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igncrxntripley · 3 months

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their secret weapon pt. 13

synopsis: the group comes face to face with the mastermind behind this evil plan, and y/n works with a friend to devise a plan.

a/n: crawling on my hands and knees to get this done BUT IT HAPPENED.

mentions: poly!judgment day, overall SFW, some cussing, some fighting, fem!reader, mentions of sadness, alludes to feelings of depression.

tags: @thesithdiaries @cassiesgreta @roseheartsworld @theworldofotps @babybatlover @ripleyswhore @auburnwrites @obl1vionblackhart @emogoblin-666 @hereliespumpkin @embertargaryen @neptune-lover @bunnysmyname @i-have-issues-lol @ares-athena @thatonepansexual2000 @witcherfromwallachia @infamousvampcx @christinabae

3 weeks until wrestlemania; 3 weeks until this nightmare would hopefully be over for the judgment day, and they could be reunited with their fifth member. none of them would lie and say the time she'd been away had been easy for anybody in the group though, as y/n being ripped away from the loving grasp of her partners was for no other reason than to get into the heads of those who turned their back on edge.

the house was quieter without her. road trips to the next city and hotel rooms were no longer the same. dressing rooms didn't have the same energy without her. and the entire time it killed the group to know y/n was so close, yet so far away.

and what tormented all of them? kept finn up at night, made damian clench his fists and rhea squirm at the thought? that they had yet to confront edge and tell him exactly how they felt. the man who helped build up y/n as a superstar, was also the man who ripped her away from her lovers; one way or another, the judgment day was going to make sure he got a piece of their mind. it didn’t matter how it happened.

the judgment day was going to make edge’s life hell until wrestlemania.

finn found himself sitting in the group’s bedroom, looking through boxes of y/n’s memorabilia and random things in boxes. most of this stuff was things she just hadn’t gotten around to unboxing when they moved her into their home, but as finn took a closer look, he began to realize why she’d waited.

photo albums. all of which contained pictures of y/n with her chosen family. her first christmas with the copelands, where beth bought all of them matching pajamas and made their family take a picture in front of the christmas tree. the beginning of her career, where beth stood in a practice ring with y/n and coached her through different finishers and submission moves. those long nights backstage at different shows, where a young y/n was absolutely exhausted and adam would keep her comfortable against his side so she could get some rest.

old trophies and titles, random pieces of ring gear, old things from edge and beth’s careers that they’d given y/n…she wasn’t just forgetting to put these things up or take them out of boxes. y/n was scared to do so. she didn’t want to literally open up a box full of hurt and fear after all the pain they’d caused. she was literally and figuratively repressing those emotions.

as finn sorted through the box and tried his hardest not to let his emotions get the best of him, rhea walked into the bedroom and took inventory of the different things in front of her partner. she took a seat next to him, gently rubbing his back and feeling that tension rising inside of him. “she’ll be coming back to us soon, love.” the aussie spoke softly. “only a few more weeks. she’s in good hands.”

“johnny and candance may be good hands but they aren’t her home.” he mumbled. “the fact that they’re treating her like a child and doing this to her is ridiculous anyway.” finn spat, putting the photo album back into the box. “y/n’s an adult. and the one person she sees as her father, one of the most important people in her life, won’t let her come home? our bosses are backing him up? rhea, it’s…” he couldn’t even finish his thought. he shook his head and tried to calm down his boiling anger.

rhea nodded and held finn’s hand. “there’s not much we can do right now.” she said quietly. “we’re all upset. but she’ll be home soon.” she gently turned finn’s head towards her own, holding the irishman’s cheek. “you’re the one who’s going to show him why no one messes with us.”

*****

that moment rhea was speaking of? it came a lot faster than anyone in the judgment day could have emotionally prepared for. it was like the movies, where finn and edge turned the corner at the exact same time and stood face to face for the first time since their newest member was ripped away from the judgment day. finn swore he could feel the anger radiating through his body at the sight of edge; claws were itching at his spine, his stomach felt like it was on fire, and his fists were clenched tight by his side. he took your princess away from you, my prince. it's time to take back what's rightfully yours.

the corner of edge's lip curled into a snarl. in front of him was the man who seemingly corrupted his mentee, the one who took her away from him and beth as another way to get under the skin of the founder of the judgment day. in his mind, he never took y/n away from her newfound family. he was only trying to give her a break from them! he wanted her to take some time to think about her recent choices and possibly remember what exactly the foursome had done to not only her, but himself and beth over the last few months. edge didn't see anything wrong with what he did. the hall of famer was only doing right by the young woman he saw as a daughter.

finn tried taking a deep breath, but his mouth was moving before he could even think about what he was saying. "i'd walk away the other way before i do something i regret."

edge couldn't help but chuckle at finn's statement. the prince was already trying to act so tough? so intimidating? it didn't phase edge one bit. "wow, not even a hello? no how are you?" he playfully looked finn up and down, noting the second bandana in finn's pocket that most likely belonged to y/n. "why so hostile, finn?"

"you know why, don't play dumb with me." finn poked his finger into the rated r superstar's chest. "you know what you did to me, to y/n, to all of us! and you thought the best thing to do was take her away from us when you've ignored her for the last, what, six months? that's not very fatherly of you, adam. more cowardly than anything."

again, edge chuckled. his eyes were growing dark, and he dared himself to step even closer to finn. "i don't need you telling me what's very fatherly. as far as i'm concerned, she's better off without the four of you." he challenged, almost getting joy out of how angry finn was getting at him. "you let her get kicked into a table? she took a spear for you? you doubted her spot in the judgment day? y/n doesn't realize it yet, but the four of you have caused so much more harm than good." edge flashed that cocky smile at finn. "we can continue this conversation in the ring tonight. i'll see you soon."

watching edge walk away, practically reeking of revenge and pure anger, caused all of those feelings within finn to intensify. if he could have unleashed all of that anger backstage, he would have; but finn also knew one wrong move meant having to wait even longer to have y/n in the arms of her four partners again. he wasn't going to risk that, no matter how badly he wanted to wreak havoc.

finn could be patient. he'd wait the three weeks until wrestlemania to give edge a piece of his mind and see their princess again. those three weeks would be hell, but finn was also planning on throwing edge into the deepest pit of pain and agony once he got his hands on him.

only a little while longer, my prince.

*****

each day without her loves, without her family, was causing y/n to fall further into this spiral of sadness. nothing was the same anymore without dominik's laugh, rhea's hugs, damian's bodyguard-esque presence, or finn's kisses. the longer she went without her little family, the more y/n was spiraling into feelings she hadn't felt in a long time, if ever.

sure, she had JD. that was the closest thing y/n had to finn while being away from the judgment day. but it wasn't her finn. being at NXT without any of them by her side wasn't the same. y/n didn't even see the purpose anymore in coming to the PC to work. it was so much easier to hide in johnny and candace's guest room, the lights off and hidden under the covers with rhea's sweatshirt clutched in her hands. no matter how many times she wore damian's t-shirt or looked at goofy pictures with dom, nothing eased the aches in her body.

y/n had practically stopped answering her phone at that point. every text, every phone call, it was ignored and went without response day after day. it didn't matter who it was from, there was radio silence on her end. sometimes the gentle knocks from either candace or johnny on her temporary room even went unanswered. and while people were concerned, it felt like no one was going to do anything to fix it.

no one...except for one particular irishman.

when JD hadn't seen y/n at the PC, she stopped showing up to NXT, his texts and calls went unanswered, he knew he needed to check up on her. finn was trusting him to take care of y/n while she was away, and that meant doing whatever he needed to do for y/n to be even the slightest bit okay. what he didn't realize, even while walking up to the front door of johnny and candace's home, that she already was slipping even further into this deep hole. if JD would have waited any longer, there's no telling how much deeper princess would've fallen.

the hurried, repeated knocks at the front door pulled y/n from her cave of blankets and her partner's hoodies. there wasn't much that could do that as of recent, but she managed this time. she took her time going to the door and opening it, but the sight of JD brought tears to her eyes for a multitude of reasons. guilt, sadness, hurt, anxiety, even a little bit of hope. "you shouldn't be here-"

"y/n..." JD said softly, not even letting her finish her thoughts. his voice alone broke her even more, and before y/n could think twice JD had his arms around his friend in the tightest hug he could manage. he wasn't sure when the last time she got one of those hugs was, so he made note to do it now. to remind y/n she wasn't alone.

y/n wrapped her arms around JD and gripped onto him like her life depended on it. at this point, it basically did; this was the first time in weeks she had someone who wasn't her dad, hunter, or shawn around her. someone who was on her side and actually seemed as though they wanted the best for her. y/n's hands gripped onto JD as tight as she could and she finally let the tears loose down her cheeks. "i-i'm so sorry."

"don't be. you have no reason to be sorry." JD said softly, gently ushering y/n inside with his arms still around her. "come on, y/n. talk to me."

even though y/n wanted everything she was feeling to just pour out, she couldn't. the words were caught in her throat and everything she'd held in for the last month couldn't find its voice. the only thing she could manage were pathetic whines and whimpers, until finally some of those words were choked out. "i just want to go home."

JD's heart broke. he'd never understand why anyone thought taking her away from her family was the right answer. no one was paying attention and noticed that this wasn't helping the frustrations between the judgment day and edge, because they were too focused on themselves. everyone ignored the consequences of their actions.

maybe JD shouldn't have spoken up, but he could only find one answer to the sad statement that left y/n's lips. "who's stopping you?"

y/n's cries slowed down into sniffles and she slowly pulled back to look at JD. "they said i couldn't." the answer felt so simply, yet the solution was even easier. and it never once crossed her mind out of fear of the consequences.

"did they take your key? are they bothering to watch your every move?" JD asked softly, wiping the tears from y/n's cheeks. "you live there too, y/n. no one can stop you from going home. not to the place where you pay the bills with everyone else. the place you call home." JD gently rubbed her arms, managing to give her a smile. "go home, y/n."

again, the answer seemed so easy. the solution was self explanatory. but y/n didn't about it once, until JD mentioned it out of fear for how edge or her superiors would react. needless to say though, JD's words were enough for her to pack her bag and rush out to her parked car in the driveway - the jeep that hadn't moved in days since she stopped going to training sessions. even in the rare cold, florida rain, y/n was rushing home to her people with those same tears rushing down her cheeks.

while the drive wasn't long, it felt like an eternity until y/n was in the driveway of the home she shared with the four people she recognized as her family. she knew their travel schedules and saw everyone was home from their own vehicles being in the driveway and the dimly lit lights through the window, but even after parking and standing in the rain ready to start taking her life back, her legs didn't move.

y/n was terrified, worried someone would catch her and she'd have to face the consequences of going home before she was given permission. even though she didn't need permission, she stood in the rain for a solid five minutes debating if she should've even made the move. but eventually she did it; her tears mixed with the raindrops, and y/n made her way to the front porch before pulling out her phone. her shaky hands sent a quick text to rhea, the aussie being the first of her four partners to pop up in her messages, and waited for someone to hopefully give her the piece of mind she wanted so badly.

"let me in? please?"

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valentiyne · 7 months

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𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗌 & 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗏𝗒 𝗆𝖾𝖽𝖺𝗅𝗌 ☆ 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗎𝗆 𝗁𝗈𝗈𝖽

Calum Hood x Famous!Reader Summary: Requested! After 4 years of agreed no contact, one phone call and song takes back all that you've worked for. Warnings: Mild Cursing, Slight of Explicit Content. Word Count: 1k (not rlly proofread lol) Copyright © 2023 Valentiyne. All rights reserved. This original work is not allowed to be reposted on any platform in any format.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺ ༻

"So, Y/n tell us more about Calum Hood"

A name I hadn't heard in exactly 4 years to the very date.

48 months, 1461 days, and 35040 excruciating long fucking hours.

My face immediately lights up at the name nevertheless, brushing my hair behind my ear nervously,

"Hood? I'm not quite sure what this has to do with my upcoming EP coming out at midnight", I breathlessly laugh out, my eyes locking with the interviewer in front of me. My new work titled, "Bittersweet" was launching at midnight, only containing 4 songs to go along with the 4 bittersweet years I've spent away from him. It was hopeless of me to write about him, but he was the only source of inspiration I could find.

"Well you two had a bit of chemistry as far as we know, is that right?"

Sure we did. We spent over 6 years together on and off, but always came back to each other. He was my rock, my everything, but ultimately we knew it wasn't going to work out.

"Sure we did, I mean it was nothing but a mere innocent crush", I cross my legs now, my shaky hands clasped on top of my knees. The crowd was silent as excited fans packed into the small room to hear the soft launch before midnight.

"Well it was surely more than innocent", she motions to the screen next to us. "This picture was taken four years ago in Bali during the second leg of their tour", I mentally roll my eyes but smile anyway. A few people from the crowd squealed as the iconic picture of us in cuddled up on the beach was displayed, the same one he posted himself as an excuse to have me on his page.

"Like I said- It was a small crush" I was trying to convince myself more than everyone else.

I watch as the slideshow continues on, the screen filled with every single moment in time that Calum and I were spotted together across the world. A few innocent ones of us walking next to each other, to one taken on the balcony of a hotel. We were just kids who didn't know what they were doing- lost in the moment together. He will always have a place in my heart. When things ultimately ended, we both agreed to never speak again- it was only weighing each other down.

"Well I thank you for your time, I hope everyone enjoys the album and finds some comfort in the chaos", I stand up abruptly, extending my hand to shake the interviewer's hand. The crowd cheered quietly as I walked off the stage with a slight wave. I needed to get out of here, I felt like a complete idiot working myself up over someone that I no longer talked to.

I slipped past the stage crew as I shuffled out past the backdoors and towards the parking lot, my fingers fumbling with my keys as I tore my driver's door open and plopped down dramatically. The door shut behind me and I sighed to myself loudly,

That was fucking ridiculous, they didn't even ask anything about me. Just about someone I never wanted to mention. Of course, I could talk about him until the end of time, but it wasn't my place to do so anymore. He was playing sold-out shows every other day and had no worry about a girl back home who happened to have matching tattoos with him, right? The tattoo we shared was of a small flower underneath our ribs, the same flower he gave me on our one-year "situationshipversary" as he called it. It was a silly gesture that I treasured, the California wildflower that he pulled over on the side of the Pacific Coast Highway to pick during peak traffic on the way to my house. It now lay inside a small glass bottle hung around my neck, all wilted like our history.

I pull my phone from my purse, scrolling down to the bottom of my contact list, and clicking on the "DO NOT CALL!!!!" number. I hesitantly dial his number and bring it up to my ear,

"Hey! You reached Calum, I'm away from my phone right now but leave a message!", He declined it immediately, either that or his phone was dead. Not quite sure which one makes me feel better. I roll my eyes at the stupid prepubescent voice and turn my phone off.

I tossed my phone down onto my lap and leaned my head against the wheel. I subconsciously wanted to log back into my Instagram and scroll down an update page to find out anything about him. I had no idea what he was up to or who he was with, it's been years since I've last heard his voice.

"You know this isn't good for either of us, Y/n", he rang through my head as I remember standing on his porch in late July.

"Calum, we've been through this so many times- why can't we just try?"

He runs his hand through his freshly cut hair and shakes his head, "It never ends well, I feel like a fucking lost dog who always limps its way back to you.. I just- Fuck- I can't do thi-"

The last thing I remember was the door closing in my face, leaving me all alone with no closure. I could hear him on the other side, a thump on the door indicating he was leaning against it. I tried for the handle, jiggling it a few times before banging on it, begging for him to talk to me. I couldn't stay mad at him forever, as much as I wanted to. I wanted to scream at him, slap him in his beautiful face, and kiss him all at once.

My phone vibrating snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked down,

DO NOT CALL!!!!

My heart skips a beat, staring at my phone on my lap buzzing away. I bit my lip softly, pulling it closer to my face as I accepted the FaceTime call.

The camera was pointing to the ceiling when I answered, his voice booming loudly as he spoke.

"Hello?"

I let let a breath I didn't know I was holding, trying to gather the right words to say. What was I supposed to say after all this time?

"Cal?", my voice is softer than I had hoped for, the word slipping past my lip like it's begging to finally be let out.

"Holy shit", the camera shifts and he props it up against the wall, waving at me with one hand. Calum sits in his studio chair with his old bass in his lap, headphones pushed back against his long curly hair. His eyes are wide as he raises an eyebrow, "Shit, long time no see."

I adjust the camera against my steering wheel and scoot my seat back, allowing for a better view of myself as I smile innocently with an awkward wave. "Hi Cal, how ya been?" I see his eyes travel down to the necklace around my neck, my fingers dancing around the bottle as I speak.

"Shit, Y/n if I'd known it was you calling I would've answered way faster, I just had deleted your number-", he stops himself, looking up with a sympathetic crooked smile before sighing. I raise a hand up to reassure him instead, "Calum", god saying his name tugs at my heartstrings, "It's okay, I get it... we don't have to dance around it.. now what are you up to?"

He was lying, Calum hood was bluffing to my face and I had no idea. After all this time, he still had my contact listed as "My wildflower", but he couldn't dare admit to me that he didn't answer sooner because he was scared.

Scared of what I was going to say

Scared id tell him I found someone new

Scared of seeing or hearing me again

"I'm actually working on a song right now", he laughs and holds the iconic bass up, a small spot right under the strings that once had a star sticker I placed on it- now scraped off.

I make a face, reminding myself that that was the past and I shouldn't dwell on it too much, but seeing him happier without me didn't make me feel like I thought it would. A part of me wished he was as miserable as I was, cooped up in my room writing stupid songs that were confessing my raw feelings.

"What's it about?", I chirp up as he bends down to play a few notes on the keyboard next to him, assuming it's the intro.

"It's about someone that was in my life, uh someone you don't know- she came around afterward", he says slowly, not meeting my eyes through the screen. I just nod in agreement, opening my mouth to speak.

"Would you like to come over for dinner sometime this week?", The words flow out before I had time to think about it. As I wait for his response, I pick at my nails- a habit he absolutely hated. He would smack my hand out of my mouth every chance we were together, telling me "I'd get worms in my belly" I did stop for a while, but my bitten nails were the only reminder he was actually gone.

"Yeah, I would love to!- Look I'll let you go but we'll keep in touch alright?", He speaks quickly, his hand flying down in one swift movement. With that, he ends the FaceTime call and I'm left looking at my reflection. I looked dumbfounded, smiling to myself as wide as I could.

I couldn't let myself fall for this again, for him- we both knew it wasn't going to end well for either of us. But hell it's been 4 years and I've changed as a person, and by the looks of it, he has too.

My phone buzzed once, twice, and then three before I looked back up at it to see three new messages from none other than Hood.

DO NOT CALL!!!!: I kinda lied, you do know the person I wrote it about

DO NOT CALL!!!!: mp3.wildflower.calumdemo.rec

DO NOT CALL!!!!: my wildflower ;)

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caelesjjk · 9 months

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entangled | jjk&kth - teaser

⟶title: entangled

⟶au: marvel au

⟶ rating: 18+

⟶ genre: romance, smut, love triangle

⟶wc: 1.5k for this

⟶banner: by meee, and yes I’m insane and made a new one

⟶warnings: mentions of blood, kissing, a boob grab and an ass grab, but no actual smut for this, Jungkook calls you Data

⟶ summary: Jeon Jungkook is Spider-Man.

He saved your life twice. But he’s also been your sweet lab partner in college for the past two years and now someone who is more than just a friend.

You care about him…maybe even love him. But something tells you that you aren’t quite sure what love even is. How could you when you have feelings for someone else as well?

Kim Taehyung is the handsome stranger you’ve seen around campus and somehow ended up dancing with at Club Onyx. You were upset that Jungkook had stood you up once again and Taehyung made you feel like you were on top of the world.

What you didn’t know that night, is the dark secret Taehyung is trying desperately to hide, but the closer the two of you get the more difficult that becomes.

⟶ authors note: hello darklings. I know a lot of people have been waiting for this fic, and you’ll have wait just a bit more. But in the meantime, I offer this little teaser to hold you over. A little glimpse of spidey kook. First chapter will be posted in just a few weeks!

Also, if you asked to be on the taglist just now that I tried messing with it for a long ass time and got annoyed lol. I may try again for the actual fic.

“What are you doing here anyways?” You shove against his broad chest and feel his arm release your waist. He sighs, following you inside your apartment.

“I know you’re upset I missed the study session…” Jungkook starts to explain, but you twist back around to face him.

“If my friends hadn’t seen you around campus now and then, they would think I made you up, Jungkook. You never show. It makes me look pathetic.” You cross your arms over your chest and wait for the next excuse.

“You aren’t pathetic, Data. I’m just…” Jungkook winces when he reaches for you, a hand moving down to his ribs in pain. “Sorry, it’s healing it’s just slow.”

“What’s healing? What happened to you?” You let the fight go for a moment, closing the space between the two of you and moving his hand out of the way.

Beneath his fingers is a large cut, bloody but half hidden by his suit. It looks angry and inflamed. What could’ve made a cut like this?

“It’s nothing. I’ll heal up in a couple hours.” He pulls your hand away, blood stained on the tips of your fingers.

“It won’t matter how quick you heal if it gets infected. Come in here.” Your hand wraps around his and you pull him into your small bathroom. You steady him against your bathroom vanity and move to grab your first aid kit from the cabinet above your toilet. “Take that off.” You gesture to his Spider-Man suit.

“Yes, ma’am.” Jungkook teases, gingerly working his top half out of the suit. He hisses through his teeth as he peels the suit away from his ribs and lets it hang at his hips.

You are not the universe's strongest soldier.

Your eyes drift over all the dips and curves of muscle. A perfectly sculpted chest and abs you could literally eat off of are scrambling every sense you have in your head. You need to focus. Stay focused on the task at hand and not his ridiculously toned body.

“You okay, Data?” He asks, humor in his voice. That horrid nickname he had given you in your first year as lab partners is feeling more endearing these days. You clear your throat.

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine? Just tending to Spider-Man’s wounds in my extremely tiny bathroom.” You try to laugh but it doesn’t sound genuine.

You take out some bandages and gauze and get to work cleaning him up. But even as you tape down the gauze, you can visibly see the wound getting smaller. Super powers were really something else.

“Data.” Jungkook’s voice brings you back to reality.

“What?” You sigh.

“Please come here.” His hands reach for your hips and you give in, letting him pull you until you’re flush against him, suddenly nose to nose. “That’s better.”

“I’m angry with you.” You whisper, heart pumping a bit faster in the close proximity.

“I know that you are. I’m really sorry…I swear I wanted to be there.” You look down to see him slip his gloves off his hands and sit them on the countertop before they’re coming up to cup your face.

“Then what happened? You need to tell me.” Your hands wrap around his wrists.

“There’s something out there, Data. A…monster that we can’t figure out. He’s strong…and fast. Nothing I’ve ever seen before.” His thumbs brush the corners of your mouth.

“What does it want?”

“It keeps breaking into the Lab across the River. It’s looking for something. But no one at the lab is being very forthcoming with information.” His forehead presses to yours, “but Mr. Kim is working on that part.”

Seokjin Kim, also known as Ironman. He was a mentor and a good friend to Jungkook. He had helped Jungkook navigate the new world of being a superhero and also gave him a job to help him pay for school.

“Hasn’t Mr. Kim told you to call him Jin over and over?” You tease, hands coming up to rest against his chest. Jungkook laughs quietly, pulling you closer.

“He has. Guess it just slipped out.” His hands move down to palm your ass.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” You raise an eyebrow in question of his actions.

“Just feels like I haven’t touched you in so long.” His warm mouth finds your throat and he presses kisses to the skin.

“Two days is a long time?”

“It is when it comes to you. Thinking about how much I want you gets so distracting.” He nuzzles into the crook of your neck making you giggle.

“So what I did for you two days ago wasn’t enough?” You let your hands slither down from his chest and over the planes of his stomach.

“Never enough.” His nose skims over your jaw until you’re back face to face and his lips are devouring yours. “I’d like to pay you back.”

“How?” You moan when you’re cut off by his tongue sliding into your mouth.

“Let me show you?” Jungkook pulls away from the kiss, taking your hand and leading you out of the bathroom.

Thinking he means to lead you to your bed, you start to pull him towards it but he seems to have other ideas, walking you back out onto the balcony. He releases your hand momentarily to slide his suit back up over his shoulders.

“What are you going to show me out here, Jungkook?” You start to feel suspicious.

“Do you trust me?” He jumps up onto your railing with ease, still holding your hand in his.

“Not if it involves you swinging me around off the side of buildings.” You start to pull your hand out of his, but his web shooter from the other wrist shoots a web at your torso, using his inhuman strength to pull you up onto the railing into his arms.

“I would never let you fall. Never. Just close your eyes for a few minutes. I promise it’ll be worth it, Data.” He touches your cheek gently, and even though you want to throw up every time he does this, you close your eyes and wrap your arms as tightly as possible around his neck and legs around his waist. “Ready?” He whispers in your ear, one strong arm wrapping around your back.

You don’t verbally answer, just nod once before burying your face into his neck.

And then the ground is no longer beneath your feet and the sickening feeling of free falling is very apparent. You try to breathe, squeezing yourself around Jungkook as you listen to the whooshing sound of his web shooters discharge and swing you between the tallest buildings in the city.

“You’re doing amazing.” Jungkook kisses your cheek, “just another minute.”

You keep your eyes squeezed shut until the curiosity becomes too overwhelming, making you dare to open your eyes just the slightest bit. You see the sun completely setting on the horizon, orange and purple hues slowly disappearing beneath the river. As long as you don’t think about how high up you are, it really is beautiful up here.

Jungkook shoots a web straight up into the air, letting it connect to the side of one of the tallest buildings, slowly pulling the two of you up until he’s reached the highest ledge, tapping your thighs so you know it’s safe to put your feet down.

“Why are we up here, Jungkook? You know the heights..” he kisses you before you can finish the sentence.

“Can we try something?” He smiles, and it’s infuriating. You’re too weak for this spidey boy. You sigh with exasperation.

“I’m already very wary of saying yes.” You look away from the ledge towards the top of the building.

“Let me make you feel good…up here.” His cheeks heat a little when he asks.

“Is this some kind of weird adrenaline thing? Why would you want that?” Your voice cracks and you sputter, disbelief heavy in your tone.

“I think it’ll be intense…feel so good.” His lips move down and his teeth nip at your jaw.

“It’s insane…” you melt into his touch and the way his mouth sucks at your neck.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll take you home. And I’ll get you naked in your bed instead.” He pulls your shirt over your head, fully knowing you’re about to give in.

“Bed sounds so good right now…”

“Please, Data…just try it.” He tosses your shirt to the side, cupping your breasts and kissing the tops of them.

“What do I have to do?” You feel too good to let the fear ruin the way he’s making you feel.

“Lie back on the ledge, with your arms above your head and your wrists crossed.”

You let him lead you down onto the ledge, every nerve in your body is hot and on the edge. Jungkook makes sure that you’re settled before he stands back up straight, looking down at you while you slowly move your arms above your head the way he asked.

“You’re perfect, Data.” Jungkook stares at you a moment longer before he aims his web shooter and traps your wrists together against the concrete ledge beneath you.

#bts #bts fic #jungkook fic #taehyung fic #jeon jungkook #kim taehyung #entangled teaser #jjk #kth #jungkook smut #taehyung smut #bts imagines #bts fanfic #bts smut #jungkook #jungkook x reader #taehyung x reader

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redtsundere-writes · 2 months

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Jinx | Sukuna Ryomen

mma fighter!sukuna ryomen x femalecoach!reader

Part 5. New & Old

Beginning. ← Previous | Next →

Sypnosis: Sukuna is a world champion with anger issues. It's believed by many that he is untrainable. Yeah, you can't train him, but you can dominate him. Contents: Fighting. Sukuna being Sukuna. female reader being dom. Jinx AU (the BL, not the character from lol) Warnings: Mentions and sexual harassment. Angst. Humiliation. Cursed words. Word Count: 2743 words. A/N: Hello peeps! Another day, another slay. I really enjoy writing this fic and I am really happy that you seem to like it as well. Thanks! :3 Ps. Fuck me you Joo Jaekyung

“Cheers!” We exclaimed as we clinked our beers.

We had finally returned home after a great victory in Dubai. The bar was full, the food kept coming to our long table and the mugs seemed bottomless. The entire Team Black was gathered to celebrate the crushing victory of our terrifying champion. The air was filled with laughter, pleasant chatter and popular music. Sukuna was at the head of the table, watching everyone like the king he is while wisely drinking water.

“C’mon, drink one with your coach!” I asked with a goofy smile due to the effects of alcohol. I had two mugs already, and it was starting to show.

“No. Do you know how many calories that have?” He rejected me completely.

There were few things I knew about him in the short time I have been his coach. Sukuna was grumpy, foul-mouthed and a jerk in every definition of the word, but his strongest characteristic is that he is ridiculously disciplined. He was a fucking ninja with incredible mental strength. He invited the whole team to eat burgers, wings, nachos and drown themselves in beer, while he just drank plain water and ate a veggie burrito. Sukuna was a great athlete, but he needed to learn how to relax once in a while.

“That only means that I have to maintain my title. I can't lose focus now,” he answered without paying me much attention. He surely noticed my drunkenness.

“That’s why you are always so cranky, you are always thinking of fighting and being a champion. It’s okay to enjoy life once in a while,” I tried again.

“You enjoyed too much and look where you are,” he exposed me, pounding his glass against the table to emphasize his point.

My body moved away from him at the loud bang. Everyone turned to look at us to see what it was all about, but when they saw that it was just another Sukuna tantrum, they went back to their own thing. My hand went straight to my neck. I avoided his gaze and resigned myself to continue drinking.

“You say it like it’s something bad,” I mumbled before taking a shy sip. “I refuse to become a coach,” Sukuna spat angrily.

“You couldn’t become one even if you tried.” Someone behind me defended me out of the blue.

I turned around, and my cheeks burned instantly. It was Choso. He's standing there like a guardian angel with a dark aura ready to defend me from a mean demon. He gave me a mischievous compliance smile that I couldn't help but mimic.

“It’s good to see you, bro! Sit down,” Yuuji, who was seated next to me, offered him his seat.

“Who the fuck invited you?” Sukuna frowned.

“Yuuji. He said he wanted to introduce me to someone,” Choso answered without looking away from me as he sat down.

"This guy always knows how to surprise me," I thought as I scanned him from head to toe. Seeing him up close was like paying attention to a piece of contemporary art, simple yet complicated at the same time. His long hair was down and neatly combed, his unruly curtain bangs fell perfectly to the sides of his eyes, framing them perfectly. You could tell he was Sukuna's brother by his sharp features and outlined eyebrows. I could imagine him frowning without needing to experience it.

“He is all yours. I’m drinking with Megumi,” Yuuji said, after introducing me to his brother for a second time. He went to the other side of the table to drink with his buddy, who was drinking alone.

He gave me a discreet wink that I could only see. That's when I realized what he had done. This was the "date" he had arranged for us as a favor. I hadn't been on a date in years, so I was super nervous. How could I not be? I wasn't ready. My hair was in a tight ponytail, I was wearing athletic clothes, and I was tired from jet lag. He looked so good in his denim jacket, baggy jeans and his smooth cologne that brushed my nose.

“Yuuji has told me so much about you,” I said, trying to hide my shyness.

“What a coincidence. Yuuji had also told me so much about you.” That was unexpected.

“Really? What did he tell you?” I asked, curious.

“That you are patient, nice and very cute,” he complimented me with a shy smile. “He didn’t tell me that last thing, it's just what I am seeing,” he corrected.

"He's so cute!" I thought excitedly. I could feel my poor heart in love running around in circles in my chest and my hands were starting to sweat, but I was calm. Who am I kidding? My cheeks hurt from grinning like an idiot. I felt like an awkward teenager in front of her out of her league crush.

“Is that your pickup line?” Sukuna joked.

“Shut up!” I barked, so he wouldn’t interrupt us. “Thanks, I think you are really cute as well,” I answered Choso’s flirting, paying him all of my attention. He looked a bit shocked that I was able to scold his brother so easily.

“Yuuji told me you used to fight in the UFC as well,” he said, ignoring Sukuna’s comment.

“I was the best. There are some of my fights on YouTube, my nickname is ‘Medusa’s Snake’,” I flexed proud as I poured him a beer from the bucket in the center of the wooden table, surrounded by delicious greasy snacks.

“A very poetic nickname. Did you know Medusa means protector in Greek? I think it goes well with you.”

When my first coach named me like that, I was flattered. Medusa was the mortal gorgon, one of the three daughters of the god of the sea, Forcys, and the goddess of sea monsters and the dangers of the sea, Ceto. She became the main enemy of men after suffering a painful rape by Neptune in front of the sanctuary of Minerva. Although early poets depicted her as a monster from birth, along with her immortal sisters, later writers claim that she was originally a beautiful maiden, but was turned into a monster by Athena or Minerva.

“Thanks, you are the first one who says it,” I said as my cheeks blushed. “Do you like mixed martial arts?”

“I used to practice kick boxing regularly, until someone discouraged me from continuing.” I noticed that he looked at Sukuna when he said “someone.”

I couldn't blame him. The active UFC community is pretty small. I wouldn't want to continue coexisting in the same environment as my biggest traitor. Besides, sports publicists love to compare athletes who share some sort of bond and spread drama. If Choso kept practicing to a professional level, reporters wouldn't leave him alone if they found out the champ fucked his fiancée.

The night flowed its course and the conversation continued to flourish between us. We drank, laughed and shared funny anecdotes. Choso was so nice, just like Yuuji, but shared that strong aura like Sukuna. He was the best of both worlds. Elegant, kind and respectful - what more could a girl ask for in a man?

Choso had to leave early because he had to work in the morning. He said goodbye to everyone except Sukuna, and I offered to escort him out. The vibrant street was still alive despite the darkness that ruled the skies as it was so late in the afternoon. People were still passing down the street in beautiful attire under the colorful lights of passing bars and restaurants. It had been a pleasant evening. It had been a long time since I had had so much fun.

“It was a pleasure meeting you,” Choso smiled friendly. His shoulders were relaxed, and his kind eyes conveyed to me that he was more comfortable than before.

“I say the same thing,” I smiled at him as well. He slipped his hands into his pants pockets and avoided my gaze out of nowhere. That comfort turned to anguish again, so my smile gradually disappeared.

“Yuuji told me you were interested in me…” he sighed. “Look, you are a great girl, but right now, I have a complicated situation with my brother, and dating his coach doesn’t sound like a good idea.” He scratched his neck embarrassed, still avoiding my sight. “So it was about that,” I thought.

“I get it. Thanks for giving me a chance at least,” I said kindly. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel bad for rejecting me, but I wasn’t going to give up so easily. At the end of the day, I am a fighter at heart. “The truth is that I am not planning on being his coach for a long time. Seeing him holding his belt with pride on the ring, reminded me that I will be there again one day.”

I caressed my injured area with nostalgia. I missed being the star with the white lights illuminating my every dangerous move. I missed the audience yelling my name with excitement as they watched me destroy another one of my opponents. I missed the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I fought for my honor. Choso looked at me again, seeming confused by my answer but hopeful for the explanation.

“What I am trying to say is that when I become a protector again, I’ll call you,” I said with a proud smile. His eyes widened, surprised when he understood what I was trying to say.

“I’ll wait for your call then,” he smiled.

With that, he kissed my blushing cheek goodbye and drove off down the sidewalk. As I watched him get into his car, I stood a while longer by the door processing what had happened that night. "You're going to be mine," I affirmed, sure of myself.

Another day at the gym. Another day in hell. By this point the gym was my hell on earth. Dealing with the devil himself was complicated, sometimes there were good days when he would do everything I asked him to do without batting an eye and others were the fights were no longer physical, but verbal. Over the months as his coach, I had learned to deal with his heavy attitude.

“¡Ten kicks!” I ordered as I placed the cushion he was supposed to kick at the height of my stomach. “1, 2, 3…!” I counted every hard kick. I made sure to hold the cushion tightly so it wouldn’t fly away. “…7, 8, 8, 8, 8…!” I repeated with a smug face.

“Stop it!” He yelled without losing the beat.

“Don’t give up! …8, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9…!” I yelled, gripping the cushion hard. Sukuna huffed but kept kicking like the champ he is. “…9, 10!” I finished counting after 30 kicks.

“Go fuck yourself…” He sighed mad.

“For that, another 10,” I said, pulling the cushion back up.

“I missed seeing you like this.”

My heart stopped the moment I heard that voice. I could recognize it in any place, time or date. I knew exactly who it was and didn't want to turn around to confirm it, but I had to face it. The UFC world is small, so it was inevitable that we would meet again at some point, but I never thought it would be like this. Sukuna glared at the person behind me, sure he was wondering why a snoop was in his gym. I gulped dryly before confronting the biggest son of a bitch I'd ever met.

“Don’t frown like that, you will ruin your pretty face, beautiful,” he said with a pout. My jaw contracted when I heard such stupidity.

Naoya Zenin. One of the best fighters in the Zenin family, the current middleweight champion and my second coach. If I had to thank one person for teaching me how to deal with Sukuna, it would be this bastard. Because if I could survive him, I could survive anything. An arrogant, self-centered, stubborn man disguised as an angel incarnate. He was standing there with his stupid minions that followed him around like they were his ducklings.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I asked, mad at his bare presence. From my tone and volume, some fighters stared at the scene.

“Sukuna lets you talk like that? I think you need a muzzle, bitch,” he smirked, as if it was something normal to say.

I wanted to beat him to silence. I let go of the pad with a thud and took off my protective gloves as I approached him to jump him. I was ready to beat the fuck out of him. I didn't care if I got fired, ruined my neck, or got beat to death, I had to get that stupid grin off his face no matter what. I couldn't let him say those kinds of things to me just because.

When I was about to jump out of the ring, Sukuna grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. He forced me to stay close to his body, so I could only see his chest. I tried to break free from his grip, but his arm wrapped perfectly around my wait. My body trembled like a Chihuahua ready to bite. I looked him in the eye, asking him to let me handle this, but he ignored me.

“Can you leave my coach out of this?” He asked, clearly annoyed.

“Yours?” Naoya laughed out loud. “She is mine since she gave me her weak ass,” he said with a wide grin full of confidence.

I closed my eyes in embarrassment as soon as he said that. I didn't want Sukuna to find out like that. I wanted to erase him from my life forever, but he always managed to infiltrate like heavy humidity. I couldn't see him, but I knew he had a relaxed posture, his sharp eyes scanning my figure up and down and critiquing my current position.

“I don’t give a shit about what kind of relationship you have, but now, she only listens to me. You better get the fuck out of my gym before I release her so she can beat your ass,” he barked in my defense.

I looked at him in surprise at that answer. His red eyes were calm but determined. He meant every word he said. If Sukuna allowed me to, I could beat him at my pleasure. I wasn't going to waste the opportunity, I would make him very proud.

“Get the fuck out?! I just arrived to introduce myself as your next opponent!” He yelled excitedly. The gym looked at him in shock at the statement, especially me. Sukuna was going to face Naoya for the belt of the light heavyweight category?! “The UFC accepted the fight today. I was so excited that I came all the way to see you! I am a big fan!”

“You already saw me, now fuck off. I won’t repeat myself,” Sukuna asked, surprisingly keeping his composure.

“At least let me say goodbye to my cute wife,” Naoya pouted.

“I am not your wife, motherfucker!” I yelled, turning around suddenly to dispute that fat lie he dropped. Sukuna held me back to not jump him.

“Awww, just like the good old days,” Naoya grinned. “That’s how it is going to be then, see you later…” he turned around to go back from where he came from with his stupid side chicks. “…maybe sooner than you think,” he winked at me before leaving.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists in frustration at not being able to say anything else to her stupid face. I pulled myself out of Sukuna's grasp. We both stood in silence while the others murmured and whispered about the strange encounter. I didn't know how to explain the situation to him, I didn't even want to, but I had to.

“I…”

“I don’t give a shit,” he said before returning my gloves that I tossed earlier. “Let’s get back to work.” I took the gloves, relieved.

“From now on, I won’t teach how to be a floor fighter,” I said as I adjusted my gloves around my fingers. “I will teach you how to kill that motherfucker,” I stated strongly. A wide grin appeared on his proud face.

“You have all my attention now.”

Masterlist.

Order your own fanfic! (Starting price: $5 USD)

Tag list: @charlie-xo

Let me know if you want to be tagged for the next chapter! :3

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iamadequate1 · 3 months

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Don't Stream on Max

Ragging on Max is fun, isn't it? This is going to be long since I brought tables. Here's a kiss GIF to get people's attention!

Let's be real: if HBO/Max has a cancellation rate this high and is the only streamer with a cancellation rate approaching these numbers, we're long past the point where fingers can be pointed at the shows individually, trying to invent unique "failures" in each one separately... except for Zaslav's baby, The Idol, that show deserved it. If there is an oddity like this, deduce down the common factor, and the common factor here in all these "failures" is WBD/HBO/Max. WBD does not know how to run a streaming business, and yet, it is charging consumers the highest rates in the industry.

✨Cancel Max now✨

Remember that WBD sponsored article from Vulture? Remember?? Specifically...

And then there was the final strike against last month’s canceled trio of titles: their production costs. As noted earlier, all three series went into development circa 2019-2020, at a time when competition for hot new shows was beyond intense. Streamers were handing out ridiculous deals in order to land coveted projects and agreeing to license fees and production budgets that were usually only reserved for big, established blockbuster hits. So a series like Rap Sh!t, which had the feel of an indie production and used iPhones to tell its story, ended up costing Max twice as much to license as HBO’s critically loved, niche comedy Somebody Somewhere, per a source familiar with show budgets. Our Flag Means Death, the same sources say, had a license fee three times that of Somebody.

First of all, they picked the smallest show they could in order to justify ~scary~ words like "twice" and "three times" without any danger of being specific, but they also picked a show that was "renewed" and I can find no evidence it's being worked on anymore!

But 2019-2020, let's discuss that. The merger was finalized April 8, 2022, and Max, the illicit love baby between Discovery+ and HBO Max, launched on May 23, 2023. On its face, Max has the second largest sticker price of streamers, and that sticker price is mostly built from that HBO prestige, but I'll build to that...

Let's say Zaslav had to let 2022 roll, so let's look at 2023, shall we? HBO/Max had 11 shows debut in 2023.

Velma (Max - renewed + lol)

The Last of Us (HBO - renewed)

Fired on Mars (Max - Purgatory)

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (Max - Renewed)

Clone High (Max - Purgatory as new season is coming in)

The Idol (HBO - cancelled)

Warrior (Max - cancelled + moved to Netflix)

Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (Max - renewed)

Young Love (Max - Purgatory)

Scavengers Reign (Max - Purgatory)

Bookie (Max - Renewed)

Wow! Not even half confirmed renewed, and one of the success stories is Velma. HBO also only debuted two series that year: TLOU was in development since 2020, but The Idol was still in early stages when Zaslav wandered in. Since he didn't put a stop to it, The Idol remains Zaslav's sole contribution to HBO, especially since according to Wikipedia, the show went under a "drastic" overhaul in April 2022, the month of the merger.

There is an article going around citing that Max has a 26.9% cancellation rate, and that seems.... off? It is still far higher than every other streamer, but it's still lower than what's expected from what we've seen of WBD/Max. If you look at Max's original programming list and HBO's original programming list, something's not adding up. I tried to follow the source back, but it wanted money, so I'll do it myself! I suspect that the glut of mindless reality shows, exploitative docuseries, and miniseries really brought that percentage down.

I'm just going to look at the cancellation of actual scripted shows, ignoring miniseries (that's just a big movie on purpose and no concern about #FinishOurStories), series that haven't aired an episode yet, non-English series (most don't have Wikipedia entries and are a messier thing to research), and co-productions (as Anne with an E showed, sometimes the partner can be responsible for cancellations -- this unfortunately leaves off series like Gentleman Jack). I also limited myself to series that had/about to have a season debut after the merger date (April 8, 2022).

(I've got the 'tism, and I enjoy making spreadsheets.)

Drama:

Comedy:

Anthology:

Continuation:

Adult Animation:

Kid/Family:

(Note: I used "ended" if I immediately saw that it was the creators who ended the show on purpose.)

HBO Breakdown:

Max Breakdown:

Combined:

HBO/Max is hovering around a confirmed 50% cancellation rate. I don't expect shows like Tokyo Vice and The Sex Lives of College Girls to last past their seasons that are about to premiere, and I expect many of these other "renewed" or "pending" shows to disappear into the ether.

Let's talk money. What is the monthly cost to subscribe to streamers? To make my life easier, I'm not going to list out yearly costs.

Streamer | Cost/Month with Ads (USD) | Cost/Month without Ads (USD) Apple | n/a | 9.99 Disney | 7.99 | 13.99 Hulu | 7.99 | 17.99 Disney/Hulu Bundle | 9.99 | 19.99 Max | 9.99 | 15.99 Netflix | 6.99 | 15.49 Paramount | 5.99 | 11.99 Peacock | 5.99 | 11.99 Prime | 8.99 | 11.98 Starz | n/a | 9.99 Discovery+ (on debut) | 4.99 | 6.99

Disney and Hulu together without bundling would be 15.98 with ads and 31.98 without ads, so each bundle is 62.5% of what it would have been with a double charge. If Max would be a similar deal, the HBO and Discovery pieces separately would add to 15.98 (ads) and 25.58 (no ads), so assuming no Discovery inflation (and, lbr, the starting pricing was already too high), the HBO piece would be 10.99 (ads) and 18.59 (no ads), putting HBO as the most expensive streaming option.

It's hidden, but Max is a bundle. Discovery+ and HBO do not have overlapping shows or audiences; it's really like if ESPN and Disney tried to sell itself as one service without telling anyone.

Since I tossed out the reality pieces, the cancellation rates I have above are the HBO pieces. If you're paying for Max, you're paying for the most expensive TV option, while paying for the highest turnover in TV productions. If you're subbed to Max for one show, it would be cheaper to just buy it from a digital store or, you know, 🏴‍☠️

So, circling back to the initial quote: sobbing about being beholden to the wacky 2019-2020 greenlights, when those greenlights are the only reason people are subscribed to the service in the first place is certainly a choice! Especially since now that the only "originals" Max is offering up are on par with Velma and The Idol, and the prestige TV that were underway at the time of merger (ex, TLOU and that upcoming HP show) maybe justify a one month sub-and-binge per year. With this obscene cancellation rate and creator disrespect, they aren't going to nab any more big projects, but they sure want you to pay them like they are.

Look, I'm not getting into the labor and worker treatment parts of this, and I'm not getting into the media representation parts of this or how non-white/straight/male shows have to meet impossible standards. Both of those are also egregious and part of a much, much larger discussion. Just from a purely consumer point of view, Max is a bad product.

Cancel Max. It is not worth your time to care about anything they put out.

Anyway, some petitions for shows that this failed streamer dumped recently. Max won't pick any of them up again, but you can show other streamers that there is interest for them to pick up the shows!

Our Flag Means Death

Rap Sh!t

Julia

Winning Time

Warrior (S4 has not been confirmed with Netflix)

#petitions at end #our flag means death #ofmd #save ofmd #adopt our crew #david zaslav #hbo max #max #don't stream on max #rap shit #rap sh!t #julia hbo #winning time #warrior #the gilded age #the gilded age should help out their Gay Twitter brethren

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isaksbestpillow · 13 days

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More Ossan's Love Returns details

You thought I was done with this show after subbing it??? No! This is a continuation to my earlier post.

The game and tv controllers aren't always in the same place, meaning someone actually uses them.

I love all the random appearances of Kikunosuke's riceballs haha. The Tall size really is tall!

I think this is Kikunosuke's room. He doesn't have much decor, only gym equipment. The framed motto on the wall says 万里一空 banri ikkuu ('ten thousand ri (old japanese unit) one sky'), work towards your goal no matter how long it takes. It was originally coined by the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. It suits Kikunosuke well since he's kept pining for over a decade!

Maki actually keeps studying Chinese throughout the season even though it doesn't come up in conversation. The red book he carries around is his Chinese textbook.

I just realised this reference may not have been clear to everyone, so I'm including it here. In episode five after the ridiculous gay on gay violence Kurosawa takes a kabuki mie pose with his fan as the curtain closes on the antics. The battle is kind of like crazy kabuki play foreshadowed by the sound of shishiodoshi throughout the episode.

Look on the left! They put up their wedding photos!!

I just love this shot.

Chief's get well soon gifts from when he was in the hospital and people thought he was dying. Teppei gave him his cd 完敗 (kanpai, total defeat, pun on 乾杯 kanpai as in cheers). The book is from Maika judging by the title (sexy neighbour) lol. Haruta & Maki went with a more conservative wrapped gift. I don't know who brought the flowers (I think they're kasumisou/gypsophila), but white flowers are generally not recommend for hospital visits because they're associated with buddhist offerings, which I think is part of the joke. In fact, this whole setup looks like an altar of offerings with the flowers and the apples and the riceballs.

Their bowls go together with their matching couple loungewear!!

Izumi started buying a new kind of bread after making peace with Akito's death and gave it to Kikunosuke, what if I cry!! I wonder if he started buying strawberry jam bread for Akito and himself after that strawberry crepe confession episode.

Maki is reading a book in the final spin-off. It's actually the same book he was reading in season one in the episode where he got sick. It's not a real book, but the title is Tokunaga, inu ni nazukeru tte yo ('Tokunaga said he's gonna name the dog', a pun on the book/movie Kirishima, bukatsu yameru tte yo 'Kirishima said he's gonna quit the school club'). Tokunaga is the name of the character Hayashi Kento played on the Netflix series Hanabi. There's a chihuahua on the cover as a nod to Maki being compared to a chihuahua on the show multiple times.

#ossan's love returns

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daechwitatamic · 10 months

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4. Perilune || KSJ

(banner by @itaeewon)

Title: Amalthea (Masterpost) - Part 4: Perilune

Rating: NSFW - minors go away i mean it Genre: best friend's older brother!au, angst smut fluff trifecta Pairing: Seokjin x female reader Beta team: @yoongiphoria, @here2bbtstrash, @kookstempo

Summary: You can count on two things in life. One: that your lifelong best friend Minji will always be there for you, in your corner, your brightest star. Two: that you'll never be free from her older brother Seokjin's orbit - the gravitational pull is just too strong.

Warnings: language, confessions, drinking, angst, facetime sex lol bye, vibrator use (f), dirty talk, kissing, lightly dom!jin, fingering, reader takes it from behind, penetrative sex (protection not mentioned either way), multiple orgasms (f. receiving), sweet aftercare

WC: 9k

Part 4: Perilune

Perilune: (noun) the point of an elliptical lunar orbit where the satellite and the Moon are the closest

“What… is going on here?” Minji asks, eyes wide, voice trembling.

Seokjin, secret genius, reaches out an arm to welcome her into the hug. “Y/N is upset,” he says easily, like this is a perfectly natural thing. “Come help.”

Minji’s eyes narrow, but she shuffles into the hug, wrapping one arm around each of you. “But,” she ventures after a minute, “why are you upset?”

You shake yourself free of the hug, wipe at your face roughly with both hands. You consider your options. You consider that Seokjin is willing to forgo the easy option, to wrestle with a tough reality for you.

You owe him the same.

“Because I don’t know what’s going to happen when he flies home again,” you say, as honest as you can be. “And I’m scared I’ll lose him again. And I hate that it isn’t easier.”

Minji looks back and forth between you silently. “Are you….?” she manages, and the question is pointed more at Seokjin than you, so he answers.

“We’re together,” he says simply.

The shock flies to her face almost instantly, but all you feel is resignation. You’re already emotionally spent today; this might as well happen.

“For how long?” she demands. “When did this start?”

You look at him. “Technically, like four days ago,” you answer, deciding to omit the New Year’s Eve debacle. For now.

Her eyes narrow again. “You didn’t tell me.” The accusation falls at your feet, but you’re glad to accept it.

“We were…” You trail off, meeting Seokjin’s eyes over her head. “We were trying to feel it out before we told anybody.”

“Hmph,” Minji sniffs, arms crossed, frown pronounced. “I’m not anybody. I’m your best friend.”

“I know,” you whisper. “But it felt… complicated. Considering. You don’t… hate this? Would you… are you okay with this?”

Minji huffs out a laugh, the same way Seokjin does when he thinks you’ve said something ridiculous. “Please,” she says, reaching back to elbow her brother in the ribs. “You two have been stupid for each other since we were teenagers. It’s honestly about time.”

It feels too good to be true. Seokjin smiles, grabbing her arm and wiggling it around affectionately. “Look how mature you are,” he coos. “Look at my mature, smart, lovely, wonderful sister.”

“Get off me,” she snaps, but there’s no bite behind it. “God, you two loons.”

Later, when you’re back home, alone, trying to process everything that had happened, your phone lights up.

[11:57 PM] Minji 💗: OH MY GOD [11:57 PM] Minji 💗: THIS MEANS [11:57 PM] Minji 💗: YOU GOT THE GOOD DICK GLOW [11:57 PM] Minji 💗: FROM MY BROTHER???????///??????????? [11:57 PM] Minji 💗: I WILL THROW UP I WILL THROW UP RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[12:03 AM] Jin 😎: well now that the cat’s out of the bag… can i take you on a date before i go?

–

You tell Jin yes, but the next night isn’t spent with him. Instead, you show up after dinner to Minji’s apartment holding a fresh stalk of celery with a cheery bow slapped on the packaging. It’s stupid - ridiculous, really - but it’s a you and Minji thing dating all the way back to middle school and you think she’ll laugh.

You’re right; as soon as she processes the nonsense she’s looking at, she bursts into laughter.

“Damn,” she cackles, backing up to let you into the apartment. “You must be feeling guilty. You bypassed show up with beer and went straight to celery!”

“Please accept this token of my deepest regrets and most sincere apologies,” you deadpan, pushing the stalks into her hands. Still laughing, she heads into her tiny kitchen to find a spot for them in the fridge. You perch on the arm of her couch, waiting for her to come talk to you.

She’s shaking her head at you when she returns, flopping on her couch and staring up at you. “You really didn’t need to,” she says, still smiling.

You twist your mouth at her. “I’ve known you for a long time,” you say gently. “I know it hurt your feelings that I didn’t tell you.”

She looks away and shrugs. For a second you think she’s going to lie, but then she juts out her jaw the way she does when she’s feeling defensive and she says, “I guess. I understood, though. I mean, I get why you didn’t.”

You run your toes along a pattern on her rug. “It’s weird because… I don’t know what’s okay to tell you?”

She cocks her head, not fully understanding.

You try again. “I mean… I don’t want to not tell you stuff… but obviously there will be things that you don’t want to hear.”

“Ah,” she says, understanding, starting to nod. “Well… how about you give me some warning if anyone’s gonna get naked.”

“A safe word,” you suggest, only partly joking.

“Pineapple,” she says sagely. “If there are naked parts, warn me with pineapple.”

You laugh. “Okay,” you agree. “So should I? Tell you all of it?”

“Start at the beginning,” she directs.

“The beginning.” You laugh again. The beginning was so long ago, before you even understood it. “Well, I think I’ve been in love with him since –”

“Since forever.”

“How come you knew, but he didn’t?” you ask, exasperated. Had everyone known but you and him?

“Seokjin is an idiot,” she says simply, crossing her arms behind her head and getting comfortable. “Tell me the rest.”

You sink onto the couch opposite her, hugging your knees to your chest. “We had a lot of moments over the years,” you admit, “where I really… wondered. You know?”

“You were the only one wondering,” she says with a smile. “He’s always… made space for you, broke his own rules for you. Jungkook and I used to joke about it. He was always nicer to you than to us.”

You take this in, letting it soak into your heart like sunlight on your skin. You can feel the truth of it, can recognize that some part of you must have known this all along.

“Yeah,” you say softly. “I guess it was like that, from the outside. I just… never knew what it meant. It was hard to see it clearly, from too close.”

Minji reaches over and squeezes your hand briefly, encouraging. “So, when did things start-start? Like really start?”

“Well,” you say tentatively, “two years ago, when you had that New Year’s Eve party? We, uh… shared a pineapple that night.”

Minji blinks at you, and you watch the moment it processes. Her eyes go wide, lips curling a bit in revulsion. “You what? How long ago? At my dad’s house?”

You cover your face with your hands, peeking at her between fingers. “Yeah.”

She exhales, nearly a whisper. “Two years ago?” she repeats, disbelieving. Now, a bit of hurt does creep into her voice as she adds, “That’s a long time to keep a secret.”

“I would have told you, I swear,” you hurry to say. “But he… kind of vanished the next day. Got on the plane and left and literally never talked to me about it again.”

“God, he’s an incurable fucking idiot,” Minji mutters, mostly to herself, it seems.

“We worked it out,” you explain. “Recently. But yeah… I was embarrassed. And hurt, to be honest. I just didn’t want to have to admit any of it. I think saying it out loud to you - to anyone - would have killed me. I wanted to just… pretend it didn’t happen.”

She groans in mock agony, throwing her head back and flopping dramatically, like your own stupidity is causing her great pain.

“I know,” you say, apologetic despite her dramatics. “The whole thing is ridiculous.”

“So?” she says, pulling herself together and scooting to sit back up. “What’s happening now? You’ve… had pineapples again, since he came home for Dad’s surgery?”

You feel your face burn like it’s caught fire before you can even answer and she starts shrieking and laughing, reaching to whack your legs with a throw pillow.

“Never mind!” she cries. “I got my answer, don’t tell me anything else! My actual question is - what happens next?”

You shrug, your stomach sinking. “I’m not sure,” you say. “He… told me he loves me?”

Minji squeals, the noise echoing to her lofted ceilings and back, her feet kicking.

“But,” you add, “he’s flying home in a few days…”

“What?” Minji squawks indignantly, sitting all the way up to face you. “So you’ll just let it die again? I physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually cannot watch you idiots drag this out for another two years.”

“Yeah,” you agree with a little laugh, even though you suddenly feel a bit like crying. “I obviously don’t want that either. He said we’ll talk about it when it’s time.”

She sighs heavily. “Don’t leave it up to him,” she instructs. “He’s so dumb, like my god is he dumb. I have faith in you. Handle it.”

“Okay, bossy,” you say, poking her leg with your foot. “I promise to do my best.”

She nods, satisfied. “You better,” she threatens, and then heads to the kitchen to munch on the celery you’d brought her.

–

Seokjin’s last day comes too quickly. You’ve been dreading it for days. You remember all the other times he’s left before - for college, then when he moved, and on New Year’s Day after sleeping with you for the first time. You had spent all of those days at your parents’ house, watching across the street as cars were loaded, or assessing the empty place in the driveway.

It makes it suck less that this time, you’re in your own apartment, and Seokjin is with you, telling you goodbye instead of vanishing in silence.

“Don’t be so sad,” he tells you sweetly. “We’ll see each other soon.”

“No we won’t,” you grumble, pouting.

Days ago, you’d curled into his side, clutching the fabric of his white t-shirt between desperate fingers. The cotton had felt like an anchor.

“Jin?” you’d asked, and he’d looked down at you from his phone, where a game waited for his input.

“Hm?”

“It’s like… three days left.”

“Yeah,” he’d said slowly, like he wasn’t sure where you were going with this. But of course he did - what else could be weighing on your mind? Why else would you bring it up?

“We said we’d decide what to do when it was closer,” you reminded him. “It’s closer.”

“It is,” he agreed easily, turning his phone screen off and shifting to give you his full attention. “And?”

You couldn’t stand it, suddenly, his teasing.

“Seokjin,” you murmured, reproachfully.

“What?” he asked innocently, bumping your nose with his. He was smiling, like he thought your distress was a little funny.

“Jin,” you whined. “I’m being serious! We need to talk about it!”

“So let’s talk about it!” he had laughed. Then, watching your face, he’d grown serious. He’d brushed his fingers along your jaw, pressed a kiss to the scrunch between your eyebrows. “I’m listening,” he promised.

“When you go home…” you’d said quietly, “I don’t want this to end. I know we said long distance is awful, but…” You trailed off.

“But what’s the alternative?” he finished the thought for you. “I don’t want this to be over, either.”

“So,” you’d said slowly, hope daring to blossom behind your ribcage, “we’ll try?”

He had nodded seriously, eyes far away as he considered this option. “It won’t be fun, and it won’t be easy,” he’d warned. “But, yeah… I’d like to try. I don’t want to throw this away again.”

As he double-checks his luggage in the doorway of your apartment, he sends you a rueful smile and says your name disarmingly.

“What?” you grumble.

“We’ll see each other soon,” he repeats indulgently.

“Soon,” you scoff. “Like, what? Christmas?”

He comes to you then, wrapping his arms around your angry shoulders. “Listen,” he says, his dulcet voice soothing you, “My goal is to find a way to be with you. I’m going to go back and do whatever I can to make that happen. Okay?”

“A man with a plan,” you murmur, softening with his reassurances.

“A man who’s done losing time,” he says solemnly.

It’s the first time he’s leaving you where you have the chance to kiss him goodbye.

It’s the first time he’s leaving you with hope that he’ll return and help you build something better.

–

You and Jin talk on the phone every day that he’s gone. It sucks to be far apart, sure, but somehow this is still better than before - at least now you’re talking, a ton, giggling and flirting openly like you’ve never been able to before.

At least now you can tell him you love him before hanging up, instead of pretending you don’t, instead of denying it, lying about it, trying to imagine a life where it isn’t your biggest truth.

Almost a week passes before Jin tells you, ceremoniously, “I… have news.”

“Ooh,” you say. “I’m listening.”

He smiles at you lazily through the screen; you’re each in bed, chatting before saying goodnight. “Don’t get too excited,” he warns you. “It’s good news, but it’s not ideal news.”

“I will temper my expectations,” you promise.

“I requested to transfer,” he tells you. “I put in the request the day I came back.”

You smile, feeling warm and grateful, feeling full of love and appreciation. “And?”

“It’s not perfect,” he warns you again. “I did get approved, but -“

You squeal.

“But,” he continues over you, “they want me to work down a 90-day notice and help train someone to take my place here. And the transfer location isn’t in town, it’s in the city.”

You stay silent, thinking about this.

“So,” you clarify slowly, “we have to wait three months, but then you’ll be here?”

“Not there-there,” he points out. “An hour away.”

“It’s better than now,” you point out. “Even if I only see you on weekends, it’s better than now.”

“It’ll be more than that,” he says. “That’s the absolute worst case scenario. Okay?”

“Okay,” you say, minimizing the call to pull up your calendar. “Ninety days starting… today?”

“Tomorrow is day one,” he tells you warmly. You click the date on your calendar - a Thursday in early September - and mark it Jin transfers.

“Can’t wait,” you say, opening the call again. “When are we gonna apartment hunt?”

He laughs. “I’ve already got Minji on it.”

You lay awake long after you hang up, daydreaming of ninety days from now, when Seokjin will be just an hour away, close enough to drive to, close enough to touch.

—

“How was your day, beautiful?” Jin greets you before the connection loads his video, his voice finding you before his face does. It’s been about a month and a half of the long-distance thing, and your video call routine is solid.

You roll on your side, holding your phone so Jin can see your sad little face and a good helping of cleavage from your pajama top. “I don’t know,” you pout. “Okay, I guess.”

“Aigoo,” he croons. “What’s wrong with my favorite girl today?”

You sigh heavily; you’ve dropped the act for the most part, and now you’re letting your actual frustration show. It’s about a month into your relationship, a month into making long distance work.

“I dunno,” you admit. “I think I’m just having a day where I miss you.”

“I’m here,” he says seriously, bringing his phone closer to his face. Disgusting, that you can see him so clearly that you can make out the affection in his gaze, and yet he’s still hundreds of miles away.

“I know,” you say. “But I guess I miss… the physical stuff.”

He grins wolfishly before you’re even done with the word “physical”, eyebrows waggling suggestively.

You laugh - you can’t help it. “I meant like… I could use a hug. But… yeah, that too, now that you mention it. A little stress relief would be nice.”

Jin shifts on your screen. “Hm,” he says tightly, voice suddenly different enough that it brings your attention to him sharply. “Well, how would you have handled that - before me?”

You feel yourself flush. “Jin,” you scold. “Don’t tease me.”

“As much as I do love to see you get flustered,” he admits, “I am very serious right now.”

How did you miss his expression darkening? Suddenly, his brows are starting to furrow, his eyes narrowed just slightly with intent focus. His voice touches on dangerous.

“What are you doing?” you ask him, words all mumbled through your embarrassment.

“If you can’t tell me, maybe you should just show me,” he suggests, that edge to his voice singing like the freshly forged metal of a gleaming sword.

“Oh my god,” you mutter, still mostly mortified. Only a little turned on. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“My normal way, is, uh… with some battery-powered assistance.”

You can’t even look at him.

“Why are you being shy about it?” he asks. “That’s hot. I wanna see - wanna see what you do. Wanna see you come undone.”

You almost gasp, and he makes the mistake of letting his breath out just a touch too loudly, shifting just a bit too suspiciously.

“Are you-?”

“Of fucking course I am,” he huffs, and now it’s obvious that he’s got his hand around his dick - the scrunch of his brows, his teeth on his bottom lip. “Come on, don’t let me party alone.”

“You’re such a dork.” Despite the insult, your thighs are rubbing together as if of their own volition, and you sneak your hand down to press against your core just once for relief.

“You’d forget all about that if I had my hands on you instead,” he asserts, voice low. “I’d like to see you call me names when I’m up to my knuckles in your -”

“Jin!”

“Am I wrong?” he smirks. You can tell by the way the phone shakes just so that he’s still stroking himself, slowly.

You have no answer to that.

“Come on,” he urges. “Let me see. I’m so hard.”

Your breath whooshes from you as he admits this. You’d never done this before - with anyone, not on video. It feels scary, but definitely fun. And, of course, you trust Jin implicitly. You know this will stay between you two.

“Take your shirt off,” you murmur, and the speed at which he obeys would be comical if you weren’t wet to the point of discomfort.

“You too,” he begs, voice going whiney for just a second. You hesitate, still a little shy, but finally you pull the material over your head, dropping it on the empty side of the bed for later. You roll sideways, placing your arm strategically to prop your tits up a bit.

“Now bottoms,” he instructs, half breathless. You’re slow to comply, eyes taking in the skin he’s revealed on-screen - tanned shoulders, pecs, dusky nipples, his flat tummy. Eventually you tear your eyes away enough to shimmy out of your pajama bottoms and panties, looking back at him expectantly.

Seokjin angles the camera down for a minute, displaying the way he’s got his fist around the base of his cock, holding it upright and proud for you. “See what you did?” he grunts, hand sliding up and squeezing the head before taking its place at the bottom again.

“You’ve got crimes to answer for, too,” you tease.

“Show me,” he says, the words tumbling from him. He shifts the camera back to focus on his face. “Please, baby, let me see you.”

It takes some maneuvering, but you manage to bend your leg and prop your phone up, reaching to keep one finger on the top to steady it. You try not to look at your own body on the screen, focusing instead on how Seokjin’s eyes go heavy-lidded as he takes you in, how his breath hitches when you slide your middle finger between your folds and swirl it around in the gathered slickness you find there.

He swears fiercely, and you almost laugh. It makes you warmer, wetter, knowing you can affect him like this.

“Spread them,” he commands, and you feel yourself clench at the words.

“Really?” you ask, though you know he means it. You just want to buy time, the feeling of being exposed new and a little frightening.

“Wanna see,” he repeats, lips barely moving to form the words.

Finally, you muster the courage and do as he asked with your thumb and forefinger, listening to the slick sound of his hand on his cock, the way his exhales carry the barest touch of a groan.

“Happy?” you ask after a minute of his huffed breaths, bringing the phone back up towards your face and unbending your leg.

“Won’t be happy until you come,” he mutters. “Show me what you do. Please?”

“Is that what you want?” you ask, feeling a little breathless. “Just do what I normally do and let you listen?”

“And watch,” he breathes.

You roll to dig through your nightstand drawer, coming out with a low-key but trusty bullet. When you click it on, Seokjin’s eyes fly to yours through the screen.

You follow his direction, tilting the camera so he can watch you slide it, on its lowest setting, over your entrance and up to your clit. You retrace this path three more times, slowly, lightly, your body warming up by degrees. When you finally settle it firmly over your clit and leave it, you can’t help the low, rolling moan you let out.

“That’s right,” Jin whispers. “Tell me how good it feels.”

“Not as good as you would,” you admit with a little laugh.

“Soon,” he promises. And then, “What would you want me to do?”

“God,” you utter, pressing the bullet tighter against your clit. “Anything - your fingers, your mouth - want you inside me.”

He can’t even answer you, eyes sliding closed for a second as he loses himself in your words, in the picture they play in his head, in the memories of you that they unravel.

“I- I’m getting close,” you warn him, the pulsing starting in gentle, easy waves, a warning sign.

He answers with a groan, and you click the bullet to a higher setting, letting your head fall back and your eyes drift closed as you lose yourself in the vibrations. The call is filled with the sound of steady buzzing, the slick skin-on-skin sound of Seokjin’s hand, both of your gasped and haggard breathing, punctuated by low groans and the occasional whine.

You grit his name between your teeth when you teeter closer.

“Let go,” he commands, his voice rumbling deeper than you’ve ever heard it. It’s a stark contrast to the higher-pitched whine he lets out when you do, a wordless wail sailing between your lips as your legs shake and your whole body tightens. He comes with a cry before you’ve even caught your breath, quiet and stillness finally settling over you both as you click off your bullet and toss it sideways on your bed to clean off later.

He smiles beatifically, some of his hair stuck to his forehead. “That was fun,” he says, leaning to reach for something, you assume to clean himself off with. “You feel better?”

“Yeah,” you agree breathlessly, legs still twitching a little. “But not as good as I could. Not as good as if you were here.”

“Soon,” he promises again, eyes crinkling as he smiles at you. “I promise. I’ll be with you soon.”

–

[9:28 AM] You: good morningggg [12:03 PM] You: wow, busy today huh? hope it’s a good busy and not a shitty busy 😘 [5:02 PM] You: heading home! call me if you get a second? [10:41 PM] You: ok well i’m going to bed… talk tmrw maybe. Goodnight.

You sleep fitfully, filled with unease and disappointment. Your phone’s vibrations wake you close to midnight. You answer it without checking the screen.

“Mm’lo?” you manage, eyes still closed.

“Baby, I am so sorry,” Seokjin blurts through the line. “I literally just got home.”

Your mind, still mostly asleep, is muddy. “Hmm,” you breathe, trying to process, trying to make coherent words. “It’s so late.”

“I know,” he says sorrowfully. “I was running in circles all day, I legitimately don’t think I’ve peed since morning.”

You let another breath that’s kind of like a sigh. “That’s not healthy,” you murmur.

He laughs a little. “Tell me about it. Anyway, I’m sorry I was MIA all day. I hope you didn’t worry.”

“I didn’t worry,” you tell him, starting to wake up a little. “I knew you were working. Missed you, though.”

“I missed you, too.”

“You were too busy to miss me.”

He laughs again. “Well, I miss you now.” Then, almost to himself, “The moon’s pretty tonight. Looks almost full.”

You shimmy to the edge of your bed, where you can peek through your sheer curtains. The moon is very full, visible just above rooftops across the street.

“I see it,” you tell him sleepily. It gives you a sense of peace that, although you’re far away, although you really failed as a couple at communication today, at least you can share this - the pure white moonlight, the darkened mares barely visible.

You both go silent for a few minutes, and you keep your eyes on the moon.

“Hey,” Seokjin says softly. “I know today sucked. It won’t always be like this, okay? One more month - not even a whole month - and we won’t ever have days like this again.”

“Yeah,” you say, a little unconvinced.

“We won’t,” he assures you. “I’ll make sure of it. You’ll be sick of me in no time.”

“Can’t wait,” you tell him with a yawn, finally scooting back into the warm spot you’d vacated, ready for sleep to find you again.

–

Seokjin’s new apartment - a fifty-three minute drive from your own, you timed it - is admittedly really nice. Nicer than your “swanky” one.

“God, this kitchen,” you marvel after dropping a box of his cutting boards and mixing bowls onto the kitchen counter. “It’s almost enough to make me want to learn to cook more.”

He laughs. “I think I told the agent yes based on this room alone.”

Most of the big furniture pieces were brought up by the moving company Jin had hired, so you help him unload the rest of the boxes from his car and you both look around, trying to determine the best place to start.

“I’m going to find my sheet sets and set up my bed,” he decides, eyes scanning the many boxes. “That way when we tire ourselves out, it’s ready to go. Can you… maybe find the bag with all my toiletries and get that stuff in the bathroom?”

“Aye-aye, captain!” you chirp, starting to wade into the sea of cardboard, but Seokjin tugs you back gently by your shirt’s hem.

“What?” you ask him, a little giggly.

“What are you so happy about?” he teases, pulling you close and resting his mouth near your temple, not quite a kiss.

You shrug, wrapping your arms around his middle and welcoming the hug. You never want to go three months without him ever again.

“Just…” you say, trailing off to think. “Just happy that you’re here.”

“Yeah,” he smiles. “This is better, right?”

“Couldn’t hug you before,” you agree.

His smile goes sideways. “Lots of things we couldn’t do before.”

You laugh, pushing him away playfully. “Can’t do that until you set the bed up!”

“That is simply untrue,” he points out, even as he heads towards a box clearly labeled linens/blankets/pillows. “You just lost creativity points.”

You roll your eyes, unable to do anything about the grin on your face, and get to work searching for his shampoo.

Later, after you finished the bathroom and started putting laundry away and after Jin spent a solid two hours hooking up all his consoles and messing with the wiring, you lay sideways across his newly made bed, feeling like the bones have melted out of your body.

“Unpacking is exhausting,” you complain. “I was going to drive home tonight so I could sleep later in the morning, but I don’t think I can.”

“Good,” Jin murmurs, sounding half-asleep himself. He rolls and throws an arm heavily over your middle, tugs you closer. “Stay here with me. Stay all night.”

I think… I could stay forever, you think.

–

[10:06 AM] You: morning 😘 today’s gonna be a really rough day at work for me so don’t worry if you dont hear from me until late, ok? [10:06 AM] Jin 🥰: yeah i remembered. good luck, you’ve got this! [10:06 AM] Jin 🥰: I’ll see you tonight at my place right? [10:07 AM] You: yes - the only thing getting me through the dayyy

By the time you stagger to your car, it’s been dark for hours. Your feet are throbbing in pain, your back feels like you wrestled an elephant, and you’re so tired you almost consider a nap in the backseat.

And then you remember - you’re supposed to drive the hour to Jin’s place tonight. In the six months Jin has been in his new place, you’ve taken turns every few nights making the trek back and forth. Tonight is your turn.

Or, is supposed to be.

You two had only canceled once before, on a night when a terrible rainstorm swept through and made the roads unsafe. Apart from that, you’d always shown up - or he had.

Guilt, and the desire to see Jin, wage war against your exhaustion until you’re nearly in tears over it. You just don’t know what to do - try and make the drive, or wave the white flag and just go home to a hot shower and, finally, some dinner.

Eventually, you turn on the car and start towards home, calling Jin as you go.

“Well, look who it is,” he greets you warmly.

You sniff in reply. “Jin? I don’t think I’m coming there tonight. I’m really sorry. I’m just - I’m so tired, I feel like it wouldn’t be safe - and I haven’t eaten anything since before work and -”

“Hey,” he interrupts you gently. “It’s fine. Do you want me to come there?”

You glance at the clock on the dashboard. “Honestly,” you say, mournful, “I don’t think it’s worth it. I won’t be awake, and even if I am, I won’t be fun.”

“I don’t care if you’re fun,” he says. You know he means it. But still.

“I”m just gonna go home, eat, shower, and pass out,” you say, feeling utterly defeated. “I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he says.

You still cry, quietly, mostly out of frustration, the rest of the way home, even after you’ve hung up. Going home to him would have been exactly what you needed tonight, and it feels deeply unfair that you can’t have that.

You eat first, scarfing down leftovers you pull from your fridge, not even bothering to put on a tv show for noise. You barely even sit down. A hot shower does wonders, and soon you’re collapsing into bed, hardly having the strength to roll over and reach for your charger’s cord. You text Jin another apology and a sweet goodnight, but you’re asleep before he can answer, lost to the dark.

You wake up confused, still engulfed in darkness. It feels like you’ve only been asleep for minutes. You become aware of a noise near the end of your bed and your adrenaline spikes. You sit up, reaching for your phone.

“Don’t mace me,” Jin laughs, coming around the side of the bed and moving the blankets so he can slide in next to you.

You’re frozen, uncomprehending. “Jin?”

“The one and only,” he quips, rolling to cling to your back. “Surprise.”

“I told you not to come!” you splutter.

“Should I leave?” he asks wryly, and you grab his wrist as if he might.

“Don’t you dare,” you say, heart rate starting to calm now that you’ve discovered there isn’t a murderer in your apartment. “God, your feet are like icicles.”

He hums a laugh into your hair, runs a hand down your arm. “Go back to sleep,” he tells you.

You try to listen, scrumping around until you’re comfy again, his body warm and solid behind yours. “Can’t believe you drove here in the middle of the night,” you say finally, a touch of disbelief in your voice. “You’re out of your mind.”

He pulls you tight and then releases you. “Just try and keep me away,” he dares the universe, voice low next to your ear.

You slowly drift back towards sleep, breathing going even and deep. The last thing you remember before you go under is whispering, “Thank you.” To him. Maybe to the universe.

–

“I can’t believe I’m doing this for the second time in less than a year,” Seokjin grumbles from his side of the couch that the two of you are trying - and currently, failing - to get up a stairwell.

“Are you complaining?” you ask, a bit of challenge in your voice. “Are you complaining after your amazing girlfriend found the best apartment, perfectly situated halfway between our jobs, and secured it - all while you were locked into Overwatch? Are you complaining that the living an hour away problem is finally over after an entire year? No more stupid-early commutes, or only seeing each other long enough to sleep - you have complaints?”

“I am complaining,” he asserts, shifting the couch in his hands, “about the physical labor.”

When you get to a good stopping point, hours later, you lean heavily against the kitchen counter. “Should we peruse our new home’s take-out options?” you ask, starting to reach for your phone.

Seokjin doesn’t answer, which causes you to look up and assess why not. When you meet his gaze, he’s got a look in his eyes that you’re starting to know well.

“Seriously?” you ask with a laugh. “You’re not too tired?”

“For you?” he scoffs, moving closer, predatory. “Never.”

“I’m all sweaty…”

“I deeply do not care.”

“I can do approximately zero percent of the work,” you warn him.

He towers over you, hands coming to grip the counter on either side of your body, caging you in. “Wasn’t planning on you doing any work at all,” he admits darkly, mouth close enough to your ear to tickle. “I’m suddenly remembering almost a year ago, when I promised to bend you over the kitchen table someday. And now, we have our own kitchen table, in our brand new place together.”

Your grin turns predatory in turn. “Alright, you convinced me.”

“Good,” he grunts, and grips your jaw gently enough that it doesn’t hurt, firmly enough that he can easily tilt you back to receive his biting, desperate kiss.

You moan immediately, melting back against the counter, thrilled by his urgency. You peel off his shirt, letting it drop onto the hardwood beneath your feet, and yours follows soon after. You lift your arms obediently when Jin tugs at the band of your sports bra, rolling it up and sliding it over your arms. He encases you with his arms, kissing you deeply, and you slide your hands down his stomach as you slide your tongue over his.

It isn’t long before he’s tugging your leggings and panties down in one hand, and you use your feet to free yourself the rest of the way. He’s rough today as he slides his digits between your legs, barely slicking them up before pushing two fingers as far into you as he can, twisting them before pulling them out again.

You breathe his name, clinging to him desperately, hips pushing back against him as he pumps his fingers in and out of you indelicately, causing the last syllable of his name to come out on a whine. You push absently at the waistband of his joggers, too weakly to actually get them anywhere. You make a noise of complaint, and he laughs lowly, punctuating the sound with a particularly vicious flick of the wrist, sending his fingers pistoning into your front wall.

“Jin,” you wail, assaulted by the sudden sensation. “Please, I -”

“Awfully needy for someone who had to be convinced,” he smirks, and if you weren’t halfway to your first orgasm of the night you might have whacked him for it.

But then his fingers are slipping out of you, and he’s pushing his joggers and boxers to the ground and pulling you towards the table, telling you quietly, “C’mere.”

When he said bend you over, he meant bend you over, apparently, because as soon as he has you close enough he’s spinning you to face the table, one palm firmly pushing between your shoulder blades until your front presses against the tabletop.

“This okay?” he murmurs behind you, the same hand that pushed you into place caressing a worshipful pattern back down your ribs, sliding over your ass and resting there, waiting.

“Very,” you groan, and shudder when he answers this by leaning his body over your back, his hands splayed on either side of your ribcage, holding him up.

“In that case,” he says, “arms up. Hold the other side.”

Your breath leaves you audibly and you obey, reaching to grip the opposite side of the table. He strokes the curve of your ass again, and then you feel him run the head of his cock up and down your slit - it sends a white-pleasure shock through you when it rubs firmly over your clit and you try to catch it on your entrance as he slides back up.

You whine again, and he chuckles before finally pushing into you.

You both groan as he bottoms out, yours turning to a gasp as he bumps something deep inside you that makes your entire abdomen flex in response.

“Shit,” you gasp, “you’re so deep this way -”

“Fuck,” he growls, the word torn from his throat as he starts to move. “Why are you so tight, I’m gonna last two minutes like this, damn -”

“Because I’m about three seconds from coming,” you say - or you try to. It comes out more like a moan, your voice shaky and tremulous, betraying you completely.

“Do it then,” he says, gripping your hips with one hand and reaching around to find your clit with another as he keeps a torturously steady pace. “Come all over me.”

His nimble fingers do the trick and it’s only seconds later that you’re following directions, pressing your forehead desperately into the wood of the table as your body trembles and shakes beneath Jin’s hands.

You feel your toes curling against the hardwood floor, feel your fingers go tight against the table’s edge, feel your pussy clench around him again and again and again, feel the sensation of light race down your legs and out to your fingertips, feel Jin’s cock slide against your pulsing walls, feel his hands come to your hips to pull you against each stroke.

You hear your first gasped breath, hear the slap of skin on skin, hear the huffs and groans of Jin’s broken breathing behind you as you slowly come back into your body, as the tremors in your legs die back down to tiny, interspersed shakes.

“Holy shit,” you manage, lifting your head off the table and trying to look at him over your shoulder.

“Can you take more?” he checks, his hand twitching on your hip like he’s keeping it in line.

“Yeah,” you breathe.

“Good fuckin’ girl,” he whispers, and pulls your hips flush against his, slamming into you, sliding out, slamming in again until you’re keening out syllables that don’t add up to words, eyes screwed shut, exhales warbling out like sobs.

“Take it so well,” he praises, his voice shattered, the words coming through a clenched jaw, as he breathes and focuses and tries to hang on, hips snapping.

He slows his pace and reaches for your shoulder, pulling you to straighten up, your back flush against his sticky chest. You moan at the change of angle, and then he slips out of you, turns you around again and lets you sit on the edge of the table. He reaches one arm around your shoulders to brace you and slides back in slowly.

Your head falls back, eyes closed.

“Can you look at me?” he breathes, chest jumping as he tries to keep it together.

With difficulty, you lift your head and open your eyes, finding his watching you intently. Gazes locked, he pumps once, twice, three more times and comes with a shudder, his head falling onto your shoulder as he spasms and groans deep and loud.

His hips slow and then eventually come to a stop. He stays buried deep inside you, lifting his head from your shoulder and bringing his other arm around your back.

“I don’t think I can walk,” you tell him thickly, your legs shaking.

He slips out of you gently, reaching down to wipe away a bit of mess that followed onto your thigh. “Don’t walk, then,” he tells you, and guides your arms around his neck before lifting you and carrying you through your new apartment towards the en suite.

He sets you gently on the edge of the tub and reaches to turn the shower on full blast. “Did we find towels?” he asks.

You lean against the tiled wall. “The box is on the bed.”

“Okay,” he says, then crouches down before you. “You good?”

“Mhm,” you tell him. He retreats, and you hear the telltale sign of tape being ripped off cardboard. He returns with two towels in hand and gently lifts you, guiding you over the edge of the tub and into the warm spray of water.

You lean against him heavily, sleepiness coming over you like a fog. He runs a hand over your hair affectionately, then leans down to whisper, “Four rooms to go.”

–

“Jin? Is the table set?”

“It’s set.”

“Can you open the wine?”

“Opening.”

“What about the -”

Seokjin takes your hands. You hadn’t even heard him enter the room. You’re too frazzled to even be startled.

“What are you so nervous for?” he asks, peering at you. “It’s Minji and Jungkook and our parents. We could literally serve pizza bagels in our pajamas and it would be fine.”

You sniff. “That actually sounds really good.”

Seokjin looks at you indulgently. “They won’t be here for another half hour. We have lots of time.”

“Okay,” you sigh. “You’re right. It’s just my first time hosting everyone at the same time here, in our place together - it just feels… significant.” Your parents and Seokjin’s family had been to the place you share several times in the last few months, but never together. Never for an event.

“I’m not saying I disagree,” he says gently. “But I promise, everything is more than fine.”

“You’re right,” you say, still unable to help, but glancing around the eating area for any detail you may have missed.

“Why don’t we try the wine?” Jin suggests.

“That’s for later,” you remind him.

“There’s plenty. We should make sure it’s good.” He sends you a wink.

You sigh, knowing exactly what he’s up to. “A small pour,” you instruct. “I’m gonna go grab my phone off the charger, I’ll be right there.”

You step through your bedroom without bothering to turn the lamp on, moving by memory over to your nightstand where your phone awaits. When you turn around to head back, you bump into Seokjin, lingering behind you in the shadowy room.

“What are you doing?” you laugh. “I thought you were opening the wine.”

He takes your hands again, how he had just minutes ago by the kitchen table. “You’re right,” he says, ignoring your question. “Tonight does feel significant.”

You feel your brows furrow. “Jin?”

He takes a breath, like he’s steadying himself. “There’s something I want to ask you before everyone gets here.”

Your heart drops into your ass.

He continues. “I thought for a long time about all the different ways I could do this, because you deserve something spectacular. But, I got tired of waiting for an idea that felt good enough and I just want you. So…” He trails off, digs in his pocket, pushes something square and velvet into your hands.

“Jin,” you whisper, heart pounding. It feels right, somehow, that it’s happening like this. Just you and him, the apartment - the world - silent around you, speaking quietly through the dark.

It’s always been you and Seokjin, in the dark.

“So,” he continues, like if he stops he’ll lose his nerve, “I want to ask you… if you want to get married. If you’ll marry me.”

“Yeah,” you whisper. “Yes.”

He wraps you in a hug, and you say, muffled by his shirt, “Can we go back in the light so I can see the ring?”

Later, he sends you a sly sideways smile. “You know my sister’s going to spot that before she’s even through the door.”

You laugh, rolling your eyes. “Maybe I’ll keep my hands in my pockets all night, just so I don’t have to hear her.”

He bumps you lightly with his hip so you’ll look up at him. “Are you happy?” he asks quietly.

You think about everything you’ve been through - a lifetime of wanting, years of misunderstanding, and over a year between figuring it out and now. Finally, finally, everything has aligned, every piece in place.

“Never been happier,” you tell him, resting a hand on his heart.

“Good,” he says, leaning down to kiss your temple. “Let’s stay that way for a long, long time.”

–

“No, you hang up first!” Minji squealed for the ninth time, before blowing many kisses into the phone and finally hanging up with her boyfriend. She was twenty, in love, and had somehow lost you from her bedroom during the course of the phone call.

Calling your name quietly, she’d left her bedroom, typing a text to you as she peered into each of the rooms of the house, even the basement where Jungkook and his friends were still drinking.

“Don’t get alcohol poisoning,” she warned them. “Has anyone seen Y/N?”

Finally, she decided you must have gone home and started padding back to her bedroom, sending you one more angry text to find in the morning.

As she passed Seokjin’s room, she noticed his door was open about a foot. She stepped closer, just meaning to pull it closed - they did that for each other if they fell asleep with it open, it was just muscle-memory at that point - and then froze.

You were in Seokjin’s bed, fast asleep, curled up facing the door. For a second, she thought you were alone, but then she spotted Jin’s arm over your belly, his shoulders peeking out from behind yours.

She bit her lip, staring, silent. In his sleep, Seokjin’s arm flexed against you, and Minji watched as you instinctively reached up to touch his arm, butterfly light, before letting your hand fall back to the mattress again.

She closed the door quietly, continued down the hall to her own room.

She knew better than to interfere, knew better than to meddle and mess it up. But still...

Maybe someday, she thought. Maybe someday you’d figure it out.

<- Prev

wow i can't believe it's over!! thank you so much for being here along the way - i know this was very different from my normal and i hope you had a really fun time reading! <3

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dearhargrove · 2 years

Note

I have no idea if your reqs are open but if they are here’s an idea for a fic

Crybaby!reader x Billy. I will elaborate but like-

Just rlly sensitive and when Billy pushes reader away then their upset and won’t talk to Billy, leading to an argument at school and that night Billy shows up at their window like, “I’m sorry..” but he’s all bashful about it because he feels bad and it’s been nagging him all day.

(Feel free to ignore this lol, I just need some good Billy fluff to angst) - Fynix

Cry baby, cry baby

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: One of Billy's friends makes an offhanded comment about you and when reaching out for your amused boyfriend he pushes you away - leading to a fight and flustered Billy coming to apologize after.

𝔱𝔴'𝔰: insults (towards reader), none that I can think of

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱:

𝔞/𝔫: yep, title's inspired by 'cry baby' from Melanie Martinez! Don't listen to her as much anymore, but this was the perfect title :). Dear @fynixsworld , I hope this is what you hoped for. Very, very sorry that this took so incredibly long - I've been in kind of a slump and got nothing done :')

m.list ❐ navigation

Standing with Billy and his friends was one of the disadvantages in your relationship. Their conversations consisted of who they've slept with, who was going to throw the next party, and boasting around with the most ridiculous things (which oftentimes if not always shocked you that they were proud of some of the things).

Obviously, it wasn't obligatory to stand with them. But after school, there was barely a time you didn't want to go home with Billy - or have him come home with you - so you usually tended to stick around until he left, too.

Today was one of your bad days. A day, where everything got on your nerves and just about everything, as irrelevant as it could be, was going to make you cry.

You cried easily when you were angry, sad, or just emotional and you've grown to hate it. You used to be fine with it - you were just really expressive, there's nothing wrong with that, is it? -, until you cried during class for the first time.

Your teacher had yelled at you in front of everyone, completely humiliating you, and there was nothing you could've done to keep the tears from running.

You will never forget how everyone laughed at you - except some of the more civil ones that send you pitiful glances instead - and how embarrassing it was. The shame because of it didn't leave you for days after.

So when the bell rang, insinuating the end of your last period, you couldn't help the relieved sigh. Your teacher sent you a suspicious look and you flustered, carelessly throwing everything in your bag before fleeing the crowded classroom.

It was summer, only about three weeks left before the summer holiday, and it was hot.

The sun rose early in the morning and not a single cloud was in the sky over the day, the heat boiling you and everyone else alive. Summer meant short skirts and cropped tops wherever you looked, it was no secret that this was the jocks' favorite season after all.

You had decided to go a little out of your comfort zone, wearing a tight dress. It wasn't as colorful as some of the other girls' dresses were, instead a pastel blue that lightly shimmered, the silky fabric flowy and comfortable on your skin. Some delicate jewelry adorned your wrist - a small, silver bracelet that Billy had gotten you for last Christmas. On your fingers was one of his rings, a less bulky one, also silver.

With your bag secured you made your way through the other students that were crowding the hallway and out to the parking lot. There was smoke coming from Billy's group and you wrinkled your nose, smelling it from your place already.

When you walked up next to Billy you had pushed the bad feelings aside, simply leaning against him and waiting for a comment about your outfit.

Instead of doing so, he ignored you, proudly talking about his keg skills he'd proven a while back. Although his arm was secured around your waist you felt rather unwelcome, the missing greeting making you scowl a little.

Telling yourself to just push past it you straighten up and lean into him more, his body heat making the weather less bearable than it already was but lessening the impending feeling of uncertainty you felt.

None of the boys acknowledged you, which you were happy with until they did. It started with a simple comment about your dress and you didn't mind it too much as it wasn't directly an insult whatsoever. But then they continued and Billy just stood there, showing you off proudly. "That's a short dress, sweetheart. You got any plans with him tonight?" One of them asks and your insides crawl at the pet name. When Billy called you that it made you explode with happiness - the intimate name increasing your pulse by tenfold.

"She sure does," Billy smirks and steps on his cigarette to ensure it was out before getting back into the conversation. Now, this was one of the comments you didn't mind but didn't appreciate. This group was the last people you want to have knowledge about your and your boyfriend's sex life, as it ensured even more teasing.

"Dude, the dress is nice and all but she ain't got the body for it." This was a straight punch to your stomach. There was a lot you could take and wouldn't get mad over but you were easily insecure as it is, and in this dress especially. The already bad day just got horrible and tears shoot in your eyes when Billy doesn't even try defending you. Not caring about what they will think, you turn to him, "Will you not say anything? Just laugh with them?"

He looks confused and stays quiet for a second before replying, "What are you talking about?" His voice is slightly aggressive and you could cry - this meant he was in a bad mood or had no intention of even trying to understand you right now.

"You know what, I'll just go home now," you chuckle emptily and turn away.

He catches your wrist in his hand and squeezes a little, not hard enough to hurt but be uncomfortable. "Let me go." Instead, he just pulls you back against his body, the guys behind him laughing with each other while watching the scene.

"You're not going anywhere. Don't be dramatic," you scoff - was he serious right now?

"Don't scoff at me." He says angrily and pulls you back when you try leaving again, making you stumble a little. "I'll do whatever I want. Let go," the tears are still blurring your vision and you have to concentrate not to let them fall while the fight with Billy increases.

He had a short temper and even if his whole anger issues thing had bettered while with you it was still there and it would take longer to fix. You accepted that part of him and you knew well that right now this would lead to nothing, which is why you tried leaving instead of making this worse.

"Nah, you're staying until you explain what the fuck is going on with you," his voice is cocky but demanding and there's a dangerous flint in his eyes. You knew he would never hurt you, the grip around your wrist which you could easily escape proof of this, but this whole situation was too much right now and the fact he didn't even understand your side or stand up for you was close to breaking your 'don't cry in school' rule.

"Oh," it's sarcastic and you know he catches it, so you continue, "Did you even hear what he said to me? Are you, in any kind of way, capable of seeing what's wrong with that? How I feel right now?" He rolls his eyes and that's just about your final push and you rip your arm away.

"See where you're sleeping tonight, don't dare show up at my place." In hindsight it was stupid to leave and not wait for both of you to calm down, because here you were, crying while walking the seven-mile way to your home.

Sweat was mixing with tears and you were soaked through when you finally arrived at your house. Quickly running up the stairs to your room - locking the door of it - you pull off the stupid dress that had ruined your day and throw it in the corner of your room before jumping on your bed, head in the pillow that infuriatingly smelled of Billy's shampoo and cologne.

With a curse falling from your lips you turn to your side and stare out of the window.

This wasn't how today was supposed to go.

Back at school, Nancy who had heard the whole exchange due to meeting up with Steve was lecturing Billy angrily. She was a close friend of yours and when she saw you cry she immediately went to set the culprit straight.

So, flustered and with a hurt ego Billy sped off, flipping Nancy off at the same time. He would make you call her later and thank her for making clear why you were upset with him and how to fix it, while simultaneously apologizing for his inappropriate behavior. Usually, he wouldn't care at all, let this random girl be hurt or not - it's whatever.

But if you found out you'd have his head.

The rest of the day was spent preparing a perfect apology, including your favorite shirt of his and those expensive flowers you loved.

Styling his hair took, admittedly, longer than usual as he kept finding stray hairs that weren't sitting right. He'd stopped putting as much effort into his appearance when you started dating, especially when you stopped doing so, too.

Seeing you in your sleepwear, hair messy, made him realize how much you trusted him and he wanted to show you he trusted you too. It was an unusual and secretive way of showing it but it worked for you two, so why not?

Climbing into your window was one thing he'd mastered by now. On the garage roof, rain pipe, and lastly, your window sill. Your window was unlocked at all times for which he scolded you before, it could be just anyone coming into your room after all.

Situating himself he opened the window and silently jumped in, the flowers still undamaged to his luck. Without a sound, he closed the window - locking it - and turned to your bed. You were staring at him, eyebrows scrunched in distaste and tears having left your face red and puffy.

He bashfully smiled at your state and kneeled in front of the bed, the flowers held close to your face. "Came to apologize and make up for what I did," he explains and lays the flowers on your nightstand - making a mental note to put them into a vase later.

"So now you know what you did wrong?" You question and throw him an unbelieving glare. His smile shrinks a little at his stubbornness earlier and he hangs his head, "I'm sorry, princess."

You could fold right then and there but you keep yourself together, waiting for more. "I should've defended you from the stupid comments of the guys. I didn't and started an unnecessary fight instead. Forgive me?" He has his puppy eyes out, and you just melt.

Tears spring into your eyes again and you scoot back a little to make space for him when he settles down next to you - shoes laying in a corner where he discarded them to. "You're an idiot."

He chuckles at that and agrees, playing with your hair. "That I am. Yours though, right?" It's teasing and you softly punch his chest before nodding.

That's when he thinks back to the comment that started your fight. "You looked amazing in that dress, by the way. Got me horny in public," he snuggles his nose against your cheek and places a kiss there before inching closer to your lips.

"Could've said so," you say, still salty about the whole thing.

"Should have, could have… how about I just show you now?" You fluster but comply - who could say no to that, after all?

#stranger things #stranger things 4 #stranger things imagine #stranger things x reader #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove #dacre montgomery x reader #dacre montgomery #dacre x reader #billy hargrove angst #billy hargove imagine

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luvfy0dor · 7 months

Note

Hey! I just found your fics and love your writing. I was wondering if you could do a fluff fic of bsd characters x a gender neutral reader who has lost their voice or is mute. I don’t know who you write, but maybe atsushi or sigma? Thanks :DDD

BSD W/ Mute GN!Reader !! ༉‧₊˚.

╰┈➤ Sigma, Atsushi ♡

Description; As the title says!! I'm not really sure what else to add lol

Warnings/Disclaimers; Sigmas is a little longer than Atsushis, so apologies for that! They are both pretty similar, but I did my best!! ♡

A/N; Ahhh this is so cute!!! Absolutely!! I'm going to post like...a master list of characters I will write for soon, but I will absolutely write for them!! I really hope I fulfilled this request respectfully!!

Sigma !! ༉‧₊˚.

Sigma spends all of his free time obsessing over his customers at the Sky Casino. Any medical issue or detail, he'll know about it and do his very best to accommodate you. He's very aware of your inability or unwillingness to speak, but that would not stop him from trying to communicate with you.

Scenario ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

Mid-poker game, you started to feel a bit parched, and that feeling is what led you to the bar. You weren't exactly in the mood for anything else on the menu, so you settled on water. While the bartender catered to other customers, you grabbed one of the napkins and a pen, jotting down the letters. While you wrote it down, you could almost feel someone staring holes into the back of your head. You turned around, only to see no one in particular looking at you. You twisted back around, feeling a bit unsettled.

A couple seconds later, you're surprised to see someone appear next to you, completely disregarding all of the open seats. The man sits down, his long hair falling gracefully over his shoulders. He smiles before grabbing a napkin and a pen, scribbling onto the thin paper.

"I don't mean to be creepy or rude, but you look lovely. You're very good at poker, too." You read on the note. You smile a bit and nod, scribbling down a reply. "Thanks, I like your hair. It's a pretty color." You pass the paper back. The bartender brings you your water and you hesitate to get up, noticing the man scribbling down something else. "My name is Sigma, yours?"

You think for a minute, deciding whether or not you wanted to give your real name. This guy claims his name is Sigma, you've never heard such a ridiculous thing, but he was dressed nicely and seemed sweet. You grabbed the pen.

"Y/n. Do you talk? Sorry if that's rude lol" The paper is now back in his hands. You can see a smile appear on his face. Instead of grabbing the pen again, he nods. "Yes, I do. Would it make you more comfortable if I verbally talked to you?" He said with the tilt of his head. "I just know you don't, so I thought maybe you'd feel a little less alarmed by me, but I guess it makes me seem weirder." He says with a quiet and embarrassed chuckle, his deep voice throwing you off a little.

You had a lot of questions. How does this man know you can't/don't talk? Who gave him that whack ass haircut? Why was he so interested in you? Not that you really minded his company, but why? You decided to quickly sum up your thoughts, unfolding the napkin and writing gently, hoping the thin sheet wouldn't rip.

"Either is fine. Your voice is nice. How'd you know I don't speak? And what made you wanna come up to me?" He read it over and you could tell he was grateful for the compliment.

"Oh, thank you. I just know my customers very well and do my best to accommodate them. I feel like that's something a good manager should do. And I don't know, I just noticed you stepping away from the table and thought I should take the chance to voice my thoughts." He says, his voice firm as he makes continuous eye contact with you. He rests his head in one of his hands. You grab a new napkin, the original being filled up with conversation. The sound of the ink transferring from the ballpoint to the the napkin going unheard because of the noisy surrounding.

"That is, be careful though, some people might think you're a stalker. You seem like a good person to run this place. And that's very sweet of you, thank you." You slide the paper back over to him, taking a sip of your water. A couple of minutes ago, you were slightly off put by Sigmas presence, but you didn't mind it one bit now. You actually enjoyed it a little, it didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable like most conversations strangers strike up with you in public. Sigma let out a quiet chuckle, nodding.

"You're right, you're right. You're also very interesting. I would really love to talk to you more, do you think you'll return to the Sky Casino soon?" Sigma asks, a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he bites down on the inside of his cheek. He nervously watches you pick the pen up and scribble down a couple words.

"We've barley talked, but I absolutely plan on coming back. Do you want my number?" He reads the paper, nodding. Not too enthusiastically, but making sure he doesn't seem disinterested. You smile and write the numbers down clearly.

"###-###-####, if you message me I'll reply before I go to sleep, left my phone in my suite." With that, you continue sipping your water as you walk away from the bar. If you said you weren't feeling a little giddy you would be a big fat liar. You look around the casino, trying to decide what you wanted to do or play next, your heart a little warmer and your throat a little less dry.

------༉‧₊˚.

When returning to your casino suite, you were greeted with a dry and message-less phone. You thought perhaps Sigma had either blew you off or he was busy with his manager-ly duties. You brushed it off and practically fell asleep the second your head hit the pillow, drifting off into a dreamless rest.

The next morning, however, you received the message you were anticipating so highly.

"Hey, so sorry I didn't message until late. Would you like to go to get something to eat in the morning, maybe?" You smiled, typing out you're reply.

"Sounds good, when and where?"

Atsushi Nakajima !! ༉‧₊˚.

Atsushi is unaware at first, thinking you were just quiet and reserved, but once he's informed by Ranpo that you're infact mute, he actually tries to communicate with you more.

Scenario ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

The sun shines through the windows of the ADA, hitting your back warmly. You filled out the papers you were given, neatly writing down words on a mission report. The soft singing of birds occasionally served as distractions, pulling your attention away and out the window. You're pulled out of your thoughts by the sound of the door opening, light footsteps walking through the open space.

Atsushi and Kyouka were in the middle of eating some donuts that they presumably bought for everyone in the ADA, considering the large quantity. They had two dozen donuts, including the ones in their hands.

"Hey, Y/N! Uhm, we have some donuts if you want some! There's a bunch of different kinds." Atsushi says, walking towards your desk with the donuts. This time around, Atsushi seemed far more confident when speaking to you. He proudly set the donuts on your desk with a few napkins, letting you have your pick. You picked out your two favorites of the flavors, setting them on the napkin and smiling up at him, giving him a small, appreciative nod.

Atsushi smiled back, his cheeks slightly pink. You both can hear the door open and turn back to see Ranpo and Yosano walking in, mid-conversation with each other. Ranpo almost immediately spots the boxes of donuts and double takes, making his way over.

"Oooo, these looks real good, Atsushi! Did ya get them from that new place down the street?* He asks, taking a bite of one of the donuts. "Oh, yeah. Kyouka wanted to try it." Kyouka nods in confirmation, humming in satisfaction with her strawberry-frosted donut. "Ohhh, and I see you worked up the courage to talk to y/n, too!" Ranpo giggles, pointing over at your donuts. Atsushi started to blush a bit more, his eyes averting to you at your desk.

You tilt your head curiously. Ranpo notices, deciding to answer the question he (correctly) assumed you had.

"Atsushi was all nervous to talk with you because he thought you didn't like interacting with everyone." You nod in understanding, softly laughing. Atsushi scratches the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry, I hope that's not weird or nothin'." Atsushi mumbles.

You just shake your head, reassuring him that it's alright. You took a post-it from your desk and started scribbling down some writing before peeling it from the stack and passing it to him. He softly whispers the sentence aloud to himself.

"You can talk to me anytime, I don't bite. I think you're very cool." A smile appears on his face. "Thank you! That's very nice of you. I would compliment something about you, but I really don't know all that much. You look very nice, though. Maybe we could...y'know, set something up and get to know each other? Hang out?" He says, blushing as he looks anywhere but into your eyes.

You smile and nod, grabbing the post-it gently from his hands. You write down your phone number and put a little heart next to it, also writing down specific times you're going to be free within the next week. You hand back the paper to him and he smiled, nodding.

"Alright, I'm free friday night, too. Is there any other day you'd prefer more or..?" He asks, trying to ensure that friday night is the best option. You just shake you're head and mouth "No, Friday." He smiles "Alright, then it's...it's a date." He grins and makes his way back over to his desk, giggling and grinning like an idiot.

#bungou stray dogs atsushi #bungo stray dogs atsushi #bsd atsushi #atsushi nakajima #sigma #bsd sigma #bungo stray dogs #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd x reader #sigma x reader #atsushi x reader #bsd headcanons #fanfic #fanfiction #bsd fanfic

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hwanghyunjinenthusiast · 1 year

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✨️1K Followers Celebration Day 3: TXT bias wrecker - Kai✨️

Special delivery

AN: Honestly, my TXT bias list is a fucking mess right now but, I think Kai tentatively holds the position of bias wrecker (though Yeonjun has been yelling in my ear lately). Also, it's completely by accident that my two most recent TXT fics are porn genre/trope related lol. However, I had a lot of fun writing this and my Soobin fic so, maybe I'll explore more tropes, clichés etc with different idols in future fics.

Synopsis: Kai hates his job, but he needs to pay rent. However, when a ridiculously pretty woman can't pay him and offers up another form of payment, maybe it isn't all bad.

Heads up: Huening Kai x Fem! Reader, Pizza delivery man! Kai, strangers to strangers who fuck, the plot is virtually nonexistent, porn logic applies here, implied power dynamics (more dominant Reader and more submissive Kai), praise kink (m. receiving), hints of a size kink, oral sex (m. receiving), Reader touches herself while sucking Kai off, unprotected piv sex, nipple play (f. receiving) and creampie.

Word count: 3199

I will block you if you are a minor and/or have no easily visible indication of your age on your blog if you interact with me in any way.

Today sucks. It's been hot as hell the entire day, two customers gave him shit for their orders being wrong and he got a text from his roommate that their shower broke. Again. Kai is at his wit's end.

He slams the door of the delivery car harder than strictly necessary but, he can't bring himself to even pretend to care right now. To say his day has been terrible would be a gross understatement. Luckily, he only had an hour left of his shift, and then he would be a free man. That's the single thought that pushes him forward. He can do this. Just one more hour.

He's about to knock on the door of his current delivery address again before it swings open. His words die on his tongue when he takes in the very attractive woman mere centimetres away from him with a robe that leaves very little to his imagination.

"Hi! I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer. I just hopped out of the shower. Just give me a minute and I'll go get my purse," You're gone before he can utter anything in response. Images of what he thinks you look like in the shower flood his mind without much prompting. He needs to get it together. He's a grown man. He shouldn't be getting hard just from fantasising about a stranger taking a shower. Especially not when he's fucking working.

"Oh shoot, I don't have any cash on me. Do you accept card by any chance?" You ask once you return, your head titling in a way that Kai finds far too endearing.

"Um no, Miss. Sorry," he tries not to visibly cringe at the shakiness evident in his voice.

"Damn. I don't know how else I could pay you," you ponder loud, crossing your arms. Which makes him panic because the motion just causes your tits to be even more visible through your poor excuse for a robe.

He's not sure if he's just that obvious or, you have knack for these situations but, you notice him looking. He really doesn't mean to. He just can't help it. Who could really blame him? They were right there.

Before he can't comprehend what's happening, you're in his personal bubble. Eyes that were warm and welcoming moments ago now light up with knowing amusement. Kai swallows.

"Well, I could always pay you another way if you'd like," you trail off.

Now, Kai may not be the best at reading these kinds of situations, but it's clear as day what you're offering.

He knows this is probably incredibly unethical. He knows he shouldn't even be considering what you're so blatantly suggesting, but you are pretty. He'd be lying to himself if he thought otherwise. Plus, it's been longer than he cares to admit since he's gotten any action, and here you are, offering yourself up to him willingly.

He'd be an idiot to say no.

"Okay," he whispers, and he's caught completely off guard when you practically launch yourself at him. Eager hands winding into his hair and soft lips pressing against his. Blood rushes south so quickly that it leaves him completely disoriented. Trying his best to meet your enthusiastic kisses before he realises he's still holding your pizza like an absolute buffoon.

"Hey, s-sorry. Can I put this down somewhere?" He cringes at himself, hoping his awkward interruption hadn't completely obliterated the mood.

"Oh right, sorry. I got a little carried away there," you respond with sheepish laugh, "You can just put it on the table over there."

Once his hands are free and, to his relief, you still want to continue, he hesitantly rests them on your hips. Losing himself in your expert kisses once more and groaning against you when you experimentally tug on his hair. Blood rushing to his face when he feels you smile against his lips at that.

His brain stops functioning all together when you press yourself closer to him. Soft tits against his broad chest, your arms wrapped firmly around his neck, and your stomach flush against his quickly growing erection. He can feel so much of you all at once, and it's not helping his already delicate resolve.

"You can touch me, you know," you say once you two remember that you need to breathe. Your eyes already heavy with such blatant want that it's honestly doing fantastic things for Kai's ego.

"I did-didn't want to go too far or make you uncomfortable,"

Your giggle is like music to his ears, "Considering that I'm going to let you fuck me, I think you're fine. That's very cute, though. Thanks for thinking about my comfort."

He's not sure if his cock twitches because you so casually mentioned letting him fuck you or because you called him cute but, either way, he takes your go ahead. Large hands grabbing generous handfuls of your ass and tits, respectively. Mind already growing foggy from how soft you feel and the kisses and nips you press to his jaw.

"You're so broad," he hears you mutter softly against his neck, shudders running down his spine from the sensation. He's sure his face is flushed from your words. No one's ever called him broad in this kind of situation, and from the way his head spins, he may be learning some things about himself today.

"Th-thank you," he stutters out, not entirely sure what to say in response and still trying to make sense of this realisation as your hands greedily run along his shoulders.

"You're too fucking cute," you groan, weaving one of your hands back into his hair and tugging him down into a messy kiss. At this point, Kai is more than happy to let you do whatever you want with him. Though, he supposes, it should be the other way around given the...circumstance he finds himself in.

He gasps into your mouth, fingers biting into your skin, when you palm him over his jeans. He's already so hard, and every bit of friction you allow him makes his knees buckle.

His grip on you tightens without much thought from him when you lavish his throat with licks and open-mouthed kisses once more. Your smaller hands toying with the belt of his jeans. Not quite seriously trying to unbuckle it, but just the brushes of your fingers so close to where his aching for you makes him feel dazed.

"Please," he whines, desire and embarrassment coiling tightly in his gut.

"Please what?" You ask, a mischievous gleam in your previously warm eyes. Fingers pushing up his shirt to trace nonsensical patterns on his abdomen. Kai thinks he's either going to scream or cry.

"Plea-please touch me," he whispers, trying his utmost not to grind himself into your hand.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," before he can blink, you're on your knees in front of him. Skillfully unbuckling his belt and unbuttoning his jeans.

"He-Hey, you don't ha-have to do that," he says quickly, piecing together through the fog of his mind what you're planning.

"I thought you wanted me to touch you?" You ask coyly and, fuck if the sight of you staring up at him with faux confused innocence doesn't make his cock twitch.

"I- yes, I do but, I didn't- you don't have to y'know if you don't want to,"

"What makes you think I don't want to?"

Oh. You've got a point there, he concedes.

"You should relax, cutie. I'm not doing anything I don't want to," Kai hates the way his cock jumps at the wink you have the audacity to send him while tugging down his boxers and jeans.

Relief fills him when he's finally free from the increasingly restrictive confines of his bottoms, but it's fast replaced with anxiety when you just...stare at him.

God, do you think it's ugly? Is it too small? Is it curved weird? Fuck, what if you-

"So pretty," he hears you barely whisper, lidded eyes becoming glossy as you wrap, or rather attempt to wrap, your hand around him. Between the compliment that leaves him completely blindsided and the slight pressure your hand provides, he can't help the whine that bubbles out of him and the jolt of his hips into your soft hold.

Kai feels his vision blur for a second when you take your first tentative lick of him. Pretty pink tongue curiously dragging along the underside of the head of his cock. That mischievous gleam is still present in your eye, and before his brain can catch up to what's happening, he finds himself enveloped in your warm, wet mouth.

His hands weave themselves into your hair instinctively. A broken, bordering on embarrassing, moan falling from his lips when he feels your throat constrict around him. Your hand stroking everything you can't fit in that sinful mouth of yours. He thought the feeling alone would drive him to madness, but the sounds of you gagging on him sends shudders down his spine. Hips shallowly fucking you as not to overwhelm you.

However, given how eagerly your choking on his dick, he doubts he could overwhelm you even if he tried.

He cracks his eyes open with much effort and immediately regrets the decision. Your pretty face is streaked with stray tears, and the combination of your spit and his pre-cum dribbles down your chin. If that wasn't bad enough already, he notices your unoccupied hand disappear between your thighs. His muddled mind taking longer than he cared to admit to understand what you're doing.

Holy fuck, are you touching yourself right now? Is this even real? Based on the circular motions he notices your hand making and moans that are being muffled by his dick down your throat, that pretty much confirms his suspicions.

"Wait shit fuck, st-stop," he stutters out, large hands gently tugging you off of his length before he makes a fool of himself and cums in your mouth.

"Is everything okay?" You ask, looking up at him. Fuck. He can barely look at you right now. Face smeared with tears, spit and his pre-cum. Your eyes a combination of concern and still barely restrained desire. He just hopes you don't notice his cock twitch then.

"Yeah, I just- I was close,"

Warmth floods his face when a smug grin spreads across your face.

"Oh? Why stop then? I'd gladly swallow anything you're willing to give me,"

Kai closes his eyes in an attempt to collect himself momentarily. Which turns out to be a terrible idea because his mind unhelpfully supplies images of his cum streaked across your face and your tongue. God.

"I'd rather cum somewhere else,"

He tries not to feel too proud of himself at the stunned look that crosses your pretty face. It feels good to leave you a little off kilter for once.

You laugh a little breathlessly as you make your way onto unsteady feet, "So you do know how to talk." He resents the way he flushes at your teasing.

His response dies on his tongue when you gently shove him back. He lands on your couch with a soft thud, looking up at you in question only to feel his tongue turn to lead in his mouth and his cock jump against his abdomen.

You shrug off your robe. Exposing your completely nude form to Kai and, he drinks you in. Taking in your breasts and the way they jiggle with every minute bit of movement from you, the slopes of your waist and hips until eventually he zeros in on your slick upper thighs. His blood turns molten. He can't quite see your pussy as clearly as he'd like to but, the streaks of wetness he can see on your thighs makes his head spin.

"You're staring," you tease, strutting over to him. He's not sure if the sway in your hips is just for him or not, but he couldn't care less. He's mesmerised.

"I can't help it. You're beautiful,"

You stop between his legs, and for a moment, he's terrified he went too far. Was calling you beautiful too much? God, why can he never get his foot out of his fucking mout-

He's pulled out of his anxious spiral by your smaller hands cupping his face. You smile at him and proceed to kiss him softly. Your thumb caressing his jaw as he finds himself lost in you once again.

"Thank you, cutie. You're really sweet," you mutter against his mouth, making yourself comfortable in his lap. Any line of thinking Kai had going is swiftly drop kicked out of his mind when he feels your pussy glide over his cock. Based on the way your hands fly to his broad shoulders and the little gasp that leaves you, he's not the only one affected.

He thinks he might lose his mind if you don't sink down on him immediately.

"Please," he whimpers, his hands making themselves at home on your hips.

"Since you asked so n-nicely," you respond with a devious smile. His heart rate continues to tick up when your hand grasps him and lines him up with your entrance.

Kai knows he's in trouble as soon as you begin to sink down onto him. His vision blurring slightly, and his hold on you quickly becoming bruising just from his tip being enveloped by your scorching, slick walls. The little strained whimpers and moans that slip from your lips only making it all worse.

It takes everything in him not to just shove you down onto him or snap his hips up until he's fully inside of you. However, he's not so far gone in his lust that he can't see that hints of discomfort on your pretty face. He pulls you down into a kiss in the hopes of providing some form of distraction. Long fingers reaching between your soft thighs, and he can't help that small smile that finds its way onto his face when you gasp into his mouth and clench around him.

He experiments with various speeds and patterns until he finds the one that cause you to moan into him and, more of your wetness to gush down his cock. "You're taking me so well," he mutters, half-delirious from how otherworldly you feel, and he isn't even fully inside of you yet.

He isn't prepared for you to so suddenly take him all at once. Needy hands tugging on his hair and watery cries of pleasure pressed into his mouth. Kai, for his part, his just trying not to cum from all of the unexpected sensations assaulting him at once. His fingers biting into the skin of your thighs as he fights to regain his composure. Closing his eyes and kissing you back to the best of his abilities while his cock throbs inside of your velvety walls. He's so fucked.

If anyone asks, he definitely doesn't whimper when you start to move. He definitely doesn't leave indents of his fingers on your skin from how tightly he's holding onto you. He definitely doesn't keep his eyes shut just so he doesn't cum in an instant from watching how your face contorts in pleasure for him, how your tits bounce and how your unreal pussy splits open to take him. Definitely not.

His attempt at concentration is disrupted when his ears catch a strangled cry from you, and you clamp down harshly around him. He cracks his eyes open and immediately wishes he hadn't.

The light from the setting sun hits you beautifully. Forming a halo around you as you continue to ride him. Your nimble fingers toying with your nipples and, based on the whines that fall from your devious mouth, they're pretty sensitive. He can't help the way his hips jolt up into at the vision you provide. Yeonjun had always teased him for being a bit of a romantic.

Instinct guides him. His arms coming to wrap around your waist as he fucks up into you. He wouldn't be shocked to find out his eyes had crossed from the depth this angle allows him. Eager mouth latching onto one of your tempting nipples. Groaning into your skin with every lick and suck and tug of the sensitive bud. Unadulterated lust guiding him all the way.

The symphony of skin slapping against skin and your wanton cries fill the space of your living room. Your hands are restless. Not quite sure if you want to tug on his hair or steady yourself on his broad shoulders. "So good. So de-deep," he manages to catch you whine, bordering on pathetic and that just motivates him to fuck you harder. Keeping you in place with his firm grip so you have no choice but to take all of him.

Between the way you tighten and spasm around him and the increasing pitch of your moans, Kai isn't sure how much longer he can last. Teeth nearly sinking into the flesh of your tits with how wound up he is and large hands drifting downwards to grab generous handfuls of your ass.

"I-I think I'm go-gonna cum," he moans out, "Sh-should I pu-pull out?"

Your hands move to cup his face so quickly that his foggy brain takes a few moments too long to even register it. Nails biting into his cheeks and your eyes blazing as they bore into his, "Don't you dare."

Kai couldn't have stopped himself from unravelling even if he wanted to.

He's practically crushes you to his larger frame while he remains completely sheathed inside of you. Ropes and ropes of his cum painting your walls white as he moans loudly, his chest heaving and flushed with exertion.

His disoriented eyes find your frenzied ones once he's able to crack them open. Your mouth shaped in a silent O and, it only hits him when he feels you clench harshly around his softening cock and more of your wetness gushes out of you of that you're cumming. The sting in his scalp is worth it as he takes in the way you fall to pieces on top of him. Eyes fluttering shut and your body convulsing. He tries his best to soothe you through it. Pressing gentle kisses to your neck and shoulder. Large hands rubbing your thighs gently.

He rests against your couch when you eventually sag against him. Laboured breaths hitting the skin of his neck where you've made yourself comfortable. A combination of your releases beginning to trickle out of you and, down his spent cock and balls.

The silence is more comfortable than he anticipates. Neither of you feeling the need to fill it while you gain your bearings.

A thought hits Kai, and he panics. Feeling like the biggest piece of shit on the face of the Earth.

"What's wrong?" You mutter, fingers absentmindedly toying with the ends of his hair.

"I never asked you for your name,"

Your giggle could easily be mistaken for windchimes, "Oh, is that all? It's Y/n. What's yours?"

"It-it's Kai."

"It's nice to be properly introduced to you, Kai," you respond with a dizzying smile.

Yeah, maybe today isn't all bad after all.

#hueningkai smut #huening kai smut #kai smut #txt smut #1k followers celebration day 3 #1k followers celebration #1k followers milestone

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en-dazed · 10 months

Text

between pages - lee heeseung

PAIRING: heeseung x reader

GENRES: bookshop au, bookseller!heeseung x reader!reader (lol), fluff, slight angst?

PROMPT: in which reader meets heeseung who works at a bookshop

WORD COUNT: 6,563 words.

A/N: i wrote this within 12 hours and it’s not proofread but i just had to bring it to life. this is my first fic on here and also my first fic in years so be very brutally honest on what you think about it <3

At the corner of the street, looking slightly out of place beside the pharmacy next door, is a bookshop. Weathered brick walls and ivy vines creeping up the side made anyone who passed by it gaze longingly at the whimsical place. The bell on the door jingles in delight when you push through the door, signalling your entrance into the world of literary wonders. The aroma of old and new books intermingle in the air in a way that fills all your senses and makes you never want to leave the place.

It was on the 3rd day of December you had wandered in there, feeling as if you had been beckoned inside by the bookshop itself. You had been on your way home, tired after a long day. It was the same path you had taken everyday for the past 2 years. It was the same bookshop that you had passed by everyday. And yet, there had been something about it today that had made you look twice - your gaze not moving away on the second glance.

You walked through the rows and rows of wooden shelves filled with books, noting the meticulous way it was organised with all genres having its own place. You didn’t know what you were looking for. You didn’t know if you were even looking for something in particular.

“May I help you?” A soft voice spoke from behind you. You turned around to face the bookseller. For a minute you were at a loss for words. The guy in front of you couldn’t have been much older than you. His warm doe eyes were slightly covered by his dark hair, the bangs falling over his forehead. He wore a smile on his face, soft and inviting. He was breathtaking.

Caught off guard by his presence, you couldn't find the right words at first. He noticed your gaze, and his smile grew wider, making your cheeks flush.

You looked towards the shelves again, pretending to look around as you answered his question. “I’m not quite sure what I’m looking for.” You admitted.

The bookseller nodded understandingly. “Allow me to make a suggestion then.” He traced the spines of a nearby shelf, looking for a specific title. After a brief moment, he carefully plucked down a hardcover book and extended it towards you.

“I don’t know what books you like,” He started as you accepted the book in his hands. “But I hope you like this one. It’s one of my personal favourites.” He smiled radiantly at you.

You looked at the book in your hand, the title somewhat familiar but not quite known to you. Your curiosity was piqued, both by the handsome bookseller and the book he had given you.

“I’ll take it.” You decided without a second thought.

“I’ll ring you up at the front then.”

5 minutes later you walked out the shop with the book tucked under your hand - for which you had paid a ridiculously discounted price for, at the insistence of the cute bookseller. You had walked in with no guidance other than your curiosity and you had walked out with thoughts of the dark haired guy surrounded by books swirling in your head.

You had a feeling you would be coming back here again.

There was an almost magnetic pull from the book as soon as you had come home that day, urging you to devour the words inside it. And so you did.

You spent 2 days using every waking moment to read, unable to make yourself stop. It was only when you closed your eyes at night that your thoughts shifted. Now, your mind was filled with thoughts about the bookseller. You mentally kicked yourself for not having asked him his name.

He had been spot on with his recommendation. Within an hour of you turning the last page of the book, you showed up at the bookshop slightly out of breath.

“Do they ever find each other again?”

The bookseller looked up from the book he was reading behind the counter, surprised at the sudden intrusion. You stood impatiently, waiting for an answer.

“You finished the book.” He was smiling now, putting down the book after carefully sliding in a bookmark.

You nodded passionately. “I needed to know. Do they ever find each other again? He lost her at the end.”

The guy seemed to ponder the question for just a beat before he answered. “I’ve read the book from front to back more times than I can count but even I don’t know the answer to that.” He admitted begrudgingly. His voice held a touch of hesitation as he continued. “But I like to think they do. I like to think that he finds her between the pages and falls in love with her all over again.”

You listened intently to his response. The way he spoke, with a clear love for the book and genuine affection for the characters lit a spark inside you. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, a glimmer of hope that mirrored your own yearning for a happy ending.

"I like that thought," you whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Falling in love between the pages... It's a beautiful notion."

He returned your smile, a genuine warmth emanating from him. “Books have a way of capturing our hearts don't they?”

A comfortable silence enveloped the both of you, filled with unspoken emotion and understanding. It felt as if the bookshop itself held its breath, watching the connection between the two strangers grow.

Breaking the silence, you mustered the courage to ask the question that had been lingering in your mind since your first encounter. "By the way, I never caught your name."

He chuckled softly, a sound that felt like sunlight if sunlight could be heard. “You’re right, we never introduced ourselves did we? My name is Heeseung.”

“Heeseung” The name rolled off your tongue easily, a sense of relief to be able to put a name to the face that had haunted you for the past 2 days.

“I’m Y/N. Thank you for introducing me to this book.” You said sincerely. “I think it’s become one of my personal favourites as well.”

His eyes gleamed at you, clearly happy his recommendation had been a hit. “You’re very welcome Y/N.”

He made his way out of the counter, moving towards you. “Perhaps I could show you more books that I love?”

“Yes, please.”

With every book you discovered at the hands of Heeseung, your bond grew stronger. You grew comfortable in his presence, conversations flowing effortlessly and laughter filling the air. The bookshop smelled sweeter to you whenever Heeseung smiled and Heeseung could’ve sworn the shop lit up whenever you entered.

Amidst the bookshelves and the scent of inked pages, a new story had begun - one of you and Heeseung. It was a tale written not on pages but etched in stolen glances and lingering touch of hands reaching for the same book. The bookshop became a haven for you, a place where two souls intertwined.

Heeseung was a university student just like you. A Literature major, he had confirmed with a laugh. You couldn’t imagine him being anything else. You learned that the bookshop was owned by his parents.

“I grew up between these shelves.” He had told you one day, talking softly as if he was telling you a secret. “I don’t think I remember anything else other than books and the way it felt to discover new worlds.”

You felt your heart gravitate towards him a little bit more with every new piece of information.

You discovered that when Heeseung was 12, he had pretended that the back door was the entrance to Narnia. He would tell you stories about how he would walk back there alone, opening the door and always hoping that one day there would be a whole nother world on the other side of it. The thought of a young Heeseung with bambi eyes filled with hope made you smile.

Heeseung couldn’t understand why he felt such a pull towards you. Your visits to the shop had long changed from just a quest for new books to just visits for him. You found solace in his company as he did in you.

On one such evening, you sat besides him at the counter. You held a book on your hand, except it wasn’t a book that belonged to the store or to Heeseung. A frustrated sigh escaped you as you scratched out the words you had previously written on the book. Heeseung watched sympathetically.

This had become routine. You would come to the shop with your assignments, claiming that the peace and quiet inside helped you work with a clearer mind. Secretly, you also wanted to spend more time with Heeseung, even if you had other things to do.

Heeseung loved to watch you work. He had observed you unknowingly for so long he could tell all your frustrated little quirks, the way you would sit up straight when you solve a problem and even the way you would tap the pen against the edge of the book as you thought things through.

Your hair slipped past your ear onto your face and without a second thought, Heeseung grabbed the strand and pulled it behind your ear once more as if it was so natural to touch you. He only realised what he had done when he felt you freeze under his touch.

Immediately, he pulled his hand back. “Sorry.” The word rushed out, his hands suddenly warming up from the memory of your touch.

You looked up and he could see that your cheeks were red as well. “It’s okay.” You mumbled. You looked away, unable to make eye contact with him without feeling like you were going to burst into flames.

There was a moment of silence before your words slipped out, so quiet he could barely hear it, so quiet he wasn’t even sure if he was meant to hear it.

“I liked it.”

Heeseung smiled.

On Saturday’s Heeseung was off. You had found out when you had dropped by unannounced and was met with an unfamiliar blonde haired boy at the counter instead of the familiar face you were used to.

“May I help you?” The boy had asked politely, reminiscent of the way Heeseung had uttered the same words to her the first time they had met.

“Is Heeseung here?” You asked, slightly nervous. Had something happened to him?

“Heeseung is off from work every Saturday. I’m the one here when he’s not.” The boy looked at you curiously as if studying you. “How do you know him?” He asked, inquisitively.

“Im his…,” You trailed off not knowing what to label yourself. You had long passed the relationship of a mere customer or stranger. You couldn’t call yourself acquaintances, you knew him much more intimately than that. You had never even exchanged numbers.

“I’m a friend.” The unsure tone of your voice made the boy look at you suspiciously.

“I’m Jake.” He introduced himself. “I’ll let Heeseung know you were here if you give me your name.”

You shook your head aggressively. “No, it’s okay. I’ll just come back later.”

Before the boy could respond you walked out of the store, disappointment settling in your stomach.

The next time you ran into Jake was when he had walked in while you and Heeseung were laughing together between the shelves. Heeseung had been standing close to you, his head so close that you could smell the scent of his shampoo.

“A friend huh?” Jake’s voice had shocked the both of you, jumping away from each other as if you had been caught doing something you shouldn’t. Jake had laughed at the way you both reacted, running away as Heeseung chased him around the store - a poor attempt at hiding how flustered he was.

Jake slowly wiggled his way into your days together, the duo turning into a group of 3. He went to university with Heeseung, he had explained to you. “Although I'm into more non-fiction books unlike him.” He laughed.

As a Physics major, he was deceivingly smart. He had a knack for explaining complex concepts in a way that made them easy to understand, often engaging Heeseung and you in conversations about theories about the origins of the universe, the nature of black holes, and the possibilities of time travel. His enthusiasm was infectious, and you found yourself captivated by his explanations. Heeseung - ever the attentive friend - soaked up the information like a sponge. He asked insightful questions, allowing Jake to delve more into the topic excitedly. You knew that he did it because it made Jake happy and the thoughtfulness of his actions made your heart flutter.

With Jake, you found more sides of Heeseung that you hadn’t seen before. He was slightly louder, less reserved and rougher with Jake than he ever was with you.

Slowly, you began to show up on Saturdays as well. You found yourself growing closer to Jake, developing a genuine friendship beyond your connection through Heeseung. He became someone you could confide in, someone to vent to when you were having a bad day. It wasn’t long before Jake figured out your very thinly veiled crush on Heeseung.

“Just tell him already.” He groaned at you, watching as your eyes followed Heeseung as he restocked the shelves.

You let out a sigh, the fear of rejection hanging heavy over you. “I don’t know Jake. What if it ruins our friendship?”

Jake couldn’t believe how stupid you could be. “If you don’t see the way he looks at you then you’re really blind.”

You didn’t want to believe him. You didn’t want to get your hopes up. But when Heeseung caught you eye across the room and gave you a smile, you couldn’t help the hope that blossomed in you.

When you imagined Heeseung, it was always at the bookshop. You couldn’t imagine his existence outside of those four walls. So when Heeseung asked you out to go to a movie, it took you by surprise.

“You know there’s a movie adaptation of the first book I recommended to you.” He had started, nervously running his hands through his hair. “We should go see it.” He looked at you, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. “Together.”

You felt like your heart had dropped to your stomach. The book in your hands slipped, falling to the ground as your hands became shaky from nervousness. Heeseung leaned down to pick it up, the same time as your hand reached to grab it as well. For a split second, your hands brushed his. Quickly, you let go, letting him pick up the book.

Wiping your suddenly sweaty hands on your skirt, you nodded yes at him. “I’d love to.” You spoke, hoping your voice wouldn’t shake.

And just like that, his eyes seemed to shine - as if the stars inside couldn’t help but celebrate his small victory.

On the day of the movie ‘date’ (you weren’t quite sure what to call it exactly, although Jake was very insistent on calling it a date), you spent the whole day texting Jake in panic.

Y/N: WHAT DO I WEAR?????

Ikeu: i guarantee you he will drop down to his knees as soon as he sees you no matter what you wear

ikeu: stop panicking this isn’t the first time you’ve seen him

You knew he was right. Heeseung wasn’t the type to care what you wore, he never had been. But you made a special effort to dress nicely, smoothing down the wrinkles on your shirt as you finished getting ready.

By the time Heeseung had texted you that he was outside you were ready on the outside but felt like a pile of goo on the inside. Butterflies dancing in your stomach, you walked out the door of your house and towards Heeseung who stood next to his car outside.

Heeseung looked the same as he always did, except his dark hair was now pushed back revealing his forehead. His eyes lit up at the sight of you, widening slightly as he took in your appearance.

“You look beautiful.” He whispered.

You felt shy under his gaze, as if you were once again a teenager out on your first date with the boy you liked. But this was Heeseung and soon after you got in the car, you relaxed.

You had thought that things would be different without the inked pages surrounding you but you were quick to realise that it wasn’t the bookshop that made Heeseung special - it was him that made the bookshop shine.

Heeseung made you wait in the car after he had parked, running around quickly and opening the door for you. “I can’t let a pretty girl open the door on her own.” He said flirtingly.

You rolled your eyes at him jokingly, trying to disguise how much he was affecting you. The movie theatre was half full when you walked in, the movie almost about to start. Heeseung glanced at you as the lights dimmed, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

The movie soon started, the familiar story you had read before unfolding before you. The characters were just as you had imagined them to be. You sneaked a peek at Heeseung who seemed to be just as entranced by the movie as you were.

As the ending of the movie grew closer, you realised that the story was going in a different path.

“They didn’t lose each other.” Heeseung whispered in astonishment as the movie neared its end, with the main characters still together. The alteration from the original story had caught both of you off guard, but instead of disappointment, there was a sense of intrigue in the air.

“That was unexpected," you commented, breaking the silence as the credits rolled on the screen.

Heeseung chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah, it definitely took a different turn. But you know what? I kind of like it," he confessed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. “It’s nice to see a happy ending.”

A smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you nodded in agreement.

“I think you were right.” You said, as you both walked out the movie theatre together.

Heeseung looked at you, a look of confusion on his face. “About what?”

“I think they did find each other between the pages. And they fell in love again as they had before. I think they would’ve fallen in love with each other even if they had met in a 100 different lifetimes.”

When you stopped talking, you noticed that Heeseung had fallen behind. He had stopped just a few steps behind you with a strange look on his face.

"Heeseung?" you called out, concern lacing your voice.

Heeseung blinked a few times, as if trying to gather his thoughts. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair, a gesture you had come to associate with his moments of uncertainty.

“Y/N I -“ He began, his voice tinged with anxiousness.

You waited with bated breath, unsure what he was about to say.

“Can I hold your hand?” He blurted out suddenly.

Startled by his sudden request, you blinked a few times, momentarily taken aback. You could feel your heartbeat quicken, and a mixture of emotions swirled within you—excitement, nervousness, and a tinge of vulnerability.

The reality of the situation sank in. This wasn't just a casual outing between friends anymore. There was an unspoken shift in the dynamics, a hint of something more. Your mind raced, trying to process the significance of his request.

You smiled softly, holding out your hand in response. Without a word, without any hesitation - Heeseung took your hand in his. Fingers intertwined, he stepped closer to you, eyes on your hands. It was a comforting touch, a warmth that spread from the tips of your fingers to your whole body.

Heeseung was looking at you now, a fierce look in his eyes. You felt like fleeing at the intensity of his gaze but you held your ground, not moving your eyes away from him.

“Can I kiss you?” His voice was even softer than before, barely a whisper.

His question hung in the air for a breath too long, as if even the wind had stopped to listen for your answer. Your mind could no longer comprehend what was happening, having short circuited minutes ago. It was your heart that led you when you nodded, wordlessly accepting his request.

Heeseung moved without hesitation, as if he had been waiting for this for so long that he just couldn’t wait any longer. The world around you seemed to blur as Heeseung leaned in, his gaze locked with yours. A surge of electricity rushed through your body when his lips met yours, soft and tender. It felt like a culmination of all the unspoken words, stolen glances, and shared experiences that had brought you to this point.

He kissed you longingly and sincerely. He kissed you and you forgot that there was ever anything besides the feeling of kissing him because how could there be any feeling as good as this?

When he finally pulled away there was a change in him. His smile was certain, confident. Even as you wordlessly walked back to his car, he didn't let go of your hand. He dropped it for just a second when you got in but as soon as you were seated in the passenger seat next to him, he took your hand in his.

Friends had shifted to something more.

You quickly grew accustomed to the way Heeseung’s lips felt on yours and the way your hands intertwined. The following weeks were filled with stolen kisses behind books and lovesick looks exchanged across the room.

It was impossible to hide from Jake, not that either of you tried.

“You know I can see you two kissing behind the shelves!” He yelled, making the both of you jump in surprise. You both turned various shades of pink at getting caught.

Jake stood there, a mischievous grin plastered across his face, clearly enjoying the sight of your embarrassment.

“I know you’ve been dying to get together but someone’s got to make sure you’re not causing a scandal in the bookshop.” Jake teased.

With a sigh, you turned to Heeseung, still feeling the warmth of his touch. "Isn’t he supposed to be off today?” You asked, with fake annoyance.

Jake feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. "Hey, I resent that! I'm just looking out for the literary integrity of this place."

You couldn't help but laugh at Jake's theatrical response. Despite his teasing, you knew he genuinely cared about both of you and wanted to see you happy. It was his way of expressing his support, even if it involved some playful ribbing.

Heeseung chuckled, his arm still wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him. "Well, Jake, I appreciate your concern, but I think we've got this under control."

Jake raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "Oh, really? Well, I'll be the judge of that."

Before you could respond, he playfully pointed towards a nearby bookshelf. "Kiss cam! Show me you're in control."

You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of your lips. You glanced at Heeseung, who wore a mischievous grin matching Jake's. With a twinkle in your eyes, you leaned in and shared a quick, playful kiss.

"Happy now, Jake?" you asked, suppressing a giggle.

Jake pretended to wipe away tears dramatically. "You've made me a proud matchmaker. Carry on, lovebirds!"

And Heeseung did, sneaking another kiss in before he continued his original job of stocking the shelves.

When you joined Jake at the counter, his gaze became serious. “I know I fool around a lot. But I really am happy for you.”

“I know.” You replied.

“I’ve known him for years now and I dont think I’ve ever seen him so happy before.”

A warm feeling spread through your chest as you listened to Jake's heartfelt words. It was a reminder of just how special your connection with Heeseung was, not only to you but also to those who cared about you both.

"I feel the same way," you confessed, a soft smile gracing your lips. "Heeseung has brought so much happiness into my life too. I'm grateful every day that our paths crossed in this little bookshop."

“Well let’s hope your story has a happily ever after.” Jake said and you laughed, completely unaware of what was to come.

The beginning of the end came on a cold May day. You had been to the bookshop almost everyday since December. Everyday, the door had swung open to invite you in. This time, however, the door remained shut. A sign hung from a nook on the door told you it was closed.

Worried, you dialed Heeseung quickly. Was he sick? But if he was wouldn’t Jake cover for him? Was something wrong?

Heeseung picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hey," Heeseung’s voice came through, but it lacked its usual cheerfulness. "I'm guessing you saw the sign."

“Yeah,” you replied, your voice heavy with concern. “Are you alright? Did something happen?”

There was a moment of silence before he answered. “I’m alright. The store… not so much.” He admitted.

Your heart sank further at Heeseung's somber tone. The weight of the situation settled heavily upon you, leaving you eager to understand what had transpired.

"What happened, Heeseung?" you asked, your voice filled with genuine worry.

Heeseung took a deep breath, his voice holding a mix of disappointment and resignation. “It's a complicated situation. My parents have been struggling to keep the business afloat for a while now. The rising costs, declining foot traffic, and the emergence of online retail... it all took its toll. It's been a tough decision, but we had to close the doors."

The news hit you like a wave, leaving you momentarily speechless. The bookshop had been a sanctuary for both of you as well as Jake. It felt like losing a part of your history, a place that held countless memories and moments that would forever be etched in your hearts.

“Well… what happens now?” You whispered, your voice trembling.

“Princess.” His voice had grown quiet and the realization that he had even worse news hit you like a brick.

“What’s going to happen to you, Heeseung?” You were almost too scared to ask.

“Princess, I- we-,” He sighed in frustration on the other end of the line.

“We’re moving. To the countryside.”

The words left you stunned and unsure of how to respond. Moving to the countryside meant leaving behind the life he had in the city, the familiar streets, and the comfort of his routines. It meant uprooting everything and starting anew in an unfamiliar environment.

"But... what about everything here?" you managed to say, your voice barely above a whisper. "Your friends, your university..."

"I know, Princess," Heeseung replied, his voice filled with regret. "It's a difficult decision, but my parents have made up their minds. And I've already applied for a transfer to the university there. It was accepted today.”

You felt a knot forming in your stomach as you tried to comprehend the magnitude of the changes that lay ahead.

"What about us?" you asked, your voice trembling. "What does this mean for our relationship?"

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Heeseung responded, his voice filled with tenderness. "Princess, I love you more than anything. I can't imagine my life without you. This move doesn't change that. We'll find a way to make it work, no matter where we are."

Tears welled up in your eyes as his words washed over you, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty. It was true, love had a way of transcending physical distance and overcoming obstacles. If you both were committed to making it work, perhaps the countryside could become a new canvas for your relationship to flourish.

It was only when he had hung up the call that you realised it was the first time he had told you he loved you.

Jake was just as depressed at the news as you were. Gone was his cheery persona, replaced by one of a moping puppy. Not that you could judge, you weren’t much better after all.

“Heeseung will leave tomorrow night.” Jake’s words cut through the sombre air like a knife.

You hummed in response. If you opened your mouth you were sure tears would start flowing.

Heeseung's impending departure felt like another blow, a painful reminder of the changes that were unfolding in your lives.

You remained silent for what felt like hours before you whispered. “Jake?”

He looked at you in response.

“I’m going to miss him.” The tears that had been threatening to overflow finally did, and you cried and cried into Jake’s shoulder.

His arm wrapped around you comfortingly, rubbing circles on your shoulder. “I’ll miss him too.” He whispered just as sadly.

The following evening arrived, casting a melancholic haze over the room. The minutes seemed to slip away far too quickly, leaving you feeling as though time itself was playing a cruel trick on your emotions.

As the hour approached, you found yourself standing outside the bookstore, the place that had once been a safe haven for you, now closed and devoid of life. The emptiness mirrored the ache in your heart as you awaited Heeseung's departure.

Jake stood by your side, a solemn expression etched across his face. He offered you a gentle squeeze of the hand, his silent support speaking volumes.

Minutes later, the sound of a car engine broke the silence, signaling Heeseung's arrival. Your heart skipped a beat as he stepped out of the vehicle, his familiar smile now tinged with sadness.

You rushed to his side, unable to contain the tears that welled up in your eyes. Heeseung's arms enveloped you in a warm embrace, and you clung to him as if trying to hold onto the moments you had shared.

"I'm going to miss you," you managed to whisper through your tears, your voice choked with emotion.

Heeseung held you tighter, his voice filled with a mixture of sadness and reassurance. "I'm going to miss you too, more than words can express. But this isn't the end, princess. We'll find our way back to each other."

The three of you stood in a tight circle, a knot of intertwined emotions. As Heeseung pulled away, his gaze shifted between you and Jake, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thank you for being there for me," he said, his voice sincere and heartfelt. "I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

You took a step back, allowing Heeseung to say his goodbyes to Jake. The two shared a heartfelt embrace, their unspoken bond woven tightly between them. As they parted, you couldn't help but feel a deep sense of loss, knowing that the dynamics of your trio were forever altered.

Heeseung turned to you, his eyes filled with a mixture of love and determination. "Take care of yourself," he whispered, his words lingering in the air like a promise.

You nodded, your voice barely above a whisper. "I will. You take care too."

With one last lingering look, Heeseung climbed into the car, the engine humming to life. As the vehicle pulled away, taking a piece of your heart with it, you stood there, feeling the weight of his absence settle upon your shoulders.

You saw Heeseung in between the pages of books, his essence infused in the words that transported you to different worlds. Reading became your refuge, your escape from the ache of his absence. It was as if the characters and narratives were a bridge between you, keeping your connection alive despite the physical distance.

Every night, when the world grew quiet, the phone would ring, and his voice would fill the room. Those conversations were precious lifelines that provided a temporary respite from the longing in your heart. His words, filled with love and tenderness, wrapped around you like a warm embrace, soothing the ache of his absence.

And when the morning light spilled through the curtains, you would awaken to his text, a simple "good morning" that carried more weight than any words could express. It was a reminder that you were still connected, that he was thinking of you even when he was miles away from you.

“It’s so quiet here.” Heeseung’s voice said over the phone. “I’m still not quite used to it.”

You listened intently, hanging onto every word he said.

“Do you miss it here?” You asked.

His voice was sad when he replied. “I miss everything there but mostly I miss you.”

Your heart ached to see him.

“I miss you too.” You whispered.

He called every night without fail.

“Princess,” He would say and your heart would flutter at the pet name.

“I think you’ll like it here. It’s so peaceful to read beneath the stars.” He said with a smile hanging to his words.

“Would you live there forever?” You asked him, half teasing, half anxiously.

“I’d live anywhere if it was with you.”

And your heart would catapult across your chest.

Weeks would turn into months.

“I wish the bookshop didn’t have to close.” You told him, on another particularly vulnerable night.

“We can always open a new one.” He replied.

“Together?” His response had lifted your mood. Heeseung always had an uncanny way of knowing exactly what to say.

Heeseung's laughter resonated through the phone, a sound that brought warmth to your heart. "Yes, together. We'll fill the shelves with our favourite books, create a space where people can find solace and inspiration. It'll be our own little sanctuary."

Your heart swelled with love for Heeseung, his dreams intertwining with yours, creating a vision that felt so real, so attainable. The miles between you seemed insignificant in that moment as you both shared a dream that bound you together.

December slowly approached, marking an year since you had first encountered Heeseung.

The 3rd of December this year was cold. Or perhaps it felt colder to you, with the thought that Heeseung wouldn’t be by your side.

As you stood in front of the familiar bookshop, now closed and silent, you couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. You had initially wandered in, unsure of what you were even looking for. You had left with so much more than you could even dream of. The chilly wind brushed against your face, mingling with the scent of fallen leaves, creating a melancholic atmosphere.

You closed your eyes, picturing Heeseung's warm smile, his comforting presence that had filled the bookstore with life.

“Princess?”

You must be dreaming. You turned around, your heart skipping a beat as you saw Heeseung standing before you, his eyes filled with love and determination. His hair had grown longer but it was still Heeseung, your Heeseung.

“I couldn't let this day pass without being by your side," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of apology and devotion. "I had to come back to you, even if it's just for this day."

Tears of joy streamed down your face as you rushed into his arms, holding him tightly as if afraid he would disappear once again. The world around you faded into insignificance as you embraced, the warmth of his presence banishing the coldness that had gripped your heart.

"I missed you," you whispered into his ear, your voice filled with an overwhelming mixture of relief and love.

"I missed you too, Princess," he replied, his voice choked with emotion. "Being away from you made me realise that you are my home, no matter where we are."

His words made your heart swell with emotion, holding onto him tightly. He smelled just like you remembered - of books and ink.

“I have a surprise for you.” He said gingerly, holding your chin in his fingers to look into your eyes.

“Bigger than this?” You laughed in between sobs.

“Much bigger.” He smirked. “I talked to my parents. It took a whole lot of convincing and a lot of time spent with Jake researching on how we can bring in more money this time but-“

He allowed you to piece together his words before he continued.

“We’re reopening the bookshop. And this time I - no, we will be handling it.”

Your eyes widened, your heart leaping with a mixture of astonishment and delight.

“You mean... we can open a new bookstore together?" you asked, your voice barely containing your excitement.

Heeseung nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Yes, together. We can bring our dreams to life, Princess. Just like we talked about.”

Tears welled up in your eyes once again, but this time they were tears of pure joy. The weight of the past few month’s longing and uncertainty lifted from your shoulders, replaced by a surge of hope and anticipation for the future.

"I can't think of anything more perfect," you whispered, your voice filled with gratitude and love.

Heeseung pulled you into another embrace, his warmth enveloping you completely.

“I told you Princess. I’d live anywhere if it was with you.”

Nestled on the corner of the street was a bookshop. Its brick exterior exuded a timeless charm, and the large windows invited passersby to peek inside and discover the treasures held within its walls. The sign above the entrance bore the name "Whispering Pages," a fitting title for a place where stories whispered and imaginations soared.

You and Heeseung stood behind the counter, side by side, ready to greet each customer with a warm smile and a genuine love for the written word.

Together, you and Heeseung - with the help of Jake of course - had painstakingly transformed the empty space into a sanctuary for book lovers. The shelves were lined with an eclectic mix of genres, ranging from classic literature to contemporary fiction, from fantasy realms to historical accounts. Each book held a story, waiting to be discovered and shared.

And as the bookshop's door chimed with the arrival of new customers, you took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the ordinary. The soft whisper of turning pages, the gentle rustle of paper, and the quiet yet profound love that bound you together. In this bookshop, where stories came to life, you had found your own love story—a tale woven with laughter, stolen glances and kisses between pages.

165 notes · View notes

ikeromantic · 4 months

Note

Hello!

Wanted to send a fun a little ask from the prompts you posted!

Clavis

Pit trap

Black licorice

A little thought I had.

( nothing SUPER specific bit thought I'd share anyway) But please, do whatever you feel would fit the choices and scenario best!!

-----

MC is mad at clavis for who knows what, like REALLY mad and clavis just wants to fix it as soon as possible. He can't have his lovely MC mad at him forever after all!

So maybe after trying desperately to talk to her, they both accidentally end up in one of his traps that he had forgotten about. Certainly, I would give them time and space (lol) to talk things out, however upsetting the conversations may be. But it's necessary, and they get through it

You know I adore Clavis ^_^ Here is approx 1300 words of Clavis in a pit trap of his own making . . . a little angsty, a little sweet, a little salty. IkePri New Years Event story!

“I’m not your toy.” She stomped her foot, fists clenched at her sides. Despite her fearsome stance, her eyes were damp with unshed tears.

Clavis chuckled. “My dear, of course you’re my toy. Why else would I play with you, hm? Think about it.” He hoped to tease her out of this snit, and in the meantime, her reaction was simply adorable. Such ferocity!

She let out a long, slow breath, and her shoulders slumped. “You know what? I’m not doing this tonight. I’m tired and I’ve had too much to drink.” Her hand swiped at her eyes, wiping away a tear before it fell. “Goodnight, Prince Lelouch.”

“Lelouch? Since when are we on - hey! Where are you - wait!” Clavis chased after her as she rushed away, down an empty hall. She turned left, then right, trying to lose him. Which was ridiculous. This was his manor, afterall and he knew every nook and cranny. Including - “Don’t go that way! There’s a -”

His warning came too late. His lover tumbled down the hole and landed at the bottom of a pit trap. This one wasn’t too deep, but the walls were angled in and slick. Impossible to climb out of without help.

Clavis leaned over the edge of the hole and peered down. “Are you alright?”

“Would you just leave me alone?” Her voice was full of hurt, and he though he couldn’t see her face, he was fairly sure she was crying.

He sighed, shrugged, and hopped down after her. The landing hurt a bit more than expected, and he made a mental note to add more padding to the bottom. It wouldn’t do to injure a guest, afterall.

She looked at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open. “You have got to be kidding me. You followed me into the pit? Seriously?”

“Of course. I’m a gentleman. I can’t let my beloved fall into a pit trap by herself.” He ignored her frown and rolled eyes.

“Great. So now I’m stuck with you.” She crossed her arms and slumped to the floor where she could rest her head against her knees.

The position reminded Clavis of a hedgehog, all rolled up, every angle warning him not to touch. Which, of course, made him want to touch even more. Besides, he felt . . . unsettled. She was truly upset with him and it was a bit like having a pebble in your shoe. If the pebble was a hot knife and the shoe in question was your heart.

“Just until morning. Cyran always does a full check of all operational traps. He’ll find us.”

“Great,” she muttered.

“It really is! Now I have you in a place where you can’t run away.” Clavis knelt down beside her.

She peeked at him over her knees. “What do you want, Prince Lelouch?” She said his name and title like an insult, and from her it really did hurt.

“I want to know why you’re so - so -” his mind ran through possible words. Hurt. Angry. Sad. “bad at taking a joke.” Clavis seized on that one, the one that didn’t make his chest tight and his eyes ache. The one that didn’t whisper, she will leave you too, in the quiet parts of his mind.

“A joke?” She raised an eyebrow. “You told that nobleman I’m your plaything. Your words! And I . . .” she took a deep breath, wiping furiously at her face as the tears began to fall in earnest. “I thought I meant more than that to you.”

You do. The words didn’t come out aloud though. “I did say favorite plaything. You see? You’re very important to me.”

“See? That. Right there.” She stopped trying to erase the tears and just let them fall. “I like your sense of humor. Your adventurousness. I like that I never know what to expect from you. You upend everything. Turn all the rules on their heads.”

“Yes. I am a very amazing and wonderful prince . . .” Clavis cocked his head. He hadn’t expected compliments. Didn’t understand where she was going with this.

“I love you. I love all those things about you.”

He nodded. “And I love you.”

She gave an exasperated sigh. “But you act like I’m just a toy you own. Replaceable. Something you’ll play with until it breaks and then go out and get a new one. And even if - if you don’t mean it -” Her tears turned into heart rending sobs and the words, whatever they might have been, were lost.

“But . . . there is only one you.” Clavis set a hand on her leg and was surprised when she brushed it away.

“Th-that nobleman doesn’t think so!” Her eyes were red-rimmed, cheeks flushed with emotion. “H-he thinks you can go to town and p-pick up any common girl. I’m j-just some worthless piece of p-pretty trash!”

Clavis felt his heart clench in his chest. Was this what she thought he meant? Was this how she felt? Her words cut into him, a wound that bled like fire. “I . . .”

“I can’t do this anymore,” she added quietly.

That calm statement froze his insides. Ice and fire together, burning him. Clavis didn’t care what some nobleman thought of his lover. But her hurt was real. He wondered how long this sorrow and anger had been eating at her. And he hadn’t noticed. He felt dumbstruck. A fool, just as Chev always said.

“W-when Cyran comes . . . I’m just going t-to take my things. And go.” She sniffled.

The air left his lungs, and for a moment Clavis was truly struck dumb. He struggled to breathe, to speak. Everyone he loved, left. He would be alone again. “No.”

She pushed the hair out of her face. “What?”

“No.” Clavis reached out and grabbed her hands, ignoring the way she tried to pull back. “I won’t let you go.”

“What are you going to do, tie me up?” A rebellious smile appeared under her tears.

He smiled back, his heart thudding in his chest. “If I have to.” Clavis swallowed. He hated showing his genuine emotion, his soft heart, but for her . . . anything. “But first, I - I’m sorry.”

Her eyebrows shot up.

“I’m sorry for calling you my plaything in front of someone too ignorant to understand what that means to me.” He squeezed her hands gently in his. “You are my toy, my most favorite diversion. My very own, irreplaceable, priceless, one of a kind, beautiful, smart, silly, amazing -”

“Clavis, you’re being excessive.” She frowned at him but he noticed her tears were drying up.

“I am never excessive. As I was saying - amazing, wonderful, sweet -” he cleared his throat, “woman, that I love. And I can’t -” he coughed again, “I can’t imagine doing without you.”

Her gaze softened, the anger and sadness in her eyes wavering.

“Please. Stay by my side?”

“I . . . I don’t know. People are always going to think I’m only in it because of who you are. For the money and privilege.”

Clavis snorted. “No one who knows me will think that. Besides, who cares what idiots say? We’ll just sic Chev on them. Tell him they dog-eared a book page or something.”

She laughed then, and he knew he had her. Relief flowed through him like warm honey, sweet and thick and golden. “I don’t know if I’d want them to die like that,” she mused.

Her smile was everything, he thought. “Well, maybe not dog-eared then. Perhaps . . . cracked the spine a bit? Dropped some coffee on it? No?”

“Pretty sure all of those are a Chevalier death sentence.” She paused and took a shaky breath. “This is why you’re so bad for me, you know? I can be rightly pissed off at you, and you still make me smile.” She shook her head. “It’s bad for my heart.”

“Well. I like your smile. And you are cute when you’re angry so . . . I’m not sorry. I can’t ever be sorry.” Clavis smiled at her. “As long as I get to keep you by my side.”

#ikemen prince #ikepri #ikepri clavis #clavis lelouch #fanfiction #fanfic #otome #otome guys #fluff #light angst

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atlabeth · 1 year

Text

everything happens for a reason part 21 - zuko x fem!reader

Meet me in the afterglow

part 20 | masterlist | part 22

a/n: wowwwww we're finally in the happy part of this fic lol. it feels so good to write zuko and yn together after 100k words of them being on opposite sides and hating each other. it was actually kind of hard to write this because it was a lot of chill fluff and it has been a long Long time since ive written that. very sorry this took so long

wc: 5k

warning(s): some discussions of yn and zuko's pasts but overall very fluffy

chapter title comes from afterglow by taylor swift!

Silence.

That was what Y/N woke up to.

No nightmares, no guilt, no flashbacks—just… silence.

And the arms of another around her. Zuko. She reveled in the warmth he provided, sighing contentedly as she shifted to look at him.

She’d always thought Zuko was beautiful, but he was even more so when asleep. His features relaxed rather than rageful, no longer tainted by her own incessant anger. Pools of gold met her when his eyes flickered open, a gentleness held within them she’d missed dearly.

“Hi,” she whispered, a smile already tugging at her lips.

“Hi.” His voice was just as soft, his own emerging smile enough to make her melt. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in months.” Y/N moved her hand over his, and Zuko turned his over to entangle their fingers. “And it’s all thanks to you.”

“It’s the least I can do,” he murmured, and he drew her in for a soft kiss. That was what made her melt. “You know I’m never letting you go again, right?”

A light laugh spilled from her lips. “I don’t want you to.”

“Good.”

Though she wanted nothing more than to nestle back into Zuko’s embrace, she mustered enough strength to sit up, a small yawn escaping her. “When do you think we should go back?”

Zuko sighed as he sat up next to her, running a hand through his rustled hair. “We have time, Y/N. We’re in your village, the place you grew up. We don’t have to go back until you want to.”

“We are on a timeline though—”

“A timeline that isn’t close to being up yet,” he countered. “Aang doesn’t have to fight my father for a while—a few extra days out here isn’t going to hurt us.” Zuko shrugged. “You deserve a break after all you’ve been through lately, and besides—I’m sure your people wouldn’t mind hosting the savior of the village for a little longer.”

Y/N laughed and pushed him lightly, eliciting a little half-smile from Zuko. “Okay, I get it. Another day would be really nice.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay longer?”

She shook her head. “The rest of today will be enough for me to help get things moving on the repair front. We’ve already been gone two days—any longer than this and Katara will think we’ve died.”

Zuko chuckled. “Alright.”

“Besides,” she said as she stood up and stretched her arms out, “after all of this is over, I’ll be able to come back anytime I want. And,” Y/N looked at Zuko, “I’ll be able to properly introduce you. As Zuko my boyfriend, and not Zuko the evil prince.”

He grinned. “Your boyfriend? Is that official?”

Y/N groaned and swatted at him. “Get out of here. I have to get dressed.”

“Anything for my beautiful girlfriend,” Zuko said as he got up, still wearing that ridiculous grin while he walked out.

Y/N rolled her eyes as he shut the door, but she couldn’t help but smile. It felt good, joking around like this. Having a lazy morning—waking up with him in the first place.

And yeah—hearing Zuko call her his girlfriend was pretty nice too.

She’d been longing for it for a greater time than she knew, and now that she’d worked through her anger, let it go, realized that this was what she wanted?

It was too great a feeling to put into words.

That small smile remained on her lips as she began to rifle through her belongings, the minuscule amount she’d packed for this trip in a tiny satchel. She wanted to change, but the only other clothes she had were the tunic and pants she’d worn for months in prison. They were sort of the only clothes she owned now.

The smile faded as she shoved them back into her bag. Maybe she could ask Leya to borrow one of her dresses for the day. That particular memory didn’t need to be resurfaced right now.

She blew out a loose sigh as she sat back down on the bed, allowing herself a moment to really take it all in.

Though Y/N had initially planned to get in and get out, the whole ‘taking back the village’ thing really threw a wrench in her hasty excursion. After last night—after the fight, the general, the grave—she was well and truly exhausted. Lao and Leya had immediately offered up the second bedroom of their home to her and Zuko, claiming it was ‘the least they could do after all she’d done’, and in the moment, Y/N wasn’t one to deny it.

She didn’t realize how worn out she was until she laid down on the bed—true exhaustion and the warmth of Zuko’s arms around her was a deadly combination—and she was out before she knew it.

It was the best she’d slept in a long time.

Because she didn’t have a new outfit, she opted for smoothing out the black fabric and her hair, and nodded to herself before she left the room. She was surprised to see Zuko leaning against the wall next to the door, his arms crossed as he stared off at nothing in particular.

“You waited?”

“Obviously. Life-threatening fights don’t have to be the only time we stick together.” She chuckled a bit as she slipped her hand into his, pleased at how familiar the motion felt.

“Of course.”

“Besides—” Zuko cleared his throat as his eyes darted away for a moment— “I’m kind of scared of Leya and Lao. I don’t think they really trust me.”

“What? Of course they do!” she exclaimed. “You took down the factory with Lao, and you helped in the fight for our village—they wouldn’t have offered you the place if they didn’t.”

“You weren’t there,” he said dryly. “Lao questioned me the entire way to the factory about you. And he might be okay about me now, but Leya still seems uneasy. They still don’t even know who I really am.”

“Who you are is Zuko. It doesn’t matter that you’re the prince—you’re Zuko, and you helped them. That’s all they’ll care about.” She gave him a slight nudge. “Things are different out here, away from the Fire Nation. People are tolerant. You’ve seen that while you’ve been away, right?”

It took Zuko a moment, but he nodded. His lips quirked in the smallest smile and he nodded again, as if he was actually starting to believe it. “Okay. Yeah.”

“Yeah,” she repeated. She swung their hands together a bit and started to lead the way. “Now let’s go. It’s nearly noon—we’ve gotta get our day started.”

“If you say so,” Zuko mused, and she just laughed.

“I do.”

“It’s good to see the two of you are finally awake,” Leya mused from her cushion as they emerged into the living room. “I was afraid you would sleep the whole day away.”

“If anyone deserves it,” Lao said, walking over from the kitchen, “it’s them.”

“Sorry.” Y/N scratched her neck, slightly bashful. “We were exhausted after yesterday.”

“No need to apologize,” Leya laughed, and she gestured towards the counter. “Help yourselves, please—we made xiaolongbao and egg custard tarts to celebrate. There’s far too much for just the two of us.”

“Are you sure?” Zuko asked tentatively.

“Of course we’re sure,” Lao said. “We’ve welcomed you into our home. Anything we have is yours, son.” He frowned. “I never did get your name.”

He paused. “...My name is Zuko.”

The name struck them like steel, tension immediately thick in the air even if just out of instinct.

“Like Prince Zuko,�� Leya said carefully, “of the Fire Nation.”

“I don’t think I’m much of a prince anymore,” he frowned. “I did betray my entire country to help the Avatar.”

Lao glanced at Y/N, the unsaid question obvious.

“It’s the truth,” she said. “Zuko has been working with us for a good while now. He’s the Avatar’s firebending teacher, and he’s going to help us end the war.”

“Alright,” Lao said, and he nodded. “Welcome to our home, Zuko. Officially.”

His brows creased together. “Really?”

“You’re clearly a good man,” he said. “Not just anyone would do what you’ve done.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is,” Lao insisted. “You didn’t have to help free our village, but you fought on the front lines with us.” He smiled wryly. “That makes a man good in my book.”

“I agree.” Leya’s smile was softer, kinder, but held the same respect. “You’re just as much a hero to our village as Y/N is.”

Zuko looked like he wanted to protest, but Y/N placed her hand over his and nodded. He deserved the praise.

“...Thank you,” he finally said, wholly genuine. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

“Any friend of Y/N’s is a friend of ours,” Leya said, and her lips quirked up. “Would you like to hear some of the terrible things she did when she was younger?”

“Leya—” Y/N began, but Zuko shook his head, his own smile growing.

“Tell me everything.”

She groaned as he pulled her over to the floor, two cushions already set for them. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she sat down next to him, Leya and Lao launching into a story together from her childhood.

(She had always been a bit of a terror, especially after she discovered her waterbending. That didn’t mean she wanted Zuko to know about it.)

((“This is no way to treat the savior of the village,” she complained at one point. She was fully ignored.))

After spending far too many hours eating, chatting, and laughing (at Y/N’s expense), she and Zuko set out for the day. Y/N asked Leya for a spare outfit and she obliged immediately, so once again she found herself in Earth Kingdom greens and browns. The soft linen was the nicest reprieve from the scratchy prison clothes she’d been stuck in, and she had to admit—it was nice being back in Earth Kingdom clothes. It was just as much a part of her as the North.

The rest of the day was busy but fulfilling, working long into the night to make up for the damage from the battle. Most of their efforts were spent architecturally, helping to repair houses that had been damaged and to tear down the Fire Nation estates.

It might have been property, but it was tainted beyond belief. South Zeizhou would never truly belong to her people again if any trace of the Fire Nation remained.

Y/N and Zuko had split halfway through the day to help with separate things—for some reason, her people were trusting her with designing. She spent the entire rest of the day running around helping various people, sketching up ideas for buildings and statues and everything else under the sun. It turned out that, when you saved an entire village of an eight year hold, they were just a little grateful.

(She denied the idea every time someone brought up building a statue of her. She was sure she heard Zuko go behind her back and tell them otherwise.)

She was kept so busy that she didn’t see Zuko again until that night, when she pushed open the door to Leya and Lao’s estate to see him sitting on the floor alone.

“Zuko,” she said, still getting used to the lightness his name brought her. It was more comforting than anything. “What are you doing up?”

“I should be asking you that,” he said with a slight smile, setting his bowl down. “You don’t have to work all night, you know.”

“I lost track of time,” she said sheepishly. “What are you eating?”

“Jook.” A faint blush tinted his cheeks as he gestured back towards the kitchen. “Leya and Lao turned in a few hours ago—they told me to tell you that you had free reign of their ingredients, but I didn’t want you to have to do it yourself after working so hard all day. So I made you something.”

Her whole expression softened. “Zuko, that’s so sweet.” She crouched down and pecked him on the cheek, warmth blooming in her chest. “I didn’t even know you could cook, being a prince and all.”

He chuckled. “Uncle taught me some things when we were in Ba Sing Se. I told him I didn’t need it, but I guess some of it stuck.”

Y/N took his spoon and tried some of the jook in his bowl. Her eyebrows shot up. “That’s surprisingly good.”

“Surprisingly?” he asked with mock disdain. “Why can’t it just be normally good?”

“Because,” she said, “I’ve never tried your cooking before.”

“That just settles it,” Zuko said. “When we’re back in the Fire Nation, I’ll ask the chefs to teach me some things. That way I can really impress you.”

“You don’t need to impress me, Zuko,” she said, and she stood up and walked over. “Just spending time with you like this is more than enough. We’ve got a lot of it to make up.”

He managed a soft laugh, but it was bittersweet. “Yeah. We do.”

Y/N filled her own bowl with jook and then walked back over, settling down next to Zuko. She placed her hand over his, smiling softly at him. “Tell me about your day.”

“It’s been… a lot,” he said. “I’ve helped tear down a lot of Fire Nation buildings. I melted a lot of metal.” He chuckled. “If only we brought Toph with us. Her metalbending would make things a lot easier.”

She laughed. “She’d become the foreman of this place. She could probably redesign everything herself.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“I did a lot of healing,” she said. “Turns out that sending a lot of middle-aged men and women that haven’t fought in years into battle against trained soldiers results in a lot of injuries.”

Zuko frowned. “Was it bad?”

“Not as bad as it could have been,” Y/N said. “Mostly twists and sprains and artificial cuts. One man got his arm broken, and I have no idea why he didn’t ask for help last night.” She shook her head. “No matter what nation I’m in, men always think they have to act tough.”

“I’m glad you’re able to help them,” Zuko said. “You know you’re amazing, right?”

She playfully shoved him. “Stop it.”

“Never.” He shrugged. “Like you said, I have a lot of time to make up for.”

“I guess flattery’s a good place to start,” she said coyly.

“It’s easier if you just accept it,” he said sagely, “because I’m not going to stop.”

Y/N laughed and leaned against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. “What was it like being back and seeing everyone? Did they all recognize you?”

“Maybe not immediately, but everyone knew my name.” Y/N smiled. “People don’t really forget the only waterbenders in village history.”

“Do you think this’ll ever be your home again?” Zuko asked.

“It’ll always be my home,” Y/N mused. “It’s where I was born, where I grew up. There’s a part of me in this village, and there always will be. But…” she sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know if I’ll ever live here again. I’ve been traveling all over with my friends for the past couple months, and it just feels like I’ve… outgrown it.”

“I understand,” Zuko said. “You’re different than the girl that grew up here. You’ve changed, and that’s not a bad thing.”

“I know. It just feels like betraying who I am.”

“A part of you is in this village,” Zuko said, “and a part of this village is in you. Just because you’re going somewhere else doesn’t mean you’re forgetting who you are.”

“When did you get so wise?” she asked, craning her neck to look up at him.

“Years of traveling with my uncle,” he said, and she laughed.

They spent the rest of the night idly chatting and finishing up their meal, and by the time they turned in, the village was completely dark.

It was quiet as they settled into bed together, Zuko’s arms around her setting her at ease. She felt safe next to him.

(Spirits, how she’d missed feeling safe.)

“Are you sure you have to leave so soon?” Leya questioned, her gaze watchful even as she stood in the kitchen.

“We have a war to end,” Y/N said, only slightly joking. “I’ll be back sooner than you know.”

“You’re making us all so proud, Y/N.” Lao patted her on the shoulder, and then he pulled her into a hug. “People will tell stories of you centuries from now, I know it. You’ve made history.”

“I’m just glad our people are finally free,” she said softly.

“And you, son.” Lao pulled away and looked down at Zuko, respect in his eyes. “Your path hasn’t been easy, but you’ve made it here. You’re welcome in our corner of the Earth Kingdom anytime.”

“I’m just doing what’s right,” Zuko said, but she could see the beginnings of his pleased smile.

“And sometimes that is the hardest thing to do.” Leya came over with a large basket, smile beaming down on the two of them as she handed it to Y/N. “This should be enough for your journey back and to share with the rest of your group.”

Y/N frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Of course we are,” Lao said. “Without the Fire Nation leeching off of us, we’ve got plenty to spare.”

“Thank you,” Zuko said. “This means a lot.”

“It’s the least we can do,” Leya said, and she grasped Y/N’s hands. “Promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“We’ll try our best,” she vowed, and she glanced at Zuko with a smile. “I’ve got a lot of good people with me.”

“You,” Leya pointed at Zuko, tone motherly as ever, “make sure nothing happens to her.”

“That was already the plan,” he said with a chuckle.

“So,” Lao said wryly, “what’s the next thing I should expect from our heroes and the Avatar?”

Y/N smiled inwardly. “Change is coming. That’s for sure.”

The ride back to camp was quiet, but different kind of quiet from before. Y/N and Zuko switched off on flying shifts, occasional conversation filling the gaps—more often than not, though, they just sat together. Her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, her fingers rifling through his hair.

The fresh air invigorated Y/N. She felt like a whole new person, the dread and anger and heaviness she’d been carrying with her for months steadily dissolving.

Zuko’s constant presence was nice too.

Without her inner dread, supremely thick tension, and a week of sleep deprivation, she was actually able to enjoy the trip back home. It went quicker than the ride there, and she never thought she would be so thankful to see an island.

Tiny specks in the distance turned into her friends the closer they got, and she and Zuko shared a smile. Y/N was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

“You guys are finally back!” Sokka exclaimed once they were in hearing distance. “Where did you even go?”

“You’ve got some nerve leaving like that without a word!” Katara yelled, but the moment Y/N slid off of Appa’s side she barreled over and pulled her into a hug. She knocked the air out of her completely, but Y/N laughed as she wrapped her arms around her in turn.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed. “It was something important.”

“She’s been worried sick about you,” Toph spoke up.

“So have you!” Aang piped in. “You were asking about it y—”

Toph punched Aang on the shoulder, and he stopped. “What was that for?”

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Toph said, cheeks flushing pink.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Sokka interrupted. “Where did you two even go?”

Y/N let out a long deep breath, and Zuko nodded supportively when she glanced at him. “We… went back to my village. The other day was the anniversary of my father’s death, so I went to honor him.”

“Oh, Y/N,” Katara murmured, and she pulled her back into a hug. “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I thought it was something I had to do on my own,” Y/N said, pulling away after a grateful moment. “If I had my way, I would have. But Zuko pushed his way on.”

“It’s not my fault you’re so stubborn,” Zuko said. “Besides, it was obviously the right move.”

Sokka frowned. “You guys are being really nice to each other.”

Aang’s eyes lit up. “Did you two have your life changing field trip?”

It was Y/N’s turn to frown. “Life changing field trip?”

“That’s what they’re calling it,” Toph explained. “All the trips that they’ve gone on with Zuko to be his friend or whatever. I still haven’t had one.”

Zuko stared at her. “I woke up with rocks in my bed every day for a week.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t go anywhere,” she grumbled at the ground.

Y/N chuckled, though her expression sobered. “I thought I was just going to remember my father, but it turned out that the Fire Nation was still occupying my village. So Zuko and I pushed them out.”

Katara’s eyebrows shot up. “Just like that?”

“It wasn’t that easy—” Zuko said, but he was interrupted when Sokka patted—or rather hit—him on the back.

“Nice going, buddy! That’s how you get your girl back.”

He glared daggers at Sokka but Y/N just laughed. “It took a lot of fighting and some haphazard plans, but… yeah. We took my village back. My people are free, and I got to see my father’s grave.”

Katara’s entire expression softened. “I’m so happy for you, Y/N. That’s— that’s amazing. And… is it back?”

Y/N nodded with a smile, and she formed a ball of water out of the air. “My bending is officially back.”

Katara screamed and she nearly tackled Y/N with another hug. “Thank the spirits! I knew you could do it!”

“Life changing field trip always works,” Aang mused.

“Well, whatever you did, it worked,” Toph said. “I’m happy I don’t have to see the two of you mope around all the time anymore.”

Zuko frowned. “You can’t see.”

“Trust me,” Toph muttered, “some things transcend sight.”

Y/N smiled, and she took Zuko’s hand, tears welling in her eyes. “I really missed you guys.”

Later, once they’d unpacked all their things from Appa and properly decompressed, Y/N found herself sitting on her own by the cliffside once again. This time, though, she wasn’t trying to hide her mourning from her friends or foster the burning inside of her chest. Instead, she played with an orb of water in the air, a small smile on her lips at the effortlessness of it all. Not only were they surrounded by water on all sides, but the Fire Nation’s climate meant there would always be moisture in the air.

Oh, how she’d missed her bending.

She didn’t flinch when she heard footsteps behind her, able to see the reflection in her orb—instead, she flicked her hand and shot the water back at her visitor.

“Hey!” Zuko complained, sputtering as it struck him in the face. “What was that for?”

She giggled as she turned her head. “I had to make sure you remember who you’re dealing with.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, grimacing a bit as he wiped water droplets off his face, “my girlfriend is super powerful and can take down anyone. That doesn’t mean you have to take me down.”

“Oh, you’re so dramatic.” Y/N smiled as she stood up and flexed her fingers, drawing all the water out of his clothes. “It was barely anything.”

“This time,” Zuko said, and he gestured around them with a wry smile. “We’ve got a whole ocean around us.”

“I’m not that powerful,” she said.

“Maybe,” Zuko said, “but I don’t trust you and Katara together.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore.” She chuckled as she took his hand. “What’d you come over here for?”

“You’re not allowed to mope around by yourself anymore,” Zuko said. “We’re having a campfire and digging into some of the food Leya gave us.”

“I’m not moping,” she complained.

“Not anymore,” Zuko clarified, and he chuckled at her expression. “Still. You have to join us.”

“Of course,” Y/N said, and they started walking over together. “I’m excited for some actual food after the past few months.”

Zuko frowned. “I made you jook last night. That was perfectly good food.”

“You know what I mean,” she groaned. “Yes, it was perfectly good food. I’m just excited for more of Lao’s xiaolongbao. That man makes miracles in the kitchen.”

“I’ll have to get him to give me the recipe next time we visit,” Zuko mused.

She looked at him, slightly surprised. “You want to go back?”

“Of course,” he said. “It’s the place you’re from. And besides,” he shrugged, slightly bolstered, “I am one of the saviors of the village.”

She laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Of course.”

“It’s about time you guys got here,” Toph grumbled. “Katara won’t let any of us eat.”

“They’re here now,” she said, “you can—”

Katara didn’t even get to finish her sentence before Toph started digging in, and she just shook her head with a sigh.

“We’re glad that you’re here,” she offered with a slight smile.

“Katara’s mostly glad that you’re back,” Sokka said, his mouth full of food earning him a glare from his sister. “I think you two have separation anxiety or something.”

“Can you blame me?” Katara defended. “You were gone for weeks and we had no idea what happened to you. You can’t just up and disappear with Zuko.”

“To be fair, you tried to do the same thing,” Sokka said.

“To be fair, you thought Y/N was going to kill Zuko,” Katara shot back.

Zuko’s eyes widened slightly. “Uh, no. We never went that far.”

Not with him at least, Y/N thought with the smallest bit of guilt. Not for what she did, but for keeping it from her friends. That was a whole other problem she had to deal with, and definitely not tonight.

(Maybe not ever.)

“Let’s talk about something else,” Y/N said, and Zuko put his arm around her, pulling her close. She couldn’t help but smile. “What have you guys been up to while we’ve been gone?”

“It was only three days,” Sokka said. “We didn’t get up to that much.” But he wouldn’t stop staring at them, and Zuko frowned.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he said with a shrug. “I just realized I’ve never been around you two when you actually liked each other.”

Zuko’s cheeks flushed bright pink as Y/N laughed. “You really haven’t, huh?”

“Why did you have to say that?” Toph groaned. “Now they’re going to be extra gross.”

“What, you mean like this?” Zuko pulled Y/N into a kiss, but she didn’t even get the chance to enjoy it before something hit the two of them.

Y/N pulled away and picked it up, scowling at Sokka. “Is this your shoe?”

“There are children here!” he complained. “You two really are gross.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Katara said, and she hit Sokka on the shoulder. “Leave them alone.”

“I’m just trying to protect the sanctity of this place!” he exclaimed.

“I’m on Sokka’s side,” Toph piped in.

As the group devolved into accusations and conversation with occasional pauses for food, she leaned into Zuko’s side and sighed contentedly.

This was the life she’d been chasing so long. All they had to do was end the war.

And after everything she’d been through, that seemed like the easiest part of the journey.

Things cooled down after a while, and they began to go their separate ways. Sokka and Suki went off together, Aang went to meditate and clear his mind, and Toph went off to do spirits knows what. Y/N was close to nodding off against Zuko’s side—she was sure he already had himself—when she heard Katara’s voice.

“Hey,” she said, gesturing away from the fire with her head, “can I have you for a second?”

Y/N nodded, yawning as she tried to blink the grogginess out of her vision, and the two of them walked over. “What’s up?”

“This is something I’ve been wanting to give to you for a while, but it hasn’t been the right moment.” Katara grinned. “But it is now.”

She pulled something out from behind her back, and when she presented it Y/N realized it was a water skin, almost identical to the one she’d given her months ago in Gaoling.

“Both of ours were taken away at Ba Sing Se, but I was able to get a couple new ones from some of the Water Tribe soldiers when we ran into them. And now that you’ve got your bending back…”

Katara trailed off as she offered it up again, but instead Y/N crushed her in a tight embrace.

“Thank you,” she said, unable to hold back her own smile. “For thinking of me even then.”

“Always,” Katara said, returning the gesture with just as much intensity. When she pulled away, her eyes shone.

“It’s good to see you like this,” she said softly. “Happier. Lighter. You look better than you have in months.”

“I feel better,” Y/N admitted. “I know that I needed to forgive Zuko, and maybe it was the spirits’ plan to make the road so treacherous. But it feels so good to have him again.”

“It feels good to not have you two arguing all the time,” she said wryly.

Y/N chuckled. “Just imagine how I feel.”

“What do you think is next for you two?” Katara asked. “After the war is over, I mean.”

“I haven’t really thought that far in the future,” she admitted. “After everything, I’m just trying to live in the moment.”

“I think that’s a perfect idea.”

Y/N smiled. “So do I.”

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