#he lives large even if he tries to blend in with the other kids in suburbia.

[ev3rm0re-q]

study nights.

desc: you have a hard time trying to get taehyun's attention as he tries to study and accomplish his physics homework.

pairing: taehyun x shy reader

genre: fluff

warning/s: nonee

wc: 1,548 words

a/n: bro he looks SOO fine in these pictures i canttt. anyway, im so sorry for being so ia huhu but i j wanted to thank everyone for all the support the first post has been getting <33 i want to reply to the comments but im so bad at simply interacting with others that im scared to sound awkward kjdfnajkd. ik this is another fluff but i swear ive been working on a muchh longer fic that i wannna post soon, so stay tuned and i hope u guys enjoy this one first!!

Only the scribbling of words on some papers and the sound of typing on a keyboard could be heard in Kai and Taehyun's shared room as the two of you went about with your own separate activities.

Kai, his roommate, was currently in the living area with the other boys, given that he didn't want to interrupt you two during your time alone. Which was a bit of a wasted effort considering Taehyun seemed to be using it more for his solo study time. 

At the moment, your boyfriend was devoting his utmost attention to his academics, with different papers and books systematically scattered all around the small study desk. His favorite pen on hand for extra notes, and he had a laptop propped up by a stand, followed by a Bluetooth keyboard on which he was currently typing his heart out.

You, on the other hand, were sat timidly on his bed with a good novel pressed against your nose. You did not wish to disrupt the boy because you knew how serious he was about his studies.

He had been trying to complete an extremely difficult homework for his Physics class, and because you didn't choose that as one of your classes for the year, you'd have no idea how much pain and suffering he'd have to endure in that class.

Like he was even going to suffer with that Professor Kim around.

Taehyun was very academically inclined, and as a result of the way he behaved himself, participated in class, and excelled in all of the work given to him, he often became the teachers' favorite student.

You could not help but admire your boyfriend for it. He truly possessed a lot of exceptional qualities.

Though your relationship was not as fresh as it used to be―you both being together for eight months long―you could not help but let your bashful manners take over when it came to situations like these.

You'd always been a shy and reserved kid who couldn't seem to take a stand for what you wanted in public interactions.

Of course, you could still converse with strangers when they needed directions and whatnot, but you never bothered to join large gatherings or tried to blend in with the other kids because you felt it was pointless and time-consuming. Basically being the opposite of Yeonjun... but you were still close friends with him.

Which is why you've often questioned how you managed to catch the attention of the extroverted boy sitting at the desk across from you. Maybe it was the random exchanges in the hallways- or you being well-acquainted with the rest of the boys.

Who knows?

You were just thankful that someone saw something special in you.

You looked up from your novel, expecting him to be almost finished with what he was doing and offer you some of his attention. Instead, you were disappointed to see that he remained deeply absorbed in his study. His focused gaze visible in his dark-brown eyes.

Because of this, you began to wonder if approaching him for attention was even a good idea. You decided to move a bit forward from your position until you were directly behind him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

For the following thirty minutes, you continued to silently read as he worked, giving him subtle hints that you wanted him to at least feel your presence from right behind him and take a glance at you.

"Tae?" You murmured out softly, unsure whether you wanted him to actually hear you or not.

He continued to focus solely on his work as he hummed out in response, "Hm?"

"How's your worksheet going?" You awkwardly questioned.

"Pretty rough, if I'm being honest. Why, love?"

"I-uhh just wanted to make sure you were doing alright." You uttered out before going back to your book.

Another hour had soon passed, and his prior hyper radar focus appeared to have cooled down to a more relaxed state as he progressed more with finishing his homework.

You were finding it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand because of the guys' occasional loud noise s outside, which was beginning to increase.

"You know, if you needed my attention, you could have just said so," He suddenly stated, out of the blue, eyes still glued to his screen.

"Huh?" You let out, not expecting him to even notice what you've been doing the whole time he was so immersed in his work.

"You heard me, love." He turned his chair around to finally look at you after hours of having his full attention on his homework.

"I'm not needy for your attention." you sneered, not wanting to appear 'needy' to him.

You hated that word. Needy. You were particularly insecure over having that trait in your relationship. You wished to prove to your boyfriend that you were just as responsible and self-sufficient as he had always been.

You frequently walked yourself home from school and even took precautions as to avoid spending too much time with him by only seeing him once or twice a week or texting him a lot but not too much to bother him. 

Even while you were out with all of your friends, you took care to keep your proximity to him to a minimum so as not to overly suffocate him. It was a pretty big deal to you.

"So you wouldn't mind if I keep going until Soobin calls us for dinner?" 

"Not at all." Your stubbornness took over as your y/e/c eyes never left the book.

So he continued studying for another couple of minutes and you were getting more impatient by the second. 'I fucked up.' you thought, remembering how much Taehyun truly sticks to his word.

You slowly started to fidget with the corners of the pages of your book, looking over your phone every now and then to try and find something to entertain you. Until, you finally broke. You stood up from the bed and headed over to where he sat to place your hands on his broad shoulders.

"Honey~" you called him out and him just humming back again in response.

Actually, he had finished the entirety of his worksheet a few minutes before. He was just pretending to do work to simply get a reaction out of you. The boy only wanted you to get over the shyness you still had, at least a bit, whenever you sought his attention or desired affection. To at least voice it out to him.

You spoke his name out once more, but he simply responded with another hum, seemed to barely acknowledge your calls.

"Can we... you know.."

"Huh?" His eyes still glued onto the PowerPoint he was currently 'studying'.

"...cuddle" You barely whispered out, not even sure if anyone could have heard what you just said.

"Excuse me... can we what, darling?" He teasingly replied.

As soon as you realized he was merely doing it to playfully taunt you, your stubborness resurfaced.  

"You know what, never mind." You immediately took your hands off of his shoulders, backing out of your previous statement and started to walk back to his bed.

You suddenly heard another loud squeal come from the living room, it was probably Yeonjun teasing Kai again. That's when the idea popped into your head. You started making a beeline for the door, trying to leave without muttering another word to your boyfriend.

"What do you think you're doing?" His eyes left the screen in front of him.

"Well, I figured the rest of the boys were just playing around outside, and since you're busy, I figured I could just get extra cuddles from Kai or Beomgyu, or something." You blurted, your novel still safely stored in your hand, as you inched closer to the door.

You then felt a soft hand grab your empty one, swiftly pulling you back. Your body was tenderly encircled by familiar arms from behind, and you felt his body's warmth envelop yours as his head rested on your shoulder.

"Just say it, please." You heard him barely mumbling it into your shoulder.

"Say that you want my attention. That you want me." He practically begged into your ear.

Since he was so close to you, you stammered out "I-I" as you felt his hot breath brush up against your neck like a feather.

"You don't have to look for it from other people, Y/N. I'm here." He reassured you before slowly guiding you back towards his bed.

You two simply lay there together as you gazed into his large, dark-brown eyes that nearly had the appearance of dark pearls. As he was witnessing your open gawking at him, he couldn't help but let out a soft giggle. 

"Why are you laughing so much." You pouted as he continued to tease you.

"I don't know, honestly. I just can't help the fact that I find you pretty cute." He remarked.

"Ugh, you're such a tease Kang Taehyun."

He then brought you in even closer before sealing the already little space between you with a gentle but hungry kiss.

--

"Were you really going to ask for cuddles from Beomgyu?"

"I think you missed the part where I also said Kai."

End.

#taehyun #kang taehyun #taehyun fic #taehyun fluff #txt #txt soft hours #beomgyu #hueningkai #yeonjun #soobin #taehyun imagines #taehyun scenarios #taehyun x reader #taehyun x you #taehyun x y/n #txt fanfiction #txt fic #txt fluff #txt x you #txt oneshots #taehyun oneshots

[hbyrde36]

Times Like These (The Anniversary Edition)

CH 1 CH 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11

Chapter 12: Live Again

WC: 6195 | AO3 link | CW: Smut

For two weeks Eddie didn’t leave the house.

He wasn’t in hiding, exactly, he just… wasn’t quite ready for the outside world yet.

There was no one shouting for his head since Chrissy was alive and therefore he was never tied to the mysterious deaths in town, save for the fact that he’d been the lone surviving victim of the same killer, officially. The Hawkins Post called him a hero, for escaping, for living. 

Most of the time, he didn’t feel much like one. 

While he was struggling, everyone else seemed to be settling into life post-Vecna, their new normal, with ease.

The Byers moved back to Hawkins. 

Joyce and Hopper, after his miraculous return to life that came with a cover story Eddie didn’t even want to know, had flown to California a day or two after the battle to pack up what was salvageable from the house in Lenora. The place had apparently been ransacked in their absence by the same sector of the government that had tried to capture Eleven, or so Dustin had said during one of his visits. Now they were back, one big happy blended family, staying at Hopper’s old cabin until they could find something better.

School started up again. 

Jonathan, Will, and El still had to wait for their transfers to go through, but the rest of the kids, Robin, Chrissy, and Nancy all returned to the halls of Hawkins High like it was nothing, like the world as they knew it hadn’t irrevocably changed.

Maybe for them, it hadn’t.

Maybe Eddie was the only one having a hard time returning to his life. 

He faked it well enough when anyone else was around, but in reality he barely ate and couldn't sleep—not quite able to believe that it was truly over, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. And on the rare occasion that he did manage to get some rest, he always woke in a panic, half-expecting to find himself back at the beginning again.

Though his injuries were essentially just a broken arm, Principal Higgins, in a rare show of mercy, agreed to allow him to finish out what was left of the school year at home, provided someone was willing to bring the materials to him and drop the completed work back off to his teachers the next day. 

Chrissy was a godsend, who happily jumped at the chance to help him out now that she had plenty of free time, since her first order of business when school resumed was to quit the cheerleading squad. And, in what he could only assume was an effort to tank her reputation as thoroughly and as quickly as possible, sat with the kids at the Hellfire table in the cafeteria when lunchtime rolled around, to the collective bafflement of Gareth, Jeff, and Grant. 

That had been a fun conversation to bullshit his way through when they stopped by to see him last week.

Chrissy was also the one person who, apart from Wayne, knew that he wasn’t doing well. With the amount of time she spent over at the trailer, it was kind of inevitable that he wouldn't be able to hide from her the way he could with the others. 

He knew she wanted to ask, wanted him to open up and talk about all the reasons why he was having such a hard time moving on, but he couldn't. He wouldn’t burden her with all that, she already knew enough. She didn’t need to hear how a large portion of his nightmares featured her body breaking over and over again right before his eyes. 

As far as the other thing, she knew something had happened between him and Steve, everyone seemed to know even if they didn't know what, but no one talked about it.

Just like in the hospital, Eddie didn’t ask, and no one else mentioned Steve either, which he’d been grateful for at first, not needing the painful reminder of how badly he’d fucked up, but it was getting infuriating, the not knowing. 

He just wanted to know that Steve was okay, to see for himself that Steve was real, and alive. 

Which was his only reason for agreeing to attend a movie night in the Wheelers cramped basement, surrounded by the smell of sweaty teenage boys and burnt popcorn. The potential of seeing Steve completely overrode his good sense. 

Except, Steve never showed. 

Nearly two hours of staring at the wall, and for nothing. He didn’t even know what movie they’d been watching, his thoughts too loud for him to pay attention. 

When the credits rolled and the kids started to move around again, Eddie booked it up the stairs, needing some air and a smoke to calm his nerves, not realizing that Chrissy and Robin were following close behind him.

The cigarette was dangling from his lips, lighter halfway to his mouth when the two girls burst out the door he’d just come through. He raised a single eyebrow and continued to light his smoke.

Robin wrinkled her nose and waved a hand in front of her face reflexively. “I don’t know a nice way to say this, so I’m just gonna say it. You look terrible. I mean Chrissy said, but I didn’t think it was this bad. Are you okay?!”

Chrissy smacked her on the arm. “Robin!”

Eddie sighed, blowing out a long plume of smoke. “No, that was fair. I haven't taken a good look in the mirror lately, but I'm sure you’re not wrong.”

“Sorry.” Robin winced. “In Chrissy’s defense all she told me was that she’s worried about you, that it didn’t seem like you were handling life after the Upside Down so great.”

He thought about playing it off, the same way he had dozens of times before when different members of their little group had come to check up on him, but he was tired—tired of lying about it and far too tired to come up with any convincing bullshit.

“I’m not. You’re right about that, both of you. I, uh, don’t really sleep much these days? And anytime I do close my eyes—it’s a nightmare. Either a literal one, or I wake up not being sure if any of what happened was real, or if it was just another failed loop and I'm about to start back at the beginning again. I mean, it’s been two weeks but it’s like I can't accept it. I can't accept that it’s done. I keep thinking maybe if I knew how it happened, if I could somehow be absolutely sure that it won’t happen again, maybe I could relax, but… what are the chances of that.”

It felt good to say it out loud for once, to name it and let it out instead of keeping it all bottled up inside.

"I wish there was more we could do to help." Chrissy said, running a hand up and down his back, careful not to bump his cast.  

"I know you have Wayne, and Chrissy of course, but you have me too—all of us.” Robin bit her lip, and he wondered if she was also thinking about the big Steve-sized hole in that—all of us, she claimed he had.

“We all get nightmares and stuff like that,” She continued, “And if you ever need to you can call me anytime, day or night.”

“Thanks, Buckley.” He said.

Wayne’s truck pulled up to the mailbox, the man himself waving from inside the cab. 

Even with his broken arm Eddie could have driven himself just fine, but his uncle insisted on giving him a ride. He figured if it made the old man feel better there was no sense in arguing about it.

Eddie waved back, and turned to say goodbye to the girls. 

“I guess I'd better go. Um, listen, Robin, is Steve okay? I just—I know he doesn’t want to see me, or whatever, but can you at least tell me that much?”

“I—He’s—Well,” Robin stuttered, opening and closing her mouth like a fish for a moment before finally snapping it shut. She studied his face, and seemed to come to some kind of decision, nodding to herself as she took a deep breath.

“Y’know what? Screw it, he can be mad at me if he wants to. Eddie, he’s a mess. He asked me not to say anything, especially to you, but—it’s so stupid! And it’s not like it’s some big secret that he hasn’t been around!” 

Eddie’s heart sank. “What do you mean?”

“He put in for a leave of absence at work. He won’t leave the house, won’t let the kids come over—he hardly even lets me see him anymore.”

“Oh.”

The truck’s horn went off, the sound startlingly loud in the quiet night air when the only other noise came from crickets chirping softly in the grass. All three of them jumped, looking around in a panic, and Wayne rolled his window down to shout out an apology. “Sorry kids! And I’m sorry to rush you, son, but I gotta get you home so I can get to work.”

-

By two o’clock in the morning Eddie had put his jacket on, gone all the way out to the van with keys in hand, started it, shut it off again, and gone back inside—twice. 

He couldn’t stop thinking about Steve. 

Which, in and of itself wasn’t unusual, the other boy was never far from his thoughts. A little over fourteen days since he’d seen him and it still didn’t hurt any less. 

The full out rejection. The radio silence. The complete avoidance. 

He’d expected the rejection, although he assumed it would have come after his confession, but beyond that he’d expected to retain, at the very least, an awkward friendship after that. They still shared a brood of freshmen, and whether they were… friends or not, that fact alone meant they’d be forced to interact at least some of the time.

But it was clear that even friendship wasn’t on the table, and till now Eddie felt like he had no choice but to sulk and accept it. What he learned tonight changed things. He was worried now. Steve wasn’t only avoiding him he was avoiding everyone, and it had to be his fault, somehow. Eddie wasn’t stupid, he knew that much, and that meant it was up to him to fix it. 

If Steve was avoiding the party in an effort to avoid him, well, maybe they could come up with a schedule, some sort-of joint custody agreement. 

If it was something else? Eddie didn’t know what he’d do, but he’d figure it out.

He was still pacing the floor in the living room, wondering how early would be too early to show up at Steve's house in the morning to hash things out, when there was a knock on the door. 

It was probably Max, he tried to tell his suddenly racing heart. She’d done it once or twice since he’d been home from the hospital, showing up in the middle of the night when she couldn’t sleep and saw his lights on. Still, he wasn’t about to get caught-out if it was someone less friendly stopping by for a visit this close to the witching hour, so he picked up the crowbar he’d taken to keeping by the door before easing it open to face whoever was on the other side of it. 

“Wha—Steve?” Eddie stuttered out, genuinely unsure for a moment because the boy in front of him had hollow, lifeless eyes set above dark bruising, as though he’d slept even less in recent days than Eddie himself had. His hair was flat, face pale and drawn. 

He was still painfully beautiful, because Steve could never not be that, but emphasis on the painful—the guy looked tortured, there was no other word for it. 

Steve glanced around nervously, refusing to meet his eyes. “Yeah, I–uh, sorry to just show up—”

Eddie stood in the doorway, mouth agape, frozen in shock. He blinked hard wondering if he’d lost it, if he was hallucinating the other boy showing up on his doorstep like this.

“C–can I come in? Just for a minute.” Steve asked.

The urge to reach out and touch Steve to make sure he was real, was strong, but he resisted.

“Yeah, sure, o-of course.” Eddie turned, propping the crowbar back up against the doorframe and took a few steps towards the couch, assuming Steve would follow, but quickly realized that he hadn’t moved. Eddie glanced back over his shoulder to find Steve still standing on the threshold, staring up at a spot on the ceiling.

“You okay?” Eddie asked.

Steve startled back to life, clearing his throat awkwardly as he finally ventured inside, closing the door behind him. 

Eddie sat down on the far end of the couch, hoping Steve would take the spot beside him, but instead he perched on the end of Wayne’s armchair across the room and dropped his head into his hands, leaning his elbows on his knees. Eddie was about to ask again if the other boy was okay, a dumb question really when the answer was so obviously no, but before he could open his mouth Steve began to speak—soft, and slow.

“Robin called me. She said you've been worried… a-about the loops restarting? And that you said, maybe if you knew–” 

He trailed off, and was quiet for long enough that Eddie had to say something.

“Steve, what–”

“The original timeline,” Steve rushed out, raising his head to look Eddie in the eyes for the first time since he’d opened the door. “I remember it.” He swallowed hard. “And I know what started all this.”

Eddie's stomach sank straight through the floor, and for a moment he lost all sense of the world around him, the sound of static and his own heart pounding was loud in his ears. 

This wasn’t happening, it couldn’t be real. He couldn’t possibly have heard Steve right.

“It was Owens,” Steve went on, his voice shaky. “Well, his people—the lab. I was there when they did it.”

Hearing that tremor in Steve’s words was what finally snapped Eddie out of it. This was happening, it was very real, and Steve was trembling from the remembrance.

“When we, uh—'' Steve dropped his gaze to the floor abruptly, as if suddenly realizing their eyes had met, and went back to staring at the carpet. “After we realized we’d failed, Robin, Nancy, and I, raced back to the trailer and I–I found Dustin sitting with y-y-your–” Steve stuttered, sniffling and wiping at his face roughly as he took a deep ragged breath. 

“Your body. I checked for a pulse but you were gone… already going cold. It couldn’t even have been that long, but it was like that place was taking it from you, your warmth, and I—we couldn't just leave you there, so I carried you out. One of Owens’ colleagues, Stinson, she was there waiting for us on the other side.” 

He paused, giving a little shake of his head. “She knew everything, including that we hadn’t killed Vecna because there were these huge cracks in the ground that ran all over town just like Nancy described in her vision. Then Stinson saw what I was carrying—you—and said she might have a way to help, a way to fix everything, but they'd need to take you with them. I–I couldn't just let them have you without knowing what they planned to do, so I went too, while the others went on to the hospital.”

Eddie was reeling, struggling to take it all in, to process what Steve was saying, all the while wanting desperately to comfort him somehow—but he was frozen in place.

“...Hospital?” He managed to ask, throat tight.

“Max.” Steve wrapped his arms around himself, glancing out the window in the direction of the girl’s house. “She was in some kind of coma or something. She died–”

Eddie gasped, bringing a hand to his chest. Red… he’d never known what happened to her in those first few failed loops.

“El brought her back,” Steve added quickly, head snapping back around at Eddie’s sharp intake of breath. “But she was dead—long enough to almost destroy the town. Four deaths, four chimes. It stopped spreading, the damage, when El brought her back but Vecna still won.”

“Steve, why–” Eddie began his question not even knowing what to ask first. It was all so much—too much.

“Why didn’t I just let them take you?” Steve guessed when he didn’t finish.

Eddie nodded, it was one of the many things he wondered about.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen, and I thought… th-the least I could do was make sure your uncle had a body to bury.”

Eddie threw a hand over his own mouth, stifling the sound that threatened to escape his throat as tears sprung to his eyes. He knew he’d died, and the dying itself had been no picnic, but to him the in-between had been nothing more than a bit of floaty darkness before he dropped back down into the world with a fresh start. He’d never really considered it from the outside—being a body for them to deal with, a lifeless husk that Steve had guarded if only so Wayne could have closure.

“We drove somewhere, maybe an hour outside of Hawkins where they’d built this big machine, kinda like, well, kinda like the Russians had under the mall, I guess. I didn’t understand most of it, science was never my best subject.”

Steve huffed a bitter laugh, rubbing his hands together as he continued. 

“But, uh, they said it could reverse time, or like, send a few of us back for another chance at stopping Vecna? That’s what they wanted your body for—honestly it sounded crazy, like something out of one of Dustin’s science fiction novels, but they said they could use you and the moment of your death as some kind of anchor point, the event that would slingshot time back—and would keep snapping it back until you lived, and hopefully that would mean Vecna didn’t. We waited two days, until Eleven made it back. I wanted her there too so she would remember and be able to help. We were supposed to–”  Steve swallowed back a sob, his chest contracting as he raked his hands roughly through his hair. 

“Eddie, I'm so sorry. We were supposed to remember too, you were never supposed to be alone in this. Maybe if I had, you wouldn’t have had to—” 

“No,” Eddie cut him off. “Don’t do that to yourself. None of that is your fault, ok? It’s over. He’s gone, and we’re here, and that’s all that matters now.”

Eddie rose from his spot on the couch, and had barely taken one foot in Steve’s direction when the other boy shot up out of his seat like it’d suddenly caught fire, rushing towards the door.

“Steve, wait.” Eddie called out, catching up in a few short strides. 

Steve froze with his hand on the door, but didn’t turn around. “So, you see? You don't have to worry anymore. It's—like you said, he’s dead and you’re not. The conditions were met. It’s over. That’s all I wanted you to know.”

The handle turned and Steve began to pull the door open, but Eddie couldn’t let him go, not like this, not without—

Eddie crowded up behind him, reaching past to slap his palm on the door, keeping it closed.

“Please,” Eddie quietly begged, close enough now to feel the heat of Steve’s body, to smell his skin. “Just, please… can we talk?”

“What else is there to talk about?”

“What else do you remember?”

“Everything, Eddie,” Steve breathed, barely a whisper. “I remember all of it.”

Eddie dropped his hand from the door, stumbling back. He should have expected it, because why would Steve only regain his memory of that first time, but for some reason it took him entirely off balance. 

“When?” 

“The first night you were in the hospital.” Steve turned to face him, expression resigned. “I fell asleep on a chair in your room and it was like—like a flash of lightning inside my head. I woke up and suddenly it all came rushing back. I thought I was losing my mind at first but eventually I realized what it was—that I remembered.”

“Oh.”

That was why Steve had left the hospital and never returned. Eddie had been right all along. He’d been right to worry. Steve remembered their time together—the touches, the kiss, and he regretted it all so goddamn much that he’d rather disappear than be anywhere near him.  

Eddie curled in on himself, almost wishing that he’d just let Steve go when he’d wanted to.

“Don’t worry,” Steve said, reaching again for the door. “I won’t tell anyone what happened between us. I know it didn’t mean anything to you.” 

Eddie almost didn’t hear it, already so lost in the dark storm of his own thoughts that it took a second for his brain to catch up with what Steve said. 

When it did? His heart stopped. 

“Wait, what did you just say?”

Steve sighed heavily, leaning against the door as though it was the only thing keeping him upright. “It’s fine, Eddie, really—I’m used to it by now. You don’t have to explain, try and make me feel better or anything like that. I—It was dumb to even think you might feel the same. I-I’m sorry I kissed you like that, I was way out of line.”

“What are you saying? What the fuck is happening right now?”

Steve scoffed, a little life—a little fire even, returning to his eyes. “Don’t! Don't stand there and pretend like you don’t know exactly what–”

“I don’t!" Eddie shot back. "I-I thought… It’s all backwards! Don’t you regret kissing me? Isn’t that why you left me at the hospital? Why you’ve been avoiding everyone, because you didn’t want to be around me?”

“That’s not—I mean that’s part of why I've been hiding, but it’s also everything else. I don’t know how you carried all of this on your own for so–” Steve cut himself off, clenching his jaw. “And why shouldn't I regret it? Once I remembered, all I could think about was how hard you tried to stay away from me, no matter how hard I—like an idiot—tried to get close to you. You didn’t want to share a bed with me again until I basically forced you to. You didn’t want me there with you at the Creel house—you were so angry on that last day, so disgusted with me.”

“Steve, no, it’s not–”

“What else was I supposed to think?!” Steve snapped. “I kissed you, I put it all out there in front of everyone, and I’m sorry that I didn’t remember, but you did! You remembered everything and you didn’t tell me! Well, message received loud and clear.”

Oh god, Eddie knew he’d fucked up but he’d never dreamed—Steve had it all wrong.

“Sweetheart—”

“You said it didn’t mean anything!” Steve shouted, tears flowing freely down his face. 

Eddie's already broken heart shattered into a million pieces.

“I lied!” He shouted back, the words ringing out in the sudden silence as Steve stared at him, mouth half open. 

“I… I was so fucked up after you died—still am fucked up about it. I was devastated, and terrified, and everything had just been ripped away from me—erased from history, and I was alone again.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What was I supposed to do, Steve? What—how do you tell all of that to someone?!” 

Eddie raked a hand over his face, blowing out a long breath. “Oh, hey, so I know you barely know me, and you won’t remember this, but we’ve spent the past week cuddling in your bed together and sharing our deepest thoughts and feelings and secrets, and then you kissed me, and now I think I’m in love with you?!”

Steve sucked in a breath, a wounded sound escaping his lips.

“You love me?”

Eddie sputtered, briefly considering making a break for his bedroom and locking the door until Steve left, but it was out there now, for better or worse. This had always been his plan, right? To tell Steve the truth—everything. It was time to stop running.

With all the courage he could muster Eddie held Steve’s gaze, and nodded.

“Yes.”

Without warning Steve surged forward, crushing their mouths together, and Eddie didn’t hesitate for even a second to kiss back. It was a desperate, almost painful thing, teeth clacking, and wet where their tears streaked each other’s faces. 

Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie’s shoulders, cradling the back of his head as he deepened the kiss. In turn, Eddie gripped Steve’s side hard with his one good hand, trying to bring him in closer, whining when Steve broke away suddenly, only to rest their foreheads together. 

“Eddie, I lo–”

“Don’t,” the word came flying out of Eddie’s mouth without his permission. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, please.”

“Eddie, I remember everything. I’ve been drawn to you since the very beginning. From the moment you shoved me into that wall in the boathouse it was like you brought the color back into my world, when I didn’t even realize it was missing.”

Steve smiled, cupping his cheek, and pressed their heads even more firmly together. “I love you too.”

Eddie sobbed, sagging in Steve’s arms as he pressed his face into the crook of the other boy’s neck. “I missed you so much.”

“I was right here the whole time.” Steve gently rocked them together.

“I know,” Eddie hiccupped, letting out the ghost of a laugh, though none of this was funny. “I know. It’s my fault. I knew I could try again, even if I couldn’t tell you how close we’d become. I could have tried to start over but I couldn't get it out of my head, how easily it was all just gone, how you were just gone and I—It was safer to not, easier, or so I thought. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Steve shushed him, pressing a kiss to his cheek and another under his jaw. “I’m sorry too, I should have talked to you, told you that I remembered, and let you explain like you wrote.”

Their lips met again, no less desperate than before. If anything it was moreso, hungry for each other on a maddening level after so much time apart and so many feelings thought unrequited. 

Steve pushed his tongue into his mouth and Eddie welcomed the intrusion, moaning as he pushed Steve back until he was pressing him into the wall, caging him in, not once breaking the kiss. 

And Eddie knew they should probably talk more, make sure they were on the same page, and they would, but for now he just wanted to feel him, smell him, taste him. He wanted to make Steve feel good. 

His fingers played along the waistband of Steve’s jeans as he let his mouth roam lower, nipping and sucking at Steve’s neck, and came to rest on his fly, thumb grazing the button there. 

“This okay?” Eddie asked, panting, lips still pressed to skin.

Steve nodded, breath hitching as Eddie went back to work on his neck, sucking a bruise into the side of his throat as he undid Steve’s jeans with practiced fingers. 

Eddie sank to his knees, bracing himself with one hand on Steve’s thigh while he kept his casted arm tucked tight to his side. He looked up through his lashes at Steve’s flushed face, and grinned. “A little help?”

“Christ,” Steve breathed, quickly pushing his own pants and boxers down far enough to let his hardening length spring free, bobbing heavily right in front of Eddie’s face. 

Eddie leaned in, ignoring Steve’s unfairly gorgeous cock for now, and rubbed his cheek along his thigh, mouthing at his balls and pressing lips everywhere except where Steve was so desperate to be touched.

Steve looked down with heavy-lidded eyes, reaching out to touch Eddie’s face, and Eddie shamelessly nuzzled into it.

“I dreamed about having you like this so many times.” Steve said, running his thumb along Eddie’s lower lip.

Eddie's own cock twitched, and he’d never been more thankful to be wearing sweatpants. He was already painfully hard and throbbing, it would have been unbearable in his usual tight jeans.

“You been thinking about getting me on my knees, sweetheart?” Eddie wrapped his hand around Steve’s length, squeezing gently as he lapped at the tip. 

Steve threw his head back, gasping, “Eddie, fuck.”

“When was the first time? When did you realize you wanted to see me like this?”

As soon as the question was asked Eddie wrapped his lips around the head of Steve’s cock and sank down, slowly taking inch after inch into his mouth.

“The RV.” Steve grunted, breath stuttering as Eddie began to bob his head. “The very first time.” 

Steve wound a hand into Eddie's hair, pulling it out of his face, gripping it lightly at the root. “It was so hot watching you hotwire it—you and those fucking hands. Then you called me big boy and I was a goner.”

Oh god, it really had been right from the beginning, and Eddie hadn’t known. He’d felt it himself, this pull towards the other boy even if he hadn’t really realized what it was until later. 

Eddie moaned loudly around the cock in his mouth, taking it all the way down until Steve hit the back of his throat. 

Steve shuddered, hips bucking. “It was the same in the second and third loops. You just–”

Eddie pulled back briefly to catch his breath, letting the head of Steve’s cock rest on his tongue as he stroked him with his hand.

“Oh fuck–” Steve squeezed his eyes, sucking in a breath, chest heaving. “Eddie, once I knew you each loop—every time—once I really saw you? I couldn't look away.”

Eddie sank down again, taking Steve right to the hilt this time with no build up. He doubled his efforts from before, swallowing reflexively each time the head of Steve’s cock slammed into the back of his throat. 

“I’m close.” Steve hissed, bottom lip trapped between his teeth.

It was the only warning Eddie had before Steve pulsed in his mouth, coating his tongue in hot bitter fluid. Not that he minded, not at all. He swallowed it down greedily, hollowing his cheeks as he worked Steve all the way through his orgasm, swirling his tongue around the tip of him as he finally pulled off.

Eddie sat back on his heels while Steve recovered and he caught his breath, swiping the back of his hand across his chin, wet with spit and a little bit of cum that had escaped the corner of his mouth. He glanced up, locking eyes with Steve as he cleaned off the mess with his tongue.

“Jesus Christ,” Steve breathed, his spent cock twitching valiantly at the sight. He quickly tucked himself away, pulling his pants most of the way back up before helping Eddie to his feet and taking him into his arms. 

Steve’s lips were on him immediately, tongue fucking into his mouth like he was trying to mirror what they’d just done. Eddie was pretty sure he’d never been so turned on in his life, and when he felt Steve’s thigh slide between his legs, didn’t hesitate to grind himself against it. 

He probably could’ve come just from that, feeling pent up and insane in the best way, but when his movements became too erratic Steve pulled his leg back. Eddie whined into Steve’s mouth at the loss, until he realized what the other boy intended. 

Steve snaked a hand up under Eddie’s shirt, his fingers brushing through the hair of his happy trail, coming to rest just above the waistband of his pants as he pulled back from the kiss. 

“Can I touch you?”

“Please,” Eddie begged, feeling like he might explode before Steve could ever lay a finger on him. 

Steve wasted no time pushing Eddie’s pants out of the way, revealing his poor neglected cock, red and leaking at the tip, and though Eddie was pretty sure this was his first time doing anything like this with a guy, Steve wasn’t shy about taking him in hand—licking his lips as he spread the pre-cum around with his thumb to ease the drag.

It was almost embarrassing how quickly Eddie came over Steve’s fist, his vision nearly whiting out with the intensity of it, and he was pretty sure he would have fallen without Steve there to catch him.

When he’d recovered enough to stand on his own two feet, Eddie pulled the shirt right off his own back, for lack of anything else, and cleaned up the mess he’d made on Steve’s hand, enjoying the way the other boy’s eyes raked over his suddenly bare chest. 

“Will you stay? We could share my bed this time?” Eddie asked.

Steve smiled, pulling him in close and pressing a kiss to his bare shoulder. “Nothing could make me leave you right now. As long as you want me, I'm here.” 

-

Though the bed and the room were different, laying tangled together with Steve was just as he remembered, familiar and comfortable, and now with the added bonus of bare skin. Having no more reason to cover up with each other they’d both fallen into bed in nothing but boxers. 

They faced each other, cuddled up in Eddie’s favorite position, his head tucked up under Steve’s chin, face pressed to his neck.

They were quiet for so long, just holding each other and for a minute Eddie thought Steve had fallen asleep, until he heard a sniffle and felt a drop of wetness land in his hair.

“Stevie, sweetheart–”

Eddie tried to look up, but Steve curled his arms more firmly around him, squeezing him tight. 

“You were dead. There was so much blood, and you were dead in my arms and I can’t stop seeing it when I close my eyes.” Steve sucked in a sharp breath, a few more tears splashing the top of Eddie’s head.  “I didn’t even know you that well yet and still–”

Eddie rubbed his hand along Steve’s back in soothing circles, giving him comfort and the space to grieve without pushing him to say any more. 

When he was calmer, and his crying slowed, Steve spoke again. “Thinking back on it with how I feel about you now, I just, I don’t know how I'd survive if something happened to you.” He drug his lips along Eddie’s temple. “I’m sorry, I know that’s a crazy fucking thing to say so soon.”

Eddie pulled back, and this time Steve let him, so he could finally look him in the eye. “It’s not crazy, or if it is, I mean, I get it. I—Steve, I feel exactly the same way. I was already so far gone on you, and then you kissed me and it was–It was like you were giving me everything I ever wanted and more. But then you died. If Jason hadn’t come along and shot me that night, I would have done it myself just for the chance to bring you back.”

Steve tilted his head, reaching up to tuck a stray curl behind Eddie’s ear. “Maybe we’re both crazy.”

“Maybe.” Eddie smiled, a little bittersweet for the truth of it. “I’m sorry that I didn’t try to tell you. I–”

“It’s okay. Baby, you don’t have to keep explaining yourself.”

Baby.

Eddie shivered, but he couldn’t let what hearing that one little word did to his insides distract him from what he needed to say. 

“I–I was just so scared. I knew If I got too close to you again and it ended the same way, it would destroy me. I thought if I stayed away that I could protect myself, but I was already so in love with you. Staying away hurt almost as much as losing you would have. I think… a part of me was also worried that you were just exploring yourself with me, and I couldn’t handle the idea of only being your experiment. It wasn’t fair of me to put that fear on you, to not give you the benefit of the doubt. I was an asshole. I made a bad situation worse, and I’m just so sorry.”

“Are you still worried about that? That I’ll freak out about this, or change my mind?” Steve asked, not sounding mad or hurt, just wanting to understand.

“I’m trying not to,” Eddie answered honestly. “But, maybe—a little. There’s nothing quite like getting punched in the face right after your first kiss to make you cautious.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I promise this isn’t some fling or experiment to me. I–I meant it, Eddie. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Chapter 13: Epilogue

Special thanks to @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.

Reblogs are always appreciated, and if you want to be tagged just let me know! I'd be more than happy to do so 💜

Permanent taglist(open): @hitlikehammers @pearynice @penny00dreadful

Fic taglist(open): @cranberrymoons @thoroughlycollected @blubblesandink @finntheehumaneater @brbsoulnomming @estrellami-1 @hellion-child @manda-panda-monium @spicysix @kikidoesfanfic @dreamwatch @lawrencebshoggoth @stillfullofshit @lil-gremlin-things @mamafaithful @klausinamarink @starlight-archer

#steddie fanfic #time loop #pov eddie munson #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #stranger things #steve x eddie #steve harrington/eddie munson #steddie fic

[my-makeshift-masquerade]

Springdad AU Headcanons Up For Grabs

Why? Because I can? Credit for the AU to @skeletoninthemelonland as per usual! While trying to figure out how my OC would fit into this universe my love of worldbuilding got in the way… So these headcanons may not even be accurate or confirmed by the AU’s original creator. They are just ideas I’m throwing at the wall.

General Headcanons

For some reason, (cough cough this mysterious hunter character cough cough) I suspect there is a dark history of how humans treated these sapient humanoid animals in the past.

Perhaps hunting them used to be a lot more common? Perhaps they were sold to rich humans or circuses once upon a time? (I am talking like a hundred or so years ago, here…)

I imagine the two groups coexisting or having blended families is relatively new in society at large, only happening in the last century. Maybe some on both sides are still hesitant about it or outright against it.

Not to get too political, but I can see their being a lot of bigotry around it in cities at least. The rural areas were likely founded by the sapient humanoid animals, so they would be more tolerant.

Orphanages end up with a lot more orphans like Evan and Micheal than they do human orphans for this reason. There is still a lot of shady stuff happening underground that these kids end up being rescued from.

On a more positive note, I imagine these blended families are the best sorts of families: bound by love and not blood. The best family is the one you choose after all! They typically seek out rural communities to live in peace.

Staff at these orphanages have a lot of methods to weed out suspicious figures who may want to harm the orphans, and they especially look out for any human only wanting to adopt an animal orphan.

Parents like Henry and William are beloved by the orphanages for giving any child a chance at a good home, regardless of species. Even if they may only adopt one or a few, those kids have a good family now.

Lots of seasonal festivals happen in the rural communities and raise money for any nearby orphanage, as many residents build their blended families through adoption. This is mostly lower level though, and doesn’t reach those like the directors.

Rebecca Backstory Headcanons

She was taken from her biological parents by humans. Perhaps hunters? After they killed her parents, they had planned to sell her off to the highest bidders who could do with her as they wished.

The little rabbit was neglected emotionally. Though all her physical needs were met to keep her alive, she wouldn’t have anyone come comfort her if she cried, or show her actual genuine love.

These humans were soon discovered and charged with kidnapping, leading to Rebecca ending up at the orphanage. This was around the same time Micheal and Evan arrived as well.

The only other orphans she really warmed up to were Evan and Micheal. They were the new arrivals and got lumped together often, especially Evan and Rebecca, who had to share a bed to save space.

During the orphanage fire, Rebecca was one of the few children unaccounted for. Her instincts to hide made her impossible to find until after the fire was completely extinguished.

She did go to the hospital briefly for some minor injuries, then returned to the orphanage to find Evan and Micheal were gone. This led her to feel more afraid even as the other orphans tried to help.

This little bunny is observant and timid, always on alert. She enjoys blankets and stuffed animals/pillows. She cries quietly due to her past teaching her nobody comes if she cries loudly.

Springdad doesn’t know her past just yet, but he could always ask someone who does. Micheal knows the general idea of her past since he helped watch her and Evan at the orphanage.

Rebecca only started to trust William after Evan showed how comfortable he was. From there, the other rabbit instantly became her new guardian. She is slowly bonding with Elizabeth and Alice, too!

#springdad au

[dejabluebabygirl]

I See You - Prologue

Miles Quaritch x Fem! Na'vi OC

Summary: Vira Te Wou Auhew’ite, an albino Na'vi and future Tsahìk of the Tayrangi Clan, The Ikran Riders of the Eastern Sea, keeps needing to save the demon Miles Quaritch at Ewyas command. When she's given a sign to try to teach him The People's way, both she and Miles struggle with their growing feelings for each other.

Authors note: So, this is the first thing I've written in a long time and the first time I have ever posted online so please be kind, I'm not the best with syntax or formatting my writing sadly. BUT I went and saw Avvatar the Way of Water and I'm obsessed with Na'vi/Recom Quaritch. I had a dream about a pink Na'vi (then started researching it and found this old post as the guide for her hair and eye colors: https://forum.learnnavi.org/general-avatar-discussion/navi-with-albinism/ ). After that, I MANICALLY hammered out 5 chapters to this fic. It's messy and imperfect but I hope it will be enjoyed. Slow burn/Enemies to lovers I think is the vibe this is going for as I try to reel in and edit this. Quaritch still had his loyalty to the RDA and humans so I think it would take time, and patience for a real romance to bloom. There WILL be smut but it'll take some time before we get there.

Also, this will HEAVILY parallel Jakes journey in the first movies but not be a retelling. If that's not your cup of tea, sorry.

Rating: T

Warnings: None really, canon typical violence

Words: 1803

--

The first time Colonel Miles Quaritch saw her was when he claimed his banshee. He’d managed to get on the back of the beast and connect his queue but they’d gone over the side of the cliff where the bastards lived and were falling, fast. Was this second chance at life over before it had even really started? 

Then in an instant, she was there. 

A large yellow and pink blur was flying beside him. It was Na’vi female on her own golden Banshee. Miles was falling so quickly he barely had the time to take in that she was the strangest Na’vi he had ever seen. She was pink.

Expertly beside him, she dove on her own beast just as quickly as he and his mount fell, her peculiar blonde hair streaming behind her as she shouted in near-perfect English. 

“Think fly not fall, use the bond!”

“Fly?” When the words escaped the colonel's mouth the creature shot up, back up through the clouds of the floating hallelujah mountains to the Banshee Rookery, back to his team and Spider. 

His success spurred the rest of his team to go on and claim their own Banshee partners but the colonel's thoughts drifted back to the strange-colored Na’vi. Why had she helped in? Had he imagined her? Hallucinated in the face of impending doom? He didn't mention the interaction to anyone.

Once the squad was whole, they rode on their mounts. Spider rode in front of the colonel as they moved in formation through the mountains, the kid seemed to be enjoying it. Quaritch kept his eyes open for the pink Na’vi but no sign of her. He figured, whoever she’d been, whyever she’d saved him, he’d never see her again. 

Until he did.

Miles saw the pink Navi almost immediately once his team had rounded up the sea na’vi village for questioning. She tried to stay toward the back of the group but she stuck out like a sore thumb. She was pink after all, how she’d survived amongst the Blues was a wonder, he’d seen firsthand in the jungle how useful the blue colorings were to helping him and his team blend in. 

He filed away in the back of his brain that she dressed a little nicer than the common natives, her grab was mostly green and beads dangled from her biceps. The most telling sign that she was important was a big ol’ beaded collar around her neck. Savage royalty perhaps? 

Either way, it didn’t help him understand why she’d gone out of her way to help him before but he intended to find out. 

But once he gave the order to burn the hutches, the opportunity to question her was missed. The pink Na’vi took the opportunity of the confusion and anguish of the tribals to bolt to the yellow banshee and fly back toward the mainland. 

The Recom Na’vi watched her soar right over him, her big orange eyes filled with tears unabashedly made eye contact with him. She didn’t screech or scream like the other locals on the beach did, throwing themselves to the ground with grief. No, she looked at him with those big doe eyes like he was supposed to be better than this. It pissed him off that  she had the gall to be disappointed in him for being the soldier he was. 

Miles didn’t enjoy that little twist in his gut, one because a damn native made him feel it and two because he felt it at all. His human counterpart would never be so weak. The pang of guilt was amplified when he looked to Spider, who was grieving just as much as the Blues at the loss of their home. 

“Should we go after that one Colonel?” Zdinarsk asked, gesturing with her gun and popping her pink bubble gum nonchalantly as the flames raged.

Briefly, the colonel considered having her shot out of the sky or pursuing her on his own banshee.

But he did owe the little na’vi a debt and he was feeling charitable today, already not killing the villages Tsahìk for Spider's sake. He really did care what the kid thought, even though he told himself time and time again he wasn’t actually his son, they weren't even the same species anymore. 

“Naw, the fact she’s flying means she’s no use to us. We must have interrupted her vacation.” 

When he got back on the boat he asked the science puke who loved the Tulkun why a Na’vi would be pink, he went into a long-winded explanation that ended with him saying it was like being an albino. It was rare but it happened.

Quaritch had a feeling he’d see her again, he wasn’t a man who liked to believe in coninsicdenece.

–-

When he saw her again, his life debt to her was doubled. 

After being rescued from near drowning by Spider after his fight with Sully, Miles flew on the back of his Banshee for as long as he could back to the mainland. He was trying to make it to the RDA to get patched up but the banshee could feel he was hurt and ultimately it slowed them down. 

They’d made it into the heart of an unknown part of the jungle, Quaritch was weak and took up against a tree, holding his abdomen, his banshee close to keep an eye on him. It was strange to him still that the beast was so loyal to him but it served him well so far. 

As he lay there against the tree, his breathing was labored. He was hurt but he wasn't sure how severe.  

Clutching his abdomen he could help but think of how he was breaking his own original “Pandora Rules” by being out after dark. But tonight he noticed how the forest was filled with bioluminescent life and for once he thought maybe Pandra was the slightest bit beautiful and not brutal. 

The colonel was struggling to keep his yellow eyes open and his breath steady but he saw the slightest of moments among the trees, the dancing of dozens of little bioluminescent dots. 

“I see you” he managed to grunt out, knowing it had to be a Na’vi, here to end him once and for all. 

But the figure approached with caution, not contempt in the low light he was able to make out this was no typical Na’vi. It was the little pink one again. 

“No, you don't see,” She said in English and she knelt down next to him.

Her small 4 digited hands reached for his abdomen, where most of his pain was. 

The colonel's much larger blue hands snatched her pink ones up before she could touch him. She looked annoyed, puffing out her cheeks but Quartich wasn’t about to just start trusting the natives, not after all he’d don’t to them. 

“Help. Let me help.” She urged, attempting to move her hands towards his waist while his hands were still holding them. They didn’t move an inch in his vice-like grip. 

He didn't move a muscle as his yellow eyes stared into her orange ones, looking for some indication of her intention. The color reminded him of the good, warm fire on the first cold day of winter. They were warm and inviting. He continued raking his eyes down her to form to assess how much of a threat she could be. The female was light pink, a blush color with even slightly darker pink striations down her body in place of the normal blue ones the Na’vi had. She squirmed a little but he was too strong for her to really put up any kind of decent fight. 

She had long white-blonde hair with one thick braid down the center of her head that he assumed held her queue, it was surrounded by several smaller ones around it which eventually flowed from braid to curl.  She still wore all the pomp and frills of being an important native, tons of beads on her clothing, and she wore one of the collar necklaces that indicated some kind of status.

Quaritch also took note of a little garter on her thigh that held he could see held a knife made of bone and a small satchel she was carrying. 

She did not seem to appreciate how long he was taking to study her, letting out an exasperated sound and rolling her big orange doe eyes. 

“Fine. Die.” She shrugged and turned her head away like a waspish brat. 

His wounds must have been getting to him because he briefly imagined that if he wasn’t still holding her in place that she would have stood up to stomp her foot. 

“Settle down, sweetheart. Just looking at who I’m dealing with, nothing personal.” Quaritch retorted as he released her.

Miles made quick work to remove his combat vest on his own but winced as he tried to pull his shirt over his head. The little white Na’vi leaned in to help him and he didn’t protest. Once the pair of them managed to wrangle it off of him, the natives' face was too close for his comfort. 

She seemed to notice this too and moved her face back after a beat to start assessing his abdomen and torso, she ran her little hands over his one of ribs and it earned her a full fang-faced hiss from him.  It was surely broken after his scrape with Sully. 

She got up without saying anything and retrieved from big leaves and began applying some foul-smelling paste from her bag to his abdomen that reminded him of cough drops.

Her pink legs were tucked under her delicately as she worked, now wrapping him up with the big leaves as makeshift bandages. 

“Why are you helping me anyways, Princess?” The sharp edge of distrust in his voice. 

“Not Princess,” was all she said, ignoring his question as she finished his bandages and now retrieved a needle and thread. 

Quaritch was not a man who would be ignored. 

Even in his current state, he was bigger, faster, and stronger than her. He grabbed the long white blonde braid that held her queue when she looked down to thread the needle.

She screeched and tears sprang to the corners of her eyes. The little pink Na’vi didn't even try to fight him, she was obviously not a warrior. 

“I asked you nicely, so now I’ll ask you again,” his hold tightened “why did you save me? Why are you helping me now?” 

She frantically said something in Navi but he quickly cut her off.

“No, no, in English.” 

He lacked the patience right now to decipher the alien language. 

“Ewya wishes for you to live,” she spat. 

Quaritch released her and let out a bitter laugh that stung his broken rib.

--

Next Chater

Masterlist

#avatar #avatar 2 #avatar way of water #awow #way of water #miles quaritch #colonel quaritch #na'vi oc #na'vi #na'vi quaritch #recom quaritch #colonel miles quaritch #avatar quaritch #miles quaritch x oc #quaritch smut #eventual smut #slow burn #enimies to lovers #quaritch redemption arch #quaritch #quaritch x female oc #quaritch x OFC

[percyaugod]

Role Over AU

Role swap AU, but for side characters.

Big Mama and Draxum. Big Mama wants to destroy humanity to take over the surface so she can have it all. Having a fake relationship with Lou to lure him to her lab.

Draxum, making the hotel and battle arena so yokai can have a safe haven if caught on the surface and to show how strong yokai can really be. He even gives free battle training so they can protect themselves. Voluntary participation and plenty of safety measures in the arena. He doesn't want to see his people harmed.

Draxum's assistant is going to be treated like a daughter he's proud of. She's his precious little warrior. She'd have little horns on her mask.

He tried to dress her up to be presentable like an heir but she kept getting into fights and tore her clothes. absolutely feral.

Repo and Todd. I guess he technically wouldn't be called Repo since he isn't a Repo man. Scout? Hermit? Whatever he's called he's just living out here in the woods with a bunch of cats. If anyone comes on to his property it's only fair they give him something to pay for trespassing. Don't they want to help feed his poor starving kittens?

Todd meanwhile would probably be more than happy to make trades if someone doesn't have the money for something. He always needs help taking care of his puppy! His puppy, large but friendly, mutated while Todd was holding him.

Splinter and Hueso. Let Splinter eventually open a soup place called "Turtle Hot Pot" after being mutated and escaping. Plenty of people he can blend in with so he feels better about himself, a source of money for himself and his kids, and something to do other than fester in his trauma all day.

Meanwhile, Hueso and his son escape to the New York sewers. If anyone comes by they just lay on the ground. Nothing to see here but two dead bodies that mysteriously disappear when you look away. This becomes an urban legend and April eventually finds them.

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt #rottmnt au #role swap au #rottmnt draxum #rise draxum #baron draxum #big mama #big mama's assistant #repo mantis #rottmnt repo mantis #rottmnt todd #rottmnt splinter #rise splinter #rottmnt senor hueso #señor hueso #hueso #Role over au

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

The Gym Membership - Part 29 (Crosshair)

Summary: Crosshair finds a little peace

A/N: Hello Lovelies,

Sorry for not posting yesterday, I wasn't feeling all the greatest, but I'm fine now. So enjoy!

You'll understand the GIF after you read the story.

WARNING FOR FLASHING LIGHTS - GIF

Love oo

Warnings: Threatening, irritating, coffee, teenagers (aka Youths!), someone woke up and chose death. If I miss any warnings, please let me know.

AO3 Link   |   Words: 1,199   |   PREVIOUS - -> NEXT

Gym Membership Master List  |   Main Master List

Cross’ irritation arose once again upon hearing the false cheeriness, just when he’d gotten his mood back to normal, it was quickly dipping back to being unbearable. He kept his jaw clenched as he glared into the teenagers face, “Coffee. Dark Roast. Black”

“Oo-kay…” the child answered, nervousness creeping in as his finger shook a little while he put in the order. “Um… sorry, sir the … um … the size?”

Seeing the kid tremble brought a little smirk to Crosshair’s face, it wasn’t fair but hey life’s not fair. Better this kid learned it now. He was scared and self-conscious, simply because the man in front of him was having an irritating day, somehow that brought a glimmer of joy to Crosshair. 

He took a deep breath and looked around the counter, “What’s the biggest size you have?”

“Oh well!” The teenager’s cheerfulness came back, his fear vanishing in that second, which simply irked Cross. “We have the vast, enormous, or if you are a real caffeine addict we have the colossal. So it really depends on how much caffeine you would need for today. Not to mention we do have about three different blends we are offering today. There’s Alderaan dark roast, Coruscant speed and our house blend. Now …”

The kid stopped in his tracks as Cross raised his hand, his brows furrowing to a point, his silent way of telling the kid to shut up, “I’m sure this is the absolute highlight of your day. Probably your year, I’ve no doubt that you are thrilled to be out of your house away from your computer, and actually interacting with live people. However, all I want to hear from you are the sizes. Any more than three words, and I can become very unpleasant. Now, I’ll have the large Alderaan dark roast, black. Is that understood?”

“Uh … yes … yes, sir.” His finger trembled as he put in the order, waiting for an eternity for the total to appear, “That’ll be a total of seven dollars and thirty-four cents, sir.”

Cross dropped a twenty on the counter, “Keep the change” after all he was a bit of a prick to the kid, the least he could do was give him a really good tip. 

“Oh … uh … t-thank you, sir”

He simply nodded and moved to the other end of the counter waiting for his coffee. He glanced around watching the couples sitting together as they cooed over each other. The students who had their noses buried in a book, letting life pass them by. He even saw a table where a Marine sat waiting for his ride, it looked like. Somehow, all this cheeriness was irritating him even further. He closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. 

It wasn’t long before his coffee was ready, he dropped in about six sugar packets, as he heard a rather loud and annoying voice order above the crowd.  

“I’ll have the Mocha Coruscant Speed Frappuccino with extra whipped cream a sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg with a soupçon of chocolate drizzle, and a slice of pecan pie” 

All Cross could think at that moment was how much he missed his gun right now. Whoever that was, had to be the most pretentious and annoying person ever. Did they really have to use such a fancy word? Couldn’t they just call it what it was, a small amount. Ugh. That order alone just made him even more irritated, he was glad to be leaving this stupid cafe. He had no clue what exactly made him even think about going into this hipster, kids pretending to be adults, type of cafe. 

He grabbed a to-go lid to cover his cup, wondering why in the world did he have to pay seven dollars for a simple black cup of coffee. He glanced around to see a few people pick up their cups and take a moment to smell the coffee before actually taking a sip. He couldn’t understand what the fuss was about, coffee was coffee. It was just something to keep the day moving along.  

His hand hovered with the lid over the top of the cup, wondering if maybe he should see what the fuss was about before covering it and heading off for his day. He tried to brush away the curiosity he was feeling, only to be surprised to see his hand act on its own as it brought the cup closer to his nose. ‘Well, since it’s there,’ he justified as he leaned forward ever so hesitantly. He looked like a man who was afraid his cup was going to jump out and bite him. He felt incredibly ridiculous and annoyed at his own actions, but it didn’t prevent him from taking a whiff of the freshly brewed aroma.

The hint of chocolate, the deep rich aroma of the coffee bean, followed by a subtle scent of cinnamon, filled his nostrils, the beans were strong but not overpowering. The irritation he had been feeling all day was starting to ease with just that one whiff, he wasn’t sure why, but he felt attached to the cup of pure satisfaction. 

If this is what a smell could do, he couldn’t wait to taste it. He inched the cup closer to his mouth, he could feel the heat from the hot liquid begin to tickle his nose, as the condensation licked his lips, never in his life had he wanted to taste a cup of coffee as much as he did in that moment. 

He felt the hot liquid slosh against the cup as he drew it closer, his bottom lip touched the smooth paper cup, despite the intensity of the heat, he was ready to take it in, to welcome it into his mouth. His hand tilted ever so slightly, closing his eyes hoping the taste would match its scent. His stomach lurched in anticipation, his mouth watered for the warmth he craved. 

He took in a deep breath, and just as he felt the beginnings of warmth were welcomed on his tongue … it was gone. The closeness that had been there a second ago vanished, as he felt someone bump into his elbow, forcing his arm into his side, causing his hand to tilt from the sheer surprise and weight of the person bumping into him. Propelling the hot liquid out of its treasured container,  spilling all over his hand.

The heat and burn was unbearable on his skin. His fingers released the dangerous substance before he even realized what happened. He winced at first from the burn, and then when his eyes fluttered open trying to determine what just happened, the pain in his hand subsided as soon as his eyes focused on the downed coffee cup.

It almost brought a tear to his eyes to see the coppery rich liquid all over the floor before he even had a chance to taste it. His hand clenched as his irritation flared again, this time with renewed vigour, he turned his head sharply to the culprit, his eyes narrowing as he looked upon the face of the person who’d chosen death today.

AO3 Link   |   Words: 1,199   |   PREVIOUS - -> NEXT

Gym Membership Master List  |   Main Master List

@justanothersadperson93​ @liadamerondjarin​ @badbatch-simp24​ @spicymcnuggies​ @lady-ren​ @firstofficerwiggles​ @darkangel4121​ @discofern​ @kavecika​ @monako-jinn-stories​ @ladykatakuri​ @avathebestx​ @theroguesully​ @furyhellfire66​ @carodealmeida​ @ciramaris​ @sprout-fics​ @twinkofthedink​ @dindjarin-mandalorian​ @clonethirstingisreal @crosshair-is-the-superior-clone @totallyunidentified @griffedeloup

#the gym membership #gym membership #Gym Au #the bad batch hunter #the bad batch x reader #the bad batch echo #the bad batch #the bad batch crosshair #bad batch crosshair #crosshair x reader #clone trooper crosshair #crosshair #tbb crosshair #star wars echo #clone trooper echo #echo #bad batch tech #arc trooper echo #tbb echo #tech the bad batch #the bad batch tech #tech #the bad batch wrecker #bad batch wrecker #clone trooper wrecker #wrecker #tbb wrecker #bounty hunter #tbb hunter #hunter

[lokiina]

should write the kiss with them down. right here uwu ↷

skdfjhksdfj

Okay hold oonnnnn. Yeah I'mma do it. This is what was living rent free in my head.

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

Zayn was never one for purposely putting himself in the spotlight, if he could blend into the background where possible he usually tried to go that route. So it was already a strange scenario for him to be in a relationship with someone who was a little more publicly known, and what didn't help was the fact that Dino was not shy, by any means. If you were his, he'd make it known to everyone without shame. Trying to find the balance between them was occasionally a little rough but the nomad was adjusting, trying to build more confidence in that department.

It was a Friday night, the bar was busy. Zayn didn't often show up when the place was that crowded, it stressed him out a little to have so much going on in tight quarters like that but he was curious about a band Dino let have the stage for the night and wanted to swing by to check them out.

"Hey kid, D didn't think you were comin, he's by the bar," The large man at the door motioned back with his thumb behind himself. "I almost didn't, thanks Zeus." Zayn gave him a pat on the arm before moving further into the building. Dino was standing with a few other people chatting about something when he noticed Zayn approaching. "Ah! Pup you made it!" He quickly downed the glass of whisky he had in his hand and placed the glass on the bar counter before giving the shorter man his full attention. An automatic motion on Dino's part he went to lean in for a kiss and all Zayn could think about in that split second was how many eyes were on him. He had a brief moment of panic and sort of made an aim for a quick little peck on the cheek instead. Dino blinked, was shockingly still as he was a little caught off guard by that move. His brow furrowed a little and he gave Zayn a puzzled look. "The fuck was that? Come 'ere." Before he realized it was even happening, the Fixer had moved to tug him in close and plant his lips on his with a much more hungry and enthusiastic kiss. Zayn's eyes widened at the brief shock but inevitably melted into the other man's touch anyway. When he let him go his face was probably about as bright as his hair. He was almost immediately trying to see how many people had stood and watched what just happened. Dino placed his hands on the sides of Zayn's head and moved his head to look up at him, "Hey, eye's on me. Ya gotta stop worryin' bout everyone else. Fuck em." "I know I know... Easier said than done though," Zayn rubbed his hands over his own face. Luckily the place was loud enough most people wouldn't have heard their exchange. So he tried to at least focus on that. Did it help? Maybe a little. "Anyone ever tries to give ya grief, just knock their fuckin teeth out." Dino smirked, "Or point me in their direction."

#asks #Anonymous #otp: low octave #writing #oc: zayn mackenna #dino dinovic #drabbles

[tlcartist]

🏳️‍⚧️👽👗 for crime cousins?

HELL YEAH

a bitch is wordy so you know the drill

Josuke

🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon

I think if you'd ask him he'd say he's a dude but he'd also shrug and say eeeehhhh? Because yeah he's a guy but also what even is gender? Spicy cis.

👽 A weird quirk

I think he's the kind of person who extends the care he puts into his hair into other forms of hygiene. His room is always a bit sloppy but if he doesn't take his two (2) daily showers and do his 8 step skincare routine he feels off. It's not to the point of being actual OCD or anything, mans just likes to feel clean.

👗 A headcanon about their clothes

WHERE DO I BEGIN

If this boy had been a teen in the 2010's he would have absolutely be a Pinterest girlie and would have made boards dedicated to looks and aesthetics. I think all JoJo's have an interest in fashion but Josuke's the one who's the most passionate about it. Has a stash of clippings from fashion magazines with looks he wants to recreate. When he can't afford to buy something he tries to DIY it. He's not necessarily flashy with color in his clothes but he goes wild with accessories. Has the most clothes out of any JoJo.

Giorno

🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon

Genderqueer. Giorno defies labels and concepts like hyper masculinity or machismo are absolutely repulsive to him. Definitely one of the things he really hated about his stepdad for sure. He's very secure in his identity and if other people don't understand it he really doesn't care. He spent his childhood masking and blending in as much as possible, but as soon as he broke away from his family and started doing his own thing he really came into his own.

👽 A weird quirk

Can't cook (at least not beyond very basic things) and will just eat whatever's most accessible. Frequently commits food crimes as a result (as in will put whatever is left in the fridge together and call it a meal), because he can't be bothered to put effort into ACTUALLY making something or orders takeout a lot. He just sees cooking and eating as a chore and there's a million other things he'd rather do than worry about it.

👗 A headcanon about their clothes

Going off of the gender thing Giorno dressed very plainly as a child mostly because his parents just tended to neglect buying him clothes or when they did it was just the most basic stuff possible. But living in Italy he was surrounded by the world of fashion and was fascinated. He'd walk past fancy designer shops and press his nose to the glass until he eventually got told off by security. He told himself that someday he'd be able to make his own decisions. Someday he'd wear clothes that really felt like him.

So when he finally gained his independence he went WILD. He's flashy, he's flamboyant, he has expensive taste and he's not afraid to show it. Believes in quantity over quality and isn't afraid to spend more $$$ on something that was handmade out of the best materials. Doesn't have a large wardrobe but has pieces that will last a lifetime.

Jolyne

🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon

I think Jolyne is cis but really hates being pushed into gender norms. Was 100% a tomboy as a little kid. The "girliest" thing about her was her hair and love of butterflies but she'd frequently come home just covered in dirt from exploring the neighborhood park on the walk home from school much to her mother's dismay. Her clothes never stood clean for long. She was always bringing home little critters like bugs and snails and would try to keep them alive. She never fit society's expectations of what she should have been. She was loud and boisterous didn't take shit. As she got older she got more comfortable with her femininity since she felt it was something she could explore on her own terms instead of having it pushed on her.

👽 A weird quirk

I think Jolyne's restless. She's always got to be doing something with her hands or tapping her feet. Can't stay seated for long and gets bored easily. Stole one of her dad's old Zippo lighter's and uses it as a fidget toy of sorts to help herself focus. If you walked by her room and listened closely you'd frequently hear the faint grinding of a spark wheel and snap of the lighter being closed.

👗 A headcanon about their clothes

The time Jolyne spent in a gang had a huge influence on her fashion sense. She spent time with punks and people from different backgrounds and carried a lot of those lessons with her. SUPER INTO DIY. Makes her own fishnet shirts out of stockings, distresses her own pants, cuts holes into her shirts, hand paints her signature spider web design onto different outfits. She can never quite find what she wants off the rack so she takes matters into her own hands.

#jjba #B talks JoJo #okay I will say the gender ones are hard for me to nail down because I do very easily see anyone and everyone of them being trans #but I tried to stick more closely to canon for these as opposed to delving into AUs #but these are all just my own dumb opinions #but I have a hard time seeing any of them as being 100% cis if that makes sense #jfc every time I do one of these I tell myself I'm not going to write as much but I just start having fun and go overboard lol #long post

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

The Princess and The Freak: One - September 13th, 1985 (Eddie Munson x OC)

Summary: Eddie is determined to graduate this year, so he seeks help from a tutor. Only the tutor he finds is Princess of Hawkins High, Lydia Gasper.

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OC (Lydia Gasper)

Word Count: 2353

Warnings: hopefully in character eddie, that's it i think

ONE | TWO | THREE

A wrinkled hand set his quiz down on his desk gently. He could see through the red-painted fingernails that he got a D. Large and circled in blue. Shit. He thought he did okay on this one. He reached up to take the paper away, but the hand’s pressure on the desk top only heightened. 

“See me after class, Mr. Munson.”

Oh, this was some deep shit. 

Eddie sighed as Miss O’Donnel finally walked away from his desk to hand back the next graded quiz. A few of the kids sitting around him looked over, scoffed, muttered something to their friends. Eddie rolled his eyes, crumpling up the quiz and stuffing it into his backpack. He didn’t care what they thought — but did O’Donnel really have to say that with everyone around?

The bell signally the end of the period splintered through his skull. He tried to rush out of the room, backpack hastily tossed over one shoulder and metal lunch pail clutched tightly in hand. Eddie ducked his head down low as he tried to blend in with the small crowd.

“Mr. Munson!” O’Donnel’s frail voice called out. 

Eddie winced as he came to a stop just before the classroom’s threshold. He could just keep on walking. No one would be surprised if he did. Not Miss O’Donnel, not the few kids who turned to see what was going on — no one would question if he acted like everyone expected him to. Eddie “The Freak” Munson. Rebellious, scary, loud. No one would think twice if he just ignored the teacher and kept on walking.

So he wasn’t entirely sure what force pulled him to turn around and head back over to Miss O’Donnel’s desk. The older woman even betrayed a look of slight shock as he came to a halt before her with a sigh. But she was quick to brush the look off as she opened up her grade book. 

“You do want to graduate this year — don’t you?” she asked. 

Eddie ticked his jaw to one side as he tapped his foot. “Yeah.” 

“Then why are you deliberately trying to fail my class?”

“I’m not — !” He immediately tried to jump to his own defense, but she wasn’t hearing any of it as she held up a hand. 

“You already have an F in this class, Mr. Munson. Maybe if you spent less time playing your little fantasy game with your friends and more time studying for my quizzes…” She trailed off with a lift of her brows as she closed her grade book. 

Eddie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He should have just kept walking. He shouldn’t have come back to hear what she had to say. He knew what she was going to say. Be less of yourself, give up the things you love in order to conform to society's expectations for you. He didn’t want to live up to society's expectations — but God did he just want to graduate and ditch this podunk town.

He hadn’t realized that Miss O’Donnel just kept on lecturing him. “My suggestion? You find yourself a tutor to — at the very least Mr. Munson — keep you accountable about studying. The library has employed the help of some of Hawkin’s best. They have designated tables at the back of the library for students to visit during their free periods. Go there during your time instead of…Whatever it is you occupy yourself with.” 

She dismissed him with a curt smile and a wave of her hand.

During his free period, Eddie found himself standing in the threshold of the library with his books tucked under his arm. It wasn’t his first time in the library. Sometimes he checked out books as research for his D&D campaigns. Other times he met kids in the deepest, darkest corners to strike a deal on his product. Either way, he had never felt so uncomfortable in that space than he did now. 

He didn’t want to be there, and yet he was walking further inside, on the hunt for the tutoring tables. Embarrassment twisted his insides when he finally spotted them. A set of three tables each marked with a sign that said “Hawkins Tutors: Need help? We’re here for you!” and one of Hawkin’s best and brightest sat at each one. Eddie tried to keep up his confidence, he really did, as he continued his walk towards the tables. But then one of them looked up at him, some guy on the soccer team, and his pretty little face pinched up in disgust at the sight of him. 

Eddie instantly swerved into the nearest aisle. Only one bookcase separating him from the Hawkins Tutors. Jesus Christ. None of those chumps were going to help him. What was he thinking? They saw him just like everyone else did. A freak destined to fail. For a moment, arm leaned against the shelves before him, he pondered just forgetting what Miss O’Donnell said. He could fail again. He could drop out — stop trying all together.

But then he heard a familiar bass line. 

Eddie picked himself up from the shelving, instead ducking down to look over the tops of the books and through to the other side. Yes — he knew that beat, knew that faint melody that drifted through the library. It sounded like it was coming from a pair of headphones. Eddie looked this way and that to try and find the source. 

No way.

She sat at one of the Hawkins Tutors tables, dressed in her usual pink, bright blonde hair done up like Brooke Shields. Her head bopped along as she worked on a bit of her own homework. There was a faint smile on her sparkling glossed lips as she mouthed the words. And in the quietness of the library, Eddie could hear Strutter by KISS filtering through her Walkman headphones. 

Lydia Gasper?

Eddie didn’t even care about the other tutors anymore. He was far too intrigued by this discovery to even notice the dirty looks they gave him as he retreated from his hiding spot. He came to a stop in front of her, still amazed at what was happening. Waving his hand in front of her face, she finally looked up at him with a smile — prying her headphones from her ears to hang around her neck.

He never knew that her eyes were brown. 

“Hi! Need some help with your homework?” Lydia asked, not a hint of judgement or contempt in her voice.

“Are you listening to KISS?” he questioned back. 

She laughed and it sounded like the sweetest guitar solo ever recorded. 

“Yes, I am,” she replied. 

Eddie scoffed, amused, as she pressed the stop button on her Walkman. He could see the tape through the clear plastic, that familiar logo shining up at him amidst the player that she had painted pink. It didn’t make any sense. Her listening to that kind of music. But there she sat. Listening to KISS from her pink Walkman and pink headphones.

“Now this is interesting.” Eddie’s grin was wide as he lowered himself into the chair across from her. “The Princess of Hawkins High is a metalhead.”

Lydia cocked her head to one side, a lock of blonde hair falling over her face as she said, “I’m the Princess of Hawkins High? I’ve always wanted to be a princess!”

Eddie couldn’t tell if she was joking or not, but he laughed anyway. Who knew that someone like Lydia Gasper could be such an enigma all the sudden. She was maybe the most cliche person in Hawkins. She dressed in bubblegum pink nearly every day and had the personality to match it — always bubbly, always nice, always happy. She was a good girl, hung around with the popular crowd, was on the cheerleading squad. His brain itched to figure her out. Why would a girl like that listen to music about rebellion and angst and nonconformity? She didn’t rebel, she was the closest thing to a ray of sunshine, and she obeyed the rules of society in nearly every single way. He was going to figure this out, then he would leave her alone. He was sure of it.

“I feel like you should be listening to…Madonna or something,” he said.

Lydia shrugged. “Madonna’s alright. But she’s no Joan Jett.”

Swallowing thick, Eddie set down his books. This was the longest conversation he had ever had with someone from the popular crowd. He didn’t really know what else to say. But Lydia seemed different — and not just because she confusingly listened to metal. But she didn’t judge him, didn’t dismiss him. She talked with him like he was an actual person with feelings and smiled at him with a sweetness that should be reserved for others of her kind. Yet she bestowed that kind smile on him without a hint of distaste in those big brown eyes.

“So, did you need help with something or did you just wanna talk about music with me?” she asked after a beat, pointing with her pencil at his stack of books.

Eddie placed a ringed hand on top of the stack. “Uh…Maybe a bit of both — now that I know we have similar tastes.”

“Sounds good to me!” She grinned, showing off a dimple in her right cheek as she pulled out a notebook. “Who’s your favorite artist?”

“Uh, Black Sabbath probably. Ozzy is like my hero so…” He watched, somehow feeling worried, as she scanned over his stack of books — she grinned when she spotted a certain small novel hidden between the thick textbooks.

“Oh, O’Donnel’s class, huh? I’m in that class too. Different period than you I think, though. What do you need help with?” She went on as Eddie dug through his backpack looking for that dreaded, thick packet, “I read in Rolling Stone that he bit the head off a bat on stage — “

Eddie perked up at that. “So metal right?”

“I guess. I thought it was disgusting and unsanitary but…Also metal. They’re definitely in my top five though.” 

He made a noise of triumph when he finally found the thick packet. Pulling the folded and wrinkled thing from his bag, he slapped it onto the table with a smile and a flourish. Lydia sat up a bit to see what the packet looked like, then she leveled Eddie with a look. He would call it amused disappointment, which felt better than the regular kind.

“You haven’t even started the packet yet?”

“I haven’t even started the book yet.”

“Oh, dear.” Lydia started writing something in her notebook. “Well, you have until the end of the semester to finish both — with quizzes at Miss O’Donnel’s leisure — so if you read a chapter a day and fill out the pages about it in the packet…You should be done in time.”

Eddie picked up the small book and began flipping through it. Beowulf. An epic poem about vikings or something. It would have been an interesting read for fun — but for school, it sounded awful. He watched as Lydia scribbled down a schedule for him to adhere to, what sections of the packet he should have filled out when. Her handwriting was neat and tidy, Is dotted with little hearts. Of course, she dotted her Is with hearts.

“Who’s your favorite artist, princess?” he asked as he set down the book. 

“Oh, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts — easily,” Lydia answered quickly. 

But he noticed, with a slight quirk of his lips, as a pink blush overtook her cheeks at the nickname he used. 

He picked at the peeling spines of his textbooks. “Never really listened to them much. They good?”

“You haven’t listened to — ? Joan Jett & The Blackhearts?” she floundered, looking comically mortified, “She’s the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll!”

The other tutors shushed them loudly. Lydia turned with an apologetic look thrown their way. When she turned back, she shook her head at Eddie with a smile. Like they were in on some joke together. Like it was the two of them against the rest of the popular crowd instead of Eddie by himself. He had to admit, he liked feeling like he was with someone else. 

“Sorry, princess,” he chuckled softly. 

“Unbelievable.” She shook her head again as she handed over the schedule she had made him. “Do you think you’ll need any more help with this?”

Eddie skimmed over the schedule and could already feel that overwhelming bubble forming in the pit of his gut. He didn’t like doing things he didn’t want to do. But maybe if someone could keep him accountable, shame him when he didn’t do his work, he could keep up with it. He was determined to graduate this year. He was determined to pass this class. 

“Do you think…We could…?” 

He may have been determined, but he was also too proud to voice that he needed more help. And maybe, somewhere deep inside, this wasn’t even about her assisting him with questions that he hated. Maybe he just wanted to see her again. Lydia Gasper was like a bright pink hook on a line and he had gotten caught with the needle in his cheek. He still wanted to know more — even if it killed him. 

“How about on Wednesdays we get together to compare answers. That sound good?” she questioned as she began to pack up her things. 

Right. The bell was about to ring. Free period was almost over. 

“Yeah — Yeah. That’d be great.”

This time, Eddie barely registered the bell when it went off. Lydia got up from the table with another smile, smoothing out her skirt. Then she reached into her backpack and pulled out a cassette. She set it on the table and slid it over to him. 

“For your listening pleasure, Eddie Munson.”

She walked away before he could say anything else, catching up with the other tutors and talking animatedly with them. Eddie picked up the tape. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts — Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth. He chuckled as he slipped it into his bag. 

Gladly, Lydia Gasper.

@arrthurpendragon

wanna be tagged? drop in a comment or message me directly

#oc: lydia gasper #fic: the princess and the freak #fd: stranger things #type: chapter update #stranger things #stranger things oc #stranger things imagine #stranger things x oc #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fic #eddie munson #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #joseph quinn #joe quinn

[thethistlegirlwrites]

🌈 - Do you associate any colors with them?

💝 - How much effort do they put into appearances? Do they have a favorite article of clothing?

🌨️ - If this oc had a day free from all their responsibilities, how would they spend it?

👖 - Coffee shop or high school AU, your choice: tell me their role.

💔 - Does forgiveness come easily or with difficulty to this oc? Can they forgive others? What about themselves?

🗡️ - Does this oc have a signature object, accessory, or weapon?

📓 - Do you associate any quotes or lyrics with this oc?

For all Scrapbook fellows

Thanks for the ask! This was fun!

🌈 - Do you associate any colors with them? Matti - Olive green, light tan Jim - Caramel brown Lina - Burnt orange, teal Will - Auburn red Milo - Silver, dark blue

💝 - How much effort do they put into appearances? Do they have a favorite article of clothing? Matti - Matti doesn't spend a lot of time on how he looks aside from making sure he's fully shifted one way or another after he changes form. He does have a favorite piece of clothing, his old bib overalls. He likes having all the pockets. Jim - Jim tries to dress nicely, his parents always scolded him when he got a lot of dirt on his clothes from playing outside as a kid. He's less careful now but he still doesn't wear something that's got visible grime or stains unless he's tried to wash them out first. Lina - When she isn't trying to blend in for the sake of a story, Lina likes to wear bright colors and loose, comfortable clothes she can move in. Her clothes and her van are sort of the ways she adds bright spots to a world that is often pretty dark, given her line of work. She likes her denim vest that she can cover in button pins and stick her photos in the pockets of, and she also is fond of her bright orange hair scarf. Will - Will tends to wear clothes that were handed down from his brother, who is shorter but stockier, so all of his clothes are too large but the sleeves and pant legs are too short. Milo - Milo usually has a "Beck's Dairy" shirt or jacket, since he comes into town with his job at his family's dairy farm dropping off the direct milk orders. He tries to keep himself looking presentable so that people who don't know who he is don't assume he's a vagrant or homeless, a few out of towers have reported him to the police, and even though the misunderstandings are quickly cleared up, Milo isn't fond of dealing with them.

🌨️ - If this oc had a day free from all their responsibilities, how would they spend it? Matti - In summer, Matti would spend it in wolf form, roaming around near his farm and resting in the hedgerows. In the winter, he's more likely to spend time inside with his family around the fire, playing games or reading a book while curled up on the couch with at least one of his siblings and a few blankets. Jim - Jim would spend a day off either walking around in town where he could meet new people or reading, depending on how his leg is feeling that day. Lina - Lina would drive to somewhere she's never seen before and photograph anything that caught her eye. Between stories, she fills homemade scrapbooks with Polaroids of places she's driven through that interested her enough to stop and capture. Will - Will would probably spend the morning baking or preparing things to bake, and then the afternoon, while things are in the oven, reading. He enjoys being in the kitchen, and he's proud of being able to make excellent baked goods. Milo - Probably the same way he always does, spending time in town telling his stories to people!

👖 - Coffee shop or high school AU, your choice: tell me their role.  Coffee Shop Matti - Florist across the street who's always saving the shop's dying houseplants. Jim - Barista with a car that constantly breaks down Lina - Reporter who lives in one of the apartments on the block and stops every day for the same black coffee order Will - Kid who comes to the coffeeshop to study because it's better than going home Milo - Regular who sits in one of the corners with the newspaper and tells great stories to anyone who's willing to listen to him.

💔 - Does forgiveness come easily or with difficulty to this oc? Can they forgive others? What about themselves? Matti - Matti can forgive fairly easily, but there are some things he can hold onto for a long time. Tied as closely as he is to the land and cycles of nature, he can let go of all but the deepest wounds for a fresh start. Some things, though, cut and damage deeply enough to leave a lasting impact. He's quicker to forgive anyone else before himself. Jim - Jim has forgiven so many small insults and slights over the years that it's become second nature to him. He got a little freaked out by how many times people he was mad at met with strange and unexpected minor accidents, and even though he didn't think there was any way he was causing them, he sort of thought of it as a sign that he needed to stop harboring resentment. He has a harder time forgiving when the same cruelty is directed toward someone else. For himself, Jim can usually at least justify his decisions, even if some of them he questions in the long run. Lina - Lina doesn't forgive easily. She turns her anger or pain into words that she then uses as a weapon to bring down people who have hurt her, or more often, others. She tends to be as hard on herself as anyone else, because in her job mistakes can be the difference between justice or a failure of it, and sometimes life and death. She feels like she can't afford to be wrong, not even once. Will - Will has spent his whole life being blamed for his mother's death when he was born, and he's internalized that blame. It's hard for him to even consider forgiving himself. But since he tends to blame himself for most things that go wrong, he doesn't see a lot in others that he needs to forgive. Milo - Milo is reasonably quick to forgive people, given how often he can see that there is more to their story than most people know. He's learned to extend the same courtesy to himself in most cases, especially since his family is one where resentment isn't allowed to fester and most disagreements are dealt with above the board, if loudly and sometimes sharply.

🗡️ - Does this oc have a signature object, accessory, or weapon? Matti - Matti doesn't really have much physically with him that he's particularly attached to. When he left home, he brought mostly essentials with him. Something that's more representative of him than actually something he possesses is an ear of corn. Jim - Jim is rarely without his cane. His family tried to prevent him from using one as a boy, thinking that he would get too dependent on it, and that making his leg stronger was better. After he left home, he figured out how wrong they were about that and started using one. Lina - Lina carries her Polaroid camera pretty much everywhere with her. She's always taking pictures of anything she finds interesting or intriguing. Sometimes, her random snapshots have told her more than she expected about a story, and she's learned not to discount what catches her eye. Will - Will doesn't have much that he considers his own. He's always been drawn to the things that were his mother's, but when his father caught him taking her old silver locket from the small side table where he kept all his mementos of her, Will learned not to touch any of those things anymore. Milo - (this one's a little different but I still feel like it qualifies...) Milo generally always has his dog Ginger with him. The brown and white bull terrier mix is a former stray Milo earned the trust of, who now follows him everywhere.

📓 - Do you associate any quotes or lyrics with this oc? Matti - "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now" - Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin Jim - "And then when just enough light Comes from just the right side And you find you're not who you're suppose to be?" - Forest by Twenty-One Pilots Lina - "Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again" - The Times They Are A'Changin' by Bob Dylan Will - "Who am I to say what any of this means, I have been sleepwalking Since I was fourteen" - Nine by Sleeping at Last Milo - "There's something wrong with the world today I don't know what it is Something's wrong with our eyes, We're seeing things in a different way" - Living' on the Edge by Aerosmith

#asks #ask game #scrapbook of the unexplained

[palmerfms]

did you see jason palmer at that rager last night? i think they major in theatre as a junior. from what i hear they’re diligent & introspective but they can be pretty resentful too, depending on who you ask. there was a rumor going around last semester that he almost got kicked out of the drama club but it seems way to wild to be true. maybe i’ll get to know ucsb’s resident shadow & find out. 

statistics / biography / pinterest / playlist

background

jason was born to two parents who never thought he would happen – after many failed times trying to pregnant, they had accepted the fact that they would never have children of their own so they decided to adopt. but little did they know that jason would be born and so they got two children.

when jason was really little, they had grown up with a lot of optimism and confidence but it soon faded after years of living in the shadows of his sibling.

whatever people saw in his sibling, they just couldn’t see in jason even though he could see it in himself. but eventually over time, they stopped being able to see it in themselves too. 

every time he tried to stand out, he either made a fool of himself or just blended in more. so he kind of stopped trying. he just put his head down and did the work.

jason grew up largely feeling invisible in comparison to their sibling which led them to have a complicated relationship with their sibling and a complicated relationship with themself.

jason is the king of biting his tongue and doing the grunt work that no one else wants to do. he puts everything into his craft and works his ass off, even though he doesn’t get the results that he wants.

as much as he tries not to, he resents his sibling and pretty much everyone who overlooks him – including his peers, his parents, and even himself.

they’ve been basically delegated to the sidelines their entire life and have always been seen as a cog in a machine, rather than an actual asset to any production.

he lives in the shadows – and it sucks. but it’s also home in some weird twisted way. he’s lived their for so long that it’s somewhat comforting, sometimes he thinks that’s where he belongs because he doesn’t feel like he belongs anywhere else.

personality

probably one of the shiest kids at the college. he tends to be more introspective and introverted than his peers. 

he’s also shy because he figures no one wants to hear from him and would rather hear from their sibling.

the king of keeping their thoughts inside, no matter how loud!

jason is super nonconfrontational because it’s just in their nature to do what others want and to kind of go along with everything instead of standing up for themself.

if you saw inside his mind, you would be confused as to why he never spoke. despite his timidness, they have a lot of things to say but they think so much that they end up not saying anything. 

he’s constantly trying to prove himself – prove that he belongs in the theater department, but his way of proving himself is just buckling down and doing the work, it’s not anything spectacular unless you see how hard he really does work.

they’ve got a ridiculous work ethic – they’re constantly reading plays and history and basically will not sleep until everything is perfect.

#( intro.)

[cyraniadebergerac]

Garden Assassin OCs

Free to use for any future fanwork.

Going off the framework provided by Yor.

Nix & Rubina Rose: Twinned Blooms - Twin girls that needed help to survive after their mother died. They move utterly in sync with each other to the point where no one seeing them in action can tell if they are really one person or two, using their speed to give their targets death by a thousand cuts. Off duty, the two still live together with the two working at an animal sanctuary. (Plant: White and Red Roses, Fairytale: Snow White and Rose Red).

Rupert King: Prince Hyacinth - The young scion of a ruined family name who came to the shopkeeper for help to survive and revenge after all his parents' secrets and lies to protect him all crumble into dust. He sneaks into cultured venues to get alone with his target, able to blend in among the elite. His preferred method is to knock his target out then chock them to death, allowing him to relish the death as it happens. Only noticable feature is a rather large nose. (Plant: Hyacinth, Fairy Tale: The Tale of Prince Hyacinth)

Rachel Tower: Mother Rapunzel - After her husband abandoned her with their children, a twin brother and sister, Rachel struggled to find work that would provide for them. And so the shopkeeper found her and she became Mother Rapunzel, her expertise being able to scale high places where people assume they are safe then only killing her targets, using a garrote. Anyone not her target, she blinds so that they can't see her, through sleeping gas first then by gouging out their eyes when worse comes to worse. Her unusual trait is long, flowing hair. When off the job, she remains a kind, loving mother for her children and to those around her, working as a part time school nurse and helping her kids have the life they should despite all the gossip at her expense on the location of her husband.

Ella Hearth: Ash Maiden - Ella's birth parents were kind and loving, but after she died, she ended up being placed with cruel parents that worked her to the bone. After having enough, she ran from her abusive foster parents and tried to survive on the streets, winding up sheltering in the Garden under the Ash Tree, hence her codename. She then became an assassin in exchange for help to make a new life for herself where she would be free of those that would try to harm her. In action, she's a female honeypot assassin, using her charm to lure her targets into a false sense of security before stabbing them somewhere fatal that's easy for her to strike. She's been known to mutilate targets if she's especially angry with them. Off duty, she's managed to land herself a role as a tailor's apprentice working on elegant formal dresses, seemingly distant but kindly and able to do a lovely seam. And yet, she finds she's not sure if she could leave the Garden even if she wanted to. (Plant: Ash Tree, Fairy Tale: Cinderella, particularly the German version Ashpeshal (will look up real name later) where instead of a fairy godmother, her mother's spirit helps her through her old favorite ash tree).

Demetrius Rivers: Narcissus - A poet who ran into debt chasing the life he thought he should live, and so he ended up coming to the shopkeeper to come out of debt. He acts as the male honeypot assassin, attracting the target to him then either killing them through poison, suffocation, or drowning; which ever he feels is most 'appropriate' for the occasion. Off duty, he still writes his poems, though those that actually read his work notice that it's gotten darker as of late. (Plant: Narcissus, Tale: Greek Myth of Narcissus [I wanted to add some guys in but there aren't that many fairy tales that explicitly touch on plants and flowers without being female protagonists, at the very least not that many that I can think of at the top of my head right now. So, we have some leeway on the fairy tale rule. Besides, it also allows a broader range of inspiration that way]).

Luke Baldwin: Godslaying Trickster - It was only Luke and his little brother left in the world, but Luke managed to con his way into getting by. But then, his little brother became seriously ill and the only cure was expensive. After failing to raise the funds himself, the shopkeeper bailed him out and promised to pay for the surgery if Luke took on some tasks. And so Luke became the Godslsying Trickster, using lies and disguises to get near enough to his target to give them a death by poison dart before disappearing again. The shopkeeper helped him get legitimate work as a civil servant and helped to pay for his brother's repeated treatments as the former ones worked but the illness still left him sickly and liable to go entirely blind if he doesn't get what he needs. For this, Luke also acts as one of the shopkeeper's go-to men for intel on targets, with Luke in no position to refuse. (Plant: Missletoe, Tale: The Death of Balder).

I may have more later. If anyone wants to add to this to add comments, feel free! And if anyone does use any of these, I would love to see how you use them.

#spy x family #sxf #sxf oc #sxf ocs #free to use #sxf garden

[byneddiedingo]

Isao Numasaki and Chieko Nakakita in One Wonderful Sunday (Akira Kurosawa, 1947) Cast: Isao Numasaki, Chieko Nakakita, Atsushi Watanabe, Zeko Nakamura, Ichiro Sugai, Masao Shimizu, Shiro Mizutani, Midori Ariyama, Toshi Mori. Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa, Keinosuke Uekusa. Cinematography: Asakazu Nakai. Production design: Kazuo Kubo. Music: Tadashi Hattori. Akira Kurosawa's One Wonderful Sunday brings to mind two near-contemporary films: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948). In its own odd way, Kurosawa's film blends a bit of the fantasy of the Capra film with the neorealism of the De Sica, though it doesn't quite succeed in the attempt. All three are products of the postwar world. The Americans, having won the war, naturally put the stress on optimism; the Italians and the Japanese, having lost, and having been sunk in the economic crisis caused by losing, naturally put the stress on endurance, on clinging to shreds of hope. Kurosawa's protagonists are a young couple, Yuzo (Isao Numasaki) and Masako (Chieko Nakakita), who can't afford to get married, but pool their resources, a meager 35 yen, to try to enjoy a Sunday together. Yuzo's depression shadows the outing, but Masako is determined to cheer him up. She's a little bit bossy, however -- when they first get together at the train station, he has just picked up a half-smoked cigarette from the pavement, hoping to smoke it later, but she strikes it out of his hand. Then she drags him into a model home in a new housing development, even though it's well beyond their means and is, he notes, shoddily built. Their housing plight -- he lives with a friend, she with her sister's family -- is emphasized when they visit a place that has a room to rent, only to discover that it's only minimally livable and that they can't afford even that. But Yuzo manages to climb out of his depression when he finds a bunch of kids playing baseball in the street and joins their game. And so it goes through the day as they oscillate between depression and hope. A visit to what remains of the city's zoo confronts them with some sad-looking animals. A large, fat pig slumbers in a cage that used to belong to a lion, causing Yuzo to remark, "The world is run by pigs." And then it starts to rain. Yuzo suggests that they go to his place -- his roommate will be out until late, he says -- but Masako resists, angering him. Then she notices a poster for a concert featuring Schubert's Unfinished Symphony. They can afford the 10-yen tickets, so they run through the rain to the concert hall. But scalpers have bought up all the 10-yen tickets and are selling them for 15 yen, and when Yuzo protests, they beat him up. When they go to Yuzo's room after all, where Masako treats his wounds, he tries to persuade her to sleep with him and she leaves. More depressed than ever -- even the roof is leaking -- Yuzo broods until Masako returns, contrite, but her sobs make any further sexual moves impossible, so they decide to spend the last of their money in a coffee shop. Even there, they are stymied: The coffee shop bills them for café au lait, instead of the regular coffee they thought they ordered, so Yuzo leaves his overcoat, saying he'll return the next day to make good on the bill. Now penniless, they begin to live in their dreams. They pretend that the ruins of a house are the coffee shop they want to open some day and, discovering an old band shell, try to pretend that Yuzo is conducting the performance of Schubert's Unfinished that they missed. At this point, Kurosawa departs from neorealism and has Masako address the movie audience directly: If they'll applaud for all the sad, impoverished lovers in the world, then she and Yuzo will be able to hear the music he's pretending to conduct. It works, and they hear the music. They part as the film ends, promising each other to meet again next Sunday. In fact, Kurosawa's borrowing from Peter Pan and asking for the audience's applause didn't work in Japan, where audiences were simply puzzled, though when the film was shown in France years later, French audiences responded enthusiastically. The sentimentality of One Wonderful Sunday is hardly characteristic of Kurosawa, but it's tempered by some masterly use of locations -- blended with more stylized studio sets -- and good performances by the leads: Isao Numasaki, in fact, does manage to evoke both James Stewart in Capra's film and Lamberto Maggiorani in De Sica's, even though he couldn't have seen the latter and probably didn't see the former. There are moments when Kurosawa prolongs the depression of Yuzo and Masako a bit too much, and the film seems a little overextended for the slightness of its narrative, but it's clearly a formative work for a master director, as well as a heartfelt depiction of the plight of his country.

#One Wonderful Sunday #Akira Kurosawa #Isao Numasaki #Chieko Nakakita

[psychosassicvampire]

ok the people want details about the skate park au

@pixeliis​ @futuristicwormsociety​ come get your food

its all very fast and loose but these are a handful of my concepts [proceeds to unfurl a scroll about as long as todd is tall]

- yes dirk actually skates and he’s not tony hawk but he’s decent

- todd is mesmerized by this anyway because we are starting off on s2 levels of “dirk is so important to my life” adoration. in reality dirk is fairly awkward and dorky but todd just has sparkles in his eyes about it. also dirk has cool jackets which more than makes up for a lot of awkwardness especially in the eyes of your bi peers

- todd does NOT skate (yet). he takes an adolescent amanda to the park so she can skate because she’s badass and cooler than her brother and he sits on a bench nearby to draw or carve mindlessly into things or does some spray paint graffiti and tagging while he ‘babysits’ per their parents’ request. eventually dirk rolls around and befriends amanda as his fellow skate park buddy and todd is starry-eyed about him from afar. he secretly draws dirk in his sketchbook sometimes.

- amanda catches on to her brother’s crush and she keeps trying to set them up. she’s 11 or 12 and it becomes one of her personal missions. young girls are extremely tenacious in their goals. meanwhile todd is shy and has dreadful self esteem with both girls and guys so he resents this.

- dirk occasionally leaves his jacket with todd at the bench and asks him to watch it for him while he skates with amanda - dirk gets along with kids well. todd can almost never speak in response to his requests but he usually nods his head hopelessly about it. at some point dirk asks todd why he doesn’t skate too. he’s just embarrassed to try something new and says he can’t. dirk calls bullshit and takes it upon himself to teach todd and get him used to being on a board. they do have to hold hands for this sometimes. todd falls a lot. hence the pink bandages. amanda gets a habit of yelling “KISS HIM” across the concrete at random intervals of their nearness which todd apologetically waves off as his sister being weird, oh you know how sisters are, and please shut up amanda.

- neither of the siblings have pararibulitis at this time nor have either of them lied about it yet. they can skate and get injured to their heart’s content... for now.

- i have to credit theo @drawyourgunsr5​ for the basis of the family feud which adds our romeo and juliet flavor. dirk’s family has recently come over from england and are wealthy enough to have bought out the business that the brotzman’s parents used to work at, and they have since lost their jobs. the brotzman family has been falling on hard times for it since, and the parents resent the gentlys for it. when they find out dirk is a gently, and that he frequents the local skate park, they are furious. eventually the brotzman parents bar either of the kids from going back to the park, though todd blows them off and does so anyway. dirk hates his own family and their claustrophobic expectations on him as their heir and would rather run away and be a rebellious skater wannabe, spending ridiculous amounts of his parent’s money on leather jackets they dont approve of and spending time with the mall rat kids. so he is on tenuous ground with his own family.

- todd is 18 so he technically could just run away from home and the tension therein but he’s sort of a third parent to amanda because the parents have to work so much at various part time jobs to make ends meet they’re almost never around and he doesn’t want to abandon her.

- dirk could also run away from home and nearly has plans to, though his consequences for doing so would be costly. later on when dirk and todd are finally in the realm of acknowledging their crushes on each other under flickering lamplight on the concrete, still warmly radiating the heat back from the summer sun, dirk admits he would give up everything his family has to offer him, all of the money, all of the influence in high places, to be with todd, and that todd is the single most important thing that has ever happened to him (spoken with all the naive drama of tragic teens in love and also sound of nothing).

- todd isn’t so confident about a dramatic escape being the best move, and he’s especially not thrilled about giving up a potential for security. his family struggles a lot and in the back of his mind he knows he or his sister could have a pararibulitis onset attack any day, and being out of money doesn’t bode so well for any of that. he loves dirk for dirk, but he also knows that while money doesn’t buy happiness it sure as hell can make life more possible. he’d rather try to keep things copacetic with the families if he can, at least initially.

- they meet in secret often, and on one or more occasions dirk has climbed into todd’s window unannounced. separately, dirk has invited todd over to his place and had the bright idea they both climb in through a window there too, whereupon dirk tells todd to push his bum to make him go up. (his own house is harder to climb into and he is a fool.)

basically theyre obsessed with each other and theyre stupid and i was like yeah but what if our boys had more piercings and looked like they woke up after sound of nothing more often (because this look changed me)

and then i realized i could do what i want so i did and i am

thank you for attending my self indulgence

#dirk dyes his hair black and todd bleaches his hair every now and then #dirk does it because he wants to rebel in a very passive and classic way against his uptight british parents #todd does it because he's queer and insecure and alternative and what else are you going to do when you can't get more piercings every time #you wish you could change yourself #you bleach your hair. #also todd helps amanda do ombre dye kits from the convenience store to her hair in their bathroom sometimes because he's a loving brother #it's the little things. or the extremely grandiose gestures if you're dirk. #he lives large even if he tries to blend in with the other kids in suburbia. #he skates to the park but he does have the 'vette. he leaves it at home to not draw attention to himself #todd sees it in the driveway the first time he sneaks over and freaks out behind the hedges about it #dirk says he traded in the car his parents DID buy for him to have this and they hate it but the title for the gift car was in his name so #they couldnt stop him. but they hate the decisions he makes. #they think his bright blue wrapped vette is a gaudy immature eyesore and theyre right and i fucking love it #alright im shutting up now #but thank you for your comments i live for these kindnesses #dghda skatepark au #dghda au #brotzly #todd brotzman #dirk gently #amanda brotzman #replies #futuristicwormsociety #pixeliis #.txt

[gunterfan1992]

Andres Salaff Interview

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure to e-interview Andres Salaff, and I’d like to share that interview with you today! Andres worked on Adventure Time as one of the supervising directors from seasons 6–8, and he has also worked on shows like Regular Show, Big Mouth, Uncle Grandpa, and Close Enough! Read on for fascinating info about how Andres got his start in the biz, what his duties as director were, and what inspired Flame P and Neptr’s rap in “The Music Hole”:

What is your ‘artistic origin story’? And how did you come to work on Adventure Time?

Andres Salaff: I was living in Ohio and drawing mini comics for fun. While visiting California, someone saw them and told me about Calarts Character Animation. I visited the school and looked at the student's work. I knew instantly that it was what I wanted to pursue. I love it because it encompasses a lot of my interests. Drawing, acting, writing and storytelling. After graduating from Calarts, I was hired as a storyboard artist on Regular Show and after three years of doing that, I was asked to direct on AT.

As a supervising director, what were your many duties? Was it largely coordination, or were you drawing/boarding alongside the board artists, too?

AS: [The job was mostly about] weigh[ing] in on storyboard pitches and voice records. But mainly, my job was at the storyboard animatic stage. To make sure that everything was working at that stage of the process and to make sure, along with the art director, timers and designers that all of the necessary information was there for the overseas animation studio. It was very collaborative in that I got to work with the different supervisors in seeing it through the pre production phase up until it got shipped overseas.

What was the energy of the crew like?

AS: [There were] a lot of thinkers on the crew. At times even reserved, but their wit would always come out and surprise me.

Did you do much coordinating with the South Korean studios with regard to the animation? Or was that someone else’s job?

AS: My work was to provide the information necessary to ship. Once it came back, I didn't have a hand in it. Once or twice I did, but that was when Adam Muto, the EP, was on a hiatus.

One thing I'm interested in is the production of the show's miniseries. How did production differ from the 'norm' when it came time to do Stakes?

AS: Stakes was so fun to work on. There wasn't much of a difference on my end from the regular season other than helping to keep an eye on the overarching story and making sure things were tracking. It was so cool seeing the different parts being pitched and coming together. All of the boarders had such a unique voice and style, yet when assembled they somehow blended seamlessly.

One of my favorite episodes has to be "The Music Hole.” How did you come to work on that episode?

AS: Adam Muto had seen a pilot that I had done at the studio called Ridin' With Burgess. There is a lot of rapping in it. He must've liked it because he asked me to board on The Music Hole. The episode centered around a music festival and Flame Princess and Neptr had a rap group.

In a separate interview, Polly Guo waxed poetic about the rap you wrote, so I was wondering if you could speak about where those ideas came from?

AS: As a kid growing up in Ohio, I used to attend a yearly festival called Scribble Jam. I tried to make FP and Neptr's song/ performance as close to that as I could remember. It was really fun to work on that episode and to collaborate with Polly Guo!

A huge thanks to Andres for answering my questions! As always, here are some useful links:

Andres’s personal website: https://andressalaff.com/

Andres’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_dres/

The Greatest Song Ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIILKyCUbLA

#Adventure Time #atimers #Andres Salaff #interview #neptr #flame princess #calarts #polly guo #Scribble Jam #Ohio is for artists

[honestlyfragile]

JUMPSTREET - Mark Lee x Johnny Suh

Pairing: Mark Lee x Fem!Reader, Johnny is Mark’s bestfriend, Mentions of Jaehyun and Yuta

Genre: university!au, police!au, a dash of fluff, smut,crack, fraternity!au

warnings: mild violence, mentions of guns, drugs, sexual themes, language

Summary: Mark and Johnny were partners in crime, but when feelings get in the way, will Mark stick to the law or go against it?

Wc: 15.4k

also posted in Ao3

a/n: I hope you enjoy this story heavily inspired by the 21 & 22 Jumpstreet movie franchise, and hopefully I was able to deliver it with my own ideas. Enjoy!

Mark and Johnny start their first official day as policemen after being together in most of their high school years and studying criminology in college. They could not be more excited to see people make trouble until today.

"Let's see who's going to be able to make his first arrest." Johnny bets, scanning around the area with a cup of coffee in his hand, the other on his waist.

"Dude it's a park, what the fuck could possibly happen here?" Mark retorts, unamused.

"Oh you know, it's a crazy world we live in these days." Johnny defends, his gaze fixed on his surroundings.

"Sure it is." Mark continues to read his newspaper as he stands side by side with Johnny.

The two try to at least roam around and patrol over the area, looking for at least an ounce of any violation, it didn't matter if it was serious or not.

Mark spots a kid of about 9 years old near the pond, about to drop a piece of bread into the water.

"Excuse me kid," Mark bluffs, as if it were his first catch of the day. Technically this is his first catch of his career, hopefully.

"What?" the child frowns and looks at him obnoxiously.

"Read the sign," Mark points to it and the kid's eyes follow, but disobeys him anyway. 

"It says don't feed the ducks!" Mark argues, but the kid is unbothered.

"Let it go Mark, it's not like bread will kill them. Plus, you can't arrest a child." Johnny scoffs and tries to drag Mark to another area.

Mark lets out a sigh as the kid sticks his tongue out and he does the same before turning his back.

The two had nothing better to do, they were rookies who just got newly assigned to an area that didn't even have any trouble. Almost like they were just there for the sake of. Of course the department treated them as rookies.

Johnny takes out his pistol out of boredom and tosses it for fun. "Woah you know those are loaded right?" Mark warns him while involuntarily taking a step back.

"Yeah and?" Johnny continues to toss and play with it.

"Unload it first!" Mark panics like the goody two shoes that he was.

"Then that would be no fun." Johnny shrugs.

Mark spots a group of middle aged men from afar, but not quite. He squints and tries to take a closer look with his binoculars.

"Yo check it out, aren't those the Outlaws?" He nudges Johnny's shoulder as he takes a look himself.

The Outlaws are a known motorcycle gang in the county, they aren't always bothersome but the both of them are determined to find a loophole.

The two approach the group of men and tell them off because they have parked their motorcycles illegally. But that's not the only thing they notice, these men were stoned. One lights up a joint of Marijuana shamelessly, and Johnny loses his temper. "Excuse me Sir, you do know that the use of Marijuana is illegal right?"

"Oh look," the hideous man spits on the ground. "They must be new. He has the guts to talk to us like that. Nice to see some fresh kids here. You sure you aren't dressing up for... halloween?" The man specifically has his eyes on Mark when he said the last sentence.

Feeling offended, Mark straightens up his stance and acts more like a grown man. "That's a nice joke sir, now hand it over." He says in a stern voice.

"What a scary fella, keep up the good work! Sorry I don't have candy with me." They tease and the two have had enough.

"I'm going to have to search your motorcycle now sir." Johnny insists and doesn't wait for a response, and opens the seat and finds packets of a fine white substance. "These are.." he halts.

"DRUGS!" Mark shouts and immediately gets pushed by one of the gang members.

Johnny immediately gets a sample and keeps it in his pocket and takes his gun out. Mark gets up and does the same. The men try to run away and escape, Johnny runs after them and Mark takes his bike. The two finally get to corner them and Johnny pits one of them on the ground.

"You have the right to," Johnny tries to utter the Miranda Rights as he puts handcuffs on the man that is trying to eagerly resist him. "To shut the fuck up!" Johnny was being too focused on trying to handcuff the suspect and forgets to recite the rest,

Reciting those did not even cross Mark's mind as he just also focused on trying to handcuff the man.

"You are coming with us!" He yells and drags them to the police station, which was only a few meters away from them now.

--------

As the case was investigated, their chief commends them but then discovers that they forgot to recite the Miranda Rights, which can possibly make the charges be dropped, but thankfully the violation to the law was enough for the men to remain in jail.

"Technically you still did this wrong," the chief puts a hand on his chin and taps the polished wooden table. "But since you're just starting out, i'll give you another offer."

The two young men eye each other, anticipating the chief's suggestion. "An offer?" Johnny asks, straightening up in his seat.

"Jump street." The chief says.

"Wha- what's that?" Mark furrows his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Since the both of you look younger than the rest of the people here, our undercover police unit is in need of officers." The chief informs.

"Please, continue." Johnny lets him explain further.

"You pretend to be college students. It's practically the same, but it would be more suitable for the both of you because it's your crowd. You see crime and injustice, you report. But, you will be disguised as college students to ease the procedures of trying to find what those students have been up to. We have your back." The chief explains.

"Cool." Mark simply says because he is astonished by the idea.

"So where do we report? Do we have a new head quarters?" Johnny asks. 

"You will be transferred. Down in 21 Jump St." The deputy Chief declares.

____

They head to the headquarters that was disguised as an old chapel. "You sure this is the one?" Mark questions as he gets out of the car.

"It does say 21 Jump St. so, let's have a look." Johnny turns off the engine and both of them enter.

The setting was a typical chapel, but it was dark and full of stock equipment. Mark takes a look at the altar that was dimly lit, and bows before the image of Christ to show respect . Johnny on the other hand was not a person of religion but follows Mark's simple gesture anyways.

"The both of you!" A man shouts from afar, and it echoes, "come over here." 

The two are startled but proceed to the hidden room. When they enter they see two women who are already disguised as cheerleaders. Meanwhile the two are still in their police uniforms. The ladies take a look and have a good laugh at them. "You do know that you're supposed to go undercover right?" She says, eyeing them from head to toe. 

"W-we didn't get the memo that it was gonna be today.." Mark trails off and fidgets with his hands.

"Go and dress like teenagers! Now!" The chief commands and the two quickly change right away. 

When they get back they are briefed by the set of rules they have to follow and about the goals of this undercover project.

"Rule number 1. DO NOT get expelled. No one in the system knows that you are undercover. So be disciplined and don't cause major trouble. Getting expelled would mean that you'll get your asses kicked out of jump street." The chief sternly explains, making the assigned officers hold their breath from fear.

"Rule number 2," the officer walks past the rest and stands in front of Johnny. "DO NOT have any sexual or intimate relationships with the students and professors. You hear that pretty boy?" And specifically locks his eyes on Johnny, making the boy gulp and purse his lips. After the general meeting, the two were called for a detailed one, personally with the chief.

It was said to them that they had to find a synthetic drug that has been spreading around the campus called NCT. A sample of its packaging was shown, it was definitely something you wouldn't think of as a drug. It was about a size of a large coin, and looks like a small biscuit. It was sealed using assorted hand drawn stickers of different objects. They were also advised to never give out their real names, because new identities have been assigned to them. Johnny's being Rolan Kim and Mark's being Kalen Park.

"When the youngsters take this drug, it apparently makes them laser-focused on studying for about an hour. And for the succeeding hours, they party like it's fucking 1999 until they pass out. Infiltrate the dealer, find the supplier." The chief gives his final orders and sends off the both of them for their mission.

-----

"Dang, we're really going back to college?" Mark says as he finished up packing his things for the dorm that the agency assigned to them. They had to be as realistic as possible.

The two head to the university, reminiscing their own college days. The two might perhaps over-do this whole "blending in" thing, which might give out the disguise.

"Woah their campus is HUGE." Mark says, mesmerized and wears both straps of his backpack.

"Bro, that's not very college of you." Johnny fumbles with the strap of Mark's backpack.

"What?"

"You're two strapping dude. You have to just sling one of them on your shoulder, so it's cool and grown up. You're in college, not middle school." Johnny fixes Mark's bag for him.

"Right. College." He utters to himself. He seems to be enjoying it too much, and starts saying hi to everyone he sees.

"Knock it off, Mark. You're giving us away." Johnny nudges his arm and tries to cooly stride along the campus, keeping his composure.

Mark acknowledges him and goes with the flow. The two arrive in their dorm that they gladly share only among themselves. Mark is new to this, because when he went to college he stayed with his parents. Thankfully he could trust Johnny to always have his back.

The two set their things down and pick their beds, it didn't really matter much since the room had two singles and separate desks for the both of them. It also had a small book shelf that could come in handy, if they ever plan to take lectures seriously.

"Let's just fix these later. We have to go to the Dean's office to confirm our enrollment. Act natural okay?" Johnny lazily brushes his hair back and straightens up his shirt in front of the small mirror that the vanity had.

"Oh- uh okay." Mark leaves the pile of his clothes undone on top of his bed and grabs his phone and keys.

It was the afternoon of fall, the campus has been covered with different hues of orange leaves and subtle sunlight. The breeze was cool but not strong as it blew against their hair. The university seemed peaceful, but they had no idea what went on once the sun sets and the lights are off.

After a couple minutes of walking, the two arrive at the Dean's office for their interview. 

"Good afternoon gentlemen, please take a seat." The middle aged man smiles at the both of them. 

The two are slightly nervous, but eventually get over it. "Nice to meet you, Mr..." Johnny reads the name plate on the desk "Mr. Bennet." and gives the man his signature smile. Mark does the same and they start their interview. 

"Okay, so which one is Rolan and which one is Kalen?" Mr. Bennet asks and there was a short period of silence. Two had seemed to forget which identities were theirs. 

Johnny raises his hand, "I'm Rolan sir. Rolan Kim." and he nudges Mark's shoulder. 

"Ah yes and I'm Kalen... Park" he barely manages to blurt it out. 

The dean furrows his eyebrows but lets it go and proceeds. "So the two of you are?" He asks. They were not prepared for that question. 

"Brothers."

"Family friends." the two say at the same time. They give each other a funny look, and Mark gladly saves them from the mishap. "Well we do really treat each other as brothers sir, we grew up together pretty much." and clears his throat. A close call. 

"That's good to hear. So Rolan is going to be trying out for the football team and Kalen will try out for the Music club. Those two are very different from each other, but don't worry the opportunities in this school are endless. You can always transfer if you feel that you aren't happy with what you chose." The dean explains and the two acknowledge. 

Mr. Bennet goes a little further with the interview and gives them their schedules for the semester then eventually dismisses the two, wishing them well.

"Dude how can you forget the identity that was assigned to you!" Johnny quietly scolds Mark for his slip away. 

"I'm sorry okay it's a little confusing!" Mark scratches the back of his head and looks at the floor. 

"Ayt, I'll see you later. I have Chemistry in 15 minutes. I can still catch up. What about you?" Johnny asks, putting his hand on his pockets and the other on Mark's shoulder.

"Well, I don't really have any classes for the day anymore. I guess i'll head back to the dorm so I can start unpacking already. I'll see you then. Let me know if you find any leads." Mark gives him a small salute and heads back to the dorms.

-----

Johnny arrives in the lecture hall and receives strange looks. He tenses up a little but nonetheless shrugs it off and takes a seat next to a boy who looks like a whole generation younger than him. 

"Yo, you look really old. Were you held back?" The boy asks in a nosy manner, unintentionally pushing Johnny's buttons.

Johnny clenches his jaw and keeps his composure. "No I don't... You look young. Super young. Were you held forward?" he tries to redeem himself. 

"No? Whatever. I'm Haechan by the way." The boy introduces himself. 

"Im Joh- Rolan." Johnny almost slips but the latter doesn't notice. 

The professor immediately hands a quiz, which Johnny has no idea of because he arrived at an odd time of the semester. He guessed all the questions with all his might. But to be quite honest he also wasn't the best in chemistry when he still went to school. 

He turns his paper in and walks towards the exit but gets stopped by Haechan. "Uh do you need help with the topic? You seem to be clueless about it." Which came off as a little rude, but that wasn't his intention at all. 

"No." Johnny insists because it hurts his pride. "I know everything." He stiffens up.

"Yeah? Do you know what a covalent bond is then?" The boy cheekily asks. 

Johnny bluffs, because he doesn't. Or to put it in a better light, he forgot. "Fuck man, I don't have to tell you what it is."

"Woah, I wasn't trying to be rude. But anyway if you need help you can just ask me. See ya." Then Haechan was off and got lost in the sea of people. 

Apparently, it was Johnny's last class for the day because it was already almost evening. He texts Mark to inform him that he's heading back to the dorm as well. He doesn't let his guard down and continues to observe the students if they're up to anything suspicious.

As he walked to the dorm, he saw a bunch of boys that were about as tall as he was but more athletic gather around the corner of the football field. He acts nonchalant but keeps an eye on what they are up to. He tries to move closer to the scene without getting caught and acts like he's only passing by. 

"Yo hook me up with some more of those, I can't fail my classes or else i'll get kicked out of the team." One says to the other. 

Johnny immediately pulls his phone out to text Mark about what he just heard and hurries back. 

-------

"Dude, as expected the football team has it. I'm trying out tomorrow and I'll surely get with them." Johnny discusses with Mark.

"Yeah? Can I come watch your tryouts? So I can see what they look like." Mark requests. 

"Sure. 2pm at the field." Johnny informs him.

The two were mostly busy arranging their stuff in the room until they heard a knock on the door. Mark offers to get it. 

"Hey new neighbors!" two men appear with big smiles. 

"Oh hey, uh... thanks?" Mark blankly answers as he was usually awkward meeting with new people.

Johnny comes and checks to see who it was, and to his surprise, it was Haechan and his roommate. 

"Oh hey Haechan, and hey..." Johnny looks at the unfamiliar guy. 

"Renjun." He smiles.

"Right Renjun." Johnny nods. "Oh by the way Kalen, I go to the same biology class as Haechan." Johnny calls Mark by his fake name.

"Oh cool, what about you Renjun, what's your major?" Mark asks. 

"Classical music!" Renjun enthusiastically says. 

"Oh I'm in Music Prod! I'll probably see you around during org meetings." Mark smiles.

Their neighbors introduce tips for them that could be useful during their stay and seem to be genuinely nice people. But Mark and Johnny cannot trust anyone, so they keep their guards up and try their best to not give anything away. 

Although it may have seemed like an easy task for them, it wasn't. The drug was all over the school, it was going to be difficult to find the root of it if they ignored even the smallest details that could lead them to find out the supplier. 

---

The following day, the two wake up early ready to officially start the day. Mark and Johnny head to their own classes, hoping that they find out something about the case today. 

Mark enters the lecture hall for his Philosophy class. It was almost 80 percent full as it was a basic class for almost everyone. He awkwardly looks around, hoping to find a seat that wasn't as far because of his bad eyesight. 

"Psst." You try to catch his attention. When he looks over, you tap the vacant seat next to you, "you can sit here." You offer. 

"T-thanks." He says and gives you a smile. 

"You seem like a new face. I'm Y/N" You say to him because you have observed the people in this class every day. 

"I'm Kalen. Kalen Park." he scratches the back of his head. "I uh, just got enrolled yesterday. You know, when your family moves into another town... yeah" he trails off with his made-up excuse. 

"Yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it." You genuinely assure him, "It's college. You can take your time." You chuckle because he was so awkward, but seemed very kind. 

"Definitely." He bites his lip, unsure if he should keep talking or not. But the professor arrives just on time. 

He observes his surroundings and keeps an eye on suspicious students that might have a link to what they were looking for. He whispers to the guy in front of him who was just playing games on his laptop and wasn't listening in class. "Hey, do you know where I can get myself some NCT?" 

The guy raises his brows in doubt, "are you a narc?" and might have said it way too loudly. 

Mark tries to brush it off with a stiff laugh "What are you talking about man? I'm not I swear." and refuses to make eye contact. 

The airhead lets it go and slips mark a cellphone number that could possibly be a step closer to what they were looking for. "Just text them "looking for a hookup" and they'll know what you're talking about." 

"Thanks, man." He gives him a small pat on the back just to show that he wasn't up to anything, which actually just makes him more suspicious. Thankfully, the guy didn't really care. 

Mark was delighted to have found a lead easily, and immediately texts Johnny about it. After that, he actually paid attention to the class, just because it genuinely fascinated him. 

When it ended he immediately gathered his stuff and put on his backpack, ready to meet Johnny. 

"Psst, two strapper!" You call out and try to barely tap his shoulder. 

He looks back and immediately drops one strap of his backpack off his shoulders, he definitely forgot about what Johnny has advised him. He scratches the back of his head with his hands on his pocket, "yeah?" 

"You free this evening?" You casually ask. 

He nervously gulps because he really has to be somewhere right now, but he didn't want to be rude. "Uhm, I guess? I don't know yet. Why?" 

"We're having a poetry slam at the art hall, you might be interested. I saw some good stuff you wrote in your notebook" you smile, hoping that it doesn't freak him out that you saw one of his works. 

His eyes widened, "oh, okay cool I guess I can try. But I have somewhere to be right now, I'll see you..around." And he awkwardly walks off. 

You furrow your brows because of his strange mannerisms, but he seemed like no trouble at all. In fact, it was kind of cute, how awkward he was. 

------ 

It was time for Johnny's football tryouts. Given that he was already good at it during the time that he was actually in college.

Johnny was naturally a sociable person, he blended well with crowds and easily made friends. That's why this was the perfect place for him to be in. He sits himself at the bench while he wears the spare uniforms from the team and is greeted by a dude that was a little shorter than he was, "Goodluck" the boy with ash purple hair says. 

"Thanks!" he enthusiastically replies. 

"Captain! We need you for a sec." the coach calls, then the boy who has wished him luck gets up and reports to the coach. Well, he did give off an impression of one. He was highly presentable, his smile was hospitable, his form was great and his attitude was pleasant. Everything else—was just the ideal makings of a captain. 

The tryouts start and Johnny looks around for Mark, who had just arrived and casually sat himself on the bleachers, waving at Johnny from afar. As the tryouts went on and finished, the coach praised everyone who attended for a job well done and announced the new members who had qualified. All of which included Johnny of course. 

"Hey man, great job out there." The captain is back on Johnny's side to praise him. 

"Yeah, thanks. I'm Rolan by the way." He introduces himself.

"Of course I know, I was the one who picked you from the list." He laughs, "Jaehyun. Jeong Jaehyun." 

-----

"Hey!" Mark hears a familiar voice faintly calling his name. He searches for it but takes him awhile because of how wide the campus is. "Over here two stapper," you chuckle and he finally sees. 

"Oh hey," he muttered quite embarrassed at how awkward he was. 

He takes a seat next to you at the bench near the hall of the poetry slam event, he wanted to go together. "Chilly night huh? I should've brought my sweater.." You trail off, rubbing your arms for warmth. 

You didn't mean for it to come off that way, but Mark willingly takes off his jacket and offers it to you. "Oh it's alright really-" you insist.

"No it's fine, I'm from Canada, this is nothing." He laughs. 

You nod your head with his remark, and proceed to wear his jacket. It was quite big on you, but it was definitely cozy. "Shall we go?" You ask, standing up.

He nods and lets you lead him to the hall. The campus was only lit by lamp posts at this hour, but there were many sculptures in the school of arts that he had wished to see better. Well, there was always next time. 

The both of you enter the hall which was quite filled with students already. It had been set up like a cafe, with a small platform in front that was lit with a spotlight. 

"Give it up for Naya Kim everybody!" the emcee announces, encouraging everyone to give the person a round of applause after presenting a spoken word. "Do we have another volunteer?' 

The crowd falls silent as everyone looks around, mindlessly making eye contact with each other, waiting on who was going next. 

"Anyone?" The emcee taps the mic. 

"I have one!" You yell, and Mark looks at you with wide eyes. 

"Dude no-" he resists, trying to shrink himself into his chair. 

"C'mon it'll be fun!" You nudge his shoulder, "We have Kalen over here!" You grab his wrist and raise his arm for him, even if he was resisting it, he had no choice. 

The emcee squints and eyes the both of you and acknowledges you volunteering your new friend. "Alright we have Kalen next! Stage is yours." The emcee steps off. 

He had all eyes on him now, eyes hungry of anticipation and to witness raw talent amongst themselves. 

"G-good evening everyone." he greets, holding onto the mic tightly and takes a deep breath. His expression changes into a serious one. 

Will it ever come? 

The nights know me well. 

I was a frequent by-passer but now I am no stranger. 

A boy who grew up with sharks does not need to be taught how to swim.

Good night,

These words feel like the vast sky

Darkness, but not hollow.

Black but not bitter. 

After he recites his poem he becomes flustered again from the faint applause he had received from the audience that was present, he puts the mic back to its stand and does a small bow. 

"Not bad, tiger" You pat him on the back. There was more to him than what meets the eye, you just knew. 

"You think so?" He says with hopeful eyes. 

"Yeah!" You assure him. 

The rest of the evening passes by with the both of you having a splendid time watching others unleash their passion and talent for reciting spoken word and poetry. Some were tear jerking and some were downright hilarious. So this is college. Mark thinks to himself.

In the past he had always been a loner who didn't go to many parties because of his strict and conservative parents. 

 He was way beyond his borders now. But he couldn't get carried away. No, this isn't a time for him to redeem himself from his early years, this was time for him to perform his duties. So he snaps out of his little daydream. 

As the both of you were seated at the bench in front of the hall where he found you, he had asked you about your major. 

"Fine arts." you laugh bitterly.

"What's wrong? You don't seem like you're happy with it…" He trails off, swinging his feet that was hanging off the bench. 

You shake your head no, "I am. It's just that my parents don't really know I took this course. I told them I got a scholarship and they were just relieved that they didn't have to pay anymore. Otherwise they'd force me into some business course or something "more practical"" you emphasize with air quotes. 

"I see. Okay so fine arts huh?" He tries to lighten the mood. "What can you say about that one over there?" Mark points to the sculpture to your left, about 20 metres away. 

"They're like two beings, leaning on each other" you pause, dramatically for impact, "They support each other so one doesn't fall." you interpret. 

He seems impressed, then asks "Support huh? How about you? Do you have anyone—who supports you?" 

"Hm, not really, no. I like to be alone and just spend time with myself." Your eyes wander but all you could think about is how he's looking at you with such attentiveness and interest.

He chuckles, "I feel you. You know I'm an expert at being alone. Don't you just love it when you're in a room full of people but no one gives a shit about your presence?" He claps his hands together just once then purses his lips into a bitter lopsided smile. "Yep. Had a lot of those." He masks his personal statement with humor.

"Well," You say, kicking the shortly-trimmed grass on the building's lawn. "If you don't wanna be alone, you walk me to my dorm" you offer.

He looks around and takes no time to think about it, feeling that it was unsafe for you to go alone. "Sure." He smiles.

The walk to your dorm was silent but comfortable. You weren't sure if he was quite a talker or just shy. But one thing you couldn't get out of your head was how unconventionally attractive he was. You've never gotten a vibe like his before and you've been in this university for 2 years already. You wanted to get something out of him even if it takes you to be the bold one here. 

"We're here," You whisper, looking at him seductively. Like you were a puppy begging to not be left alone. "Do you wanna come in? My roommate left for the weekend" you smirk. 

Mark gulps. He had been resisting this kind of tension he had with you ever since he met you. But you made it so hard. "Come on," you say, putting your hand at the back of his neck while tracing mindless patterns on it with your finger. 

"My brother he might be-" 

"Oh you have a brother? Is he hot?" You joke. 

His eyes are wide with stitched eyebrows. But eventually catches on. "Nah." and he pulls you closer to him by the waist. His eyes now staring at you deeply, so hungrily like he was that tiger you called him as earlier. Come and get it.

Without any words said, he had finally crashed his lips onto yours. And you kissed him hard. Like you wanted to have him to all yourself at that very moment. Your tongue grazes his lower lip, begging for entrance which he had granted. Your tongues meshed together at a quick pace, with the heat of your core starting to throb. 

You push yourself closer to him and you start to feel his prominence and unconsciously grind on his jeans, making him grunt. You break the kiss for a quick moment, his eyes are glazed and his mouth agape, out of breath. You turn around and enter the code to your dorm and pull him inside. 

For a brief moment that your bodies were detached, Mark couldn't stop wanting more. Not even thinking the slightest of the consequences of this act that will dawn upon him if it ever gets out. 

You were back to slamming your body with his as you took off his jacket, making it fall to the floor. His hands snake underneath your shirt and started roaming around your body while he peppered kisses on your neck. With a swift flick of his fingers he had unclasped your bra and his hands groped your breasts, you threw your head back as he buried his face in your clothed cleavage. Like he was begging for this bothersome piece of clothing to be gone. 

You grant his invisible wish and quickly lift your shirt off, while your bra falls off your arms naturally, his mouth watering at the sight. You trace his abs underneath his shirt, your core getting wetter with how toned they were based on your touch.

And you didn’t doubt the results one bit. When you lift his shirt, his torso was delicately lean, toned in all the right places that your mouth could water at the sight of it. You bite your lip and roll your eyes at the sensation of him sucking your tits, his grip on you intense but gentle. 

“I don’t have condoms right now, so this is going to be all about you.” He whispers seductively, feeling your wetness through your soaked panties. You softly moan at the sensation and hungrily kiss him again, not having any moment to waste. 

When he slides two fingers to massage your folds, you whimper. "Fuck," you breathe. 

"God, that's hot." He says with a hitched breath. You couldn't possibly get any more turned on right now. 

When he slips his digits in your cunt—you go fucking insane. You haven't felt this good in quite a while, it made you ecstatic to remember how fucking good this feeling was, you hoped that this wouldn't be the last. Mark was different.

He picks up his pace, and you try to keep your composure, but the forced arch of your back says otherwise. You grab a pillow to cover your face, scared that you would be too loud and get caught, or else this would be the last time for the both of you. 

“My fucking God.” You whimper, pulling Mark’s head on your chest, holding onto him for dear life because you just entirely lost control of it all. He finishes you off like his life depended on it, licking your wetness from his fingers, savouring it, then wipes his fingers on his jeans.

“You were so good to me, yeah?” He chuckles when you are left speechless.

“What about you?” You ask, looking at his crotch that was painfully hard. 

“It’s- It’s alright. You don’t have to” He says, and it makes your heart thaw like ice. You didn’t deserve him. 

“But I want to.” You plead, you couldn’t possibly resist him. “Come here,” You say, rubbing your palm against his jeans.

You didn’t waste anymore time and unzipped his pants, lowering it with his boxers just enough t make his cock lightly hit his stomach. His size is definitely more than what you expected.  You take his wet, glistening cock in your hands and pump it gently, smirking in satisfaction when you hear him hiss and moan softly. 

“Can you keep it down for me, tiger? We might not be able to do this again,” You coo, and he obediently nods, grazing your lower lip with his tongue, asking for entrance which you gladly grant but not for long. 

You smile as you lowered your head down to his throbbing member, licking the precum that had escaped the tip. Mark bites his lip, trying to keep as quiet as possible. You slowly put his dick in your mouth, testing a few times how far you could go. He bucks his hips by accident, making you gag very slightly. “I’m so sorry,” He strokes your hair away from your face. You keep going until you reach the brim, a throaty moan escapes his lips when he couldn’t take it anymore. 

You bob your head up and down in a consistent pace while he holds your hair, “You’re such a good girl” He says, throwing his head back. You keep going until you feel tears slowly coming out of your eyes and tried to hollow your cheeks as much as possible, he was so close. 

“You don’t have to swallow,” he says, pulling back from you. Nonsense. You were more than willing to. 

“I want to.” You say, putting his cock back in your mouth. 

With a few last pumps, his member twitches in your mouth and you feel his warm release and take it all in. You wipe the sides of your mouth as you finish, giving him a sweet smile. 

After the both of you pass out on your bed, Mark has lost track of time and receives a text from Johnny. 

"Dude where the fuck are you? Do you know what time it is?" 

Mark jolts up and checks the time, 2:45am. Shit, he was screwed. He quickly gathers his clothes that had been thrown around your room and dresses himself in panic. 

"I'm sorry, uh Joh- Rolan, my brother has been waiting for me at our dorm, I lost track of time and i think he'll beat my dick off," He nervously chuckles, almost forgetting to use his fake identity again. He has got to get used to it.

"Not if i did it first" You both burst out laughing. "Alright, I'll see you in class." You say, snuggling yourself in your blanket and shutting your eyes. 

He leaves your dorm quietly and runs a hand through his hair before giving Johnny a call. 

"Dude listen-"

"Are you fucking around Mark?" Johnny answers, clearly enraged. 

Mark was scared as shit but never misses the chance to fuck around Johnny. "I might've." 

"Get your ass back here, Lee" 

"Ayt." 

He slips his phone back to his pocket and starts walking briskly to their dorm. Damn this campus was mad creepy that it actually brought chills to his body. He wondered why he felt so cold then realized he left his jacket at your place. It was too late for him to get it back so he settled by running to warm his body up. 

Finally, he was back at the dorm. He hesitates to turn the doorknob because he knows he will be dead meat or nagged to death by Johnny. Or not. 

"Where you been huh?" Johnny examines him, standing up from his bed. He sniffs Mark and the latter flinches. "You smell like sex!" He slaps his shoulder. 

"You crazy? Some expert or something" Mark brushes him off. Wincing at the sting Johnny's palm gave to the skin of his shoulder.

"I should know, Mark." His mood was lighter now. "But who did you fu- i mean have sex with? we just got here wildcat"

"A girl I met in class like uh… awhile ago" The younger bites his lip trying to keep a smile from escaping his lips. He shouldn't be feeling this giddy over a rule that he broke for you. 

Johnny could not believe what he was hearing right now, "Dang. Cheeky boy." He laughs, actually feeling happy for Mark. He can have a little fun, Johnny had his back when it came to these things.

The elder changes the topic and lets this slide. Johnny talks about the leads he gathered from hanging out with the football team. Which were still very much confusing since this substance is all over the campus. Meanwhile, Mark didn't have much besides that number he gave Johnny. Considering he was with the "decent" crowd of people today.

---

The two head to their quarters to report to their chief the next day, trying to ask for help on how they could improve this investigation. 

The chief dumps a folder on the table and says, "This is what the deputy gave us recently. Take a look." He opens the folder into a specific case file to discuss with the two. 

"Who's this?" Mark points at the picture of a girl, who seemed like they were around the same age as the people at University. 

"Lee Minjung." the chief rubs his hands together. "Took some NCT and got locked out of her dorm, so she ended up falling off the roof and dying." The two are shocked by this revelation, it was more serious than they thought. 

The chief flips a page, "Here's a picture of her buying the drug." The photograph had two people in it, one that had a visible face which was Minjung, and one guy who's back was facing the camera. He wore a hat so they couldn't really tell who it was. But one thing they could point out is the reflection on the window of the car beside them.

"Dude, look at this," Mark points out his observation to Johnny. "He has a tattoo, we could start with this." 

"Bingo. There's your lead." The chief closes the folder and puts it back in his file. "The next time you get back here your asses better be presenting me some actual progress. Understand?" 

"Yes sir." 

----

Johnny and Mark head to the resident tattoo artist that was near the university, apparently they do most of the tattoos of the students there. 

"Excuse me," They knocked on the table of the artist who was currently at the back of the shop.

The tattoo artist arrives out front and asks how they could help the two. 

"We're looking for this tattoo, is it familiar to you?" Johnny asks while showing the artists the photograph.

The artist tries to think hard, but gives a hasty answer. "I'm not sure, there's too many of them who got that." 

Mark pushes the subject, "Them? Do you think it's some kind of group tattoo?" 

"I guess so. They were boys, all of them. Very masculine, had the body of an athlete if I were to put it at that." The artist states. 

Mark and Johnny look at each other as if there were light bulbs above their heads. "Thank you!" Mark says and they run off the shop. 

The possibility of this being in the football team was huge. They were athletes, and under a lot of pressure. They had reasons to use this drug but it wasn't an excuse for them not to eliminate this. They had to get to the bottom of this before it ends up like Minjung's case again. 

---

Johnny was at football practice while Mark stood by the bleachers, watching the team and trying to look out as usual until Johnny calls him over to come down for a bit. 

"Jaehyun, this is Kalen, my brother." He introduces him. With his assigned name. 

Jaehyun chortles in disbelief when he sees Mark. "You have a brother?" He asks and Johnny nods. 

"Sup," Mark tries to give him a bro hug, but Jaehyun shakes his hand instead. 

Jaehyun pays no mind to Mark's presence and diverts his attention back to Johnny and proceeds to talk about their game plan.

When practice ends he tells Johnny that the football team plans to host a party tonight. It would be the perfect opportunity for them to keep an eye on everyone. 

"Can I come?" Mark asks.

Jaehyun eyes him from the side, "Yeah uh sure" and only bids goodbye to Johnny. "See ya bro." 

Mark could already feel that he didn't belong in this crowd, but he and Johnny had to stick together and investigate. 

The night of the party came and the two brothers were stoked. "Our first frat party." Mark thought. 

"Your first frat party." Johnny spat playfully, trying to meticulously style and wax his hair. 

Mark scoffs, still trying to figure out what shirt to wear but at the end, he settles with a navy blue Ralph Lauren shirt. He was too lazy to fix his hair and wears a cap instead. 

Johnny tosses Mark something that he thinks the younger might need later on. 

"Are you for real? A condom?" A baffled Mark says in disbelief, but sliding it in his pocket anyway.

"You'll never know wildcat. You'll never know." He gives him a mischievous wink.

This wasn't just any party to them, this was an operation. Though they chose to leave for the party unarmed, they were thankfully trained well for hand to hand combat, just in case things went extremely wrong. But that was besides the point, they couldn't destroy their chances of blending in.

When the tandem arrives at the party, the elder was the only one to be greeted enthusiastically, Mark shakes it off simply because being friends with these jocks were the last thing on his list. It was Johnny's call if it didn't work for him, they had their roles. 

"Go around for a bit, I'll take care of him." Johnny whispers to Mark with a drink already in his hand.  

Mark shrugs his shoulders and explores the frat house, lit with red and blue, music blaring through speakers and the muffled conversations from the people that filled it. 

Nothing seemed too off the bat here, it was everything you would expect a frat party to be. There hasn't been a trace of NCT anywhere, or maybe it was because they were being taken too discreetly. 

"Want some?" a random guy nudges him, discreetly handing a packet of the substance. He takes it and plays it cool. 

"Yo, sick. Thanks man." He pats him on the back. 

“Yo it’s not free.” The guy laughs then it disappears. “20 bucks.”

Mark's smile fades, embarrassed. Thank god he brought his wallet. “Here. Thanks.”

"Don't sweat it." and he gives him a small salute.

Mark quickly slides it in his pocket, to keep as evidence later. 

"Bad boy." You snake your hands around his shoulders. "Want some?" You offer your red punch with vodka. 

His eyes widen, but eases under your touch. Finally, someone who's familiar. Overly familiar. "Hey, y/n" he shakes his head no. "I don't feel like drinking tonight" he makes up an excuse. 

"So are you…" 

"Am i?" 

"Are you going to take that?" You say, pointing at the pocket where he hid it.

Uncertain, he shakes his head no. "But should I? Have you ever had one of these?" 

"Oh god no." You say in disgust. "I have seen people's reactions to it though. It's borderline batshit crazy, those things." You explain. Hoping that he wouldn't ever try taking those. You knew about the whole Minjung incident. "One of the girls who lived next door died because of it." 

Your remark sparks an interest in him. "Minjung?" He questions. This could be a big help to their operation. But it wasn't a good time to interrogate you.

You raise your brows, "How'd you know her name?" 

He fakes a cough and tries to quickly think of a reason. "Mr- Mr. Benett told us. He said that recently a student passed away but never said it was because of the drug…" 

You crease up, "That old man is fucking clueless." You cross your arms. "But I'm just looking out for you okay? There's safer ways to have fun." 

"Right " He pursues a smile.

Too much fun wasn't part of the plan tonight but you made it difficult for him to do his job. Effortlessly. 

You fake a pout. "C'mon tiger, live a little! It's not going to be that bad." You try to convince him, wrapping your arms around his neck, trying to keep your drink from spilling, his arms naturally overlapping and resting just right above your ass.

To hell with this. He's been dreaming of this his entire life. After being in such a conservative family and all, he deserved to try new things out. He was old enough. He thinks to himself, while catching a glimpse of Johnny chugging down a keg. "You're right." he smirks, and you offer your drink for him to taste. 

Mark's face scrunches a little from the alcohol, but it felt nice. Good enough for him to grab you by the arm and head to get one himself. 

He scans the counter full of different drinks with a variety of colored juices. He chooses the blue lemonade with vodka which you gladly made, handing him the red plastic cup after. "Cheers" you say, delighted with the smile he gave you. 

It wasn't long enough until the both of you were back to dancing again, not giving a care like everyone else. He could kiss you right now. And he did, he couldn't miss the opportunity to make your tongues turn purple. 

----

Johnny has done everything with all his might to get along with these jocks, kids these days do party harder huh? He doesn't remember having this kind of intolerance to alcohol before, he had to get it out of his system before he forgets what he's really here for.  

"Nah this dude's a goner!" Yuta enthusiastically points at Johnny, who now had both of his hands on his knees. 

"Hold on, I gotta have some air outside" he raises his arms in defeat, words slurring out of his mouth and vision so blurred he could barely tell where he's going. Finally after much stumbling and ending up in filthy corners, he managed to find a bathroom. Not a usable one though.

"Oh god- sorry" He says as he sees two people fucking each other's guts out on on the sink. "Nevermind" he immediately shuts the door and leaves them alone. It didn't take long for him to just head outside and vomit on the lawn of the frat house. Oh yes, great fertilizer. 

Johnny regains a very small amount of composure and he felt someone tap and rub his back. "You okay?" Jaehyun chuckles, with a drunk Yuta tagging along.

Johnny takes a deep breath and tries to stand straight with all his might, trying to act like everything was under control. "Shits wild here" He chaffs, but his brows furrow when he sees a familiar pattern on Yuta's skin. "What's that you got there?" Johnny tries to reach for the latter's arm carefully. 

Yuta excitedly raises his sleeve, revealing a tattoo. "Oh this? It's a tattoo man. Gotta get inked at some point!" Yuta says, proudly. "Do you want one? I know a place!"

Jaehyun sighs. He was hyperactive again. "Yuta-"

"What? C'mon look I got this as soon as I got out of my parent's house. Those folks made me feel like I was in jail!" The drunk boy overshares. Johnny pays attention because there was a possibility that these thoughts were sober. 

Johnny was quickly disappointed, but not surprised. "Yeah? That's cool. I'll pass. Kinda scared of needles..." He trails off. 

"Pfft. Pussy." Yuta spat, Johnny was ready to give him a piece of his knuckles. 

Jaehyun blocks Johnny with his arm, "Cut him some slack man, I've known this guy since high school. Let him have his fun. He won't even remember this." 

The three head back inside to enjoy the rest of the party when the duo completely forget what they were initially here for. Johnny had spent the rest of the night enjoying himself, so did Mark.

You and Mark decided to play along with the drinking games these people planned, with the faces that you will surely forget by tomorrow. 

You've already had a couple to drink, so it became harder for you to aim in beer pong. Luckily, Mark was right behind you, with a steady grip on your hips and one arm helping you aim for the ball. 

You close one eye trying to focus as he helped you aim for the cup. "She shoots, she scores!" he shouts playfully and there goes another drink for you. 

"You still alright? We can stop if you want," He whispers, lips tingling on your collarbone, sending chills to your spine. 

You turn to face him, a gentle hand on his lean chest. "I want you.".  You whisper, dragging a painfully slow finger to his lips. You were so knit together that you could feel the growing tent in his pants on your throbbing core. He was irresistible. 

He gulps. Here comes nothing. Johnny sure knows his shit huh?

Mark quickly leads you upstairs, looking for a vacant room to settle in. He turned the knobs one by one but they were all locked, your last resort was a surprisingly available restroom. 

"Will this do for you?" Mark hesitates, because he didn't want you to feel uncomfortable.

Your tipsy self playfully pinches his cheek, "You do it for me, tiger." And it was enough to drive him to the edge. 

As soon as the both of you enter the bathroom, your lips connect once again, sloppily kissing each other like you were out of your minds. Like you wanted to swallow and consume this man whole. 

"I want you to see for yourself how crazy you make me." You say through the slapdash kisses.

He puts a hand under your dress, feeling your drenched cunt. "You're so fucking wet. Is this all for me?" He says out of breath, mouth almost watering with the thought of your pussy in his mouth.

"All yours baby." You bite his lower lip and stick out your tongue for him to suck. 

He raises your dress just below your ribcage and slides down your black lace lingerie as it fell to your ankles, "Just so you know, I'm keeping this." Mark smirks as he quickly puts it in his pocket. 

"It's meant to be yours," You purr, setting your back flat on the cold tiled wall, throwing your head back at the sensation of Mark leaving wet kisses on your thighs. 

He kneels and places your legs over his shoulders, lifting your feet off the ground. He was sturdy as a rock as his two arms held your thighs for support while you removed his cap for you to wear over your head and your fingers to be locked in his hair. 

"Fuck." You hiss as his tongue lapped on your folds, slurping on your wetness like he worshiped you. He sucked repeatedly on your clit making your legs tremble, so good that you might fall over but his reflexes were out of his world and he knew where exactly to support you. 

Your eyes painfully roll to the back of your head from the sensation he was giving you, "God, Kalen don't fucking stop-" you moan and you swear this man had some spell casted on his mouth by how magical it worked. 

You grind your hips involuntarily as his mouth followed it, like this could not get any better than it already was. But you could only take so much. "Kalen I'm gonna cum, fuck" 

"It's not over until it's over baby," he sets you down and removes his mouth from your pussy, you could barely stand with your legs feeling like absolute gelatin. 

Mark gets a condom out of his pocket and quickly unbuckles his belt, making his jeans fall to the ground and expose his throbbing cock, boxers wet with precum. 

"You think you can last longer for me baby girl?" 

You could only nod your head eagerly because you were growing extremely impatient. 

He wraps your legs around his waist in a swift move. "Good girl" He whispers, and you were more than ready to take him. Again and again. 

He inserts himself inside you, stretching your walls and you whimper, wrapping your arms around his head to keep his face close to the valley of your breasts. 

"That's right, open up for me, pretty girl." He pleads as he continues to thrust in a steady pace. Breath hitched as he brought his face up to you, slurping your tongue once more like it was a popsicle that he couldn't get enough of. "Taking me so well like always huh?" he chuckles and picks up his pace, throaty moans escaping his mouth. 

Thank fuck the music in this house was loud enough to blow off people's eardrums, making your moans almost inaudible outside, but loud enough for Marks pleasure. For his ears only. 

“Fuck I’m almost-” Mark huffs, “there.” he breathes. When his pace becomes sloppy and finally comes, you hold onto him, your legs numb that you could barely stand on your own. Conscious with the fact that Mark will get to see how fucked out you look, but he absolutely loved it. 

-----

"What'd I tell ya? That condom didn't go to waste." Johnny snickers while laying in bed, tossing his football. 

Head in the clouds with the thought of you, Mark could only smile to himself but quickly changes the subject before they both lose all purpose. 

"Find anything out yet?" Mark asks mindlessly, because all he could think about was you. 

"Nope." Johnny says, popping the p. He lied.

And something clicks with Mark. That packet of NCT he managed to keep in his pocket. He rushes over to his hamper and flips the pockets of his pants. 

"Someone handed it to me yesterday, I kept it for evidence to bring at the headquarters." He hands the packet to Johnny.

The elder observes it, trying to push the thought of Yuta possibly being a dealer to the very back of his head right now. Give it time. Mark was just starting to enjoy being with you, Johnny has been enjoying being one of the new aces in the football team, it wouldn't hurt to hold it out for a little while. 

"Also," Mark adds, "Y/n knows about Minjung. Said she lived across the hall."

"And?" Johnny anticipates. 

"That's all I know for now. It's still a big step though." Mark concludes.

----

Johnny spends his free time hanging with Jaehyun and the rest of the boys. If not in practice, they hit the gym to always be in tip-top shape. 

Yuta swings a heavy arm over Johnny's shoulders, "Well isn't it our quitter!" 

Johnny shoots Jaehyun a look, "You told me he wouldn't remember." 

Jaehyun could only chuckle, "Well he did." 

Yuta was loud as a goose, he seemed to have so much more energy than the other members of the team that Johnny became suspicious of where it came from. 

He recalls the time when the chief described the effects of the NCT substance, and one of them was being focused and hyperactive.

Yuta, besides being silly, was on top of his own game. After joking around he was a hundred percent focused on the gym, his reps were consistent, his routines were clean. Jaehyun tells Johnny that Yuta was also one of the greatest instruments of the football team. Though not gifted with the brightest mind, he worked hard to stay in this university to prove his parents wrong—and to avoid business school.

He was a potential heir to a known electronics company in Japan, but he insisted that he pursue being part of the varsity team to keep his scholarship in sports science. Which until now was an endless debate between him and his parents. 

Jaehyun had invited Johnny to stay over at the frat house to hang out, and he did. 

It was different to see it in daylight, with no people partying, no vomit and crushed chips on the floor, it looked well taken care of. 

"You guys clean this up yourselves after every party?" Johnny asks, impressed. 

"Yep," Jaehyun proudly says. 

"You gotta look out for the shit they leave behind here. It's amusing." Yuta retorts. 

Johnny raises a brow, "Oh yeah? Like what?" 

Without wit, Yuta replies, "Drugs"

Johnny, absolutely being taken back by his bold remark was immediately clutched by Jaehyun, "He doesn't mean it." 

His suspicion grew so much that he couldn't help but finally bring up the subject. "Like what? Like NCT?" he enunciates. 

Jaehyun, quite astounded by Johnny's knowledge with the substance replies, "Hm maybe. You know about that?" 

And he was in the trance. "Heard of it yeah, can you hook me up with some?

"Oh sure it’s right-" Yuta reaches for his pocket, "here." and sticks his middle finger out playfully. Johnny swats it away.

"Woah there-" Jaehyun almost bust a gut while laughing. "You're definitely new to this. We don't have any." He tells Johnny. "Don't be such a narc." 

Way too defensively, Johnny retorts, "I'm not!"

"That's what they all say." Yuta shrugs with a chuckle.

 He spends the rest of the afternoon with them and surprisingly hasn't dealt with unusual rituals and behavior. They acted their age, playing games on a PS5, drinking soda until their bladders exploded, filling themselves with junk food and spray cheese. He could be wrong about them after all.

----

Days passed and not a single thing has led them closer to their target person, it was harder than they thought even when everything felt like it was right in front of them. 

"Student-Parent day is coming soon, are you going?" You ask Mark as you take a sip of your coffee. 

You took him to your favorite coffee shop for the first time, it's a nice and quiet place for you to study and relax. 

"They have those?" Mark hesitates because then he'd have to tell his parents that he's undercover and they'd forget and blow it for him. "I guess so." 

"Good. Because I'd like you to meet my parents." You smile. Though you didn't know where you stood with Mark, the past few weeks with him had been a breath of fresh air. He was kind, funny and supportive. He was simple yet his ways of showing his thoughts were sophisticated, never had you once thought that you would get along so well with a person in such a short time. You weren't the one to ask for labels though. You simply liked to enjoy whatever you had at the moment. In your experience, putting labels on things just always gave a reason for it to vanish. 

"What why?" He says, a little too surprised.

"Look Kalen, don't break a sweat with this. I'm just going to introduce you. They won't mind." You assure him. 

He simply leaves the topic behind and ponders on how he could make this work. He was scared because you had no idea that this was all temporary, and he's terrified by the fact that he wishes it wasn't. He was finding all the possible reasons and excuses to retract himself from this relationship he has with you, but all you ever gave him was a reason to stay. It broke his heart knowing that one day, he'll have to disappoint you with the truth. 

"Something wrong?" 

He snaps out of it. "Nothing." and forces a smile. 

-----

"We aren't making any progress man," Mark runs a hand through his hair and sighs. His back falls heavily on his bed.

Johnny anxiously bites his lap, eyes fixated on the floor. "Yuta has a tattoo…" 

"What?" the younger jolts up. 

Johnny backs up defensively, "But it wasn't the one we saw! You know how the tattoo artist said he's done a couple of those."

"Are you shitting me right now? We've been trying to find it for weeks! Why didn't you tell me?" His voice raises, and a vein on his forehead couldn't help but emerge. 

"I don't think it's him man, I told you it’s not the same tattoo" Johnny defends. 

Mark lets out a pungent laugh, poking his tongue on the inside of his cheek, his jaw stiffens. "Right. I knew it. " He says in disbelief. "Everything's right in front of you already! Too scared to bust your new besties now?" 

"They aren't my new besties stop making up bullshit." The elder stubbornly defends. 

"No you stop because I'm actually trying here!" 

"Oh you are? Explain why you're getting so serious with that girl of yours. Wait until she finds out that she's just part of the plan." He jumps on Mark's throat and walks out of the room. 

The thing is, you weren't even part of the plan. Not at all. 

-----

"You better have good shit for me today." The chief clearly was not being in his best mood today. 

Mark scoffs, he and Johnny had not settled their differences since the fight from two days ago, they were doing their own investigations without communicating. Which was a big no.

"Ask the big guy here, I'm sure he has something." Tongue in his cheek, Mark glares. 

The chief slams a big hand on the table and shouts, "Stop acting like fucking children!" 

Johnny stiffened up on his seat, and gulped before he spoke. "I think we need to initiate a drug test on one of the students, chief. I have my eye on this one person. We could pretend to say that the thing is randomized and mandatory. If the intel can look up information about his parents, we could send a pretend automated message about their child being randomly selected for a drug test." 

The chief seems to be taking Johnny's point well, "And who is this you suspect?" 

"Nakamoto Yuta." 

Mark looks at Johnny with wide eyes, he thought Johnny wouldn't be turning him in. 

"I see. I'll get the department to execute this idea of yours and we'll let you know right away. Dismissed." 

Mark catches up to Johnny who had been walking ahead of him and tries to reach for the elder's shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Let go of me," Johnny knocks Mark's hand off his shoulder. "Are you happy now?" 

Dumbfounded, Mark couldn't seem to understand where Johnny's irritation was coming from. "Look man, I'm sorry you had to turn one of your friends in but you know it's our job." 

"I know okay? I don't need you telling me what to do because so far, I know pretty damn well that I'm not meddling in your fucking business." 

Mark pushes a hard hand on Johnny, making him stumble a little. "My relationship has nothing to do with this. Are you jealous? Because if you are, I know pretty damn well you can score a lot of chicks here. I don't see the problem." 

Johnny tries to speak but was unable to because Mark had already stormed off elsewhere. 

----

 "Shit. My parents are coming to fetch me today." Yuta runs a veiny hand through his ginger hair; another reason for his parents to pull him out of university. But here's the first: 

Jaehyun, disinterested even if he knew it was serious whenever Yuta's parents butt in and ask why.

"They wanna do a drug test on me." 

Jaehyun chortles, "What? You? What made them think that? Besides you acting like a crackhead?" 

"They got this stupid email from the dean that I was amongst the randomly chosen individuals to get tested." He pops a sour kid patch in his mouth, "They're never letting this go." He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head. "I have never even tried NCT." he rolls his eyes. 

Yuta, though by the looks of him, gave an impression of a boy who would try everything in front of him, but he's a wuss with a good conscience. Too good.

"Well, you are innocent after all, right?" Jaehyun shrugs. "There's nothing to worry about. Um, besides your dyed hair, your tattoo, that lip piercing." He eyes him up and down. "No biggie, just probably uh—two weeks worth of grounding. And no allowance." 

"Fuck you man." the ginger-haired boy glared.

------

Johnny walks around the campus, alone. It sucked to not be on good terms with Mark, what ever happened to bros before hoes? It just wasn't the same doing things without him. Johnny had given Mark his personal space for the both of you, but at times like this—it was the hardest to stay out of it. 

As he passes by the back of the Fine Arts building, he sees two familiar faces on the exposed staircase. 

He squints his eyes and tries to focus on who those people might be, the mop of ash purple hair too familiar. But one thing that utterly shocked him was the sight of someone he expected the least.

It was you and Jaehyun, standing way too close to each other for anyone's liking.

Johnny takes a deep breath and sucks in his cheeks. He didn't know what this meant, and he wished he wouldn't have to be the one to give it any interpretation that would disappoint him and especially Mark. 

He walks away from the scene before you get a chance to see him.

"Jaehyun, you don't have to stand this close to me," You backed up, hips hitting the ledge lightly. 

He looks to the side, then back at you. "Sorry," he cockily says, backing up with both of his hands raised. "Can't help it. My best friend's too fine. And someone was looking." he mumbles.

"What?" 

"Nothing, he's gone"

"You know I'm with Kalen right now Jaehyun." You say with worry, it could've been anyone. "Quit. Don't ruin this for me." 

He manages to let a disgruntled chuckle, "And yet you still can't put a label on it." 

And with that, he was off. 

The entire time Johnny was battling with himself if she should tell Mark about what he saw or not. Them being in a misunderstanding right now doesn't change the fact that he was still his best friend. 

After the excruciatingly slow walk to the dorm, he had hoped that Mark wouldn't be around, so he wouldn't have to face him with the information he had right away. He couldn't even form the words for it. The. again, when did anything ever go his way, right? 

Johnny enters the room and there was Mark, munching on some chips while viewing something on his laptop. Something probably for one of his classes. Mark didn't have to take this so seriously (by this he meant his classes) but he did, because the Mark we all know just loved to learn. Good for him. 

He ignores Johnny's presence; though he was very much aware of it. The elder plops down his bed and grabs his football to toss around. It was so awkward; not greeting each other with their usual weirdness and excitement. It felt like there was this gaping hole between them that both of them were afraid to cross, and no one had the initiative to take a risk—for now. 

"Find anything?" Johnny asks Mark, eyes on the ceiling. 

"Nope." 

"Why not?" 

"Do you have anything?"

Well, he did. But not about their task. Instead, he says "Nope." but he couldn’t help but ask. “How are you and y/n?”

“Good.” Mark plainly answers.

“Good.”

And left it at that. 

-----

You were going to let your parents meet Mark today, and his would meet yours. You were new to this, there was not a single man you had introduced to your parents, aside from Jaehyun. But that was a different story, because Jaehyun was a childhood friend. 

So Mark was the first… whatever this was called. You couldn’t get yourself to call him that, you didn’t deserve to. For you labels were earned, not just given. But this will do for now. 

You see him from a distance with his parents, he resembled his father’s face structure and his mother’s eyes. His smile was uniquely his own. You wave a hand in the air and he catches the sight of it, smiling even wider. 

“You’re in college again honey?” Mark’s mom asks, clueless.

“Mom, I'm undercover please don’t bring that up anywhere. Please keep quiet for me.” He whispers sternly. 

His mom zips her mouth figuratively, his dad got the idea of the whole thing, so they acted according to the assignment. 

As he got closer to where you were, his legs grew weak. But he couldn’t falter, he had to put on a strong face. But at that moment, Mark wanted to be buried alive. He wanted to turn his back and run away.

“Mom, dad, this is Kalen.” You present him to them with a grin. 

“H-hello.” Mark lets out, his chest clenching. 

“Kalen. You sure I haven’t seen you before?” Your father says, gripping Mark’s hand firm, he could almost squeeze the guts out of it. Your father was his deputy chief. 

Mark, crushed under the man’s grip, “N-no sir.” he manages to blurt out. 

You sense the tension and tell your dad, “Dad, that’s enough.” 

Your dad let go, with a smug and bitter look on his face. Your mom, who- with absolutely no idea what Mark has to do with your father, greets him politely. 

You greet Mark's parents with glee, and proceed to walk with him, keeping a fair distance from both your parents. "Sorry about my dad, he's just stressed about his job. He's a deputy chief, rustling with knuckleheads all the time." You explain. 

Sure he's been through a lot. Mark thought. "Yea yea, I totally get it. It's fine." he nods. Knuckleheads. He laughs to himself. 

The rest of the parents’ day event was a total drag, every time Mark got into eye contact with their chief, it had seemed like the man wanted to rip his head away from his body, or maybe skin him alive. Mark had no idea, because if he did he wouldn’t have risked going this far with you. What is left to do now? How can he ever face his boss knowing that he broke the first rule given to them right in his face? And with his own daughter? He should start digging his own grave at this point. 

But the chief didn't lay a finger on him, not now when his daughter was at stake. 

----

Mark has been itching to tell Johnny about what had happened. He was willing to set aside their differences because he needed his best friend, now. 

"Johnny-" Mark breathes, not making eye contact with the elder who was on his phone, this room had been dead silent for days. 

Johnny's head perks up, it was nice hearing him call his name again. "Yeah?" 

"I kinda messed up… big time." Mark scratches the back of his head, shameful. 

Johnny sits up, and listens to the younger more attentively. "What do you mean?" 

"Y/n.." he trails off, "Y/n is the chief's daughter." And catches his face on his hands. 

"Fuck…" Johnny didn't know what to say. "How'd you know?" 

"The student-parent weekend thing. God, I swear dude he was going to skin me alive if he could. But shit, I didn't know!" Mark exclaims, hands all over the place. "If I did then I wouldn't have gone through with this. She has never told me about her parents until that day. I don't know what to do." 

He seemed so helpless, he didn't want to break to you like this, it was too messy. But damn if he didn't want to keep being with you. It couldn't end like this, not yet. 

"I- I don't know what to say man… God I'm sorry this sucks ass. You know I always let you do what makes you happy right? But what if," Johnny stops, debating if he should go on with what he planned to say. 

"What if?" Mark anticipates. 

"What if she isn't who you thought she was?" 

"Great. I'm so fucking stupid for thinking you would be with me on this one." Mark slams his hands on his lap and stands, slamming the door on the way out. 

"Mark-" Johnny reaches for the door but misses a beat, it was too late. He let his best friend slip away from him again. 

And as soon as Mark left their room, he was on his way to meet up with you, hoping you would be free. He hadn't had much time with you after the following days of the event because you had always excused yourself with how busy you are with your submissions and requirements, or that's what you would like to tell him. 

Your phone rings in your pocket as you excuse yourself from the people you were with at the moment, when you check to see who it was, you find the quietest place possible. 

"Kalen," You spoke, "What's up?" 

"Are you free? I was hoping I'd finally catch you." 

You sigh, you missed spending time with him. "I am," you say in advance before you bail out of this place you were in. "See you at the cafe in 10?" 

You hear him chuckle over the line, and you just knew he was smiling when he said "Great, I'll see you." 

"See you, Kal." You smile and tuck your phone back in your pocket. 

"Who was that?" Jaehyun asks when he bumps into you in the hallway of the frat house. "Oh you've got that sickening smile right now. It must've been Kalen" He rolls his eyes. 

"Whatever Jae," You brush past him. "I'm heading out." 

"But we're not done!" 

You didn't respond and left, shutting the door behind you. 

The cafe was a short walk from your university, but you just happened to bump into Mark on the way, now you don't have to walk alone. 

He smoothly slips his hand in yours, holding it gently and reading your expression. You look to the side with a wide grin on your face, unable to help the fact that you were blushing like crazy. 

"Nice hoodie," he comments. The garment looked a little too familiar to him, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. “You never gave back my jacket..”

You mentally facepalm, forgetting the fact that you were wearing Jaehyun's hoodie. You pray that Mark wouldn't see this on him anytime soon, you wouldn't want him to get a bad idea. 

"Oh right that, I’ll get it dry cleaned and I’ll give it back" you utter. "Something bothering you?" You ask, trying to read his sulky expression. 

He shakes his head, "No no, I want you to keep it. And I just missed you." He forms a small smile, making your heart melt. You were so easily captivated by his presence that it scared you. He always left you feeling unhinged—in a good way. 

"I missed you too, tiger." You grip his hand a little tighter.  

When he licks his lips, only by then you realize how much you missed kissing him. Right then and there, you just wanted another taste. This was exactly why you were trying to keep yourself busy and away from him for a bit; you had to convince yourself that you couldn’t be attached to him because you could never take care of the things you keep. 

He opens the door for you like always and the chimes in the cafe ring in a sweet melody, a sound that always reminds you of your moments with him. The both of you always shared comfortable memories in this cafe, from small coffee dates to working on papers until it closed. You couldn’t imagine sharing it with anyone else. 

When you settle down he automatically takes your usual orders right away. You could not take your eyes off him, he was such a dream.

He sets the tray down with your drinks, and a pastry that you shared a love-hate relationship with. Cheesecake.

You chuckle at the thought of recalling all the times that you convinced Mark that cheesecake slices weren’t supposed to be as huge as they are and that there are definitely better one’s in other places, but Mark’s favorite was Starbucks’. Maybe that’s why you have learned to love it somehow, because you get to enjoy it with him. 

"I thought you didn't like this? You almost finished the whole thing… I literally bought this for myself." He says sarcastically, very much amused at how you barely even noticed that you were close to finishing the entire thing. 

"Oh shit.. sorry" You show him a pout and feed the last piece to him. "Here." You smile cutely. 

He rolls his eyes and bites it off your fork, you both bid goodbye to the cheesecake. 

Mark’s phone rings in his pocket and when he checks to see, it was Johnny. He lets out a sigh and puts his phone back in his pocket. 

“Are you going to take that?” You ask. 

“Nah”

But Johnny was persistent, he did see this coming. He knew that Mark would ignore him at first so he decided to send him a message. This was about their job. 

“Mark, I know you hate me right now but we have to go to the office. Yuta’s tests came back.” Johnny sends. 

Mark takes a peek at his message, immediately standing up. 

“Where are you going?” You say, surprised. 

“I’m sorry I gotta go- meet my brother. He needs me for something.” He hesitantly leans forward, wanting to kiss you on the lips but kisses your forehead instead. “Text me when you get home okay?.” And with that, he was off. 

Mark rings Johnny and the elder quickly answers the call, Mark informs him that he would be heading to the office by himself since he was already closer to the location. 

But he suddenly remembers about his conflict with the chief. So he waited for Johnny to arrive outside. 

Lowering his pride he says, “I’m scared.” 

Johnny looks at him with empathy and says, “We can’t change what happened Mark. Just take it all in for now and we’ll figure out what to do about it later.” He pats the younger’s back and gives his shoulders an assuring squeeze before heading inside. 

Mark could not look at his boss, the feeling of wanting to be eaten alive was back again, why did he have to be your father? 

When Mark finally gets the courage to face him, the chief yells, “The fuck are you looking at?” making Mark flinch and shrink into his seat. 

Johnny felt the need to protect his friend and at the same time, to get what they were really here for. “Um, Sir can you save the ass beating for next time? We really need to look into Yuta’s results now.” He scratches the back of his neck. 

The chief grunts angrily, getting the file from his drawer. “Negative.” He says. 

Mark and Johnny give each other a look and take the folder that had the results, trying to analyze how it could possibly be negative. 

“Dammit.” Johnny whispers to himself, they had to move quickly before everything slips away from them. He takes note of Yuta’s contact number in the file to use for later. He closes the folder and places it back on the desk. “We’ll take care of this chief.” 

“You better. And you,” He presses a hard finger on Mark’s chest, “Stop fucking around with my daughter. I’ll cut your dick off.” 

Mark purses his lips before speaking, “She’s-” he gulps, “She’s really great sir. I’m not playing around with her. I’d never do anything to hurt her.” 

“You already are.” 

-----

The following day, Yuta receives a text from an unknown number, asking him to meet in an unusual location on campus. He was very skeptical at first but  believed that it was probably harmless. 

“Yah, Rolan! Sup.” He offers his fist to bump. “I was just waiting for someone here too. Some random number texted me and I was like "you know, fuck it"” he shrugs.

Johnny couldn’t help but chuckle. Was innocence even the word to describe this? "And you believed them?" Johnny shakes his head.

“Yeah! Look here’s the number” he flashes his phone screen to Johnny, “I wonder where they are. Let me give them a call.” he mindlessly puts the phone next to his ear. Yuta hears a muffled cellphone ringtone and looks around for it. “Yo, your phone’s ringing you should get that.” Yuta says to Johnny, still having absolutely no idea.

“It was us who texted you, dummy.” Mark retorts, appearing from the shadows, now both of them are cornering Yuta. 

“Yo,-” Yuta laughs, still not getting the point of this all. “What’s your name again?” 

Mark rolls his eyes, “Kalen.” 

“Right! Kalen wassup? You’re his brother right?” Yuta points to Johnny with his thumb up.

Johnny pops a tongue in his cheeks, and cocks his brow. “Alright, fun’s over.” It was a shame he had to do this too early, but it had to stop. He locks Yuta’s throat with his arm, pushing him onto the solid brick wall. 

Yuta tries to toughen up and tries to push Johnny’s arm off, but due to their size difference, Johnny definitely kept him still. 

“What do you know about him” Johnny asks sternly. 

“A-about who?” Yuta coughs.

“Jaehyun. What does he do?” Mark follows. 

“Besides being the most handsome man I know, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mark shakes his head, “Well,” and gets a gun out of the pocket of his hoodie. “Will this make you talk?”

Yuta looks at him with wide eyes, he was now scared shitless. “Why- how- who are you guys!” He exclaims. 

“The police mother fucker.” Johnny says. 

But despite everything, Yuta’s tactless mouth was definitely not his best asset. “I knew it. you looked too old to be a freshman.” He looks over at Johnny. “And you, I didn’t expect you to be a cop but you did give Narc vibes in that philosophy class.” 

Mark and Johnny give each other a look, they could not be sidetracked. 

“Are you done?” Johnny tells Yuta, and he simply nods. “So are you going to talk?”

“I’m telling you I don’t know! He never trusts me with his business, he says I have a big mouth.” 

Mark snickers, “I can tell.”

Yuta scoffs, and follows, “He’s been out often recently, but he never tells me where he’s going. So I don’t know what I can do for you.” 

“Listen here buddy,” Johnny warns. “If this gets to your parents that you’re involved with someone who supplies and distributes drugs, you’re going to get your entire family deported. Do you want that?” 

Yuta gulps, “No.” then helplessly says, “I don’t know how to earn his trust with these kinds of things. He’s known me since forever but-” 

“No buts.” Mark interrupts. “Use that head of yours or your ass is going back to Japan.” 

-------

Yuta had been on edge ever since that encounter with Mark and Johnny, now this entire thing would be up to him if he cooperated or not. Yuta’s heart had been lost a couple times, but it was definitely looking to be in the right place. So he’s trying his best to help out, even if it meant that he would have to turn in his best friend. 

When he gets the time to be alone with his thoughts he looks back at all the times that Jaehyun had made him feel like he wasn’t enough to be his friend. Not giving him a good position in football, walking out on him whenever he wanted to, keeping secrets from him. Maybe he was too busy trying so hard to be validated by Jaehyun that he never really got to realize that he lost himself in the process. Letting himself be trampled all over by everyone; this was his time to do something not just for himself, but for everyone else.

On the night when Jaehyun could not escape from Yuta’s presence any longer, he thought that it would be harmless to let his friend tag along for once. It’s not like he had other friends to be with, right? Right. Jaehyun could believe that if he wanted to. 

“I’m a bit sore today, you think you can drive me?” Jaehyun asks Yuta as they were walking in the parking lot after practice. 

To be fair, Yuta was sore too. But of course they wouldn’t care. “Alright, where to?” He still manages to say. 

“I’ll tell you along the way.” 

Yuta simply shrugs and Jaehyun tosses him his car keys, placing their gym bags at the trunk of his car. Jaehyun had given him directions while driving and it was somewhere he had never been and seen before. “Are you sure it’s here?” He says, trying to drive into a dark abandoned building with only the car’s headlights being the source of light. 

“Yeah yeah, wait for me here.” Jaehyun opens the door of the car and slips away from it. “Don’t worry, this place is safe.” He tells Yuta and shuts the door close. 

Yuta immediately whips out his phone, thinking that this might be his biggest clue and texts Johnny. 

I don’t know where I am, but I’m gonna send you my pinned location based on what my gps says alright? I think this was where Jaehyun had been going. 

Johnny immediately tells Mark about this and they immediately take their car to go to where Yuta had told them. 

 Rolan: Yuta, it’s not safe for you to stay there. Can you drive away and head back here? It would be better if we keep you alive. 

I guess I could, Jaehyun’s pretty far out now. I saw him go in somewhere, I’m sure you’ll find this entrance when you get here.

With that Yuta drives off and tries to find his way back to the campus, hoping that this would be successful for Mark and Johnny. He had such a strong feeling about this, everything could go right, or just extremely wrong. But he had to expect both to keep his feet on the ground. He did the right thing. He kept telling himself that. 

“Dude this place is sketchy as hell.” Mark says, looking around. “Do you think Yuta told us the truth? I mean he’s Jaehyun’s bestfriend right?”

“It wouldn’t hurt to try Mark, he seemed pretty genuine about it. Besides, all Jaehyun does is use him. I’m sure he’s tired of it.” Johnny says as they searched the place with their flashlights, their guns ready to fire if they ever go under attack. 

Finally, they find the entrance Yuta has been talking about, the chain attached to the door unlocked and loosened. When they get closer they arm themselves and keep their guard, Johnny kicks the door open and Mark could not believe what he had just seen. 

This couldn’t be. He kept repeating to himself, he didn’t want to believe that this was his reality. 

The reality that you were the one who was behind all of this.

“Hands up! We’re the police.” Johnny shouts, echoing throughout the entire warehouse. 

Mark gulps, he could not bring himself to move his feet and go closer. When you see him, you feel like you have been the biggest disappointment in someone’s life. “Kalen,” You plead with your hands up, terrified with the fact that Johnny had called off a warning shot, making you and Jaehyun back up. 

“Y/n.” Mark says, still struggling to get closer to you and lift his arm to aim his gun towards you. “Why- how could you?”

And you couldn’t answer him. The last thing you ever wanted to do was disappoint him, and yet you turned out to be every single disappointment that this world could think of. 

“Great.” Jaehyun says in anger, remorseful with the fact that both of you just got caught by the two people who had been the closest to you these past months. 

“Mark, come on. This is just as hard as it is for me than it is for you. We have to do this. It’s all we’ve been working for.” Johnny faces him, also extremely disheartened by this revelation.

Mark? His real name was Mark? “Who’s Mark?” You ask before he continues to approach you.

“Right. Now you know.” He takes a deep breath. He gets his handcuffs out of his pocket and races towards you before you could even get away. It was bizarre; how you even thought of escaping this. 

“You have the right to remain silent,” His hands shake while putting them against your back, “Anything that you say can and will be held against you in the court of law.” He swallows, and you sob. 

 “I’m so sorry I-” he cuts you off.

“You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.” He concludes the Miranda rights and adds, “It’s one thing to disappoint me, but another to disappoint your father.”

-----end------

#nct #mark lee #mark lee smut #nct 127 #nct dream #mark lee fluff #kpop au #johnny suh #johnny fluff #johnny smut #kpop fluff #kpop smut #nakamoto yuta #jung jaehyun #jaehyun #taeyong #jungwoo #doyoung #winwin #haechan #taeil #kpop imagine