#god the idea of having to sit through an exam tomorrow is making me SICK

[hammeredalcoholic]

Backseat Serenade

inspired by: Backseat Serenade by All Time Low

oh god, i’m sick of sleeping alone

i finished it. 4k+ words and 10 full pages on my google drive. you’re welcome.

rated: nsfw/18+

One thought harassed your mind over the last week, staying in the back of your head as a menacing reminder. It had been months since you last felt this way, why was it suddenly rearing its ugly head back into your life? 

Oh wait, that’s right. 

Everything in your life had unceremoniously crashed down upon you, barely giving you enough space to breathe.  School was just becoming a reminder that you no longer had friends, no one to sit and chat with, no one to study for the upcoming exam with, no one even bothered looking in your direction. 

In simple terms, it hurt. You knew that you’d been an outcast your whole life, generally not fitting into the scene, but when you’d gotten into a relationship with Josuke Higasikata, that changed everything dramatically. You had people to talk to, people to hang out with, and overall have a good time together. 

Yeah, they were a weird bunch, but it’s not like that mattered to you in the slightest. It just felt good to have people who supported you, and wanted to be your friends. 

But, that only lasted so long. You and Josuke had been dating only a year when things started falling apart. Not agreeing on things, fighting at the drop of a pin, and awkward tension and silence was shared whenever you hung out with his friends. It hurt, but you knew it wasn’t going to last. 

So it was a mutual agreement between the both of you. Part ways so that it didn’t get worse. Josuke had said that he still cared about you, and if you needed anything to just call him and ask him. You had laughed at that internally, you knew you wouldn’t let yourself stoop that low, crawling back to your ex because you were insecure and lonely. 

When you felt the loneliness and sorrow creep into your mind for the first time, you didn’t know what to do. So, thinking logically, you took the next best step. 

You stole hard liquor from your parents cabinet, went to the corner store down the street and bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, along with a mixer. That’s the night you climbed onto your roof, looked up at the stars, which reminded you of Josuke, and got blackout drunk. 

It had worked for awhile, smoking cigarettes at lunch instead of eating, and as soon as you finished your homework at home, you poured yourself a tall drink. It numbed the pain, and got your mind off of the loneliness corrupting your mind. 

That was until you had gotten so drunk that you were puking until 4 am on a school night. You decided it would be best to not go to school tomorrow anyways, but the drinking was starting to wear on you, and it wasn’t having the same effect that it used to. 

So you looked for other methods. 

Which involved sleeping with people you barely knew. You never once slept with someone that went to your high school, the thought of rumors circulating about that was too much of a burden to bear.  You had three main choices, from which you circulated between:

 A tall black haired man with aquamarine eyes that barely spoke to you during your run-ins, which was fine, you didn’t want to talk to him anyways. A slim artist that you knew was famous but you didn’t care enough to actually look him up, and a normal business man with blonde hair who was maybe a little too obsessed with your hands. 

But none of them compared to Josuke, in your mind. It was just sex-- no emotions, just primal need for pleasure and release. With Josuke, he cared about what you were feeling when things got steamy, he wanted to learn everything that made you feel good, so he could repeat it time and time again. 

With the other men, they didn’t want that. They wanted to see a twitching body beneath them, and you knew that they didn’t care who it was. 

Sleeping with the three of them lasted you about a year. You were getting better, at least having the knowledge that 3 men in this stupid town thought your body was attractive. But that didn’t last long either. You had suddenly been fired from your job, without any reason. It was the one thing that you looked forward to, making iced coffees for middle aged moms, who didn’t ask you questions or ignored you. 

Your parents weren’t helpful after that, they thought you were a bum that couldn’t keep down a steady job. It pissed you off to no extent. You didn’t know why you were fired, as far as you knew you had been doing everything right. After that point, you had nowhere to turn. Cutting off all activity with the other men, you barricaded yourself in your room, barely going to school. 

It’s not like it mattered anyways. 

Depression was hard to deal with, as you soon found out. The three men had been trying to contact you, leaving messages on your phone, and some of them even sounded concerned for your well-being. Whatever, you didn’t reply anyways, they weren’t anyone that you wanted to talk to. 

So there you stood, leaning against the open window in your room, smoking the third cigarette you’ve had today. It felt good- the rush of nicotine to your system, flooding out the overwhelming numbness that coursed through the pit of your stomach. The sun was high in the sky, and you heard the bustling of the city, along with cars driving past your house. 

You felt calm. 

That was until your phone started going off. The ringer cut through your thoughts like a sharp knife, and you pulled it out of your pocket. Who the fuck would be calling you? Your parents were at work, and as far as you knew, the three men had stopped trying to contact you about a week ago. 

Glancing down at the screen, you felt your blood turn cold. 

Josuke Higashikata.

 The screen flashed, the old picture you set as his contact a long time ago appeared. Why? What did he want? You had no idea what you were doing, and your fingers answered the call and brought it up to your ear without your consent. 

“Hello?” You heard him say, but you couldn’t reply. Your mind was racing with thoughts that all consisted of the word, why? Why now? What did he have to say? 

“Hey.” You replied momentarily, shaking your head of all thoughts. He’ll explain himself in time, so you just have to listen. Shifting your gaze back down to your cigarette, and taking another drag. 

Josuke coughed slightly, and you could tell he was uncomfortable. It didn’t sound like he was going to say anything any time soon, so you took pity on him. “What’s up?” You sighed, staring into your front yard. 

“I just- um. You haven’t been at school lately.” Wow, very observant of him. You didn’t think he’d keep an eye out for you after you’d broken up. “Yeah, what about it?” You replied, biting back on the stern tone you almost let out. 

“Well, I wanted to know if you were okay. This seems very unlike you.” Josuke said, concern prominent in his voice.

That surprised you. 

“I’m alright.” You replied, lying through your teeth. He didn’t know that all of this was because of him, and you didn’t plan on giving him anymore than that. He didn’t have the right to know, anyways. 

“If that's the case, then I want to see you.”

He what? No, no, no. Your mind screamed at you, telling you that this wasn’t okay in the slightest. “Why?” You replied dumbly, letting your mouth move before your mind caught up to you. Josuke sighed into the receiver before continuing. 

“I know you’re lying to me. I can’t stand to see you like this. You know I still care about you, and I want to make sure you’re okay.” He stated matter of factly. 

You froze, unable to process what he just said. Why did he still care about you? It’s been well over a year since things ended. Shouldn’t he have moved on by now? There were plenty of other people in all of Morioh that he could get along with just fine, why did it have to be you? 

“Look- I know this is sudden, and I probably should have done this a long time ago. But please, can you come pick me up? We just need to talk, is all.” Your hands were shaking, and you felt that deep feeling of dread crawling up your back, settling in your shoulders. 

“I guess.” You spoke, letting him know that you didn’t really want to do it in the first place. He ignored it though, and continued. “Alright, I’m at my house. Just send me a text when you’re here.” 

And with that, he promptly hung up on you. 

You shoved your phone into your pocket, and looked back out your window. Why was this happening so suddenly? Why was Josuke still not over you? And why were you still not over him? 

Flicking the cigarette butt you had between your fingers out over the window, and reached to grab another. Before you even attempt to leave the house, you need to try and calm down. Lighting it up and taking steady drags, letting the smoke sit in your lungs for a few moments before blowing it out your window. 

This was insane, and you knew deep down you shouldn’t be going to meet him. It could bring back unrequited feelings, awkwardness, and just not be a good time. What if you fight? What if you tell him about all the things you’ve done? How would he react to that?

You let those thoughts wander as you finished your cigarette. Throwing it out, you turned around and left your room, walking down the steep stairs into your kitchen. You grabbed your keys out of the basket on the counter, and stepped out into the sunny day. 

Quickly shutting the door behind you and walking to your car, you got in and turned the keys in the ignition. It roared to life, surprisingly, you haven’t driven your car since you got fired from your job. Pulling out of the driveway, you headed in the direction of Josuke’s house.

It wasn’t a long drive by any means, but it still gave you time to let your mind drift. Music played softly in the background, as your thoughts took over. What was he planning on doing? What did he want to talk about? If he was going to ask to get back together, you weren’t sure what you would do.

It feels like you’ve already soiled this relationship. You’ve slept with 3 other men-- older men, drank until you couldn’t see anymore, and cried your eyes out at any hour of the day. Was it really worth it? What if you guys broke up again? Shaking your head, you rolled down the windows and popped another cigarette in your mouth. 

If Josuke didn’t like your new habit, then it sucks. You weren’t quitting it anytime soon.  Within moments, you pulled into his driveway. Shuffling your phone out of your pocket, you sent him a quick text. You leaned against your window, inhaling from your cigarette and exhaling it through your nose. 

After a minute, you saw Josuke stumble out of his house. He wasn’t wearing his uniform, just a plain shirt and jeans. It looked nice on him. He calmly walked to your car, opening the passenger side door and getting in. He glanced over at you, before his eyes widened. 

“When did you start smoking?” 

You rolled your eyes at him, flicking your ash out the window. “Like, a year ago. It’s no big deal.” 

His shoulders slumped slightly, and if you hadn’t been paying attention, you wouldn’t have seen it. Gazing back at the wheel, you sighed. “Where do you want to go?” The words came out a little bit harsh, but it’s whatever. Josuke is a man, he can handle it. 

“Let’s just go to that one place. Y’know.” Ah, right. The place he was talking about was out of town, near a cliffside. It’s where you lost your virginity to him. In the same car you were driving now. This will be interesting. 

“Alright.” Flicking your cigarette butt out the window, you backed out of the driveway, and drove in the direction of the secluded place. Your nerves were racing, and your mind couldn’t stop thinking of useless things. Josuke was attractive-- he always has been. Bright eyes, big smile, and his body was just as perfect. 

You wondered if you could get in his pants. One last time. Just for fun. 

Your mind screamed at you, informing you that it was not a good decision and you should not be thinking of that. He wanted to talk, and that’s it. He’ll probably scold you for not going to school, picking up smoking, and god knows what else. It was going to be hell, and you knew it. There was a kick in your stomach, bile rising in the back of your throat. 

You grabbed the water bottle in the center console, drained it, and then turned up the radio to get your mind off of these things. Josuke just sat in silence beside you, watching the scenery pass by. It was almost calming, reminiscent of what your relationship used to be. But sometimes ships sink, and you have to deal with the outcomes. 

The town started to disappear, and you turned on a gravel road. It wasn’t too long before you reached the area, and the thought of it getting closer scared you. You didn’t want a confrontation. You wanted to continue your life, worthless as it may be, and drown in your own sorrow. What is so wrong with that?

Moments pass, and the little cliff was in view. The gravel road led up to it, and there was a small clearing to park in. Pulling up, you put the car in park, and let out a deep breath. Here it comes. 

Josuke didn’t say anything. Didn’t even look in your direction. 

That scared you even more. Your hands started to shake, and you felt tears welling up in your eyes. Why wasn’t he talking to you? What did you do this time? What haven’t you done? 

Then, his voice cut through your thoughts. 

“This place has always been beautiful, huh?” Josuke asked softly, barely a whisper. You looked over at him, wiping the tears from your eyes quietly. Glancing out the windshield, you did think it was beautiful. The cliff overlooked the town-- showcasing all the buildings, as well as the beaches and the long stretch of ocean. 

It soothed you, but only a little. Was he just trying to stall? There’s no point in that. It’s always best to just rip the bandaid off. Get the pain over with. You sighed again, deciding that it might be best to just bring it up yourself. 

“Josuke.” You said, trying to keep your voice steady. It wasn’t really working. 

The said man looked over at you, and then a look of concern was written all over his face. He started to reach out for you, but you stopped him. “What did you want to talk about?” Tears welled in your eyes again, but you had enough self control to hold them back. 

“I’m- I’m just worried about you. You’ve changed so much-- I never see you at school, you smoke, and I’ve heard a few things about your… Encounters.” 

Encounters? Wait- No. No, how could he know about that? There’s no way- you made sure you covered your tracks. You didn’t tell anyone, and you made the men promise to keep it a secret. 

“H-How?” Is all you could manage without emptying the contents of your stomach.

“Erm, well. Jotaro- He’s my nephew.” Jotaro. Jotaro? Who was he-- tall, black hair, and strong aquamarine eyes flashed in your brain. You should have guessed. Of fucking course they were related, he looked too much like Josuke now that you think about it. 

“I-” You struggled, your body was fully shaking now, and you knew tears were sliding down your cheeks. Gripping your sides, you just wanted to die. You wanted to leave, to run away, to get the fuck out of this town. This can’t be fucking happening. It can’t be. 

“Hey! Don’t freak out, it’s okay. I’m not mad, really. We were not together, and you didn’t know who he was. He didn’t even know your name.” Josuke’s hands came to cover yours, instantly snapping you back to reality. His eyes were full of worry, looking down upon you. 

“I’m disgusting. I know. You don’t have to lie to me.” You spat, not at him, but more at yourself. How could you do this? 

“No. You need to stop that. Get your head out of you ass, and fucking listen to me.” Josuke grabbed your chin, forcing you to look at him. His eyes were brimmed with tears. 

That shook you to your core.

 You have never seen Josuke cry. He didn’t when you were in a relationship, as well as when you broke up. Not a single tear shed. What did you do to him? Your hands reached up to his face, wiping away the small tears that flowed down his cheeks. He was too beautiful to cry. 

“I’m sorry.” You whispered, continuing to sooth your fingers over his face. He leaned into the touch, and his grip on you tightened. “No. I’m sorry. I did this to you. I want to make it up to you.” You did a double take at that. Make it up to you? 

“What- What does that mean?” Your eyes searched his, trying to find a clue to what he was talking about. Nothing. 

“I still love you. I always have. I just don’t think it was the right time for us.” He ran his hand along your side, and you shivered against the touch. Josuke leaned in close, your lips almost meeting his, but not quite. 

“I want to start over. Will you let me?” He mumbled, his eyes focused on your reaction. A million thoughts went through your head. But one word that they all managed to land on was, yes. You wanted this. You missed him so much, every day. It was hell, getting up every day, and having nothing to look forward to. No one to tell you good morning, no one to tell you how beautiful you looked, no one to lay you down and talk to you about anything and everything. 

You wanted this bad. 

“Yes. Please, Jos-” Your words were cut off by a fierce kiss. His lips met yours, pressing harshly. You accepted almost instantly, letting a hand drift up his face, pulling him as close as he could get. You missed this too-- The feeling of another body pressed against you, hot lips against your own. But this time, it was different. 

It was Josuke.

Your head was spinning when his tongue ran across your lower lip. You let him in, parting slightly and deepening the kiss even more. The sun was setting across the ocean, the pink and oranges mixing into one. 

Josuke’s hand dipped under your shirt, and your skin felt like it was on fire. You needed this, you needed Josuke. Everything he was willing to give you, you would take. Pulling back from the kiss, you licked the saliva off your lips. You gazed at him, a blush covering your cheeks. 

“Josuke, I want- No. I need you.” 

He didn’t look surprised. A dumb grin spread across his face, and he spoke lowly. 

“Backseat. Now.” 

You ripped your seatbelt off faster than humanly possible. Before getting out, you turned the radio up higher, letting the music take over. You almost threw yourself into the backseat, Josuke following behind you closely. 

His hands were on you once more, pulling off your shirt and throwing it to the floor. You gasped, and he took it as an opportunity to kiss you. Your tongues mixed hotly, his hands feeling your skin again, and it felt right. Everything felt right. 

Leaning up against him, your hands went to rid him of his shirt, which he pulled back and discarded. Josuke was so handsome-- built, but not too much, just enough to leave your mouth watering. It was fantastic, and you hated to admit it, but you’ve thought of this situation before. And gotten off to it more than once. 

His eyes trailed down your body, admiring your breasts, hips, thighs. He then looked back into your eyes, gripping your pants. “I want to love you. I want to make you forget any other men you’ve slept with.” 

That statement alone left you absolutely soaked. Josuke could tell, because he wasted no time in tugging your pants off. His fingers went to your panties, feeling the wetness through them. “No other man can make you feel as good as I do.” He punctuated that with a swift rub to your clit, earning him a sharp gasp. 

You shook against his movements, hooking your legs around his hips. It felt so good to finally have him touching you, every movement felt so hot. “Please, Josuke.” You moaned out, your hands falling back to cover your face. Josuke smiled, looking down at your figure against the stark black of the seats. 

“Please, what?” He asked, rubbing against your clit faster, making you pant hard. You couldn’t form words, the pleasure was too much. You haven’t even touched yourself like this in weeks-- it felt so good, you didn’t want to stop. 

But he did. 

Josuke’s fingers retracted, leaving you cold, soaked, and on the edge. He repeated his question as he worked off his belt. You panted hard, staring right into his eyes. 

“Josuke. I need you to fuck me.” 

His pants were on the floor within moments. You grabbed his shoulders, leaning him down with you, pressing kiss after kiss against his lips. Hands grabbed your panties, and with a lift of your hips, they were gone. Josuke groaned against you, his erection straining hard against your thigh. 

Moving a hand down swiftly, you yanked down his boxers, and lined him up with your entrance. 

“Please, Josuke.” 

That’s all it took. He thrusted inside you, all the way to the hilt. You clenched hard around him, being stretched in the best ways. It felt like heaven, having him inside you, filling you up. You didn’t want it to end. 

After a second, Josuke pulled out, and slammed back inside you. It rocked the car slightly, and that just fueled both of your arousal more. He quickly started a pace, thrusting inside of you while his hands gripped your hips tightly. 

You moaned loudly, the feeling of his cock pumping inside of you was all you could focus on. It was intense, passionate, and despite the urgency, so full of emotion. Your legs tightened around his hips, bringing him closer to you. 

He leaned his head down, his lips meeting yours in a crushing kiss. It was amazing, the feeling of being so full and so cared for almost brought tears to your eyes. A coil began to tighten in your core, setting your skin on fire. 

Your hands found his face, cupping him and holding him against your lips. You never knew that you needed this so badly. Josuke continued his thrusts, starting to become erratic, but still so full of pleasure. 

One of his hands traced down your side, settling on top of your abdomen. His fingers dipped down, rubbing fast circles against your clit. You pulled back from his lips and cried out at the feeling, before losing your voice completely as you were thrown off the edge. 

Shaking hard against his body, you clenched and released, your hands gripping onto whatever they could. Your name was on his lips as he continued to pound into you, speeding up before he came with a groan. 

His seed filled you up, and it was a feeling you hadn’t realized you missed. Josuke laid his head against your neck, pulling out of you gently. He peppered soft kisses to your collarbone, before leaning up and pressing one against your lips. 

Josuke’s eyes were brighter than you’ve ever seen them before. The blue shining in the moonlight that surrounded the both of you for miles. It was a sight that you never thought you’d be able to see again. It warmed you up, a strange feeling settling in your shoulders, but it wasn’t a bad one. 

He ran a hand through his hair, which was now disheveled and lacking it’s original style. Josuke sighed, before pulling you up and settling you in his lap. He pulled you close, his arms surrounding you. 

It was nice. More than nice really, it was the best you’ve ever felt in the past few years.

“I love you so much.” He spoke softly against your lips, his hands rubbing along your back. 

“I love you too, Josuke.” 

#josuke higashitaka #josuke x reader #josuke higashikata x reader #jojo x reader #jjba x reader #jojo reader insert #jjba reader insert #jojo imagine #jjba imagine #jojos bizarre adventure #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jjba part 4 #jojo part 4 #diamond is unbreakable #im deleting the draft #so this is all you have pals #take it i worked really hard on it #i was FOCUSED

[atsukashii]

❝crush culture❞ // e. kirishima

SYNOPSIS: ➛ Confessing to someone you’ve liked for a long time is scary stuff, even when the person you’re confessing to has a smile like the sun and radiates good energy.

» CHARACTER PAIRING: eijiro kirishima x reader

» WORD COUNT: 3.3K

» GENRE: normal?? U.A era, oneshot

» WARNINGS: fluff to the max, Kirishima fluff right here.

« masterlist || ao3 »

To say you had a crush on your best friend Eijiro Kirishima would be the understatement of the century. Everyone knew it about it; Bakugou made it his mission to give you non-stop crap about it, only making it worse when Kirishima was so oblivious to everything you did! You’d even asked him on a date for crying out loud! Though you stuttered and stumbled a bit getting there, he thought it was the both of you just going out as friends. What did a girl have to do to get his attention? Everything apparently...

Groaning, you walk into the common room and flop face first onto the couch, earning a laugh from your friends sprawled out across the room.

“Progress?” Mina’s voice breaks the giggles and you turn your head slightly to the right, looking at her amused smile.

“I’m going to go crazy.” your complaint only makes the girls laugh more. Trying to get the guy you like to notice your feelings for him shouldn’t be this hard...right?

“Maybe you can write him an anonymous letter or something,” Ochako suggests, tapping a finger on her chin in thought.

“But if it’s anonymous it would defeat the purpose of the confession,” 

“Then she can just add her name.” Shrugs your friend Kyoka, like that whole idea was the easiest thing.  

“Ohhh maybe buy him some candy or something and write a cute little note and sign your name at the bottom. That would be sooooo cute!” Toru squeals and you can’t help but sigh.

“For Kirishima, protein bars would probably be better.” adds Tsu, resulting in the group sounding in agreement. Yeah, they weren’t wrong there, but you knew the boy had a secret stash of chocolate next to his bed when he got midnight snack cravings. It was when you’d first become close friends, Kirishima had come down stairs and found you snacking on strawberry ice cream from the freezer at a quarter past two in the morning. Turns out, he’d had the same idea. So you spent the next hour sitting on the floor of the communal kitchen, eating ice cream and getting to really know each other. And then as you walked back to your room, your heart almost bursting inside your chest, you realised what you felt for Kiri that night wasn’t just friendship. 

“-maybe we need a different opinion…” Mina says, catching your attention. The pure mischief in her eyes screams trouble and as you hear the door to the dorms open, Mina perks up in a way that makes you want to puke from nerves.

“Bakugou!” Oh please anyone but him!

“What the hell do you want, Racoon Eyes?” His voice booms through the common area. God does this boy not have a quiet setting?

“What would be the best way to get Kirishima’s attention...Asking for a friend of course!” Mina asks, winking a so not subtle wink in your direction, making you blush bright red.

“You still haven’t told him yet idiot?” Bakugou’s attention is now directed to where you are sprawled sadly on the couch. 

“No…” Your pillow-muffled response makes the girls stifle their laughter out of pity, whilst Bakugou just huffs in annoyance - as if your very presence requires too much effort for him to deal with.

“Just man up and tell him, moron,” he snaps like it’s the simplest thing ever and not utterly terrifying.

“I’m going to try option two,” He rolls his eyes and leans over the back of the couch, glaring at you.

“You’re such a coward. He’s not going to hurt your precious little feelings y/n, just do it already. I’m sick of hearing about this shit.”

“Hearing about what?” Your heart gets caught in your throat as the spiky haired redhead in question walks into the room, a towel around his shoulders and looking like he walked out of a damn dream. You couldn’t bring yourself to do anything but turn all shades of pink and gulp for air like a fish. Since when had you gone from being able to talk to your best friend about literally anything to this stuttering and jumbled up mess? You weren’t all that sure, but you were aware that you’re currently making a fool of yourself. You hadn’t realised that Bakugou had come back from the gym as well, and it made so much sense that Kirishima was with him, but god! Who the hell gave him permission to look that good? It should be illegal.  Kirishima’s red eyes meet yours from across the room, and he shoots you that signature smile that was so warm and you swore flowers actually sprouted wherever it was directed. Looking at him sometimes was like staring into the sun. 

“We’re just going around saying cute things that would get our attention,” Mina swoops in to the rescue making you instinctively rip your eyes from the red head and focus them on her.  What are you doing? You mouth tensely, your back to your crush so that he can’t see your crimson face. Mina only winks at you in response, so you look to your other friend Ochako, who is currently no better. Supplying you with a cheeky grin and wagging her eyebrows suggestively, you can’t help but want to groan in annoyance at their antics. 

“Well, I mean it is Valentines day coming up, so that makes sense.” All the girls turn to him grinning, and you instinctively fear what someone says next.

“What would someone have to do to get your attention Kiri?” Mina asks him teasingly, but also completely seriously. Oh my god… You couldn’t believe that she was actually asking him, but at the same time you are curious. You have done basically anything but yell at him in the face that you liked him and wanted to date him, so you were listening a little too closely to his response. Pink dusting his cheeks, Kirishima looks over the group and scratches the back of his head with a nervous arm.

“Well I guess it would have to depend on the person.”

“LAME! Come on Kiri, give us something more than that!” Mina whines, earning a chorus of agreements from the crowd of girls around you. It was so quick that you barely noticed it, but Kirisima glances at you before shifting on his feet nervously… He only looked at me because I'm his friend, and he finds these questions awkward. Yeah, that’s why.

“Well, I guess they’d probably just have to tell me. That's super manly.” You try not to sink in your chair as Bakugou gives you a knowing look. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know asshole, you try to scream at him through your eyes. “Anyways, i'm going to go wash up.” Kirishima leaves the room, shooting you one last smile and you instinctively let out a breath as if you'd been holding it since he came into the room. Your lungs sure felt like they had.

“Told you so, dumbass.” Bakugou calls as he walks out the room, and the temptation to throw one of the cushions at him is almost too much, but you don’t have the energy to focus on him right at that moment. Instead, you take a deep breath and turn to Mina with determination in your eyes.

“I’m going to tell him.” The noise they all release from their throats somehow didn’t shatter the glass, however it does earn an appearance from a very concerned Iida who barges into the common room in alarm. Never a boring day I guess, you think as you glance at the empty spot where Kirishima had just stood. Tomorrow, you let out a shaking breath. Tomorrow. 

❀ ❀ ❀

Today is the day. The sun is bright and high in the sky, it isn’t that cold for a February afternoon, and everything so far is going your way. It had to be today. 

You linger around the entrance to your classroom, waiting for Kirishima to make his usual appearance. You hear him laughing along with Kaminari before you can even see him. You feel his throaty, sunshine filled laugh echo through your bones and stir up the butterflies that had just begun to rest in your stomach. And when he rounds the corner and see’s you waiting there, he sends you the sweetest smile that makes your thundering heart drop through the floor. 

“Hey, y/n! Thanks for waiting.” he says happily. Kaminari’s eyes glance between the two of you quickly, before grinning far too ecstatically for your liking.

“It’s all good.”

“Where are you two off to?” Kaminari but’s in with a knowing smile. Kirishima looks at him as if only then suddenly remembering that he was there as well. 

“It's Friday afternoon and we’ve got an exam on Monday, dude. It’s crunch time.” Kirishima nods at you, bumping his fists together as if he’s readying for battle. You and Kirishima had begun to study together towards the end of your first year of school. He claimed that you were a better tutor than Bakugou, which you constantly brought up to the fiery blonde whenever he began to annoy you. You always ended up running away like your life depended on it as soon as the words left your mouth, but his pissed off look made the risk of imminent death so worth it. 

“Can I join you guys today?” You look over at your eccentric friend and can’t tell if he is being serious and wants to study, or if he just knows how important today is - because Mina can’t keep her mouth shut - and wants front seats to the show.

“Uh, I mean-” you are immediately cut off by a hand yanking Kaminari back by his collar and revealing a stoic faced Bakugou.

“Leave them alone sparky. You need to study and I’m only offering my services today, so take it or you’re on your own.” He doesn’t even give Kaminari a chance to breathe before begrudgingly pulling him down the hall away from you. 

“Well looks like it's just us y/n.” Kirishima says, taking a step down the hall. You can’t hide your smile, quickly moving to catch up to him. 

“I’m glad. You’re enough to handle, I'm not sure how I’d go adding Kaminari to the mix.” You tease your best friend. With a fake and very over-exaggerated gasp, Kirishima places a hand on his heart and stares at you in shock.

“That really hurt, y/n.” He cries out, stopping in his steps as you keep walking ahead. You try to hold in your laugh at his antics but fail miserably, letting out a loud laugh as you turn back to him.

“Your heart isn’t on your right side, Kiri,” You correct him, walking backwards for a few steps and only turning around when you see him run to catch up to you.

“I knew that. Just making sure you did.” He explains, falling into line next to you once again, making you look up at him and raise an eyebrow.

“Sure…” The two of you together walk out of the building in silence, just appreciating the peace that comes with being around each other. You and Kirishima didn’t have to even talk when you were together, just being in each other's presence is enough.

You feel your hands begin to sweat as you step outside. You were really going to do this, you were going to tell him… But what if he doesn’t feel the same? Risking a glance at him, your heart flutters and you know you have to do it. If you have to continue on like this for another day you are going to lose it. You love Kirishima’s friendship, but god you want something more. You want him to hold your hand on your daily trips to and from the dorms, you want to go and eat katsudon with him and not as friends. You want to be able to kiss him for no other reason than that you could. You are willing to risk one of the closest friendships you've ever had for it. 

“-day.” You blink and snap your head in Kirishima’s direction. He was talking and you didn’t catch a single word he said. A knowing smile cracks across Kirishima’s face as he takes in your startled expression.

“Was I that boring?” He jokes, pink beginning to dust his cheeks. Your heart lurches at the thought and you stop dead in your tracks.

“No! Not at all!” The words come out far too loudly which causes you to blush bright red and for Kirishima to frown at you. Oh god, what if he knew? You quickly try to change the topic whilst brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Sorry, i’m just in my own world. You’re definitely not boring, Kiri.” You promise. 

“Y/n… Are you alright?” Letting out a groan, you wipe a hand down your face and sigh. Well this is it, I guess.

“Actually Kiri, there's something I need to tell you,” Suddenly you’re glad that you’re not walking, because the look on his face that you see by peeking through your fingers would have made you trip over absolutely nothing.

“What is it?” God bless him, he’s concerned. And he had every right to be, because it feels like you are about to pass out. Nervously, you begin to fidget with your hands before grasping them tightly in front of you. 

“There’s this guy,” It’s all you had to say before Kirishima’s smile slipped straight off his face. Ouch. He must see something in your face because not even a second later, his usual happy-go-lucky smile reappears. You however, can read Kirishima like a book, and when his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, you know he wasn’t feeling it. 

“So, there's a guy you like, huh?” He utters, adjusting the shoulder strap of his bag.

“Yeah, he’s super kind, brave and handsome too.” You reply, a smile climbing onto your face.

“Sounds like a real catch, y/n.” Is all he says, starting to walk away - obviously expecting you to walk with him. “You deserve it.” How cute, you thought. 

“Thanks, but really I’m the lucky one. We’ve been friends for so long too, and he treats me so well.” You boast, walking behind him, hoping for him to catch on. Kirishima stops so suddenly that you run into his back, what is he...

“I don’t…” He starts slowly, his back still turned to you. He moves as if he's about to turn around and face you, but lets out a dejected sigh instead. 

“Kiri…” he turns around at your voice, no smile or happiness found on his features. Just a look of pure devastation and concern.

“He’s a good guy?” You can’t help but want to smile at his question.

“Oh, the best.” Pursing his lips, Kirishima nods his head a few times before letting out a strangled groan that catches you off guard. 

“Is it Bakugou?” You choke on oxygen and splutter as he looks you in the eye, as if trying to tell if you are lying. 

“No. Never. Nope. Not happening,” you shudder at the image of that possibility. Like sure, you’re not blind and Bakugou is attractive, but personally, that loses its appeal as soon as he opens his mouth.

“Kaminari?” He counters, taking a step forward with his face fixed into a scowl that is so unlike him and so rare that it throws you for a loop.

“No, Kiri-”

“Sero? Midoriya? Iida? No… wait Ojiro? Shoji?” The names leave his mouth a mile a minute as you gape at him. He is now in his own little world of chaos that you’ve created, a hand over his mouth as he mumbles. “It’s Todoroki isn’t it?” Kirishima asks, whipping his head to you. Annoyance bleeds through his eyes as he says it. “It’s always Todoroki…” 

You suddenly can’t hold it in - the frustration of not being able to get a single word in, the nerves pounding through your bloodstream, and maybe just a little bit of courage has you blurting it out.

“Its you!” Crimson eyes meet your own and you suck in a nervous breath as he stills completely. “It’s you…I want to…” Your voice drifts off as a smile breaks out across his face slowly. 

“It’s me?” You don’t even have time to finish nodding before he practically leaps at you, picking you up around your middle and laughing so loudly that people walking past are staring. You can feel your heart pounding inside your head as you stare down at Kirishima... Wait, does that mean…

“Thank god,” he says as he begins to put you down, but doesn't move to let you go. “I swear if you had said someone else, I probably would have died.” You want to roll your eyes at his dramatics, but your brain can’t seem to catch up. He likes you! He likes you too! That’s what that means, idiot!

“Kiri…” you only manage to get your voice out as a whisper. 

“I really like you y/n, like stupidly so.” Now it's your turn to grin like an absolute maniac at him. Holy crap, you did not expect this. Best case scenario, of course, was this outcome, but it wasn’t your expectation. Ohmygod he likes me.

“Will you...quit smiling at me, I can’t stop messing up my sentences when you look at me like that!” Kirishima complains, but there’s no annoyance in it as he’s grinning back at you.

“Look like what?” You argue. Reaching up to touch your cheeks which are now starting to hurt, Kirishima snatches your hand in his before you have the chance. 

“So pretty. Seriously, y/n, give me a chance to breathe.” He says squinting at you playfully. “It’s like looking at the damn sun.” You’re laughing, a proper heart-filled laugh that ends with a snort loud enough for you to slap your hand over your mouth. Kirishima stares at you dazed for a moment as his free hand wraps around your waist.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks out of the blue, his cheeks tainted the same colour as his hair and you’re sure you look the same. Your brain has officially stopped working. 

“You don’t have to ask me Kiri,” you point out.

“Consent is manly.” He grins before finally closing the distance between you. It both seems to last forever, but also for not even a second. Reaching up on your toes, you wrap your arms around Kirishima’s neck and pull yourself impossibly closer to him. When your lungs begin screaming at you and you realise you’re not breathing, you pull back from the blushing boy. You can’t stop your smile this time, even if you tried. This was the best idea you’d ever had.  “Want to go out with me for dinner tomorrow night?” He asks, pulling back just enough to look down in your eyes as his breath fans your face. Not in a million years had you thought that you would actually be standing here with Kirishima like this. But whatever luck you somehow gained overnight, you were so grateful for it. Just as you are about to respond with a massive yes, the impending doom of your incoming English exam on Monday emerges back into your train of thought.

“How about we do a study date for now? I wasn’t joking about the tutoring, you know.” You point out, making Kirishima fake a pout in annoyance.

“Fine,” he gently reaches down and envelops your small hand, linking your fingers between his. “I’ll just have to settle with that for now. But once we’re done, I’m taking you for katsudon because I know it’s your favourite.” Without a second of hesitation you reach up and kiss Kirishima lightly on the cheek, making that bright blush come back all over again.

“I can’t wait.”

©️ 2021 all rights reserved to atsukashii, do not change, edit, translate, or repost any works on any platform.

​

#Kirishima eijiro #eijiro kirishima #kirishima x reader #eijiro kirishima x reader #kirishima eijiro x reader #bnha x reader #mha x reader #flower prompt #request #lolswrites

[word-addict-lisette]

Dear Lisette,

I am back in you inbox, yay! How was your day? How's life? How's school?

I am really mad because we had this piece of work and it was like "pen down your idea on this statement, 'i can do whatever i want on the internet as long as i don't get caught' and i put down my thoughts which were 'this statement is true, i stand by it and you can do whatever you like as long as you don't get caught and don't own up' and then people were like throwing shade at me and i looked at it. I have 5 comments.

My teachers tried to delete it, my classmates literally lectured me and then she read it out loud and the whole class went looking for that one note i made. In the comments, people are spelling my name in caps. It was my opinion, and oh, look all of them are basically hypocrites. Let me just say, these people make me uncomfortable, they don't talk about exactly nice things or approriate things and they are all commenting ( without names too may i add) like "KAT, THAT'S NOT HOW THINGS WORK!" but with my real name and just arghhh.

Also if my teachers wanted me to say, "no, that isn't the right thing to do," or any other answer that the others provided them with, they shouldn't have asked for my opinion. They should have just forced us all to just type the same thing. The other people all wrote like, "no, its unethical and bad" or "False, no, its bad" and stuff like that, filmsy evidence and elaboration. I HAVE MORALS, i am just saying the truth. I feel like the victim of a hate crime. People don't like me enough already, i am a very intresting person, uh, yeah, we are gonna stop there.

Enjoy the rant i guess? I don't know? I am sorry for loading on you but there's a little extra rant so uh, yeah. im just gonna take this out, one sec.

Ok, so uh my teacher was like, next week, we are making pancakes. Fluffy pancakes. It was changed to pancakes without eggs? and now we have to make it ourselves, at home. Where do i get flour? What do i do with the extra flour? I don't know how to cook at all, my partner who has been extremely controlling and like kinda driving me insane, ( ahem i did the whole coursework) also she uses my friend's name for everything? Like, bestie i was literally helping out and you went all, "Oh you don't want (friend's name) to see you burnt right?". Obviously i don't but if i burnt down my house, she wouldn't be surprised. I BURNT MYSELF LAST YEAR, SHE SAW ME BURN MYSELF. Well, my friend burnt me and then the week after that, she burnt herself.

This happens a lot. Also, the very common questions and statements of, "Are you straight?" , "aren't you and (friend's name) dating?", "you guys would make such a cute couple" , " aren't you bi?" and "i thought the two of you were dating," there is nothing wrong with being bi but i am not attracted to her like that. So, they use her for leverage over me to get me to do what they want and also think im dating her? If we were dating, we would both be homeless. I like my house. This doesn't only happen with her. I once got shipped with my brother. I hugged him and some guy was like, "oh you guys like each other," that was awkward. Can i just add, a lot of people like majority of that community know we are siblings.

I also get shipped with his best friend, thanks to a rumor my brother made up. So, sometimes, i would get like comments like, "oh, you like him" or "(brother's name) told me that you and (brother's best friend) are dating," we are not dating. WE ARE JUST REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. I LIKE A FICTIONAL CHARACTER. LEAVE ME ALONE. Also, everytime i have a picture of a guy on my phone or something my cousin just has to tell my brother. THEY ARE STREAMERS. ONE IS OF V FROM BTS SO I CAN TRAMATISE MY FRIEND.

Everytime i cry, someone comes in my room. It is so annoying. LEAVE ME ALONE, I WANT TO CRY. This is why i started reading sad books, listening to sad songs, watching sad movies so i have a reason to cry. There was this once, i wasnt selected to be part of my choir's competition and i was sad about it because i didn't feel good enough. THEY SAID I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. So, i cried but it wasn't enough so i read the saddest book i could find so i had a reason to cry but by that time, my feelings were gone. This is why i get breakdowns when im overwhelmed because of all this. You know how old i am. I have to deal with this and the pressure of always wanting to be perfect. What else can i do? I am not pretty or smart or talented or have friends, i have like 6 friends and nobody ever keeps me company. So, i focus on being perfect. 100%, i deal with not having any attention because my parents didn't pay me any attention just because i was "independent" or something?

Did i mention, i babysit all my siblings? I am the second child. I baby-sit my older brother. I am sleep-deprived because i can't sleep well at night and i constantly worry about everything and i have to take care of all my friends and it is so exhausting. Yet, i can not cry.

Thanks for staying with me through whatever that was. Uh, yeah, i took the quiz and got chaotic academia. That is my aesthetic. I really want one of those fancy skirts they wear like on pintrest and stuff? Like you know what i mean? The academia skirt? Yeah, i don't have one yet.

Question of the day, what is your dream profession or you could answer my other question which is what would you want to look like? Or you could answer both?

Ok, thank you again. i am gonna go study. Love and hugs and just literal joy sent your way!

- Kat, the ultimate dino mom of Leo, Billy Bob, Jessica, Sophie, Jackson, Sarah, Lily, the Micheals and all her other kids. (Jessica, Sophie and Jackson are mailboxes and Lily is a computer, Micheal is my screwdriver and laptop pencil, there are two micheals.)

Dear Kat,

It's really good to see you in my inbox. I'm sorry for replying late, but exams really had occupied my schedule today and I got my Saturday exam tomorrow. This week is going to be stressful and today's day has been pathetic. I had nothing to do except study and write exams. I feel like I haven't really been social recently and That I'm losing touch with people that I used to be close with and basically I'm letting overthinking take over my mind.

That is so sick. Why is someone's genuine opinion bothering them so much? I totally wouldn't be able to tolerate that. They ought to understand that there is a fine line between a fact and an opinion, and what you stated was just an OPINION. they have no right whatsoever to come at you like that. I totally agree... the teachers ought to have not asked for your opinion if all they desired was a particularly specific answer which opposed the statement. one of the reasons I hate the schooling system has to be THIS. people who are putting comments like that ought to realize that what you stated is exactly what they do in real life. They just want to be seen as the good kid here. At least you have the guts enough to speak the truth.

Miss! You don't have to worry about ranting out to me. You can rant to me for days and I'd still listen. Just go on ranting nobody is stopping you.

Ahhh! I've had that happen to me. I really understand how tough that can be. I really really hate being shipped with someone who I am just platonically friends with like you've got no valid proof to believe that we are romantically involved with each other. I've burnt myself plenty of times too. It's not a pleasant experience. Plus I also hate having controlling partners. Cause all they do is boss you around while they are barely doing a thing. It sucks.

Why? Just why? Why does it even matter to them? Who you date and what your sexuality is, is none of their business. I have no idea why people concern themselves with topics that really don't involve them. It's like people are just ready to make gossip out of anything. A person can't have a bestie without not liking them? I don't get what's so difficult to understand about that. I hate it when I'm casually talking to a guy and people start shipping us and start spreading rumors of us being in a romantic relationship. Another thing they do is, if a person likes me, they automatically assume that I like him back when I've barely even ever spoken to that guy. And yes! I like fictional characters! Don't even assume I like any of you fools cause You idiots bully me and ship me with total crackheads... And my standards are good enough for me to not include you guys in my list of *appropriate candidates* which consists of non-existent people.

Similarly, the moment I'm chatting with some guy, or like have a pic with someone on my mobile phone people just assume that fact that I'm crushing on him. Like no! I don't. We are friends... the others are celebrities, Why can't you understand that? I can't imagine how thick their skull must be considering they can't let a small statement like that sink in.

The crying thingy... I feel personally attacked. Nobody lets me do anything in peace, let alone crying. I literally use the washroom in my room and even my sister comes in there just banging on the door asking me to get the heck out of there and go somewhere else, like can't she use the other two washrooms or what? I like listening to sad stuff and reading angst cause somehow or the other it calms me down... it makes me feel at peace cause I know I'm not the only one who feels like crying. I've got a lot of friends, nobody remembers my birthday, I remember all of theirs'. They don't even text me, It's always me who takes the first step. All my friends just want me by their side cause I'm a smartass they want to show off as a trophy and cause I've got much better sarcasm than them. They just want to benefit from me. That's all. GOD, I'm not pretty at all. I look like a random idiot all the time. I look pathetic. And I lack talent... And you! I warned you, miss! You are pretty, beautiful, talented, smart, friendly, caring, kind and THE BEST!!!

I've never been given attention. Never ever. My sister has always stolen the spotlight. And I hate it. Not even my friends acknowledge me, my parents just ehhhhh. No matter how good I score, No matter how good I behave, No matter what. I'm just never good enough. My parents think of me as a rebellious kid. And I don't know what to do about that. All I've ever done is listen to them. My parents never allowed me to go out and play with my friends when I was a kid, they never let me go on overnight trips, and they barely let me spend time with the few friends I have. They never let me go to outings my school friends planned. Despite that, I never complained. I never had good friends because of that, yet I never complained. A lot of kids my age roam around in shopping malls by themselves, have sleepovers, spend money, roam around with tons of makeup on their faces, are in relationships, and even get into illegal shit. I've never done anything Like that. And yet... I'm never the good kid. I'm still the rebel.

I've got to take care of my sister almost every day. Get her to study, study myself, take care of myself while tolerating my grandmother. I really don't like my grandma, she s very fussy and just keeps yelling around the house the moment my dad and mom leave the house. I've got sensory overload because of her voice. And now I sit and have an anxiety attack almost every time she speaks. I've always got to strive for perfection as well. And I too can't sleep well at night just cause all the worries of the world, keep weighing me down.

Chaotic academia sounds good. It's the same aesthetic my sister got when I asked her to take the test! And oooh! Me too! I love those skirts and outfits they show on Pinterest. I'd love to have them someday.

My dream profession has to be that of a writer. Or perhaps even running a library. just something cozy. Ohh! I'd love to have brown hair, and I'd want to be tall just a little shorter than What I am right now. I just reached my father's height yesterday. And more or less, I'd like the rest to stay just as it is. and perhaps a lighter shade of skin tone. What about you though?

My question for you! If you were to be stranded on a beach island for a week. Who would you bring with you and how would you spend your time there. You can include whatever elements of nature you want to include like forests, lakes, and all.

Sending love, warmth, hugs, and whatever I have to spare that you would like to you!!!!

-Love from Lisette

P.S. That's an interesting family you've got, right there!

#kat the eccentric(indeed) #sweet sweet asks #dear kat #love from lisette #long post

[velvetthunder1999]

All the time on Earth

Part 6 - So Smart

Summary: George gets a bit jealous and Fred finds out you have crush on his brother

Warnings: None

Word count: 1.7K

George Weasley x Reader

Masterlist

Two weeks after the second task the amount of homework you had started to fill out every minute of your day. With the exams coming up you barely had any free time to care about anything other than your studies. Fred and George understood, of course, even if they hadn’t cared about their OWLs the year before. They tried to give you space to study but you could also feel how they were missing you when you weren’t with them.

It was raining outside, the sun was just about to go down. You were trying to focus on reading, but it was not so easy as you just enjoyed watching the susnet with all its beautiful colors; also, George sitting next to you was distracting enough on its own. He was focusing on some book about quidditch, causally leaning back, resting one arm behind your head on the couch. You tried not to look at him every once in a while, mostly because you knew he would notice. But it was really hard concentrating on anything, basically, when the boy you liked more and more every day was sitting so close to you.

You glanced at the sunset again. The sky was so beautiful it made your heart sting. The rain was also pouring heavily at this point, and the wonderful smell you had always liked was coming through an open window.

“What are you looking at?” asked George all of a sudden. You pointed at the sky.

“Look at that. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yeah — Yes, it is.” George smiled at you as you continued.

“You see that bright orange there in the corner? That’s my favorite color. When I see a sunset like this, I always feel both sad and happy at the same time.”

“Why?” he asked, curious.

You shrugged.

“I don’t know. I just do.”

He leaned closer, not taking his kind brown eyes off you.

“So are you feeling happy or sad right now?”

His face was so close you could see the freckles around his nose. You gulped; your throat felt incredibly dry. You had to force yourself not to look at his lips.

“I… I think I’m quite alright at the moment” you said, turning your head away before you do something stupid. You quickly continued, “But I like the smell of the rain, too. Reminds me of places I’ve never been at, but always wanted to. Does that make sense?”

“Of course” he nodded and leaned back. His face seemed almost disappointed, you had no idea why. Then his cheeky smile returned and he pointed at the book you were reading. “Any progress?”

“Not really” you answered, leaning back. “Maybe I’ll just finish it tomorrow. I’m really tired.”

“Let me see” he took the book, but when he was about to start reading it, the Fat Lady was opened and Cormac McLaggen stepped into the common room, calling your name.

“Y/N!” he walked over to you and sat down to your other side, completely ignoring George. “McGonagall gave us the list for the groupwork next month. You and I are gonna be a pair. We should really start doing it next week” he winked at you, which made you feel utterly uncomfortable. “And maybe I take you somewhere after. Just think about it, eh?”

And he walked away without even caring for your answer. You sat there, astonished at the fact how can a person be this egoistic. You decided not to say anything; you were just so sick and tired of McLaggen’s constant attempts to get a date from you. You were already hating on the groupwork you two had to do.

You turned back to George to ask him about the book, but he was not reading at all. He was eyeing McLaggen angrily, with narrowed eyes.

“You okay?” you asked, concerned. George finally looked at you and his expression  softened in a second.

“Sure. I didn’t know you had to work in groups” he added carefully.

“Yeah, in pairs for a homework essay” you rolled your eyes. “A bit annoying, really.”

“And McLaggen’s your pair?”

“I guess so” you answered, without being quite excited about it.

He casted down his eyes.

“Do you — Do you like him?”

“Eh, not really.”

“No, I mean — like that.”

You shot a sharp look at him, then grimaced.

“Ew, no way!” you laughed. “Do you really think so little of me?”

His smile was shy as he looked at you.

“I was just wondering.”

“Well, stop wondering cause he’s annoying me like hell.”

“He clearly likes you.”

“Yeah, it’s making me depressed” you laughed again. “He’s a git. Thinks he’s the best at everything but he’s incapable of acting like a decent human being.”

George seemed to be in a good mood after you finished talking. He placed your book in his lap when Fred joined you and sat down in an armchair opposite you.

“You two look like you’re having fun” he grinned at his brother who shot a sharp look at him in return. “Anything I need to know about? What are you reading, George?”

“George was about to help me with my homework.” you said. “I have to answer a bunch of questions for Binns but I don’t even know where to start.”

“Yes, so shut up Fred” said George to his brother in a sharp tone. Fred just grinned at him. You furrowed your brows in concern.

“Are you two fighting or something?”

“No” said the twins in perfect unison.

“Can I read?” asked George.

“Sure” you nodded.

While you were checking the questions on your parchment George was reading and Fred was cleaning his wand with his robes; you three were quiet. Then a minute later George pointed at a paragraph.

“Alright, so this might be easier than we thought. Do you wanna see the loophole?”

“You know I do.”

He smiled.

“So I’m guessing you have to write short answers about these people and the dates their conferences were held. So actually, here — see, here — these words are numbered. Which means they’re supposed to be at the end of the book, collected into a list with a short definition.”

He flipped the pages, then showed you the long list of names with their short description. Just as you needed.

“Holy shit” you said. “I didn’t know this existed!”

“You didn’t check the book before started reading it?”

“No, I’ve never used this stupid book for this stupid class before. But this is amazing. Thank you so much!

“You’re welcome” he smiled at you, quite proud of himself.

“Oh my God, George, you’re so smart!” you laughed happily, being freed from so much work. “You just saved my life.”

His eyes grew wide and his ears turned as red as a tomato. He cleared his throat and pointed at your parchment.

“Well — er — why don’t I read the information and you start writing what I say?”

“Yeah, that’s alright.”

“Great, give me a second.”

He started looking for the first name on your list, flipping the pages with great concentration. You were watching him, unable to wipe the smile off your face. He was so sweet while helping you with your homework, like he didn’t mind at all. You watched his hands, caressing the paper. Then you watched his beautiful eyes as he read the pages. You remembered how those eyes were looking at you when he asked about McLaggen. Why did he ask?

You turned away before George could notice that you were watching him. He didn’t, but someone else did. Fred was staring at you, and you saw on his face how he just put the pieces together. He opened his mouth but you shook your head in fear. Your heart dropped and the giddiness you felt a moment ago had passed.

Fred glanced at George and then back at you. He raised his eyebrows. You shook your head again. He nodded violently. Now you were shaking your head without stopping. Please, you were begging with your eyes, please don’t tell him.

Fred was taking aback but he stayed quiet. You were considering your options. Either you stayed here hoping Fred shuts his mouth, or you talk to him in private which might make George suspicious.

“What are you two doing?” George asked suddenly, looking at you concerned.

“I just need to talk to Fred for a second” you stood up and signed Fred to do the same.

“Oh, yes — er, I was just thinking that.”

You walked to the portrait without looking at George. You didn’t want to see the expression on his face, whatever it was.

You opened the Fat Lady and Fred followed you. When you reached a bench at the end of the corridor, you turned around and faced the brother of your crush.

“Well, well,” Fred said, grinning. “Will you look at that.”

“Please Fred, don’t say anything.”

“Oh, I really think I should.”

“No, you don’t understand, I’m begging you.”

“Why don’t you just tell him?” he asked with a mysterious smile. “You might be surprised.”

“No, that’s not an option.”

Fred closed his eyes and took a deep breath like he was internally struggling. He spoke in a tormented tone.

“Please, tell me why.”

“I — I don’t wanna tell him and then suffer the consequences. I don’t want it to be awkward between us. And it would be, believe me.”

“Y/N” Fred grabbed both your shoulders and shook you gently. “He clearly likes you, believe me.”

“Well, I’m really sorry, but I can’t. He doesn’t like me like that. And I rather enjoy being with him as friends than not being with him at all.”

“Oh my God” Fred exclaimed in agony. He rubbed his face in distraught. “You’re making me mad.”

“Can you promise not to tell him? Please.”

Fred stared at you for almost a minute and took a deep breath again.

“Sure. I promise not to tell anything. You should, though.”

“Let’s just… Let’s just forget it, okay?”

Fred rolled his eyes and turned back. You two started walking and he glanced at you.

“He’s really smart, though. You should really come up with a reason for wanting to talk to me before we get back.”

#harrypotter #harry potter #george weasley fanfiction #georgeweasley fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #imagination #georgeweasley x reader #george weasley x reader #georgeweasley #george weasley #fredweasley #fred weasley #hermione #ginny #ron #ron weasley #weasley #weasley family #hogwarts #hp #hp fanfic #hp series #harry potter series #hp imagines #all the time on earth #so smart

[racebox-of-higgars]

as the world caves in - Sprace Oneshot

Listened to as the world caves in x cancer, wrote this. 

Crossposted on Ao3 (find me there at Racebox_of_Higgars)

TW for terminal illness.

Race’s hand was heavy in Spot’s, despite his frail from. The small hospital bed seemed to swallow him, and it was a shocking contrast to Race’s usual larger-than-life personality. His curling hair was thinning and stuck to his forehead with sweat. His cheeks were hollow, eyes gaunt. One of Spot’s hands trailed through those curls which hadn’t been washed in weeks, but he couldn’t care less. The other clung to Race’s like a lifeline. He wasn’t gonna let go, he couldn’t let go. They both knew this was the end.

“It hurts,” Race whispered, voice hoarse. They’d unhooked him from the machines giving him painkillers about an hour ago, so he would be feeling it now. Spot had asked him why he didn’t want the painkillers. He wanted to be able to focus on Spot, he had said, and it was almost bittersweet. The knowledge that Race loved him enough that he wanted to spend his final moments focused just on Spot made his chest hurt, but then there was the fact that these were his final moments. Race was leaving him, and he didn’t know what he was gonna do after that. Up until now, his entire life had revolved around Race. He didn’t know what he was gonna do when his boy was gone.

“I know it does baby, it’s gonna ease soon, you won’t have to hurt anymore,” Spot said, tears brimming behind his eyes, but he forced them down. He wasn’t gonna break, he couldn’t. he couldn’t waste what little time he had left with the love of his life.

It felt weird referring to Race as the love of his life. All things considered; he still had his whole life ahead of him. Race, on the other hand… His throat burned with the effort of keeping his sobs at bay. Christ, they were only 17. They were meant to have their whole lives ahead of them. Race was meant to open his dance studio, Spot would go to law school, they would get married, maybe get a dog. It wasn’t supposed to end like this. They weren’t meant to end in a hospital room.

Spot went to sit on the bed, to wrap his arms around Race. If it had to end this way, it was going to end with Race in Spot’s arms. Spot wanted it to be easy. Race shook his head though.

“Don’t, please.” It was barely audible. “I-I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s already hard enough, having to leave you, I mean. I can’t.” Spot’s heart sank, but he stepped away slightly, keeping his grip on Race’s hand. He needed that, at least, just to ground him. He was terrified that if he let go, Race would slip away completely.

That’s when the reality of it finally set in. To them, this was their Doomsday. This was their last day together, ever. Soon, the nurses would come in and usher Spot away, and it would be over. He’d never see Race’s smile again, or hear his bright laugh, or watch him dance, or see the way he lit up completely when he came up with one of his crazy ideas.

The boy in the bed was so different to the Race he knew. They were completely different people. Race was vibrant, funny, witty, flirty, and he always had a sarcastic comment on the tip of his tongue. He was a technicolour wonder in Spot’s otherwise grey life. The boy in the bed though, he could barely muster the strength to speak anymore, let alone conjure an insult. God, Spot never thought he’d wish to hear Race call him a dork again, but now he’d give anything for it. He would trade all his tomorrows to have his Race back, not this half-formed shadow of a boy he loves.

“I’m sorry,” Race murmured. “You don’t want to be here. It’s awful.” Spot closed his other hand over Race’s, fighting the ocean behind his eyes threatening to consume him, threatening to drag him under and never let him resurface. He wasn’t going to break now. “I’m awful,” Race continued, barely audible.

“You’re not, Tony,” Spot didn’t often use Race’s real name, or anything close to it, but now didn’t feel like the right time for nicknames. “You’re not awful. This isn’t your fault.”

“M’sorry anyway. You don’t have to be here.” Spot clasped Tony’s hand tighter.

“I’m always gonna be here. I promised I’ll be here until the end, didn’t I?” He still remembered that day in the park, lying in the grass, bathing in the sun, watching as it illuminated Tony’s curls like a halo. Funny how things turn out. Tony had asked him if he was gonna stick around, looking up at him with those eyes like rivers, sometimes fast and angry, sometimes rocky and violent, but now they were slow, and hopeful. Spot had promised him that he’d always be there, until the end. That day felt like forever ago now. Normalcy felt like forever ago. It felt like years of hospital rooms and tears and doctors and diagnoses. He longed for one more date outside this cramped white room, but they wouldn’t get that. They wouldn’t get anything that they should have had.

“Yeah, but we didn’t think it was gonna end like this, did we?”

“It doesn’t matter.” There was silence for a moment, save for the vigilant beeping of the heart rate monitor.

“We were supposed to get married.” Tony said, voice cracking, and Spot’s dam nearly broke, but he didn’t, not yet. “We were meant to be it. But now I’m never getting out of this bed. We were supposed to be forever.” And they were forever, for Tony. But Spot would have to keep going, without his constant – without the one thing that kept him grounded. How was he gonna do it?

“It’s gonna be alright, I promise.” He wasn’t sure how much he believed that promise, but he would make it anyway. Anything to comfort Tony now.

“I’m scared,” Tony said, and he sounded it too. His voice was so small, so unsure. Spot leant down to press a kiss to Tony’s forehead. Truth was, Spot was scared too, he was terrified. He didn’t know how he was gonna cope after all this. Tony had been such a big part of Spot’s life for so many years, he couldn’t imagine life without him. It was like losing a part of himself. The part of him that loved, that cherished, that laughed, it was being ripped away from him.

“It’s going to be okay,” Spot tried to comfort him, but he didn’t know that it would be the truth. He had no idea what was going to come, for him or for Tony, but he would do his best to comfort him while he still could. The painkillers were supposed to ease the pain of it all, but Tony had insisted on not having them.

“You – you see those movies about it, y’know, the fault in our stars, all that stuff, but you never think it’s gonna happen to you,” Tony said. “It always seems like some sad fantasy, not something real.” He laughed bitterly, which just sent him into a coughing fit. Each cough sounded painful, like each one stabbed a knife into Tony’s lungs. Tony covered his mouth with a tissue, and it came away red when he was done. He simply wrinkled his nose and threw it away, no longer fazed by it. He ploughed on. “When you watch or read those things, you never think it’s gonna happen to you. And then it does, and even then it’s so much worse than what you read about or what they show you. It hurts so much more. Not just, like, physically, but emotionally too. It’s like you, and Jack, and Albert, I’ve seen all of you breaking apart because of all this and I hate it. I hate that I’m causing you all to

hurt.” Spot saw the tears brimming in Tony’s eyes, and he couldn’t keep himself from wrapping Tony’s tiny frame in his arms.

“It’s not your fault,” he said, looking Tony in the eyes. “It’s never gonna be your fault.”

“It just,” Tony paused for a moment, searching for the right words. “The worst part isn’t the pain, the hardest part of all this is leaving you.” Part of Spot understood what Tony was saying, but the other part couldn’t help but be jealous. Not that he was sick, Spot wouldn’t wish what he’d seen Tony go through on anybody, but that he was the one who was leaving. After today, Tony wouldn’t have to worry about anything, he would just slip away, but Spot had to keep going without Tony. Spot would have to wake up every morning knowing it would be another day where he wouldn’t get to see Tony’s smile or hear him laugh. He longed for one more 3am text message with some crazy idea, or another Pirate of The Caribbean night, even though Spot hated those movies. It wasn’t supposed to end.

“I’m sorry,” Tony said again, finally letting a tear slip through. “It wasn’t meant to turn out this way.” Spot brushed away his tears with his thumb, somehow holding him even tighter.

It was meant to end when they were old and grey. Tony would have his dance studio and he would cultivate the passion for dance in his students just like his teacher had done for him. A few months ago, Spot could’ve seen it. He could see Tony leading a class through turns and leaps and spins, helping his students through every trip and fall. Now, that vision was unattainable. It was a vision that Spot had grasped for, maybe to hide from the reality of all this, but he couldn’t reach it anymore. Spot was meant to be a lawyer, and they were going to have that white picket fence house in the suburbs. Now Spot couldn’t even go to college after he had failed his exams. He had spent so much time going to each of Tony’s appointments, he hadn’t had the time to study for anything. If he could go back, he’d it all over again, exactly the same. Cherishing every moment he got to spend with Tony was more important than any stupid exam, especially knowing how limited their time really was.

“You don’t have to apologise for anything,” Spot reassured him, “as long as I get to have all the time I can with you, I’ll take it.” Silent tears cascaded down Tony’s cheeks, and Spot gently ran his fingers through Tony’s hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“We were meant to have forever.”

Silence hung over them, except for the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor.

“I’m tired,” Tony finally said, and his eyelids drooped. Spot’s heart dropped. He knew that the second Tony fell asleep, that would be it. It would be over.

“You can go to sleep, Tony, I’ll be right here when you wake up.” They both knew that there would be no waking up at the end of this.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, I’m not going anywhere.” Tony looped his arms around Spot’s waist, kissing him softly for a few moments before pulling away.

“Ti amo, Spot,” he said in his native language. Spot wouldn’t admit it, but he had been learning Italian for Tony, just to feel closer to him. Soon, the language would be all he had left.

“Ti amo, Antonio.” The use of Tony’s full name had an air of finality, and Spot hated it. He hated all of this.

Tony fell asleep peacefully, but still Spot wouldn’t let him go.

The heart rate monitor flatlined.

Nurses came in, solemn.

Antonio Matteo Higgins-Folliero was pronounced dead at 15:47 on September 26th, 2021.

Spot was ushered from the room.

He let himself be dragged away.

The door swung shut behind him.

He would never see Antonio again.

His entire world caved in.

He finally let himself break.

#newsies #sprace #spot conlon x racetrack higgins #spot conlon #racetrack higgins #fanfiction #fanfic #crossposted on ao3

[pinkbubbles-and-bigtroubles]

Wicked Game (Part 2)

Word Count: 20K+ total Team Long Winded Bitch strikes again, this will be posted in multiple parts over the next couple of days. The first part is about 5K, part 2 is 7K

Rating: 18+ Slash fic Strong language, alcohol and drug use, and a misogynistic and racist comment. Sexual scenes including masturbation, toys, voyeurism, oral, and anal sex.

Summary: Ashton is ready to move on with his life after his painful divorce from Luke and the demise of the restaurant they’d built together. With the help of his protegee and sous chef Hima Singh, Ashton is ready to take on opening weekend of his new restaurant Anne-Marie’s. Calum is a reporter filling in on an assignment and is surprised when his past comes back to haunt him. Hima arranges an interview that takes an unexpected turn between the two men.

Ashton grabbed his bag and shut off the lights in the bar. Hima was waiting impatiently by the door, keys in hand. Following the disaster of an afternoon, they'd been packed until closing. He'd been too busy cooking to think about it, something he loved about his job. The rush and the heat combined with the complete focus on his work. You had to keep your eyes on your fingers or you got hurt. The satisfaction of plating an order and sending it out until the next order came in, starting the process over again. 

"Will you come on?" Hima tapped her foot, making her keys jangle. "My brother is waiting for us."  Her twin brother had passed the bar exam a month ago, but everything had been so crazy with the opening they hadn't properly celebrated yet. 

The bouncer recognized Hima and let them in immediately. Tirana was a sleek, neon-lit bar favoring overpriced cocktails, elaborately garnished and meant to be as much of a showpiece as a beverage. Ashton eyed the crowd full of men sporting off the rack Italian suits with egos as inflated as their dates' chests. Kabir was waiting in VIP with his friends and waved them up. Ashton congratulated him and ordered a spiked seltzer, passing on the bottle service Kabir offered. Hima was taking shots with the guys and he joined them in a toast. As he was taking a drink he spotted Calum Hood leaning against the wall, looking bored and maybe a little drunk. Hima must've seen his expression because she whipped around just as Calum looked up and noticed them. Ashton tried to look away and act as if he hadn't noticed the other man. Hima had other ideas and made a beeline for the reporter. 

"Hey Calum, fancy meeting you here," she said relieved when he seemed happy to see her. "Come have a drink with us, or am I interrupting something?"

"If you're buying," Calum replied. "A friend brought me here and then fucked off on a phone call." He laughed, but it died out when he saw Ashton.

"Listen," Hima cut him off before he could speak. "I know this afternoon didn't go well, but what you don't know is just before you came in, my boss had to sit through an interview with Kevin Mackie. It did not go well " 

"Oh God, that insufferable bastard," Calum snorted.

"Exactly, and you know Mackie brought up all that old shit from Lune Rouge," Hima told him "That's in addition to insulting every woman who works there, of course." 

Calum cringed, and his eyes flickered back towards Ashton talking to Kabir and his lawyer friends. He couldn't help but notice the contrast between the intense scowling man he'd encountered this afternoon and the smiling bubbly ray of sunshine he was looking at now. Was that an actual giggle? Calum blamed the tequila for agreeing to join Hima for a quick drink since his date still hadn't come back. He'd allowed his editor, Shamara, to set him up twice now, but there wouldn't be a third time. 

Ashton wiped his sweaty palms on his black jeans as he watched Calum following Hima over towards them. He'd found the reporter attractive this afternoon, but he'd been wearing a long sleeve button up for the interview. Tonight Calum was in all black, and the tank top he wore under the leather jacket showed the ink etched into his skin above his collarbones. Ashton gripped the drink in his hands a bit tighter, trying to keep his nerves steady. He slowly edged his way over to where they were talking just as Calum launched into a story about his magazine sending him on a tour of small mom and pop restaurants up the California coast. 

"The owner's husband was sick that day, so she was doing most of the work herself," Calum was saying as Ashton listened in on the conversation. "Beulah was amazing, but they were getting slammed. I asked if she needed any help, and I spent the next three hours manning a fryer. I cooked the chicken, and she'd toss it in the hot oil and spices before slapping it on a bun with the sauce. You'd get the sandwich, pickle, and fries in a little brown sack. We sold hundreds of them, but I knew why when it slowed down enough that I finally got to eat. It's the best chicken sandwich you'll ever have! Tossing it in that spicy oil gives it a flavor that punches you in the mouth. She taught me most of her secrets over the two days I ended up staying until her husband got over the flu.." 

I could listen to this man talk all day, Ashton thought watching Calum's expressions and hands as he told the story. The way his chest rumbled when he laughed, which was often throughout the tale. He seemed like a genuinely warm person, and Hima seemed to like him. Maybe I was wrong, five years is a long time

"That's so sweet," Hima smiled up at Calum as he finished..  She was smitten despite hearing rumors he played for the other team. 

"Ended up extending my trip for an extra five days which caused all sorts of headaches when I got back. My boss was pissed I'd gone over my expense account," Calum said, shaking his head at the memory, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol now loosening his tongue. He was relieved his date was still MIA. Ashton was standing close enough for Calum to smell his cologne, and it was proving distracting. 

"Is that the same magazine you work for now?" Hima asked.

"Yeah, but I was damn near fired. I paid back the money by throwing cash onto my boss's desk when I turned in my story, and he was not amused. The editor-in-chief, who also owns the publisher,  loved my story, and after that, I was sent on more in-depth character profiles. I wanna get to know the people behind the food." Calum looked directly at Ashton, meeting his eyes as he spoke. His breath caught in his throat at the intensity in Ashton's hazel eyes as he listened. How is he this handsome? Calum thought. This man has no right to be this good looking. That chest hair peeking out from under that pink shirt is teasing me. Wonder what's underneath? Wait, no I don’t. Stop thinking about that or you're gonna get hard.

"So what exactly were you sent to find?" Ashton asked, his tone still guarded but more friendly than before. 

Calum took a deep breath and thought quickly. After the interview bombed this afternoon, he came up with a backup plan if Ashton didn't come through. He made a decision to float both his ideas.

"Look, I know a lot of people are bugging you for gossip about your personal life, but that's not what I'm here for. You opened your first restaurant at 25, and the food at Lune Rouge was fantastic. I know I didn't give you a good review then, but I was trying to be edgy and cool," Calum admitted.

Ashton exhaled and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry about this afternoon. Mackie brought up Luke, and when you mentioned Finn I snapped. I'd like to try again, but I know Hima is more interesting. So what did you have in mind?" Ashton smiled and Calum had butterflies in his stomach. 

"I'd like to watch you cook, and see how you are in the kitchen. Tell me how your philosophy on cooking has evolved and what stayed the same," Calum replied. I hope that didn't sound as cringe to him as it did to me. Turning to Hima, he continued talking, "I'd like to do an extra little feature on you if that's ok. It'll give the article a nice balance I think, what do you say?" 

Ashton saw Hima's face light up and knew he'd have to say yes. He had to admit, the pitch sounded great, even if the idea of Calum watching him work made him nervous. They turned towards him to see what he thought, and Ashton's gaze landed on Calum's mouth just as he licked his lips. Please don't do that, he thought to himself. Don't make me think about how you taste, and how those lips would feel against mine.

"I definitely think Hima deserves her own feature. I'll go along with whatever you want," Ashton told them. 

"You know Calum," Hima turned on the charm. "I'm off tomorrow. I could take you to the best Indian restaurant you've never heard of for lunch." Her eyes got huge and she grabbed Calum's arm. "I'm a genius you guys, listen, the restaurant is hella busy, and the boss man," she nodded towards Ashton, "won't be much fun to interview if there are customers waiting. He just redid the kitchen in his condo, so why don't you do the interview there? That way he's not around us idiots at the restaurant." 

Both men stared at her, and Hima panicked thinking she'd overstepped somehow until Ashton nodded. "Sounds like it could work, what do you think?" He asked looking at Calum who nodded, his smile getting broader. 

“Sure, um, that sounds great. Really just um, great," he fished his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it before handing it over. "Go ahead and put your number in, and I'll text you tomorrow." 

"Is that your little sister?" Hima asked, spotting the picture on his lock screen. 

"That's my daughter, Vanessa Joy. Absolute light of my life," Calum beamed, pulling up another pic.

"Daughter?" Hima and Ashton exchanged shocked looks before quickly regaining their composure.

"We were kids. I hadn't figured things out yet," Calum gave his standard explanation. 

He started to say more, but he spotted his now-forgotten date headed back towards them.  Hima saw his grimace and followed his gaze to the approaching man. She guessed he must be a lawyer who wanted everyone to know it, wearing a double-breasted British tailored suit and gold Submariner watch.

"Sorry about that Cal, that was a client who's a real pain in the ass," the newcomer joined their little group, peering at Ashton with suspicion. "I'm Nick Callahan, a junior partner at Fish, Filbeck, and Greene " Hima almost laughed out loud at this skinny little dude in a fancy suit trying to puff out his chest and put some bass in his voice as he went to shake her boss's hand. Ashton looked amused but Calum not so much. 

"Calum, if you don't mind, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Nick waved at a group who'd just come in. He tried to pull Calum away, but he shook Nick's hand off his arm.

"Give me a second, and I'll be over," Calum said, nodding at someone he recognized in the group. "Tell Teddy to order a round of drinks, I'm buying." When Nick still didn't budge, Calum turned his body towards his date and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I'm interviewing this young lady tomorrow, and I want to get it set up before I get drunk, ok?" 

Nick swallowed at the warning in Calum's voice and scurried off to meet his friends. 

"Sorry about that," Calum turned back, smiling again. He had them each put their number in and saved the info with a smile.  "I'm so glad I ran into y'all. Hima, I will text you in the morning, and Ashton just let me know when and where." He gave her a quick hug and a peck on the cheek which made her blush furiously. He shook Ashton's hand and everything seemed to pause as they locked eyes, exchanging smiles. The handshake lingered a beat too long before they both pulled back completely flustered. 

"See you guys then," Calum made a hasty retreat towards Nick and his friends. 

"What did you do?" Ashton hissed, feeling dizzy, excited, terrified, and nauseous all at once. 

"We'll just have to see, won't we? You two are obviously into each other," Hima tossed her hair over her shoulder, giving Ashton a pointed look. 

"I'm not trying to start anything, you know that. Since the divorce it's been too hard and-" Ashton stopped when she put her finger to his lips.

"It's an interview. With a very attractive reporter. You'll be in your element, you can hide behind your food and your knives, but you can get through this. I want my feature." She glared at him and stood on her tiptoes trying to go eye to eye with him.

He had to laugh. Hima was impossible to stay cross with. As he glanced back over towards Calum, he couldn't deny he was intrigued. Don't get your hopes up, Irwin. 

Kabir came over to drag them back to his friends. Ashton spent the next hour dancing with Kabir's girlfriend and watching his friends try to hit on Hima without getting caught. Hima's family was overprotective, and her mother was constantly pressuring Kabir to find his sister a good match. As a result, she kept her private life closely guarded, even Ashton didn't know much, although he suspected she had a thing going with one of the servers at Anne-Marie's. 

As the song ended, he realized he had to pee. Ashton excused himself and followed the neon arrows to a dimly lit hallway decorated with glow in the dark graffiti. He made his way past the line for the women's room and around two people noisily making out next to the emergency exit. He reached the men's room door just as it swung open towards him. He stumbled back to avoid being hit and collided with the couple behind him. An arm shot out from the tangled bodies, shoving him forward chest first into the man who'd just come out of the bathroom. Ashton put his hands up to steady himself, inhaling the scent of leather and whiskey with a faint whiff of stale tobacco as he looked at Calum's face inches from his own.

"Sorry, uh, I was pushed," Ashton apologized, unable to stop staring at the other man's lips.

"It's ok," Calum's heart was pounding, and he was sure Ashton could feel it through his jacket. He was tempted to make a move and go in for a kiss. He paused long enough to remember the interview, and not wanting to have another misstep, he let the moment pass. "It's all yours," he said squeezing over so Ashton could pass.

Ashton paused, confused, but remembered he was headed to the bathroom. "Thanks, uh, see ya," he replied trying not to stammer. Yeah, that was smooth, he thought. Before he closed the door, he looked back and caught Calum looking back at him.hey both smiled before the crowd closed in and he lost eye contact. He had to stand and splash cold water on his face to get his pulse back to normal. When he looked in the mirror, he saw that his face was still very pink and he was grinning like a fool. I didn't just imagine that did I? What am I doing? What am I going to cook for him? 

*********

Ashton jumped at the sound of the buzzer even though he was expecting her. He quickly let her up, and within seconds Hima was at his door. 

"How did it go?" He hadn't even fully opened the door before the question was past his lips.

"Eager much? Why don't you get me a drink, and I'll decide what I want to tell you," she said, taking off her jacket and hanging it up. 

"You impertinent bitch," Ashton cracked up and headed to the kitchen to put on the kettle.

"You sound like my mother," Hima settled at the bar facing him.

Ashton had expanded his kitchen so he could install a six top gas range and a convection oven while giving himself extra counter space with a small sink directly across and a small island in between. Instead of a dining room, he had an L-shaped bar where he could serve guests directly from the kitchen. He pulled a pitcher of cold brew out of the fridge and poured himself a glass with a splash of cashew milk adding a splash to her cup of hot chai. 

"It's such a shame you're gay. We'd have such a great marriage," she joked blowing on her tea.

"I love you too much to marry you, darling," Ashton replied as always. 

"Good thing I like my new stepdaddy," she told him, and he choked on his coffee. 

"So what did you guys talk about?" He asked when he'd recovered. 

"Mostly me, but also you. What do you want first, the details about him or what he asked about you?" Hima smirked at him, almost laughing when he glared at her. 

"I'll let you decide, how about that?" Ashton rummaged through the refrigerator before pulling out a loaf of bread. 

"Ooh snack time. When did you go to the market? I thought you opened for Rafi today. What are you gonna make for him?" She fired off, trying to crane her neck to see what he bought.

"Nope, you're gonna talk or you're not getting fed. I went before I went in at ten and I stayed till eight. I've barely got home, and I don't need your attitude, young lady. Now spill it," he told her as he pulled out a couple of onions and some gruyere cheese. 

"I love it when you're pissy. It looks so good on you. So I took him to Parvati's and ordered chana masala on roasted sweet potatoes. It was so good, I wish you liked Indian food more. We talked about my family, and how they're mostly engineers and lawyers but food was my passion. Confessed that when we first met, I had the biggest crush on you because you were so handsome." She giggled and made a show of fluttering her eyelashes at him. Ashton blushed and threw a caper at her. Hima swatted it back at him and kept talking. "Calum agreed you were handsome by the way. So I told him how you'd mentored me, and when you left the Hilton to open Anne-Marie's, you brought me with you. It was very heartwarming, and I promise I made you look good. He asked a few questions about you, but it was mostly professional stuff. What was it like working for you? What kind of collaborative effort went into the menu? Stuff like that," she shrugged watching Ashton heat up some soup as the sandwiches cooked. 

"Well, that's a lot of nothing. I thought you were better than that," Ashton said, pouting his lips at her. 

"I know he asked if you were single, but he was hella smooth about it. He asked what kind of gift he should bring tomorrow, whether it should be a bottle of wine or something you could share if you had a roommate. Don't worry, I let him know you were single, but I was cool about it," Hima grinned at her boss's discomfort. He cut the sandwich in half and poured a cup of soup to go with it. He cut some fresh chives to top off the soup along with some crème Fraiche and fresh cracked pepper. 

She stopped talking to enjoy the food. Ashton introduced her to cream of celery soup and it quickly became a favorite. The sandwich was beyond good yet incredibly simple: sauteed onions on a grilled cheese sandwich made with Ashton's homemade compound shallot-butter. 

"I'm disappointed, I thought you were better than that," Ashton raised his eyebrows at her.

"I'm not done, I'm just enjoying the food. My compliments to the chef." Hima ripped a piece of crust off her sandwich and dipped it in her soup. "I found out some things about Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome," she told him before running her tongue along the edge of the bread and then taking a bite. 

Ashton laughed and flipped her off. He had pastry cream cooking in a double boiler, so he was continuously stirring between bites. 

Watching him work, she never knew if she was completely in awe of him or a little in love with him, but probably both if she was honest with herself. She'd told Calum as much, off the record of course. It always amazed her how his large hands could be so nimble and quick with a knife, yet so delicate and careful when he was garnishing and plating. She'd told Calum how grateful she was that Ashton had given her such a huge opportunity without being patronizing or expecting her to touch his cock. 

People might think cooking would be a natural fit for a woman but professional kitchens were very much a man's world. You had to be physically and mentally tough. She was lucky that she'd gotten out the hotels before she'd been subjected to sexual harassment, but she'd seen enough. Ashton didn't tolerate any kind of physical or verbal harassment, but every cook could curse a blue streak and work through an injury. Most cooks wore their scars like battle wounds. Hima had a jagged thin white line trailing down her left forearm from a staple on a lettuce box that ripped her flesh open while putting away a truck. Ashton had a couple of red welts from the panini grill decorating his arms and a gnarly pink, puckered scar on his left wrist from an accident with molten sugar years ago.

"Ok so, he's a year and a half younger than you, turns 28 in January actually. Aquarius, so that should be fun. Never married, but he's got the kid," Hima informed him.

"That really came out of nowhere the other night. I never would've guessed that," Ashton said over his shoulder, turning his back on her to keep stirring. 

"It happened when he was in high school. His first girlfriend, their senior year of high school. They'd already been broken up for two months when they got the news, just when he'd started to figure out his sexuality. They tried to get back together for the sake of their daughter but quickly realized it wouldn't work in a traditional way. Now they're best friends and co-parents to Vanessa Joy. In fact, when Nicole married her boyfriend, Michael, two years ago Calum walked her down the aisle," Hima told him.

Ashton's jaw dropped. "What the hell, Hima? You guys had lunch one time and you know his life story." 

"My mother's interrogation skills rubbed off I guess. His daughter also happened to call while he was with me. It was so cute; she made the honor roll and he was so proud. He apologized for taking the call during lunch but said he always has to answer if it's his daughter or his mom." 

Ashton turned towards Hima, smiling and blushing, "I can respect that." 

"I'm sure you can, Mama's boy," she replied. "Honestly the two of you are adorable. A pair of smitten kittens. He kept asking questions about what it's like to work with you. What are you like as a boss? And every question he got this funny little smile and couldn't look at me. I really hate that you get the best looking guys. It's bad enough you look like that," Hima gestured at him as she looked him up and down. "First Luke, and now Calum, I'm so jealous. That being said I really hope you hook up with him. You could stand to get laid." 

"Watch it," he cautioned, not wanting to kill the mood.

"Sorry, but the other night y'all had some serious chemistry. You should go for it. Speaking of, I gotta go. Kabir is having a date night so I actually don't have to go home," she checked her phone, and Ashton didn't recognize the gaudy pink glitter case. 

She caught his puzzled expression and laughed, "My mom checks my location, so my iPhone and my car stay at Maisie's. Everything gets forwarded here, and I don't have to answer a million questions." 

"You're 24, how are you still dealing with this? When is your mother going to treat you like an adult?" Ashton shook his head, he never understood how she dealt with her family.

She sighed, "It's impossible to explain unless you have Asian parents. My mom grew up here, but my grandparents were still very much rooted in India. If you think my mom is difficult, you should've met grandma." A text came in, and she wrinkled her nose in annoyance reading it. "Why am I the only person who's punctual?" She muttered to herself before looking back at Ashton. "So what are you making tomorrow for the big date, I mean, interview? Mind if I smoke?" 

He shook his head and followed her onto the balcony. "Stop saying that, I'm nervous enough as it is. I'm starting with a wilted chard salad with figs and goat cheese, and maybe a soup. I haven't decided, but for the main, I'm making mushroom Wellington with my specialty Mac and cheese and whatever vegetables I pick up at the market tomorrow morning. I'm making a sorbet for dessert. I was going to make a pavlova, but I don't have the patience for merengue right now." 

"Calum doesn't stand a chance, he'll be thoroughly seduced. Then I'll get my magazine story and be a star. People will start asking me for photos on the street, they'll learn how to pronounce my name, and I'm only going by Hima. I think I can get away with just one name, like Madonna, Beyonce, and Cher. Don't you? I promise the fame won't go to my head. I'll still be Hima from the block." 

Ashton cracked up. "Ok there, Roxy Hart," he teased. "You are so extra, it's too much for an old gay like myself." 

"You're not even thirty," she protested. Another text came in and her eyes lit up. She stubbed her cigarette out on the bottom of her shoe before wiping it clean with a napkin and stuffed both in her purse to throw away outside. "You've just gotta get back on the horse, and Calum seems like the type who'd be into chaps and spurs." 

"Don't you have places to go, people to do?" He asked, walking her to the door.

"Sure do, good luck tomorrow," she kissed his cheek and was gone.

*********

Calum finished the dishes and popped another antacid in his mouth. Spicy food didn't used to give him heartburn. Getting old I guess. His dog, Brutus, danced around his feet begging for a treat. 

"Not gonna happen, old man," he bent down to scratch the pooch behind his ears, but Brutus immediately flipped over for a belly rub. "Greedy bastard," Calum chuckled but obliged with a ton down and chin scratches. He found a chew stick on the couch and tossed it over by the dog's bed, and soon Brutus was curled up contentedly gnawing himself to sleep. 

Calum watched his little guy for a bit before heading to his desk to type out a rough draft. Hima was a firecracker, full of energy and ideas, and hard to keep up with. She talked a mile a minute, often switching topics mid-thought as she spoke. He'd had his voice recorder on, but he liked to write his first draft from memory. He admired her passion for her work, and her determination to follow her own path. She was fiercely loyal to Ashton and grateful for the opportunity he'd given her. Calum would've suspected she was a bit smitten with her boss, but she openly admitted her crush. She was quick to insist Ashton had never encouraged or entertained the idea, but she didn't need to tell him that. 

Calum knew all about Ashton's history, the cheating, the fights, the messy breakup that brought the restaurant down. He exhaled, nervous about having that conversation. He shut his laptop, now too distracted to write. It's just an interview, calm down. He tried to be rational, but his thoughts kept drifting back to bumping into Ashton at the bar. The pink shirt, the star tattoo begging to be traced with his tongue, those hazel eyes that made his heart jump into his stomach. He tried to focus on his laptop. This article wasn't going to write itself. 

****

Ashton laid on his back, concentrating on his breathing as he pressed his knees to the floor in reclining bound angle pose. He'd had too much coffee, and although his body was tired, his mind was racing. His phone was vibrating on the dresser, but Ashton ignored it, moving into a butterfly pose and touching his forehead to the floor. He exhaled, trying to clear his mind. But all he could think about was Calum Hood. He had a brand new restaurant to run. Now was not a good time to become infatuated with a handsome reporter. So why haven't you stopped smiling all day?  

He breathed deeply, in, out, in, out. But he couldn't concentrate, couldn't calm down. He pushed himself off the floor and grabbed his water off the table. He opened his phone and was surprised to see a notification from the restaurant security system. 

Alarm deactivated at 12:02 AM 

Alarm Panel 2

Code: 4452

Ashton realized Hima was at the restaurant. He knew she usually went there after her accounting class but that definitely wasn't the case tonight. Probably popped in for a bottle of wine, which doesn't sound like a bad idea. 

The kitchen tiles were chilly beneath his bare feet as he headed towards the small wine fridge on his counter. Craving something sweet, he found a Shiraz he'd been saving and poured a small glass. He scrolled through Spotify, picking a playlist at random, and Robyn's  "Dancing on my Own" came over the speakers following him through the apartment back into his bedroom. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and paused. 

He pulled his shirt off and turned around examining the freshly-healed Phoenix tattoo decorating his left side from his hip to the top of his ribs,  covering up the tattoo of Luke's name, birth date, and their wedding date. He trusted his tattoo artist and let him have creative freedom on the brightly-colored feathers and flames. It turned out beautifully. He turned sideways, rubbing his stomach and flexing in the mirror. He was in the best shape he'd been in since he was a teenager. Yoga kept him toned and lean so he was muscled without being bulky.

I'm giving it my all

But I'm not the girl you're taking home

He let the Swedish synth-pop beat take over, his hips swaying as he listened to lyrics about loneliness and feeling left out.

I keep dancing on my own

The irony wasn't lost on him as he kept dancing, moving away from the mirror. The next song was too slow so he quickly scrolled looking for something better. He clicked on Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know," and began to sing along. He saw that Hima hadn't left the restaurant and opened up the security camera feed on his phone to make sure she was ok. 

****

The more Calum stared at the screen the more his concentration drifted. He wondered if Ashton had a type. Cal knew he was decent looking, but he wasn't Luke Hemmings. He snorted at the thought of that simpering pretty boy. Luke was a spoiled child, soft and weak, thinking only of himself. I bet he's selfish in bed, probably a bossy bottom  He was surprised at the surge of jealousy he felt. Don't bring Finn into this. He rubbed his temples at the memory of finding out his then-boyfriend was cheating with Luke.

Finn was always looking for an opportunity, whatever would take him to the next level. His relationship of almost a year with Calum failed to get him noticed in the food press. Finn felt Ashton didn't give him enough credit at Lune Rouge and whined constantly about it. Cal was having his own career struggles at the time and personally thought Finn was acting like a spoiled brat instead of being grateful for the opportunity. They began to spend less time together after Calum's snarky review caused a huge blow up. So when Ashton and Luke's relationship began to fray, Finn had time to lend a sympathetic ear. Calum suspected Finn was cheating, but he bought into the “golden couple” bullshit so Luke never crossed his mind. Calum was shocked and gutted when he walked in on the two of them one afternoon. Finn was supposed to be out of town, and Calum popped by to check on his dogs. The sound of sex greeted him when he opened the door and he should have left right then. His curiosity got the better of him, and he walked towards the bedroom. Their moans masked the sound of his boots as someone had a very loud orgasm. Calum opened the door as they were falling away from each other. He walked in to find them panting for breath, sweaty and beautiful with the afterglow. Luke panicked and tried to hide himself, but Finn didn't flinch. 

"Well, I guess you know now," he said, smirking as his green eyes met Calum's. "If you're down for it, we've been talking about trying a third. You can top us both if you want." He shrugged and Calum physically felt the spell break. Looking back, he knew Finn broke his ego more than his heart. He'd been humiliated when it all came out, but he knew the affair had been worse for Ashton. He could tell Ashton was still damaged but definitely not broken. Wouldn't mind letting him break me, Calum thought, his mind wandering back to that unbuttoned pink shirt, Ashton's chest and neck begging to be marked up. I bet he likes it rough. 

Calum caught himself daydreaming again and blinked the half-filled word document back into focus. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a crush on someone, and he felt ridiculous. How am I gonna get through this interview?  It didn't help that Hima kept teasing him about it being a date. Calum's last date, with Nick the lawyer, had been a disaster. He'd ended up leaving after Nick disappeared on another phone call.

The truth was, he was excited about this interview and wished it really was a date. He'd scheduled a quick haircut and shave in the morning and carefully picked out an outfit. He figured his short-sleeve, red button-up paired with a black tank underneath would show off his arms while helping to hide his tummy pudge. He rubbed his stomach, still poking out from the leftover Indian food he'd finished off an hour ago, before letting his hand wander down and brushing his fingers across his cock and feeling it twitch in his basketball shorts. He wondered what Ashton would be wearing tomorrow. He pictured Ashton at the club, the ripped black jeans and the pink shirt unbuttoned enough to tease him. His dick twitched in his hand, waking up and demanding attention. 

****

Ashton gasped and almost dropped his phone at the sight of Hima standing in the break room in nothing but her bra and panties. He hadn't recovered from that shock when a male figure crawled into the frame. It took Ashton several seconds to realize the man was nude and covered in tattoos. The tattoos rang a bell, and he realized he was looking at Dakota, model/actor, Maisie's nephew, and a server at Anne Marie's. Dakota was a dark, brooding pretty boy with a perfect pink pout and tousled dark curls that he was always brushing out of his eyes. He was great at his job, but other than that he'd made no impression on Ashton, until now. Ashton watched the younger man on his knees in front of Hima as he sucked on her bright pink cock. What the fuck is happening?

Ashton blinked at his screen, still processing everything when Dakota stood up and bent over the table. Hima lined up behind him and thrust her hips against his ass. Ashton gulped for air and felt beads of sweat break out on his upper lip. He watched for a minute, hypnotized by Dakota writhing in pleasure, his black curls bouncing with every stroke, shoulders hunching over as he gripped the table. Ashton's mind flashed to Calum and what it would look like to have him bent over like that. He realized his dick was getting hard and quickly closed the app, feeling embarrassed for invading her privacy. He fumbled getting his phone into his pocket and accidentally skipped to the next song. "Anytime, Any Place," by Janet Jackson filled the room.  He laughed to himself at the sexy song and took another sip of wine. 

****

Calum squeezed himself through his clothes. He vaguely remembered Finn telling him Ashton was rumored to have a massive cock. He groaned at the thought of Ashton's hazel eyes looking down at him while he was on his knees. He imagined Ashton's cock brushing against his lips, teasing both of them. Calum groaned and gave up any pretense of trying to work. He stood up too quickly and knocked his chair over causing Brutus to wake from a dead sleep and start barking his head off. 

"It's ok, boy," Calum assured him, making sure he laid back down before going into his bedroom and shutting the door. Moments later he was stripped down to his boxers and shirt digging through his top dresser drawer until he found the small bag hiding under his socks. He pulled a bottle of lube and a small silicone sleeve out of the bag and walked back to the bed. He peeled off his shirt, kicked off his underwear and laid on his back on the bed. His cock was flat against his stomach, and as Calum reached for it he wondered what Ashton was doing right now.

****

Ashton felt the plug slip into his ass and shivered at the chill of the stainless steel. He wiped his hands off on a towel and walked out of the bathroom into his bedroom. The music was still playing. Janet's silky smooth voice gave way to Beyonce’s sultry vocals

Baby put your arms around me

Tell me I'm a problem

He walked back into his bedroom, feeling delicious shivers from the pressure on his prostate as he moved. The city lights illuminated the room from the open blinds on the balcony. 

Stop acting so scared, just do what I tell

First go through my legs, go back on your head

And whatever you want, yeah baby I'll bet it comes true

He reached down and squeezed his dick, rubbing his thumb over the tip down to the sensitive underside of the ridge. Pulling the shaft down and away from his body, pushing almost to the point of pain before easing up and giving it a nice slow stroke. He repeated the motion, each time pulling a little harder, edging a little closer to making it hurt, each time when he pulled back the relief was more intense. His fantasies were new visions: dark eyes and black curls still coming into focus in his mind's eye. He squeezed his muscles around the plug as he tapped the remote on the table next to him. The plug began to vibrate on the lowest speed and Ashton hissed at the sensation. He wondered if he'd let Calum fuck him.  Ashton didn't bottom very often. Luke didn't like to do the work, rarely agreed to switch up and whined whenever he did.  Calum looked like he could give as well as he got. 

***

Calum grunted as he pushed his cock, slick and shiny with lube, into the sleeve. His hips jerked upwards into the air as the countless smooth nubby fingers lining the inside of the toy closed around his swollen shaft, gripping and massaging the taut skin with every stroke. He screwed his eyes shut picturing Ashton on his back with his knees pulled up to his chest as he begged for him. Calum bit his lip to stifle a moan, slowing down his speed, not wanting to cum too fast. Hima told him Ashton called himself a “bendy boy” and had a strict yoga routine which just sent Calum's mind spinning, picturing trying different positions until Ashton was screaming for him. Calum moved his hand away, leaving the toy. The scenario in his mind began to switch up. The only thing Calum could think of hotter than fucking Ashton was getting railed by his massive cock. 

****

The combed cotton, high-thread-count pillowcase felt velvety soft and air-conditioned chilled when he bunched the pillow in his fists as he thrust his hips, burying his shaft in the soft folds. It felt amazing but was cold comfort when he was craving Calum's body heat. He turned the remote up a notch and adjusted the settings; a pulse pattern began throbbing against his core. He squeezed down on his dick even harder. He could feel the delicate feathers snapping under his fingers, but he didn't care. Ashton ached for release, longing to have Calum in his bed tonight. Every nerve in his body seemed to come alive as his orgasm began to build. His hips pumped faster trying to match the pulsing rhythm inside him. He wanted Calum, with a craving he’d never felt before. Something in those dark eyes challenged Ashton. There was something about this mysterious reporter that he needed to discover. He was getting closer with every stroke, the fantasy switching to pounding Calum into the mattress, seeing how well he could throw it back. The image was too much and he shuddered, cursing out loud as his climax hit. His hips stuttered and his legs wobbled, forcing him to his knees. The vibrator extended his orgasm, milking him drop by drop as he whimpered and fumbled for the remote. When he finally turned it off, he rolled onto his back and tried to catch his breath, thankful he'd bought a nice fluffy rug to put next to his bed. .  

****

Calum flipped over onto his stomach, grinding down with his hips, the sleeve moving with the friction. He wondered if Ashton was vanilla or if he could get into Calum's slight pain kink. He'd looked for Ashton on FetLife to no avail, but he was fairly sure he'd found Hima so that was a surprise. Calum reached up and tugged his nipple hard as his hips rocked slowly. There was a power to Ashton. He had a dominant side which Calum had clearly seen in his dynamic with Luke, despite Ashton being smaller in size. Calum wanted to see how he'd take charge because he wasn't soft like Luke, but he had no doubt Ashton could handle him. Calum raised himself up on his forearms, pumping his hips furiously. He thought about those arms wrapped around his neck, his teeth grazing Ashton's blood moon tattoos as he bent Cal over and took him hard and fast. He whimpered, biting the pillow, his rhythm starting to stutter as he thought about Ashton looking up at him, eyes wide with Calum's hand at his throat as they reached their high together. Calum was just at the edge when he quickly rolled over, removing the toy and ruining his orgasm. He gasped, his whole body shaking as his release spilled onto his belly. After a moment he reached down, using the sleeve to tease the tip through the aftershocks until it became too sensitive to touch. He was hungry again, so he grabbed a Kleenex and wiped himself off as best he could before walking, still naked, back through his house to turn on the oven. Pizza was always a good snack after sex, and he had an article to work on.

@sublimehood​​ @tea4sykes​​ @be-ready-when-i-say-go​ @scribblesos​​ @kiiiimberlyriiiicker1995​​ @wildmichaelflower​​ @castaway-cashton​​ @damselindistressanu​​ @notinthesameguey​​ @cashtonasfuck​ @irwinkitten​ @mermaidcashton​​ @malumsmermaid​​

#calum hood #ashton irwin #cashton #cashton smut #calum hood imagine #calum hood smut #ashton irwin smut #cashton slash #5sos #5sos smut

[flowerspecial]

Enemy To Lover - High School Edition - Part 2

JB

Obviously your friends would be sick and tired of the constant bickering between you two. Like seriously, you have spent so many years together, why can't you two just be freaking civil? It was one of your mutual friend’s birthdays, and you all decided that the best idea would be to throw an amazing surprise birthday party. You all assigned each other roles and tasks that you needed to do. Unfortunately, neither you nor JB could attend the designation of tasks, so you two ended up stuck together. Neither of you two were happy with this arrangement, and you were not afraid to let your feelings be apparent. But you knew that this wasn't about you, and you needed to suck it up for the sake of your friend. You would pick JB up from his house at the weekend. Annoyingly, you two also had the most difficult job, getting the food and alcohol for the party. Well you two had to walk around a supermarket deciding what food was best. “What about this? Everyone will love this.” “I don't like that.” “What the hell is your problem JB? Seriously, I get that we are different, but bloody hell you don't have to be in a sulk every time that you see me.” You would storm off away from him, leaving him stranded in the supermarket. There is just no need for toxic friendships like this. The next time that you saw JB was at the party. You noticed that he kept looking at you, but honestly you didn't let yourself dwell on it too much. You wanted to enjoy this party just as much as everyone else. However, JB managed to corner you in the kitchen while you were getting a drink. “We need to talk.” “JB, I really can't be bothered to talk to you right now. Let's just leave it okay? I get that we will never be friends, let's move on.” “I want to try and be friends.” “Why? Because you feel sorry for me? Or that you feel guilty that I stormed off the other day?” “Well yes, it might be some of that. But you know what they say, opposites attract.”

Mark

Sitting next to Mark wasn't all that bad, like his reputation told you, he generally preferred to stay to himself. Because you two kinda hated each other, it did mean that he wasn't willing to try and talk to you or anything. He would just have his head on his desk and go to sleep for the hour. “You know, if you actually listened in class, you might do better in the tests.” You would say to him. “Yeah, and if you actually focused on the work, instead of on me, you would also do better in the tests.” “If you two have not quite finished your conversation, you can finish tonight, in detention!” Your teacher would shout at the two of you. You had never had detention before, so you glared at the back of Mark’s head so ferociously, that if looks could kill, he would be a goner. After school finished, you would walk into the detention room to see Mark already sat there. You chose the seat in front of him, praying that you might actually get some of your school work done in the hour. It is not long before the detention supervisor leaves the room. “So why exactly do you hate me?” Mark asks you abruptly. “I don't hate you.” You try to argue back. “Well you could have fooled me, what have I ever done to annoy you?” “You misbehave in class, and you flirt with every person going. You don't care about your education or anyone else’s around you.” “When have I misbehaved in class? I fall asleep, yeah okay I do that. But I have never directly disrupted a class. As for the flirting, all I do is talk to people. It's not my fault that people in this school have spread so many rumours about me that no one actually knows the truth from the myth.” You just looked at him, shocked with his sudden outburst. “I was actually looking forward to sitting with you, I thought that you could help me. But if I bother you that much, I will ask the teacher to move me tomorrow.” With that, Mark walked out of detention.

Jackson

Honestly, prom is meant to be a fun time with your friends, but truly this was your idea of hell. After everyone had been assigned their dates, you all found a day when everyone was free and decided to go prom shopping. All of the couples were keen to take in each other’s opinions about what you should both wear. You and Jackson however, could not care less about what the other person is wearing. Therefore you looked around the shop by yourself and chose a dress that you thought was perfect for you.  “Of course you are going to choose the sparkliest dress in here. God forbid if anyone else gets attention just for a second.” Jackson rolled his eyes as you walked out in your dress. “That's rich coming from you! You know it isn't a contest to see who can wear the most designers?” You sneered back at him. The constant bickering between you two was starting to wear thin on you, and somewhere along this process Jackson’s comments had gotten slightly harsher than ever before. “Just because you can't afford to wear the clothes that I can! Jealous much?” Wow, now that one really struck a nerve in you. “Fuck you Jackson! I don't need to take this kind of abuse from someone who I have no intention of ever speaking once I leave school. If you really don't like the way I dress, or the way I act, then fine. You win” You got dressed as quickly as you could, and left the changing rooms with the sparkly dress still hanging in the room. Jackson was waiting for you outside the changing rooms and he ran after you when you stormed off. “Wait, what do you mean I win?” Jackson grabbed your wrist to turn you towards him. “It means that you win Jackson. I don't want to play this game anymore. I can't spend my days with someone who constantly makes me feel like I’m mud on the sole of someone’s shoe. I’m not going to prom, find someone else to go with you.”

Jinyoung

If anyone asked you, you would not be able to tell them the last time you had been outside or taken a break from studying. These months were crucial for you to be able to get out of this town, and there was nothing that you were not willing to do in order to succeed. If you thought that you were hard on yourself before, boy were you kidding yourself. A mixture between wanting to succeed and immountable stress hung over you so much that you felt guilty when you didn't revise. You knew this was not a healthy way to live, heck you are doing AP Psychology for crying out loud, and your mental health was starting to deteriorate. It was one of those days when you did not have any extra curricular after school, so you decided to spend your evening studying in the library. You always preferred to sit in the corner of a library, as you didn't want to be disturbed by anything or anyone. You have felt on edge for some time, and will the university exams coming up in the next week, you were struggling to hold yourself together. As you attempted to complete a timed exam paper, there was a question that you were stuck on. In the grand scheme of things, that one question should not have bothered you so much. One question not understood in an entire exam paper is something to be proud of. However, your brain was fixated on that one question, and so you pushed out of your chair to try and find a book that could explain the answer. Your heart was fluttering so uncomfortably, and your breathing was ragged. You fell to the ground of the library in a slump and you struggled to focus on something. You felt someone try to position you so your head was between your knees. “Focus on your breathing okay? In through your nose, out through your mouth.” When you calmed down, you looked up to see who the person was that was helping you, and you were surprised to see Jinyoung sitting next to you. “You are the smartest person I know. Don't give yourself such a hard time.”

Youngjae

From the word go, you wanted to set ground rules for Youngjae. “Right, I actually need to do well in this presentation, I need to stabilise my grade. So I couldn't care less if you don't want to work with me, we are going to work together and we are going to do well. Okay?” You said to him as you sat down in your new seating position. “Who said I didn't want to work with you?” Youngjae asked, genuinely confused at your outburst. You look at him incredulously and ignore his question. For the rest of the lesson, you work in near silence, the only time you spoke was to tell Youngjae what tasks you were giving him and how long he had to do them. “I need you to have this done by the day after tomorrow at the latest. Here is my email, just send it to me when you have finished it. If you have any questions, ask someone else.” Before Youngjae could say anything, you gathered your belongings and walked out of the classroom. Not to sound cliche, but you always hated lunch time. Although you chose to be on your own, it was still never nice when it was made so apparent to you. In order to combat the twang of loneliness, you always played music through your headphones and did whatever homework was set. You looked around the lunch hall and someone caught your eyes. Youngjae was at the other side of the hall, with his friends. When he saw you he smiled and waved at you, earning his friends to turn around to see who he was looking at. You didn't think matters could get any worse, but Youngjae had decided to walk over to you and sit down opposite you. “Hey, why are you sitting on your own?” “Because I don't have anyone to sit with.” “Well… it's a good thing that I came then isn't it?” You couldn't work out if Youngjae was actually quite sweet, or so oblivious it was painful. It was clear he didn't notice the stares that he was getting by sitting next to you. Well, until one of the popular people stood behind him. “You don't wanna sit here Youngjae, you might catch something.”

Bambam

You were walking through the dining hall one lunch time, trying to find somewhere to eat. But because you weren't looking where you were going, you crashed into someone, spilling your food on them. “Are you actually kidding me? Do you know how much this shirt costs?” You didn't even need to look up to know who was speaking to you. Bambam was towering over you with steam coming out of his ears. “I am so sorry, I will pay you back! I can get it dry cleaned! Or I can get you a new one? How much is it?” “Oh yeah, like you can afford to get him a new shirt!” One of the girls behind Bambam sneered. “Yeah, aren't you the scholarship kid? You couldn't even afford to get in here, why would you be able to pay for his shirt?” You were fighting so hard to not let the tears fall that were pooling in your eyes. “I am really sorry, please just tell me how much it was and I will pay you back!” “It was $800, can you afford that?” The same girl as before piped up. “Yes, I will get the money!” Bambam had stayed silent throughout the entirety of his conversation, showing you that he clearly wasn't on your side. Before you embarrassed yourself further, you walked away from the group. You were determined to save up enough money to pay Bambam back, and you were not going to stop until you did. School became a living hell, Bambam’s group became your own personal group of tormentors, determined to show you that you don't belong at their school. You made sure to do longer shifts after school and during the weekends, meaning that on average you got about 4 hours of sleep. Life was not ideal for you, but you were determined to make it work. It took around a month for you to gather the money you owed Bambam. You saw him sitting with his friends in the dining hall, and you walked over to and slammed the money onto the table. “Here is the money that I owe you, now please, just leave me alone.”

Yugyeom

“I didn't know that you could play.” Yugyeom states very matter of factly. Seeing him walking towards you was making your heart rate begin to increase. “Oh I can't really, sorry I will get going now.” You gathered all of your belongings from the side of the piano and you tried to stand up from the seat. However, Yugyeom was too quick for you and pushed you back down. “Can you teach me how to do that?” “Why should I teach you?” “Why wouldn't you?” Yugyeom’s blatant disregard for his actions was making your blood boil. “Why should I help someone that has made my life here at school a living hell? Why should I help someone that when I see in the hallway, I will walk outside just to avoid. Why should I help someone who genuinely makes it his personal mission to destroy? “Look, it's not that big of a deal. The stuff that we do, it's just a joke!” “And the fact that you genuinely think that is what makes it worst of all.” This time, you managed to successfully climb out of the seat, and you stormed out of the room. A couple of days had passed, and Yugyeom was nowhere to be seen. You had expected that the tormenting would actually get worse, you practically gave him the green light after shouting at him the other day. But no, you hadn't seen him around school, and neither had any of his friends. You had a free period before lunch, which meant that you were able to spend longer than usual in the music room, which always put a smile on yourself. However, when you arrived, the lights were already on and you could hear someone playing on the piano. You peeped your head around the door to see the MIA boy sitting in the same spot which he was sat in a couple of days ago. You stood at the door for a few minutes, listening to Yugyeom playing the same section over and over again. “You know you have the wrong chord, right?” You asked him, causing Yugyeom to whip his head around to look at you. “I’m trying to do it from memory, I knew it sounded wrong but I didn't know why.”

#got7 #got7 imagines #got7 reactions #got7 scenarios #got7 blurbs

[winterromanov]

Maybe a college Bucky one where he’s being playing games out of town, and trying to study for exams and he’s just so tired but trying to keep going and reader makes him nap and relax and it’s just very Soft ☺️

pairing: bucky x reader (set in the same universe as this fic)

Trying to play football and also be a competent college student is an Incredibly Difficult Feat. You know this, because watching Bucky vault himself from away games to home games to mid terms to finals is about the most exhausting thing you’ve ever seen. If he’s not studying he’s at practice, and if he’s not playing he’s in an exam. It’s like watching a manic, sleep-deprived whirlwind, living almost entirely off coffee and takeout noodles.

He’s not taking care of himself. He’s pushing and pushing and pushing, trying not to let anybody down--as if he could ever do that.

“You don’t have anything to prove,” you say, as he crashes face-down on the bed in your dorm, the night before he leaves to play a game at Harvard and minutes after his Cold War history deadline. You’ve not seen him eat anything the last twenty-four hours. “Look--you won the last game. Steve said you could sit this one out.”

A vague mumbling comes from your bed. His face is smothered by the pillow and he’s too exhausted to even turn over, so you poke his ass with your foot. His hand reaches out, reflexes still ridiculously quick, pulling you onto the bed with him.

“Sorry, love,” you smirk, curling as close to him as your tiny mattress will allow. His arm pulls you close to his waist, palm splayed across your back. His heartbeat is unrelenting beneath his shirt, thudding between you. “Didn’t quite hear that one.”

His head shifts so you’re basically nose-to-nose, his grin sleepy and delirious. He’s gonna pass out any second. You’ve seen it many, many times before in the last hectic few weeks--you’re probably gonna see it a few more. “I’ll be fine after nap. Promise.”

“Don’t you dare fall asleep before I can force a pizza down you,” you warn, and he laughs, deliberately snuggling into the pillow and letting his eyes flicker closed. You can’t resist--running your hand through his hair, along his face. Kiss his forehead. “Goddamn it, Buck. You’re making it very difficult for me to look after you.”

“You being here is enough,” he says softly and before you have chance to reply he’s gone, lost in some dream. You slowly creep out of his embrace, making the pizza for him anyway. By the time you wake up the next day his body is a phantom shape in your bed but the pizza is gone--he’s left you a bright pink post-it note on the plate. Scribbled in his usual scrawl are the words thank you always favourite girl.

-

we won!!! harvard ain’t better than us at FOOTBALL

wish u could have been there

renaissance lit is being a bitch :(( well done you STAR. miss you more every moment so get back quick

should i hijack the bus and speed down the freeway

if you must

consider it done

love you

love you more than anything

-

The next game is thankfully a home one against Yale so you can at least keep an eye on him--you’re just protective, that’s all, not wanting him to burn out in front of you. There’s a lot of gym sessions and library cramming and a grand total of one dinner date at his apartment, where you made a pasta dish with as many vegetables as you could think of in as possible (his mom had sent you a message afterwards with immense gratitude because her son needed his greens, damn it). The following evening you’d wrapped yourself in one of his jerseys and sat in the bleachers alongside an injured Sam--injured and bitter about it--and waited in the lights and the noise for the game to begin.

“Bucky tells me you’re worried about him,” Sam interjects rather suddenly and when you blink back, he shrugs his non-injured shoulder nonchalantly. “Not that I blame you. That dude just doesn’t let up, does he?”

“You could say that,” you reply, shivering a little. The November air is cold, even wearing Bucky’s sweater. “He keeps telling me the season will be over before long, but I...I don’t want that to be a couple of weeks too much for him, you know?”

Sam hums thoughtfully. Around you, the crowd practically fizzes with excitement, covered with facepaint and aggressively chanting team songs at the opposing side. You’d never been to a college football game before you started dating one of the team’s star players, but you have to admit, the atmosphere is kinda addictive. Watching Bucky play is kinda addictive.

“If I know Bucky, and boy do I know him,” Sam eventually replies, squeezing up closer to you as more people gather into your stand. A girl is openly staring at you both--it doesn’t happen that often, but more so at games. People know Bucky, and Sam, so people know you. “He’ll get through this all okay. He always does, (Y/N). I’d been pretty damn surprised if he doesn’t make captain next year.”

You stare at the bright, clean grass of the field, and think of a boy so fucking exhausted from trying to balance his life that he can barely function half the time. Bucky would be an awesome captain. You just don’t want him to become a dead firework because of it.

-

The game ends up being pretty close but Yale just snatch the victory. It doesn’t mean that they can’t win the season, but. Bucky makes his way over to your stand at the end of the game like he always does, taking off his helmet and mouthguard. He also looks extremely deflated, like he always does when they lose.

“It’s okay,” you say, taking his face in your hands. He looks angry at himself. And you know what he’s thinking. I should have pushed harder. “Shit happens. You were still amazing.”

He kisses you over the barrier in a display of affection you were once too shy to give away in public, but you need him as much as he needs you. When you break apart you plant a chaste, gentle peck on his jawline, running your thumb over the shadow. 

“You two make me sick,” Sam interrupts the moment, arms folded. Bucky flips him off while smiling sweetly and you can’t help but laugh. “Honestly. Didn’t ask to be violated, but here we are.”

“Payback for every single time I’ve walked in on you doing unspeakable things with the girl from the top floor on our kitchen counter.” Bucky snaps back teasingly. You like watching the banter unfold between the two of them. You’d be worried if Bucky and Sam weren’t taking the piss at every given opportunity.

Sam gestures pointedly at his injured right shoulder. “I cannot believe you’d treat a fallen comrade like that. I’m disgusted.”

“And so was I when I saw the state of the kitchen counter.” Bucky gives you one last kiss, clutching your hand. “See you after I hit the showers, yeah?”

“I’ll be waiting.” Your promise him, and his eyes glow just a little brighter.

-

When Bucky facetimes you from Brown the very next week, he looks like he hasn’t slept for at least three days. His Ancient Chinese history exam is literally a day after he arrives back from the trip and he’s frantically cramming in his hotel room in Rhode Island, while also trying not to fuck up the team’s chances of winning the season.

“Just one more game after this,” his grainy voice says on the other end of the video feed, head lolling against the headboard of his Holiday Inn bed. You wish he was in your bed. God, you wish he was in your bed. “And the season is over and I don’t have to be away from you ever again.”

“I don’t think your mom would like it if I stole you away for Thanksgiving.” You joke, tongue poking between your teeth. His lips curve, half a laugh escaping from his chest.

“That’s why she personally invited you to stay with us for the holidays. She’s worried you might sneak in there first and drag me to Virginia. She already knows I’d go wherever you go.”

Your smile is kinda wistful. “Except when you go to Rhode Island.”

“Except when I go to Rhode Island.” He repeats, sighing dramatically. He rubs one of his tired eyes. “Ugh. Who thought coinciding pre-Thanksgiving exams and football season was a good idea, huh?”

“I have no idea, but I’m prepared to have words with them.” You tilt your head. “Don’t work too hard, yeah? It’s one exam. It’ll all be okay in the end.”

“I know, I know.”

You want to keep talking, on and on until the early hours like you do sometimes, because time is apparently not real when you and Bucky are on the phone together. But he needs sleep, and you need sleep, and occasionally you’ll do things for the greater good. “Good luck for tomorrow. Brown won’t know what’s hit ‘em.”

“They better not,” he jokes, “Will you be live-streaming the game?”

As if you wouldn’t. You can’t pretend that you always know what’s going on or any of the rules, but you always try to watch him if you can. He’d do the same for you, over and over and over. “Already got the tab open on my laptop and everything.”

Bucky’s grin is near effervescent, even through your patchy wifi connection. “I love you more than anything, you know that?”

“I may have had an inkling.”

-

hello y/n 

HELLLOOOOO

u know brown are the best losers because they lose and give you TEQUILA

omg are you drunk

never been DRUNK IN MY LIFE!!!! but im at this cool party and stEv e has found a girl and i miss u

i miss u so much . and like i just do generally 

whenever ur not ar oUnd 

oh sweet boy. you are very drunk.

im serious though

sometimes i think about how much i love you and it scares me

because then i th ink what it would be like if you wreent there 

and that makes me so fucking sad i cant breathe

y/n

y/n ???????????????

hellooo 

have u gone to bed

no, just messaging steve to make sure he gets you back safe. im not going anywhere. just please please look after yourself. love you always

-

“I’m sorry about those messages I sent you last night.”

You grab him in the tightest hug possible, his hold all still hanging off his arm, rain spattering down from dark clouds outside his apartment block. You hold him for at least ten years, you reckon, because the thought of him being so fucking sad he can’t breathe makes you so fucking sad you can’t breathe.

“You’re a terrible drunk who says things that make me emotional.” You laugh tearfully into his sweater and he grips you even harder, if possible. The shards of glass jabbed between your ribs start to dissolve as you inhale every single part of him.

“I know, sweetheart,” he murmurs, “I know.”

-

His last game is the day of your renaissance literature exam and for once you’ve been the one not eating and relying on caffeine, anxiety lingering round your jittery bones like an irritating ghost. Your interactions with Bucky are a battle between you wishing him aggressive luck for what could be the winning game while he equally aggressively says your exam will go fine, they always go fine, it’s an easy A for sure. 

Your exam isn’t until the afternoon so you spend the morning pacing about your bedroom looking at a sporadic mess of post-it notes on your wall declaring quotes and context that you hope will just stick in your brain. When Lizzie from down the hall says there’s a package for you you don’t actually think much of it, too busy to deal with something you’ve probably forgotten you ordered from Amazon--but she makes some comment about how fancy it is, wrapped up in striped paper.

Your name is in print across the front so it doesn’t leave a clue on the sender, but as soon as you rip into it and find a bundle of things nestled between tissue paper, you know instantly. It’s kind of embarrassing you didn’t click sooner. 

Dear Y/N - you’ll ace it, favourite gal. 

You try not to break down in sleep-deprived and emotional tears as you pull out a brand new sweater in your favourite shade of burgundy, a vintage copy of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, three different kind of Hershey’s bars and a dumb little teddy bear wearing your college jersey. He’s sent you a fucking care package. He’s away at Princeton, and he’s sent you a care package, because exams drive you crazy and he’s just... Well, he’s Bucky.

-

i got your present

have i ever mentioned that i love you

i may have had an inkling

-

He doesn’t really leave you a choice, does he? Besides, the game is only at Princeton, and if you catch the train the moment you escape the uneasy warmth of a crowded exam hall you should be able to get there in time. 

You’ve never been to Princeton stadium before, but you grab one of the last tickets available and rush onto their crowded bleachers just before the game is about to begin. The lights are heady, the atmosphere is electric, and you’re about to watch the man you lovingly, completely, unrelentingly call your own play the game he loves almost as much as you at a stadium forty miles from home. 

hey steve, you text his closest friend, hoping he’ll see it, get buck to look at the front of the stairs near block d when you come out

y/n if this is what i think it means he’s going to lose his goddamn mind

:)

When the team runs out you notice the number five on his jersey straight away, a constant fleeting image in your head from the countless games you’ve seen him play. Even from a distance, Steve’s eyes catch your own and his arm starts gesturing violently in your direction, Bucky taking a couple of moments to catch on.

It’s a good job the game isn’t due to start for a few more minutes, because absolutely nothing can stop him from automatically sprinting to your side of the field and kissing you senseless, cameras and crowds be damned.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he says on a dizzy outtake of breath.

“Couldn’t miss the last game of the season, could I?” You gently push his chest, urging him to go back to his team. “And neither can you. Go back to them. I’ll be waiting.”

He steals your lips for one more second, giddy and pumped full of adrenaline. “I really lucked out the day I met you, didn’t I?”

His mouth is hot. Hot. Unmistakable. Real. Always, always real. “Not as lucky as me.”

my masterlist

send me a request

#big oof #ridiculously fluffy #soft bucky #college!bucky #bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky x reader #bucky x you #marvel #mcu #marvel cinematic universe

[veirasurana]

@kura-marty holiday gift for you below; a drabble of our ocs in the circle as kids together :)

Veira

Stretching her arms as far as they would go, Veira exhaled deeply and melted onto the desk in front of her. Various tombs and notes were scattered across the deep cedar desk-- it was -the- desk-- the one that the apprentices deemed the most comfortable, the one that had the best light, most privacy. It was an unspoken privilege to sit here. As luck would have it, Veira got to sit here to study. She could spend hours wondering and debating whether she should sit here--if it was justified by her grades or spell work or whatever. She shook her head. It was just a desk. 

After her nice stretch, she took her quill and dipped it into some ink. These notes wouldn’t write themselves. Her tired eyes barely noticed the young apprentice staring from behind a bookshelf, as if they were locked in an internal battle to move out of the protection of their hiding spot. The apprentice was named Alea-- an elf, like her.  Alea was an adorable acquaintance, rather shy but a brilliant mage in her own right, exceeding in the study of herbalism and potions. They did often have long talks together about herbal magic and botany, and while it was not a subject Veira was particularly interested in personally, Alea made it sound absolutely fascinating.

Veira smiled softly. “Hello. Did you want to sit here?”

Alea’s shoulders jumped. “I--” she squeaked, then lowered her voice as some other apprentices shushed her. “I mean---I mean if you are okay with that, I just wanted some time to go over my notes--we have that test tomorrow, and I wanted to go over my notes with someone smart and who definitely knows the answers and--and-- oh gosh, I need to shut up.”

Veira shook her head. “There is no need. I was studying for it too.” She gestured at the end of the desk. “Please, go ahead.”

Alea hesitated, blushing head to toe and possibly wondering if she was being pranked. But she did find the courage to sit and organize her notes--making sure they did not get in the way of Veira’s. She smiled again, waiting for Alea to ask her questions.

They sat in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. Eventually, Veira broke it. “You...wanted to go over some questions with me?”

Again Alea’s face went bright red. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t want to disturb your studies, so I was waiting until you were...uh...done.”

“It would be better if we studied together,” Veira laughed, “and I’m sure comparing notes will help us learn.”

“With her notes? Hardly.”

The new voice came from shadow. Leena Amell--a rather brash apprentice that excelled in all subjects, whether it was the most obscure history to the most difficult spell. Veira felt a little hesitation. Leena was often antagonistic for some reason--usually against her. She hardly thought she had done something to warrant the aggression...they barely talked. She masked her hesitance with a calm sigh. “Hello, Leena.”

Alea

Oh gods, why was she here?

Alea felt like she had done so well. She managed to ask for Veira’s help without having a panic attack. Surely, that was a win. She had lots of little wins--like one time Alea found the hairpin Veira had misplaced in a classroom and gave it back. She liked to help out--especially with apprentices like Veira. Elven, kind, and really pretty to boot. It was no secret that Alea admired her greatly. If they were friends--well that would be incredible. Somehow this tower filled with other people just like her got really lonely. She felt less lonely around her.

But then there was Leena. She had no idea what her problem was. She was incredibly talented and beautiful--super successful and well on her way to becoming top tier in the Circle. She literally had no reason to hate Veira like she did. Well, she hated every other apprentice here. But most days Veira got the brunt of it.

Leena sneered at them. “You are in my spot.”

Alea and Veira exchanged a glance. Dread filled Alea as she felt her throat close up. Darn it, not again! Someone had to stand up to her for once. 

“I do not think this area is strictly for you,” Veira said calmly, no trace of anger or not even irritation. Alea had no idea how she kept a cool head when she was being bullied all the time.

Leena’s sneer turned into a scary smile, slamming her hand onto the desk hard enough to make Alea jump, but quiet enough not to stir the templar’s in the study. “I do not think” Leena said through her teeth, mocking the way that Veira talked, “you have the qualifications to monopolize this desk for so long, Surana. Especially if all you are going to do is socialize.”

Alea leaned back from the look in her eyes. Leena had a talent to make herself look absolutely terrifying.

But what Alea couldn’t stand was the allegation that Veira was lesser--and she supposed by that she herself was much lesser than both of them. It wasn’t fair...Leena wasn’t better just because she did so well at everything. She didn’t have to be a bully. 

“Not socializing.”

It was out before Alea could even process it. This was the first time Alea had talked back to Leena.

Oh, gods.

Leena glared daggers at her. “What did you say?”

Reading the room, Veira stood from her seat. “It’s fine,” she said calmly. “We were going over our notes--or at least we were about to. But, I am certain we can do that elsewhere. Why don’t we study in my room, Alea? I think my bunk can fit us both.”

Alea’s mouth went dry. “Y-your bed?” Her brain felt like it exploded with lava. “I-I-I- oka...y.”

Veira gathered up her notes while Alea nearly had a heart attack.

Leena

Her head ached. It was too loud here.

Maker, but they were all so stupid. Cared about stupid things, talked about stupid things. It made her head throb, the stupidity of it all. She needed quiet to focus. Not that she was worried about the exam tomorrow--she was going to ace it like all the rest. But she deserved some damn peace from all of these idiots.

Ah, that desk. That was the place to go. The one place that was far enough away from everyone else. She stormed through the tower, and everyone made room for her. As it should be. No one else worked as hard as she did. 

She almost felt relief knowing that she would spend the afternoon in solitude, only with her books. But then. Then it had to be her.

Surana. Her hand balled into a tight fist. 

Out of all the apprentices in this place, it was her that threatened her position the most. She was smart--too damn smart. She kept up with her own grades, was apt in most study in magic, and while there were certainly others just like that too, but Surana. The problem with her was that she was so damn likeable.

It had to be a trick. Surana only acted the way she did to get further up. It took so much effort for herself to be just nice enough to the enchanters to get them on her side, get her to higher places after apprenticeship.  She was not ever, under no circumstance, going to stay in the lower parts of the tower forever. But Surana...she was liked by all the enchanters. All of them. Except for the ones that were openly racist. 

She couldn’t let that stand. They were all her enemies and Leena would win. But Surana was her true rival. The one she had to beat no matter what. If she couldn’t, she’d be a fucking medium bar enchanter for the rest of her life. When it was the top...the First Enchanter...that was what she deserved to be. It was hers. 

Irving already loved Surana too much. She had to work three times as hard to get his attention thanks to her.

It was intolerable.

And there she was, with her stupid calm smile and charm to an apprentice she didn’t even give two shits about, but she was the all-mightly Surana and sunshine came out of her asshole like the perfect angel that she was. Leena’s blood boiled.

She couldn’t take that desk from her. Not today.

But...even as she won, and Surana packed her things and went back to her quarters with the love-sick apprentice at her heels, Leena felt so damned empty. 

She stood there in silence---finally, silence--but she couldn’t feel like she had won this battle, no matter how much she wanted to. She swallowed the scream in her throat. Eventually she sat in her rightful seat, opening her books. She could at least still win the exam tomorrow. 

That was all she had.

#veira surana #leena surana #alea surana

[bechloeislegit]

2020 BeChloe Valentine’s

WHOLE LOTTA LOVE TO SHARE

Prompt from FanFiction User horsegurl03: Hey, how about a 2nd shot to (I think Christmas 2018) chapter 13 - In Sickness And In Health. [Both announced they are pregnant]

Beca and Chloe checked in at the desk for their appointments. They sat in the waiting room and Beca couldn't help but stare at her wife.

They were both ten weeks pregnant and having their first ultrasound. They would have had them at eight weeks, but Chloe's grandmother passed away and they were in Tampa for a week.

Beca sighed and sat back, thinking back to Christmas when they both surprised each other with the news of their pregnancies.

On Christmas Eve, they had both said they had a special gift for the other. Chloe had run out of the room to get her gift for Beca, while Beca had hidden hers under the tree.

"Who should go first?" Chloe asked.

"You go first," Beca said. "I have a feeling my present is going to overshadow yours if I go first."

"I highly doubt that," Chloe said. "But, here."

Chloe handed Beca a box wrapped in paper with A Charlie Brown's Christmas scenes on it. It was Beca's favorite holiday story and she watched it every year.

"Nice paper," Beca side with a smile.

Beca tore the paper and threw it to the side. She looked at Chloe who was nervously chewing her bottom lip. She opened the box and set the lid down on the floor.

Beca peeked in the box and found layers of tissue paper. "Are you sure you want me to see this?" Beca asked with a laugh. "How many more layers do I have to get through to find it?"

"Oh, be quiet you," Chloe said, slapping at her arm. "It's under the paper."

Beca moved the tissue paper and pulled out something made of white cloth. She unfolded it and held it up.

"I know I'm small, Chlo," Beca said with a teasing smile. "But I don't think this is going to fit."

"Turn it around."

Beca turned it around and she quickly turned to look at Chloe. Chloe was smiling and had tears running down her face.

"This is for real?" Beca asked with tears in her eyes as she looked at the little tee that said 'I Love my Two Mommies.' "You're pregnant?"

Chloe nodded her head and Beca grabbed her and kissed her. She placed a hand on Chloe's stomach and pulled back.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Beca said. "When you didn't say anything, I thought you were upset because the pregnancy test was negative."

"I was going to tell you that night," Chloe said. "But when you came in you were so loving and gentle and I decided I wanted to do something special and surprise you."

"Well you did surprise me," Beca said.

Beca pulled Chloe to her again and held her for a few minutes.

"We're going to have some excited soon-to-be-grandparents here tomorrow," Chloe said with a laugh.

"They may be a bit more excited than you think," Beca mumbled.

"What?"

"I think you should open your present."

Chloe opened the gift to find the same shirt she gave Beca. "How did you know I was pregnant?"

"I didn't," Beca said and just looked at Chloe. She knew the second Chloe figured it out.

She stared at Beca with wide eyes and her mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to squeak out, "You're pregnant, too?"

"Yep," Beca said. "Surprise?"

"But, how? When? How?"

Beca took Chloe's hands in hers and moved closer so they were sitting knee to knee. "You were so upset when the first two tries didn't work that I was afraid of how you'd react if another attempt didn't work. And with Christmas coming up I didn't want you to be sad, so after you had your procedure done I went in and had it done, too. I figure we had a better shot at one of us being pregnant."

"So, when we thought you had the flu, it was-"

"Morning sickness," Beca finished. "Yeah."

"Oh, my God, Becs," Chloe said and let out a sob. "We're going to have two babies." Chloe grabbed Beca in a hug and kissed her. "I love you, so much."

"I love you, too," Beca said.

"This is going to be a great story to tell our kids one day," Chloe said.

"Mrs. Mitchell," a nurse called out, rousing Beca from her memories.

Chloe stood and held her hand out to Beca. Beca took it and followed Chloe to the ultrasound room.

"Which one of you is Chloe Mitchell?" the nurse asked.

"I am," Chloe said.

"Okay. Please remove your shirt and pants and put this on," the nurse said, holding out a paper gown.

"Um, I need one of those," Beca said.

The nurse looked at her.

"I'm pregnant, too," Beca said. "We both have an appointment for an ultrasound today."

"Oh," the nurse said. She grabbed another paper gown and handed it to Beca. "I'd better get your chart. What's your first name."

"Beca," Beca said.

The nurse left the room. Beca and Chloe both disrobed and put on their paper gowns. Beca sat on the exam table and Chloe stood next to her.

"Maybe one of us will have a girl," Beca said. "And one of us will have a boy. That would be cool, wouldn't it?"

"I think so," Chloe said.

"Hey, are you okay?" Beca asked, pulling Chloe to her.

"I'm so nervous," Chloe said. "It took so many tries for me to get pregnant. What if something happens? What if-"

"Hey," Beca said, interrupting Chloe. "No matter what happens, we are in this together. Literally."

Chloe chuckled. "I'm sorry. I just want us both to have a healthy baby."

"Me, too," Beca said and suddenly pulled back from Chloe. "Oh, my God! I just thought of something. What if we both go into labor at the same time? I want to be there for you."

"I want to be there for you, too," Chloe said. "I'm sure our folks, and even the Bellas, will be there for each of us."

"We have to tell them first," Beca said. "Why don't we tell them on Valentine's Day?"

"We should make sure everything's okay first," Chloe said.

"Everything will be fine," Beca said, hugging Chloe. "I can feel it."

There was a soft knock on the door. A doctor, and the nurse that was there previously, entered.

"Good morning, Mrs. Mitchell," the doctor said. "And Mrs. Mitchell. I understand you're both pregnant and are here for your first ultrasound."

"Yes," Beca and Chloe said.

"Okay, then," the doctor said with a smile. "Who wants to go first?"

"I'm already on the table so I'll go first," Beca said and laid back on the table.

Chloe stood by Beca's side as the nurse placed a sheet over Beca's lower half. Chloe pulled the gown up and exposed Beca's stomach.

The doctor clicked on the screen and took a tube of gel. He placed it over Beca's stomach.

"This is going to be a little cold," the doctor said as he squeezed some of the gel.

Beca's stomach contracted at the cold feeling. The doctor placed the ultrasound wand over the gel and started moving it back and forth as he watched the screen.

"Do you hear that?" the doctor asked.

"Oh, my gosh," Chloe said. "Is that the heartbeat?"

"It is," the doctor said.

Beca and Chloe listened as tears gathered in their eyes. Beca grasped Chloe's hand and squeezed it gently.

"That's our baby's heartbeat, Becs," Chloe whispered in awe.

"I know," Beca whispered back.

"Everything looks good," the doctor said. "I'll print off a picture for you to take home."

"Could you print a couple of them?" Chloe asked.

"Of course," the doctor said with a smile.

"Thank you," Beca said.

The nurse wiped Beca's stomach and pulled the gown down. She removed the sheet and helped Beca off the table. She removed the paper sheet and replaced it.

"Mrs. Mitchell," the nurse said, looking at Chloe. "You're next."

Chloe got onto the table and the nurse got her ready. The doctor handed Beca copies of the first ultrasound. Beca held it as tears came to her eyes.

"It's so beautiful," Beca said.

"Okay, Mrs. Mitchell number 2," the doctor said. "Are you ready?"

Chloe pulled her gown up to expose her stomach and nodded her head.

"Whoa," Chloe said and laughed as the gel landed on her stomach. "That is a bit cold."

"Sorry," the doctor said as he moved the wand over Chloe's stomach. "There it is."

Beca and Chloe listened as the baby's heartbeat filled the room. They looked at each other and smiled.

The doctor checked the screen and smiled. He moved the wand.

"And," the doctor said with much fanfare. "There's the other one."

"What?" Beca and Chloe both asked.

~ 2020 BeChloe Valentines - Whole Lotta Love to Share ~

Beca and Chloe sat in their car, stunned at hearing the Chloe was expecting twins. Beca held both their ultrasounds in her hand, tracing over the tiny shapes in awe.

Chloe sat in the seat next to Beca, her hands over her stomach, smiling as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Can you believe it, Becs?" Chloe asked, looking over at her wife. "Twins! We're going to have three babies."

"I know," Beca said, still in awe. "I don't think I've ever been this happy before."

"Me, either," Chloe said. She reached for Beca's hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Beca said and leaned over to kiss Chloe.

"Let's go home," Chloe said, kissing Beca one more time. "We need to tell our folks."

"They are going to freak," Beca said. "Hey, if we have a girl, do you think it'd be okay if we named her after your grandmother?"

Tears flowed down Chloe's face. She leaned over and grabbed Beca in a hug.

"I think that would be more than okay," Chloe said.

Beca smiled at Chloe and started the car. Chloe wiped her face and smiled all the way home.

A few hours later, Beca and Chloe were cuddling on the sofa. Both of their parents had been ecstatic to hear about the twins. Mama Beale cried when they told her if one of the babies was a girl they were naming it after her mom.

"We should find out what the babies' sexes are," Chloe said.

"That's a good idea," Beca said. "We can figure out names and color schemes for the nurseries."

"Yeah," Chloe said.

"We should definitely tell the Bellas, soon," Beca said.

"I think Valentine's Day will be a good day to tell them," Chloe said. "They'll all be in town."

"Do you think we should tell Stacie and Aubrey first?"

"They are our best friends," Chloe said. "But-."

"But, what?" Beca asked.

Chloe moved to face Beca and used her left hand to play with the buttons on Beca's shirt while putting her right arm around Beca's waist.

"Is it wrong that I want to keep this to ourselves for just a while longer?" Chloe asked.

"No, I don't think it's wrong," Beca said, kissing the tip of Chloe's nose. "We'll tell all the Bellas at the same time."

"I like that idea," Chloe said. "It's only two more weeks."

"I agree," Beca said, pulling Chloe closer to her. "Plus, I read somewhere that you should wait until you've reached twelve weeks to tell people."

~ 2020 BeChloe Valentines - Whole Lotta Love to Share ~

The next two weeks found Beca and Chloe still walking on air over the news that not only were they both pregnant, but Chloe was pregnant with twins.

Beca was at the studio finishing some work so she'd have time off to spend with the Bellas. Stacie and Aubrey were the first to arrive, followed by the rest of the Bellas over the next two hours.

The girls were sitting around, catching up and chatting when Stacie called out to Chloe.

"What time will Beca be home?" Stacie asked.

"Around seven, I think," Chloe responded. "I'll text her to see."

Chloe went to the kitchen to text Beca.

"Do you have any wine?" Jessica asked. "The girls want to start partying."

"Um, yeah," Chloe said and grabbed two bottles of wine and some glasses.

"Beca texted she'd be home soon," Chloe said as she and Jessica rejoined the Bellas in the living room.

"Who is she working with?" Ashley asked.

"I can't tell you," Chloe said. "But you all love them."

"Not fair, Chloe," Emily whined.

"Sorry," Chloe said, not looking sorry at all.

"Shots! Shots! Shots!" Amy suddenly yelled.

"Yeah, shots!" CR cried out.

"I don't know, you guys," Chloe said.

"Come on, Chloe," Stacie chimed in. "It's a Bellas party. We have to have shots."

Just then the front door opened and Beca walked in.

"Beca!" Chloe squealed and ran over to her wife.

"Beca's home!" Amy shouted. "Now we can really get this party started."

Beca kissed Chloe and looked around before whispering, "Let me guess. Shots?"

"Yeah," Chloe whispered. "We can't drink. We have to tell them now before they start pushing the shots on us."

"You're right," Beca said. "Come with me."

Beca took Chloe's hand and moved toward the stairs.

"Beca!" Stacie called out. "Get over here. We're doing shots."

"I need to talk to Chloe about something," Beca said quickly. "We'll be right back."

Beca hurried Chloe up the stairs before anyone else could say anything to them.

"Ew, they're going to do it while we're all waiting down here," Aubrey said.

"No, they're not," Stacie said. "That wasn't Beca's 'I'm going to have sex with my wife' look."

The girls all stared at Stacie. "What?" she asked with a shrug.

"I don't even want to know how you know that," Ashley said, shaking her head.

Beca dragged Chloe into their bedroom and closed the door.

"I'm going to change into sweats," Beca said. "Put this on. I had them made during my lunch break."

Beca took two shirts out of the bag she was carrying. She handed one to Chloe.

Chloe held up a t-shirt that read Baby #1, Baby #2 with an arrow pointing down.

"What is this?" Chloe asked.

Beca held up her shirt to show Chloe. Hers said Baby #3 with an arrow pointing down.

"I thought we could put these on and see who figures it out first," Beca said.

"That's clever," Chloe said, smiling as she took off her shirt and replaced it with the t-shirt.

Beca quickly changed into sweats and put her t-shirt on. "Ready?"

"No, but let's do it anyway," Chloe said.

"I love you," Beca said, kissing Chloe.

"Mmm, I love you, too," Chloe said.

~ 2020 BeChloe Valentines - Whole Lotta Love to Share ~

Beca and Chloe came back downstairs to find the Bellas facing off against each other.

"Pizza!" the first group yelled.

"Chinese!" the second group called out.

"Oh, God," Beca said. "We go through this every single time."

"I want both," Chloe said.

"Then both you shall have," Beca said, kissing Chloe quickly. "Guys! Guys! Stop!"

The girls all shut up and looked at Beca.

"We can get both," Beca said. "Someone write down what the pizza group wants, and someone else write down what the Chinese group wants. I'll pay."

"Alright, Beca," Amy said. "I'll do the pizza order."

"I'll do the Chinese," Jessica said.

Chloe grabbed paper and pens for the two and everyone started saying what they wanted.

The orders were placed and the girls were sitting around the living room, talking and drinking. Beca and Chloe managed to keep away from having to do the shots by getting things from the kitchen.

"I can't believe no one's mentioned our shirts," Chloe told Beca as they gathered plates, napkins, and eating utensils.

"Yeah, and they said we were oblivious about our feelings for each other," Beca said. "We're practically telling them we're pregnant and they haven't noticed."

"I'm surprised Brey hasn't said anything," Chloe said. "She's usually more observant than the others."

"Foods here!" Flo called out from the living room.

Beca and Chloe left the kitchen to find the girls passing around the food. Beca sat next to Chloe and handed out the plates and napkins.

The girls started eating and Stacie was looking at Beca and Chloe. She slowly chewed her General Tso's Chicken as she stared at the couple.

"What's up with you two?" Stacie finally asked, waving her fork between the two of them.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.

"I don't know," Stacie said. "Maybe it's the wine or the shots, but something is different about you."

"Different how?" Beca asked.

"Yeah, Stacie," Emily said. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not sure," Stacie said, her brows furrowed as she stared at Chloe.

Chloe began to squirm under her scrutiny.

"I know what it is," Stacie said suddenly. "Chloe, your boobs look bigger."

"Did you get a boob job?" Amy asked.

"What?" Beca screeched.

"No!" Chloe said.

"Then why do your boobs look-"

"You're pregnant!" Aubrey said.

The other girls whipped their heads around to look at Chloe, staring at her chest.

"Would you all stop looking at my wife's boobs," Beca said, putting a protective arm across Chloe's chest.

"It makes sense," Aubrey said. "Your boobs are fuller."

"And you haven't been drinking," Emily said.

"And you have this glow about you," Ashley said.

"Beca's boobs are fuller, too," Chloe said, laughing as Beca blushed. "And she hasn't been drinking."

"We're not talking about Beca," Stacie said. "We're talking about you."

"Are you pregnant, Chloe?" Aubrey asked.

The girls all stared at Chloe, waiting to hear the answer.

Beca and Chloe both breathed out a "Yes."

"Oh, my God, Chloe," Aubrey said, jumping up to run over and hug Chloe. "That's such wonderful news. Congratulations, I'm so happy for you."

"Um, we have something else to tell you all," Beca said, taking Chloe's hand and pulling her up to stand next to her.

Chloe smiled at Beca, but before either could say anything, Jessica shouted.

"Oh, my God! Look at their shirts. They're both pregnant! And Chloe-. You're having twins?"

"Yep," Chloe said with a big smile.

The girls all squealed and hugged Beca and Chloe. Flo sat off to the side watching, confusion written all over her face.

After everyone settled down, Chloe stood next to Beca with a smile as big as Beca's.

"Wait," Flo said. "I'm confused. How did you both get pregnant?"

Beca and Chloe told how Chloe had tried twice and the procedure didn't take. Then on the third try, Beca had the procedure done without Chloe knowing because she was afraid Chloe would be disappointed again if she wasn't pregnant.

"And we're both about twelve weeks," Beca said.

"And we found out that I'm having twins at our ultrasound two weeks ago," Chloe said.

"Wow!" Emily and Ashley said.

"This is, this is something else," CR said. "We're all so happy for you guys."

After everyone settled down, the topic of babies came up. It wasn't long after that everyone decided to call it a night.

~ 2020 BeChloe Valentines - Whole Lotta Love to Share ~

The next morning, Chloe gently eased out of Beca's arms and got out of bed. She pulled the blanket up around Beca's shoulders and kissed her on the forehead.

Chloe quietly made her way to the kitchen and set up the coffee pot. She put water in the tea kettle and set it on the stove. She was getting the cream and bottles of juice out of the refrigerator when she heard a raspy "Good morning" come from behind her.

Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Beca make her way over and take some of the things from Chloe, setting them on the counter. Chloe set what she was holding down as well.

"Did I wake you?" Chloe asked as Beca turned into her and hugged her.

"No," Beca said. "I reached for you and you were gone. Then I heard someone down here and figured it was you."

"The coffee should be ready in a few minutes," Chloe said. "I was going to give everyone another hour before I started waking them up. Our brunch reservation is for 11:00."

"Sounds good," Beca said. "I'll help you. But, first-"

Beca dropped down to her knees and hugged Chloe around the waist. She kissed Chloe's stomach twice and said, "I love you, babies."

Beca then stood and hugged Chloe. "And I love you."

"I love you, too," Chloe said, kissing Beca.

Beca continued to hold Chloe and started singing softly in Chloe's ear as they gently swayed back and forth together.

Having my baby What a lovely way of saying How much you love me. Having my baby

Chloe laughed as Beca continued to softly sing to her.

What a lovely way of saying What you're thinking of me.

Chloe pulled back and kissed Beca. She then started singing to Beca.

I can see it your face is glowing I can see it in your eyes. I'm happy knowin' that you're having my baby.

You're the woman I love and I love what it's doin' to you. Having my baby

Beca kissed Chloe, causing her to stop singing.

"I can't think of anyone else in the world I'd want to have a baby with, than you," Beca said.

"Right back at ya, babe," Chloe said.

"Oh, my God, that was so sappy," Stacie said.

"Bite me, Conrad," Beca said, not taking her eyes off Chloe.

"Is the coffee ready?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah," Chloe said, kissing Beca before turning to get coffee cups down for everyone.

Chloe made Beca's coffee and set it in front of her. Beca pulled Chloe to her and rested her forehead against Chloe's.

"Before I forget," Beca said. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," Chloe said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Song excerpt from: Having My Baby by Paul Anka.

#bechloe fanfiction #bechloe #beca mitchell #chloe beale

[myforeverforlife]

another sunrise.

For a fourth anon! Jongdae + 99. “This bath is too damn hot.” - “This is why we can’t do cute things. You complain too much.”

Masterlist

One look at you, and your husband knew that it had been a long day. In fact, this had been one long day in a week full of equally long days. Add onto that the cold that was starting to manifest at the back of your throat, and the stress of a new work routine. You were surprised and relieved that you had managed to make it through the events of today.

“Hey babe, how was work?” Jongdae asked, sneaking a kiss to your forehead as you slipped out of your coat.

“Crazy. Frustrating.” You groaned as you kicked off your boots. “I’m just glad it’s the weekend. I missed you.” When Jongdae tried to kiss you on the lips, you stopped him with a hand to his chest. “Wait, Dae. I can literally feel a cold coming on.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Jongdae pouted when he ran into your hand once more, settling for a side hug instead.

“That’s gross,” you said, wrinkling your nose. “And plus, I feel like we just got over that stomach flu you brought home, and I’d really like to avoid a repeat of that again.”

“Aw, I’m sorry babe. How can I help you feel better?”

“Unless you can make my work schedule and cold disappear, and whisk me off to a sunny island somewhere, I don’t think there’s much that’ll make me feel better.” A cough cut you off, Jongdae instantly jumping back in surprise.

“What about a warm bath? And afterwards, we can eat some takeout or something.”

Narrowing your eyes, you studied your husband’s face, his smile much too innocent for your liking. You weren’t really a bath person, something that both of you were aware of. “You just want an excuse to get me naked.”

Jongdae shushed you, gently pushing you towards the restroom. He wouldn’t hear of you helping out in any way, requesting that you lie down while he got the bath ready. The sounds of him bustling around in the bathroom with the steady stream of running water in the background were enough to have you drifting off to sleep. It was only when Jongdae gently shook you awake did you remember where you were and what was going on.

You let Jongdae guide you towards the restroom, woodenly stepping out of your clothes while Jongdae collected all of the pieces and threw them in the laundry basket.

“Okay, hop in babe.”

You eyed the steaming tub of water, highly suspicious that you and Jongdae had two different definitions of what a “warm” bath was, but you trusted him anyways. Holding onto the edge, you slipped one foot in, cringing as the rest of your body followed. “This bath is too damn hot.” You hissed as your elbows touched the surface of the water, quickly bringing them up and resting them on the edge of the tub.

“See, this is why we can’t do cute things. You complain too much.”

“Excuse me, I’m the whiny one here?” You reached into the tub, grabbing a handful of water before splashing it onto Jongdae’s hair.

Your husband screamed, backing away as he tried to shake the water out. “Okay, okay, I see your point.” He scowled as you hid your smile behind your hand, your shoulders trembling with laughter.

“So what’s next on your list? Strawberries and champagne while you massage shampoo into my hair?”

“Hm, I’m not so sure about the first two, but I can definitely give you that massage.”

And so, for the next ten minutes the two of you sat in calm silence, the only sounds being that of tiny waves of water splashing against the sides of the tub every time you moved around. You relaxed against the wall of the tub, facing away from Jongdae as he massaged your neck and shoulders.

“Dae?”

“Hm?” Jongdae’s fingers were brushing through the ends of your hair, detangling the strands in the water.

“I’m sorry I’ve been all cranky this week.”

“Babe, it’s fine. I know you haven’t been feeling like yourself lately.” His fingers moved from your hair to your face, tracing lines across your features. One finger went down the slope of you nose, leaving a trail of water of in its wake.

“I know, but still. I really appreciate everything that you do for me. I love you.”

Jongdae smiled, bending down to kiss one cheek, and then the other. His grin grew wider as you smiled up at him, you face upside down from your position in the tub. “I love you too.”

“You know what would make this even better?”

Jongdae hummed curiously, hands pausing over your shoulders.

“If you were in here with me.”

In a flash, Jongdae was standing up, shuffling out of his clothes and dropping them onto the floor.

“Wait, wait,” you rushed to say, sitting upright. “We’re just taking a bath though, no funny business tonight.”

“Okay,” Jongdae replied without hesitation. “Scoot over,” he murmured, gasping as his skin hit the water. “Okay, so maybe the water is a little too hot,” he admitted meekly.

With a giggle, you moved to the other edge of the tub, both of you sitting face-to-face, knees and legs bumping into each other in the middle. “When’s the last time we did this?” you wondered.

“Took a bath together? Never, unless you’re thinking of someone else,” Jongdae added, one brow raised in confusion.

“No, I meant just spending time with no distractions, not even with the TV on in the background. When’s the last time we just took a break from the world and pretended like we were the only ones that existed?”

Jongdae slid further down in the water as he thought, his chin brushing against the surface and sending ripples across the surface. “I don’t know. Its been a while though, huh? I don’t think we’ve been this relaxed for a while.”

“How was work for you today?” you nudged his toes with your own, giggling when he jolted up in surprise at the sensation.

“It was okay, I’ve had better days though.” Jongdae went into detail about a student who had walked into his lecture hall almost half an hour after the exam started and demanded that he let them take the test. “I mean, I would’ve understood if their car had broken down or their mom was in the hospital or something, but I had literally just seen them sitting outside a Starbucks with their friends before class started. These kids get more insane with each passing year,” he huffed out indignantly.

“I’m sorry.” You reached out for his hand under the water, giving it a light squeeze as you consoled him. “It’s not fair that some of them try to take advantage of how kind you are.”

“It’s not. But hey, that’s part of the job I signed up for. Lots of papers to grade, exams to proctor, kids who think they know it all because they’re in college.”

You motioned for Jongdae to turn around, moving closer and grabbing one of the shampoo bottles from the shower caddy. “I guess we both really needed this bath tonight,” you said as you began massaging shampoo into his scalp.

Jongdae sighed happily, eyes closing as you continued to wash his hair. “Thank you,” he mumbled sleepily. “We need to do this more often.”

“Mm, without the stressful work day though.”

You finished washing Jongdae’s hair before letting him do the same to yours. Both of you finished washing up, fingers pruny and bodies shivering from the water that had gradually started to cool down.

“Let me go order some takeout,” you offered, a towel wrapped around your body and another around your hair while Jongdae was still drying off.

“Thai food?” he called out after you.

“Fine with me!”

Thankfully, the Thai place that you guys often frequented wasn’t too far away, and soon you were merrily chewing down on your plate of pad Thai. Jongdae was equally enjoying his curry, taking a few pieces of shrimp from your food whenever you looked away.

“God, I’m in heaven,” he sighed, still chewing on food.

“Finish chewing.” Shaking your head, you pushed his chin upwards, forcing his mouth closed. “Although I can’t say I disagree. That bath was a good idea, Dae.”

“Well, I have been known to have some of those every once in a while.” He grinned as you snorted in amusement.

“Alright, Mr. Funny Guy. Are you gonna let me finish my dinner or what?”

“Depends on what the other option is.”

“A good, long nap that ends up with both of us sleeping through the night until noon.”

Jongdae chuckled, shoulders shaking as he leaned forward to kiss you on the nose. “Who am I to argue with that?”

It was easy to let the stress of the day linger over you, to nitpick every detail that you wish you could have changed, something that you wish had gone differently. But here in the comfort of your home with the person you loved the most, it was just as easy to remember that it was just important to breathe and take things one step at a time.

Tomorrow would be a new day, after all.

A/N: i feel like i’ve been getting sick all the time this fall, so writing this was also sort of healing for me as well haha (but seriously everyone, stay safe and healthy especially today on halloween!)

#exo #jongdae #jongdae scenario #jongdae fanfic #chen scenario #chen fanfic #exo scenario #exo fanfic #writings #drabbles

[starbuck09256]

Dialogue Prompt: 10. “Don’t look at me… I’m sick!”

Season One Early MSR referenced

  He’s not sure why he bothered coming into the office today. He is clearly ill. But he has to finish his report to Skinner of the arctic ice core project. The death of Danny and Bear. How they will never know what all was buried up there. He sniffles again, trying to find the issues in his crowded desk, finally seeing a box on the other side of the office in Scully’s area. Bless her for being organized. He takes the entire box with him as he plops back onto his chair, loosening his neck tie even though it’s only 8:15 in the morning he already feels hot and sweaty. The cough syrup he had taken makes him feel a little loopy as he hits each key on the keyboard. Scully will be in any second, and he knows that she will spend a good amount of time reminding him that she is a medical doctor probably make him go to the hospital and finish his report for him ignoring the fact that the worms could be extressitrail and how imperative it is that further investigation is necessary despite the entire area being burned. She’s a challenge but in a good way. She trusted him up there when she could have easily just shot him. He knows the medicine is messing with his brain when he starts thinking about her soft skin under his fingertips as he reached around her neck. How those strong small hands felt running up and over his shoulder muscles. How cute she looked in that ridiculous jacket and how he likes seeing the casual side of her. He is going crazy, she is still probably a spy albeit a bad one. He’s actually been able to convince her of quite a few things and maybe that is part of some grand plan she has. But he is in trouble, when she fell asleep on the flight home against his shoulder, how she snuggled into him. This fierce brillant woman is going to take up a lot of his free time. He’s already hearing her voice in his head when he reads certain stories that sound crazier than him. He smiles dopily shaking his head as she comes through the door with her briefcase and can-do attitude. 

“Morning” she says brightly. 

Does her voice always sound like sweet honey? Have her eyes always look so simmery? He makes a promise to himself to never take that hydro-whatever cough syrup again. He is clearly losing his mind and should probably get a cab home at this point. He tries to smile up at her. Play it cool so she doesn’t see that he has a high fever and also grinning like an idiot. “Mulder.. Are you all right?” She is moving over to him. He can’t help it, he starts to cough. 

“Don’t look at me.. I’m sick.” he says trying to move his hand in front of his face and dissuade her from getting closer. Her eyes narrow at him. 

“Yea, I can see that.. You know I’m a” 

“medical doctor yes yes Scully I’m aware. But I don’t need you lecturing me or anything for a cold. I just have to finish my report turn it into Skinner and then I’ll go home, promise.”

 He clicks a few times as he stands up to make his way to the printer, his stumble forward and is caught by Scully. Who is way faster than she looks. 

“Jesus Mulder,” she says as his cradled in her arms his legs having given out. He looks up from her shoulder sheepishly. 

“Hi Scully,” he mutters. She helps him a little to the side chair. Her cold hands running up and over his face, god her touch feels amazing. 

“Mulder, do you have a fever?” 

He looks up at her chuckling as her shrugs his shoulders at her and then she leans down brushing a soft kiss to his forehead. It feels like a feather but leaves him feeling tingly and cool. 

“Sorry Mulder, my hands are freezing and kissing your forehead is the only way I was going to be able to tell if you were actually really warm.” 

He wants to make a joke, but he finds himself grinning and nodding happily. 

“Its ok, it felt nice.” Oh fuck… he thinks. He is going to throw out that bottle of syrup the second he walks into his door. Her hands stop removing his tie. Her eyes meet his. 

“Mulder, did you umm take anything this morning for your cold?” she asks her voice tentative. 

The Mulder she knows is professional mostlyish. They have a great partnership and while she finds the work challenging and inthralling she has promised herself Mulder will not become the new Jack or Daniel no matter how cute his puppy dog eyes are. 

“Yea yea I took some cough medicine from an old bottle.” 

“How much did you take, you seem so out of it.” She mutters as her fingers finally free him of his tie and he feels the sweet relief of the first 2 buttons being undone. 

“Mulder god you’re all clammy. Have you had any water?” 

Water sounds like a good idea, he shakes his head as it slides  a little to the left. 

“Ok Mulder here is what we are gonna do.” Uh oh bossy Scully. Bossy Scully is not his favorite. Bossy Scully will shut you down. You will get nothing past her and she will make sure you are acutely aware that she is in charge. Bossy Scully is also incredibly sexy and one of his biggest turn ons. Not good not good. 

“Scully I’m just gonna turn this thing in..” he makes a vague gesture to where he thinks the printer is (not at all where he is gesturing)

”and then I’ll go home, sleep this off. Be fine and ready to bother and inundate you with annoying theories tomorrow.” 

He moves to stand ready to focus every single muscle in his body to accomplishing this task. He makes it about one foot before Boss Scully puts her hand on his chest and pushes him back down into the seat. So much force for a tiny person. He sits abruptly looking at her as sternly as possible. Her eyebrow raises and the look she gives him is something he anticipates seeing a lot of in their partnership. 

“Mulder, you can barely walk, I will turn this into Skinner for you. Then I will come right back here and take you home with a few stops to get you all fixed up.” 

“No Scully, that is a lot of effort. I mean it’s just a cold.” 

“Mulder you are burning up, until I can get an accurate reading of your temperature and find out what the hell you took, you are not leaving my sight. Do you understand?” her stern voice leaves no room for argument, and honestly he would rather argue with her over something more fun than being sick anyway. 

“Fine, doc. I’m happy to wait, while you run upstairs.” 

Her tight smile as she grabs the papers off the printer stapling them quickly and walks out. He sighs slumping into his chair playing with the two ends of his unknotted tie, tries not to think about how his head still kind of tingles where she kissed him. How the faint coolness from her fingers brushing over his skin is wearing off and how she will most likely be helping him strip down soon to crawl onto his couch. Before he can think of anything else she is back grabbing her briefcase and bracing her legs to help lift him. 

“Scully don’t look at me like that, I'm fine.” he huffs out as he starts to stand much to quickly and almost falls on top of her again. “

Sure you are partner, sure you are” she mutters his arm is slung over her shoulders as they try to make their way to the far elevator that can take them to the garage instead of the bullpen. She presses the button quickly and leans him against the wall a little. He can’t help but chuckle as they walk to her car. 

Her car is clean with another box of tissues available for his use. He blows again finding a tiny trash can conveniently available in the back. He watches her drive past buildings that blur together as his eyes drift close. The next thing he feels is a small jostle of her hand on his shoulder. 

“Mulder, come on you have to help me get you inside.” 

His eyes narrow as he stares at her building. She has a brown bag of groceries in one arm as she tries to reach for him. He rubs his face, and he struggles to get out of the seatbelt. She huffs a sigh and reaches across him to undo it. Even with his stuffy nose he smells her perfume. She looks at him waiting for him to figure out that now he can get out. 

“Oh, uh sorry.” he says as he moves towards her. 

“I can carry the bag for you Scully,” 

“No you can’t even carry yourself. Come on just lean against me,” 

“Why are we at your place? Seems a little early for a sleepover dontcha think?” She chuckles as they struggle up the stairs to her building. 

 “You have no bed in your apartment, and no food. What I think you took for cough medicine was not in fact cough medicine but a weird liquid muscle relaxer, which is making you loopy and delusional. You are in no shape to walk or do anything but sleep. Plus all my fun doctor toys are inside.”she is smirking, he can see her smirking 

“Oooh a sleepover and exam, you spoil me Scully.” 

“Dream on Mulder.” she says as she fumbles for her keys sliding them into the lock and pushing the door open with the bag of groceries. 

She helps him in, turning slightly to set the groceries down as he heads to the couch. 

“No, Mulder, no.”  he starts to sit as she rushes back from setting the groceries on the table. She is trying to lift him off the couch, but it’s so soft and smells like her and is comfy and he is so tired. 

“Mulder, come on jesus you’re heavy” as she struggles pulling him up. 

“You can’t stay on the couch.” 

“Sorry Scully I can’t take your bed from you. That’s not very partnerly.” she huffs a sigh.

 “Just help me get you into the bedroom ok?” 

“That’s what all the pretty girls are saying these days.” She can’t help but laugh. 

He stands swaying back and forth in her bedroom. It is famine but minimal. Decorated with whites and blues, he looks down at the tiny buttons on his shirt moving his fingers to try and undo them. she moves his hands away. 

“Scully, whoa, look I got it.” the eyebrow is back. 

“Mulder look just pull your shirt up a bit and undo your belt.” 

“whoa, wait,” 

“Mulder seriously you are going to fall over any second and I really need to get you in this bed before that happens and have you at least somewhat comfortable ok? I’ve seen plenty of naked men before alright don’t flatter yourself.” 

“yea but Scully they were dead.” 

“Ha..ha...ha” she says finishing unbuttoning his shirt for him and pulling it off. 

She is the model of efficiency his Scully. Shit, she is not your Scully, she is your very beautiful partner. Not really the right time to think about that considering she is now pulling off your belt buckle and undoing your pants pushing them down. 

“Ok sit down.” all business that voice.

 Bossy turn on Scully is back. He sits in his white shirt and boxers as she takes off his shoes and socks. She moves quick and he is wondering if she is secretly the roadrunner, going beep beep as she avoids the coyote. Her hand is so nice on his shoulder as she helps him under the covers. 

“Your hand feels so nice on my skin Scully,” he hums happily. 

She sighs, lets her fingers cool his burning skin. 

“Mulder just lay here, I’m going to go take your temperature, get you a cold compress and some water. Then you need to sleep for a bit before we can give you anything else. But I’ll make you some soup ok?” 

“Can you cook too Scully? That’s good to know.” 

she shakes her head at him and rubs her face. 

“I’ll be right back, don’t roll off the bed.” 

It's so comfortable her bed. Maybe he should get a bed, be a real adult. Have Scully pick out the sheets because the ones she has are so soft. He should steal one of her pillows too as he closes his eyes against the fabric. 

He smells the most delicious thing, which is surprising since he wasn’t sure his nose could do anything besides leak mucus. He feels a cool cloth on his face lightly dampening his skin. It feels wonderful. Like tiny kisses from a water mist. He hums in contentment. 

“Hey sleepyhead.” he finds her sitting on the bed next to him. She smiles warmly at him. Her fingers dancing across his forehead again as she moves his bangs. 

“How ya feeling?” He still feels stuffy but not as achy which is nice. 

“Better,” he mutters. 

“What’s that smell?” 

“Soup, I’ll bring you some in a minute. First take these and drink this entire glass please.” she hands him a couple pills and a cold glass of water as she stands up and makes her way to the kitchen no longer dressed in the pantsuit she was wearing to work, but a light blue sweater and black pants. 

He sits up, moving one of her perfect pillows behind his head as she carries a tray full of soup and little crackers. He grins widely. 

“Gonna spoon feed me too Doc?” she sets the tray down across his lap grabbing the napkin and tucking it under his chin mockingly.

 “Sorry not part of the service,” her eyes twinkle she likes this. Likes bantering with him. 

He takes the spoon in his hand pours way more crackers than he should into her clearly homemade soup stirring to get a big bite. It reminds him of when him and Sam had played to long in the snow. It warms his whole body, the taste lingers on his tongue. She smiles softly. 

“Well let me know when you are done. Your fever has come down a bit. But I still think you should stay here until tomorrow.” he nods. 

When he’s done she moves the tray fluffs his pillows for him and makes him take something else that will help him apparently. 

In the morning when she is asleep on the couch and he feels a thousand times better he kisses her cheek before waking her. 

Years Later

He looks at the discarded tissues that liter the end table. The bottle of nyquil, and aspirin. The picture of him and Scully obscured by a disarray of snot and mucus as he feels his lungs fill up to cough for the millionth time that day. He can’t help but laugh as Scully comes over to him, with her sad face of pity and a big bowl of her homemade soup and crackers. She sets it down for him, pulling out a thermometer and telling him to lay back. He’s pretty doped up on nyquil and some other stuff as her fingers brush through his hair and around his neck as she helps him settle on their worn couch. She sits against his stomach while his feet pop up on the other end. She smiles at him sadly shaking the old thermometer slipping it under his tongue. He thinks about all the times she’s been there doctoring him. 

“I miss when you use to just kiss my forehead for the temperature” she smiles and blushes. 

“I didn’t have a thermometer at the time..” 

“Oh yea that was why you did it got me to come over stripped me down” he taps her thigh with his long fingers. She grins up at him knowing she never fooled him. 

He can’t help but chuckle which leads to coughing. She shakes her head grabs the crackers and dumps a giant amount into his soup for him. Just like he did years ago. The spoon reaches his lips and he already feels better.

Tagging @today-in-fic @improlificinsarcasm @lappina @scully-eats-sushi @baronessblixen @itotallygazeatscully @marinafrenzy @peacenik0 @suitablyaggrieved

#mulder and scully 

#xf fanfic

#prompt #fluff #s1 #sickfic #thexfiles #I love prompts

#written on my phone with no beta #shrug

[dailyaudiobible]

04/18/2020 DAB Transcript

Joshua 16:1-18:28, Luke 19:1-27, Psalms 87:1-7, Proverbs 13:11

Today is the 18th day of April welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it's wonderful to be here with you as we bring another week to a close, continue the steps forward, day by day. So, we’ve been reading for the English Standard Version this week, which is what we'll do today and we will continue in the book of Joshua with chapters 16, 17 and 18.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for another week. Another week has gone by. They go by quickly it seems. Sometimes it feels like that time is dragging on and sometimes it’s like flying by and when we consider like how quickly we move through a month it feels like it's flying by and yet day by day step-by-step You are there guiding and instructing us through Your word, drawing us together in community. And, so we thank You for that. And as we release this week and it floats away and becomes a part of our history, we are grateful, and we are longing to see all that You have in store for us in the coming days and weeks. So, come Holy Spirit we pray. As we move into the end of this week may Your spirit hover around us in everything we do and say. And we ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website and that makes it home base for the Global Campfire, that makes it home base for a community like ours that’s wrapped all over the world and we come together virtually. So, just knowing that, knowing that that's home base is a good thing to know, it’s where you find out what’s happening.

So, the Prayer Wall lives there. That is a place that we can always reach out for prayer and always reach out and offer prayer. It’s always going, it's continual, you never have to be alone. You can reach out there for prayer. So, be familiar with that and aware of it. You can get to all of this within the app as well by pressing that little Drawer icon in the upper left-hand corner. So, lets continue to stay connected as we always have over all of the years. No matter what's going on in the world let’s remain connected in heart and Spirit as we continue our journey through the Bible.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com. There is a link. It lives on the homepage. I thank you profoundly for your partnership. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

This is Silver Lining Cindy from Seattle and my good friend Kristi Walker whom I met at the Moore conference a few years ago had some fantastic quarantine advice. She said at this time the best thing to do is to praise God. And, so, I followed suit and I came up with a list of phrases. Number one, so many dishes equals washing hands, very clean hands. There’s no parking tickets. CO2 emissions are down all over the planet and it is causing for some great views in different places. Very inspiring. From homeschooling I get to hear some really interesting stories from my kid that is…they’re very good and they’re very funny. My other kid is actually making use of a science kit that has been collecting dust for a few years. And, so, I’m excited about that. I’ve learned that by golly I can cook. I am donning this silver crown of wisdom atop my head from my undyed roots. I’m getting in touch with long-lost contacts. I found that wearing a robe to work is finally okay. Necessity breeds invention in so many ways, especially when you run out of ingredients in your kitchen. Jill, you did not have the Moore conference this year and just the foresight around this and what a blessing from God that it wasn’t…it didn’t happen. And Brian I’m so grateful that you and everybody got back from Jerusalem before everything got really crazy. Discoveries - eyes that can see. I’m learning a lot about the things that happen at my house when I’m normally at work, like all the crows that fly up to my roof. This is very interesting. And I’m also enjoying the lovely submission that we have no idea what God has in store for us and I pray that He feeds all of you in different lovely beautiful surprising ways every day. I have a certification exam that I am doing on Friday morning at 8:15 AM Pacific Standard Time. I’m really hoping for your prayers that I will pass my exam on Friday. I love you all.

Hi this is Scott Campo from Olean New York and I enjoy the Daily Audio Bible. Brian you do a great job and your daughter does a great job too on Chronological. And I just accepted the Lord and I’m a new Christian. And, so, have a great day.

Good morning DAB today is April 15th staying true to my calling on the 15th of the month for this entire year. This is your friend Val in Vegas. This is a praise report y’all, a stand up for Jesus, the Lord Almighty is strong and powerful praise report. This time last month I was in the hospital with double pneumonia, a ton of other health issues. I had just lost my job and felt so low that I believed God was mad at me y’all. And today just 30 days later I’m out of the hospital feeling amazing despite the doctor’s reports. I started my dream job last week working from home. You cannot tell me that our God is not able. Please, if you are out there like me on the edge in horrible health, hospitalized, unemployed and you feel like giving up, please, please, please listen to me. Listen to my words right now. God loves you. And my sister and my brother if He will do it for me, He will do it for you also. Thank you to everyone that prayed for me. This community has saved my life on more than one occasion and it can be done for you also. If you need prayer or have a praise report, please call in and share with us. There is power in the prayer circle of believers we have. We’ve got the most valuable tools here in this resource. Thank you, Brian thank you Jill, thank you Hardin family. Please call in and share…

This is Bonnie and this is for Victoria’s Venessa the respiratory therapist in Maryland. I heard you call in and I felt a connection to you because I also live in Maryland and my son who too lives in Maryland is a respiratory therapist. I want to call and in pray for you and I want to tell you how much I esteem you for coming out of your retirement to help your fellow respiratory therapists and patients. Heavenly Father I ask that You and Your great love and mercy, that You will keep Vanessa safe from the coronavirus and You would honor her dedication to these sick patients that she would come out of retirement to help him. What a great sacrifice of her time and talents that she is giving. I also pray for safety for my son Michael and his wife Sarah who is an ICU nurse. I pray for all medical personnel who are taking care of these patients and putting their own health at risk. I pray that there is enough PPE for all of them to keep them safe and enough medication and ventilators for the patients. I pray that more people would come to help in the hospital settings where there is so short staffed and overworked. I ask that You give wisdom to President Trump and the whole coronavirus task team and all the governors and leaders of all the states and all the countries on the best way to handle this pandemic. And most of all Lord I pray that Your will be done in the situation and that You are bringing people to Yourself through this. That’s the most important thing of all. And also, that You will be with the world as we strive to recover financially when this is over, and people would be able to return to work. And Father be with those who are sick and dying without family members, that is very heartbreaking and be with the family members who are grieving and can’t be there with their loved ones. Help us to trust in You because we know that You are in control of this and give us the peace that only You can give. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning DAB this is Blessings Flow in Pennsylvania. I was just calling in to say hi. Today’s April 15th and I am lounging here with my…our six-month-old who’s just kicking and enjoying life. But I was just calling in to say hi and just sitting here grateful. I believe it was Stanley in Maryland shared today just how we have a rhythm and every day we can listen and partake in the word and listen to each other’s prayer requests and praise reports and feel connected whether in quarantine and before the quarantine. So, I just want to call in with gratitude and also to thank the Hardin family for the app, the app that has been and...and all of the new updates. Thank you, thank you for your tireless work that many people like myself and thousands around the world you’ve never met are able to reap the benefits of your labor of love and also to give back. So, I want to thank you for that. And I also wanted to shout out Kingdom Seeker Daniel and Lady of Victory, back in early March I think it was listening to the February 25th Community Prayer and you had talked about jumping over to the DABC. And that day I really didn’t feel any impetus to start that but for some reason the next day it was just in my heart to start listening to the DABC. So, I have been doing that and I’m a double DABber now. So, I just want to thank you for your faithfulness and encouraging us to do that. May God bless everyone. Blessings Flow in Pennsylvania…

[breazy18]

Frailty V

Story Overview: Roman Godfrey is owner of The Godfrey Institute (The White Tower) is forced by his mother Olivia Godfrey, to be with a woman, to not only make upir, but create offspring with.

--

Note: Wanted to try something different, most of the chapters are going to be the readers view, but today we need to see Romans.

--

Reader:

I couldn’t believe everything that happened last night. Roman was usually a typical player, but he didn’t take advantage of the hot and heavy moment we had, I mean he had the opportunity.

That morning I got up and got dressed and wandered down the stairs. Roman wasn’t home, but I didn’t expect him to be, I was certain he was at the Institute.

When I walked past the office that’s when I saw it. The papers laying on his desk, and though I shouldn’t have snooped, they had my name written on the front.

Roman:

I had too much on my mind at work today, Pryce was stirring things up and then my mother walks in.

“What are you doing here?” I spat. “Oh Roman, don’t you have questions?” She grinned evilly. “What questions.” I narrowed my eyes. “Oh, darling sit.” So, I sat, not to please her, but just to know what the hell she was talking about.

“So, you don’t have any questions about that little girl sitting in your house all alone? Like where mommy and daddy are? Or why she doesn’t do anything? How she knows you are upir, or how she doesn’t know about Nadia?” She grinned evilly. “Do not, bring my daughter into this.” I spat. “And darling, what about your normal manly ways, I know you have certainly not done that yet.” She raised her brows looking away. “On her papers she says she’s a virgin, and I don’t really even like her.” I growled. “When has that ever stopped you?” She laughed. “I just haven’t even thought about her that way, her thoughts are loud, she distracts me, But explain.” I folded my hands on my desk.

“Well, we will start with her parents, she has none, she is from Hemlock Grove, Shelley and her do know each other. But her family has been compelled to pretend she has never existed and we made sure of that for example, they do not live here anymore, they are in Canada now, as for her, she has no idea she had or technically still does have family, all she knows now is what I compelled her to know. She knows we are all she has, she doesn’t remember her friends cause she can’t, and she knows you are upir and that Norman is your biological father, and she knows she can never say that to anyone, she knows what I am too, though she doesn’t know about your daughter, which is probably a good thing Nadia has been staying with Norman the past few days, but today you will need to explain that.” She grinned. I ran my hands through my hair. “So, why did you choose her? And why are you trying to control me still? Everything here is mine, the house you are living in, this building, hell, the whole city is mine, every inch surrounding Hemlock Grove is mine.” I hissed. Olivia stood up. “Yes Roman, you are right, you do own everything, but I am still your mother, and I picked her because you need someone, you need someone to have, and with her, because she is young and easily able to make upir with no fuss, and she is able to produce, she has never been on any sort of birth control, hence her virginity, we did labs on every single candidate I considered, but she won, on her charts, for love and compassion, those ranked the highest for her, which is why she will also make a great mother to that little girl you are hiding away.” Olivia spat back at me. “So, you picked her because she’s a good person and I am not? Got it.” I stood and came over to her. Olivia had gotten weak due a sickness that she didn’t know I knew about. I backed Olivia into the wall. “The only thing I have in common with that girl in my house, is that you ruined both of our lives.” I spat. Olivia began trembling. “I am ruler, I rule everything, this is my world. Do you get that?” Olivia nodded slowly. “I will kill you.” I hissed pushing her away. “Silas.” I yelled. “Come get this disgrace of a mother away from me.”

Reader:

I was in shock, with these papers Roman knew things about me he shouldn’t, like my virginity, how did they even know? Maybe when they did all of my health exams Olivia got a hold of them? I was so unsure about this, I tried thinking about how things were before I had to do all of this, but it all went blank. The only thing I remember is school, a few friends and my job. “Oh my god, my job.” My eyes went big. I haven’t been to work in ages. I tried to find the home phone to call Roman. I dialed his personal cell. “Everything okay?” He sighed answering. “Yeah, but I haven’t been to work.” I’m sure he heard the panic in my voice. “You do know you don’t have to work right? I mean, I am practically the king of this town, but they know you are on a leave on absence.” He sighed. So Roman took care of it. Of course he did. “Um, Y/N, I am going to be home early today, I have a lot to tell you, and I just want you to remain calm okay.” His voice filled with worry. “Sure.” I was nervous now; I had never heard Roman like that.

About two hours later Roman came home.

I was sitting on the living room couch with the fire going. I turned around to look at him. In one arm he had a bag, in the other a little girl with these beautiful blue eyes. I stood up slowly. “Y/N, I would like you to meet Nadia... my daughter.” Daughter? He has a child. “Daughter?” I mumbled sitting back down on the couch trying to avoid dizziness.

--

There is part five, part six should either be out today or tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed it. Some things were answered, somethings I have to let sink in a bit longer.

Frailty Part 1

Frailty Part 2

Frailty Part 3

Frailty Part 4

Frailty Part 6

Frailty Part 7

Frailty Part 8

Frailty Part 9

#bill skasgård #bill skarsgård fanfiction #bill skarsgård imagine #bill skarsgård x reader #roman godfrey #roman godfrey imagine #roman godfrey fanfiction #roman godfrey x reader #roman godfrey hemlock grove

[queenmorgawse]

transmigration for dummies

mdzs scum villain au, chapter two. read chapter one on tumblr. fic on ao3. as always, credits for the og idea to @lee-luca.

Here’s a life lesson from yours truly : if you don’t give yourself time to think about it, you won’t worry about it.

Getting into Gusu Lan’s white robes is so much of a hassle that, as he struggles with the unholy number of layers and conventions, Jingyi has no time at all to mull over the OOC function or how to get rid of it as soon as possible. To think he used to complain when his mother wanted him to wear a dress shirt and a tie to family events — if she could see him now, she’d probably tear a muscle laughing.

Fortunately, Sizhui seems to take it all into stride. Or, more accurately, he thinks Jingyi’s still too out of it to properly function, and therefore sees nothing wrong with having to walk him through the process of putting his own clothes on step by step like he’s a toddler learning about shoelaces for the first time. He imagines the original would feel humiliated, but Jingyi himself is all too glad for a plausible excuse to ask for help to care. The System grants him this one favor, and stays mercifully silent as Sizhui secures his hair into a high ponytail and shows him the proper way to tie his forehead ribbon (I really can’t do it for you, he says, and Jingyi understands. There’s no helping the virginity ribbon.)

Speaking of hair, he’s got to figure out what to do with his. He hasn’t had a chance to look into a mirror yet, but he knows that this body’s hair reaches his waist. From the looks of it, it’s lustrous and well-cared for, but it’s still a huge change from Jingyi’s style, trimmed whenever it threatened to grow past a finger’s length. His head feels heavy.

Right as Sizhui pats a speck of dust off his shoulder and declares him ready to go, the chime of a bell echoes through the Cloud Recesses, which Jingyi guesses means breakfast is served. Oh, well. His hairstyle’s a problem for tomorrow-Jingyi.

Their dorm’s disciples make their way to the common hall in orderly fashion. In Jingyi’s opinion, they look like a row of ducklings toddling after Sizhui, to whom the younger boys cling to like he’s their father, mother and brother all wrapped into the same person. Truly worthy of being the protagonists’ son! Perhaps in someone else, he’d dislike the model student, can-do-no-wrong attitude. In Lan Sizhui, though, it’s endearing — admirable, even.

They reach the dining hall before Jingyi can elaborate on that train of thought. On the doorstep, he has to take a moment. The donghua’s version was gorgeous, but even it pales before the real thing. The hall is all dark wood, draped in blue and white and delicate silver, the cloud patterns of Gusu Lan running across the banners. There’s something engraved on top of the doors, which Jingyi assumes is the sect’s motto, Be righteous.

One of his fellow disciples squints at him and he realizes, belatedly, that the original has probably seen this place a million times before and wouldn’t bat an eye at the scenery, no matter how enchanting. He immediately puts on the most dazed look he can manage, letting his eyes go blank, until the other boy turns away with a shrug.

Damn right, I’m a weirdo! Leave me alone!

The most anyone here seems to open their mouths for is to exchange quiet greetings, and Jingyi’s not quite comfortable enough with his surroundings to attempt it. What if he accidentally offends someone important? That’ll be the end of him for sure. Instead, he busies himself with trying to identify characters among the gathered disciples.

As it turns out, the task isn’t much of a challenge at all. The main branch of the Lan clan sits at the same table, though it does not particularly stand out among the others save for the cloud-patterned banners hanging directly above it. The guy in the middle must be Lan Xichen, Jingyi guesses, if only because of the respect others address him with, obvious even though he can’t hear their voices from where he stands.

From what he can tell, the unsmiling man sitting to Lan Xichen’s right is Lan Wangji, the main love interest. The intuition is further confirmed when Sizhui excuses himself from their group and flits to his side. Father and son barely exchange a few words, their dark heads bent together, but Jingyi could swear he sees Lan Wangji’s eyes soften a little.

He really does look sad. It’s not like Jingyi didn’t know, having read an entire novel about it, but seeing it for himself still makes his heart tighten in his chest a little. Worry not, Hanguang-Jun! he wants to say. Your future husband is coming back real soon! But of course, the System would probably nuke him instantly if he tried to, so Lan Wangji will have to be miserable for a little while longer.

“Come sit with me,” Sizhui’s voice says, and for the second time in less than two hours, Jingyi snaps himself back into reality to come face to face with the other junior’s kindly face.

It’s pretty wild how much effort Sizhui puts into being nice to him. Is it because he was there when Lan Jingyi was hurt? Does he feel responsible for him now? It’s not like the original was exceptionally pleasant to be around. He really does have to do something about it ⎯ or at least, he’ll take care of it when the System’s no longer on his ass about remaining in-character.

When Sizhui doesn’t seem to come to his senses and retract the offer, he hesitantly settles into the seat on the other’s left. Hopefully, everyone will just chalk up the delay in each of his movements to typical post-traumatic event confusion. What even happened on that night-hunt?

The silence that reigns in the dining hall is eerie, only disturbed by the clink of chopsticks against ceramic bowls and the occasional whispered thanks when a dish is passed down the table. It reminds Jingyi of an exam session, which does nothing to help his nerves.

He’s in the middle of his second bowl when the alert chimes in his head.【OOC behavior detected : -10 points. Current balance : 90 points. 】

What the hell? I didn’t do anything!

【The original Lan Jingyi never manages to stay silent during meals, effectively breaking Gusu Lan Sect’s two hundred and fifty-third rule. Points were deducted accordingly. 】

Was this even mentioned? Now you’re just pulling canon out of your ass! When the System doesn’t answer, Jingyi adds, plus, he’s sick, he doesn’t feel up to talking. It’s weird to refer to someone who’s technically himself in third person, but he can’t help it. He and the other guy probably wouldn’t be friends if they met, nevermind body roommates!

【... 】For the first time since Jingyi arrived, the System sounds somewhat irritated.【Objection considered : +5 points. Current balance : 95 points.】

A wide smile worms his way onto his face. So he can negotiate, huh? Jingyi’s always been pretty good at debate ⎯ he verbally wiped the floor with Huan Hua High’s team last competition, okay? He can definitely duke it out with an omniscient AI!

...Put like that, it sounds a little more daunting than before. But if he doesn’t want to end up booted off into a potentially dead body, he doesn’t exactly have a choice either.

Out of sheer spite, Jingyi finishes the third and last bowl of his breakfast in stubborn silence.

-

He shouldn’t have underestimated the soporific effect of a never-ending lecture. God, and he thought two-hour classes were bad. It's been three, and his soul feels like it's going to throw itself out of the reincarnation cycle.

Jingyi steals a mournful glance towards the window. The sun is shining outside, dammit! This is no time to keep children indoors! Yet Lan Qiren drones on, pacing back and forth in front of them and reading from one of too many foot-long scrolls, seemingly oblivious to his students’ boredom.

Why does he even have to be here? He was born a Lan, he’s supposed to know these things already! Jingyi conveniently ignores the fair point his brain raises (how the original must have known, but Jingyi himself could only recite a handful if he tried) in favor of complaining that, if pointless, is at least relaxing.

One of the Jiang guest disciples is dozing, head strategically propped up and brush in hand to give the illusion of attention. Lan Qiren hasn’t noticed yet. God, I wish that were me.

As if to offer convenient narrative contrast, Lan Sizhui and perhaps a couple others are making a valiant effort to stay focused on Jingyi’s other side, dutifully taking notes. Even Sizhui’s eyes have started to glaze over, though, and when their gazes meet (the umpteenth time Jingyi lets his sweep over the room in an attempt to spot something of interest before he bores himself to death), the other boy actually slumps a little before sitting up ramrod-straight again, just in time to look pristine when Lan Qiren’s eyes sweep over him.

It’s kind of reassuring, to see that even the Lan clan’s resident golden boy is a little imperfect.

Just as Jingyi glances down at the dregs of his notes, wondering if it’s worth it to pick them up again, chaos erupts on his right. Random-Jiang-Extra’s steadfast elbow pose has finally failed him, sending him crashing onto the table. Ink spills everywhere, drenching his notes, the lapels of his robes and even the hem of his neighbours’. Jingyi saves his in extremis by scrambling back, almost knocking over his own desk in the process.

The guest disciple blinks, like he doesn’t realize yet the magnitude of Lan Qiren’s wrath about to descend upon him. There’s a rather large smudge of ink on his chin. From a distance, it could pass for Lan Qiren’s goatee.

Jingyi snorts before he can think that decision through.

Beginner’s mistake. Lan Qiren turns towards him, eyes narrowing, and his laughter dies in his throat. “Do not laugh at others’ plight,” their teacher fumes. “Three thousand and fourth rule, Lan Jingyi! I postponed the punishments for your previous offenses on the grounds that you needed time to recover, but since you’re obviously well enough to embarrass our sect again, you won’t need that delay after all!”

I don’t even know what the other guy did! Jingyi almost protests, but since that objection just sounds like it’ll get him hit with another rule about not telling lies or whatnot, he keeps his mouth shut. Instead, he bows his head and says, “Sorry, Teacher. I’ll try my best not to do it again.” Screw his pride! Anything to escape copying rules! Especially not while doing handstands!

Not to the original’s credit, Lan Qiren looks, for a moment, genuinely surprised. Not for the first time, Jingyi feels a small stab of resentment towards Lan Jingyi. He’s been trying not to, given that he has no idea what happened to the guy’s soul and he may be in a worse situation than Jingyi is right now, but why couldn’t he have been a good, well-behaved student like Lan Sizhui?

...In retrospect, maybe it’s just as good that he wasn’t. Jingyi would have gotten way too many points deducted just because he couldn’t sit still in class.

【OOC behavior detected : -10 points. Current balance : 85 points. 】

Ouch. Must be for the apology. Well, if it saves him from the dreaded handstand copying, he can make up for the loss later.

Against all odds, it works. Lan Qiren rubs the bridge of his nose, stifling what Jingyi is fairly sure is meant to be a long-suffering sigh. “One copy of our sect rules, to be done in the Library Pavilion. Lan Sizhui will supervise you...after his guqin lesson, is that right?”

“Yes, Teacher.” If Sizhui’s annoyed to have to take time out of an assumedly free evening to watch him butcher calligraphy, he doesn’t show it. From the look in his eyes, though, it may not be the first time.

Jingyi tunes out of Lan Qiren’s next tirade, directed at the hapless Jiang boy, who’s still staring at his ruined notes as his martial brothers make sympathetic noises. Can’t say this day started out all that well, but it’s not that bad for a beginning. It definitely could have been worse.

Then Lan Sizhui gives him a tiny smile that carves a dimple into his right cheek, and maybe today really is going to be a pretty good day after all.

strolls in with starbucks almost a month later,,, hello, i haven’t abandoned this fic, mini exam period just punched me harder than expected. i hope this chapter wasn’t boring - i’m trying to set things up before the actual mdzs plot kicks in, but we’re in for some zhuiyi fluffTM. also, i made a twitter! feel free to follow me over there for random au ideas (but mostly crying). still taking questions + prompts, both here and there. and finally, would you guys read a more serious / plotty / angsty fic with ljy x jl as the main ship (though romance would probably take a backseat to the plot)? i wrote a small premise over here, but i crave feedback and validation.

#mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #mdzs #lan jingyi #zhuiyi #kim's fics #transmigrator!ljy

[09yards]

6 - Colouring Outside the Lines (days gone by - nct)

Days Gone By masterlist | main masterlist

The remainder of August passed like nothing ever happened, school started up again far too quickly and maybe, just maybe, Mark would get his fresh start and life could go back to ‘normal’. But really, what is normal anymore? Between Renjun and Jaemin figuring out where they stand with one another, Hyuck pretending like everything’s okay and the brother Mark feels like he barely knows anymore, Mark feels too busy to get a second chance to think about anything other than his exams. Autumn always brings about change, for some its for the better – for others, not so much.

They say time slips away when you’re having fun, that’s why you said let’s change our life to a dull one Don’t wanna blink one day and this will all be over, if only time could stop so we’d never grow older

Yet in the same breath I look forward to the day when our skin has aged, I’ll love you just the same Our canvas will have endless hues and shades because of all the vivid colours that we made

Mark always liked Autumn the most out of the seasons, the softer weather, no longer having to deal with the obnoxious sun, trees turning from electric greens to an array of dusky oranges. The air was crisper, a little harsher and with it came the rain but Mark never minded rain, perhaps it was the memories of walking Jisung home from middle school with Johnny, running and laughing as the rain poured over them – having forgotten their umbrellas that morning. Their mum always berating them for being so careless, complaining and nagging that they could make themselves sick. Collapsing through the door, out of breath, changing out of their now soaked through uniforms and curling up with hot chocolates in an attempt to increase their body temperature. They didn’t get to do that anymore. Johnny was at university, although only an hour away, but far enough that technically he didn’t live here anymore, at least not from September until June, Jisung went to the same school as Mark now and refused to drive in with him, still taking the bus – arguing he liked his ‘quiet time’. Mark remembers the bus, the bus is not in any way, shape or form, quiet. Jisung was fiercely independent, everyone knew this, he kept to himself as much as possible bar the three friends Mark knew he’d had since pre-school, Beomgyu, Samuel and Linlin, who even with their ten-year friendship, Mark knew very little about each of them. Frankly, he didn’t know much about his younger brother, not as much as he’d like to at least. Sure, Mark could tell you he has an extremely varied music taste, currently enjoying BTS and Black Pink but also the likes of panic! At the disco and Vinyl Theatre, he seems to be obsessed with HONNE at the minute if the constant playing of crying over you or location unknown was anything to go by, Mark could tell you that he prefers grey or muted tones rather than colour, knew that Jisung hates tomatoes but doesn’t mind tomato flavoured things, but Mark didn’t learn these things because he was told them, they were just things he’d picked up on. They didn’t talk anymore. Mark didn’t know what TV show he was currently binging, or what his favourite film at the minute is. Mark didn’t know the youngers opinions on his soulmate mark, he couldn’t remember the last time he heard Jisung ranting about Johnny and Ten and the damage they do to his innocence.

Jisung felt like a stranger to Mark these days, not someone he once couldn’t be separated from. Maybe that was a bit of a stretch but they were close, just how you’d imagine siblings to be. Sure, they fought and squabbled over who really won at Mario Kart but for a long time they really were each other’s best friend.

It was sad really. Beginning to feel like you lived alongside a stranger, passing each other in the hallway or across the landing but no time for anything more than a quick ‘hello’ or a mumbled, half-arsed ‘good morning’ from either of the brothers. It would also be much better if Mark wasn’t thinking about all of this at four am when he had a chemistry test at nine and while half of his brain is making him feel guilty about how he’s been a shitty brother and too preoccupied with his exams, the other half of his brain is running through Born-Haber cycles and it only made him feel worse. Marks realising that even though its barely October, he’s become exactly who he didn’t want to be, he drowns himself in work and when he’s not studying thermodynamics or the freaking nitrogen cycle he’s attempting to get some sleep or sometimes , just sometimes, he’s actually active in the group chat and is able to somewhat keep up with Renjun and Jaemin’s developing relationship but most importantly he’s gotten used to Donghyuck pretending like not a thing had happened back in August. Donghyuck left that morning, within two days he was back to messaging the group chat (also known as ‘Beyoncé’s bad bitches’ - yes, it was named by Jaemin, Renjun is still mad he wasn’t allowed to call it ‘a guide to crackheads, volume 101’ and Hyuck wanted to call it ‘hoes mad’. Mark did not agree to any of these names and continues to hide his phone whenever his mum is around - he has never flipped it over so fast than when his mum walks into the room, his friends have a habit of setting their own contact names to inappropriate phrases, i.e. Jaemin’s (again) current contact name is ‘your guide to getting that dick 101’, is there not a limit on the number of characters?) like everything was fine, starting out with his fist message about why on earth did he have homework over the summer, the summer. Weren’t you supposed to relax and ‘blow off some steam’?

Mark’s brain was in a state of overflow, uni application due here, maths test next week, chemistry exam today , start spending more time with your brother before you get even busier and he needs someone right now without Johnny around and deal with stupid feelings for Donghyuck knowing full well that they are unrequited tomorrow.

“Hey Mark? Can you come pick me up?”

“Sure, what time?”

“Now?” Panic, panic, panic.

“Yeah sure. Is everything okay? You sound kinda wobbly?”

“I’m fine. I’m down the backroad behind the park, I’m waiting at the end of the road.”

“Okay, I’m grabbing my keys and I’ll be on my way.”

Mark’s guide on how not to panic was a short one, it consisted of ‘breathe and don’t freak other people out’. He only had a ten-minute car journey to figure out how to calm down. Jisung was in trouble . There is no way he would’ve called otherwise and considering he could’ve walked home and it would only take an extra five minutes, something was clearly wrong. Hence, Mark’s brain has gone into instant panic mode. He wasn’t good at dealing with people or emotions, especially when he had no idea why his brother was down this road – none of his friends lived here, at least not as far as he could recall. Mark definitely broke the speed limit more than once (or four) times, his baby brother wasn’t okay.

Jisung looked glum. His eyes were read and puffy, visible even though Mark was a few metres away from him, his posture was sluggish and he looked broken . Jisung’s face didn’t light up upon seeing Mark, although he did look a little less panicked, instead he practically dragged his body into the car, slouching in his seat and saying “Just go,” before turning up the Twice song currently playing (what is love? Mark’s brain supplied).

“Are we going to sit in silence and pretend like everything’s fine or is this the point where instead of Twice we listen to The Neighbourhood, Chase Atlantic and The 1975 and you tell me what’s going on so I don’t have to call Johnny or mum ?” Yeah, Mark was not good at the whole authority figure thing but he did remember all the things Johnny did for him. Mark remembers his first crush, the boy was not gay and Mark, stupidly, told this boy, Daniel, that he was. Daniel was one of the first people Mark came out to and well, he didn’t take it well. Accused him of ‘tainting’ him, trying to make him gay. So, Mark, teary-eyed and heartbroken, rang Johnny who came to pick him up. Johnny sat with him in the car at the lookout, blasting Mr Brightside by The Killers until Mark was ready to talk. That was when Johnny taught Mark about how there are some really, really great people who will run around waving pride flags for you and do everything they can to make you comfortable (like Lucas) and there are some people who are stupid and are not-so-great, some people don’t like it and that’s okay, they’re entitled to their opinion, Johnny had said, they’re just wrong. Mark was thirteen at the time and quickly learnt that some problems (aka stupid crushes on boys that are tall, have fluffy hair and chocolate-coloured eyes) can be solved with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream and some crying while listening to Taylor Swift, not that Mark would ever admit his secret love for her.

“There’s a boy,” Jisung mumbled, “I think I like him? I don’t know. I ran out of his house after he hugged me and I panicked.” Oh. My. God. This was happening, okay Mark, you can do this.

“Does he make you happy?”

“So happy. He smiles at me and I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. We get along really well, he doesn’t find my playlists weird and he already knew every Twice member and most of the artists I was listening to and he thinks I’m cute and he pinches my cheeks and I don’t hate it.”

“You hate when anyone touches you without permission, usually?”

“I usually do. But, not him. I want to pinch his cheeks too. He has a gummy smile, it’s so cute. He has purple hair too! I really want to try purple, he said I’d look good with pink though so now I really want to try pink hair because he likes it. What is happening to me Mark?”

“You’ve got a crush Sungie.”

“Like you and Hyuck?”

“Yeah, like me and Hyuck. You feel the room brighten a little when he walks in and he makes you a little breathless when he gets too close, right?”

“Right! I’m gay aren’t I. This is the moment I realise I’m gay, huh, though it’d be a bit more exciting.”

“You’ve got plenty of time to explore what you want to, or not, label yourself as Sungie. But you do have a crush on a boy . It’s not the end of the world and no, he won’t hate you.”

“But I don’t know if he’s gay? I’d feel bad if he wasn’t and I tried to confess.”

“I honestly have no idea who we’re talking about so I couldn’t tell you if I had an inkling or not but you’ll figure it out. Talk to him, that’s the only way to get through these things. You can panic and run away all you like but you can’t avoid him forever, trust me, I’ve tried one too many times.”

“Okay. Thank you. Do you think this means Ten’s going to drag me to pride now?”

Mark let out a sigh, “We both know everyone was going whether they wanted to or not. Come on, let’s get ice cream and watch a movie. If you’ve got any questions you can always come to me, unless its sex stuff – I’m not ready for that, go to Johnny, you’re a baby so there better be no sex stuff for a long, long time.”

“Oh my god Mark,” Jisung groaned, “you do not have to worry about that stuff. Please just drive, I want cookie dough. And, we’re playing Mario Kart! Dibs on Yoshi.” With one last chuckle, Mark turned back to look at the younger, his own smile widening upon seeing a veryembarrassed but grinning Jisung. They would figure this out, together.

- - -

“You like me and my cold hands,” Jaemin whined, “maybe, you could warm them up for me. Don’t look at me like that, you loveee me.”

“Har-har, have I mentioned how funny you are lately? No? Wonder why that is. Come here you idiot.” Jaemin wrapped his arms around the smaller, allowing Renjun to bury his head into his chest, one of the only places the younger emitted warmth.

“See, told you that you love me.” I do, not that I’d tell you that.

“Renjun? Hey, you’re going to get a sore back if we don’t move.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What did you say? Renjun you can’t speak into me; I can’t hear you.”

“I said, I don’t want to go. I like it here, you’re warm.”

“Not even ten minutes ago you were whining that I’m cold.”

“I said your hands; your hands are always cold but you seem to radiate heat from everywhere else. Wait, aside from your feet too, they’re always cold, whenever they touch me in bed, I feel like an icicle.”

“You’re just always cold, you wear hoodies in August .” Now, as much as Renjun likes to dispute most comments made about him, he couldn’t argue against this. It may be October now and the cold weather has well and truly set in but, Renjun was always cold – four layers even when the current temperature was reading eighteen degrees, almost hot for an Autumn day. It worked as the perfect excuse to curl up into people (Jaemin) in search of warmth.

“There is nothing wrong with that,” Renjun huffed, “I’m just naturally colder than like, everyone.”

“I like that you’re cold, it gives me the excuse to cuddle you into oblivion and it makes you squirm when I do this-“

“AAH! STOP!” Icy hands were tickling at Renjun’s sides, making their way under his shirt, Renjun squirming and giggling, breathlessly panting for Jaemin to stop.

“Speak clearly Injun, I can’t hear you.” The grin on Jaemin’s face would make your cheeks hurt, wide with pure joy and his eyes filled with love as he flipped their positions, hovering over Renjun as he continued to tickle him to no end. “What was that? Did you say you wanted me to stop?”

“Jaeminnie please,” his voice was wheezy, trying to catch his breath whenever Jaemin’s hands paused their movement.

“Okay, okay. I have a better idea anyway,” and with that, his voice dropped an octave, away from his usual singsong tone to darker and husky. He dropped his head into the crook of Renjun’s neck, leaving light, feathery kisses where he could before moving under his ear and up his jaw, planting kiss after kiss on the expanse of Renjun’s face. God, Jaemin gave the best forehead kisses.

“Yep,” another sigh left Renjun’s lips, “definitely a better idea.” Jaemin finally connected their lips, breath tangling with one another’s, lips chasing each other whenever they parted for breath. It was needy but soft, like they were treasuring every moment of it, holding onto it.

A short while later Jaemin, having left Renjun with lips slightly swollen, much pinker than they were before and his neck littered with reddening marks, pulled away.

“We need to talk.” Renjun wasn’t a fan of this tone of voice, it wasn’t singsong and melodic like normal, nor was it huskier and darker than when he was breathless. This tone was rigid, void of emotion.

“S-sure?” It made Renjun feel small, like he was vulnerable, almost like whenever he got in trouble with his parents as a child.

Jaemin moved from hovering over him, instead opting to sit next to him. He let out a sigh, running his hand over his face, “I can’t keep doing this,” his voice was wobblier now, “we can’t keep going around like this not knowing if we’re soulmates or not. We could be hurting people. I have a soulmate mark and you don’t, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be – you’re my soulmate but, I am not yours.” Jaemin continued to rant on like this, saying that it wasn’t fair, that he didn’t want to live like this.

“Jesus Jaemin, will you let me speak for one second, please?”

“Oh, right, uhm. Yeah, sorry, go ahead.” The way Jaemin could turn from dominant and flirtatious, arrogant and stern to a complete utter mess never ceased to amaze Renjun.

“You’re an idiot, a complete and utter idiot.”

“Now, I don’t think that’s fair- “

“No, it is,” Renjun leant down to tug his sock off, his soulmate mark out of hiding, “look at me, stop burying your face in your hands and look at me.”

“I’m embarrassed Renjun, I think I have every right to not want to look at you.”

“Oh my god, I would not put up with you if you weren’t my soulmate.”

“What?” Jaemin’s head snapped up at that, glassy eyes meeting Renjun’s before darting down to where Renjun’s leg was crossed over into his lap, revealing his soulmate mark in all its super tiny glory. Angel written in a minimalistic print along his ankle. “You’re kidding, h-how could you not tell me?” A lone tear escaped the corner of his eye and god, Renjun was so damn in love with this boy.

“I didn’t know how to tell you, Hyuck said you cried for three hours about how I didn’t have a soulmate mark. I couldn’t exactly turn around and be like ‘hey Jaemin, I know we’ve been making out at least three times a week since prom night and we’re not together officially or anything but you are actually my soulmate , you’re just a dumbass who didn’t take my socks off and I’m madly in love with you’. Do you see my issue there?”

“Nope, you definitely should’ve done that. I could’ve been kissing you every day of the week. I liked you before, regardless of whether or not we were soulmates, sure I knew since I met you because wow, you’re you and then I just- “

“Shut up and kiss me already.”

“This means we’re boyfriends, right?”

“Not if you don’t kiss me in the next three seconds.”

“Jesus, so bossy!”

“You love it.”

“That I do.”

“I love you too.”

#markhyuck #markhyuck fic #nct fic #nct #nct fanfic #nct fluff #nct donghyuck #nct haechan #nct mark #nct dream #nct 127 #nct u #johnten #renmin #chensung #dojae #luqi #nct blurb #nct timestamps #ten nct #nct johnny #nct qian kun #nct jaehyun #nct doyoung #nct jisung #nct chenle #nct jungwoo #nct lucas #nct yuta #nct winwin