted to know why his kids would whine and grab for their mother’s breast whenever they were hungry, thinking it had something to do with the flavor. It took some time before you let Mikey taste, had he seemed disappointed when he learned that there weren't any spectacular flavors, but just… milk. But nonetheless, Mikey could not help but find the whole thing a little exciting, and now you had to put up with not just a hungry child, but your imaginative husband.
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bitchy-craft · 6 months
Text
What They Find Attractive About You | Pick A Pile
Hello and welcome to this Pick A Pile! In here you'll find out what your person finds attractive about you. I hope you guys enjoy and find this useful. Do make sure to leave comments down below on your experience! I do want to remind you all that this is a General Pick A Pile which means this is for a lot of people: therefore keep what resonates and leave what doesn't.
Masterlist > Questions > Paid Readings
Pick A Pile!
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Pile 1:
They find your eyes attractive because of the kindness that’s behind them, the mysteries that are behind them and that calculative look that is behind them. They love how you can share things or weigh certain options against one another to see which decision will have the best outcome. They love how you can be confident when voicing your opinion but are still able to be humble throughout.
They find the fact that you are a strong person attractive. And they love to see you grow in your confidence and knowledge; they love to see you successful and be independent. They adore you and find you such a powerful person. They find your persistency attractive; they love when you want to figure something out and understand something you chase that answer until you find it, you chase that explanation until you find it.
Pile 2:
They find your creativity attractive about you. They love how you are able to think of new and fun ideas and are really excited about them; they sometimes compare your excitement to being childish, but that’s what they like to see from time to time since you also have a serious side to you where you show your intellect and passion. Just you enjoying yourself and feeling happy they enjoy, they love to see you happy and love knowing that you feel confident enough to show these sides of your personality to them.
You might be a bit chaotic, and often times that may not come in handy, but they find it extremely charming to see you like that. Sometimes you may want to do things you deem not possible, but they are there to support your odd and creative ideas. And when you do have ideas you believe are possible, you’ll think them through a lot, they love your eye for detail and the mix between creativity and realistic thinking.
Pile 3:
They love how much you care about so many things, that you find the littlest of things amazing, that you appreciate every, little gift or thing that comes in your life. They love how much empathy you possess, although they do understand that it brings it’s negative effects from time to time.
You are punctual and know what you need to do to succeed or get to your goal. You have a certain precision you make happen with kindness, something they look up to. They love how you are humble and kind but are still able to give yourself a loud voice to get what you want and convince other people your opinion is a great one and does indeed matter. They also find it incredibly attractive to see how you can be passionate about something, yet still watch from the side-lines or walk away from it entirely when you realise it might not be something for you, or something you should mix yourself with. You can sense when your opinion is needed in a situation, and you can sense when it’s best to simply watch or leave it alone.
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incognit0slut · 6 months
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Right Kind of Wrong (15)
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She ever thought she’d be involved in a murder investigation and encounter her one-night-stand again, the awkward guy who isn’t exactly that good in bed—Or is he? Offended by the sentiment, Spencer is determined to prove her wrong… But as he gets tangled with the beautiful stranger, he realizes there is more to her than what meets the eye.
Part Summary: Spencer is determined to find her whereabouts. wc: 3.5k
Series Warnings: 18+ explicit content, graphic details of murders, mentions of suicide, mentions of SA
A/n: I want to thank everyone for sticking to this series, don’t worry, I didn’t forget it, life has just been weird lately😔 Also I want to mention there’s like 5 parts left? I think
Other parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
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"REID, NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT."
Spencer wasn't sure how many times he heard those words. He knew they were told to bring him comfort, something his team members kept on reciting, yet a sense of skepticism gnawed at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were nothing more than lies. How could he not when the only thing he could do was blame himself for what happened?
His shoulders slumped, his eyes were filled with anguish, and his heart held a heavy burden of guilt.
He should've deduced the real Unsub.
He should've been the one keeping her safe.
You also should've never left her fucking house, you idiot.
He hated swearing, even if it was in his own mind—which, truthfully, was so much worse considering he despised being trapped in his own head. Possessing a psychology degree enabled him to understand the detrimental effects of being trapped within one's own thoughts, yet he couldn't escape the clutches of his own mind. The knowledge of this predicament weighed heavily on him, a cruel irony that he understood all too well.
"Pretty boy, are you even listening to me?"
He was, he just didn't want to respond. Morgan was the third person to say those words to him. The first came from JJ, who was the first one to assure him when he had a panic attack at the warehouse. Second was from Prentiss, who he met when he rushed to Y/n's house after collecting himself. And now Morgan was cornering him at the hospital as they waited for Sandy, laid in one of the rooms, to recover from her concussion.
"Reid."
"I heard you," he snapped. Then a thought occurred to him at Morgan's sudden knowledge of his involvement with their witness. "How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"The reason why I'm acting this way." He had to elaborate when Morgan merely raised his eyebrows. "Why I'm... blaming myself so much."
"Everyone knows you're involved with her. Heck, I knew it the first time we met her that night. Remember that? You pretended you didn't know her," Morgan recalled. "You weren't as subtle as you think."
God, that night seemed like it happened yesterday. He couldn't believe how much had happened, and to think she was just a stranger when he first met her, a stranger he would never see again... now all he could think about was her. Her smile. Her safety. His stomach churned. The guilt he felt was a relentless, gnawing ache that refused to let go.
Morgan suddenly pulled him. His sudden, determined grip propelled him toward the vending machine stationed at the far end of the hospital corridor. Irritated, he couldn't help but drag his feet along the floor. "What are you doing?"
"You need coffee," Morgan replied, "you function better with caffeine in your system."
"We need to wait for Sandy—"
"She's not going anywhere, Kid. There's no use hovering in front of her door now."
Reluctantly, Spencer gave in. He allowed his friend to pour a cup of coffee; the warmth and aroma offering a small comfort amidst the hospital's stark surroundings. Slowly, with a nod of gratitude, he accepted the cup from his outstretched hand.
"How are you holding up?" Morgan asked.
Spencer took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding to the question. "It's hard to process everything."
A heavy silence hung between them. Morgan's sigh broke the stillness, and he began, "Look, it's not—"
But Spencer cut him off, his voice tinged with guilt and self-blame. "Not my fault?" he said with a mix of frustration and anguish. "Morgan, I was there before it happened. I was at her house before I left to check the warehouse, just to step into his trap. The Unsub managed to pass through Officer Anderson and hurt her closest friend at the same time. If I was still there..."
"Reid, it's not about placing blame. You couldn't have known what would happen. The Unsub's actions were calculated and malicious, even if you had stayed, we can't predict how events would have unfolded." Morgan gave him a pointed look. "Blaming yourself won't help her, and it won't help you either."
Spencer's head shook with regret as he leaned against the cool hospital wall, his thoughts consumed by the painful memories of that night. "I hurt her," he confessed, his voice filled with remorse. "My words were hurtful, and so were my actions, and the thought of... the thought of her being in danger with the last thought of me—"
"We'll find her," Morgan assured him. "And when we do, you'll apologize to her for whatever happened."
Spencer gazed at him with a sense of desperation. In that instant, he unearthed a deep, previously unrecognized truth buried within his heart. It was a stark revelation, an understanding that struck him like a bolt of lightning amidst the storm of emotions he was weathering.
For the first time, he comprehended the true extent of his feelings. Until now, her presence in his life had been a catalyst, a spur-of-a-moment he never expected. He had taken her warmth for granted, never fully appreciating the depth of his attachment to her.
However, the threat to her safety had shattered his complacency. The fear of losing her, coupled with the regret of leaving their last interaction on such a bitter note, had awakened a realization within him. It hit him with a force that was as terrifying as it was enlightening. It was a moment of clarity, a realization that his feelings were far more significant than he had ever allowed himself to admit.
"You really like her, don't you?"
Spencer looked up, but before he could respond, his brief moment of vulnerability was abruptly interrupted by a sudden commotion. Without a second thought, he hastily left his coffee on a nearby chair and rushed toward the end of the hallway, Morgan following closely behind, as a doctor rushed into Sandy's room.
Between the flurry of medical staff, Spencer spotted a passing nurse and stepped into her line of vision. His voice was urgent, laced with concern as he asked, "What happened?"
The nurse delivered the news, "She's gaining consciousness," before swiftly disappearing into the room.
"We'll get some answers," Morgan reassured him from behind. "Don't worry, Reid, we'll find her."
Spencer nodded, his heart filled with a renewed sense of determination. The fact that Sandy had woken up was a glimmer of hope. It wasn't until a few minutes later the doctor emerged from the room, regarding the two men waiting in front of the door.
"She's awake and stable, but we'll need to monitor her for any potential complications." After a brief pause, the doctor continued, "It's apparent that she's still quite shaken. I would recommend that only one of you Agents speak with her."
They both nodded in agreement as the doctor left. Morgan turned toward Spencer. "You should talk to her."
He hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Morgan confirmed. "I'll go check on Oliver in the meantime."
Spencer's thoughts swirled with unease at the mention of Oliver, their suspected Unsub who had turned out to be a pawn in a larger scheme, who was lying unconscious on another floor. He nodded, and as Morgan walked away, he slowly gathered himself and entered the room.
Stark, white walls greeted him as he stepped inside, followed by the beeping sound of the monitors rhythmically punctuating the silence. Sandy lay in the bed, a fragile figure amidst the pristine white sheets. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling as he called out to her.
"Sandy?" Spencer carefully addressed her, observing the way she shifted on the bed before her gaze slowly met his. "I'm Dr. Spencer—"
"Reid," she finished for him, locking her gaze onto his with a surprising familiarity. "You're the FBI agent she's been talking about."
A moment of surprise shot through him, the realization that she had been talking about him caught him off guard. "She told you about me?"
"On a few occasions," she confessed, and then her gaze sharpened as she looked at him. "You hurt her."
Spencer's heart sank deeper, a heavy burden of guilt weighing him down. "What did she say?"
"She never really told us why she looked so sad that night, and considering you were mostly the topic of conversation when I was with her, I just assumed you had something to do with her mood swings."
His guilt deepened, yet he couldn't help but notice Sandy's choice of words. "Us? You both weren't alone?"
Sandy's gaze held a mixture of curiosity and concern. "What happened?" she pressed instead, her brows furrowing. "What happened after I passed out?"
Spencer took a hesitant step closer to the bed. "What do you remember?"
"I remember inhaling something disgusting."
He nodded gravely. "We suspect the Unsub used Chloroform on you."
Sandy's furrowed brow reflected both her confusion and unease. "What's an Unsub?"
"Unknown Subject, it's a term used when we haven't yet identified a suspect in a crime."
A heavy silence enveloped the room as Sandy absorbed the information. Her thoughts churned, and a growing sense of unease gnawed at her. A thought suddenly hit her. She glanced around the room, her anxiety mounting in the absence of her friend.
The question escaped her lips with an anxious edge to her voice. "Where's Y/n?"
Sandy didn't like the expression that crossed Spencer's face. It was a look that confirmed her worst suspicions, and a wave of dread washed over her as she braced herself for what he was about to say.
"We don't have that information," Spencer confessed, and the shock in her widened eyes was unmistakable. Her lips quivered as her thoughts raced, grappling with the gravity of the situation. She found herself haunted by guilt that this had somehow happened because of her.
"It's my fault," she whispered, her voice a mere breath, but the weight of her confession carried regret.
Spencer now understood what Morgan meant about avoiding self-blame. "It's not your fault," he reiterated. "Listen, there's no use in blaming yourself, what you can do is help us by recalling what you remembered that night."
Sandy's gaze remained troubled, but she eventually opened up about what had transpired, something he didn't see coming.
"I- It was Eric," she admitted, her voice trembling with the admission. "Eric came with me to her house."
Spencer was struck by shock and disbelief, his mind racing to process this revelation.
"Eric Adler?"
She nodded in confirmation, and his world collapsed.
Spencer wasn't perfect. He knew that, like anyone else, he could make mistakes. Typically, he accepted his humanity and the occasional errors that came with it. However, now was not the time for him to make any mistakes, not when her life hung on the line.
He felt like a complete idiot. He was renowned for his intellect and now it seemed as if his stupidity was mocking him. The realization of his own oversight infuriated him and a storm of anger surged through his veins. He was mad at himself, seething with frustration. He hastily fished out his phone and sent a message to Garcia.
Find everything you can on Eric Adler. Now.
Turning his gaze back to Sandy, his features shifted to a more grave demeanor. The urgency in his voice was palpable.
"Tell me everything you know."
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Her head was spinning. Y/n groaned at the relentless ache throbbing inside her head. It felt as though a sledgehammer was pounding her skull, every throb sending ripples of pain through her. Her body felt heavy, each limb an effort to move, and her eyelids seemed to be fused.
She managed to shift, and it was at that moment, as her fingers brushed against the coarse bedcover, that she realized she was lying on what appeared to be a bed. The mattress beneath her was surprisingly comfortable, a stark contrast to the chaos inside her head. She shifted again, and after countless attempts, she finally managed to blink her eyes open.
"Took you long enough, Sleeping Beauty."
The voice sent a jolt of panic surging through her, eyes widening as she strained to focus on her surroundings. The room was shrouded in darkness, save for the faint, flickering glow of an old lamp perched on top of a crate. Occasional beams of moonlight pierced through the dusty window panes, casting eerie, uneven patterns on the wooden floor.
The unmistakable scent of hay filled her senses, reinforcing the realization that she was in an old, rustic barn, long past its days of use. The walls, rough and weathered, seemed to close in on her, the space surprisingly narrow with the mattress beneath her positioned by the floor.
But that wasn't what surprised her the most. It was Eric, seated on a wooden chair that had clearly seen better days, watching her intensely with a smile on his face.
"If you hadn't woke up earlier, I would have resorted to my own methods," his smile looked even more ominous. "And I can assure you, you wouldn't have liked it."
Her wide eyes remained fixed on him. What happened to her kind coworker? Or her good friend? This was an entirely different man that she knew of. The eerie smile, so out of place in their past interactions, was etched onto his face like a sinister mask.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he pondered, leaning forward, his voice carrying an unsettling calmness. In his hand, she now realized, was a glinting knife, pointed at her way. "It's just me, Y/n, I'm no stranger to you."
He wasn't a stranger then, but he certainly was now. She stared at him, a creeping realization dawning as she slowly sat up, her fingers brushing against something cold and unyielding, and her heart sank.
"I wouldn't move too much if I were you."
Her eyes moved to the chain holding her, the metal bolted securely into the wall. It was a thick, unforgiving shackle, the links rough against her skin, the very sight of it sent shivers down her spine. Fear took a firm hold of her, like a vice squeezing her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She trembled, her voice shaking as she finally managed to speak, "W-Why are you doing this?"
"You're seriously questioning me when you should be thanking me instead?"
Her voice wavered as she responded, her fear making way for a touch of anger. "Thanking you for what? Murdering people?"
"They weren't innocent,” he spat, his anger flaring as he glared at her. "You should know better than to act as if you didn't want them dead."
"I didn't," she assured him.
"You resented them."
She let out a shaky breath. "...maybe, but I would never wish any of them harm." Then she choked out, "Why are you doing this, Eric?"
His features softened, his gaze locked onto hers as he leaned closer. "You really want to know the reason?" He held her gaze with a disturbing tenderness as he whispered, "Because I love you, Sweetheart."
Her heart pounded as his words hung in the air. "No, you don't," she quickly responded, her voice laced with a mixture of fear and disbelief. "If you did, you wouldn't have—"
"I said," he pressed on, the knife still pointing toward her, his eyes locked onto hers with an eerie intensity. "Because I love you."
She knew it was best not to provoke someone holding a knife. Instead, she carefully asked, her voice trembling, "Since when?"
"Ever since you started working with us," he replied with a smile that felt more disconcerting than affectionate. "You've always been very special to me."
"Why... why didn't you tell me?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, I was scared of rejection, I guess. You never took any interest in me, and surprisingly I was fine with that, so the only way I could care for you was to be your friend." He grinned, his smile devoid of any warmth. "And kill people who hurt you, of course."
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over and streaming down her face. Her trembling lips caught them, the taste of her own despair lingering on her tongue, a bitter flavor that seemed to confine the darkness of the moment.
"Oh, stop crying. They were never good enough for you," he chided. He got up and started to pace in front of her, his words steeped in a delusional justification for his actions. "Your scumbag of an ex? He should've seen it coming. That pervert of a lawyer? Should've cut him into pieces. And Jamison? Well, I honestly think I was doing a favor for everyone who hated him."
He gazed at her with a mixture of pity and disdain as she continued to cry, his expression an eerie blend of false sympathy. "Don't worry, I didn't kill them all..." He let out a sigh. "I took pity on Oliver."
"W-What did you do to him?" She cried, her voice breaking with a mix of fear and desperation.
"Gave him a few stabs, but nothing too serious," he replied casually, waving the knife through the air as if discussing a minor inconvenience. "He'll be fine."
Her heart sank at his callous response. "I thought you grew up together."
"I lied about not being close with him the other day, you know? We were best friends, actually. But that's another story to tell," he admitted, his words revealing a chilling aspect of his twisted psyche. He then glared at her, a mix of frustration and hostility in his eyes. "You seriously need to stop looking at me like that. I spared him, it was only a few stabs."
Anger surged within her, ignited by his disturbingly casual demeanor, and she found herself unable to suppress her mounting fury any longer. "You're fucking sick," she spat.
He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as he loomed closer. "You shouldn't talk to me like that," he emphasized, pointing the knife at her once more. "You're chained to the wall, I could do anything to you."
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the erratic beat of her heart, though the horror still gripped her like a vice. Her face was etched with a stark, unmistakable expression of fear and disbelief. He rolled his eyes.
"Don't act so scared now, I won't do anything—well, not now, at least," he stated with a laugh, taking a step back, as if he were granting her some temporary respite. "For now... I have yet to finish my vengeance for you."
"V- Vengeance? You think of them as vengeance?" She asked in disbelief. "Oliver didn't even hurt me."
"He kept pestering you when you clearly weren't interested in him, he needed a little lesson," he explained, a chilling justification in his tone. Then he narrowed his eyes at her. "But there is one person who has hurt you recently, and I think we both know who that is."
His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, filling her with a growing sense of dread. Her eyes widened, her voice heavy with desperation. "No! Eric, no, please, don't hurt him—"
"He's not good for you, Y/n. He never will be."
"Eric! Please!" She was beginning to wail, her pleas filled with anguish and despair, as she felt the walls of her world closing in on her. The chains rattled ominously when she moved. "Please..."
"I need to punish him, Sweetheart, he hurt you," he said with a chilling detachment. He gave her a pitiful look. "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
"Please—Please don't, Eric," She pleaded desperately, her voice shaking with an overwhelming fear. "No..." She shook her head and sobbed, "Don't h-hurt him... please..."
Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and the disturbing determination in his gaze made it clear that he had made up his mind. He turned around, leaving her in a state of helpless dread. "I'll see you later," he added with a sinister remark. "Don't cry too much while I visit your FBI boyfriend."
As he walked away, the barn's shadows seemed to close in around her. She did exactly the opposite—she relentlessly cried herself to sleep, seeking solace in the safety of her dreams, however fleeting, as she yearned for an end to this nightmare that had somehow become her reality.
>> NEXT PART
a/n: y'all can stop cursing poor Oliver now😭
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seulgiwifeee · 2 months
Note
craving irene fluff where she gets mad at you for switching your fabric softener because she loved the smell of your original one (cuz yk the girl knows her scents)
ugh just the idea of irene being so cute is bugging me
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♡ Member: Irene x Femreader
♡ Theme: Fluff
♡ Warnings: None
Word count: 1.8k
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Irene happily arrived at your apartment complex early that Friday morning, coming over as quickly as she possibly could, not wanting to spare any more seconds that she could've been using to spend with you—the girl who she loved the most in the whole world!
"Princesss!" you yelled out gleefully, definitely loud enough to have pissed off your sleeping neighbors, as you stood highly on your patio, leaning over the railing and frantically waved down at the approaching Irene. Irene heard your calls and looked up, her eyes lighting up in an instant once she spotted you up there and flailed her arms while wildly hopping all around childishly as she cheered out your name.
A smile never left her face, her contagious laughter echoing throughout the complex when she jogged up those two-story stairs like nothing within a matter of seconds. The moment she turned to corner to your apartment number, just barely a few feet from your door, you ran up to her, immediately greeting the small girl in with your strong embrace.
Irene hugged you back just as tight, snuggling her head deeply into the coziness of your fluffy sweater—the one you had purposefully slipped on last minute while you were in the middle of folding laundry, remembering it was one of her favorite items of yours when spotting it out in the clutter of clothes.
This was one of your very few free weekends rather than your usual hectic schedule—no work, classes, or special events you needed to go to—so of course the only logical thing you had to do was invite your girl to stay over for the weekend!
You and Irene were, unfortunately, dating long distance due to studying at different colleges that were hours away from each other, so that meant you two normally didn't get to see each other in person for any more than two times, if a miracle struck you, maybe three times, every two weeks, and for this particular time, the last she'd seen you was close to around four weeks, almost a month! So there wasn't a thing that could describe how happy you two were to finally be in each other's arms again.
"I've missed you so much, Y/N, you don't understand! I think I was actually about to go insane if I wasn't able to see you anytime sooner!" Irene stressed to you, her voice growing muffled speaking into your chest and dug her newly manicured nails into your lower back as she held on to you tighter. You chuckled, smiling warmly looking down at her and ran your fingers through the silkiness of her dark hair. "I've missed you so much too!"
Irene lifted her head back, gazing up at you with those pretty doll-like brown eyes and shone her signature half-toothy smile, but all of a sudden, her once soft expression contorted into a grimace, frowning and flaring her nostrils up at you. Your brows furrowed in confusion, also frowning at the girl. "What's wrong?"
Irene continued to flare her nose, leaning her head back into you and sniffing at your sweater. "Nothing."
"Are you sure? Do I smell bad or something?" you asked teasingly, though quickly reconsidered your question the longer it took her to deny it. "No.." Irene trailed off, not sounding convincing in any way, and slowly backed away from you, reaching down to pick up her bag.
"Alright then.." You tilted your head at her with a confused smile, looking side to side unsurely while scratching your neck, now feeling the abrupt change of atmosphere weigh down on you.
"I'm just going to put my stuff up now," Irene said and began to walk away down the hall, but you were quick to stop her. "No! I got it, let me do it for you, your highness!" You grabbed her duffel bag and gestured your hand towards the living room. "Please, sit! And when I come back I'll make you lunch."
"Okay," Irene smiled. "But just know I'm going to be making it."
Your lips pursed, pausing in your tracks and turned over to face her again. "But you cook each time you're here, though! Just let me do it!" you whined, but Irene shook her head, continuing to go back and forth with you until she got her final ‘no’ out. "I said NO!"
"Okay fine, sheesh! But seriously next time you're going to let me cook for you," you said finally in defeat, knowing you weren't going to win this dispute and walked into your room while Irene smirked widely at you from the couch, trying to hold in a giggle. "I can't promise that."
You brushed her off with a hidden smile, knowing it was all just out of love since you knew that one of her many love languages was cooking for you, and entered your room, unzipping her bag and laid out her clothes. Some relaxing music that was playing on your speaker beforehand continued to run as you organized her items with a peaceful mind, sitting without a thought or worry until..
"—Y/N-AHH!" Your eyes went wide and you jumped, startled from hearing the screeching voice of Irene shouting demandingly through the closed door, dragging out your name in her oh-too-familiar whiny voice. Just by that tone you already knew she found something to be upset at you with, so you quickly stopped your actions and hurried up out of your room, running to the living room where you had expected her to be, though was met with no sign of her presence.
You curled your expression, turning your head towards a door leading to a room that you knew wasn't opened before—the laundry room. Taking that as an obvious sign, you quickly ran over there and flung open the cracked door, instantly locking your eyes on Irene's crotched-down figure sitting in front of the dryer messing with your clean laundry, a shirt held in each of her hands while she deeply sniffed at one of them.
Your brain didn't even get a chance to question the sight in front of you because within seconds of you being upon the doorway—once she had turned around after hearing the footsteps of you nearing the room—she gave you no time to think, charging towards you with heavy steps and shoved the warm t-shirt right into your face. "What is this?!"
You stumbled back, blindly taking hold of the shirt and removed it from your face. You narrowed your eyes down, scanning over the print on the graphic tee and shook your head slow and unsurely, furrowing your eyebrows even more in confusion as you wondered why your lover was so worked up. "A.. t-shirt?.." you muttered, not exactly sure as to what other answer Irene was expecting to hear.
Irene sharply rolled her eyes, snatching the shirt from you and forced it back deeper into your face, slightly suffocating you with the soft cotton. "Not that! The smell! What's with the smell?!" Irene demanded, placing her hands on her hips and speedily tapped her foot on the marble floor.
When she was forcing the shirt in your face, you were given no choice but to smell it as you aired in a dramatic inhale trying to gasp out for air, letting the pungent scent of sweet roses flow throughout your mouth and nose. The shirt fell onto the floor and instead of picking it up, you left it there, shooting Irene a look with so much confusion; it was literally the definition of what a series of question marks would look like if it was put into a facial expression. "What do you mean, baby?! It doesn't smell bad..or at least not to me.. it's just roses. You don't like roses now?"
"Not when they replace the lavender scent you always have! You knew that was my favorite scent! Why would you get rid of it?!" Irene pouted, crossing her arms and turned her back to you with a tiny "hmph," too upset to look even at you.
A few seconds went by and suddenly the static in your brain cleared up once everything clicked to you, realizing all of this attitude and bickering was only because you for once decided to be different and changed up your fabric softener; which you, by the way, weren't even planning on doing in the first place, but since the store was sold out of your usual scent, which wasn't a big deal for you, you just simply bought the next container your eyes spotted. You didn't even think she was going to notice something as little as that! But you should've known better than to underestimate the Bae Joohyun.
You couldn't even take her anger seriously anymore, chortling a loud cackle at her bratty attitude and threw your shirt into the laundry basket. Looking at an angry Irene is like someone drawing slanted eyebrows on a bunny, it only made her cuter.
You crept up a few steps behind Irene, snaking your arms around your girlfriend's waist and pulled her into your chest. "Joohyun, seriously?" you snickered into her ear, "are you seriously this mad that I changed up my laundry detergent to another stupid scent?"
"It's not stupid!" Irene retorted, keeping her chin up high, "How am I supposed to cuddle with you at night if can't even seek comfort in the thing that makes me smile, brings me joy, helps put me to sleep! I can't, Y/N. You know, this is really serious for me."
You laughed some more, your body ticked from her cuteness and rolled your eyes with a smile while Irene only frowned deeper at you. "Oh, Joohyun. You really are something.." you sighed, shaking your head and leaned your face into her neck.
"Do you want me to rebuy that scent? Will that cheer you up?"
Irene's eyes flashed open. "What kind of question is that?! Obviously!" Irene turned around and took a hold of your wrist, dragging you two out of the room, towards the front door. "Matter of fact, we're getting it right now," Irene insisted with every bit of determination and seriousness, not caring one bit that you were still in your house clothes.
But you didn't care either, as long as you were going to make Irene happy in the end. You'll do anything to please your princess, even when it's for things as petty as this.. "Right now?" you asked with a sigh and Irene nodded firmly, squeezing onto your wrist tighter and used her other hand to grab her keys from the counter as she walked by.
You sucked your teeth, looking up and biting back a smile once the winter breeze swirled past you as you felt yourself continuing to get dragged out of the apartment. "Alright, princess."
I kinda don't like how I wrote this :(.. but I hope this was cute and funny enough for you,, also can you guys tell that I love writing the princess pet name? hehe
— Seulgiwifee ໒꒰ྀི♡˵ᴗ͈ . ᴗ͈ ꒱ྀི১
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candyskiez · 4 months
Text
Fuck it. I've been sitting on this one for a while.
Lemme talk about Luz as a trans allegory. Is this the only way to interpret her character? Fuck no! Is it one of my favorite ways to interpret her? Fuck yes! Strap in, I am very normal about her story.
Luz's story literally begins with being sent to a camp to make her more "Normal." It is later revealed that one of the people sent to that camp is nonbinary. And they say that the camp was like a prison. Sound familiar?
It's also very noteworthy that throughout the story, it seems like Luz has to choose between being herself and her family. Either have your mom or be happy. Either find yourself or be with someone you love but who you feel like you can't let know you, because you feel like you're too weird for them to handle. It's also very interesting how she interprets Camila's actions, and also completely understandable considering everything. She interprets it as she just became Too Much. Her issues are too much, she's too much effort, she's a burden to her, and she can't justify it anymore. There's something Wrong with her. And she's desperate to make it up to her. She feels like she can only show Camilia a part of herself, because maybe that other part of her isn't what she's supposed to be. Maybe she's just a mess. Maybe she's a horrible daughter. She's weighing her down. (Once again, sound familiar?)
Camilia in grom fright walking in through a door makes me really think of being Outed. Being caught in the act, being realized as Other and just the whole "have you been LYING to me?!" Which. I'm sure many trans people relate to. Hiding this part of yourself from someone you love because you're scared that it's too late to tell them. If they find out, will they take it personally? Will they be angry? Will they need to know every little detail before they're satisfied? Luz doesn't know how Camilia will react after she sent her to that camp, because that felt so out of character for her mom to do and now she's left reeling. She got Too Much for even her mom to deal with. Now she feels like she needs to hide this part of her even more. Her texts to Camilia are also very notable. It just...it sounds so much like sounding scared to come out. Wanting, so bad, for her to know who she really is. She's just...scared. And she isn't ready.
Also the fact that everyone, at every turn, is constantly telling Luz she'll never be a witch. She wasn't born with a bile sack. She wasn't born one. She wasn't born here. She can't be a witch. Humans can't do magic. Humans aren't built like that. She wasn't born a witch. And her dejection in covention is just...
Is she really a witch if she wasn't born one? If she has to make herself one?
And Eda says, what makes a real witch? Someone who conforms and acts exactly like a witch "should?" Thats bullshit, then they'd be miserable. Do whatever , be your own witch. Do you see what I'm getting at.
Also the fact Luz is constantly made to choose between worlds. Human realm and demon realm. Everyone telling her where she's allowed to be. What she's allowed to be. You can't have both. You can't be both. You do not get both. Luz calling herself a bad boy. Luz being referred to as a girl as well. Her being both. Her being told she cannot be both. Do you get what I'm saying. Do you hear me.
And just. God. Thanks to them. None of her old clothing that was so much like her. Covering up her body so much. No more non conforming, none. She has the dysphoria stereotype fit, bit for bit. She's hiding her own body. Trying to look normal. Depressed and she hates herself because she thinks she ruined everything by chasing that happiness.
And what saves her is Camilia telling her, I never EVER meant to make you feel like this. My biggest mistake is not supporting you when you needed it. My biggest mistake is letting other people push you around. I was terrified that they would hurt you for being different, so I tried to make you hide it. I should've stood with you and fought the people who I thought would hurt you. You needed me. And I wasnt there. But I'm here now. Please, don't hate yourself. Please don't think this is your fault. You're beautiful. And just. God! God! Her not using any gendered terms , no my daughter, no mija, NONE. Just. This beautiful, good witch. The thing she always wanted to be allowed to be. Do you see me. Do you see what I'm saying.
And her palismen is a shape shifter. Who can be ALL. Who can be BOTH AND MORE. Luz choosing every track in hexside, having every animal as a palismen, being called a girl and a boy, she is BOTH and ALL and NEITHER and MORE. And it's fucking beautiful.
And onto my favorite part of the allegory. Titan Luz.
Luz is killed by the extremist who thinks anything different is bad and corrupt and evil. She's brought back by an elder who openly says he's the best of both things. Who's lived through years of hatred. And he tells her she has the right to fight back against her oppressor. So get out there and LIVE.
And she transforms. She gets a new body. A new body that's the combination of everything shed ever been. It has calls to her family, Kings fur and Eda's eyes and Camilias hair and Hunters teleporting. But it's so LUZ. It has the light symbol it has her hat and the azura outfit and she looks like HERSELF. She comes back from the brink with a body all her own. That she made for herself. That she CHOSE for herself. She chooses herself and she becomes the best of both things: human and creature of the isles. She's both. She's all. Shes neither. She's something different entirely. She's Luz.
And her speech to Belos. She declares herself as belonging to both realms, as being BOTH. She isn't going to give up one thing for the other. She can have whatever the fuck she wants. She's Luz motherfucking Noceda, she's all of the above, and you can't do anything about it. She's a human, she's a witch, she's a titan, she was born in a world that made her miserable so she found one that didn't and worked on the relationships that weren't working out for her until they worked. She's still weird and different and she doesn't fit into any of your boxes and she's the happiest she's ever been up to this point in the series. She has a body all of her own making. And she's overjoyed. THIS is who she is. She's so comfortable in her own skin in the epilogue it makes me emotional. God. Luz. I love her.
Is some of this reaching? Probably, yes. But I love hitting my favorites with the trans stick, so! I do not care. Love ya Luz, you're the protagonist we did NOT deserve.
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pulisicsgirl · 11 months
Text
the mixup - mason mount
summary: a small error exposes Y/N and Mason's secret to the one person they were hoping to hide from
pairing: Mason Mount x Pulisic!reader
word count: 3.6k
warnings/tags: fluff, secret relationship, that's it I guess???
requested: yes!! here
notes: Back with another request! I hope I did this one justice! Also for the sake of this fic, please just pretend with me that we won the last match of the season and that the season itself wasn't just a total disaster
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The warm morning sunshine illuminated the room in a soft orange glow as it broke through the space between the curtains. You had woken up before Mason, giving you time to admire his sleeping form before he, too, was awake.
With one of his arms still draped over your waist, you lay facing him and traced his soft features with the tip of your finger. His eyebrows that furrowed slightly when you first touched his face. The bridge of his nose that always seemed to be slightly red. His soft, plump lips that were slightly parted as he breathed. The scattering of facial hair that was growing across his jaw. You rested your hand carefully on his cheek, stroking your thumb over his warm skin.
Mason’s eyes began to flutter open, and you leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the very tip of his nose, wanting to bring some peace to the start of his morning. He blinked his eyes open, squinting against the light in the room and a small smile curved the edges of his mouth as he took the sight of you in.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he mumbled, eyes slipping closed again as you felt his arm wrap more tightly around your body, pulling you so that your chest was flush against his. He tucked his face into the space between your neck and shoulder, kissing your skin softly.
“Good morning,” you giggled in return. His hand slipped under the large t-shirt that you had slept in, fingers tracing slow patterns over the bare skin of your back.
The two of you fell into a comfortable silence, drinking in the comfort of being in one another’s presence in such a peaceful moment. His face was still tucked into your neck as you scratched the top of his head slowly. You would have assumed he fell back asleep if it weren’t for the gentle pecks he placed along your shoulder every few seconds.
“Just want to stay like this forever,” Mason mumbled into your skin, sensing that it was almost time for his alarm to go off, signaling that it was time for him to get out of bed.
“Me, too, Mase,” you whispered.
Mason pulled his head back so he could look at you properly. “I take it by the fact that he hasn’t punched me that you still haven’t talked to Christian yet?”
Your heart sank slightly at the mention of your older brother. You knew it was only a matter of time before Mason questioned you about this again.
“I’m sorry, Mase.” Your fallen expression gave Mason his answer, and he felt guilty for ruining the peaceful atmosphere of the morning. “I’m going to. I really am. I just haven’t been able to find the right time. I want to make sure he knows I’m really serious about this and I don’t want to just do it in the middle of-“
Mason cut you off with a gentle kiss pressed to your lips that lingered for a moment before he dropped his head back on the pillow, staring at you with nothing but love in his eyes. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me, okay? I know this conversation is really important to you and I understand wanting to take your time with it.” You smiled in relief at his words. “I just know this is weighing on you, and I don’t want you to suffer for longer than you need to.”
“I’m just a little nervous about it, is all,” you mumbled, tracing patterns and shapes over his collarbones and bare chest with your finger so that you could focus on something other than his eyes, which seemed to pierce through you and read your innermost thoughts. “I don’t really think he’ll be upset, but… I don’t want to mess up your relationship with him, or mine for that matter.”
“It’ll all work out, love,” Mason reassured you. He took the hand that was tracing his chest in his own, sensing that you were using it to put a defensive barrier between the two of you, and raised it to his lips, placing a kiss to your palm. “It may take him some time to come around to the idea once you speak with him, but I know Christian: he’s a level-headed guy, and he’s not going to be rash about it.”
You nodded, knowing he was right.
“And the offer to go with you to talk to him still stands,” he added with a quick peck to your nose.
You smiled at his caring words, but this felt like something you needed to do on your own.
You and Christian were close—always had been, too. Being only a year and a half younger than he was, you had a tight bond throughout your childhood. When he had left for Germany as a teen to pursue his passion for soccer, it had crushed you. After his move to Chelsea, you enrolled in a study abroad program through your university that allowed you to live in London for your final year of school. Once you had graduated, with almost nothing tying you to the States, you made the move permanent. Christian was one of your closest friends—your rock, your confidant.
So when you and Mason realized that you had taken a liking to each other, you wanted to be sure that it was serious before involving Christian. Mason had respected your wishes, agreeing to keep the whole ordeal completely private until you were ready to talk to your brother.
But now, you had psyched yourself out about the conversation for so long that it felt like an impossible task. You knew you needed to do it soon before he found out some other way, but it never felt like the moment was right.
Mason’s phone alarm rang out through the room, pulling you out of your swirling thoughts. You watched as he silenced the alarm, rolling back over with a slight pout on his lips as he pulled you close one last time.
“What if we just never moved from here?” he asked, burying his face in your shoulder.
You giggled and pushed him away slightly, the short hairs of his bear tickling the sensitive skin of your neck. “You need to get up. They need you today.”
“Yeah, yeah. Life is tough being the starboy of Chelsea and all,” he rolled his eyes playfully. His face broke out into a mischievous grin, squinty eyes and crinkled nose and all, when you smacked his arm.
“Oh, shut up, you.” You pushed him toward the edge of the bed, and he reluctantly swung his legs over the side, standing so that he could go prepare for the day.
Today was the final match of the season and, seeing as it was at Stamford Bridge, Christian had already asked you to be there. You, of course, agreed since you did your best to make it to as many home games as you could. But ever since your relationship with Mason had begun, it was an added struggle not to run up to him to congratulate him after a match, trying your best to keep up appearances in front of your brother, the team, and the rest of the crowd in the stadium.
You watched Mason move around the bedroom, going through his matchday routine of getting ready, and it wasn’t long before he was ready to walk out the door. He approached your side of the bed, leaning down to kiss you gently before whispering a quick goodbye and leaving. He had to be at the stadium early to warm up (and the two of you couldn’t arrive together anyway) so you’d be following after him in a couple of hours to make it there just before kickoff.
Already feeling sleepy as soon as Mason walked out the door, you rolled over onto Mason’s side of the bed, finding comfort in the warmth he had left behind and the faint traces of his scent on his pillow. You slipped back into a peaceful sleep, enjoying the extra time you had to rest.
When you awoke, it wasn’t to the sound of an alarm, which immediately raised a red flag in your mind. You grabbed your phone from where it was charging on your bedside table, instantly realizing you hadn’t set your own alarms the night before and now had barely enough time to get ready and make it to the stadium before the match began.
You sprung out of bed, rushing to the bathroom to brush your teeth and make yourself look presentable. You rushed over to your dresser, slipping on a pair of jeans and shuffling through the folded t-shirts in your drawer to find your Chelsea jersey, but to no avail. You moved quickly to the closet, thinking maybe you had hung it up. Sorting through your hanging clothes, you still didn’t see it.
Of course, on the morning I wake up late, I can’t find this stupid jersey.
You ran your fingers through your hair in exasperation, other hand resting on your hip as you turned, slowly scanning the room. Finally, crumpled on the floor in the corner of the closet, you saw it—the royal blue jersey.
Breathing a sigh of relief, you quickly grabbed the jersey, slipping it over your head before putting on your shoes, picking up your jacket, and rushing out the front door.
After the whistle blew, signaling the end of the 90 minutes, Chelsea had come out on top. After the players had made their way around the pitch, clapping to the fans in appreciation, the players’ families made their way onto the field to take part in the celebrations. Cameras were everywhere, capturing the smiling faces of the boys and their loved ones. Awards were being handed to prominent players of the season. Hugs were being exchanged. Morale was high.
You maneuvered your way through the crowd of people, greeting a couple of the boys that you were better acquainted with and offering your congratulations as you passed.
As you searched through the mass of faces, some familiar, some unfamiliar, you spotted Mason talking with this family. He was leaning down pressing his face in close to his niece, who was sitting comfortably in her mother’s arms. The sight of Mason pressing his nose lovingly into the little girl’s cheek warmed your heart.
As he straightened up, he spotted you, catching your eye briefly before you tore yourself away from his gaze in the hope of not drawing any suspicion. You fought the smile that threatened to curve the corner of your lips upward, dropping your head to look at the ground as you tried to compose yourself.
Mason’s hands were tucked politely behind his back as he continued talking to his mother and sister. As you passed behind him, you very quickly grabbed his fingers, giving them a gentle squeeze to communicate all of the things you wanted to say to him in that moment but couldn’t. Without looking back, you continued walking across the pitch in search of your brother. You desperately hoped that no one had seen your subtle gesture, but your need to have some sort of contact with Mason seemed to make the risk worth it.
As you walked, the hot sun bearing down on you through the open roof of the stadium, you grew too warm for your liking. You shrugged the jacket from your shoulders, draping it over your arm as you continued walking.
Finally, you spotted Christian, conversing with a couple of his teammates not far from where you were standing. You sped up, jogging the rest of the way to his side. As he saw you approaching, he opened his arms, taking a couple of steps toward you as you nearly tackled him in a hug. You threw your arms around his neck and his were wrapped around your middle, hugging you tightly.
“You were amazing out there!” you exclaimed, squeezing your arms just a little bit tighter before releasing him and taking a step back from him. “I’m so proud of you, Christian.”
You beamed at him, and he shot back a quiet smile, dropping his eyes to the ground as he muttered a shy, “thank you,” in reply.
“I know Mom and Dad would be too if they could’ve been here,” you smile turned slightly sad as you both thought of your parents who you had missed dearly. The two of you were travelling back to the states in the coming weeks and would hopefully get to visit with them before too long.
Before Christian could reply, Reece’s cheerful voice rang out from behind you. “Oooh, how does Christian feel about you wearing someone else’s jersey?”
You furrowed your brow, turning your head so you could look at him as he slung his arm over your shoulder. “What are you talking about?” you asked him, and Christian shared your look of confusion.
“Last I checked, Christian’s number is ’10,’ not ‘19’.” Reece spared a quick glance at your back again to confirm what he had seen previously.
The realization passed over you like ice water that had been poured over your head, a chill running through your body despite the warmth of the sunshine.
Christian took a step forward, turning you firmly by your shoulders to look at the back of the jersey that you were wearing, and you knew there was nothing you could do to stop him now.
“Y/N, are you two…” Christian trailed off as you felt his hands drop from your shoulders.
Still facing away from Christian, you met Reece’s gaze, a slight grimace of apology on his face as he pieced things together.
Well, you had hoped to ease Christian into it, but now you were just going to have to rip the metaphorical band-aid off.
You spun around, grabbing Christian by the wrist and pulling him the direction of the tunnel, hoping to find a slightly more private area to have this conversation.
As you pushed through the crowd of people, you brushed past Mason without sparing him so much of a glance. He turned as he felt you pass behind him. A gentle smile spread over his face, seeing his number 19 with ‘MOUNT’ curved across your shoulders, his heart swelling with pride.
But then the realization washed over him too, and his face dropped as he saw you dragging Christian along behind you. Surely, he had seen the jersey and the two of you were busted.
You finally let go of Christian’s arm after you had taken several steps into the seclusion of the tunnel. Slowly, you turned to him, your eyes glued to your feet as you crossed your arms in front of you as a sort of defense mechanism.
A moment of silence passed, and you spared a glance up at Christian. He was watching you expectantly, never one to be uncomfortable with silence. He gestured for you to speak first.
“Chris, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you myself, but it never seemed to be the right time.” you started, looking immediately back to your feet as his piercing gaze made you uncomfortable. “I must have accidentally grabbed the wrong jersey this morning.”
You thought back to your frantic search only a few hours earlier, realizing it must have been an old jersey that Mason had changed out of the night before, tossing it carelessly on the closet floor. You couldn’t blame him for the predicament you were in however; there was no way he could have known this would be the result.
The lack of response from Christian began to make you nervous, and you began to shift back and forth on your feet.
“How long?”
You looked up to Christian’s face, and there was no sign of the anger you had nervously expected.
“W-What?”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
The question caught you off-guard. “Um… the last four months or so. Officially for the last three.”
Christian only nodded in response.
“You’re not mad?”
He just shook his head with a small smile. “No, I just wish you had talked to me about it before I had to see his number on your back instead of mine.”
“I know. I really was planning to, but we’ve both been so busy recently, and it didn’t feel like something I should just mention in passing conversation.” You returned his smile, already feeling slightly more at ease at his calm reaction to the news. “I wanted to be sure this was really serious before we told anyone—especially you, since I knew it might be weird for you.
Christian shook his head at you again. “No, I don’t think it’ll be weird. Mason is a good guy, and if you were gonna date any of my teammates, I would want it to be him.” Your eyes stung slightly with misty tears at Christian’s praise of your boyfriend. It meant the world to you that the two of you had Christian’s blessing.
“Plus, I had pretty much already figured it out,” he stated matter-of-factly with a small shrug.
Your mouth fell open at his words. “Are you serious?”
“I mean, I knew something was going on, but I didn’t know how serious you were.” He laughed at your reaction.
“How did you know?”
“You guys were always busy at the same time when I wanted to hang out, and you’d always give super vague excuses.” You rubbed your hand over your face in embarrassment. “And Mason has always looked at you with this sort of… admiration that he never had toward anyone else. Once you started looking at him the same way I knew something was up.”
You gave Christian a sheepish smile. “I really am sorry you found out this way.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m happy for you, Y/N.” You stepped toward him, and he pulled you into a tight hug, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head.
You felt the weight of the secret you had been keeping for the last couple of months lift off your shoulders. You hated keeping anything from Christian, as you had always told each other everything growing up, but you had felt it was for the best.
Christian finally pulled away from the hug, smiling down at you.
Just as the two of you were about to turn to walk back out to the pitch, Mason entered the tunnel, jogging up to you both.
“Christian, it was completely my idea to keep it a secret. Please don’t be mad at her,” he panted, slightly out of breath, eyes wide as he glanced back and forth between the two of you.
You placed your hand on Mason’s bicep in a reassuring touch, his eyes finally settling on you. “It’s okay. I explained everything to him and… we’re good.” Christian nodded to confirm what you had said.
“Oh, good,” Mason said quietly, and he let out a soft breath—almost a sigh of relief. “Good, good,” he repeated, still trying to rid himself of the nerves.
Christian extended his hand to Mason as a sort of peace offering. “You take care of her, okay?”
Mason nodded, clasping Christian’s hand and pulling him into a hug, patting one another on the back with their free hands.
“And if you ever pull any funny business, I will not hesitate to lay you out,” Christian added as they stepped back from the hug, releasing each other’s hands. “But you already know that.”
Mason gave a short, uneasy laugh at Christian’s not-so-subtle threat, but knew he truly had nothing to worry about. Not because he didn’t trust that Christian would protect you until his dying breath, but because, as he gazed over at you, Mason knew that he would, too. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you—he was head-over-heels, and he already knew that.
The three of you walked down the tunnel, back toward the pitch to rejoin the crowd of players and loved ones. As you approached the opening, you extended a hand toward Mason, inviting him to interlock his fingers with yours.
Now that Christian knew, you figured it was time that everyone else did, too.
Mason took your arm in his hand instead, pulling your body into him as he wrapped his arm around your middle. He kissed your temple softly, leaning down to mumble into your ear.
“I’d love to get a picture with you, if that’s okay. Wearing my jersey and all.” He allowed his heart to swell with pride again at the sight of you with his name across your back now that the former crisis had been resolved.
You gazed up at him and saw him beaming with contentment. “Of course, Mase,” you spoke softly, returning his smile. “But first, I need to go find Reece and tell him what a twat he is.”
tag list:@masonspulisic @chelseagirl98 @thoseboysinblue @lovelynikol16 @swimmingismywholelife @masonsrem @bracedes @neverinadream @lizzypotter14 @notsoattractivearenti
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flowercrowngods · 7 months
Text
felt like letting mike and steve work through some shit again
cw: descriptions and imagery of them being lost and self-sacrificing, left alone with trauma they have no means to work through, could read as suicidal tendencies or intrusive thoughts
🤍 also on ao3
“What do you want?” Mike asks when Steve sits down beside him, gravel crunching, their feet dangling over the dark and endless abyss that is the quarry at night.
Steve doesn’t answer right away, doesn’t really know what to say now that he’s here, now that he found him. He looks so small, now more than ever, and it reminds Steve so painfully that he’s still just a child. He was always just a child, and children shouldn’t—
It feels like they got their rights at a childhood revoked years ago, and then they were just… supposed to be okay with it. It was expected, it was implied when nobody came to talk to them after.
When all they got was one NDA after another. When none of the professionally trained adults took one look at the children that they were, and asked, Are you okay? What do you need to be okay? I will talk to you once a week and make sure you learn how to be okay again.
Steve feels like a big brother to most of the kids now, sure, but he’s not their shrink, and he sucks when it comes to actually talking about shit. He can be there to drive them anywhere, can provide an evening of distractions and as much of a sanctuary as a house as haunted as his can be.
With everything else, though, he’s helplessly lost. So he says nothing, weighs his words to make sure they come out right — especially for Mike, who’s always just waiting for him to say something wrong and throw it back in his face with the sunny disposition of a feral, rabid cat.
“Hey,” Mike says then, irritated again; but his voice is hoarse, too. Tired. No heat behind it after that stupid fight with Dustin and Lucas earlier tonight that made him snap and leave Steve’s house in a frenzy. “I said, What do you want?”
Steve shrugs, looking ahead into the darkness that feels endless and alluring and deeply terrifying.
I miss my friend! My best friend, Mike!
“Making sure you’re okay.”
You’ve changed, you know that? You’re not the guy who would jump off a cliff for me anymore, I don’t think I even know you anymore!
Dustin’s voice echoes in Steve’s mind as it undoubtedly does in Mike’s, too, and he can only imagine how much that hurts, especially if he’s shivering like that even though the night is warm for early September.
“I’m okay,” Mike says, sounding endlessly annoyed about the fact. Steve almost huffs out a humourless laugh. Yeah, right.
“Sure you are,” Steve says, keeping his tone carefully neutral.
He shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over Mike’s shoulders without a comment, half-expecting him to just throw it into the darkness below. But Mike doesn’t move, is eerily still beside him, pretending not to notice that Steve’s watching him.
“But you know it’s, like,” he starts again and trails off, looking for the right words because this is unfamiliar terrain and the ground beneath his feet is quite literally nonexistent. “It’s fine if you’re not, right? It’s actually really fucking normal to be more than a little fucked up after everything, all that crazy shit. Or just… in general.”
You were twelve, he wants to say. You were twelve and you jumped off from here. You were twelve and you were going to die. And not because of those monsters, not yet. Just because… you were twelve.
Mike doesn’t say anything, but the gravel crunches once more as he reaches for a handful of stones to throw them into the darkness one by one, the void beneath them so enormous that they don’t even hear the noise of impact.
You jumped.
The longer Mike remains silent, the more Steve wants to scream, wants to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, wants to make him see and understand that Steve knows about the scars a decision like that leaves, especially when you live to deal with the consequences.
He gets seizures to deal with the consequences. His ear is fucky, his eye is twitchy, his head is aching constantly, he gets migraines that knock him out for a day or two, all because he wanted to protect his friends. All because he did protect his friends. It worked. They’re safe.
But they’re also unaware of… of everything. Of the horrible stillness as clarity dawns and all signs point to the one way that always seems to work. The one easy way out, and still the hardest of them all when the plan goes wrong and he makes it out alive. When It’s gotta be me is the only thing to say, but later turns into an angry It never should have been me because the world looks different when it’s smeared with your blood.
And it’s always the lost boys who make decisions like that. Steve wonders, some nights in cold sweat, what happens if he makes these decisions without immediate danger. What happens if he just… decides to jump. Decides to run. To give the world more of his blood. Without saving anyone.
It’s not like he wants to — but he’s terrified that it’s just who he is. Who he’s turned into, terrified that his friends will forever expect him to.
And he’s even more terrified knowing that Mike jumped before he learned about monsters. Before he learned about fighting and surviving.
You were a kid, he wants to say again, but his throat is closing up on him.
“I don’t think that’s okay actually,” Mike says after a while, tearing Steve away from his fears. They’re still both looking ahead rather than at each other, but it’s fine. They’re still here. “Like, people say it is, but it feels so empty when they do, you know? Like, sure, yeah, I’m not fucking okay, but what the hell do we do about that now? Oh, right, I know! Let’s throw it in my face that I’m not good enough for you anymore now that there’s no monsters to kill anymore. Now that I’m just Mike, who’s not even enough to be that anymore, sure. Right. Yeah. Let’s pretend it’s all fine, Steve, let’s pretend it’s okay to hurt all the fucking time!”
Mike is shaking now, violent tremors running through his body, and Steve’s first instinct is to reach out and pull him close, to keep him from that edge and take him to his car; turn on the heating and talk there. But Mike seems to need the darkness, seems to need to be faced with endless depth to give voice to his thoughts.
“What Dustin said was messed up. He shouldn’t have said that.”
Mike shrugs, throwing more pebbles into the darkness, though his motions have lost their vigour. “He’s right, though.”
Steve sighs, though not unkindly. “No, he’s not. Hey, listen to me.” He waits until Mike turns to meet his eyes, and he leans forward. “It’s not okay. It’s not right what he said. You don’t deserve to have that shit thrown in your face just because Dustin is a tactless little douche bag.”
Taking a bullet for someone is not the baseline for friendship, he wants to say, and it occurs to him once again how fucked up their perception and idea of friendship must be, now that they’ve all bonded over the most horrific shit and actual grief they never learned how to work through.
It’s not even Dustin’s fault, not really. They’re all just collateral damage to something Bigger, and all they have is each other, leaving them in a vicious cycle that is so, so fucked up.
“Why’d you jump?” he asks eventually, quiet in case the darkness tries to listen in. “Back then, why did you jump?” And do you wish El had let you? Do you sometimes wish that? When your room is quiet and it’s only you living with all those silent, terrible decisions?
Mike shrugs again, but there’s not much fight left in him, Steve can see that, can feel it in the air between them.
“Will was gone,” he says like it explains everything— and it sort of does. Steve has seen the way these boys look at each other when the other’s not looking, he has seen the hurt and the anger and the gentleness stored there, the words unspoken and the fear that, despite interdimensional monsters, kinda goes unmatched.
Because they have each other. They only have each other. And if someone’s suddenly different than what they thought they knew, if someone’s suddenly different, then… Everything might just fall apart.
And Steve wants to grab him again; wants to pull him close and say, I’m the same. We have the same scars. We have the same!
Slowly, carefully, he does lean over now, weaving an arm around Mike’s shoulders and pulling him into his side.
“I get that.”
Mike swallows heavily and exhales shakily. “I don’t think you do.”
“No. I think I really, really do. But it’s okay, Mike. You won’t be alone with this, okay. I’m on your side, you little shit.”
A pause, a beat, a moment’s respite. Then, “Why?”
“Because,” his heart is racing, his mouth trembling around forming the words for the first time, but he knows it’s the right thing to do. Knows it’s important.
Knows it might just save a life.
“Because I fell harder for Eddie Munson than I ever thought possible, and once i found out what was happening, I kind of wanted to jump off a cliff, too. But I didn’t, because I had someone with the same fears as me, and instead of stupid shit we just… Cried together sometimes. Screamed into our pillows. Laughed with and at each other, calling ourselves hopeless, and— I don’t know. It’s really fucking scary, and that doesn’t go away just because you have someone to talk to. But it‘s… better. It’s so much better.”
He huffs, swallowing around the lump in his throat, smiling into the darkness.
“So I’ve got you, okay? Whatever it is, whatever makes you feel like it’s not fucking okay, I’ve got you. You come to me, yeah? Lucas does, Dustin does, even Max does. This is your official, standing invitation and whatever, okay, dickhead?”
Mike shoves at him lightly, still not parting from the rather awkward side-hug they’ve got going on, and Steve is glad for it.
“Okay, okay, geez,” the little shithead says, rolling his eyes which Steve can see even in the dark, and it feels like the edge has moved away from them, like they have solid ground beneath their feet again.
Steve doesn’t say anything more after that, just waiting for Mike to stir to lead him back to the car, load in his bike and take him wherever he feels like spending the night.
But Mike doesn’t move for another long while, and it makes Steve feel like something big has just happened between them. Like they finally have found the common ground that Steve’s been suspecting they had for months now, even years.
Eventually, as they make their way to the car and Mike goes to grab his bike, he speaks up again, but more subdued now.
“Hey, Steve?”
“Hmm?”
“Does… Does Eddie know?”
“About what?” My tendencies to take a leap off the edge?
“You. Being…”
“Oh!” A smile as he unlocks his car and opens the back door to squeeze Mike’s old bike in there with minimal smears of dirt. “I’d hope so, we’ve been dating for months.”
“You’re dating?! You? Eddie’s dating you?”
“Yeah, listen, do you want me to just leave you here or would you rather be thrown out in the middle of nowhere?”
Mike grumbles something unintelligible as he climbs into the front seat, waiting for Steve to start the engine before he speaks up again.
“It’s just, you’re so… How did you even do that?”
Steve laughs at that, disbelieving and all, because, “Trust me, I have no idea. Must have been the ol’ Harrington charm and all that.”
Mike rolls his eyes and crosses his arms in front of his chest, sinking lower in the seats to pout. “You’re so lame.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over how much I have a boyfriend and you don’t.”
If his heart skips a beat because it still feels like a forbidden truth saying the word out loud despite the playful banter, then he’s ignoring that in favour of revving the engine.
“Asshole.”
“Dickhead.”
“Grow up,” Mike says, but Steve can see the smile he’s not even trying to hide, and he mirrors it with his own as he turns on the radio catching the final tunes of Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark.
They’re not okay, none of them. But the car is warm, the cliff’s edge is behind them, and they’re not listening to the same ten songs anymore.
They’re getting better, step by tiny step.
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ja3yun · 5 months
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The Sun That Always Burns | S.JY pt.5
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sim jaeyun x afab!reader
warnings: smut(ish), mdni, cheating (i'm sorry), almost handjobs, heavy makeout, alcohol, serious longing, ynjake make stupid decisions, lmk if there is anything else.
wc: 4.7k+
synopsis: you and jake's high school relationship blossomed into a romance filled with hope and promise. However, as time went on, jake's long-term expectations began to weigh heavily on you, who struggled to meet them. your paths eventually lead you in separate directions, each experiencing different aspects of life and ultimately moving on from your past love. unexpectedly, fate intervened and you both reunite after years apart. the reunion allows you to rediscover your feelings for each other but also forces you to navigate the complexities of your past and present.
a/n: hey...hi...how we all doing. listen if you hate me after this chapter I get it </3. I did leave this on a cliffhanger but the next part is the finale! i love my little pookie yn she's trying her best she just can't handle her liquor (she's so real, so me). hope you all enjoy and see you for the finale next week!
masterlist
The shower hits off your skin as you finally have time to process everything that’s happened over the last few days; seeing Jaeyun again, coming to terms with his engagement, getting forgiveness from him, and his dad’s words. It’s a lot to process. The one thing you can’t seem to understand though is his and Yeoreum’s relationship. When you first arrived it was as if everything was sunshine and rainbows with the way she was talking. Her nonchalant way of saying he got over you quickly, how they’re soulmates, but that's not what his actions are saying and definitely not what they’re argument was eluding to. Your mind scrambles to piece it all together, like, maybe it’s different because you’re here and once the wedding is over and you leave they’ll go back to the way Yeoreum painted them. 
But he kissed your hand. He made all those CDs of your old mixtapes. He told you he loved you.
The warm droplets act as a blanket around you providing comfort and warmth as you run your fingers through your wet and soapy hair. Thinking about him just made more memories rise to the surface. How when you got stressed with exams he would make you take a shower with him and he would innocently wash your hair for you. His fingers would rub your scalp as if to ease the pain your brain was in from cramming so many topics in it at once. With his chest flushed against your back, he raked his hands through your hair and made sure he didn’t miss a bit. “I’m practicing. For when we’re old and brittle and have to look after each other.” He would say so casually. That was the thing about Jaeyun, he always made you feel like no matter what happened, his love for you was eternal.
You turn the shower off and step carefully onto the mat, but as a chap sounds from the door you jump and almost lose your balance. Gripping tightly onto the counter to steady yourself you curse under your breath and wrap a towel around your body. “Yes?”
“Y/N! Hurry up, we’re going out tonight.” Eunseo’s pretty voice travels through the door. After confirming it was her you open the door and look at her confused. “Me, you, Heeseung, Jake, and Yeoreum are going out. Like a joint bachelor-bachelorette thingy.” She claps excitedly. 
“Didn’t they already have their parties? You got really stressed when the inflatables you planned went to your elderly neighbour.” A chuckle leaves your lips as you recall the incident. The delivery of nonsensical blowup dicks and penis straws went to Mrs. Kim, a 87-year-old lady, who lives next door to Eunseo and she, unfortunately, opened it. Their relationship was never the same.
Eunseo scowls at the thought, “Please don’t remind me, she thinks I’m a sex pest or something now.” Her hand raised to stop you from saying any further as she carried on, “But this is just to let loose. After that walk and shit, I think they need it.” Nodding you agree and she smiles, “Then get ready! I’ve looked out your fit.” That could only mean one thing: you were going to be cold tonight.
After getting dressed you trail behind Eunseo you walk into the living room to find the rest waiting for you both which seems to be a theme this past week. Eunseo apologises like she always does and then hurries everyone as if she isn’t the reason the taxi fare is already up by £20. 
Heeseung puts his hand on the small of your back, leaning down to whisper, “You look so good. If there wasn’t a bro code…” he trails off and leaves it there with a cheeky smile. To be honest you felt hot, probably the hottest you have in any of your best friend’s clothes. She had looked out a black corset top with lacey detailing at the side, a white mini skirt with perfectly placed black bows on either side of your hips, and black thigh-high boots that were not the easiest to get on. This outfit called for your hair to be curled and eyeliner so sharp that it could open envelopes.
Nudging him you laugh and keep walking, “You couldn’t handle it.” You playfully sway your hips and Heeseung pretends to fall to his knees, a hand clutching his chest. When little moments like this happen, the world suddenly feels like it’s aligned. Like you had your old life back.
The taxi drive is short, and full of chatter and excitement. Yeoreum and Jaeyun seem to have made up, or at least enough to fake it for the journey, her laughter and his hand on her thigh being your indications. 
The club is busy, filled with people your age and younger just trying to get drunk. Thursdays are always the best day to go out; it’s cheaper and has a more student-based clientele than on a Saturday when creepy men in their 40s come out from the shadows. Eunseo flashes her signature smile and you guys are let in without any hesitation. You look at her skimpy outfit and think that might have helped the situation.
Music and heat hit you all at once and it’s overwhelming but in the best way possible. The musky smell of alcohol and smoke from the machines feels like a time machine back to your second year of college, a mixture of shame and fondness washing over you as you remember the many hook-ups and walks of shame you did.
Eunseo grabs your hand and raises it as she leads you to the bar to get the first of too many drinks tonight. She orders two double vodkas with lemonade and two baby guinnesses, they've become your favourites over the years. As the bartender goes to make them she turns to you, “Are you going to make your move on Heeseung tonight?” A loud sharp laugh leaves your mouth at her question, she really wasn’t letting this go.
“Eunseo, he isn’t my type I have told you this.” The shots come first and you clink it on the bar and shoot it down. “He’s hot but I’m not interested.”
“Those two sentences don’t go together, babe. And what’s one night? You’ve been with plenty of uglier men than him.” Her eyes are on Heeseung at the other side of the bar, buying drinks for him and the bride and groom. 
“I don’t know,” You desperately try to come up with an excuse as to why you won’t fuck him. It’s a boundary you can’t cross but if you tell her that you need to tell her about you and Jaeyun’s history. Your drinks are now in front of you both and you use that as the perfect excuse, “Come on, let’s dance.”
One hand holding your drink and the other holding Eunseo’s hand you lead her to a spot and start to move your hips to the music, letting all the tension you’ve felt go. A genuine smile creeps on your face and you down your drink. And another. And another.
Shots. Doubles. Test tubes. Cocktails. You’re surprised you’re still standing. 
The lights are blurred as you laugh at nothing, jumping around and splashing your drink on innocent bystanders along the way. Eunseo is off finding herself a suitor for the night so it leaves you on your own for a while. That is until familiar hands make their way to your hips and hold you still. 
Your head slowly turns around, scared that if you go too fast you might vomit. A concerned look from Jaeyun is what you are met with as he speaks to you but with the music and your drunkenness you can’t hear him, instead, you wrap your arms around his neck and giggle like you’re in high school again after seeing his face. “Jaeyun.” His name comes out with a laugh, “Come to dance with me?” Your head tilts, your eyes shut, and your mouth pouts. 
“Y/N, come on sit down with us.” His head nods to the booth his fiance and best man are sitting at, their eyes on you both. Sober you would agree and keep your distance, but drunk you is in charge and you know fine well how that goes. She doesn’t make your life that easy.
“Baby” you whine, “One dance? Pretty please?” Your bottom lip hides your top one and Jaeyun almost falls to his knees. You’re so cute like this he could eat you up, or eat you out if he was in different circumstances. His eyes dart to Heeseung in a pleading manner and he seems to catch the gist, pulling Yeoreum to the bar for another drink. 
Jaeyun gives in. “One dance, and then you’re sitting down.” His hands gently squeeze your hips like he used to when he was warning you. 
“On your lap?” A smirk slips onto your face and your free hand plays with his hair.
Jaeyun blows out air and looks up to the ceiling, trying to calm himself down. “No, Y/N.” He speaks to the sky before finding the courage to speak directly at you again, “On a seat.”
You were making this so difficult for him, if it wasn’t your outfit it was the reckless way you were behaving as if his fiance wasn’t just meters away. The skirt that was already short was now basically halfway up your ass and his hands longed to be placed there. You’re the bain of his existence and all his morals in this moment.
You bring your hands back to your chest, clutching the drink and downing it before throwing the plastic away and reaching up, doing some sort of dancing but to Jaeyun it’s more like one of those animal mating calls. You’re calling him to you and he’s seconds away from answering. His hands let go of your waist and hover over your arm, “Come on, let’s go sit dow-” 
“You promised one dance and I have yet to see you dance Mr. Sim.” Your words slur but the tone is authoritative yet playful. Awkwardly, he grants your wish and dances with you, aware of where is appropriate to touch and what’s not but when you grab his hands to place them on your ass he squeezes impulsively, bringing you closer to him. “That’s it.” You say so innocently but it has his two heads fuzzy with need. 
“Princess, we can’t dance like this.” Despite his words his hands never leave your backside. Here comes that pout again decorating your face and your eyes twinkle.
“But I’ve been a good girl.” 
Oh fuck. 
Jaeyun growls and squeezes your plump cheeks, the action pressing his cock against your lower abdomen. You jump a little asking for him to pick you up like you used to do and his mind is so overcome with desire for you his hands slide to the back of your thighs and hoist you up. Smiling proudly you look down at him, now slightly taller from the height he’s holding you, you lean into his neck and brush your glossy lips over his sensitive spot. Even after all these years and with more alcohol in your system than an aunt at Christmas you’re still aware of Jaeyun’s likes and wants. 
Jaeyun carries you to the back of the club which was basically in pure darkness, the only light coming from the emergency exit sign and a passing strobe light. Every sensible fiber of his being is lost, the only coherent thought he has is to listen to his heart calling out for you.
He perches you up on the thin bar that’s screwed into the wall, the metal cold against your skin but at this moment you couldn’t care less. Your lips are now on his neck, kissing your way down to his shoulder and his chest rumbles with a moan. “Princess I’ve missed you so much.” His hands hold you steady, thumb rubbing against the lace on your corset. 
“Missed you more.” You puff out, eyes locking onto his. “I love you”. The phrase slips out of your mouth purposefully for the first time in 4 years and Jaeyun’s eyes flash with something, something electric and his mouth is on yours quicker than lightning. His lips that you’ve craved finally find their way back home to you. “I love you so much.” You whisper, your lips always connected. 
Grabbing his t-shirt you pull him in closer, scared that if you loosen your grip he’ll be gone forever. He feels your desperate touch and his tongue swipes against your bottom lip as he grinds his hips into your core. He uses your moaning as a gateway into your mouth, his tongue exploring around and coming into contact with your soft kitten licks. Just as before, a growl leaves him, kissing you so passionately and deeply. “Love you so fucking much, baby.” 
His words fuel you to lose all sense of control and your hands slide down his torso to his jeans, pawing over his concealed cock. You missed Jaeyun more than anything, and god did you miss his dick and how it was tailor-made just for you. 
As your hands slip into his jeans he stops kissing you and looks at you deep into your soul, begging for it, and then he really looks at you. You’re drunk, eyes glazed, you might not remember this, or worse, regret it. He's also doing the one thing he promised never to do to any woman. Cheat. His heart stops as he comes to terms with what he has to do.
“Princess, we can’t.” Reluctantly he grabs your arm and pulls it, the warmth of your palm gone, leaving his cock twitching and aching for you. You’re confused, looking between your hand and his face.
“Did I do something wrong?” The innocent question paired with your bambi eyes almost has him saying no and letting this continue but he shakes his head and holds your hand in his.
“Never. You’re such a good girl, yeah?” You smile and go to touch him again but he grabs your face with his hands, the action stopping you. “We just can’t.” You whisper a small ‘why?’ almost inaudible, “Because, baby, you’re drunk and this is complicated. I want you so much, please don’t think I don’t.” He assures you as he sees the tears fill your eyes. His lips kiss yours again and he’s playing with fire but if tomorrow you sober up and don’t speak to him again, he has to have one last kiss.
He picks you up and places you down so your feet are on the sticky club ground. “Let’s get you back to the house, okay Princess?” He whispers and turns around but your small hand is suddenly on his cheek, guiding it to face you. “What is it, love?” his hand lays over yours as he melts into your touch.
“Please don’t marry her.”
____________
A dull pain spreads across your forehead as the sun infiltrates the room rudely awakening you. There is a taste in your mouth but you can’t quite place it, it’s strange yet familiar. You don’t remember much, and what you do remember is blurry and without a timeline. There were shots, vodkas, and dancing, these are the only memories you have.
Looking around the room with squinted eyes you try to adjust to the light, it’s warm and you’re sweating which makes you feel disgusting and sticky. A groan leaves your lips and that’s when Eunseo turns to you, the first time you’ve noticed her since your sleep was disturbed. Her face is stern as her body swivels in the chair to face you.
“Good night?” She says bitterly. Oh, you’ve definitely done something wrong. Quick, think about everything, shots, too many more shots, dancing, a dark room? You shake your head to align your thoughts but nothing is coming. Eunseo scoffs and strides over to your bed, sitting down on the end of the bed. “You really don’t remember?” Her tone is accusatory with a glint of sass. Now you really had to think about what she was referring to. 
“Um, I remember you going to hook up with that tall guy with the pretty lips?” Maybe you could get her to speak about that instead of whatever awful thing you had done.
Your heart was pounding in your chest as the hangxiety kicked in tenfold. “Think harder.” She demands, her whole body now facing you with her legs tucked under her, “When I was hooking up with the hottie?” 
Think.
“I-” You had no answer for her, maybe after a couple of paracetamol and some coffee you could then hazard a guess but for now it was a distant memory buried under the alcohol that is admittedly still in your veins. “Eunseo what did I do?”
The question causes silence and the room has tension so thick not even a knife could slice through it. “Are you really sure you don’t remember?” She’s mad. Really mad.
Okay, so you got to the bar, had drinks, got drunk, danced with people, kissed Jaeyun, got in a tax-
Kissed Jaeyun.
That’s the taste in your mouth. It’s him. Dancing with him, kissing him, touching him, craving every inch of him, and Eunseo knows. She saw it. 
Your rapid heartbeat is going so fast you think it’s stopped. Your face shifts from confusion to guilt and shock. “See! Now you remember! Please explain yourself.” You couldn’t. There was no excuse to be said without blurting out every detail of your life and more importantly, your life with Jaeyun. 
Stuttering you look around wondering if there is any way to escape this conversation, maybe a secret passage that you can teleport from. Unfortunately for you, there wasn’t a way out. You had made your bed so now you have to lay in it. “Eunseo I-”
“No you know what, let me speak.” She stands up and clasps her hands together, “I can forgive you, just tell me you were so drunk you thought it was someone else, please.”
“It’s more complicated-” She cut you off again.
“I know he’s hot, okay? But to kiss my sister’s fiance like that, you don’t have any shame huh?” Her tone is spiteful as she spits at you trying to wrack up any rationality that you can muster.
“Eunseo please just listen to me.” I stand up and reach for her but she pulls away. Her demeanor is standoffish as she places her left hand on her hip. “It’s so much more than you think.”
“Oh, what? It was love at first sight? You thought it was Heeseung? Taking advantage of the fact they’re fighting?” A step forward from her has you stepping back, “Fucking tell me, Y/N because I am struggling deeply here.” 
“He’s my ex.” 
Her body stills, her hands laid flat in front of her as she processes your words. “Not your ex that…” she trails off thinking, her eyes following an invisible pattern on the ceiling as she tries to work it out, “Not that ex you spoke about? Surely not?”
Every inch of you wants to pretend it isn’t. Pretend that it's another fling and it means nothing to you but as you stare into your best friend's eyes you realise you can’t lie to her, not anymore.
“That ex.” You breathe out and sit down. “Eunseo, please hear me out.”
The thing about Eunseo is that she has always been understanding but as her gaze burns into yours you wonder if she’ll be so kind. Her weight sits next to you as she sighs and it’s your opportunity to speak. “When you invited me, I didn’t know. I didn’t know Jaeyun would walk in beside Yeoreum.” Your voice is pleading with her to believe you but her face remains the same so you continue, “I was so drunk last night I think instincts kicked in. I shouldn’t have kissed him.”
She scoffs, “What was your plan, hm? Did you see him and go ‘oh yeah I’ll get him back easy’”
“Never. It has never been on my radar. It was the drink. I-”
Eunseo interrupts you by sticking her hand in your face, “You still love him, don’t you?” You can’t even look at her, just the swirling mix of her words and the memory of Yeoreum during her argument with Jaeyun swirling in your mind. 
You nod, “Listen, I am not trying to break them up, me and Jaeyun haven’t spoken much. We’ve reconciled and that’s about it.” It wasn’t completely a lie, you wouldn’t tell her about the whispered I love you he shared when you saw him on the first night, or the mixtapes and handholding, she didn’t have to know. “I’m not breaking up this marriage.”
“Wow, so kind of you,” Eunseo scoffs, “Listen, I love you but I need you out of here.” Her tone is less venomous but still pointed. “Your relationship with him, from what Yeoreum has told me about his ex, isn’t simple. It’s deep. It’s dangerous to my sister’s happiness, and she will always be my priority.” Your best friend’s face is hard yet holds a fondness in it.
“I understand that, I wanted to leave earlier I just didn’t know when the right time was.”
“Now.” She stands up and crosses her arms as she faces you, “Now is the right time, Y/N. The longer you’re here the longer I have to worry about Yeoreum being left at the alter.”
“Eunseo he won’t-”
“Of course he fucking will, Y/N. He would leave my sister for you. That has been made perfectly clear.”
Wait. The argument Mr. Sim tore you away from, that’s what she was meaning. “What are you talking about?” You feign ignorance hoping she knows more than you do which seemingly it does. “What did he say?”
“He said enough. Look, Y/N,” She pinches her eyebrows, “I love you, and I know deep within me this isn’t your fault but please, go home. For me. For Yeoreum.”
You suck in your bottom lip to stop you from crying. If you lose Eunseo you’ll be right back to where you used to be, alone because of your own stupid mistakes. You rub your hands on your thigh and breathe out slowly, gathering your thoughts and calculating your next moves. There is animosity and hurt in the air and it breaks you. “Eunseo I-”
“I know, Y/N. But please. Don’t take Jake away from my sister.”
“What Jaeyun and I had, it’s so…” Pausing you stand and look at her, “It’s so difficult to explain. I don’t need you to forgive me, but please don’t tell anyone.” Your voice is above a whisper as you plead with her, “If you’re the only one who knows please keep it that way. He loves your sister and he is so happy. That is all I’ve ever wanted.” 
A sorrow flashes over Eunseo’s face as you sob. No one in this world will understand the love between you and Jaeyun, not until they’ve experienced it themselves. You make your way around the room and gather your things, ready to leave him once again.
____
Unbeknownst to you, two doors down Heeseung and Jaeyun are having a similar conversation. You seem to be the topic of conversation the day before the wedding, just like Heeseung had warned you of. 
Jaeyun is sitting on the bed Yeoreum refused to sleep in last night, his eyes tired as he tells Heeseung the details of what transpired last night. “She asked me not to marry Reum.” He breathes out slowly. 
Heeseung’s body turns slowly, his eyes wide and head at a slant. His flabber has been gasted and as he looks at his best friend’s sullen look he only has one question. “And?”
“What do you mean ‘and’?” Jaeyun’s voice is defensive like the answer should be obvious, but really he just wants to use this chance so Heeseung will tell him what to do. He loves you so much so that as soon as you asked him not to marry Yeoreum he almost instantly broke the wedding off. But he’s not that cruel, he knows there are too many people that will be hurt. If he really was going to call off this wedding he had to do it as respectfully as possible. 
But did he even want to call off the wedding? Yeoreum needed him. 
“I mean 'and' are you going to cancel the wedding?” Heeseung’s words prevent Jaeyun from answering internally. “Yeoreum isn’t exactly speaking with you right now, she was putting on a brave face in the club but look,” he gestures to the still-made bed, “She can’t even sleep in the same room as you. And you literally can’t see anything but Y/N when she’s around. I don't know what you said when you argued with her but it must have been bad.”
“I’m fucked, Hee.” Jaeyun plants his face into his hands and rubs vigorously into his eyes, trying to shake up his brain to make sense of it all. “Reum asked me yesterday after the walk if I would leave her for my ex.” 
The sentence piqued Heeseung’s interest once again, and he wondered what his friend would have confessed. He doesn’t say a word, opting to slowly sit next to Jaeyun. “I-” Jaeyun starts to speak again, “I told her...” The pause is a cause of concern and Heeseung leans forward to try and make eye contact with Jaeyun.
“Jake do NOT tell me you told her you’d leave her high and dry for Y/N?” Heeseung’s hands are gripped to his knees as he holds his breath. The stillness and lack of response were enough of an indication of what happened for Heeseung to shut his eyes and sigh, “What the fuck are you thinking? That’s cold, mate.”
“I don’t fucking know, Hee. I love Yeoreum, she helped me over the past few years to finally get back to a state where I felt like part of myself again-”
“Do you love her?” Looking straight into Jaeyun’s eyes, Heeseung asks a question that has been on his mind since the moment he found out Jaeyun proposed. “Answer me this honestly, did you propose to her because you thought it would help you move on from Y/N? Or because you genuinely love her?”
Their eyes are communicating silently. That wasn’t true, he really loved Yeoreum and he wanted to marry her because they were in love, not because it felt like a fast-track way to get over you. Right? Jaeyun thinks hard.
“Let me tell you what I think.” The oldest speaks up again, “I think you asked her to marry you because you thought settling with her would make you forget about Y/N.” Jaeyun’s face scrunched up, confused by his best friend’s words. 
“That’s no-”
“Answer me honestly, Jake.” Heeseung is trying his best to let Jaeyun see the truth, to finally put some sense into him. Jaeyun knows there has always been tension between his fiance and best friend, ever since they met it was like there was a wall between them no matter how many times Jaeyun tried to get them closer. But despite his quibble with Yeoreum, Heeseung wouldn’t say this for anything. And it’s not the first time he’s heard it either. 
“You know I’ll support you, but you need to think about this. Think out what you truly want.”
He recalls a conversation he and his dad had with him a few weeks after he announced he was engaged.
“Son, this is pretty fast. Are you sure?” His dad kept a stoic expression and his tone of voice was stale. Jaeyun simply nodded and smiled before telling him ‘It’s what makes sense.’. With that, his dad heaved out a breath, “But is it what you want?”
“Of course it is!” Jaeyun’s voice was raised, “You don’t think I want to marry her? Why would I propose if I didn’t?” A knowing look from his father shut him up almost instantly.
“Jaeyun, listen to me seriously, marriage isn’t going to help you get over Y/N.” Jaeyun stands up. “Dad, I am over her.”
His dad shakes him by the shoulders, “You will never be over Y/N. And that’s okay, but that means this marriage to Yeoreum won’t make you forget, won’t help you the way you think it will. Seriously consider my words before this gets out of control.”
Heeseung waits for him to process his words, staying silent to give him time. He wanted nothing more than his best friend’s happiness. If you asked him a week ago, he would never have said anything, let Jaeyun go through with the marriage because at least he is somewhat content, finally living his life without you. But now that you’re back and he sees how obviously you and Jaeyun still crave one another, he needs Jaeyun to seriously think about tomorrow. 
“Heeseung,” His breath catches in his throat before he utters the next words, “I need her.”
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yourmomxx · 6 months
Note
Hotch X plus size reader? I need some self-representation and don’t have enough energy to write myself yet.
a/n: anon, I got you! I threw in some insecurity/reassurance, because you said you wanted representation and if it’s not about that topic, I always try to angle my writing in a way that it fits for (women) of all body types and races..thank you for your request, I hope you like this!!
Aaron knew that something was wrong when you didn’t throw in commenting remarks while you were curled up by his side, you both slouching on the couch in the living room, watching The Nanny.
He didn’t say anything about it, he let you be, thought you might have just had an exhausting day at work and weren’t currently in the mood or condition to interact with anyone.
He knew those days.
Aaron knew, that if there was something obviously bothering you, you would tell him about it, you always did.
But when Cece and Niles started going at it on the TV screen, verbally slapping each other around without ever so much as raising a finger and even his mouth broke into a slight grin, and you still weren’t reacting to any of it, he wondered.
Without saying anything, Aaron reached for the remote and put the TV on mute. It was only when the continuous background noise suddenly stopped, that you looked up from where you had been intensely focused on fidgeting your fingers, and furrowed your eyebrows in question.
“Why did you turn off the sound?” You asked him, voice smaller than usual, although he was sure you thought you were great at concealing that something was bothering you.
Aaron signed and adjusted himself in-between the cushions. He made sure you stayed tucked into his side, though.
He nudged your head with his nose. “Tell me,” he murmured lowly, “what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
You bit the inside of your cheek and did your best to avoid his eyes.
“I fucking hate profilers, you know that?” You grumbled. Aaron’s chest shivered as he let out a quiet laugh.
“So,” His free hand grabbed for your chin and tilted it to focus on him, his thumb slowly smoothing out your eyebrows. “Tell me. You know I will listen.”
You sighed. Honestly, there was no point in denying it anymore. You knew how your boyfriend valued the subject of communication in your relationship, and also now that he knew that something was plaguing your thoughts, there was really no way to escape.
You had really thought you’d done a good job at hiding it, that something obviously had you troubled.
But apparently not well enough for Aaron.
You always asked yourself if his job was the reason why he was able to see through your facade that easy, or if your facade was simply that easy to see through.
“Look, it’s just-“ You picked up the habit of fidgeting your fingers again, “-I know I shouldn’t even think like that, because it’s childish, and stupid, and pathetic, and -“
“Hey, hey, hey.” Aaron pulled you closer into him. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. You hear me? Whatever you feel, it cannot be either of those things, because it is your feeling, and as such, it is valid. Do you understand me?”
You couldn’t do more than nod. The question of how you deserved someone as kind as him made the knot in your throat only grow tighter.
Your hands were much easier to look at than his face. You felt like a sinner confessing.
“It’s just that-“ You started, embarrassment and self-consciousness weighing heavy on your chest, “I’ve been thinking, for a while now. And when we go out, with your friends, and I see someone like Emily Prentiss, who could probably run a ten mile sprint right now if I asked her to, or JJ, who had a child and still looks like she could get hired by every second modeling agency, I-“
You blinked away tears, but even though the hot fluids didn’t run down your cheeks, the way your voice trembled and broke was enough evidence that they were there.
“And when I’m alone with my mind at night, or literally any time, I start to think about it, and I think, I never could be them. And I ask myself, why would you be here, and why would you stay with me, with someone like me, if you had women like them as an option? And I know that’s not fair to you, but even everytime I watch TV, I am reminded that I am not one of those stereotypically pretty women, and it just messes with me so, so much.”
Now, the tears were flowing. Big, salty drops were trickling down your cheeks, taking chunks of mascara down with them.
You didn’t care in that moment.
Aaron just held you closer.
It felt good, to cry, for the first time in a long time. It was cliché, but it felt relieving.
Aaron waited. He was good at doing that, and you appreciated it.
It took a short while for your sniffles to die down, and for you to shakily accept the tissue that your boyfriend was handing you, but you managed.
Aaron brushed a stray tear off your cheek and pressed a barely there kiss on the top of your head.
“Are you ready to listen to me, sweetheart?” He asked.
You took a deep breath.
“Because if you want to continue making points on how Hollywood makes biased casting choices, then I’m fine with that, too.”
You couldn’t help the shaky chuckle escaping your throat at his words.
When you didn’t make a move to say anything, your boyfriend slowly pushed a strand of hair behind your ear and let his thumb trace soft patterns on where it rested on your shoulder.
"I want to reassure you that there is nothing, and I mean nothing, that you have to worry about. Not when it comes to your appearance, my co-workers, women I see on the street, or, most importantly, my feelings for you."
You opened your mouth, but Aaron forestalled you.
"I know that you didn't mean to tell me you doubted me, but I want to tell you anyways. Y/N, what I want is to grow old with you. To spend every last minute of my day coming home to you, having you in my arms. Looks wither, and therefore would never be the reason for me to fall in love with you or perceive you as beautiful merely on them."
“Yes, but the way someone looks is the first way one notices about them, if they want to or not!”
Aaron shook his head.
“No, the first thing I noticed about you was that you ran into me and spilled brewing hot coffee all over my suit,” Aaron corrected you. “And then continued to pay the bill for my coffee for a whole month after that, even though I told you it was fine.”
You dipped your head in thought. It’s true, you had done that. Every time you’d come into the small coffee shop, the barista had already known to bill your coffee, and Aaron’s on top of it.
Until someday, you both walked in at the same time, together.
“Do you hear me?” Aaron continued, “I don’t mean to invalidate the way you feel, but I want you to understand, that, from me, you have nothing to worry about. Because, after a long day, or days, of work with Prentiss, and with JJ, it is you I come home to, and happily so. It is you who I will get down on my knee for at a beautiful, private beach on a day when it’s neither to warm nor to cold, because I know it is exactly what you want. It’s you who I want to fall asleep next to, and wake up next to again, and who I would skip a day of work for just so I could stay longer in bed with you. And I know I said looks don't matter to me, because don't get me wrong, they don't, but you are singlehandedly the most beautiful woman I have ever come across the entire time I have spent in this world. Now maybe call me biased, because I love you so much, but I don't care. Do you understand me?”
You craned your neck the slightest bit to look him in the eye, and his hey held so much sincerity and passion - for you - that you couldn’t do anything else than believe in what he said.
You sniffled slightly and nodded as an answer to him.
“I’m afraid I need to hear you say it,” Aaron said.
Another shaky nod. “I understand.”
“Good.” Aaron leaned closer and pressed a kiss to your lips, and your muscles slumped together at the comfort and the exhaustion, and a sigh escapes from your mouth into his even as he broke away.
“Now please, come on.” Aaron stood up from the couch and rested his hand on your cheek, lips leaned in close to yours as he whispered, “Let me show you how beautiful I think you are.” Another soft kiss.
“Until you believe me.”
“Here’s the file about the Colorado murders you wanted me to get you.” Without knocking, David Rossi strutted into Aaron Hotchner’s office, because it’s simply what he always did.
Aaron barely raised his head to shoot him a brief thanks as he dropped a beige folder on his desk.
Rossi was almost out the door, when Hotch spoke up again and stopped him.
“Dave, do you happen to know how far our authority range reaches?”
David Rossi stopped in his tracks, one eyebrow raised suspiciously at his friend’s odd question.
“I don’t think we’ll get the President to destroy his big, red button,” He responded, “But the answer to that question really depends on what you’re asking for.”
Hotch dipped his head slowly. “Well, let’s say, maybe … Hollywood?”
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candyrockpop · 1 year
Text
Two people are stood up on their dates and end up falling for each other.
Howdy Pillar X GN! Reader
CW: None, unless you count getting stood up on a date
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
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"This is the last time I let her set me up on a date I swear." You thought, fuming yet also disappointed. Your sister has been trying to set you up with someone for months, and every time you get a date they're either stuck up and rude or they stand you up! You should have just told her no to these stupid dates.
You got all dressed up, too. You did your hair, your skin was flawless, and your feet hurt from these stupid shoes since you couldn't sit down in the restaurant. The reservation was in your dates name, and they wouldn't let you in without one. At this point, you gave up and sat on the curb. It had been two hours, your date wasn't coming.
"Hey, uh, you doin' alright? You've been huffin' for a few minutes..." You hear someone speaking to you as you feel a soft poke on your shoulder. You look up and find a tall caterpillar puppet. You had met a few puppets, all of which were overwhelmingly kind. He seemed nice, too, and it also seemed like he was also here for a date. He was dressed up in a cute tuxedo with his blazer hung over his arm.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asks again. Oh, shoot. You were staring and getting lost in thought. He must think you're a creep! "Oh, I'm okay! Sorry, I just got stood up by my date so I'm a little angry." You quickly explained, your hands waving in front of you defensively. "Hey, now! It's quite alright, no need to worry. How long have you been waiting, if you don't mind me askin'?" You smile at the concern the puppet shows for you, a stranger.
You sigh and look up at him, dejected, "About two hours now? I haven't even been able to get inside because the reservation was in my date's name." You start to grumble unintelligible words under your breath. The puppet sits down next to you and pats your back gently, a sad, understanding smile being directed at you. "If it helps you any, I got stood up too. Been here for, I don't know," he pauses to wave his hands as if he's weighing something, "maybe an hour? I'm not sure since I ain't great with time." He chuckles weakly. You balled your fist and held it up, "Sad fist bump?" He chuckled and bumped your fist with one of his, "Sad fist bump."
It was quiet for a minute before he made a sound of offended surprise. "Why, I don't think I introduced myself." He cleared his throat and smile politely, even draping his blazer over your shoulders to warm you a little. He put his hand out to shake, "My name is Howdy Pillar. It's lovely to meet you." You chuckled and put your hand in his. Both of you blushed, a pink tint on your cheeks. "You can call me (preferred name). It's lovely to meet you, Howdy." You resisted a laugh, asking, "I'm sorry if this is offensive, but Howdy? As in saying hello?" He blushed, embarrassed, and nodded.
"Just like sayin' hello." Howdy smiled in a relaxed yet excited way and stood up, offering a hand to help. "Say, if you don't mind, why don't we go and have a fun night together? A new restaurant, maybe? That way tonight ain't so bad."
You smile in return and happily take his hand. He doesn't let go, simply holding it gently, as he uses one of his other arms to wrap around your shoulder and another to look for any other restaurants in the area on his phone.
Maybe your sister was right in setting you up on all those failed dates after all, "You aren't all that bad to talk to, so I don't think I'd mind that one bit, Mr. Pillar."
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I hope everyone enjoyed. He needs some more love and attention. He's just so cute!
Also, how has no one commented on Julie throwing Wally in the last fic? I am very amused about it.
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padfootagain · 13 days
Text
Only an Almost (III)
Chapter 3: By the Rules
Hello!! Here comes a new chapter! The Friends with Benefits is appearing in this one…
I hope you’ll like this chapter! Please, tell me what you think!
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Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader, friends with benefits AU
Warning: No explicit smut or nsfw content, but there are sexual themes and heavy make-out sessions (it’s a friends with benefits AU, I can’t really escape it), so 18+ only!
Summary: Andrew has been in love with you for years, and yet he has never confessed his feelings. But a night out celebrating the engagement of his best friend changes everything. However, you don't seem ready to be with him just yet. You make him an offer that he can't refuse... but will certainly regret.
Word Count : 2436
Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist
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Andrew had fucked up.
He hadn’t slept at all, how could he? That look on your face was printed on his irises, he could see nothing but that image whenever he closed his eyes. He had fucked up, he had lost you forever because he had gotten drunk and had leaned into some delusional thought for a moment…
What a fool. What a fucking idiot…
He hadn’t cried though. For now, his body was holding up on a mixture of anxiety, guilt, regret and hope. Perhaps you could forgive him. If he apologized properly, you would surely forgive him. He could lie about all this, pretend that he hadn’t meant it, that he was simply drunk and particularly lonely these days – both statements that were true – and that he had acted without thinking – also true. Yes, it would barely be a lie, after all! The only element that would be untrue was to pretend that he didn’t mean it, that he didn’t see you that way. That would be a blatant lie. Would you be able to read through him?
And anyway, should he lie to you like this? What had transpired last night… Andrew wasn’t sure that he could keep on living with such a secret weighing on his heart for much longer. Could he look at you without thinking about this stolen moment? About the feeling of your lips against his? About how you tasted?
He heaved a sigh, and reached for his phone anyway. Something had to be done, it didn’t matter what. Whether he would decide to be honest or to keep on hiding his feelings for you, a discussion needed to be had.
He typed his text, took a deep breath, and pressed ‘send’.
Morning Y/N
We should talk about last night, what about we meet up and get some coffee?
Xx
He silently cursed himself for the xx, but then again, he always put these or little hearts for you. The idiot of a romantic that he was. How cheesy…
His deprecating thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing in his hand. Your name appeared on the screen.
Yeah, I reckon we should…
5pm today? At the usual café?
Andrew heaved a relieved sigh as he typed a reply. At least, you were still willing to talk to him, it ought to be a good sign…
… right?
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The coffeeshop wasn’t busy. After all, it was Thursday afternoon, and despite the warm and cozy feeling brought by the flowers on the tables, the books on the shelves and the quiet lights of the lamps, people were too busy with their work and their lives. Andrew couldn’t help but be grateful as he looked around at all the empty seats and lonely tables around him. There were but five more people in the establishment, which meant that if things didn’t go well, he wouldn’t be humiliated in front of an entire crowd.
He tried to be more hopeful. He had taken a decision: he wouldn’t pretend that what had happened was a mere fluke, that it didn’t mean anything. He would confess that he didn’t see you as a friend. And if you didn’t feel the same, then it was alright, of course. If you wanted to stop seeing him altogether, he would understand completely. And if you wanted the two of you to remain friends, then he was ready to make it work, somehow. For now, at least… Andrew wasn’t certain that he could keep on seeing you as a mere friend for long, it was becoming too painful for him. But on the other hand, he couldn’t imagine his life without you in it. He would need time to adapt, either way.
He was fidgeting as he stared at the empty chair before him. He was aware of his terrible habit to be late at everything, but today was not the day to arrive after you. So, he had arrived early on purpose, just to be safe.
His leg was shaking with nerves, and he was roughly massaging his palm.
Would you even come? Perhaps you would chicken out? Perhaps you didn’t want to see him, after all, perhaps you had changed your mind? Perhaps…?
His thoughts fell silent as you entered the shop. They were replaced by butterflies and a sudden jump of his heart…
You greeted him with a shy smile, before taking the seat he was offering you.
“How are you? How was your day? You want a coffee? Or tea?”
“Tea, thanks, Andy.”
You were taking off your coat and getting settled while Andrew was gone to order you a drink. When he came back, you seemed just as nervous as he was, you were fidgeting with the sleeve of your jumper.
“There you go,” Andrew whispered as he handed you your cup of tea, voice gentle and warm.
“Thanks.”
“So, how was your day?”
“Good, grand,” you nodded as Andrew was sitting back down.
You exchanged some niceties for a few minutes, but Andrew wasn’t fooled. Your answers were short and you seemed just as anxious as he was. He opted for silence after a few minutes, letting you stir the conversation towards the main topic that you had to discuss.
“Andy, about last night…”
You bit down on your lower lip, eyes fleeing his gaze. His heart was racing, beating so fast it could have exploded.
He cleared his throat, starting to rub at his palms again.
“Yeah… last night, huh…”
“You… you kissed me.”
It was his turn to avert his eyes while you looked up at him. He nodded his head.
“Yeah… I did.”
“Why?”
He let out a dry chuckle. His gaze settled on a couple a few tables away, a large coffee before both of them. They were smiling, he was reaching for her hand. Andrew refrained his sudden urge to scream at them.
“Isn’t that obvious? Why do people kiss other people?” he asked back.
“You were drunk.”
“Not that drunk. And you didn’t push me away.”
“I was drunk.”
“Were you that drunk?”
“Andy, look at me.”
He bit hard on the inside of his cheek as he complied. He couldn’t refuse you anything, anyway…
His right hand rose to painfully rub at his collarbone, the skin quickly turning a bright shade of red.
“Why did you kiss me last night?”
He blinked a couple of times, noticed the way you swallowed too hard.
“Because I wanted to.”
Your lips parted a little.
“Because you… you’re attracted to me?” you asked, and Andrew could have laughed at your puzzled expression, you almost looked scared now.
Scared? Why would you be scared of him? He would do anything for you. God, Andrew could die for you if you asked…
And what was that question, even? Attracted to you? The understatement of the century…
“You can say that, yeah.”
You slowly nodded. He took the opportunity of a moment of silence to drink a long gulp of his coffee, and then another, the bitterness biting at his tongue in a way that made him think about something else than your eyes and the way your lips looked as you bit them again, how much he wanted to kiss your mouth…
“So… you want to have sex with me.”
Andrew choked, grabbing a napkin before he would spill anything, coughing as he put down the cup back on the wooden table.
“Sorry… that was a bit blunt,” you said, but he knew you weren’t sorry at all.
You let him cough, try to catch back his breathing.
“Way too blunt, as always,” he half-joked.
“Andy, I…”
You heaved a sigh, rubbing at your temples like you were focused on a math problem at school. Was that what his kiss was? A problem to be solved?
“Look, I… Andy, you know I care about you. A lot. You’re… you’re one of my closest friends.”
He nodded.
“But?”
“But I can’t handle a relationship right now. Whether it’s with you, or anyone else, I just… I’m trying to figure myself out, I have this new job, I… I can’t handle dating someone, right now.”
“It’s okay, I understand,” he offered you a reassuring smile, and Andrew silently congratulated himself for hiding his disappointment so well. Or his heart breaking, to be fair…
“I can’t handle that…”
“I understand. It’s not the right time for you, I get it. It’s alright. It won’t happen again, you don’t have to worry.”
“But you… you’re attracted to me, right?”
He frowned, wondering why you were asking again.
“Like… if I told you that I wanted to sleep with you, you wouldn’t be against that, right? That’s why you kissed me last night?”
His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. What was he supposed to answer to that? Pretend like he had never dreamt of making love to you all night? Lie and say that he didn’t mean it, that it was a mistake? Damn, that was the best kiss he had ever had…
“What am I supposed to answer that? You’ve just stated that you don’t want anything romantic to happen in your life at the moment. I’m not stupid, it’s alright. I understand, it won’t happen again.”
You heaved a sigh, your stare intense and yet he could see that you were looking for an answer in his soul, like you were scared as you spoke again.
“What if I want to have sex with you?”
His eyebrows shot upwards. He struggled to swallow, struggled to breathe as he shifted in his seat to lean forward, closer to you. He readjusted his glasses on his nose, and he noticed the way you stared, as if you liked what you saw.
“Do you? Want me like that?”
Damn, he was certain he was about to faint, how could a human hold their breath for so long? And this knot in his stomach, he was going to be sick at this rate…
“Yeah. Yeah, I think I do.”
He could hardly believe it. And yet he had witnessed the movement of your lips around those words, there was no doubt left to have. He nervously licked his lips, went back to rubbing at his collarbone as if he wanted to tore the flesh from it. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry or to laugh or simply to finally have a full intake of breath.
“I don’t follow,” he admitted, although it was more that his brain couldn’t possibly compute what you were stating.
“I want you. Physically, I mean. I want you.”
“But you don’t want a relationship.”
“No, I don’t. But you’re handsome, and I’m attracted to you too.”
And that’s when the realisation struck, and it acted like a cold shower, like the icy water hitting his skin when he dove in the ocean in winter. Same shock that took all the air out of his lungs. To be fair, he had not noticed before that he had any oxygen left in these organs of his. It was like… getting a punch in the guts.
“So… you want… just sex? Nothing more.”
It wasn’t really a question, something closer to a statement. He had hoped, for a second, that you felt the same. But you just wanted sex. And he wanted so, so much more…
“Yeah. I mean… like a… friends with benefits situation, you know? Like… we would still be the same, but… with the sex too.”
“But it wouldn’t mean a thing,” he protested, but you didn’t seem to read that feeling in his voice, considering your answer.
“No, it wouldn’t mean anything. Just… two pals who find each other attractive releasing some tension.”
Releasing some tension? Yoga was for releasing tension, not sleeping with the woman he was secretly desperately in love with?!
“What do you say? Would you like that?”
You were serious. He couldn’t believe you were serious… Couldn’t you see that Andrew was in love with you? Couldn’t you… couldn’t you feel it last night? In the way he held you, in the way he touched you, in the way he kissed you?
This was a bad idea. A terrible, terrible idea that would surely backfire and kill him in the end…
“I… I don’t know, to be honest. I’m not sure I want that.”
Slowly, you nodded, leaning further away from him, back against your chair, and he wanted to reach out to pull you closer again, even if you were still separated by the table.
“Okay. I’m sorry I asked that. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s alright. You only asked a question.”
“So… we forget about the kiss then?”
That was the only option, of course. The only reasonable way out of this mess.
Damn it.
“Actually… why not?”
It was your turn to raise a surprised eyebrow. Andrew struggled not to smile when you leaned closer again.
“Really?”
“But then… we need some rules. Cause… that could become… complicated…”
“You’ll hurt yourself.”
“What?”
You nodded towards his shoulder, and he finally noticed that he had been rubbing at the skin too hard.
“Andy, relax, it’s just me. Stop it, you’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled, resting his hands on the table only to start rubbing at his palms. He didn’t even know why he was apologizing.
“It’s okay if you don’t want me like that. We can remain friends.”
“I… I do want you, Y/N. That’s not the problem.”
“The problem?”
I’m not sure I’ll survive if I have you for a moment, and then you leave.
“Friends with benefits… that’s usually messy.”
“Not if we establish rules.”
“What rules?”
“Well, first, no kissing outside of the bedroom. Only for sex. Second, we don’t fall asleep together. Third rule, no one can know about this. And just… If we do this, it can’t be anything but sex. We can’t get attached like this. It’s just… it’s just sex, nothing more.”
Slowly, he nodded. It was a terrible idea. And yet, what else could he be to you? After that kiss last night, Andrew didn’t believe he could remain a mere friend to you for long. And if you couldn’t be in a relationship now, then this was the next best thing he could get. He could still have you, in a way. He could still be yours. And maybe one day, you would want more…
You offered him your open hand. Like signing a contract. Agreeing to a business offer.
“What do you say?”
Andrew raised his hand to meet yours.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
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