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#it wasn't much today but small steps I guess
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ARFID Recovery - Diary 1 (22/02/23)
So now that I'm in therapy for ARFID (an eating disorder which for me presents mainly as an extremely limited diet and a lot of anxiety and safety behaviours around food and eating) I've decided to track my progress on here, mostly for a sense of accountability, but if others see it and find it helpful then that's great too!
I'll be using the tag #ARFID recovery for these posts so feel free to block that if you don't want to see these posts on your dash
So for my first proper attempt since starting therapy at pushing myself to eat foods I'm not entirely comfortable with, I decided to keep it fairly simple and not try anything too crazy.
My options at the shop were limited since there have been shortages of some things that I had planned to get like red bell peppers and cucumbers, so instead I picked up some watercress, a mixture of different nuts including some I had never tried before, and some orange juice.
With the exception of cashews and almonds, I have eaten/drank all of this before, but it falls into the category of something I can have in theory, but in practice I tend to develop a lot of fears and anxieties about it being contaminated or rotting in some way, and I am often very picky about them and will often end up wasting a lot of it.
So first up was the watercress, which I admittedly got quite picky about. I went through the bag picking out leaves that looked a bit wrong due to wilting or spots, and wasn't left with a huge amount of watercress in the end. But I was able to wash and prepare it and eat it along with my dinner. It's better than nothing I suppose.
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Next up was the orange juice, pictured here in my current safe cup so please try not to judge me lol. This was harder than I expected, my brain had a hard time accepting the cup was clean even when I'd washed it a few times, and then I kept worrying that there was something in the drink. I pushed past it and drank it as quickly as possible to get it over with, but yeah, this was a bit tricky.
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And finally some nuts. Mostly fine, not sure how I feel about cashews and how soft they are, makes me feel like they are rotten in some way, but it didn't make me gag or anything. I did inhale a bit of hazelnut and start choking, which doesn't help my fears about choking on food, but I guess I just have to try and remember that it won't necessarily happen again, sometimes we choke a little on food, doesn't mean the food itself is dangerous. My body did what it needed to do to protect me, and everything is fine.
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Anyway this was just a ramble so I can look back on something to tell my therapist how things went, I doubt anyone is reading right now lol
Next I would like to try some red peppers, maybe some cucumber if I can actually get my hands on some among these shortages
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razzle-n-dazzle · 3 months
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saw u wanted more Adam fics
Adam x f!reader
reader is trying to sleep but Adam keeps trying to show her and tell her stuff. “Like babe hey babe look at this!”
“Babe babe wait did I tell you?”
“Babe holy shit wait guess what!!”
*meanwhile she screams into her pillow*
ᯓ★ "Adam, Love, SHUT THE F-" Adam / Reader | Drabble-ish
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ᯓ Do you know those days where you just need a little piece and quiet? Like after a long day of work, where your boss was being unreasonable and your coworkers were being even more unbearable than usual. A long day when you go out to eat for lunch and yet the place you decide to go is busy more than usual, and of course it's on the one day you just wanted an easy meal, so you decide to sit and wait. What is the harm of that? Apparently, a lot. Especially when everyone has a stick shoved up their ass today, and when running over your lunch would have been understood and excused any day sparked a fire from Hell in Heaven. And it was only my five minutes! You were late to the office by five minutes despite having been sitting, waiting for lunch for twenty out of your thirty allotted minutes, and doing work to be ahead of schedule for your boss! You were late by five minutes because the sidewalks had been unreasonably crowded for that time of day and you had sprained your wing rushing not to be late earlier that morning because your boyfriend wanted to be up your ass for an extra five minutes this morning!
ᯓ Safe to say you just proved that there could be bad days in Heaven, no matter what anyone else said and you desperately needed a nap. Or maybe you just needed to knock out for the rest of the day, you weren't sure, all you knew was that your bed was calling your name and that was the only thing on your mind right now. Well, it had been the only thing on your mind until you stepped foot into your shared apartment. "Oh perfect fucking timing, Sugartits, come here!" Adam, with an obnoxious amount of energy today, waved you down to the couch. "Hurry up! You know I love to see that ass move when it walks, but this is super fucking important." And what could entertaining your boyfriend before you went and knockout for the rest of the night do? You mean, it was only thing he wanted to show you.
ᯓ "Fucking, look. Look!" Adam exclaimed as you heavily sat down next to him, allowing for him to cheekily swing an arm around your shoulder. This promptly led him to lean against you as he stuck his phone out, a video pulled up. You watched it to entertain him and his little fancy for whatever he had found; Being able to snuggle into his side in the process and listen to his hysterical laughter during the whole venture. It wasn't nothing too exciting, some sort of slapstick humor video and you understood why Adam found it hilarious, but you just didn't have the energy to laugh at it today. So you gave him a small chuckle as his arm found itself crossing down your back and wrapping around your hip, his hand resting on your thigh. "Oh fucking shit! You see, now that shit if fucking humor, comedy gold!" You needed whatever acid trip Adam was on and desperately.
ᯓ You would hum briefly in agreement towards his statement, feeling as his chest quickly rose and fall as he choked out laughter. Even with such motions you couldn't help but be drawn in by his warmth, snuggling closer to him. And you're sure he noticed, as he was sneakily trying to coax you more and more, using the hand that now was daringly close to your ass, to sit on his lap. Against his harsher, more lively breath, yours was slower and shallow, and as Adam managed to get you to snuggle up to his chest while on his lap, he took notice. It was hard to not to, especially when the sound of you not laughing with him just hit his ears. So confused, Adam would pear down at you. A few nervous bits of laughter left him, a silent signal for you to take notice of how he noticed your odd behavior, yet he died down as you didn't seem to notice (or care) much. Which caused his eyes to narrow and his eyebrows to frown up, a worried frown tugging onto the side of his lips. "Uh, Babe, you good?" His question was accompted by his gravely voice, which was now lower in volume and a lot less sure of himself. "You didn't fucking laugh at the video."
ᯓ "You do know this is comedy gold right? Gold! Not laughing at it would be a fucking crime." Adam would wave his cellphone near your face, flashing you with the bright light which caused you to promptly turn your head away from him. He noticed as your face scrunched, yet you didn't use your wings or hands to knock the phone out of his hand like usual. And that's when he really started to become concern. You weren't acting as you normally would with him, you weren't laughing at the videos he founded or retorting to his antics with your own. You were just laying there, curled up onto his lap with droopy wings and a weak hold around his chest. "Holy shit, Babe, you're not dying are you?" Was the first thing that blurted out of Adam's mouth, being the first thing thought that crossed his head as finally took a real notice of how bad of a state you're in. How the feathers on your wings seemed all out of sorts, how one wing was a little more puffed than the other, how eyebags had began to form under your eyes, and just how tired and weak you looked.
ᯓ "...and you're not getting fucking ugly either are you? It's not contagious is it? Because I can't be fucking ug-" You were swift to cut Adam off, pressing one of your hands against his mouth to muffle any more stupid shit he had to say in this moment. To which Adam drew back a little and started down at you, a moment of shock before unamusement crossed his face. He was gentle, more so than usual, as he picked up your hand by the wrist and drug it away from his mouth. Though he didn't say anything for a good moment, silently (and a little anxiously) waiting to see if you would say anything to him. And maybe it was the nerves on being the on the battle field too many times, or the anxiety of losing another lover, but Adam grew more and more disturbed at your lack of communication or movement the longer the silence wore on. "Babe," He gently nudged you, watching as you just let yourself roll back into place. You didn't even give a hum that time. Now Adam could feel his stomach doing little backflips. "Babe." This one came out a bit more stern as he nudged you a little harder. Yet, you only rolled back into place, not acknowledging his efforts on trying to make sure you weren't dying. Were you fucking dying? Holy shit, that would not be something Adam would want to go through today. "Babe! Sugartits!" Adam shouted, forcefully shoving you away from his warmth by the shoulders, "Please fucking tell me you're not about to die on me because that would be really fucking traumatic!.. If you're going to die at least do it in like, the bedroom or something!"
ᯓ You knew Adam didn't mean it, that he was just trying to stir a reaction out of you to make sure you were alright, yet his comment kind of pissed you off. Less so than when he forcefully drew you away from your only source of heat and comfort from the cruel reality you had to live today. So, reluctantly, you gave our a murmur, "...tired... shut up.." and forcefully tried to lay against Adam again; Trying to just take a small nap, or simply hide from the day you had today in your boyfriend's arms and warmth. Even if one of his hands had been resting on your ass. "Babe, you can't be fucking tired, it's not even dinner. Who the fuck is going to cook because last time I fucking remember you telling me I couldn't." Adam asked in a huff, though was silently relieved that you weren't just about to die in his arms like some dramatic soap opera. So, he let you lay back against his chest. It felt nice to have your weight there anyways. "Adam... shush.." Again, you tried to hush your rather obnoxious boyfriend, even for a little. And you knew he knew that you were tired, on the verge of passing out; It was a dead give away when he fluffed out his wings and wrapped them around you, noticing had dead you felt against him.
ᯓ "But you're still fucking making dinner though, right?" He would quip, a snicker growing on his dumb face as he leaned down to the side, promptly laying you both down. Now you knew he was just being a dick about it, that or he was just glad that you weren't silently suffering and dying against his chest. But either way, you were going to leave his question unanswered as you buried his head against his chest. No matter how much shit Adam might give you, you always found comfort in his warmth and with him being near. It was kind of like having an annoying dog that looked and sounded all tough and scary and was sometimes a big dick, but secretly cared about you under all the gunk. "Fuck it, I'll just order in." Adam muttered, placing his chin on the top of your head (having to curl around you a little to do so) as you were sure he began to pull up menus of restaurants nearby that delivered. And as you drifted off to sleep, you liked to believe he did so, so you didn't have to worry about cooking when you woke up. But you knew that was only half the truth, the other half was that he was probably craving those lamb chops he absolutely adores. And you were fine with that.
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Home | Masterlist
ᯓ★ All posts/fanfictions posted under this blog is owned by @razzle-n-dazzle. Please do not steal, copy, or plagiarize the works! Likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated.
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kpopnstarwars · 5 months
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Second Chance: Jeong Yunho x Reader
A/N: i honestly feel like i went through multiple divorces writing this (also i have never written a standalone fic this long, like this is double the longest fic i've ever written, but it's huge like yunho so what can i say)
tw: alcohol, swearing, HUGE angst, eventual fluff, people are drunk, there's a party (yes that deserves a warning), gets a little smutty at the end, mention of marriage (twice), could be kinda ooc near the beginning because i started writing this within a month of stanning
wc: 5.3k
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The second you step through the doorway, you're already regretting conceding so easily to Wooyoung. He's got his nagging technique perfected - you'd probably be curled up on your sofa binging your favourite movies, surrounded with snacks and fluffy blankets and the comforts of your own home if he wasn't nearly as persuasive as he is.
Instead, here you are, at a party you're not very... invested in, half sulking as San welcomes you in, wishing you were at home, watching the Star Wars prequels back to back with Seonghwa.
San is already half drunk. It's easy to tell; his face and the tips of his ears are blushed a rosy pink, and he's giggling at nothing in particular as he hangs off your shoulders, clinging onto your shirt as if he'll lose you in his own semi-crowded living room. You anticipate another five minutes of clingy San, punctuated by tipsy zoomies, before the alcohol he had (probably just a few shots, to be honest) kicks in, and he begins to feel sleepy. With practiced ease - yes, you've done this many times before - you steer him towards the sofa, grinning at Yeosang as you dump San next to him.
'Nooo...' San mumbles. 'Where are you... where...' You pat his shoulder. 'I'm not leaving yet, don't worry. Yeosang will look after you.'
Retreating into the small crowd before said man can protest at this forced role of caretaker, you wade your way over to Seonghwa and Hongjoong; greeting both, you have a quick exchange about the former's outfit - one he altered himself - before briefly summarising your wishes about watching Star Wars with the latter. In response, he nods sympathetically, but you can tell he's got his eyes fixed on a girl somewhere over your shoulder, so you move on quickly, searching for Wooyoung. Vaguely, you spot Mingi towering over almost everyone in the corner, but knowing that the one person you're trying to avoid today may be with him, you look away before your eyes seize the chance to find him.
'Look who showed up!' A voice crows behind you. You turn around, rolling your eyes. 'And whose fault is that, Woo?' 'He's looking out for you,' Jongho tells you, appearing beside Wooyoung. 'Maybe you needed to get out of the house and - ' 'And talk to you-know-who,' Wooyoung finishes. 'No,' you snap. 'Absolutely not.' He pats your head. 'Here, have a drink. Maybe after it you'll be more open to the idea.' Reluctantly, you take the cup from him. 'Thanks, I guess.'
Wooyoung and Jongho begin talking about some trend on TikTok that they're planning on roping Mingi into doing with them - in truth, it doesn't quite capure your attention as much as the tall, achingly familiar silhouette across the room does. Before you can stop it, your gaze snags on him, on the angles of his jaw and his elbows, on the curving slope of his shoulders. Inhaling sharply, you quickly look away.
And then you glance over at him again.
Just once, and just long enough to see if he's with anyone.
If he's with a girl.
You know he's perfectly capable of it. You know many people at this party who wouldn't say no to him, even if they knew it was just a rebound. You tell yourself you wouldn't really care, it wouldn't really bother you, but it would. Especially if it was her. Somewhere deep inside you, he's still yours; yours to covet, yours to touch and kiss and love.
But he's not, and he brought that upon himself.
'Hey,' Wooyoung says, waving a hand in front of your face. 'You in there?' You smack his hand away. 'I wish I wasn't.' Jongho raises his eyebrows. 'You should just talk to him, if it's bothering you that badly. It's almost been three weeks, you know.' 'Or if you don't want to talk, you can get as drunk as San,' Wooyoung adds helpfully. 'You would definitely forget everything. I don't think our Sannie even knows his own name right now.' You glance down at your cup, and your stomach twists. 'No thanks.'
Wooyoung wraps an arm around you and squeezes you tightly, smiling sadly. You know he just wants you to cheer up, and this realisation makes you painfully aware of the way you're ruining the mood, of the pity in your friends' eyes as they look at you, of the stifling press of bodies that aren't even that close to you. Handing your drink to Jongho, you tell them that you're heading to the toilet.
You take the long way around San's living room. It's partly to avoid the area that you know he is in, and partly because you can feel Mingi's eyes boring into the side of you head. Skirting around the sofa - which is somehow crammed with triple the amount of people it's designed to fit - you wave at Yeosang, who's glaring at you from where he's half squashed under San. In the bathroom, it's a lot quieter, the thumping bass from Hongjoong's playlist and the hum of voices muffled by the closed door. You glance at yourself at the mirror; you're confronted with your own slightly downturned mouth.
Well, you promised Wooyoung you'd come, not that you'd be happy about it.
After a few minutes, you deem it time for you to emerge again. Schooling your features into something a little more cheerful, you step out of the bathroom, only to be ambushed by the one and only Song Mingi. You sigh. You know what he's here to say, you know he's your friend and he means well, but still, you can't help but feel the beginnings of annoyance bubble up within you. Immediately, you push it down. None of it was Mingi's fault.
'Hi, Mingi,' you say, unable to erase the hint of tiredness in your tone. 'How are you?' He asks, concern bleeding into his features. 'I'm doing alright,' you reply, knowing he sees through you easily enough. 'Haven't been sleeping too well, though.' Scratching the back of his head, he looks at you apologetically. 'Look, you know what I'm going to say.' You sigh. 'Go on.' 'You're both my friends,' he sighs. 'It sucks to see you both sad. Yunho's been beating himself up about it for weeks, ever since it happened, and... I know you miss him too. Please, just give him a second chance.'
You blink. It's the first time someone's mentioned him by name tonight, and the pain wells up in you again, fresh and cutting, ripping away the hazy walls of apathy that you'd struggled so hard to build around yourself. Maybe it's fitting that Mingi is the one who causes them to crumble; before everything went to hell with Yunho, it was always you three who hung out together the most, who relied on each other and supported each other, no matter what. It was the closest thing to perfect you've had in your life.
Then Yunho had to ruin it.
He was too heavy handed when he had your heart in his grasp, he was too careless with the trust you'd put in him. Of course you miss him, of course it hurt when you tore him out from he'd been embedded in your life, nestled into the softest part of you heart. Of course you hate avoiding him, but you hate how you let him hurt you more. You refuse to let him in again, just to make the same mistake.
Slowly, you shake your head. Swallowing around the bitterness on your tongue, you look up at Mingi, a deep sadness springing up inside you at the despondency in his eyes. Your voice sounds disembodied, the words far away as you speak.
'I'm sorry, Mingi. I don't think I can do that.'
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After your talk with Mingi, you begin to see getting as drunk as San in a more favourable light. You let Wooyoung shove exactly two shots down your gullet before you realise that tonight, alcohol isn't going to help you; the shots are acrid in your throat, and the deep throb of the bass - which you normally enjoy - is beginning to give you a headache. Defeated and deflated like a rather morose balloon, you tell Jongho that you're going to get a glass of water.
You realise you've misplayed as soon as you step into the kitchen.
He's there.
Yunho.
Digging your nails into your palms, you jerk your head aprubtly to the side to avoid his eyes as they search for yours. There's no way you're backing out of the kitchen because he's here, there's no way you're so weak that you can't stand the sight of him. Determined, you turn your back to him, reaching into the cupboard to grab a glass, filling it up and sipping at the water. You can feel his eyes burning into your back, and this time you can't help yourself.
A glance over your shoulder is all it takes for the sudden onslaught of memories. Months of dates and years of friendship flash before you, tugging your heart this way and that. He stands there, propped against the counter, his brown eyes anchored on you, his lips half parted as if he's about to speak, and all you can see in him is scene after bittersweet scene: Yunho holding your waist in a crowd, Yunho dancing with you around the living room at two in the morning, Yunho making you laugh until you can't breathe, Yunho holding you tight as you cry, Yunho with his pretty lips on yours, Yunho with his beautiful hands on your body, Yunho telling you that he loves you, Yunho, Yunho, Yunho.
And then it's Yunho, bathed in morning light as he lies in bed beside you, his features serious and solemn and deceptively honest as he tells you the sweetest words you've ever heard in your life.
Finally, it's Yunho the traitor, seen across a crowded, badly lit club on the same day, Mingi beside him, disbelieving as he gapes at your boyfriend kissing a girl, a girl who is not you, who could not even be mistaken for you. You've replayed the scene many times in your head, the way he looked up, catching your eyes as you turned to walk away. He caught up with you in the street, and you had the worst arguement of your life in a seedy, dark alleyway, refusing to let him touch you as you cradled the broken pieces of your heart to your chest - it was no longer his to have.
Looking at him now, he looks different; like your Yunho, but tired. There are bags under his eyes - at least you aren't the only one losing sleep - and his hands clench and unclench at his sides, his jaw working as he searches for words. Carefully, you set your glass down on the counter, crossing your arms.
'I...' He starts, but trails off.
Something ignites in your chest as you watch him fumble over words, stumbling over unfinished sentences. Anger burns bright inside you, a potent mix of frustration and longing and bitter sorrow welling up like poison, making you want to hurt him like he hurt you, demanding retribution. All you can see his lips on hers, and it fucking stings.
'Why are you talking to me?' You ask lowly, voice frosty. Yunho takes a step closer. 'I - I'm sorry. I miss you - so fucking much. I want you back, I need you. I just wish I could make it right so we could - ' 'If you want me back so badly, why did you kiss her?' You hiss. 'Did you forget about me in that moment? Or did you just not care?' He sighs, raking a hand through his hair. 'I, I know I fucked up, badly, and - '
You scoff. You're too angry, too raw, to care about the anguish on his face. He doesn't understand: he doesn't understand that he broke your trust and your heart and you, he doesn't understand that his apology is too late - it was late the moment he touched that girl.
'Fucked up badly?' You snap, incredulous. 'Just badly? Do you remember what you said that morning, on the very same day, while we were still in bed? Do you remember what you told me? You said that you were really serious. You said that one day you were going to marry me. Do you know how happy I was, thinking that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me?' You throw your hands up in the air. 'Well, I guess it was all a shitty lie.'
Yunho staggers back as if you actually punched him. His eyes are wounded as they search yours, and he steadies himself against the counter, gripping it so hard his knuckles bleed white. Clenching his jaw, he stares at you, speechless, and you know that you succeeded in your mission to hurt him. It doesn't feel as good as you thought it would.
Then, the kitchen door swings open.
A swell of music spills inside, along with a very tipsy looking girl. Laughter floats through from the living room. Both you and Yunho just look at her, forgetting that you were arguing in San's kitchen, at a party, and she returns your gazes, bewildered as she looks between the two of you.
'Uh, sorry, I didn't know I was interrupting something. I'll, I'll come back later?' You force yourself to smile, despite it being the expression your features least want to make right now, your voice surprisingly steady. 'Don't worry, you're alright, come in. We should probably go somewhere else.' 'Yeah,' she mumbles, quickly retreating and firmly shutting the door despite your words.
You glance over to Yunho. His hands are shaking as he lifts them, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes, and all the fight leaves you at the sight. For all the years you've known him, he's cried maybe four or five times. Your stomach churns with guilt. You caused his tears.
'Hey,' you say softly. 'Do you want to go somewhere more private?' He nods, his voice thick when he speaks. 'Y - yeah, my car's two minutes away. It's in the multi-storey car park.' 'Okay,' you sigh. 'Let's go.'
He's silent as you rinse out your glass and put it on the dish rack, wiping your hands on your trousers. Ducking your head, you weave your way to the front door, slipping past Wooyoung and avoiding Yeosang and Mingi's eyes as they stare at you, surprise evident in their features as they spot Yunho trailing you. You don't want to consider what they must be thinking at the look on his face. There's no chance that they won't miss the pain in his expression, and you feel sick, burdened with the knowledge that you were petty enough to sharpen your words to deadly points and wield them like weapons.
You remain silent as you walk with him to the car park - he doesn't keep in step with you, instead hovering a few paces behind. The quiet swallows you whole, smothering any rage left in your system, and you hold the lift for him, retreating to the opposite corner as he reaches out to press the button for the top floor. Out of the corner of your eye, you study him in the scratched mirror. Although you don't dare look up at his face, you can feel his gaze, and a lump forms in the back of your throat, thinking of how many times you've been tucked under his arm in the lift to his apartment, his long fingers stroking down your side.
Harshly, you swallow, reminding yourself that you can't let him in.
You can't open your heart, just for it to be broken again.
Despite this, you find your gaze straying over his reflection. He must have left his jacket at San's, because all he has on is his black t-shirt and jeans, the former of which is slightly damp down the front - someone probably spilt their drink on him, and the fabric clings to his skin in a way that makes you yearn to press him against the wall and kiss him until you're both dizzy. One of his hands is shoved in his jeans pockets; you desperately wish that you could slip your fingers in with his, just to feel his warmth and his skin against yours. Even under the crappy lift lights, he's beautiful, as beautiful as ever. It's how you've always seen him, how you always will.
The top floor of the car park is open, and during the time you were in the lift, it's begun to rain. You begin shivering, and out of your peripheral, you see Yunho lift his hand before he pulls it back quickly, as if he was going to reach out to you and tug you close before he thought better of it. His car is the only one there, seeing as it's well into the night, and he unlocks it as you walk towards it. Hesitating with your fingers on the passenger door handle, you pause, debating with yourself - he hovers on the driver's side, watching as you deliberate before choosing the backseat.
You don't want to admit it, but you want to be closer to him.
Within seconds, you're sitting next to him in the back of his car, and you're faced with the looming need to pick up your disaster of a conversation where you left off; raising your eyes to find his, relief washes through you to find them steady, the emotions in them whirling and a total mess, but not too overwhelming. Closing your eyes, you take a deep breath, bracing yourself to ask the question that's been on the tip of your tongue all night. You tell yourself that you can do this, that you can pretend this doesn't hurt as much as it does, but it's quickly proven a lie when your voice comes out weak and smaller than you'd like.
'Why - why did you do it?'
A haunted look enters his eyes as he scrubs a hand over his face.'I... I don't know. She pulled me down, and I just didn't move, I just let her, because it was nice to feel wanted - ' His voice cracks. ' - even though you had always given me so much more than that. You loved me and I fucked it up. I took you for granted and - '
Harshly, he swallows, cutting himself off. His words are rushed, tight, his hands fisted in his lap as he looks away for a second, breaking eye contact and staring out into the car park as he steels himself. You're reeling from his words, from the painful honesty that laces them, like poison on a blade. There's no doubt that, even with your walls up, you still love him, because his desperation is like a knife twisted in your heart - hesitantly, you reach out, wanting to touch him, to comfort him somehow. In response, he grabs your hand, almost crushing it in his grip.
'Please,' he whispers brokenly. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I - I just need you to let me love you again. I never wanted to hurt you, I - ' 'But you did, Yunho,' you reply softly, grief making your voice thick and unsteady.
His face crumples. Bringing his trembling hands to his face, he turns away to hide the tears spilling down his face, and regret shoots through you like a bullet through the heart. Gripping his hand, you pull him to face you, but suddenly you can't stop, won't stop, tugging him closer until he's in your arms. It feels so right to share space with him, and you wonder why you ever tried to get over him and push him away when he's all you ever wanted, when he's your home. Sobs wrack his body, and you press your lips to his forehead, your own tears running down your cheeks into his hair as you tighten your arms around him.
'You hurt me, Yunho,' you choke out. 'I can't deny you hurt me. But it hurt because I loved you, and I love you now. I loved you when you kissed her, and I hated myself for it, but I guess my heart knew who it was made for, because I never stopped loving you.'
His chest heaves, a great shudder running through him, and he trembles, a giant felled by your sweet, healing words. He presses his lips against your shoulder, tasting the salt of his own tears in the wet material of your shirt; his fingers twine into your hair, and you can feel the effort it takes for him to get his words out between his rattling sobs in the strain of his voice, but he does.
'I - I missed you with every breath I took while you were gone,' he says. 'I lost the best part of me when you left. I love you, I'm a fucking fool, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - '
Gently, you press a finger against his lips, making him look up at you. His words don't matter any more, not while he's in your arms and not while you know that you should have never let him go, that you should have never let either of you try to live without the other.
'I missed you too, Yunho,' you murmur. 'And I will never stop loving you.'
At your words, he goes completely still. He's frozen for a moment, his face inches from yours. A shiver runs down his back, and his eyes dart down to your lips.
'Can I - fuck - I need - '
He's taut as a bow string, thrumming with energy, and you can see the desperation on his face - he needs your lips on his as much as he needs to breathe. And yet, he still asks. You know then, with every fibre of your being, that he's what you want, that he's the only one you'll ever want, ever love.
'Yes,' you breathe. 'Yes.'
Cold moonlight limns his features as he leans in, but there's nothing cold about the look in his eyes. One hand cups your jaw, the other cupping the nape of your neck, his long fingers warm against your skin - his breath flutters softly against your lips before he closes the gap between you. The breath is knocked from you; he's never kissed you with this sort of aching tenderness, and you sink into his touch, eyes drifting shut.
You feel like you're falling again, the way you did the first time, when you'd rant to Mingi for hours about the smallest touch or moment you shared with Yunho, except this time, you lean into the tug of gravity with an eagerness you've never felt before. Like before, you teeter on the edge of a precipice, except, this time, you know what's at the bottom; you know the exhiliration of the fall, and the deep, aching love that awaits.
You jump, arms outstretched, knowing Yunho will catch you.
After you kiss Yunho for what seems like hours, running your hands up his back and burying them into his hair, pressing him closer to you and drinking him in, he drives you home. You're still drunk on his taste as you curl into him on your sofa, talking to him about nothing in particular, just soaking in the euphoria of being in his arms again; truly, you don't notice that your words become further and further apart, and that your eyes are drooping - you're too busy listening to the soft timbre of his voice. Nothing matters to you in this moment. It's just you and him, wonderfully relaxed against each other, not allowing an inch of space between you. Honestly, you're unsure where you end and Yunho begins.
Your heart is overflowing.
You're home.
✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧
Yunho isn't quite aware what the words leaving his mouth mean. He's too busy studying the tilt of your neck and the way your lashes fall against your face, relearning the essence of you. A smile tugs at his lips when you finally succumb to sleep, head flopping against his chest. It reminds him of the many occurences when you'd fall asleep on him while watching movies: the times before he asked you out, when he'd carefully hold you, his heart pounding in his ears, and the times after, where he'd cradle you to him, peppering kisses all over your face.
Gently, he gathers you up in his arms and carries you to your bed, laying you down and tucking the blanket from the sofa over you - he knows you hate to get under the sheets without a shower and your so called 'outside clothes' off. Planning to quietly return to his car, Yunho straightens, but a small tug at the bottom of his shirt prevents him from standing up all the way. A glance down finds your fingers fisted in the hem of the black fabric; blearily, you blink your eyes at him, peeking out from beneath the blanket.
'Stay,' you mumble. 'Please.'
Yunho's heart flutters in his chest. You're beautiful, even with your hair a mess and your eyes and face still a little red from crying, and he could never resist you. He thinks he'd do anything for you, if you'd dare ask.
This time, he's determined that he's going to marry you. He wants to be yours forever - he wants to wake up by your side every morning, he wants to come home to you, he wants to tell you he loves you in your every waking moment.
Sitting down on the mattress beside you, he lets you clamber into his arms and snuggle into his chest.
'Whatever you say, my love.'
✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧
When you wake up the next day, you're utterly relaxed. It's as if your body knows that you're in the safest place you could ever be - in Yunho's arms. His breathing is still deep, his hair a mess, the way it always is in the mornings. You don't think you've ever felt this comfortable; the mattress seems to cradle your back, the blankets a warm cocoon around you, and Yunho is draped over you, his long limbs tangled with yours. Smiling dumbly, you kiss his fluffed up hair, carding your fingers through it. A soft laugh leaves you when you realise his mouth is half open and that he's drooling on you, his cheek pressed against your shoulder.
Extracting one arm from beneath the blankets, you scrabble around your bedside for your phone. Yunho makes a soft sleepy noise, a frown digging into his forehead, and you hush him, rubbing his back soothingly; you're terribly relaxed right now, and you don't want to get up just yet.
In fact, you're pretty sure you want to stay like this forever.
Quickly, you snap a few pictures of him on your phone, unable to resist. Scrolling through your notifications from last night, you find a text from Mingi, asking how you are - he doesn't ask why you left the party with Yunho yesterday, or how it went, but his curiosity is still evident. You open the chat, a grin making its way onto your face.
Second chance granted, you type.
And then you throw your phone back onto your bedside table, ready to enjoy your morning with the man stirring in your arms. Yunho huffs quietly as he surfaces from his dreams, his long arms tightening around you; he buries his face into your neck, pressing a sweet kiss there, then another and another. Threading your fingers into his hair, your eyes close as he mouths at the hollow of your throat. He shifts so he's more comfortably situated between your legs, and you kiss his temple.
'Mm,' you hum contentedly. 'Morning.' 'Morning, love,' he replies.
His voice is raspy - deep and familiar as it always is in the morning. A memory comes to you: one of the many mornings you spent with him in bed, the sheets tangled around your legs with his skin on yours, and your stomach flips, warm longing bubbling up inside you. Gently, you tug at his hair, and he responds immediately, something that you suspect was already semi-hard nudging at your core before he shifts back quickly.
You frown as he pulls back a little. Searching his eyes, which have brightened a good deal since he first blinked them open, you examine them for any caution, but all you find is a deep seated fire.
'What's up?' You ask softly, cupping his face. He turns his head so he can kiss your palm. 'I - I want to... but I don't want to do anything too fast if you don't want it. I know I hurt you.' Leaning in, you press your forehead against his. 'Fuck going slow, Yunho. I love you. You know I do.'
It feels wonderful to say. The infatuation soaking the words is sweet on your tongue, magnificently domestic, something you missed saying to him every day, whispering it into his hair and against his lips like an oath. You feel like you're floating, a thrum of heat flushing through your body at the look in his eyes. He's tense, his muscles rock hard under your hands, his gaze transfixed on yours. Slowly, his lips part.
'Sweetheart,' he murmurs, leaning in to kiss your neck. 'You're driving me insane.' His touch travels to your cheek, his breath ghosting over your skin. 'I love you. More than you could ever know.'
He holds your gaze for a moment, and you find yourself mesmerised by him - his hair's a mess and his t-shirt is rumpled and emotions burn in his eyes, setting you on fire.
Fuck, he's glorious.
You grab his chin, fitting your lips to his. Yunho reciprocates like a man starved, his tongue licking into your mouth, hot and wet, his fingers curling around your waist and bringing your body snug against his - your head falls back against the pillows, eyes drifting closed when his hands trail teasingly up your body to cup your breasts, pushing up the hem of your shirt. Dipping his head, he nips at your skin, and you wouldn't stop the way your hips buck up into his even if you could.
A soft noise leaves your throat when his fingers ghost over your core, and he chuckles softly; you groan his name, nails scratching lightly at his shoulder, spurring him on as gently, he pushes your legs open, smoothly moving down the bed so that he's framed between your thighs. He keeps his gaze on yours as he slips your underwear off you, a smirk tugging at his lips when a shudder wracks your body at the first touch of his fingers on your slit, your back arching - you'd be embarrassed, but there's liquid fire in your veins, and all you can think of is him.
'Fuck, Yunho,' you choke out. 'Fuck.' 'You like that?' He teases, slipping a finger inside.
A whine rips from your chest. You clamp tightly around him, vice like, and he begins to pump his fingers in and out, his lower lip trapped under his teeth as he watches your face contort in pleasure. Wickedly, he curls his fingers inside you, sending bolts of pleasure shooting white hot through you, his carnal expression turning almost sadistic, as if he's studying the exact angle at which your eyes roll back.
On your bedside table, your phone dings once, then three times more in quick succession. You know it's Mingi.
You ignore it. There are more pressing matters at hand, slotted right between your legs and pressing feather light kisses to your thighs.
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cheegu3 · 1 month
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Door Lock
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pairing; f.m reader x jungkook (ft. ryujin from itzy) genre; yandere, thriller, guessing game summary; ever since you had an encounter with a creepy man at your job, you started waking up feeling like things were off, after some time you start suspecting that you're not alone at night in your apartment, but the man from your job isn't the only one with questionable motives, can you guess who your stalker is? warnings; yandere themes, stalking, obsessive / unhealthy love, drugging, swearing, drinking, paranoia
wc; 6k note; based on the movie Door Lock (although not all events are exactly the same) - I wanted to try writing smth a little different than usual
'' Do you want me to walk you home? ''
'' Oh, come on! '' you sighed and rolled your eyes. '' I'm not a kid, my apartment's just around the corner. ''
Your friend, Ryujin, didn't look very happy with your answer. Her lips pursed, causing a dissatisfied look to form on her face. She crossed her arms and shook her head.
'' You're always so stubborn. ''
Ryujin only received a shrug in response as you had already started turning away from her, making up your mind a long time ago. She'd always say these things after the two of you had a late night out drinking.
And she'd always get turned down by her friend who thought she worried too much. Every time, you would arrive safely at your apartment, without anyone even following you or giving you a glance.
'' It went fine last week, Ryujin. Nothing will happen to me, it never does. ''
She scoffed dryly, '' I swear one day you're going to regret saying that, y/n. ''
'' Maybe, but not today! '' you cheerfully shouted to her when you had created some distance.
'' Text me when you get home at least! ''
You waved her off. The walk home was short because Ryujin always chose restaurants or bars near your apartment. It was around the corner and up the long stairs.
You always complained loudly about the stairs. Arriving home drenched in sweat and panting wasn't exactly ideal. But it was by far the least horrid thing about the route to your apartment.
The reason your friend was worried every time you walked home alone was mainly because the hill had no lights; it was pitch black, except for small splotches of light that came from the hill houses' outdoor lights.
It also had no CCTV so if anyone were to try something in the dark, no one would likely notice.
However, you had long accepted it. It was almost a given when the rent was so cheap, and you couldn't complain about the view. Since it was at the top of the hill, it faced downtown and often had beautiful sunsets.
On this night there wasn't a sunset in sight because it had long passed. The city was asleep, with only cicadas echoing up the hill.
About halfway up, you stopped to squint. Was that someone standing at the top? No - you must've imagined it.
You kept walking but occasionally glanced at the top from time to time. What you thought you saw had disappeared and when you finally reached the spot it was in, you were fully convinced your mind had played tricks on you.
The security guard greeted you when he saw you entering the building. You gave him a curt nod and hurried on, desperate to sleep in the comfort of your bed.
At your door, something felt off. Your eyebrows knit together as you crouched to look at the keypad. Had you really forgotten to close it this morning? You could've sworn you did.
You pressed the code and then wiped the screen with the sleeve of your shirt. It soon became forgotten when you stepped inside your apartment. The alcohol seemed to have clouded your mind on top of your senses.
With a yawn, you flopped down on the bed and fell fast asleep without changing, brushing your teeth, or getting under the covers.
You woke up with a terrible headache pounding your head. A groan slipped past your dry lips as you forced yourself to get up. Your whole world started spinning and you had to sit down to ground yourself.
Bile rose in your throat. You ran to the bathroom and managed to open the seat just in time for last night's pleasures to come out.
You felt confused again. Was it age that was starting to creep up on you? You didn't get hangovers very often, no matter how much you drank.
Resting against the tile wall behind, you let the cold cool your scorching skin. You knew you still had to go to work since you couldn't risk getting fired.
Slowly you peeled yourself off from the wall and started heading out after getting dressed. It was still relatively dark out, the winter sun rising on the horizon, but it was nowhere near as terrifying as when going home in the complete dark at night. That was a different type of darkness, a lonely one, which seemed to bring out the worst kinds of people lurking in the dark.
At work, your nice colleague greeted you with her usual cheery smile. She whispered that she had covered for you being late so no one had noticed.
With a grateful smile, you sat down in your spot and got ready to meet customers. Lately, you had noticed that your colleagues who were extra nice; smiling and almost touching the customers, would have more people go to their booths; so today, you were determined to put on your best fake polite smile and maybe you could get a permanent contract.
'' Number 29, please come to booth 4. ''
You saw a man stir in the crowd, hesitating, which made you internally sigh. You hadn't been very lucky with your booth number, that was yet another reason your performance always got criticized by your boss.
Sternly you leaned over the mic again, '' Number 29, please come forward. ''
The man finally gave up and walked over. When he sat down he looked both nervous and slightly uncomfortable. However, your warm smile made him loosen up.
'' Welcome. How can I help you today? ''
'' I would like to create an account. ''
You nodded and typed in the information. While working, you noticed his eyes on you, so you decided to strike up some small talk.
'' You live in Seongnam too? ''
The man's eyes widened, '' Yes...Do you live there? ''
'' I do, '' you chuckled, looking him right in the eyes now.
The intimate eye contact, coupled with your smile made him blush visibly. He looked away. Silence filled the space as you finished the last few things and showed him the screen. You gave him some necessary information, before handing him back his ID.
'' Maybe we can go out for coffee sometime? '' he mumbled after you were done talking and were ready to call the next customer.
He was handsome, there was no denying that, and he was definitely your type, with a bad boy appearance. He reminded you of your manager that you'd been crushing on and the cute new security guard at your apartment.
But it was unprofessional and you felt rather creeped out to be asked on a date at your job, especially in such an upfront way after you talked about where you lived.
'' Sorry, I can't do that. I'm working right now. ''
The man's smile faded, his eyes darkened and narrowed as he tilted his head, like he was unsure if he'd heard you correctly. '' I can take you out after. ''
Staring at him speechless, you wondered if the shy act he'd put on earlier was just that - an act. The man in front of you now didn't show any signs of being shy, quiet, nervous, or polite. He screamed of danger.
'' I- ''
'' You fucking whore! '' he cut you off screaming and catching the attention of everyone in the bank.
'' You flirted with me first, '' he started to his feet and began banging on the protective shield.
You jumped back, heart in your throat as you stammered. You couldn't get out a single word.
He tried reaching his arm in through the small gap and managed to pull you towards the shield. A scream ripped from your throat.
'' Security! '' you heard your manager shout.
You felt your arm be released just a few seconds later and you pulled away, breathing heavily. Even as he was being escorted away he kept screaming the same things, and creepily never taking his eyes off of you.
Red marks had formed where you were grabbed and you groaned when rubbing them. In the corner of your eye, you saw your manager approach so you quickly tried putting your arm under the table.
He saw it and grabbed it before you could do so. With a disappointed tick of his tongue, he inspected it and then freed you.
'' What a crazy asshole. ''
The shock had slowly started dissipating, '' Thank you. ''
'' No need to thank me, just call on me whenever you need. ''
You smiled awkwardly and bowed. Your manager left and the rest of the day went smooth sailing. Midday, you went for lunch with your coworker and Ryujin but you had a strange feeling in your stomach, like you were being watched.
It gnawed inside you, making it impossible to eat again. You put down your chopsticks and went back to work. Thankfully, after that, the thought was forced to the back of your mind due to how busy it was. You were pretty successful during the afternoon; making many customers satisfied as well as your boss, so you walked out at the end of the day with a small smile playing on your lips, despite the incident during the early hours.
'' Hey. ''
You froze in your steps. That voice, it sounded a lot like the man from before. You turned around very slowly, praying that you'd been mistaken.
The color drained off of your face when you faced him, it had been like you thought. The man from earlier was standing there, leaning back against the bus stop with a shit-eating grin on his face.
'' You have no idea how long I've waited for you. ''
Words got stuck in your dry throat. Your eyes started searching for help, but no one was around. Meanwhile, you could see how the man had started stalking towards you.
'' Why aren't you responding? You rude bit- ''
His hand caught your wrist in that painfully strong grip again and you yelped, flinging your arms around to escape him which had no effect at all; he just pulled you towards him, whipped you around, and hugged you from behind.
Suddenly, the grip loosened and you were pushed out of the way, almost knocking you over. You raised your head slowly.
The man was caught in a chokehold by your manager and couldn't get a word out, despite trying very hard to when he saw you move in the background.
You stared back at him, but after a few seconds, your eyes started flicking towards your manager's back instead. The man seemed to be losing consciousness and you started to feel anxious; this much violence wasn't necessary at all.
Without a word, you pulled your manager's hands away from the man who fell to the ground clutching his throat and coughing weakly.
'' I'm okay, '' you blurted out when he turned to you with a puzzled, almost angry look.
His frown disappeared and he seemingly accepted your answer. You let yourself be led towards his car and got in as you felt like your manager was someone you could trust. He had saved you twice now after all.
The whole ride, he talked about self-defense techniques; urging you to go to classes in the city and telling you about different weapons you could use. He also told you firmly that he'd file a police report for harassment and stalking since it was his job as a manager to keep his employees safe.
You only half-heartedly listened, feeling more zoned out the closer you got to the apartment building. The long day had made you incredibly tired, causing you to look forward to just going to sleep.
'' Take this, '' he concluded the rant right when the car pulled into the parking lot.
'' What is it? ''
'' It's a small pocket knife. ''
You frowned, '' That's illegal. ''
'' So? You'll be sorry if you get attacked and don't have it. ''
You hesitated for another moment. He grabbed your wrist and put it into your hand, closing it as if to say there'd be no further protest about the matter.
With a sigh, you gave up. Your manager parked the car and stepped out at the same time you did. He watched you as you went towards the entrance with one hand propped up on the roof of the car.
'' Do you need a ride tomorrow? ''
'' I'll be fine. Thank you, again, for- everything. ''
'' No problem, always glad to help. ''
And with that, he got back in the car and started it just as you opened the entrance door. You basked in the warmth that embraced you as soon as you entered the lobby.
The security guard who usually sat at the desk was nowhere to be seen. A smile shot to your lips. He was probably carrying up packages for the residents again, even though he wasn't allowed up there.
You glanced at his desk and something caught your attention. A very large package sat right on the edge of it, looking homemade with its messy taping and rough surface.
It intrigued you so you got closer. Your hand brushed along the material, eyes following it up all the way to the top where a small, white, paper square had been taped on.
' For: y/n '
You let out a small gasp. There was nothing else on the note, no other name or even address. Whoever sent it must've gone straight here instead of sending it through the mail.
With shaky hands, you used a cardboard knife cutter that was on the desk to cut the package open. Inside you saw a lone, small teddy bear. It was new, untouched, and had perfectly spot-free white fur.
You noticed it was holding a broken heart and it had a gloomy, melancholy expression on its face. While shoving your hand in to try and find if there was anything under the styrofoam, a sudden sound behind you made you jump.
'' Hey. ''
Recognizing the voice and placing it as belonging to the security guard, you visibly relaxed and turned around to face him.
'' You scared me. ''
'' Sorry about that. Ah, '' his eyes shifted to the package. '' you've opened it already. What was in it? ''
You waved the teddy bear in the air. '' Not much. Did you see who dropped it off? ''
'' It was just a regular delivery driver. He told me he'd been given it by some man the day before. ''
'' That's weird, '' you trailed off, mind already trying to come up with possible suspects.
For some reason, the dark staircase intruded your thoughts and in an instant, your focus shifted. Slowly your feet moved on their own until you were outside the building again.
The wind kissed your cheek and went past you, swirling down the steps. Your head turned with it. Just like the day before, it was dark, with only the scarce, dimly lit lamps illuminating spots here and there.
You weren't sure why you came out here. Had you expected to somehow spot the perpetrator in the dark, lurking while waiting for your reaction to opening the package?
One thing was for sure though, the gut feeling from before returned once again when you were at the staircase. That ominous, unexplainable feeling, of being watched.
The chill in the wind made you get back in as goosebumps littered your skin.
'' Did you see someone? ''
'' No, it's just...nothing. ''
You didn't feel like you were in the mood to explain and the security guard was thankfully exceptionally good at reading people, so he only smiled and bid goodnight.
In the dark of your own apartment, you lay for only a few minutes, aimlessly staring into the ceiling before it was interrupted by a rapt knock on your door. The sleepiness from before had disappeared since the new mystery had almost put you in a vigilant and paranoid state so you sprung up on your feet and opened it without any hesitation.
'' Sorry. You forgot this, '' it was your manager again, waving your wallet in the air.
'' Oh my god, I'm sorry. I feel like a burden now. ''
He laughed, '' It's fine. I noticed it almost right away. ''
You still felt bad even though he shook it off. Maybe you could invite him inside and offer tea or coffee for politeness; it was something you'd always seen your mom do when work on the house took a lot longer and the servicemen looked tired.
'' Would you like to come inside for a moment? I have coffee and tea. ''
'' I think I can spare a few minutes tea would be nice, '' he said, flashing a charming smile.
You returned it and then stepped aside so he could come in. He took a seat at your table next while you put the kettle on. An attempt at small talk was then made after silence briefly filled the space.
'' That guy will be banned from the bank, I'll see to it myself. You'll never have to worry about him again. ''
You sighed, '' Thank you, I don't know how I could ever pay you back, sir. ''
His eyes twinkled. Standing up he approached the door to the bathroom and pointed to it.
'' Can I use your bathroom? ''
'' Of course. ''
You went over to the kettle to see if it was almost ready. The sound of its hissing filled your ears. He took a long time in there and gave you room for your mind to wander off again.
He had found you quite quickly after you dropped your wallet and left the car. You stared at the door. Just as the door lock to the bathroom clicked, another thought struck you, this one much worse - How did he know where you lived?
Click
The door pushed open dramatically slow. Your manager stepped out and immediately locked eyes with you, he must've sensed something was wrong because he frowned.
His lips separated, but no words came out. He was left standing there, baffled, when you sprinted out of the apartment. You didn't stop until you reached the front desk.
'' Please call the police! ''
The security guard was startled by your entrance and jumped on his feet. '' What! Why? ''
'' My stalker is here, '' you waved your hands around, '' The one who gave me that package. ''
Things seemed to click in his head. He didn't question you further, instead calling the police and pulling you towards him protectively while you waited.
They arrived a lot quicker than you'd anticipated, which meant that only a few minutes had passed when your manager made his way downstairs after the shock had settled.
'' Why did you run? '' he questioned you.
You didn't answer and turned your head as if he was invisible. The security guard placed himself between you and your manager while the police led him out. He hadn't even been surprised they got called, it was like he was expecting them. You watched as they drove away with him in the back and sighed in relief.
'' Finally '' you mumbled to yourself, '' It's over. ''
The security guard smiled warmly at you which reminded you that you needed to thank him for his kindness.
'' I don't know how I could ever repay you for everything you've done for me. ''
He laughed, '' Don't worry about it. It's my job, and I'm just happy that you're safe. ''
'' Still, if it weren't for you I- '' you stopped, feeling yourself choking on tears as your mind imagined all possible endings.
He gave your shoulder a squeeze and looked at you sympathetically. Sensing that you needed some time to yourself, he then left to go talk to one of the remaining officers.
Long after they had all left and the commotion from the clamoring, nosey neighbors had settled, the feeling remained. It was hard going to sleep that night with your mind racing so much.
Despite that, you got ready and forced yourself to sleep, knowing that after some time you'd fall asleep naturally. You closed your eyes and daydreamed, occasionally taking a sip of the bottle of water next to your bed until falling into a deep slumber.
The next morning, you awoke with a pounding head yet again. Sitting up slowly you groaned and clutched it while your eyes looked around your apartment.
Something felt off.
You blamed the headache on stress and it causing you to not drink enough water, but you couldn't shake the feeling that the paranoia arose in you, the suspicion that someone had been inside your apartment.
'' That's nonsense, '' you sleepily mumbled to yourself.
One more yawn later and you managed to stand up, although with some difficulty. Inside the bathroom, you began to start your usual morning routine when your suspicions got closer to being confirmed.
On top of the toilet stood the roll of toilet paper. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary at first, it was in the same space it always was. However, on further inspection, the material was wet with a slight imprint of fingers.
You couldn't shake this off as a mere coincidence. All logical explanations were immediately ruled out - you hadn't showered before going to bed and the mark was so new, it wouldn't even have been left if you did go to the bathroom during the night. That was the thing, you didn't.
Freaked out of your mind, you did the first thing you could think of - leave the apartment.
With trembling hands, you managed to get your phone out while stumbling down the stairs. You called Ryujin who picked up almost immediately.
'' Y/n, you're late again! The boss is freaking out. ''
'' Sorry, I- '' you shook your pulsating head.
It was making you feel disoriented so words were formed a lot slower as your mind worked twice as slow.
'' Can you cover for me? I don't think I can come to work today actually. ''
'' What why? '' when she heard the uneasy tone in your voice, she paused. '' Did something happen? ''
'' I'll tell you later. ''
'' Okay, '' she worriedly agreed.
You had originally planned on going to work, but the events from the day before; as well as you convincing yourself that your stalker was waiting for you outside, made you reconsider.
On the short walk back to your apartment after you went to buy some food, you bumped into the security guard again.
'' Are you okay? ''
You turned around, quickly fixing your expression when you realized you must've looked erratic. '' Huh? ''
'' Did...something happen? ''
'' No. I'm okay. ''
You hurried to move on and get to your apartment. The silence inside when the door locked was deafening. A few seconds passed, then you turned all the lights on.
A kitchen knife was the weapon of choice as you navigated yourself through the apartment, checking every crook in it. You opened the door to your bedroom and bathroom with some hesitancy, only to find it completely empty, and just as you'd left them.
No one was hiding in your closet either, or under your couch, so you relaxed as you fell back on your bed again, exhausted from the stress and paranoia that was eating you up inside.
It must have been midday when you woke up again. It felt like it had been a long time since you left the building and actually went further than the corner shop.
Aimlessly you walked with a slight hurry to your steps, down the steep staircase, and into the center of the square where you hailed a cab.
Since the day before, you felt like you wanted to visit the police station. You needed to make sure the stalker had been caught and that it was just your mind playing tricks on you because you'd been so shaken up.
Thankfully it wasn't busy so you managed to get a hold of an officer at the desk right away.
'' Hey. How can I help you? ''
'' I'm wondering about someone you have in custody. I'm looking for someone and I want to see them. ''
'' Are you a family member? ''
'' No, is that okay? ''
'' State your relation to the person and who you want to see. ''
You filled in a form and then followed the lady at the reception as she led you through the maze that was the police station. The manager's eyes widened when he spotted you, and despite being warned by the guard not to, he started on his feet and grabbed the bars.
'' Y/n! Please tell them it was a misunderstanding. ''
Your lips thinned. '' I can't, because I'm not so sure it is. ''
He stared at you bewilderedly while incoherent words left his mouth until he finally turned his attention to the guard as an idea popped into his disoriented head.
'' Are you allowed to show her that I filed a report? ''
'' No sir. I can only confirm. ''
'' So you confirm that I filed a police report last night against the actual stalker and harasser of this lady? ''
'' I confirm you filed a report, '' the officer grumbled.
'' Why? ''
Your manager sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
'' Because I'm not the man who has been stalking you! ''
'' How can I trust you? ''
For whatever reason, he hesitated which made alarm bells ring in your ears. You weren't sure you'd believe anything he'd say from then on, it all seemed very planned and rehearsed.
'' Look. I got your room number from the security guard, I asked him where you lived since I needed to give you the wallet back. ''
You shook your head and backed away from the bars. '' No, I don't believe you. Ever since I joined the company you've always been there, ready to protect me, coming out of nowhere to pretend to be my hero. But you're the one pulling the strings behind the scenes! You are my stalker. ''
You directed your attention to the officer again. '' Have you got enough evidence to keep him longer? ''
The ticking of the large clock right above your head made you aware of the fact that they'd have to release him out of custody unless they had compelling evidence.
'' No ma'am. The DNA test results will arrive in a week. ''
You released a shaky breath and raised both your hands as if trying to grasp something invisible to ground yourself.
'' Okay, okay, '' you mumbled under your breath.
'' The other possible suspect will be arrested tonight. If you'd like, we can escort you back home safely. ''
'' Yes please, I'd appreciate that. ''
If you stayed inside for a week, which was slightly inconvenient but manageable nonetheless, then maybe they'd have newer evidence as well as the DNA results from the gift box you gave them.
The kind officers escorted you home as promised and for the first time in a long time, you didn't feel paranoid and scared while waving goodbye to them. You went upstairs and checked every room again before falling asleep.
As you awoke the next day, the sun had risen a long time ago. Your work was the last thing on your mind. Instead of calling in sick again, despite the risk of being fired, you called your friend Ryujin.
There was a chance that your manager had been released so you didn't want to be alone.
She picked up after only a few rings, sounding out of breath and worried. '' Y/n? Where the fuck have you been? ''
You jumped back and winched at her loud voice. She was shouting so much that you could hear her perfectly fine even while holding the phone an arm's length away from your ear.
'' I was so worried! I thought something bad happened to you after that pervert at work caused a scene, and then you call me once to tell me to cover for you at work! ''
She did have a point. You didn't give her an explanation after basically going completely silent. No one at work must've had any clue what was going on in your private life and why you weren't there. But if anyone deserved to know it was Ryujin.
'' I'm sorry, '' you began, sighing heavily. '' I've been dealing with a lot of shit lately. ''
'' Like what? '' she spat back, although less angry and loud this time.
'' It's hard to explain. Ever since that day I've been feeling like someone's been watching me. ''
'' A stalker? ''
'' Yeah, something like that. ''
'' Why didn't you tell me sooner? ''
'' It was a lot I had to process and figure out on my own first. I think this...stalker has been breaking into my apartment. ''
'' What? ''
'' I don't have a lot of proof of it. Mostly, it's just a feeling. ''
She went quiet for a moment, then when she spoke again, her voice sounded thick with sympathy. '' I believe you. ''
'' Thank you, '' you smiled wholeheartedly even though she couldn't see you.
You didn't know how much you'd missed her until you heard her voice again.
'' Do you wanna come over? ''
'' Of course. I think you need someone right now, '' she half-joked. '' I have enough vacation days, so that won't be a problem. I'll be over in twenty! ''
'' Okay, bye see you! ''
'' Bye! ''
You spent the next twenty minutes pacing back and forth in your apartment, not daring to go check if the toilet roll had been used again. When the bell rang, you felt so relieved, you didn't even check who it was.
Thankfully, that time it was actually Ryujin and not someone else. You flung yourself into her arms and hugged her tightly.
'' Oh wow, someone's missed me. ''
'' Shut up, '' you gave her a grin despite your words, which she returned as she sat down.
'' So. Tell me everything. ''
*******
After hearing the whole story, your friend was more worried than ever. Her reaction was a lot stronger than the other people who knew about it and you felt relieved she shared your paranoia.
The two of you drove down to the station so you could see if they had released him yet. Luck seemed to finally be on your side as they told you they had extended the time and were questioning both of the suspects since the creep from your job had been brought in too.
The weight on your shoulders had lifted completely now. Unless they broke out or were freed not long after, you'd at least have a night of serene rest, finally worry-free.
'' We will contact you when we have more information, '' the kind lady at the desk told you while you were leaving again.
'' Maybe I can go back to work tomorrow. ''
Ryujin turned her head so fast she almost crashed the car.
'' Are you sure? Do you not feel scared anymore? ''
'' No, why would I? I think it'll be okay. Soon they will get the results and they can finally be charged and put away forever. ''
She hummed in response, deep in thought, but agreed in the end that it would be good for you to go back to routine. You would put the whole thing behind you.
'' Thank you for dropping me off, and for coming over today. ''
'' No need to thank me, I was going crazy thinking about all the things that could've happened to you. Promise me you'll never leave me in the dark like that again! '' she frowned.
You laughed loudly, '' Promise. ''
As she drove off you waved enthusiastically so she'd see you were fine, because she kept asking if you were sure you didn't want her to stay the night.
On the way up, you saw the security guard again. He noticed your bright smile and lit up when he saw you.
'' You seem to be in a good mood today. ''
'' Yes! I am. ''
He stepped into the elevator with you and raised a small package in his hand to show you he was doing a delivery.
'' Is there any reason in particular? ''
'' The whole thing has been solved...well, pretty much anyway. The two suspects were arrested so I will be sleeping well tonight. ''
'' That's great! ''
You nodded, '' What floor are you going to? ''
'' Same as you, the eight, '' he gestured to the buttons and you pressed it for him.
'' You're too nice, I keep saying it. Shouldn't people come get their own packages in the lobby? ''
'' They should, but they don't. I guess the positive thing is that it leads to better reviews, so higher prices, and then I get a higher salary, '' he winked.
'' Smart, playing the long game. ''
You stepped out of the elevator and started walking towards your apartment. Even from afar, you noticed something was wrong with the lock. It kept beeping and flashing an error message.
It was quite easily fixed so you tried to contain your irritation on the inside.
'' Are you okay over there? '' the security guard shouted from the other side of the hallway.
He had dropped off his package and came over, having heard the noises.
'' Damn it. That fucker must've been inside this morning. ''
'' I thought he was arrested. ''
You nodded and swallowed bitterly, a look of disdain struck across your features. '' He was, I guess he just had to do it one last time. ''
'' Will you be okay? '' his soft voice sounded even more gentle as it was laced with genuine concern, '' do you want me to check? ''
'' No. The danger's gone, he can't hurt me anymore. ''
You didn't know if it was him you were trying to convince or yourself.
'' You can sleep with me, '' he timidly added.
'' What? '' you whipped your head around, having been lost in your thoughts for a moment.
'' I meant sleep by me, '' he blushed, '' in the lobby, if you feel scared. ''
You knew he probably meant well, but it was hard to hide the expression your face changed into since you felt a little weirded out. To sleep near someone is to trust them completely.
'' Thank you. I'll remember that in case I change my mind. ''
It was said in a stern tone, finalizing the conversation. The security guard was observant and picked up on it, nodding curtly before leaving. You gave the lock one final irritated look, then closed the door behind you and hurried to turn the lights on.
One tour later where you found no one and you were yet again left to make the hours go by until it was time to fall asleep again. You were thankful for the water bottle that always stood on your nightstand then as you downed it thirstily.
It washed over you like a wave, the sleepiness, and like it was knocking you over, you found yourself falling back against the soft mattress and blinking hazily at the ceiling.
Mere minutes after, you couldn't fight against it any longer so you became engulfed in what had become a familiar darkness. The sun outside slowly started fading, there was no way to tell how long it had been since you laid down; its last golden-red beams illuminated against your window.
Your room which was now one with the darkness suddenly lit up briefly. The screen of a phone on the table lighting up as a message popped up.
It went unnoticed and so the room turned black again. But then more messages came in, just when it was about to go dark - another lit up the room.
00:13
Ryujin: y/n?
Ryujin: can you answer me? this is important
00:14
Ryujin: are you okay?
00:15
Missed call from Ryujin
00:15
Ryujin: if you don't pick up the phone I'm coming over, if you see this, make sure you lock your door and the windows, also make sure you check everywhere!
Ryujin: the DNA results came in
The sound of a door unlocking echoed in the apartment. A hooded man stalked towards your sleeping form and the bed dipped as he sat down on it to pet your head.
00:15
Ryujin: it's not them, it's someone else
You stirred in your sleep, blissfully unaware of the danger that lurked just above you.
'' Sorry about the drugs, sweetheart. It's the only way I could visit you at night. But now, we will be together forever, '' the man said, and as he carried you out, the reflection in the mirror showed your stalker - the security guard.
*******
(explanation; although I think most people will guess it right I'll explain why it was him. The reason all she did was sleep was because of the drugs, he put them in the water bottle and then snuck in after she fell asleep during his nightshift, he laid next to her & even used her things (such as the paper) because he played '' house '' or pretended he was her boyfriend; since he was the security guard he had the easiest access to her as they often have keys to every apartment & it's also why he said he didn't see anyone delivering the package to y/n, I guess your enemies are a lot closer than you'd think c: !! if u have any more questions feel free to send them <3
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thelov3lybookworm · 8 months
Text
Remember me? (Part 2)
Part 1
Summary: Under the Mountain, Y/n met the High Lord of the Night Court, Rhysand. She was scared of him, but soon she found out that he wasn't who he pretended to be. Despite her efforts at not falling in love with him, she fails. It's not that bad as he loves her back.
But now he's gone, and she's left alone with nothing.
Except for a very adorable reminder of him.
•○●⛦●○•
Tw: secret pregnancy, none more that I can think of, so let me know if I need to add anything.
•○🌑○•
Her blood boiled as she watched Rhys talk to her son. Fin nodded eagerly before turning back to the drawing in front of him. She had seen enough when the bastard had the audacity to to hold her son's hand and help him with the painting.
"Fin! I'm back baby!" Y/n announced, walking up behind her son. He looked up smiling as the High Lord went rigid.
"Can I finish this mama? Its almost done." He said, pointing to the paper he was colouring on with crayons. Y/n smiled and nodded.
"I need to talk to someone. You finish it, I'll be right here." And then she had grabbed Rhys's collar and tugged, and he stood without much fuss, following her out the doors and around the corner.
"Y/n–"
"No Rhysand. What about 'stay away from him' do you not understand?"
"You can't keep me away from him forever. He's my son–"
"He stopped being yours the moment you left me and him to fend for ourselves."
"I didn't know!"
"Exactly. Because if you knew, you wouldn't have left and I would never have found out what an asshole you are. And, despite how much I hate you for leaving us, I'm grateful that you did, because it opened my eyes to how distrustful males are. My son deserves better than that."
"She was my mate! Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing." His eyes looked so helpless that for a moment Y/n felt bad. But then she shook her head. She needed to be strong, for her son, and for her own sanity.
"I wouldn't have done that, Rhys. Because, no other love would compare for the one I had for you. I would atleast not have abandoned you without preamble." Her eyes prickled, and she looked away from the male she had loved more than she had loved her own life. "Stay. Away. From. Him."
"How do you expect me to stay away from my own blood? I can't do it, when he'd be in front of me. You can't do this to me. You can't do this to him."
"If him being in front of you is the problem, then you won't see him again."
"What..."
"I was here because someone said that this place would keep us safe from my father. Guess I'll find another court to keep him safe."
"You can't..."
She gave him a hard stare. "I can and I will."
Then she turned and went to retrieve her son. As soon as she entered the art studio, Fin ran upto her, giggling.
"Hello again mama!"
Y/n smiled. "Hello baby. Did you enjoy?"
"Yes! I also made a new friend. Come." He dragged her to where Feyre was sitting, a small boy speaking enthusiastically to her as she smiled. Fin touched the other boys shoulder, who immediately grinned when he turned. "Mama, this is Nyx."
"Hello Nyx. How are you doing today?" Y/n asked, crouching down. She knew exactly who Nyx was, she had heard that the High Lord of Night had a son, but she hadn't wanted to believe it.
Nyx looked exactly like Fin, and it unnerved her. Only difference was that Fin's eyes were so dark they were almost black, and his hair, which was white. Y/n's mother had white hair, and that's where Fin got it from.
Feyre's hand which was resting on Nyx's shoulder tightened, and when Y/n glanced at her, she realised Feyre thought Y/n wanted to hurt him. The both of them maintained eye contact, for long enough that Feyre understood that Y/n would never hurt any child, it didn't not matter that the child in question was a stark reminder that her first and only love had left her for someone else.
"I am good. How are you?" Nyx said, then glanced at his mother to see if he'd said the right thing. Feyre smiled and nodded.
That was when Rhysand stepped into the art studio. When Y/n glanced at him, he froze. When he found her talking to his son, he came to stand next to Feyre, his eyes now locked on Fin.
"Mama, remeber how I said I wanted a baby brother? Nyx's younger than me and I feel like he's my younger brother." Fin said, and Nyx nodded enthusiastically as the two boys started taking excitedly.
The two kids didn't notice that their parents had gone rigid, staring at them.
Y/n glanced at Feyre, who stared at her, her eyes swirling with emotion. Y/n swallowed before smiling. "That he could be. But can we talk about it some other time? Is getting late. We need to go home."
"Okay mama. Bye bye Nyx." Fin waved at Nyx, who waved back.
Before they could exit the studio though, Feyre walked upto Y/n.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you two were–"
But Y/n smiled, shaking her head. "Its okay. It's not your fault he's an– a bad person." She barely stopped herself from saying asshole. Fin peeked at her curiously as she said goodbye to Feyre, patting her shoulder, before walking out.
•○🌑○•
Y/n stared fondly at her son as she and Fin sat on a bench right next to the Sidra. They were in an ice cream parlour's outdoor seating area as Fin happily licked away at the treat in his hands.
It had been a week since they had gone to the High Lady's art studio. He had expected to go there again, but Y/n didn't trust Rhysand, and so Fin had given her an offer. She had to let him have ice cream for a whole week without restrictions and paint with him if she didnt want him to go to the art studio.
Y/n had, of course, agreed, shaking her head at her sons antics. That little boy was smart, and he had somehow picked up on his mother's unease around Nyx's father.
After she had agreed to his terms though, he had laughed and said he didn't even want to go there again and just wanted her to agree to his demands. Y/n had gaped at his little figure as he ran off to play with his toys.
While Y/n was busy with her thoughts, she didn't realise Fin had finished his ice cream and was now staring at someone nearby.
Y/n realised it was a male, who leaned against the railing and was making faces at Fin, who giggled. He had red hair and amber eyes, and he was easily the most beautiful man Y/n had ever seen. She smiled. It was heartwarming that a stranger would do something to make her son happy.
"Mama, he has red hair." Fin stated, making her blink.
"Yes darling, he does." Y/n muttered as she cleaned his face of the sticky dessert, wiping his hands down. "Why are you telling me that?"
"I have not seen many people with red hair." He said before jumping off the bench and running towards the exit. He was halfway to it when he tripped over his own feet.
Y/n shot up, running to him. But before she could get to him, the stranger was already helping him up.
"You shouldn't run. You'll get hurt." The red haired male said as he brushed down Fin. Y/n reached them just then, crouching next to the male.
"Are you okay? How many times do I have to tell you to not run." She murmured, clutching her son to her chest. When he pulled away, there were fat tears running down his chubby cheeks. "What happened? Did you get hurt?" He nodded, pointing to his knees, which had scraped and blood seeped from the tiny cut on it. "Oh my poor baby. We'll get you patched up, yeah?" He nodded again.
"I don't think you'll be able to walk very nicely with that wound. Let me help you." He suddenly picked Fin up, standing.
"It's okay. I'll take him. " She stood and turned to the male, who shook his head.
"Please, I'll be happy to help."
Y/n knew it was dangerous to trust someone who she just met, but for some reason, she felt like she could trust this male. So she told him that her house was nearby.
During the whole walk, she stayed silent, studying the man, who was talking to Fin as if his life depended on it. She felt like she knew him somehow, but that would be impossible.
Soon, they were at the apartment that they lived in, and the man dutifully handed her son back to Y/n.
"I don't think I caught your name."
"Eris." He smiled, looking for any reaction on her face.
She wracked her brain for something, anything that she might know about an Eris. And then it clicked.
"You're the High Lord of Autumn Court. What are you doing in Velaris?"
He shrugged. "I was allowed entry due to an alliance with the High Lord. First time visiting this place."
Y/n nodded. Then she said goodbye to Eris, turning to go into her apartment when Fin waved to him, smiling. "Bye bye."
"Bye Finnian."
"Will we meet again?" Y/n froze, staring at the little kid in her arms before glancing at Eris.
"I sure hope so. And if your mother allows it." He said, his eyes twinkling and curling at the edges.
Fin cheered, before Eris bowed and walked away, hands in pockets. Y/n watched after him, wondering for a moment before entering her house.
She knew if Fin met Eris again, he would be very happy. She hoped they would, as she wanted nothing more than her son's happiness.
And somewhere, deep inside her soul, something ancient and primal would also be happy, but she didn't know that.
The ancient and primal thing which had begun to come out of hiding, slowly but surely.
•○🌑○•
Taglist: @awoa1 @cleverzonkwombatsludge @luvmoo @we-were-beautiful @eerievixen @zoe2 @fussel9913 @j-pendragonx @thesnugglingduck @jesssicapaniagua @devilsnightz @esposadomd @littleffawn @mandowhatnow @bubybubsters @eos-princess
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janaispunk · 7 months
Text
still bejeweled
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pairing: joel miller x f!reader
word count: ~4.4k
summary: after breaking up with your boyfriend, your self-esteem is crushed. your best friend takes you to your favorite bar to take your mind off of things. there's a band is playing there tonight and the singer immediately catches your eye. inspired by taylor swift's bejeweled – and when i meet the band, they ask, 'do you have a man?', i could still say, 'i don't remember'
tags/warnings: explicit smut, only 18+, no/pre-outbreak au, no sarah, musician!joel, small age gap (reader is in her late 20s, joel's in his mid 30s), alcohol consumption, joel pulls her hair, able-bodied reader, a bit of angst, fluff, making out, fingering, dirty talk (joel talks you through it, i just know it), praise kink, unprotected p in v (i just didn't feel like mentioning it, this is my fantasy world where pregnancies & sti's don't exist, but they very much exist in the real world, don't do this), joel has a big dick (it's canon), consent king joel, rough sex, ass-slapping, hair-pulling, please let me know if i missed anything!
a/n: this came to me while making breakfast and listening to taylor, and didn't want to leave my head again. pretty self indulgent, i'm fairly certain that a musician!joel in my life would fix me. also, to boyfriends everywhere: fuck you <3
• dividers by the lovely @saradika!
• find my full masterlist here!
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You storm out of the apartment, fighting back the tears that are threatening to spill over. This is it for good, you tell yourself. It's not the first fight of the sort that you and your boyfriend Max – now ex-boyfriend, you guess – have gotten into, with you usually backing down eventually, to keep the peace between the two of you. You've been together for more than three years, and you had hoped that this might be the one – the guy that you can settle down with, the one that you've been waiting for.
But over the past few months, Max has gotten more distant, less involved in the relationship, less interested in you, making you feel like you're burdening him, like you're always asking for too much. Like you are too much. You had asked several times if something was bothering him, something that you could work through together. Everything's fine babe, I don't know why you're even asking. Stop getting on my nerves with this.
You scoff to yourself. Usually, this was the point where you would step back from the argument, not willing to invest energy in a fight that wouldn't lead to anything anyway. Maybe things weren't perfect with Max, but they were what you knew. Familiar, comfortable. Better than being alone. Maybe not the big love that books and movies told you about, but who knows if that sort of thing even exists.
But today, when he just wouldn't give a shit about anything you said, something inside of you had snapped. “I feel like you don't even love me anymore. Do you?!” you had demanded, and the look on his face had told you everything that you needed to know.
That's how you find yourself on the street in front of your best friend's place, the short walk having somewhat cleared your head. Who does Max even think he is? It's not too much to ask to care about your partner, to show interest in them, to support them, is it? And he hasn't done any of that in quite some time.
All things considered, he just wasn't that great of a boyfriend. Still, you can't help feeling sad about it. Another relationship failed, another guy that just didn't deem you as good enough to pay attention to you. Maybe you're just not that interesting, a voice in your head whispers. You sniffle and shake your head, willing the thought out of your mind.
Your best friend Amanda greets you at her door, immediately clocking your slumped shoulders and reddened eyes, and hugs you tightly while leading you into her living room. Her concern for you elicits another wave of tears and you shakily recap today's events to her. She listens patiently, thankfully not telling you that you're better off without him or something like that, because even though you know that yourself, you don't think you could bear someone else saying it.
“I just can't believe that I'm single again and need to start over once more and I just-,” you bite your lip, willing away the tears that are pooling in your eyes, “I just feel like I'm not enough, like I can't keep a guy or I'm too picky, I don't know. It's just so frustrating, I don't wanna end up alone.”
Amanda's expression softens and she pulls you into her arms again. “You're not gonna end up alone, I promise you. You're funny and smart and,” she looks you up and down, “fucking hot. But you can't settle for less just because you're scared of ending up alone, okay? You're gonna find the guy that's right for you and then it will all make sense. Promise.”
You sigh, not sure if you believe her but also not in the mood to argue. After more talking, during which she eventually slips a glass of wine into your hand, Amanda decides that the two of you should go out tonight. Blow off some steam, show the world and yourself that you've still got it, as she puts it. You're honestly not sure if you've ever had it to begin with, but you let her enthusiasm wash over you, playing along as she insists that you wear one of her skimpiest dresses and starts doing your make up. You feel a little self-conscious with the tiny black dress that she has put you in and the dramatic red lipstick that she's currently applying to your lips.
“Don't look at me like that. You look so good and you'd know that if that fucker hadn't made you feel like you didn't for the past few months. But you've been too good of a girl for far too long now, and we're gonna change that tonight. Deal?” She expectantly holds her hand out for you to shake and you feel the excitement starting to bubble up in you. Maybe she's right and you do need to let go of your insecurities tonight. You shake her hand and she laughs delightedly, causing you to giggle as well.
Amanda finally declares that you're good to go, digging a sparkly handbag that's covered in tiny silvery jewels out of her closet. That one's actually yours, but you had left it at her place a few weeks ago after Max had told you how it was just too much and how you looked ridiculous with it. You had let it slide, thinking that it wasn't worth it to ruin the evening by fighting over a stupid handbag. What was wrong with you, you think to yourself now.
You look at yourself in her full-length mirror and you have to agree, you do look good. The short dress leaves most of your thighs bare, hugging your curves in all the right ways and the lipstick looks amazing, drawing the focus to the shape of your mouth. You do polish up real nice.
Amanda's boyfriend Patricks whistles appreciatively when you both exit from the bedroom and wishes you loads of fun. That's what a boyfriend should be like, you think to yourself. Supportive, loving, and just... kind?
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Amanda drags you to one of your favorite bars. You've been here countless times together; usually it's a good crowd and the drinks are cheap. It's live music night, you realize as you walk in and notice the small stage at the far end of the room, which also explains why it's more crowded than usual. You push through a few people and manage to find two seats at the bar, from where you can watch the stage and hear the music, but it isn't too loud to talk.
The bartender comes up to you and Amanda orders tequila shots before you can even open your mouth. “I would've stuck to wine,” you complain to her and she shrugs, a big grin on her our face.
“That wouldn't be half as fun. We're going all out tonight, remember?”
You roll your eyes and nod, but when you down the first shot and bite down on the lime, you can't help the laugh that bubbles up in your throat. “That's my girl!” Amanda giggles and promptly orders another round. After two more shots and feeling the tingling warmth that's spreading through your body, you let your eyes wander around the room until they find the stage.
It's mostly local bands that play here, some better than others, and tonight's isn't half bad. It's four guys, a little older than you, mid-thirties if you had to guess, and their music has an acoustic, country-ish vibe to it. Your eyes linger on the man in the front, who is softly singing into the microphone while strumming along on his guitar.
He's kinda hot, you muse to yourself, gaze trained on the way his muscles are softly flexing while he's plucking on the guitar strings with his large hands, the sleeves of his dark t-shirt straining against his arms. His deep voice is washing over you, reminding you of whiskey and honey, and you squint a little to take a closer look at his face. He has a strong jaw and pouty lips, and dark, expressive eyes that gaze into the room while he's singing. You can't explain it, but something about him just feels... warm. Like he's safe. Kind.
He has a scruffy beard and messy curls, giving him a sort of rugged look, that, combined with his incredibly broad shoulders, has you biting your lip subconsciously. How easily he could cage you in, how big and warm his hands would feel on your body...
Damn, he's really hot. And you really feel the tequila talking right now.
Amanda's fingers appear in your field of vision, snapping impatiently and you turn back to her, heat crawling up your cheeks. You might have been staring a bit too obviously. “Which one?” she grins.
“Huh?” you ask, rather poorly feigning innocence.
“Oh, come on! Okay, I'll guess,” she continues on, not giving you a chance to even try to deny anything, “it's the singer, right?”
“I-,” you start, but the look on her face tells you that it's already a lost cause, “yeah.”
She laughs delightedly and gestures to the bartender for another round of shots. “Oh, I don't think-,” you try to object, but she shushes you.
“I won't rest until you've made a move on that guy, good choice dare I say, and live a little. So drink up!” She toasts to you and you can't help laughing yourself before you tip your head back and swallow the burning alcohol in one go.
You steal another glance towards the stage – maybe a rather extended glance in all honesty – and catch the singer's eye. He holds your gaze for a few seconds, then he lets his eyes wander around the room, before returning to you, his lips curling into a knowing smirk when you're still looking at him.
You hastily tear yourself away, leaning into Amanda in an attempt of hiding how flustered you're suddenly feeling. “That was fucking hot,” she breathes into your ear.
“I know,” you whisper back urgently. Then the insecurity kicks back in. “Do you think he really meant me? I mean, we're all the way in the back here, I bet he can barely see-”
Amanda swats at your arm, shaking her head. “Please, he totally meant you. You're gonna talk to him later, you hear me?”
You groan, “Oh my god,” and lean into her further. “I'm not cut out for all this, I wouldn't even know what to say.” She tsks at you and orders another round of drinks, not taking No for an answer.
You loosen up a little over time, throwing a few more glances towards the stage and delight in the way he always seems to just wait for you to look at him. When you've made eye contact several times, he winks at you and you can't help but giggle, a kind of warmth spreading through you that has nothing to do with the alcohol. A wide grin stretches across his face as he announces the last song for the night. You give up all pretenses, your eyes basically glued to him until he strums his guitar one last time, then thanks the audience and joins his bandmates as they wander off the stage.
The bands usually pack up, then join the bar's patrons for a few beers. You try not to appear totally desperate and refrain from staring at the door that leads backstage, instead busying yourself with your drink and listening to Amanda, when you feel someone sliding to the bar counter behind you and a hand lands to rest on your shoulder. A very big, very warm hand, you come to notice, before a deep, honeyed voice floats into your ear, causing you to turn around.
“Hi. Can I buy you a drink?”
He seems even bigger up close, and even more handsome, and your lips part slightly, taking him in. You take a beat too long to answer, just sinking into his deep brown eyes, and a grin slowly spreads across his face. “I'm Joel, by the way.” He extends a hand for you to shake and you blink, shaking yourself out of your staring, quickly taking his hand and offering your own name.
His hand dwarfs yours, enveloping it in his warmth and you feel yourself blush. This is the moment, you tell yourself. “I'd love a drink,” you smile at him and he flags down the bartender to take your order. You steal a glance at Amanda, who's nodding enthusiastically.
“So...” Joel drawls when you have your drink, still standing so close to you that you're almost touching, with a smirk playing around the corner of his mouth, “do you have a man, or-?”
Your thoughts briefly flicker to Max, but you find that you can barely remember how devastated you felt mere hours ago, that you can hardly recall his face right now. “No... no, I don't.”
“She most certainly does not, she's all yours,” Amanda chimes in, leaning around you and beaming at Joel.
You can't help but giggle at the entire situation, pleasantly buzzing with both the alcohol in your system and the feeling of having Joel in your direct proximity, and finding him more attractive with every minute that you look at him.
“I really liked your performance,” you tell him and his grin widens.
“Yeah? I could tell, sweetheart.” You laugh; the pet name has your heart soaring in your chest, but you feel completely relaxed with him, not awkward, not desperate to please him or keep his interest. You just feel... good. Really, really good.
Talking to him is easy. He makes you laugh, makes you feel comfortable, and your cheeks almost hurt from smiling so much, but you can't stop. He's constantly touching you, his hand lingering on your shoulder, your arm, sliding down to your waist, and leaving goosebumps in its wake.
When he pulls at your hips to pull you off your bar stool, you quickly follow his lead, letting him sway you around to the music that's now playing from the juke box, giggling the entire time. You feel like a teenager, but you couldn't care less. You're tipsy, you're happy, the easily most attractive man that you've ever met seems to be more than interested in you – you feel amazing.
Joel's hand comes up to cup your face, his calloused fingertips brushing over your cheek and you lean into his touch. His eyes flick down to your lips and your breath stutters in your chest. Your arms wrap around his neck at the same time that he leans in until his mouth meets yours, your lips eagerly opening against his.
A pleased hum is rumbling up in his chest and both of his hands grab at your hips, pulling your body flush against him as his tongue licks into your mouth. Your hands burrow into the messy curls at his neck and you all but whimper against his lips. You feel his mouth curl into a smile before he pulls away, the look in his eyes a little dazed, mirroring your own.
“You you wanna come home with me?” he asks quietly, “I live right around the corner.”
There's no need to even think about it, you want this man desperately. You quickly check on Amanda, who waves you off with a shit-eating grin and some rather crude words of encouragement.
You swing your glittery purse over your shoulder and Joel whistles lowly. “That's fancy. I like it.”
Your eyes widen slightly. “You do?”
“Yeah. Suits you.” A wide smile is spreading across your face and, without a second thought, you grab his hand to pull him out of the bar.
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He really lives close nearby and you're stumbling through a dark hallway barely five minutes later. Joel has his hands on your hips and his lips on your mouth, kissing you roughly as he leads you into what you presume is the direction of his bedroom. He kicks the bedroom door shut behind you and crowds you up against the wood, his hands grabbing at your sides, pulling at the dress, revealing more skin to his touch.
The room is dimly lit, yellow light from the street below filtering in through the windows, and his eyes roam over you. “Fuck, you're so hot,” he growls and captures your mouth in another searing kiss, his hand coming up to palm at your breasts, roughly squeezing the flesh and running his thumb over your nipple through the fabric. You mewl into his mouth and he pulls back breathlessly. “You're an eager little thing, aren't you?” he murmurs and you arch your back, trying to press yourself back into his touch.
“Please, Joel,” you whimper and he chuckles before diving back in, his tongue hot in your mouth and his fingers creeping under your dress, toying with the hem of your underwear.
He pulls it aside, his fingers grazing your already soaked folds and you buck your hips into his touch. He slides your dress up higher until his hand comes to rest on your bare hip and he searches your face.
“You're feeling good? You want this?”
You nod eagerly and he tuts softly. “Gotta let me hear it, sweetheart.”
You bite your lip, his respectfulness paired with the dark look in his eyes spurring your arousal on even further. “I want it, please.”
“Good girl, so polite too,” he murmurs and your legs almost buckle underneath you. His hand travels back between your legs, grabbing at your underwear and quickly pulling it off of you, before his fingers are back, sliding through your wetness and circling your clit slowly.
“Fuck, you're dripping. So good for me, all eager and ready, huh?”
The whine that comes out of you sounds faintly like a “yes” and he presses another kiss to your lips, before he thrusts two fingers into you, stretching you deliciously.
“Fucking tight,” he murmurs against your mouth, his voice sounding wrecked already. He sets a languid pace, pausing every so often to curl his fingers deep within you, hitting that spongy spot that has your legs shaking and your hands grabbing at his shoulders as high-pitched whines fall out of your mouth.
You can see the pleased smirk on his face as you're falling apart on just his fingers. His other hand travels up to the straps of your dress, pulling them down and revealing your breasts to him.
His lips suck on the newly exposed flesh and you hear him mutter, “so fucking pretty” against your skin. His mouth travels to your nipple, flicking his tongue over the hardened bud, while his fingers keep thrusting and curling inside of you.
Heat is boiling in your abdomen, licking at your spine and you can almost taste your orgasm already. “Joel, I'm gonna- please don't stop, please,” you manage to breathe out.
“You're gonna come on my fingers, pretty girl?” he asks, before sucking your nipple back into his mouth. “Go ahead, let me feel it.” His thumb starts to toy with your clit in quick, precise circles, and you gasp. The heat spreads through your entire body as your orgasm takes hold of you, your toes curling and your legs shaking while you pulse wildly around his fingers.
“Good girl, you look so pretty when you come,” Joel whispers, trailing kisses from your breasts up to your neck as you slowly come down from your high.
Joel maneuvers you to his bed, supporting your weight and gently setting you down until you're sprawled out on the covers. You can still feel the aftershocks from your orgasm, but your want for him is coursing through you like a wildfire and you eagerly stretch your arms out for him.
He chuckles, mumbling something about you being insatiable and quickly pulls his shirt over his head, revealing golden skin and a body that's obviously strong and muscular, but he still has a softness to him.
You sit back up and scoot closer, your hands flying to his beltbuckle as you press kisses against his belly, reveling in the way his breath hitches and his muscles are twitching under your mouth.
You tilt your head up, silently asking for permission as you tug on his pants and he nods, smiling down at you. You pull his pants and underwear down in one go, desperate to see all of him, and you can't help the soft gasp that escapes your mouth at the sight before you.
He's fucking big, and you should probably worry about fitting all of him inside of you, but instead the fire in your abdomen is flaring up again and you subconsciously press your thighs together.
Joel leans down to you, pulling your already bunched up dress over your head and leaving you just as bare as he is.
“Like what you see, sweetheart?” he smirks.
“I- yeah,” you nod, shyly smiling up at him and he pecks your lips.
“Me too.”
He crowds you in, his broad body looming over yours as you lay back down on the bed and his fingers find their way in between your legs again. He grazes your clit, then swirls a finger through your wetness, spreading it on your inner thighs, and your hips buck up into his touch, causing him to chuckle.
“Impatient little thing.”
You can barely form a coherent thought, you're desperate to feel his cock inside of you and you eagerly part your legs when he situates his body between them. He grabs at your thigh, spreading you open even wider, before landing a playful slap against the backside. An almost embarrassingly loud moan escapes you and Joel's smirk turns downright feral.
“You liked that, sweetheart? You like it when I'm a little rough with you?”
He's grinding his hips against you, sliding his cock through your wetness, the tip almost catching at your entrance. You're past the point of caring, nodding mindlessly, you just want him inside of you.
“Fuck, yes, please Joel, please.”
“Should've known,” he mumbles, “it's always the quiet ones. Actin' all shy, but you need it bad, don't you? Gonna fuck you so good, take such good care of you, don't you worry.”
You whimper, your breath catching in your throat when he lines his cock up with your center, his tip already parting your walls, but he stops himself again. “Tell me once more, sweetheart. You still good, still want this?”
“Yes Joel, fuck, I want it,” you whine. The words have barely left your mouth when he slams into you, filling you to the brim. You cry out at the sudden intrusion, your walls fluttering around his length, trying to accommodate him as he's splitting you open. The stretch is intense, bordering on painful, but you still feel yourself getting wetter around him, pain turning into pleasure as he stills inside of you for a few moments to let you adjust.
“Goddamn it, you're tight, you're taking me so good, such a good fuckin' girl.”
His mouth is close to your ear, muttering filth to you with his hot breath fanning against the sensitive skin on your neck. Another loud moan falls from your mouth at his words and you clench around his cock that's still buried deep inside of you, causing him to groan.
“Yeah you like that, wanna be a good girl for me, don't you?”
You nod breathlessly and he pulls out almost entirely before slamming back into you, setting a brutal rhythm that's forcing moans from your throat and has you wildly clenching around him. One of his hands is playing with your nipples again, pinching and pulling at your delicate flesh and sending delicious sparks of pleasure straight to your core while he's still fucking you deeply. It's incredible, already easily the best you've ever had, but you still want more, want him deeper.
“Oh my god, p-please Joel,” you stutter.
“Please what?”
“H-harder, please.” He growls at that, pulling himself out of you and flipping you around until you're on your knees, presenting your ass to him. He presses his cock back into you, knocking the air out of your lungs, and his hand connects with the skin on your ass cheek in a harsh slap.
“Knew you were a filthy little thing, fuck, just waitin' around for someone to give it to you hard, huh?” he growls. The way he's talking to you is going straight to your core and you feel a second high approaching rapidly.
His hand tangles in your hair, making a fist and pulling until you're arching your back, slightly changing the angle and letting him hit a spot inside of you that absolutely devastates you. There's stars dancing across your eyes, your thighs are quivering and your walls are pulsing rhythmically.
“Not someone, just- just for you,” you moan out, shuddering around him as another orgasm washes over you, your vision swimming and you're clamping down on him.
“Fuck, sweetheart,” Joel mutters, his hands grabbing your hips roughly and holding onto you with strong hands as he stills his movements and spills himself deep inside of you.
You feel almost delirious as Joel hugs you tightly to his body, kissing you deeply before he gently lays you down on the bed. He cleans you up, gets you a glass of water and covers you with a thick blanket before he slides into bed beside you.
His arm wraps around your middle and he pulls you closer against his chest, engulfing you in his warmth and peppering your bare neck and shoulders with kisses. You nuzzle into him, your eyes falling shut as you relax under his soft touches. You can't remember the last time you felt this good. Protected, cared for, happy.
“Sweetheart?” Joel's voice sounds from behind you and you give a little hum. “I know this started out like a one night thing, but-” he pauses, almost sounding a little shy, “promise me that you won't just vanish in the morning, okay?” You smile and crane your head to press your lips against his once more.
“I promise.”
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a/n #2: ...yeah, this would definitely fix me. shout out to the real life amanda for being an amazing friend and the best hype woman, thank you for yelling about pedro with me 24/7. also shout out to the real life patrick for being an amazing boyfriend and providing us with insights about the male sexual experience lol. thank you guys for being the best adoptive parents to my third-wheeling single ass. <3
thank you so much for reading! if you liked this, please consider reblogging or leaving a comment!
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pinkexpertnerdghost · 8 months
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A Rose for You!
Lyney x Gn!Reader
Pt.2 to Watch and Be Amazed!
{ Ok! Ya'll asked for it. I kinda wanted to write more in the first part but it was already kinda lengthy. As in the last part there wasn't much one on one Lyney and Reader moments. But don't fret dear [Name]! You'll be in the lovely company of this little magical menace for a tour around the Nation! }
! Some Spoilers for the Fontaine Archon Quest Act 1 and some nudges to Lyney and Lynettes Backstory/Personal Stories !
General: sfw, fluff, Grin Malkin Cat, small Freminet and Lynette cameo, Lyney being the charming little flirt he is, flustered Lyney, french, a wee bit of angst here and there towards the end,
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It was a new day, and you felt refreshed. Truly, Fontaine is one of the most snazziest places you’ve ever been in. Alongside the technological advancements, there was much attention to the intricacies of decorum and an artistic romanticism in the most mundane activities. Although, the air was a bit smellier than the countryside and the stars couldn’t sparkle as brightly.
You had woken up from your slumber, the sun beaming through the thin curtains by the window. Next to your bedside was a small nightstand with a beautiful lamp and the prop card laying face down. 
You rolled a bit around in your bed until you laid on your back facing the ceiling.
Your mind wandered to the events that unfolded last evening. The colorful memory replayed in your mind like moving photographs. 
The doves, cats in hats, paper butterflies and a pair of soft lilac eyes. 
You sighed.
From the walk to your hotel yesterday, you had viciously tried to recount the events that happened. At what point did Lyney slip this note in your sleeve? And why didn’t you notice sooner?
You had trouble sleeping that night. 
Lyney couldn’t have been serious could he? It was just a part of the show, of course he would shower you with pretty words and a suave demeanor . It's part of his charming routine, nothing more. 
Then again…
Why did he whisper at you so much? Now you thought about it, you were up there for at least one two..TECHNICALLY FOUR ACTS?! Also, he stopped you after the show to talk. AND NOW HE HANDED YOU A CARD ASKING YOU OUT?! No WaIT- Not ‘Out Out’ like a date or anything, an outing as friends? Can you even call him that?! What acquaintance just requests a day to hang out together? HE ISN'T BREAKING SOME PERFORMER AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE REGULATIONS IS HE?!-
Overthinking can lead to a very unsettled mindset preventing you from getting proper rest. 
So here you were, laying like a beached seal on your bed. You didn’t bother to get up right away. Too lazy and your head was fizzed out of thoughts.
You shifted your head around, the bedding beneath you shuffled along. On the nightstand was the prop card you had found in your sleeve last night. 
You eyed the shiny piece of paper. The little red grinning cat silhouette on the backside felt like it was taunting you. Calling you pathetic as it stared at you from atop his side table throne.
Stretching your arms above your head, you finally sat up. 
You reached and picked up the card, holding it with your index and thumb. Once again you carefully read the words that were written on the front in cursive. 
 “ I hope you had a magical evening, [Name]. Meet me by the bench near the potted flowers by the station at noon tomorrow. If you show up, best prepare for I still have tricks up my sleeve that will leave you dazzled! ”
You stared at it and noticed it was written on what was a blank playing card. 
Staring at how the curved letters formulated each word you wondered. 
Meet him at the benches by the Aquabus station by noon. Did you really trust this man? Even though he is technically a celebrity, you just met him not even a day ago. 
You swung your feet off the bed, card still in hand. Stepping down onto the small bedside rug, you idled around near the window. It looked to be early morning, you’d guess around eight o’ clock. 
“ I don’t have much plans today. Other than wandering the streets and walking into what I think will be interesting.” You said, your voice a bit groggy. 
You twirled the card in your hand.
You thought carefully of what you’d do next.
“ I think he might it want back.”
Yeah, that’s it.
“I’m sorry, sir?” You yelped. You had to crane your neck a bit to be able to make eye contact? You didn’t think it had eyes, but nevertheless you made the best effort to stare into its face.
Or what looked to be a face.
 You had seen some of them walking about freely in the main city. When you were making your way towards a staircase you bumped into one. 
The robotic garde halted and nodded.
‘ Ah, so they can communicate.’
It went back to walking down the street, undeterred. Turning around after that odd exchange you went back to the matter afoot.
You were lost. Lyney never specified which station he’d be waiting in. You were almost half convinced he was going to be at the Marcotte Line; the one closest to the Opera Epiclese. Although, the more you thought about it the less likely he would be there. 
He did mention that he might be available to take you to see around Fontaine. So he must have meant the main station hub located in the main city.
Even if he wasn’t there, you’d have that station checked off the list of possibilities.
You hurried up the stairs, the small journey reminding you of the Nation of Freedom surprisingly. Although both were vastly different, they did share a similar style of building upward rather than outward. 
Reaching the top, you made your way to the station. You kept your eyes open as you scoped out your surroundings hoping to find a tall tophat. 
It shouldn’t be hard right? Someone as extravagant as him would surely stand out.
You stood corrected. It looks like many people here in Fontaine take up the fashion trend that was tall extravagant head wear. You had gone over almost every suspect bench near flora, most of them were occupied by either locals, adventurers or both. 
He didn’t seem to be near the reception or the inner waiting area. 
“ It's almost noon” you turn to look out a window, the sun is high in the sky now. 
“ If I were a famous magician with an outgoing personality, where would I be?” You muttered as you had your eyes peeled, wondering in the same space.
Your eyes followed the cheers of children. Near a bench a group of kids surrounded someone. 
“ Wow!”
“Where did it go?”
“Could you do it again mister?”
“ Alright! Since you asked nicely. Watch carefully now!~” You heard a jovial smooth voice. 
Looking above the kid group you spot him, seated comfortably playing with his card deck. 
‘ Of course! You’d be where a willing audience was present!’ 
You waltzed over subtly. He was entertaining a group of little kids with some card tricks, you’d let him finish his mini performance before you made yourself known.
“ Is this your card little Mademoiselle?”  Lyney knelt down and held up a four of hearts card. The little girl with blonde hair jumped up excitedly.
“ Yeah! That’s my card!” 
Lyney laughed, a warm expression graced his features. His eyes met yours for a split second. Not knowing what to do, you sent a little wave. Well at least he knows you're here. 
His gaze flitted back to the group of kids. He got back up with the card in hand. “ Before I go, I’ll leave you all with a grand finale!”
The children gasped in unison and quieted down instantly. 
He brought the card close to his face. He flicked it two times before crumpling it into his hand. 
He shook his hand and reeled it as if he was going to throw a shot ball. He brought his hand up in a presenting way and when his palm opened there was a pop sound. It rained rainbow confetti and small cut out paper stars.
The children ooo’d and awe’d, and two were reaching their little arms up to catch the popper’s confetti. 
“ Ta-da! This has been a special performance, brought to you by Magician Extraordinaire Lyney!” The magician lifted his cape from behind him and took a bow. The children clapped and cheered. 
Two adults came walking up to the mini crowd. 
“ Thank you for entertaining them, Mister Lyney. Getting our little Anais to sit still is a magic trick on its own.” An older woman laughed, as she picked up a small girl who wore a Boater styled hat. 
“ Alright Hugo, let's go. Our boat will leave in a few minutes. Say thank you to Monsieur Lyney.” A man with a distinguished mustache taped a young boy in overalls. The little boy with his hands behind his back, thanked the magician before he went off with his father. 
Lyney waved the kids off as he walked off towards you. 
“ Hey there you. I hope managed to get a full night's rest.” He said, there was this sort of bounce in his voice. You may have only known him for a little while now, but you couldn’t help but pick up some recurring little quirks about him.
He wasn’t much different casually like he was on stage. This guy really does live and breathe in the spotlight huh?
“ Sort of. I had a bit of trouble sleeping.” 
‘No way you were going to tell him you were thinking about him. That would make the rest of the day awkward.’
“ I did end up getting some shut eye though, eventually.” You mustered up a reassuring smile. 
“ Trouble sleeping?” Lyney tilted his head as his index finger came up to chin. His eyes slightly narrowed as a mischief inducing grin made its way onto his face. “ You weren’t laying awake thinking about me were you?~” 
You couldn’t help but widen your eyes and sputter out. Is telepathy in his book of magic tricks too?!
“What? No, of course not!” You forced a cough to cover your small blunder. “It’s just, I need to get accustomed to the climate, that's all. It's like that the first few days in a new location.”
Lyney laughed, his smirk melting into a more genuine expression.
“I’m kidding! That might have been a bit much, sorry about that! Hehe.” He said apologetically.  
You crossed your arms as you held a small jaded stare at the cheeky magician. You were doubting if he really meant that. You blew out a held breath.
Reaching into your pocket you fetched the prop card
“ I found this in my sleeve when I left the Opera House. I believe this belongs to you.” You extended his card to him. His eyes suddenly lit up and he swiped the card away from you.
“So this is where it went! Honestly, sometimes my card deck has a mind of its own.” He mused as he twirled the card in his hand. 
His eyes traveled back to you. “Well since it got you here today, why not take a walk around town! I did say if we had free time we were going to show you around. Call it an encore if you will.” 
You looked around you, noticing something amiss after he said that.
“ Is Miss Lynette not going to join today?”
Lyney shrugged as he slid the card back into his deck. “ Lynette had something urgent to take care of, So she can't join us today unfortunately. So it will probably just be little old me and you today.” 
He was idly playing around with the deck before he made it disappear. “ Oh, you don’t need to be so formal! Just Lyney is fine.” 
You hummed.
“Alright. So any places to recommend visiting?”
At this the magician sported a confident smile and walked ahead of you. “ I have a full day planned out, a surprise around every corner. I want your stay in Fontaine to be an unforgettable glimmering memory.” 
He turned on his heel to face you and extended a hand to you.
“ Now if you’d allow me to be your escort, mon cher?” 
You could do nothing but stare. You couldn’t come up with any words to say except stepping forward and taking his hand. 
With a content smile, Lyney gently pulled you along. His gloved hand felt smooth where his fingers grazed your palm yet there was a distinctive tougher texture where the white detailing was sewn on. The people wandering the streets around you felt like the fizzling suds of a wave.
You felt your face becoming a bit warmer. 
He really does have a flair for the theatrical doesn’t he? 
Lyney had taken you everywhere, one exciting place following the next. But before anything, he invented you for a meal. It was noon and the complimentary breakfast from early morning wasn’t going to keep you going for the entire day. So you both stopped by a humble cafe. The food was absolutely delicious! The smell of toasty bread invaded your senses and the savory taste of garlic on your tongue made you smile with each bite . 
You were perfectly content with the garlic bread but you curiously asked Lyney for any recommended dish for the main course.
His answer was; “ If you want my word, then I’d say try this dish right here!” He pointed to a warm soup bowl as he leaned himself over to you.
After lunch, Lyney brought you to see many sights and places. From the tall waterfalls that made up the borders of Fontaine, you could stare at it for hours. He had to subtly pull you away from the viewing point as you kept your eyes glued to the running water. 
You took the Aquabus every so often to get around. You were looking out into the distance. The water seemed to stretch on for infinity, islands broke through the surface making the land seem like one big jigsaw puzzle.
While the ride dragged out, Lyney made quick conversation to pass the time.
“So, what brought you to Fontaine, hm? If my memory serves me right, you mentioned that you don’t get out much.” Lyney sat next to you with his legs crossed. 
“ Yeah. I see travelers but I'm never the one traveling. My job is not something exciting like an adventurer or extravagant like an artist.”
You shift in your seat. You folded your arms onto your lap.
“ I’m just a shopkeep. So, you can already say that I live a perfectly mundane life” You chuckled a bit dryly. 
Lyney was uncharacteristically quiet. He was paying his undivided attention to your words. You continued. 
“With every passing day, I gradually realized that my life had possibly reached a stalemate. Every day felt like a repeat of yesterday. It was the same route, same building, same aisles, and same feelings.” You said. You couldn’t exactly remember when you began to feel like this. It was a thought that had crossed your mind one day. And ever since, it had stayed in the crevices like gunk you couldn’t wipe off.
 “ So, I decided that I’m just going to throw myself out there into the world!” You spoke. You couldn’t really say exactly what your ideas were, but you described what you felt. 
Comfort. Trapped. Empty. Jealous. Fear. Doubt. Excitement. 
“ It may be reckless of me, but If I was never going to do it, I knew I would end up feeling regret for not having done anything about it. And even so, my boss was kind enough to grant me time off.” 
You snickered. “ I’m probably just assuming, but I feel like they might have let me have this because they probably noticed something. Not to brag, but I was their best employee. Swooping in to save the day when my colleagues were out.” 
You stretched your arms a bit, not having realized how still your body was the entire time. Once you were done it felt nice; it was as if your entire being took a fresh breath of relief.
“ So now I’m here. In Fontaine on an Aquabus with you.” You look up to see Lyney again. His eyes were soft and he had this understanding expression on his face. 
Really, any expression he wore felt as if it were through a pair of rosy lenses. Perhaps it was the natural charm artists like him had. Maybe. 
Besides,he could get away with just about anything because of his attractive face.
You shook your head away to look out into the Fontaine waters around and below. 
“ Well, good on you [Name]! I hope your ventures have been nothing but amazing and brought you happiness! ” He finally spoke. He inhaled deeply before he sighed out. His gaze faced the bow of the aquabus.
 “ Do you agree that birds create wonderful music for the ear to hear? Not to mention the splendor of colorful feathers and their ability to fly.” 
“Due to their natural charm, they are sometimes kept as ‘decorations’, provided food and shelter so long as they continue to amuse the people.” He said, his tone shifted ever so slightly. It was barely noticeable, but there was a very micro edge to his word. 
He crossed his arms, the brim of his hat covered the sun creating a little inkling of shadow cast over half his face blocking out the sunlight that might’ve stung his eyes. 
“ But being kept in captivity for too long, it will yearn for the open skies. It’s only a matter of time before the initial luxury turns into a finite cage.” Lyney hummed. His words brought you an unexplainable comfort yet somehow it felt very out of character for him. You subtly shift your gaze to his face. His expression didn’t seem to be exaggerated. His features were calm like a still lake, unmoving. His eyes, although trained forward, seemed to be not fully there. A misty reflection had settled over his lilac irises. 
The intermission lasted for a few beats of seconds. His mouth effortlessly shifts up into a cat-like grin. He turns his head back to you and straightens his posture, his signature tophat tips back slightly. His eyes conveyed excitement as the lilac once again seemed as vivid during his performance.
 He was no longer a still freshwater lake, but instead a lively and winding river. 
“Which is why you’ll get the best tour of Fontaine by yours truly! Mark my words when I said I’d leave you dazzled today, for I Lyney will see to it that you have nothing but laughs and smiles upon your lovely face, mon cher.~” He declared proudly.
You felt dazed. A warm bubbly feeling began to infest your chest. It was very much like when he placed a kiss to the back of your hand.
You smiled happily at his declaration. “Thank you for listening to me. And also..”
You couldn’t help the hot sensation over the apples of your cheeks or your muted heart rate from your ears. Yet you persisted, not breaking away your gaze from him.
“Thank you for being with me today.”
Lyney’s confident facade had faltered ever so slightly for that moment. But he recuperated and mirrored your expression. 
“It’s no problem at all, [Name].”
This was nice. He was nice. Despite knowing him for a little while, it felt as if you’d known him for much longer. 
However, you barely knew anything about him other than he had a twin sister who was coincidentally his assistant and that he was a popular performer in Fontaine. 
It irked you a bit, but you wouldn’t voice this opinion out loud.  It is as people said, once you learn the inner mechanism to a magic trick, the magic itself is lost and you're left to face the raw and sometimes cruel trick. 
You wouldn’t question why he went quiet. You wouldn’t question if he himself felt similar. You wouldn’t question why his demeanor sometimes felt too whimsical to be true. You didn’t want to ruin the mood. And you didn’t want to linger on the thought any longer. 
You both went to many shops, Lyney had insisted you try out anything that caught your fancy. And if you liked it, to get it! Of course you were on a travel budget, but you did end up purchasing two items. 
Your favorite stop however was the Hat Boutique. Lyney had a rather interesting insight on what headwear would ‘shape a face better’. 
“Hm, you could probably store triple the amount of props in this one.” He studied a scarlet red top hat that looked suspiciously similar to the one he owns. He then looked over to another hat sitting on a display. “But that one brings out my petite and charming face more.” 
He turned to face you. “ Help me out here [Name], should I go with this one or that one?”
You looked between the two options, narrowing your eyes and looked closely at the detailings. You looked at Lyney’s face and imagined how he’d look with either on. 
“If you want my opinion, why not go with this one.” You walked over to a particular Hat you saw as you were pursuing. It was a Fedora like hat in a rich dark violet color; it looked more like an inky black purple. It had a gray sash wrapped around it that shined slightly silver when the sun hit. 
“ It looks nice, and the material feels smooth to the touch. The color brings out your eyes too.” You said as you held up the hat for him to look. 
“Oh my, aren't you the charmer?” He smirked playfully.
You avert your eyes to the aisles of material and color, “ It’s just an astute observation is all.” 
He took the hat off your hands and studied it. “ Color me impressed! You have quite the eye for fashion mon cherie.” He sent you a proud smile and his eyes glowed with pride. 
You shook your head. “ I work full time at a small shop remember, so picking up on the interest of buyers is a skill I’ve gained. I wouldn’t say I’m a fashion expert.” You felt the corner of your lips twitch up into a little smile. 
“Are you going to tell me what you mean by that?” 
“What do I mean by what?” He repeated your question blinking owlishly 
You pouted. You got the feeling he was doing it on purpose.
“The nickname? You refer to me by that sometimes. What does it mean?” 
Lyney thought for two seconds before his mouth formed an o shape in realization. He gave you an innocent close eyed smile. “ That’s a secret~! But, I have faith you’ll figure out what it means on your own.” 
You gasped and brought a hand to your heart. “ How do I know you're not calling me a mean name? What a cruel scheme to pull one over me like that!” You whisper yelled in an over the top voice of hurt. 
 His shoulders tensed. Lyney suddenly became the slightest bit flustered. He shook his head, “I-I would never! Honest! I can assure you it doesn’t mean anything like that.” 
 
You let out a quiet snicker. You found it adorable really. He suddenly became embarrassed despite the brimming confidence he usually carries himself in.
After purchasing the hat, he decided to keep his signature cat still on but suggested making a stop by his house to leave the newly purchased hat. 
“ It won’t be long I promise! It’s just that, I wouldn’t want it to get weathered by bringing it around with us today. You did end up choosing it and I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to it.” He reasoned.
It was a small but cute home. It was built in a typical style that the main city carried; geometric edges, a very advanced looking outdoor light, and a beautiful door with a stained window. 
“Wait here okay! I promise I’ll be in and out before you can tell I left.” He quickly spoke as he jogged over to the front door. You couldn’t help but laugh a little as he sped off. 
So you stood outside. You looked around, and spotted a potted plant. 
CLANK TICK CLANK
The sharp sounds of metal and objects clashing made you sharply look at the direction it came from. You suddenly felt a bit confused.
The door swung open and you were expecting to see the charming magician. Instead it was a boy running out the door. He spotted you and suddenly skidded to a sudden stop.
“...” 
He had a giant metal helmet next to him. He had ash blonde hair that almost covered the left side of his face. His apparel reminded you of a sailor.
He just stared at you and stepped back a bit. His form seemed slightly shrunken and he held his helmet thing closer to him. Not wanting wrong assumptions to be made you sent the boy the most casual smile you could.
“ Oh, don’t mind me! I’m just waiting on a friend, said he had to drop off something. He should be back any minute.”
The boy didn’t say anything, and just nodded. And he stood there. Unmoving.
 Some glances at you and back to the floor.
 He taps around his helmet. 
Well this was awkward. Should you make small talk?
“Er, cool helmet. What is it for, if you don’t mind me asking?” 
The boy nervously glanced at you from the corner of his eye. His eyes were a very vibrant blue color. He didn’t answer for a while. You purse your lips feeling bad. Maybe the silence was better. 
“ving…” You barely heard it. You look over back to the boy.
“Diving..a diving helmet.” He spoke quietly. He didn’t make eye contact as his eyes were glued to the floor. 
“Diving? As in underwater?” You spoke with some bubbling curiosity. Before the boy could react, the door opened again.
“ I am here! Haha, sorry. That may have taken a bit longer than I thought. I hope you didn’t get too bored while I was away.” Lyney announced himself. He no longer had the hat box with him and he scratched the nape of his neck.
He noticed the other blonde boy. 
“Hm? Ah, Freminet! Where are you off to today?” 
Oh, he knows him? You thought, glancing between the two. 
“I was on my way to the beach.” The young man known as Freminet spoke. His voice sounded soft yet slightly raspy, perhaps he wasn’t used to talking much you figured.
Lyney approached you and eagerly motioned for you to join in the conversation.
“ [Name], allow me to introduce you to my little brother, Freminet. Freminet, this is my new friend [Name]. They were the ones to share the spotlight with me and Lynette during last evening’s show.” Lyney proudly chirped.
Freminet looked a lot less tense. “Oh, yeah. I remember. You rambled on about that show, saying how well they-”
Lyney coughed loudly. You look over at the magician with a raised eyebrow. 
There on his pale face was the smallest smidgen of a rosy color. Freminet immediately hushed. But he had a small nervous smile on his face.
“ I’m sorry If I seemed quiet just now.” Fremeniet now said addressing you. “ I recognized you from your appearance, but I didn’t know what to talk about. Or If you would find me odd for knowing about you.” 
You shook your head, understanding the full picture now made you feel a bit more reassured. “ Don’t worry about it, really. But, it’s nice to meet you, Freminet.”
You turned to face Lyney who looked a lot more relaxed. “ So you have two siblings? What a nice family you three are! There probably isn’t a shortage of banter or boredom then.” 
Lyney chuckled. “ Well, I’m usually the one who does most of the talking. I’m the eldest so it's my duty.” 
“Sometimes you take it a bit too far and become a blabber mouth.” A familiar voice suddenly joined the conversation. Looking about you were met with another familiar face.
“Hey Lynette.” You sent the twin a little friendly wave. She turned to you. Smiling a little and returning it, albeit more lazy. 
“Really? You see me as a blabber mouth? But Lynette, I mustn't let the audience’s cheers and support fall on deaf ears. Especially that our friend [Name] here has been on a grand tour with me as their guide.” Lyney ground proudly as he placed both his hands on his hips.
“Whatever you say. But, you’ve been taking them on a tour? How come you didn’t invite me to tag along?” Lynette deadpanned. 
Huh? You tilted your head in confusion and furrowed your brow. Didn’t Lyney mention earlier that his sister was busy. Lyney must have felt the obvious sudden awkward tension placed upon him as his shoulder tensed and he chuckled nervously.
“A-ah, b-but dear sister, you see since you were busy in the early time of today I didn’t wish to trouble you, so I took it upon myself to show them around. Hehe, please don’t be mad at me.” Lyney stuttered out all while looking at Lynette as he brought his hat closer to his chest.
 Lynette sighed and shook her head before she turned to you with a laid back expression. 
“ I hope he hasn’t caused you too much trouble, [Name]. He can go a little too far sometimes but that’s just Lyney being Lyney.” 
“Hey! I’m right here you know.” Lyney whined sadly. Lynette didn’t bother to look at him and Freminet had turned his head to the side. His shoulder’s bounced and looked like he was suppressing a giggle.
“ It’s really okay. More than okay really. Lyney has been nothing but kind and patient with me. He is a good listener and always manages to make me smile and laugh!” You said happily. 
Lynette’s deep violet eyes got slightly bigger with confusion and curiosity. Lyney stood beside you and took a quick glance at your direction. It was quiet for a moment. You suddenly became a bit nervous, was there something wrong you said?
Lyney laughed heartily as he threw an arm over your shoulders. “You see! Take it from them, that I never let my audience down!” You quickly glanced in his direction, not minding the close contact. You could see some red culminating around the tips of his ear and beneath his eyes.
“Well that's good to know.” Lynette crossed her arms. 
“ We must get going, the daylight is short so we mustn't waste it idlying.” Lyney said. Before you two left Lyney sent his siblings goodbye. “Take care Lynette, remember to be on alert alright? And Freminet, remember to get back home before curfew! I was about to dive into the waters last time you had forgotten about time.” 
“ Okay.”
“Of course.”
Lynette and Freminet replied in unison. 
“ Looks like we’re on the move again. I hope to be able to spend time with you Lynette.” You said. You wanted to get to know this family better. Lynette was blunt and to the point but you could tell she cared about the people closest to her. 
Lynette nodded and her lips curled up into a small but sincere smile. You turned to Freminet.
 “ It was nice to meet you, Freminet. If we ever meet again, would you mind explaining diving to me? It sounds interesting.” 
Freminet tensed slightly but managed to nod in agreement. 
“ Bye Bye! Take care!”
After you two had left, Lynette turned to Fremeinet with a pensive look.
“ Freminet, do you think our older brother is perhaps getting attached to them?”
“ I don’t know. But, he really seems to like their company. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him being this flustered in the presence of someone else.”
Lynette hummed. “ I hope he knows what he’s attempting to get himself into. Out of all of us, he knows what kind of situation we’re in.”
Freminet was quiet as he fidgeted with the nails and guards on his helmet. 
“ Do you think that [Name] would like Per?”
Lynette glanced at Freminet with an unreadable expression. She stood still and thought of last evening's performance. 
“Did... Did you go into idle mode?”
“Yes.”
“Huh?”
“ I think [Name] would find Per cute.” 
The rest of the day was spontaneous. From a walk by the sea shore, trying out pastries and free samples, Lyney explaining Fontaine history and technology. 
It was now close to night time and you were both currently walking through the garden close to the Opera House. The road towards the Opera House was beautiful, ever since you first came here a day prior. You had almost ran late to the Magic show seeing as to how pretty it was. The carved marble statues, the beds of wildflowers beyond the decorative iron railing, and not to mention the fountains. Water was almost everywhere you’d look, it was a given as this was the nation of Hydro. 
“Well, today was certainly a fun day.” You spoke softly. You looked up into the sky. It was the final rays of daylight and the sky was a beautiful swatch of evening gradience. All of the orange, blues and reds bled right into each other.
The water beyond mirrored the sky. The land was akin to a watercolor tray, a smokey mixture of cool and warm colors. 
“Thankyou, again for taking time out of your day to guide me through the nation’s cities. You didn’t need to know?” You walked alongside Lyney who was too admiring the sky. 
“Nonsense. I took you on this little journey because I wanted to. It was one of my prop cards that called to you, yes?” He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye.
“Yes but-”
“And you answered. You could have very well ignored it, even kept the card as a souvenir. But you didn’t. And that choice led you to today.” He spoke calmly.
You said nothing. Lyney was a stubborn man, no matter how many times you could protest against his kindness he would fire back with a reasonable explanation. 
“ The card, how did you manage to put it into my sleeve?” 
Lyney grinned like a bobcat. “ Uh uh my dear, a magician never reveals his trade secrets.” He mused teasingly.
“ Of course.” You sighed, giving up. 
“Have you always had a talent in magic? In performing?” 
Lyney finally turned his head to glance at you. Skipping ahead of you, he manages to turn his whole body towards you.
“ If you must know, It is a rags to riches tale!” He exclaimed as he bellowed out his arms dramatically in front of him.
“ As a young lad, me and Lynette were street performers. Everyday little crowds of people would congregate around us on the side of the street. Card tricks, Flower tricks, and even the feathered friends would aid in our little shows.” He exclaimed as he walked backwards.
“We would give it our all and Mora would rain down upon us.” He spoke with a triumphant smile on his face. He slowed down his pace and you managed to catch up. He was now walking next to you like before.
“ You could guess the rest. We eventually became so well renowned, we were able to afford high end venues and quality equipment for our shows. And soon we went from paupers to famed actors.” 
You had listened carefully. Despite his colorful disposition, the underlying tone of his small backstory felt off.
“ I’m sorry you had to go through such tribulation. It must have been tough on the two of you early on.” You frowned. Although he framed the tale as a dramatic novel, the implication that he and lynette had been living in the streets tugged at your heart.
He did say when he was a lad, so this probably must have happened while they were both children. Where were their parents? The rest of their family? You decided to stave off these questions as they could be delicate. 
Lyney had gone quiet for a moment. He smiled warmly at you. “ It’s alright. There is no need to feel sad for us. That is long in the past now. And besides…” He grinned widely. “ I think a smile would suit your lovely face more!” 
He took off his hat and dug around it and pulled out a curious plant. It was a glowing blue color and its shape resembled a pearl. It shined a mixture of a translucent lilac and ocean blue. 
He outstretched it out to you. You went ahead and tapped the leaves that looked like sea shells. The flower suddenly released some bubbles. The translucent orbs floated around you. You couldn’t help but pop a few, some giggles escaping you as you whirled around. 
Lyney chuckled. “ I did promise you that I would keep that smile on your lips followed by the melody of your laughter.” 
“ I-” You brought a hand up to your face. Your heart suddenly began to beat as if you had just ran a distance. 
Why did his words have to feel so..so..like this? Why did it feel as if what he said was true? Would that explain why your heart feels like it would sprout wings and fly away any moment?
You were positive your face was burning up. You coughed into your hand.
“You did, didn't you? Thank you for the reminder.” You had managed to sputter out. You heard the soft chuckling of the magician. The flower was no wear to be seen, he must’ve vanished it away when you weren’t paying attention. 
“I’m glad we’re on the same page, [Name].” He had a lopsided grin. Lyney was a cheeky man, a person with a silver tongue. He was a conman. And yet…
He managed to make you feel like you had a tornado of butterflies in your stomach all the time. 
You were left speechless, as you both continued to walk down a few more minutes. You both made it to the Opera. In front of the opera was a bigger fountain, and a few pairs of people were collected around it. 
You went up to the fountain, interested to see it up close. In the water collected at the bottom, you could make out a few glittering coins of Mora beneath the water. You heard a few steps up behind you and guess Lyney must’ve followed you. 
“ People wish at this fountain, right? What for?” You looked around at the elegant structure. The reflected moonlight in the water gleamed against the little gold accents around its edges. 
“ Fontainians come to this fountain to wish about anything, really. Better fortune, health, and happiness. But mostly, people come to this specific fountain for love or hopes for a healthy baby.” Lyney answered, his hands behind his back. 
‘Hmm, the pairs of people make sense now.’ You thought as you glanced around the area. Satisfied you walk around the front of the Opera house. The fountains shooting water high into the air makes you wanna take a closer look. Leaning into the thin railing your eyes stayed glued to the water. 
You could feel a ghost coolness of the falling mist from the tall fountain. 
Although it was a fun outing today, you had ran around almost everywhere in the nation. Lyney in toe with you, making you ignore the aches you felt for doing so much in such a short time. Now in this still moment, all your tiredness was catching up to you.
Lyney must have noticed, as his lilac eyes flitted between your face and the fountain ahead. 
“ Hey, want to see something cool?” 
You turned your head over to the cheeky magician with a brow raised.
With your attention now on him, he took off his hat. You leaned more on your arm against the railing with a warm smile. Half expecting him to pull out something out of his hat again, he did something else. He shook it in front of him, emptying it out of nothing. Nothing left the hat. 
Lyney hummed aloud. “Hmm, I was sure I had it stored in here.”
You couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Maybe you dropped it somewhere?”
“No no. I was sure It was in here.” He pouted as he now looked in, under and above his tophat. It was rather cute.
He eventually gave up and placed it back on his head. “ You might be right, maybe it slipped out while we were on the aqua-”
Just as he was about to finish, something dangled in front of his face. It moved from side to side, as if it was dusting off his face. Upon a closer look, It looked like a cat tail.
The look on Lyney’s face was endearing, his lilac eyes had dilated in surprise and followed the tail. 
“Ah, there it is!” The hat suddenly lifted up his head, floating just above.
To your surprise, you see a smaller tophat along two little black ears pop out. Two little black bean paws followed, grabbing along the inner rim of Lyney’s hat. 
Pop
“!!!”
You finally saw its face. It was a black cat with mismatched eyes of a droplet and star. It had a permanent toothy grin on its face. It wiggled in the hat and turned itself to look down at you. 
“?!!”
You could make out the red bow behind its back. You weren’t sure what to do so you waved at the cat. It moved its small pudgy body around the hat and twitched its tiny ears.
“!!!”
Lyney let out a giggle at the interaction. “ Aww, I think he likes you.” He managed to grab his floating hat by the rim and brought it down in front of him. The cat in the hat seemed bothered and was now looking up at you. Its tiny hat was slightly tipped back.
“Can I pet it?” You asked almost too excitedly. 
“Since you asked, of course! He is a bit mischievous but a glutton for attention.” He mused, side eyeing down on the cat. 
You gingerly brough your hand down onto the cat. Its surface was surprisingly smooth yet soft, and the cat wiggled towards your touch. It’s two little ears ducked back as it seemed to love the attention it was given. It’s face never changed, however. 
“ Does it have a name?” You asked as you kept petting it. Lyney nodded and smiled.
“ It’s a Grin-Malkin cat! I’m sure you're quite familiar with it, as it’s not only a prop for Lynette and I’s show, but our cute mascot.” He said.
“Prop?” You asked slightly confused. So it wasn’t alive? Then how did it move so life-like? 
“ The Grin-Malkin cat is a puppet, but its movements are based off of a real cat.” He said. 
You smiled, but kept petting the cute kitty. Even if it was just a puppet, the cat seemed to have a familiar personality. Its little paws stuck out, and one came up to ‘attack’ your finger. You quietly giggled at its playfulness.
“ So, cats are a part of your show’s soul huh?” You asked. 
“ If it wasn’t that obvious, yes.” He said with a charming smile.
“ ‘Based on a real cat’, so who was the lucky cat this little bean was based on?” You asked curiously. 
“ When Lynette and I were street performers, we managed to run into a lot of stray cats. Lynette was shy, so most of them got along with her.” He said as he looked down to Grin-Malkin.
“But, there was one troublesome cat. He kept on running off with my hat. Apparently, it made for a better cat bed than anything. He would be curled up inside when I found it.” 
“ Eventually, I thought of replacing my old friend with a new hat. A hat that wouldn’t disappear when I didn’t tell it so. But, me and the cat came to a mutual agreement. I would bring him along to the show as a replica puppet!” He said with a proud smile. It slightly faltered however as he continued.
“During one particular performance, there was a little mishap that happened. I had forgotten a card in my deck and the trick required that one card that I misplaced.”
You winced at the second hand embarrassment. “Talk about bad luck. What did you do?” You asked. The kitty that you were petting now turned around to look up at Lyney. It looked interesting in his story. So now, it was you and the cat’s eyes on Lyney.
“Well, as I was coming up with an improvised outcome, out came this little guy.” He motioned down to the cat.
“!!!” It bounced slightly in the hat as the attention now was on it. 
“ He had the card that I had misplaced and was able to save the show. And ultimately, make it better. The crowd and even I wasn’t expecting such an outcome.” He shook his head. 
“Aww, so he became the star of the show.” You laughed. 
“!!!” The cat whirled around to face you again and puffed out its chest in pride. 
Lyney laughed alongside you. “ That’s one way to put it.” 
Once you calmed down you noticed that you didn’t feel as tired anymore. 
“ It looks like today is coming to a close.” Lyney said as he looked around. There were now very few people outside, and the sky had turned darker than earlier. The magician tapped the tiny tophat on the cat.
“Before today the curtains come to a close, let me send you off with a grand finale.” He whispered. 
The Grin-Malkin cat wiggled its tail and his paw came up to the brim of its own hat. The cat tipped its tophat to you before Lyney grabbed his own and placed it back atop it’s hat. 
“With your permission, could you close your eyes for me.” He said as he leaned in close to you, his hands behind his back. 
“Okay?” You smiled nervously.
You shut your eyes and saw darkness. You could still hear the rushing of water and a faint sound of chirping crickets. 
“Okay, no peeking until I tell you too.” You heard the magician. 
You waited for what would happen. You felt someone get closer to you. The ghostly presence of someone close to your face. You refrained from moving, yet your heart began to pick up its pace.
You felt something warm touch your cheek, and something soft tickle your ear. At the same time you felt stiffer material tap against you above your head. 
It came as quickly as it went, as you felt a small breeze and you could no longer feel the close presence. 
“Okay, open your eyes now.” You heard Lyney say. 
You opened and saw the magician in front of you with a warm smile. 
“Do you feel anything different? Perhaps something is missing!” He said in a cheery tone.
Your hand reached up to where you felt something earlier. 
“Huh?” 
There was something behind your ear. Carefully, your fingers outstretched and touched something soft. It was a delicate circlet of petals connected to a smooth stem. Looking up from the corner of your eye, you spotted a blur of prisma like colors. 
A blurb of pink and pastel yellow. 
“ A rose? How?” You quietly questioned.
“Mhm!” Lyney nodded enthusiastically. “ That is a rainbow rose. A beautiful flower that grows wild only within Fontaine.”
“Ah, thank you! It’s really pretty and soft.” You delicately felt a petal. Beneath the bloom, there were smaller outstretched petals that pressed against your temple. 
“ Have you found it yet? The thing I stole from you.” Lyney asked, tilting his head to the side.
You glanced back at him confused. You didn’t feel anything missing from you, as you checked your packets and around your person. 
Lyney’s eyes followed your attempts to look for the missing something, slightly amused. 
“Given up yet?”
You really couldn’t find anything off. 
“ Is this a trick question, because I don’t feel like anything was taken.” You asked.
Lyney raised a closed hand next to his face. He smirked mischievously. 
“How strange, because I have something of yours in the palm of my hand.” He teased me. “I’ll give you one more chance, could you guess what it is?”
You nodded. You guessed it was either a prop card or maybe some mora.
“ I give up, what is it?” 
Lyney opened his palm and there was…
Nothing.
“Ta-da! The thing I stole from you was your attention.” He exclaimed with glee. He walked over to me and extended his hand over to me. 
“Here you go, you can have it back now!”
 …
This little- 
You may have had the tiniest urge to smack his shoulder. Shaking off that urge, you huffed and played along. Once you reached his hand to get your ‘attention’ back, his finger’s gently encased your hand.
He bowed down dramatically and kissed the back of your palm. 
 Very discreetly, he cracked one eye open and glanced up at you. You had frozen in place and with a flustered face you could only stare. 
He had the gall to smirk and send you a wink. 
There was an odd sense of Dejavu, the memory of when you were approached by him after the magic show that evening. 
“And it seems that…I have stolen your heart as well ma chérie.” Lyney whispered. 
He gently let your hand fall back to your side as he stood back up. He had an innocent smile on his face. 
You just stared at him completely dazed.
It was quiet for a very. Long. Second.
Lyney’s pale face slowly became redder and redder although he did not move.
The awkwardness was beginning to thicken and soon Lyney couldn’t take it anymore.
“Ahem…Ahaha hah haa... D-Did you get it? Because I had you focused on me the entire time so I stole your attention right under your nose. And now I just did a chivalrous act to make you feel flustered! I didn’t go too far again did I?” He muttered as he brought a hand to his mouth and averted his eyes. 
His rambling snapped you out of your dazed phase and you suddenly became very aware as to how hot your face was. Lyney being in some sort of distress in front of you made you sputter out.
“Nononono, It’s fine! I was surprised, very surprised actually…er that was a nice trick there, very smart. So don’t worry about it.” You went ahead and leaned forward from the railing to look back at the fountain. Lyney might have gotten the message because he did the same.
After a few minutes of cooling down, you turned your head to look at Lyney and see if he was alright. His lilac eyes spotted you out of the corner, and he ducked under the brim of his hat. 
“I think it’s getting late, I’ll take the Aquabus back to the main city.” You said, there was a small tight feeling in your chest. You were sad as to how fast the day went, how fast you had to say goodbye. 
“Let me walk you back to the station then. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly to let you walk back on your own this late.” Lyney offered, his voice sincere.
And so you did. The walk back was slightly quieter. Again, he became uncharacteristically quiet.
Was it because of what happened earlier? Did he feel like he did something wrong?
“You know I had fun today, right?” You began. 
“It was very kind of you to take me on a tour around the city. I got to learn about the nation, eat good food, spoil myself with samples and sweets, and saw many hats I didn’t even know existed.” you slightly laughed. You heard him laughing quietly too. 
“ I met your siblings, met your prop cat and I got to meet you in last evening's show.”
You might’ve never gone out today if you hadn’t met Lyney.
You might’ve never got to know his family if you hadn’t met Lyney.
You might’ve never gotten to meet Lyney like this if you weren’t picked to participate in the final act.
The more you thought about it, the more you became grateful that for some miracle of coincidence you were picked from the audience. 
“I’m really happy that I met you. You made my time here in Fontaine feel magical. I’ll keep this day close to my heart, if that’s okay with you.” You smiled happily, the giddy feeling making you feel all sorts of floaty.
Lyney said nothing, only humming in approval.
Once you had gotten to the station, there was already a bus sitting there. The tour guide, or Melusine as you later found out, was sitting and leaning against the bus. Once it heard the sound of footsteps it sat up quickly, it’s tall ears snapping up.
“Ah! Oh, all aboard the bus! No wait, that’s not it..uh- everyone boarding please be careful with your arms, feet and legs inside the boat!” It spoke, half asleep.
You turn to Lyney. “ Are you going to go back to the main city?”
He shook his head.
“ No, I think I’m going to go back to the Opera house. I hate to be the naggy brother, but I just want to make sure Lynette didn’t forget any of the props backstage.” 
“ Oh alright. I guess this is goodbye then.” 
You had the urge to hug him. You weren’t sure how busy the Magician might be tomorrow, but somewhere in the back of your mind you believed you wouldn’t see him again for a while. The thought once again made your chest feel tight. 
“ I believe so.” Lyney said quietly. 
Well, no point in delaying your leave. 
“Wha- HEY!” You heard Lyney yelp, and quickly you turn back to see what happened. His hat was off its what and seemed to zoom over to you. 
The Grin-Malkin cat drove the Top hat like some dune buggy as now right side up was swirled with pyro elemental energy.
The grinning cat raced in the sky towards you, there wasn’t enough time to get out of the way so you braced for impact. But it never came.
The hat had swerved around you, drifting mid air as the cat kept facing you. 
Suddenly the thing nudged itself into your face, the Grin-Malkin cat rubbing its pudgy dark body against you. You could almost hear purrs. 
“ Hello, nice to see you again.” You giggled as its ears tickled your chin. Wrapping an arm around it you used the other to scratch above its head. 
“!!!” 
Lyney got closer and smiled nervously. “ I think he likes you too much. It never usually takes off on it’s own.” 
He bent slightly down to be on the hat’s level and he put both his hands on his hip.
“Hey now! Come on, back up here alright?” he tried to sound like a scolding parent.
“!!!” The cat shook its tail in his face.
“I’m serious. C’mon, back on Lyney’s head” He pointed to his hat-less head of hair. 
“!!!” The cat dug itself deeper into your embrace. 
Lyney frowned. “ I know you like [Name], but they really have to go. It could be dangerous for them to be out in the streets this late. The sooner you let them go, the sooner they’ll go back safely.” He reasoned with a reassuring tone of voice.
The cat retracted itself from your hold and glanced down at Lyney. Having made up its mind the cat’s paws extended to you.
You tapped them both. “ Lyney’s right. I have to go. I’ll miss you too.” You leaned down and pressed a small peck on the robotic cat’s forehead. 
It wiggled and a paw came up to its hat and brought it down in an attempt to hide its face. Although its features couldn’t exactly express, it looked to be shy. 
Lyney had noticed and brought a hand up to his mouth to cover his snickers. 
The cat then ducked into the hat, disappearing from view. You looked inside the hat and it was empty. 
Grabbing it from in front of you, you flipped it right side up.
“Here, let me help.” You raised it above Lyney’s head. Slowly you set it down and secure it in its place. All the while doing it, Lyney had his soft lilac eyes on your face. 
Fixing the hat a bit, you dusted off any dirt that may have gotten on it. “There we go! Now you look as sharp as you usually do.” You grinned.
You didn’t notice but when you smiled, especially at such close proximity, Lyney couldn’t stop the flush of color rising in his face. 
You kept staring at his hat and his face as well to see if anything was out of place. 
Without realizing your hands hover just above his arms. You weren’t sure if this was right. Maybe ... .Everything was going a step too far. Just as you were gonna reel back, Lyney raised his hands to hover right beneath your arms.
Without saying much but a nod, you hugged.
His cape felt soft, and his arms held you with care and protectiveness. You smiled as your face dug into his shoulder. You felt the hard material of the brim bump your temple. 
He smelled like flowers and ash. An odd combination yet somewhat comforting.
For what felt like a full day, you two finally separated. He had a warm and sincere smile on his face. 
Most of his smiles are bright grins that could light up a room. 
But somehow after a while the spark is lost, and the smiles feel all the same. But this one, the one you saw before your eyes. No, this was different.
The kind of smile that was not rehearsed nor under scrutiny of the captive audience’s eye. 
This one felt raw, special, authentic. 
It made him look beautiful. 
Realizing you were staring, you stepped back.
“ I….really think I need to go, or the Melusine will go back to sleep.” You turned on your heel and headed towards the boarding area. Before you left you took a big breath in. the cold air of the night and mist sending a current of energy through you.
As you were about to step on the bus, you heard him walk behind you.
“When will you be leaving?”
“What?”
“When will you be leaving? You said you were here on holiday, so when will you go back?” He asked. 
You stopped and thought. When will I go back? 
Go back.
Do I want to go back?
Can I go back after having a taste of what the world is outside of what I once knew?
“I leave in two days. Two days, yes.” You managed to say out almost in a flat voice.
“Why do you want to know?” You asked, you hadn;t turn your back to face him.
I want to see you again.
“ No reason in particular. I just thought you would be around to watch me and my sister perform in three days at the courts theater.” He said, there was a cheapness to his voice.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to go. I'm sorry.” 
“Yeah, Sounds like it.” Lyney dejectedly said. 
You step onto the bus and Melusine shoots up on it’s tiny feet. 
“ Leaving Marcotte Station!” They yelled. You sat down on one of the benches. You didn;t have the heart to look at Lyney as the bus started to move along the river.
You did however outstretched your hand behind your ear. The rose was still there. 
“ Ah, a rainbow rose? Oh oh! Did you have someone propose to you?” the Mesuline asked. 
“Wh-What?! What do you mean by ‘propose?!’ ” You shrieked. The Melusine set comfy on top it’s little pedestal.
“Oopsie, I’m sorry you probably don’t know the rumored implications of that rose do you?” They asked, tilting their head as their ears flopped to the side.
You shook your head.
“Well, since you're my only passenger for tonight, I suppose it’s okay for me to add on to the guidelines. And I’m tired right now.” It yawned.
“ When someone gifts you a Rainbow Rose, much like the one on you, it usually symbolizes passion and romantic encounters. It’s very common for couples here to gift each other a single rainbow rose or a bouquet of a dozen roses as a way to express their devotion to one another.” The Melusine mused. 
“Oh.”
“ But it’s also used to express platonic love for a dear friend or family. Flower gifting is a language that revolves around love no matter which kind.” It said happily. 
It hummed a little tune, and the boat sailed along.
“ But for it to be placed behind the ear, someone may be interested in you. Romantically I mean, haha.”
Oh dear…you might realize what the nickname he gave you means now.
“Ah- AHCHOO!” You covered your face as you sneezed.
“ Bless you!” the Melusine said.
You sniffled. Maybe it was the cold. 
Lyney had stood there watching the Aquabus get farther and farther away. He had his hat to his chest. 
He quickly placed his hat back on his head and walked back to the garden path.
There was no one around. He was alone.
Had his siblings made it back home yet? Probably.
The steps of his boots bore a fast and rhythmic pattern as he stepped.
His lips were in a flat line. His mind was preoccupied on many things. 
His sister, his brother, the rest of his siblings, “Father” and you.
You. He shook his head. 
He had a blast today. Although he had known Fontaine all his life, he practically lived on the stone walkways for a good part of his life, he never saw it like he did today. It felt new to him, a wondrous view!
Like that of an innocent curious child. Something that he never thought he would experience ever in his life.
He snapped away the thought. 
He made it past the fountain in front of the Opera House. Getting past the gates and the lonely lobby he made it into the audience area.
He had met you here. 
From when he was looking for a willing participant, he spotted you amongst the sea of eager people. 
He spotted you. You weren’t a local, perhaps a tourist. You intrigued him.
Foreigner’s often brought in the best source of intel. A web of secrets and truths hidden beneath the veil of illusions. The normal people and Magicians were similar in that aspect, despite the other living in ignorance. 
He never would have expected you to complete the trick well. Oftentimes, stage fright took a hold of the non troupe assistance, some on the spot improv would be on set in case the trick went off the rails. 
That is why Lyney wouldn’t often pick from the audience. It was a rare occasion. 
He would seek you out. Get you into a sense of comfortability, his silver tongue had a way of making people profess their hearts out to him. 
The world was a stage to him, and thus he must always perform his best. At least, that is what “Father” told him. 
You didn’t have much useful information. He was hoping for something more scandalous or perhaps a secret you were ashamed of. Instead, you were just some person seeking out the world that you never had stepped foot in despite being born into it. 
And yet.
Lyney sat down on one of the cushy seats of the audience area. He crossed on foot atop the other.
Why had he stayed with you today?
Perhaps he was afraid of seeing you upset if he left suddenly to shop for props he needed.
Maybe, he didn’t want to go back on his promise he made to you backstage. 
Maybe, he didn’t want to see your angry face if you found out the initial reason he asked you out. 
Lyney looked around, his eyes wandered to the stage. No one was performing. It was empty. The spotlight wasn’t shining down. It was devoid and completely useless to its intended purpose at the moment. 
Lyney had purposefully left out key information when you had asked about his background in magic.
You didn’t need to know of the desperate times where he pushed through with a smile while the tummies of he and his sister gurgled for food.
You didn’t need to know the cruelty of Nobility and their disgusting greed and wicked selfishness. 
You didn’t need to know about the House and the Fatui.
And you didn’t need to know about “Father”. 
Lyney exhaled. 
All of that would probably make you look down on him with disgust and fear. He much preferred to see a beautiful smile on you.
He didn’t need to see you again. You were useless to “Father”, to the grand scheme of he and his sibling’s mission. You would be a distraction, and distractions lead to silly avoidable mistakes.
Yes, that’s what “Father” would say to him.
And yet.
Lyney scrunched his face. He didn’t like feeling like this. He thought he was over this. After all, he had a home and a supportive family now. He shouldn't feel like this, he had his sister, little brother and the other younger ones to look after. 
And yet he wanted to see you again.
You made him feel like he had freedom. It wasn’t like the one he was granted when he and Lynette were free from being street rats. And strangely enough, it wasn’t like the freedom “Father” granted him when she took him away from the cruel mansion. 
He felt bliss with you. He felt like how the audience looked in the countless times he performed on stage.
Was that how it felt like to live normally? To live in bliss and ignore the world’s harsh reality, even for a few moments.
He used to stutter a lot as a young boy. Whenever his juvenile performances went wrong or a slip of the tongue in pronouncing large words. 
Yet he seemed to awfully flustered around you a lot of the time. 
He even gave you a Rainbow Rose of all things. 
It’s what felt the most appropriate he thought.
“ Oh no..” 
The realization hit him like a Mitachurl’s Axe.
“ Father is definitely going to kill me if she ever finds out about this. Lynette might as well.” He cried. 
“ACHOO!” 
“Ugh, I should’ve gotten out of the port sooner. I might come down with a cold.” He sniffled.
‘Maybe someone’s thinking of me.’ He thought. 
Before you went into your room, you had asked the reception for a vase you could borrow. They immediately noticed the flower on you and gave you a sneaky glance. Ignoring them, you went and filled the vase with water.
Before going to bed you placed the rose in the vase, on your nightstand so when the morning came it would get sun.
The last thing you saw when you fell into slumber was the rose. The memory of that charming magician is still vivid in your mind.
Perhaps, you could delay your trip back home.
After all, 
He did steal your heart and had yet to give it back.  
A/N: CWNCWNCONCON I WAS KICKING MY FEET AND CRYING WHEN I WORTE SOME PARTS CBKEBCIB The Fonatine siblings have a choke hold on me fr. Fontaine water giving that same energy that 3 am cold crispy tap water- I'm now tempted to make a Lynette x F!Reader fluff were they have a nice little tea party and make paper flower arrangements like cottage core girlfriends Tags: @b0rninh3ll @yukiaei @xiaossocksniffer @nayumeas @scarletrosesposts @sol3chu @rionah @jar-03
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w.count: 2.4k (whoops. it got away from me)
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chengsheng picks favorties, and she's not secretive about it. she's also not secretive about the fact that when you're around, it isn't baizhu either.
living in liyue for as long as you have should've meant your body was used to traversing the constant air influxes of going up and down mountains and large rock formations by now. however, contrary to what you believe to be the case, your body simply did not listen. really, it didn't listen to anything you want it to do.
it was always something. lightheadedness, severe headaches, congestion that made your eyes ache, stiff and swollen joints and muscles, small scrapes and bruises from whatever tumble you may have taken. anything that could happen always seemed to be the case with you when you walked through the door to bubu pharmacy.
it took no time at all for herbalist gui to learn your face and name. even qiqi could remember your face with her poor memory. with your regular visits, gui first suspected you were faking your aliments. of course, you could easily see how he could come to such an accusation. even you thought once or twice that you were just overthinking things, that it wasn't bad... until it was, and your conditions worsen with no kind of treatment at all.
the first time you met baizhu, you were standing rather unamused- and slightly zoned out- from yet another lecture from gui on how you need to be more careful or else you'll make the pharmacy run out of stock. he should be glad that business is practically booming with you around. instead, he was laying it on thick today... not that you were paying much attention.
"ah, so this is who the mysterious person qiqi claims needs herbs so frequently is."
you don't think you'll ever be able to forget how amused he sounded from behind you. or the look on gui's face as his boss interrupts his rambling that definitely could look like berating to anyone who wasn't used to seeing him interact with your near-daily medicine runs. you should've had a kamera on hand for such an expression.
you'll never forget exactly how awed you were to see the owner of such a renowned pharmacy for the first time either. a part of you was almost skeptical of how young he was, but then again age never equated to intelligence anyway, so that thoughtless nonsense was easily tossed out of your mind.
"yes, i guess that would be me," you sheepishly told him. "my apologies for the... neediness? for lack of better words."
"not at all. what is medicine good for if not to treat someone? it's actually quite relieving to finally put a face with a name."
"qiqi sspeakss of them sso often i almosst asssumed they were another one of her missunderstandingss." the secondary voice that no doubt came from the white snake around the doctor's neck shocked you for a moment. blinking as if taking in the absurdity of it, you easily accepted that the snake could talk.
this was teyvat where people could be born hybrids, having psychical traits of of species of being. not to mention liyue, where you knew of at least two adeptus running around the harbor. this shouldn't come as much of a shock.
"sorry about that too," the silent- i think?- you refused to tack on to the end of your sentence was left unspoken but clearly seen in your eyes. was that something to apologize for? in truth, the whole situation felt quite awkward so all you could do was talk to fill the silence. the silence that wasn't very silent anyway.
you had since stepped off to the side so gui could talk to another patron coming to pick up their prescription with the babble of the city just outside. if you didn't feel it would be rude, you would've just left and called it a day- even if you hadn't actually gotten your needed medicine from the herbalist at the desk yet. he had been too busy nagging you to hand it over before baizhu's sudden appearance.
luckily for you, baizhu was also intelligent enough he could read a room.
"please wait here. i'll go and fetch whatever medicine you need today." you make a small noise of acknowledgment before offering a small okay as he walks behind the counter and takes a paper from gui that probably had recommended herbs and salves scribbled on it for your treatment.
feeling like you just fumbled the first interaction with the pharmacy's owner, you sighed and pushed a finger to your temples before going outside. leaning yourself on the railing just outside the building, you bore yourself into counting the steps leading up to it. always getting a different answer each time since there were so many. you were so invested in your stair counting that when baizhu reappears in your peripherals with a small drawstring pouch of presumed herbs, you feel yourself flinch.
"i didn't mean to startle you," he chuckles as you gently take the pouch from him, using your other hand to dig around for the mora you know you now owe.
"it's fine. i was too engrossed in counting."
"counting?"
"the stairs."
"did you come to a final count?" he entertains.
"not even close," you say as you place the correct amount of shiny mora into his palm while watching chengsheng readjust herself by slithering once around his shoulders.
after that day, baizhu was around more often when you would stop by. your semi-normal medical pick-ups soon extend into medical treatment personally offered by baizhu in the pharmacy's back room, along with prolonged conversations to fill the free time he could offer. it was during these conversations that chengsheng decided that among the humans living in liyue, you were her favorite.
she preferred you over others so much that when you would come by the pharmacy, she would immediately demand to coil around you instead of her normal seat upon baizhu's shoulders. she would only keep to baizhu when you were around if his chi levels were running wild and she was confined to her job of maintaining them.
today was no exception to her favoritism.
you had once again shown up to bubu pharmacy, but this time not for whatever ails you, but for your annual checkup. you never used to bother with them, but shockingly enough gui had lectured you one year about it- so, to save yourself the ear strain it would be best to just get it over with.
walking up the outrageously long stairs to the pharmacy entrance, you sigh and rub your neck with a rather lackluster greeting to the open space of the front desk.
"okay gui, i'm here." you almost sigh, like keeping track with your health was such an inconvenience. dropping your arm and raising your view, you see all three of the bubu population together- which was almost rare considering they all have their own agendas to deal with near daily. "wow," you start with a smile at seeing them all, "it's like a party in here."
gui shakes his head at your lame attempt at what he assumes is a joke while qiqi abandons her post to waltz up to your side and grab the fabric that hung around your waist; a habit she's developed since you've been around more often. you're not sure why she does it, maybe it makes her feel secure or something, you weren't sure. you don't mind it regardless. you always accept her small act of presumed affection with your palm resting on her talisman tagged hat and small greeting.
baizhu blithely crosses his arms over his chest at seeing how attached qiqi has become of you. he has the hunch that even outside of the pharmacy you were pretty well-known because you were someone easily likeable, but to capture the attention of his little qiqi? color him impressed. still, he was pleased you had formed a connection with her and gui. even baizhu himself found himself enjoying your company more than he did before. each time was better than the last.
"it's lovely to see you again," the owner speaks as he uncrosses his arms into a more relaxed manner of stance. "gui informed me that you can be rather stubborn when it comes to these kinds of matters. I was worried i'd have to go and find you myself."
"i don't think you would have to go that far. even if i didn't show up today, i would've been back eventually. then you could've tied me up and thrown me into a forced state of compliance."
"that wouldn't be very hospitable of a doctor, i'm afraid."
a small tug on your hip directs your attention downwards as qiqi looks up at you.
"doctor baizhu will be taking care of you today," she says slowly, almost lethargically. you blink a few times in confusion for a moment before nodding to her.
"really now? what an a honor." it wasn't often baizhu did things like this, such common checkups were handled mostly by gui. you wonder if chengsheng kicked up some sort of fuss about it? 'nevermind,' you shake your head and internalize your thoughts, 'it doesn't matter.'
"best not to waste much more time," baizhu says, rounding the counter and coming up to your side before replacing your hand with his own on qiqi's head. "run along now, qiqi." she's quick to obey and gui returns to whatever it is he does all day long. you're ushered out and soon back to the room you've been in thousands of times before.
just like normal, you sat yourself down in one of the two stools baizhu keeps at his desk. just like normal, baizhu offers you tea for your time and just like normal you accept. just like normal, he walks back and forth along the many shelves of herbs and equipment for what he needs for the day's work. and just like normal, chengsheng is slithering down baizhu's outstretched arm, onto the desk and then quickly up yours as you offer it to her.
"aw, i've missed you too chengsheng," you coo. she always hisses when you treat her like a common snake, but it wasn't like she was going to do anything about it. another perk of being the favorite.
"it'ss just nicce to not be coiled around a man who smellss like grasss all the time," she plays off as she coils comfortably around your shoulders and even curling up your head to pass through your hair. most definitely forming knots in her wake.
as baizhu comes back to your side, you watch as he places his required items down.
"it never gets easier," you say.
"and what exactly are you talking about?"
"how... empty you look without chengsheng."
baizhu chuckles.
"yes, well, it feels as empty as it looks." he looks at the pearl white snake around you, clearly nuzzling into you more than him, and he smiles warmly at it. "she looks much better wrapped around you, than me."
"uh-huh," you scoff, bringing your palm up to cup her head and lightly nudging her away from your ear. she was making your skin tingle with her scales against the small sensitive limb. "i totally believe you."
"i've never spoken a word of a lie to you."
you always applaud yourself for not absolutely losing your cool for the things that could come out of baizhu's mouth. the way he can easily say things that were well past embarrassing without so much as blinking was almost awe-inspiring. if you didn't know any better, you'd think sometimes he was flirting with you- but it was baizhu and he was always kind and polite to anyone. that was just who he was.
your checkup runs smoothly and even though nothing can fix your accident-prone lifestyle, you were still healthy and ready to take on more scraps and falls.
now, the hardest part of every pharmacy visit was about to commence. convincing chengsheng to return to her contractor without much fuss.
"chengsheng," you nervously say her name with a slight shake in your voice. she was always a sassy snake, but when she didn't get to indulge in what she wanted, which was simply snuggly laying around your shoulders for just a while longer... she could be a handful. "you know you can't leave with me."
she meets you nowhere with silence- not even attempting to meet you halfway somewhere. nope, she's leaving you high and dry. baizhu watches with half amused eyes, a hand on his hip and the other reached out to brush against her scales.
"what if i walked our dear y/n home? would you willingly part with them then?"
"what?" baizhu had never walked you home before, you always insisted he not since he was a busy man, and it wasn't like you couldn't take care of yourself. this opportunity easily hooked the snake's attention as she lifted her previously curled head and looked at her contractor- you know, the man she was supposed to be unwaveringly loyal to.
"do we have a deal?" he chided, knowing that eventually she was going to let you go one way or the other. whether it be now by him prying her off you physically or walking you home and having her come back willingly. her forked tongue flicked out before coiling one full rotation around your neck and up your head, so her reptilian 'chin' sat on your crown.
"if i must," which was chengsheng for 'yes, we do'.
so, with you and chengsheng waiting at the top of the stone stairs, baizhu popped inside to inform gui and qiqi he would be stepping out for a bit. qiqi had peaked around the open front and waved goodbye to you, which you returned happily before baizhu came to your side. his hand came to hover at your back, so close you could almost feel his palm but never actually touching, and offered you start taking steps ahead of him.
back from inside the pharmcy at the desk, qiqi walked back to gui's side as they both watched their boss walk off with you.
"qiqi likes when y/n is around," she speaks monotonously- but she meant it.
"yeah," gui agrees, watching both your heads disappear further down the stairs with chengsheng still clinging to you. "you aren't the only one," he chuckles.
chengsheng picks favorties, and she's not secretive about it. her contractor, however- even if he thinks he's being slick about it- cannot hide that he does too.
and wouldn't you believe it? all evidence always leads back to you.
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jounosnumberoneslut · 7 months
Text
"You look so much better with my cock in your mouth"
Dazai Osamu x reader NSFW
Sorry for the grammatical mistakes english isn't my native language!!
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Pairing... Dazai Osamu x fem!reader
Contains... gentleman Dazai, fluff, smut!, dirty talk, dry humping, oral (male receiving)
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You've been dating Dazai Osamu, the suicidal, handsome investigator, for two weeks. You met by serendipity as you sat down at a coffee shop after work, and he asked you to join your company. It turned out that the man working at the office above the cafe and you talked so well that you two discussed the next time to meet. You were already attracted by his wit and charm.
As your relationship progressed, you discovered that beneath Dazai's enigmatic persona, there was a vulnerable side that he rarely showed to others. Despite his troubled past, his dark humor and intelligence continued to captivate you, making you even more drawn to him.
You didn't want to go ahead of schedule due to the fact that you've already been disappointed by men as well. You never told him, but you were worried that if you let him into your bed, Dazai would leave you alone like the others. He understood this and waited patiently for your small signs that your relationship was ready to advance.
Even though he was aware of how much you desired it, he refrained from acting out of respect for your request. You allowed Dazai to kiss you after the third time you two met. It was a tender and gentle kiss, filled with unspoken promises and reassurance. In that moment, you realized that Dazai was different from the others; he was willing to wait for you and earn your trust.
The kiss marked the beginning of a deeper connection between you both, slowly erasing the fear of disappointment and replacing it with hope for a love that could withstand any challenges. As your relationship deepened, he continued to show patience and understanding, earning your trust day by day. It was only when you felt completely comfortable and secure in his presence that you finally allowed yourselves to take the next step in your relationship.
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After two weeks of dating, you made the decision to invite Dazai to your place. You've always met in public places—the cinema, dining out, shopping, or strolling through parks. But today is the day you cleaned your house while awaiting your partner to arrive and listening to your favorite playlists. As you put the finishing touches on your home, you couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. You had other plans with him tonight.
A bell went off. When you opened the door, Dazai was standing there with a bouquet of your favorite flowers. He wasn't wearing his trench coat and had one side of his hair pulled back behind her ears. His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as he extended the bouquet towards you, his lips curving into a warm smile. Suddenly, he caught your lip. You gently placed your hands on his face while kissing him back. ''These are my favorites! Where did you know it?'' You asked him while inviting him inside. ''Just guessed, so can I come in Bella?''
You nodded and stood at the door, allowing Dazait to enter your home. You shut the front door and went into the kitchen while he removed his shoes. You took out a vase, filled it with water, and placed in it the flowers you received from him. You cooked cupcakes during the day and prepared them for your boyfriend. As you set the cupcakes on a tray, their sweet aroma filled the kitchen. You couldn't help but smile, excited to surprise your boyfriend with this thoughtful gesture.
Meanwhile, Dazai followed you and stood gently behind you, his arms from your back to your waist and his head between your neck and shoulders. His flossy hair slid to your exposed skin, and you felt as if he smiled into your neck. “Ohh cupcakes! Is them for me?” He suddenly took one and ate it. “Mmmm so sweet! Sweet like who made them!” You blushed at Dazai's playful comment and playfully swatted his hand away from the tray. "Well, they were supposed to be a surprise, but I guess you ruined that," you teased, pretending to pout. Dazai chuckled and pulled you closer, whispering in your ear, "I can't resist anything made by the sweetest person in my life."
You were just standing there with a flushed face; Dazai can even make you confused at your own home. He turned to face you and gave you a quick kiss. You licked a small piece of crumb that stuck to your lips. You tasted Dazai as well as the cupcake's sweet paste. He grabbed the cupcakes' tray, slipped his other arm around your waist, and then walked toward your living room. "Let's go in love." As you followed him into the living room, you couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth and affection towards Dazai. The way he effortlessly made you feel at ease, even in your own home, was something you cherished about him.
Dazai held your hand and placed the tray on your cigarette table before falling to the couch and pulling you onto himself. You laid on him a few centimeters from his face while he lay on his back with his legs spread out, gazing into each other's eyes. He smoothed your back with one hand and removed the hair from your face with the other. "My beautiful Bella, you are so magnificent without makeup and these comfy clothes; I love it." You blushed at his compliment, feeling a warmth spread through your body. The intimacy of the moment made you realize just how deeply he cared for you, appreciating your natural beauty and the comfort you shared together. This is the first time you didn't put on any makeup or dress up elegantly before him.
You slowly got closer to him and pressed your mouth on his own. He kissed you back; you licked his lower lip first, then entered his mouth. His hand softly grabbed your hair, while his tongue worked on yours more confidently. Your body started to move on his; your tits were pressed onto his hard chest. Dazai blushed as you, panted in your mouth, tried to restrain himself, not grabbing your ass. As you drew nearer to him, you put your mouth on his own. He returned the kiss, and you licked his lower lip before moving your tongue inside his lips. His tongue worked on yours more boldly, while his hand gently gripped your hair. Your tits were crushed against his sturdy chest as your body began to move on his. Dazai now reddened as you quietly panted into your mouth and struggled to hold back and refrain from touching your ass. "Dazai, I want to show you something." You purred, didn't break the kiss, and grinded your thigh to his half-hard bulge. As the intensity between you grew, Dazai's breath hitched, and his eyes darkened with desire. The anticipation in the air was palpable as you whispered, "I want to show you how much I crave you." With a mischievous smile, you pressed your lips against his once more, teasingly nibbling on his lower lip before continuing your tantalizing movements.
Before slowly getting off of him, I gently bit his lower lip and touched his body while crawling away from his handsome face. You didn't forget to touch his body at all, from his neck down to his chest, then finally massaged his member a little. He groaned because of your touch. "You don't have to... if you don't want it." You whispered softly, your voice filled with desire, "But I want it. I want to explore every inch of you, to make you feel good." His eyes locked with yours, a mixture of anticipation and consent shining through. "Please, sit up... love"
As Dazai sat up on the couch, you kneeled down before him on the floor. He was so speechless. I didn't expect that you wanted to suck him off the first time you invited him to your home. You ran your hands through his thighs up to his skinny hip, grabbed his waistband, and untied it. He didn't say anything; all he did was assist you in removing his pants. The only piece of clothing blocking your path was his boxer. His already hard cock was perfectly outlined under the fabric; you had to touch it. He hissed when you ran your fingers along his length. With a mischievous smile, you slowly slid his boxers down, revealing his throbbing cock. "Why are you so quiet, Osamu?" You whispered, your voice filled with desire. As you continued to tease him, he finally managed to find his voice, breathlessly responding, "I've been waiting for this moment with you for so long."
You smiled, then slowly pulled down his boxer to free his cock. It leaned down to his abdomen and twitched when you smoothed your fingers up and down on it. Not only his face but his cock too are beautiful, longer, and not so thick, with some bulging vessels. You kitten licked some places only on his length, which he rewarded you with deep but quiet moans. You sank down, gently bit his balls only with your lips, and pulled his sack a little. "Hah babe! You are so dirty; I love it." He grabbed your hair in a ponytail and looked into your eyes. "Finally, I can hear your voice." You teased him, and oh, how much he liked it. A cocky grin appeared on his face, then he gently pushed your face down to his throbbing cock. You kissed his tip, wrapped your lips around it, sucked it, and circled it with your tongue. "I had such a feeling that my Y/N is a dirty girl... ahh." He groaned as you took him deeper into your mouth; his moans grew louder and more desperate. The salty taste of him on your tongue drove you wild with desire, and you eagerly continued to pleasure him. "You don't have to restrain yourself, Osamu." You stroked his length, which didn't fit in your mouth, with both of your hands. His cum, mixed with your saliva, flowed down under his balls; these slipping noises made Dazai closer to his climax. He couldn't control himself; he was a whimpering mess; his hips moved faster; and he fucked your mouth and hands.
"I'm... I'm going to cum honey, ahh, can I?" You gagged as you sucked in as much of his length as you could and felt it throbbing in your mouth when his warm cum shot down to your throat. He pushed his head not so hard on his cock and felt his member still pulsating. "Stay a little bit, please." When his breath was restored, he let go of him. You stood up, sat on his naked lap, and touched his face with one hand. "Was it good, Osamu?" He looked at you with a satisfied smile and replied, "Better than good, my love. You know what?" You slowly rolled your hips against his still-hard cock, cocking your head in a curious manner. "I swear, honey, you look so much better with my cock in your mouth." He chuckled and slapped your ass. "I look better in other positions too; let me prove it." He suddenly picked you up. You wrapped your legs around his waist and let him carry you into the bedroom.
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500 followers event
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ambrozjas · 2 months
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HII!! i saw in your bio that your requests are closed but i also see you responding to asks??? so i'm sosososo sorry if i wasn't supposed to ask but i just needed the gang (separate) x super energetic n positive reader (so like pinkie pie irl !) :3 again im sorry if i confused things with your requests!!!
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the gang with an energetic!reader ꨄ︎
✧˖*°࿐ notes 🧸ᰔᩚ
this is actually a great question and i thank you for asking it ^-^!! the reqs i’m responding to are just requests that are stacked up in my inbox, so when i have them closed, it just means i’m trying to catch up on asks and that i don’t prefer asks at that time :) i did LOVE writing this though, so thank you for asking about that i appreciate you trying to respect it !! ^_^ 🫶
✧˖*°࿐ warnings ᰔᩚ
let me know if there r any i need to add!!
. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄
“you had fun today?” came DARRY’s voice from the left of you as he sat in the driver’s seat, taking you home. you guys had decided to take johnny, sodapop, and ponyboy to the oklahoma state fair, which would explain the sleepiness that laced his tone. you, though, would practically be vibrating in your seat if it wasn’t for darry’s hand resting on your thigh.
still pumped up from the crazy rides at the fair, your eyes roamed across all the bright lights littering the city as you looked out of the car window.
“so much.” you responded, beaming at your boyfriend next to you before taking a look in the rearview mirror and spotting the boys asleep in the backseat.
“you think they did, too?” you asked darry, lips pouting dramatically at how cute the boys looked, even when soda was practically drooling on pony.
darry gave you a small ‘mhm’, a tiny smile growing on his face when he looked back at them too. “y’sure you’re not tired?”
“i’m so awake right now, dare.” you chuckled a bit, turning back around and resting your head against the car seat’s headrest.
you gave a few quiet ‘ooh’s as you both were still exiting oklahoma city, even if you guys were still a long way from tulsa, looking at all the bright lights and arrows urging future customers to visit the fair.
darry scoffed as he saw the pile of cars across the way, lining up in one big traffic jam. then he turned his head to look at you, he wondered how you could always be so optimistic. he smiled fondly to himself as he watched you, head held in your hands as the exotic lights bounced off your irises, reflecting all sorts of neon pinks and blues in your eyes as you didnt take them off the noisy attractions.
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“be careful now darlin’, you’ll slip!” SODAPOP laughs as you two come down from the intense food fight you just had in the kitchen.
it all started with you accidentally dusting the counters a bit too hard when some flour landed on sodapop’s open plaid shirt. now you two were both covered in various ingredients, you’re sure the yolk would take about an hour to rinse out of your hair properly. the baking you guys were doing was forgotten in the background as the batter had probably already somewhat hardened during sodapop’s sugar assault on your favorite top.
you laughed as he held your waist, the both of you looking down at where your foot was just about to fall on the slippery remainder of egg yolk and milk on the kitchen floor. “that’s your mess!”
“you started it!”
“it was an accident, soda—!” sodapop placed a chaste kiss against your lips, licking his own after he pulled away. he made a small hum sound as his eyes trailed upward when he pretended to try to guess the flavor. “hm, strawberry.”
“gross.” you rolled your eyes, the two of you laughing uncontrollably as soda eventually did slip on the exact same piece of yolk he had warned you from stepping on. that is, until you heard the strong footsteps of his older brother make his way from the front door to the kitchen.
both of your heads shot up as darry cleared his throat, crossing his arms and tilting his head. it was like he had no words for the both of you, until he shook his head once and grumbled angrily.
“y’all better clean that up.”
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“so i was just tellin’ her about it and y’know what this lady does?” you ranted to PONYBOY as he sat across from you at the lunch table, his fingers fiddling with the holes in the metal mesh patterned seat.
he held his chin in his palm as his eyes flickered between you and the table, watching as you rambled about something a counselor had reprimanded you for or something, all he could really focus on was you. the way your eyes lit up when you were passionate about something, the way talked with your hands a lot, or the way you bounced in your seat at just the thought of your favorite song.
pure energy always radiated off of you, not even dallas winston could resist your charm. and ponyboy curtis certainly couldn’t either.
“pony-y!” you dragged out the ‘y’ in his name as you tried to get his attention, waving a hand in front of his face. he blinked and furrowed his brows as he muttered out a quick, “huh?”
“are you even listenin’ to me?”
“‘course i am.”
“what was i talking about then?” you batted your eyelashes as you inquired in a ‘matter-of-fact’ tone, leaning forward as ponyboy averted your gaze.
his face got hot while he stammered, mouth gaping open and closed like a fish before you waved a hand at him and flashed a big grin.
“my counselor.” came your sing-song tone of voice from in front of him.
“right! just.. tell me more?”
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“JOHNNY, wait up!” you called after him, jogging up and gripping onto the straps of your backpack as it moved with your every step.
you saw him, head hung low as he looked so small compared to the towering figure of dallas winston right next to him. he turned around, that same puppy dog look in his eyes as usual before he looked up at dallas. dally gave johnny a quick wink before nodding his head towards me and saying his goodbyes while he walked off only god knows where—probably to stir up some more trouble.
johnny looked back at you, muttering your name as you finally caught up to him. “hey—! you goin’ home?” you asked, shifting your weight from your hands to your knees as you hunched over and caught your breath. johnny just nodded as he watched you regain composure quickly, already back and energized.
you circled around him with a flurry of questions, questions like how his day was or if he ate today. johnny always wondered why you asked him these questions, whether you cared or not was really his main concern although he’d never dare ask.
once you guys had arrived to johnny’s house though, came a ruckus from inside. the noise traveling outside the house through a sliver of open window as you both saw two figures screaming at each other.
you saw as the corners of johnny’s mouth twitched downwards as he winced at the sound of glass breaking.
then, almost like an miracle came your voice from beside him.
“wanna go to the lot?”
once he had looked at you, it was like an instant mood lifter. you had a boyish grin on your face with your hands shoved in your pockets as your eyes crinkled with how big of a smile you had glued to your face, as usual.
how could johnny deny you?
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“are you always like this?” DALLAS said as he leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, watching as you danced around and made a mess with the baking supplies.
“like what?” your voice, jubilant as ever, rung out in dally’s ears. he always played it off as if he hated how joyous it was, but if he was being honest, the way the syllables rolled so quickly off your tongue was satisfying to him. he’d never admit it obviously. being dallas winston was a tough job to keep up.
you twirled around, reaching on your tippy toes to grab something off the fridge before spinning back around to pour milk in the mixing bowl, hips swaying to the faint music that you turned down to hear dallas over.
dallas scoffed, shaking his head amusedly while he lit a cigarette, eyes flickering up at you every once in awhile. “nothin’.” he muttered, words muffled around his cigarette.
he looked at you, his eyes were empty enough that anybody else would mistake his expression for annoyance, but you knew better. you knew dallas winston better than anybody. and as you danced so freely around the kitchen, like no one was watching you, dallas admired you. you were yourself, in this moment socs and greasers didn’t matter, nothing did. the only thing that mattered to you was getting these ingredients right, and you couldn’t do that with a little dancing.
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“woah, darlin’! someone had a li’l too much sugar, huh?” TWO-BIT laughed as you bounced around. you were like a candle waiting to be blown out, flowing in place but still moving. you were definitely still moving.
you practically vibrated in place, your feet kicked in your seat as you giggled, talking about your day to two-bit. his grey eyes watched you with intent, his own grin painted on his face. sometimes he didn’t pay attention, other times he asked questions just at the right times. even if it was just pure luck, you appreciated his responses even if they were just ‘huh’s or ‘oh!’s.
“what do you think?” you finally stopped ranting, taking a break to ask two-bit once again what he thought.
he paused, taking a second to sip on his can of beer before looking off to the side in thought. then, as quick as it left, his smile returned as he finally laughed.
“i think you need a nap, babydoll.”
。゚•┈୨♡୧┈• 。゚
“so what happened next?” STEVE asked, licking the spoon as he sat across from you in the diner as he watched you take a break from talking to devour a milkshake.
you smacked your lips as you swallowed and immediately put up your hand to express yourself further. “she cussed her out!”
steve raised his eyebrows as he broke off another piece of the diner’s famous cake—which he claimed was never better than darry’s yet he was still destroying it.
what you always appreciated about steve was his blind loyalty to you. even if he didn’t understand, his heart was in the right place. he gasped at anything dramatic, but he just loved gossip in general. him and sodapop were like kids around a campfire as they always circled around you while you explained to them the gossip going on around school.
steve watched as you rambled on and on, twirling your hair at certain parts and jumping up in your seat at important ones. by the time you both finished that conversation, your bill was racked up with how long you had took, and the waitresses were rolling your eyes at every “but, did you hear..”
that didn’t matter to you two, though. you just cared about talking to steve, and steve was too busy admiring you to care about anything else.
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˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ my favs r fluttershy n rarity but tell me why i’m literally rainbow dash irl
kiss kiss ˗ˏˋ꒰ 🍒 ꒱
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kalims · 1 year
Text
— MALLEUS DRACONIA | red
or, malleus forgets to tell you that his grandmother is coming (only remembering the day she does) and you immediately have an inner crisis.
wc. 792 words
note. hey guys, I guess thats it
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"my grandmother—" he paused. "she is visiting today,"
you promptly choke on the tea like you would with one of lilia's homemade 'fruit shake' that he'd mistaken salt for sugar, and apparently added eggs for more flavor. midst your heaping coughing session—with familiar care malleus' face scrunches up in concern. he places a hand over your spine, like it's honestly gonna relieve the sting in your throat.
as patient as ever he waits calmly till you've finished losing your voice. "are you all right, beastie?" he asks.
beastie. you didn't know exactly when he'd started calling you that. you supposed it had already happened before you fully realized it on your own. strangely enough it oddly feels more affectionate compared to his old 'child of man' though you do admit it was better with 'my'.
well the old one did hold some sentimental value. you never did let go of his tsunotaro nickname, no matter how much sebek yelled, and bemoaned over.
malleus didn't mind. he liked it as well.
your face shifts into a deadpan, rubbing your poor throat. at the very least he could have told you that after you'd finished gulping down that damned water! "given how I almost died—no." you answer curtly, voice wavering several times. to be met with a confused stare.
"but you are alive and well," he expresses the obvious. politely leaving his arms hanging by his sides uselessly. as much as he'd like to keep his hands on you he supposes he'd be stepping over boundaries and possibly making you uncomfortable. and malleus would hate it if it turned out like that.
"oh malleus, dear. you don't get it,"
the new endearment term causes warmth to bloom in his chest, his lips twitch to a small smile and he fights the urge to just cradle you in the palm of his hand—cherish you, and hide you away from everyone else.
because malleus believes no one would love you like he ever does.
"what do you mean? get what?"
"nothing,"
"how would I get nothing? It must be something,"
if you did answer his statement you know it would just keep going, into malleus not understanding once again. but you suppose it's what makes him lovable, despite the contrast of what you are thinking (his large frame, and his refined features you could spend a decade staring at) he's like a child with an innocence that not a lot of people have.
he is very genuine.
you should stop thinking about it lest you fall deeper.
"nevermind that. your grandmother? hello?" you flail your arms around. hitting malleus once but he doesn't even flinch.
"hello. it seems like I forgot to tell you."
ignoring the greeting in the beginning that probably responded to your hello that wasn't even meant to be one. you huff. seriously? it seems my ass,, it would've been nice, great even! if he told you days prior to her arrival. and not like.. hours before she does.
never did you expect to be introduced to someone's family member. based off the countless books you stuck your nose in, in general it's very,,, intimate? to be fair it's a very big step and you can't say you're ready for it.
what if she doesn't like you? you're literally this,,, human that doesn't have any strong titles or anything. just plain, boring and ordinary. you're only granted the privilege to be this close with malleus since you're only really the first person to show him kindness besides the people that grew up with him.
if it were someone else, would they be standing in your position right now? would they be the one being introduced into a slimmer of his personal life?
so you've heard. she is a very popular person, strong but kind. rough around the edges but she was a leader that briar valley needed. sebek often boasted about her. definitely not in the same tone that he uses with malleus but respect from sebek might as well be winning 1st place in a competition with thousands of other participants.
you aren't even scraping the surface of how hard it is to get it.
probably sensing your inner turmoil, and seeing the troubled look on your face malleus subconsciously leans in. to provide comfort, to become a shoulder you'd lean in without the royalty-commoner thing separating you two.
the look in his eyes softens. "what's wrong?" he asks you sincerely.
yeah what is wrong? it's not like you're in any place to care about her opinion anyways.. not at all.. you think stubbornly, sweatdropping at the amount of thoughts screeching about first impressions.
if you meet her then at the very least—you don't want her to hate you. because hating you means relaying the flaws she saw to malleus, then swaying him that you weren't worth it, then next thing you know you lost him.
I am totally calm. you think, not hearing his words.
malleus opens his mouth. closing it, opening it then repeat for a goon ten seconds. it's rare to see him pondering about what to say.
"you look like a fish." you say.
he wonders how you could be so calm when you looked close to walking out a second ago.
"that's impossible." he responds.
then there's silence. just comfortable silence that two people whose relationship peaked to achieve it have.
"don't worry. whatever she thinks, I still—you still will be my child of man." my grandmother. she certainly would have something to say of you.
but she once said that love is unexpected. sometimes it happens the least you expect it, it's unforgettable and it conquers everything else. if your love is strong then nothing will break it. she had told him, and if it were really true. he's sure his love for you knows no bounds.
warmth presses itself to your heart, it travels up to your brain till it forces it to make you smile. "thanks."
you put up an awkward thumbs up. "you'd be my tsunotaro forever too."
he smiles.
for you forever doesn't exist, to him it does.
a selfish part of him just wants you to stay with him till destiny's time is up. and if you want he'll give it right to you. for now he won't make the decision that isn't his right to. your mortality is a problem but no matter how much he wants to get rid of him it's not his choice.
he hopes your love for him is as strong as the one he has for you. but then again, he doesn't believe that the love he has for you is stronger than anyone else.
yes. he has all the time in the world to love you
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note. even for just a sec it was really nice to write this. gasp, is this a calling for me?
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luveline · 9 months
Note
(if you’re still doing the baby blurbs! 💓👼🏻) maybe something with eddie being a little goofball gentleman? i can picture him like laying down his jacket over the tiniest puddle or sprinting ahead of you to open every door even tho u keep yelling at him every time he does 😊
thank u for ur request! fem!reader
"We can't forget you have that dentist appointment on Wednesday," you're saying distractedly, eyes on the rearview mirror as you reverse into a parking space. "You missed your last one and they charged you anyways, those losers." 
You haven't even turned the engine off when Eddie's throwing open the passenger door. He climbs out, slams it closed, and then, with all the speed and dexterity of a professional sportsman (think baseball, or even ice hockey), he flies across the hood of the car to your side and yanks open your door. 
"My lady," he says breathlessly, gesturing for you to step out. 
You blink at him. Your lips pull up into an open-mouthed, breathless smile, a tear-like warmth collecting in your eyes. "Are you real?" 
He grins at your expression, knowing how funny he is, "A real gentleman," he says smugly. "Come, my lady. We've groceries to procure." 
You swing your legs out of the car and take his hand, giggling with a sickly, giddy affection. He helps you up and kisses your hand. 
"This is one of the silliest things you've ever done," you say fondly. 
"Can't a man treat his woman as she deserves to be treated?" 
You lock the car. "Not if he's going to almost smash his head in." 
"I barely tripped!" he argues, eager to take your hand again, forcing his fingers through yours and swinging them between your bodies. 
He's in a ridiculously good mood today, his theatrical excitement at an all time high, joy lighting his features. He looks even more handsome than usual when he's this happy. 
You indulge his mood and lean up to peck his jaw. "Thank you, sir." 
"The effect might have been grander if my van wasn't still in the shop, but you got the idea," he says, the wind quick to return his newly washed hair to its usual frizz while you walk from the car to the front of the store. "Wait!" 
His shout startles you. You stop dead at the lip of the asphalt outside of the store, worried you're about to step on something small, but Eddie's perceived an even smaller risk.
There's a puddle. 
He steps over it onto the sidewalk. You get the sense you should wait, and sure enough, he offers you both hands and 'helps' you cross treacherous waters rather than let you wet the bottom of your battered converse. 
"Whew. Almost lost you," Eddie says, his eyes squinting gently with his smile. He knows he's being ridiculous. He takes pleasure in it. 
You rub his knuckles where your hands are still clasped between you. "My hero," you croon. 
He beams, but then he turns on his heel and sprints to the automatic doors, arms out. "Quickly, sweetheart! Before they close!" 
You snort at him. "I hope you're not planning on doing this all day." 
"Of course not." 
Grocery shopping with him is nearly impossible. Eddie tries to guess your every thought, opening fridges and freezers for you before you've so much as looked at them, wrestling a water crate out of your hand lest you strain your beautiful arms. You have to shout at him to stop when he almost hits an unsuspecting shopper in the face with a glass door, but you kiss his bruised ego better somewhere between the pastries and the fresh bread, and he promptly calms down.
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violetszone · 11 months
Text
At Home With Me
Carlos Sainz x fem!reader
From this request
Summary: It was one of the rare days that Carlos spent at home but he hardly spent any time with you and it really upset you.
A/n: It's been a few days since I wrote this, but I didn't have time to share it because of the lesson camp I went to.So I tried my best I hope you like it
Warnings: not edited writing
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Of course the days you spent at home with Carlos were numbered.When your boyfriend wasn't racing, he was out for practice and testing almost every day of the week. Of course you wanted him to be successful and you knew these were small steps to success.But you still wanted to at least sit down and talk a little bit, you didn't expect much.
Carlos decided to stay home this Friday, you didn't know exactly why, but when you woke up in the morning you were so happy to see him in bed that you couldn't help but hug him.He slowly opened his eyes and looked at you "Good morning darling, what's going on" you could understand his reaction because of course you didn't always wake him up, sometimes you woke up on his alarm in the morning and at least you wanted to see him before he left.
You shrugged and got out of bed as you went to the bathroom and called out "I just feel like today is going to be a good day, that's all" you walk out of the bathroom with your toothbrush in your hand and realize that Carlos has already left the room.You thought probably he went down, of course you guessed right, he already went down and started doing his daily sports already.
You stood by the door leading to the backyard "Would you like me to prepare breakfast for you" Carlos called out without disturbing his position "No, I'll take care of myself, thanks, even don't wait for me, eat it" even though it was a bit of a disappointment to hear it, as he said, you prepared something for yourself and went out to where he was. You ate your breakfast by sitting at the table a little far from where he was doing his sport and start watching him.
When he finished his sport, he came to you and you had already finished your breakfast and were reading a magazine.He said he'd take a shower and then have breakfast, and placed a kiss on your cheek.You were trying not to upset yourself, after all, the hour was earlier, the day had just begun.
Of course, nothing went as you had hoped, after Carlos had his breakfast, he went outside to do a few errands. When he came back it was late afternoon and when you offered to prepare dinner he said he had already eaten, you were really upset
You left Carlos in the living room to enjoy yourself and went upstairs and read until evening. You didn't think about what Carlos was doing until that hour. When he entered the room and sat on the bed, you looked at him with a pout,he stroked your hair "Are you okay baby, you haven't been out of the room for hours" as you closed the book and placed it on the dresser next to you, your eyes were on the clock. it was already 10 o'clock.
You said "I'm fine let's go to sleep" and turned off the light on your side and settled on the bed with your back to Carlos.Of course you weren't sleeping, your eyes were open and Carlos knew that, he turned on the light and when you stood on the bed and turned to him, he pulled you into his arms.
No matter how angry you were with him during the day, you still felt better when you hugged him, so you wrapped your arms around him and laid your head on his shoulder.Slowly stroking your hair, Carlos said, "I'm sorry I haven't been paying attention to you all day." You looked into his eyes, it was enough for you to him saying that.
You hugged Carlos tighter. "It's okay, you had work to do." Carlos shook his head in disapproval."I still had to make time for you honey I'll make up for it tomorrow I promise you" His words were so sincere and you knew he was a man of his word.You smiled and thanked him and placed a small kiss on his lips.
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under-sedationnn · 4 months
Note
Mike Schmidt x reader where she’s pregnant?
mike schmidt x pregnant fem!reader pt.1
summary: a day in the life with mike and abby as the reader navigates the ups and downs of the much dreaded (and much anticipated) third trimester. 
“Mike, I'm going to be honest, there's no way I can tie my shoes.” 
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"Abby-girl! Come on, breakfast!"
I hear the sound of small, bare feet skittering down the hallway and halt to a stop at the edge of the dining table. Abby, hair still unbrushed and pajamas wrinkled, smiles at me from her seat by the window.
"What did you make this morning, y/n?" She leans across the table to see the bowl I'm holding, and I give her a sympathetic look.
"Oatmeal," I say, and she wilts slightly. "With nutella, and bananas! Made special for you."
I set down the bowl and she inspects it, picking up the spoon by the small end and poking at the slices of fruit. I shift on my swollen feet, and pray that she decides it's not poison, after-all. Besides, I need to eat something soon, too. And take a bath. And online shop for baby clothes, on clearance.
"I guess it's fine," she mutters, but digs in anyways.
"Well," I start, heading back into the kitchen, "I bet if you are a super star today that Mike will take you to get pizza tonight. And if he says no, I'll tell him the baby said we need it."
She smiles widely, and I pour myself a small cup of coffee. I sit down across from her at the table, and prop my feet onto the seat beside me, settling my coffee cup onto my bump to rest. Abby is fully invested in eating her oatmeal now, and I anticipate the need for a snack when she finishes.
Settling into domestic life with Abby and Mike wasn't difficult, one could say it was the exact opposite, but there are ups and downs. For one, I had to drop myself into a semi-stepmom situation, and pretty soon afterwards found out I was going to be a mom for real. But Abby is a good kid, and Mike is the kindest man I have ever met, and we're making it work day by day.
"So, Abs," I say between sips, "what are we feeling we want to do on this glorious day of all days, Saturday?"
She thinks for half a second, and opens her mouth to answer when the door begins to unlock. Mike steps into the living room, backpack slung over his shoulder with deep bags under his eyes. He smiles when he sees us nestled in our little corner of the room, and shuts out the bright morning light behind him.
I move to stand, but he puts his hand out to stop me.
"Woah woah woah, remember what the doc said, no unnecessary walking, right now. How are your feet feeling by the way?" He leans down to kiss me on the forehead, the cheek, a peck on the mouth, and moves to put his backpack and keys by the door.
"Eh, they're doing okay, but they definitely don't feel great," I respond, and he kneels down beside me.
"Want me to take a look?"
I nod my head, and he peels my socks off. The swelling is a little better, but I still hiss slightly when he pokes at the top of my foot, and the pit stays in my skin.
"Not the best, but not the worst," he says, not too sure of himself, "but you're not doing anything today, you need to rest."
I sigh. "Mike, you just got off of a shift, I know you're exhausted, and the house needs to be cleaned. There is no way I'm going to let you-"
"There is no way I am going to let you clean the house today, or do anything that is going to make you feel worse." He moves his hand to my stomach. "We're in this together, remember? 'Til the very end."
I place my hand over his own, "The very end, I love you."
"I love you, too. Now, what's first?" He kisses my fingers once and stands up. Abby joins him in watching for my answer.
"Breakfast, please."
"Agreed." He smiles and turns to the kitchen, presumedly to make us each an equally bland bowl of oatmeal.
"What were you saying you wanted to do today, Abby? You never got a chance to finish what you were saying, sweetheart."
Her bowl is empty; she wipes the leftover nutella from her lips, and moves towards the fridge to get out some milk. "One of my friends at school is having a birthday party today and I wanted to go." She pours herself a precariously full glass of milk from the carton, and slowly walks back to the table.
"You can still go Abs," says Mike, "and I could drive if you want me to."
"Well, her mom is carpooling for other kids and said she could come and get me," she adds between gulps.
I look at Mike over the kitchen bar, and he smiles at me slightly. "Abby, do you have her mom's number? I can call and see if she'll come and get you."
"Sure! Hold on, it's in my back pack." She hops up from her chair, stumbling in her excitement, and races to her room.
"Mike, if she goes, we could have a day all to ourselves."
Not that we don't love having Abby around, but a day alone would be well-deserved.
"Yeah, we could take a nap." He chuckles, and brings our breakfast to the table. Oatmeal, with just a little bit of nutella.
I nod my head in agreement as Abby races back to the dining room and shoves a piece of paper with a phone number in Mike's face. He calls, talks for a moment, and places down the phone while saying, "Abby, go get dressed, she will be here in 20 minutes." She turns on the spot and speeds down the hallway, once again.
We give each other a silent high five, and look forward to a day of relaxation together.
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i'm going to be honest, i kind of want to continue this blurb into a second part where the day continues. i was really enjoying making this into a small, domestic fic and I didn't want to just make it about the pregnancy but the life that it would lead to WITH mike (which includes abby).
thanks for reading!!! <3
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xcherryerim · 1 month
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Si tú me quisieras
(If you loved me)
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Mike schmidt x Gn!reader | wc: 2.2k
“Si tú me quisieras, el amor que quisieras lo tendrías conmigo. No soy cursilera, pero si me quisieras, sería todo distinto” — Si tú me quisieras by Nia Vanie & Adrian Bello
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Warning: Friends to lovers | Sappy | angst and fluff (?) | mentions of sex | fighting | a bit of aggressive Mike
notes: it seems like I love writing sappy stuff for Mike at 1-4 am. I didn’t really revise this so sorry if there is many mistakes or repeated words ✨ Also the lyrics in this story is the same as the one from the intro (and yes. Mike knows spanish here)
Summary: As time goes by, it becomes increasingly difficult for Mike not to hide the secrets that are troubling him. He has had enough and decides to reveal his feelings to you, his best friend.
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You caught sight of Mike wearing the same shade of sage green shirt you were wearing. With a deep breath, you called out to him, "No, no! Change, please. That's too much of a coincidence!”
Mike sighed heavily, slamming the car door shut behind him. His eyes narrowed, frustration etched onto his face. "Can you give me a break? This is the only clean shirt I have left!"
Reluctantly, you let out a frustrated groan. It wasn't about the shirt or the coincidences; it was about how deeply it affected you every time he wore that particular color. But you knew pushing him further wouldn't solve anything. So instead, you relented, "Fine, fine."
Why does it matter anyway?" he asked, increasing the volume of the radio in an attempt to cover up his unease.
Your fingers tightened around the steering wheel as you tried to explain your concern. "Because people are going to think we're a couple,"
Mike couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. He had been hoping that today would be the day when you finally noticed him in the way he wanted you to. But here he was.
“But like, we aren’t so it doesn't matter, does it?”
“I guess.” You shrugged.
You started to suggest what movie to watch at the end of the day. A little tradition you guys did after running errands together, but Mike was staring at the street, drowning in his thoughts. Did you hate the idea of dating him that much?
“No hay nada que pueda hacer que me veas, y eso me duele tanto. Y aunque tú no me quieras como yo te quiero yo te seguiré amando.” / “There's nothing I can do to make you look at me, and that breaks me. Even if you don’t love me like I love you, I'll still adore you.”
"Isn't this the song that you like, Mike?" you asked, a small smile forming on your lips.
Mike's response was quiet and subdued. "Uh, yeah."
He didn't like the song, not really. He related to it, to every verse, word, and beat. It was a reflection of his feelings, a mirror to his unspoken thoughts and emotions. The lyrics echoed through the car, resonating with both of you in different ways.
“Dicen que de amor nadie se muere, pero si este dolor es la alternativa, prefiero la muerte” / “They say no one dies out of love, but if this pain is the alternative, I rather die.”
Mike sat silently next to you, the strum of guitar strings and the singer's melodic voice echoing throughout the car. A wave of disappointment washed over him, making the atmosphere in the vehicle almost suffocating. You could sense his discomfort, but you pressed on, trying to stay focused on the road ahead.
“Te estoy amando aunque no te diga nada. Estoy guardando este secreto para mí en el fondo de mi alma. Si tú me quisieras, no perdería ni un minuto más. Me entregaría con sinceridad, si te quedas conmigo.” / “I'm loving you even if I keep quiet. I’m keeping this secret in the depths of my soul. If you loved me, I wouldn't lose another minute more. I’ll sincerely give myself to you, if you stay with me.”
Feeling the need to intervene, Mike quickly stepped in to assist an elderly woman who was struggling to reach for a specific medicine. "Oh, let me help with that," he said, his voice filled with genuine kindness. As he handed her the item she needed, a warm smile spread across his lips, and you couldn't help but feel proud of his compassionate nature.
The woman thanked him graciously, her eyes twinkling with gratitude. "Thank you, sweetheart," she said, her gaze shifting between you both. "You two look like a nice couple. It reminds me of when my late husband and I used to go shopping together."
A sudden flush crept up your cheeks as the weight of her words settled upon the both of you. You knew it wasn't intentional, but the implication made your heart race faster than it should. Swallowing hard, you felt the need to clarify things.
"We're not a couple," you quickly replied, your voice tinged with slight awkwardness. The heat from your blush radiated outward, an audible confession of your true feelings.
Mike smiled gently at you, his eyes dancing with a mix of mirth and sadness. "Definitely not a couple," he affirmed, a hint of longing lurking beneath the surface.
As he turned to face you, he couldn't help but notice the defensive posture you took, your arms firmly crossed over your chest. Was there pain in your eyes? No, it couldn't be. He pushed the thought aside, choosing to focus on the present moment.
"Well, you seem pretty insulted by that," he remarked casually, attempting to shift the topic away from the elephant in the room.
You raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. “What? I’m not good enough for you?” Your words were laced with humor, but the underlying emotion was undeniable. There was a yearning, a desire for something more.
Mike sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he shook his head. "We are not having this conversation again," he stated firmly. Today, he simply couldn't muster the energy for the friendly flirtation that had become a routine between the two of you.
The innocent, fun activity of grocery shopping quickly transformed into something far more uncomfortable between the two of you. The mood had shifted dramatically, leaving behind a heavy silence that seemed to grow more oppressive with every passing second.
Mike could no longer mask his emotions – his face bore the unmistakable signs of anger, complete with furrowed eyebrows and heavy breathing. His movements became more forceful as he tossed items into the cart, each action an expression of the tumultuous emotions churning within him.
Unable to bear the tension any longer, you hesitantly asked, "Are you alright?" The question hung in the air, seemingly adding fuel to the fire. The guilt you felt for asking it gnawed at your insides, knowing that you might have only exacerbated the situation.
Mike glared at you, his dark eyes flashing with hurt and resentment. At that moment, he couldn't bring himself to answer your question.
As you tried to find a way to bridge the gap, you couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the last straw in maintaining the delicate balance of your friendship. For years, the two of you had shared laughter, tears, and dreams, but now you stood on the precipice of something unfamiliar and uncertain.
To lighten the mood, you attempted a weak joke, "Where else, boss?" but it fell flat in the wake of the tension between the two of you.
Mike provided a terse response, focusing on giving directions to Walmart without acknowledging your attempt at humor. "I need to get a few things for Abby, she's doing a project for school," he said, buckling his seatbelt.
Attempting to ignore the growing discord, you asked, "Oh, are there any close by?" and started the car, navigating the streets according to the directions Mike had given you. However, your nerves got the better of you, and you found yourself missing turns and getting lost.
Each error only served to fuel the fire. Mike's frustration grew with every misstep, a slow burn that threatened to consume the both of you. And then, finally, it boiled over. "Left, I said fucking left!" he shouted, his voice cracking with the strain of holding back his emotions.
"My fucking god. Can you drive?"
Stung by his harsh words, you couldn't help but retaliate. "What the hell is your problem? Why are you suddenly acting like a bitch?" Angry tears pricked at your eyes, the frustration of the day taking its toll on your composure.
His eyes locked onto yours, the transit stretching on as he struggled to find the right words. Finally, he snapped, "Because you're terrible at driving!" It was a feeble excuse, an attempt to deflect from the real issue that loomed between you.
Your heart sank as you demanded answers, pleading with him to reveal the truth. "I'm not stupid, Mike. Tell me what is it!"
Mike's jaw clenched tightly, his mind racing as he tried to find the words to articulate his thoughts. But the harder he tried, the more elusive the truth seemed to become. The weight of the question pressed down upon him, threatening to crush the fragile foundation of their friendship.
Finally, he posed the question that hung between him like a cloud. "Do you hate the idea of being with me?" His heart pounded in your chest, waiting for your response, fear and hope to battle within him.
"What? Am I disgusting to you? Is it because I don't have a set job? Why?"
The weight of those words hung heavily between you, the car falling silent except for the hum of the engine. In that moment, everything felt on the line – your friendship, your future, and the truth that had been bubbling under the surface for so long.
"I never said that," you responded, your voice shaking with hurt and confusion. You grasped for some semblance of control amidst the chaos of your emotions.
"Well, you don't have to!" Mike declared, his voice wavering. Years of unspoken feelings finally burst forth, spilling out in a torrent of raw honesty. "We've avoided this for years. We're not friends!" The accusation hung in the air.
Mike recounted memories that flooded your minds, moments shared between the two of you that transcended the boundaries of friendship. "Holding hands at IKEA? Almost kissing? Showering together and almost having shower sex?"
With a bitter laugh, Mike snarled, "Friends, my balls. We're more than that, and we've been avoiding the truth for too long. It's time to face it."
"I just didn't know you liked me..." you reply, your voice barely above a whisper. The weight of the truth bore down on you, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief mixed with the overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume you.
Mike's eyes softened, and for a moment, the tension between you seemed to dissipate. "I've liked you for a long time," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I was scared to say anything, scared of losing you as a friend."
The car fell silent once more, the hum of the engine the only sound that broke the heavy silence. At that moment, the two of you sat there, grappling with the new reality that had been laid bare between you. The path forward was uncertain, but one thing was clear – the friendship you had cherished for so long has now changed.
Mike sighed deeply, attempting to gather his thoughts and steady his escalating emotions. "I understand if you don't want to ever see me again," he murmured, his tone filled with a combination of regret and resignation. Despite the turmoil, he reached out and gripped your hand tightly, a silent plea for understanding.
"But, if that is the case," he continued, his voice catching in his throat, "at least let me kiss you... for the first and last time." The request hung in the air, heavy with the implication of finality.
You felt your body tremble at his words, a mix of excitement and fear coursing through you. The prospect of sharing this intimate moment with Mike, the one person you'd always cared for, both thrilled and terrified you.
"I don't want to die without knowing what it feels like to kiss you," he said, his voice filled with a mix of longing and desperation. The weight of the moment bore down on both of you, the unspoken emotions finally giving voice.
"And you won't have to," you whispered, desperation mingling with determination in your voice. Without another word, you leaned in, closing the distance between you until your lips met his in a searing kiss that echoed the years of longing that had built up between you.
Mike hesitated for only a moment before responding, his arms wrapping around you as the passion of the moment took hold. The weight of the past years melted away, replaced by the intensity of the present. For once, the uncertainty that had plagued your friendship was gone, replaced instead by the electric connection that had always been there, hiding just beneath the surface.
As the kiss lingered, you began to realize that this was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter for you both. The path forward may be fraught with uncertainty, but you were ready to face it together, finally embracing the love that had grown between you.
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Fin, Hope you enjoyed! I just wanted to write more than smut 😪
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denaliwrites · 6 months
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Road to Hell
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Crowley x GN!Reader
Summary: Of all the subjects Crowley thought he might walk in on you researching in the bookshop, demonology was probably at the bottom of the list.
Requests: Open!
Warnings: Crowley is a dick (affectionate).
"What're you reading today?" Crowley asked, towering over you with a contemplative look. You lifted the book for him to see and in return he offered a shocked choking sound in the back of his throat. "Demonology, huh? What... inspired you to read that?"
He hadn't told you anything about him and Aziraphale being a demon and an angel, respectively. As far as he knew, Aziraphale hadn't broached the topic with you, either. To him, there was absolutely no reason for you to be reading about anything even remotely connected to his or Aziraphale's status as supernatural beings.
Yet here you were.
Reading a book on demonology.
You shrugged in response to his question, bringing the book back down to your lap to read comfortably. "I'd never checked out the occult section before, so I decided to read something from there and this was the most interesting looking book on the whole shelf."
"Ah, right." That did, to Crowley's immense relief, make sense. You'd read at least one book from nearly every section in the bookshop -- why wouldn't you, at some point, venture into the occult?
"Can't help but wonder how accurate it is, though," you mused aloud. "Pretty sure we've all collectively decided that demonic possessions are all just mentally ill people being misunderstood and abused by the church, right? Or I guess sometimes maybe people seeking attention? So how much of this is, like... considered true, I guess?"
"Do you... believe in demons?" Crowley asked carefully.
"Not really. I mean, I feel like if they were real, we'd have more evidence than just... the church saying so? Like, surely atheists and Satanists would've met a ton of demons by now, but I don't see any atheists or Satanists ever talking about meeting demons."
Crowley had to admit that was a fair cop. Maybe a little... small-minded, at least cosmically speaking, but you were but a human. That could be excused.
"What if they were real?" he asked, coming to sit on the arm of the chair you occupied. "What if you met a demon? Knew a demon, even?"
You made a sound at the back of your throat that sounded an awful lot like the one he made. "I'd have a lot of things I needed to reconsider, for starters."
"Oh? Like what?"
"Well," you started, closing the book and turning so that you were facing him. "If demons were real, then I think the next logical step would be that angels were real, and if angels were real then the next step from that point would be that God's real."
He rocked back slightly to better look at you, clicking his tongue curiously. "Is that so bad, really?"
You sighed dramatically. It was a sound he loved -- it usually came before something remarkably human. Something remarkably You. "Anthony Janthony Cranthony," you lamented, "I cannot ever, under any circumstances, let my parents know that I regret not going to church more."
Anthony Janthony Cranthony? Why had you called him that? Of all things, to go with Anthony Janthony Cranthony...
He supposed that wasn't really the point to what you were saying. Something about your parents and church, though, that was the point.
"Not sure why they'd have to know," he said casually with a shrug.
Your eyes widened in shocked realization. "Oh, fuck, you're right! They'd never have to know. You're brilliant," you said, to him -- you'd called him brilliant! He beamed at that. "Going to Hell anyway, if all that were real, may as well add 'disrespecting my parents' to my list of sins."
Oh.
"Why do you think you'd go to Hell, darling?"
"It's not like I've been living a pious life, y'know?" you said, blinking up at him. "I curse, I've fucked out of wedlock, I'm reading all about demons and witchcraft and shit. I don't believe in God? I'm pretty sure that's one of the big no-nos."
It was his turn to blink, but his was followed up with a laugh. "Oh, love, God does not care about any of those things. Trust me."
"Oh, God, are you a Christian? Have you been this whole time? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend--"
"No, no, nothing like that. I..."
How did he tell you? Should he even tell you? He was sure Aziraphale might have something to say on the matter, but right now he couldn't be fucked, because you were here, looking up at him so innocently, so adoringly.
"What is it, Crowley?" And you sounded so concerned, so ready to take him into your arms and comfort him and apologize for a crime you hadn't even committed.
"I'm a demon."
The words tumbled forth from his lips before he could stop himself, and they hovered in the air for several silent and tense moments after, where all you did was stare at him.
And then you laughed -- and he wished he could laugh too. Hell, he wished he could hear even a trace of joy in your laugh. But it was all nerves and fear, like you weren't sure if this was some sick joke or if he was delusional.
When his expression didn't change, when he didn't yell out "sike!" or "gotcha!," your laugh died and then you just looked scared of him.
It nearly broke him, because if this was how you reacted before proof, how would you react when he showed you the truth?
But you didn't run away, so he carefully removed his glasses and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. Yours were locked onto the yellow irises, the slitted pupils that contracted and dilated at will.
He could tell you wanted to deny the reality of them -- that you wanted to write them off as contacts, but they wouldn't let you, because contacts couldn't dilate.
The only other things he could do -- well, within the confines of the bookshop, were show you his wings or turn into a snake. He wasn't huge on the latter option, at least not right now -- it definitely put him at a disadvantage, made him easier to discorporate.
So, instead, he moved to a stand. And his wings fanned out as you watched, and then, he figured, you'd run out the door screaming, never to be seen again. He hoped you lived well. He closed his eyes so that he didn't have to watch you walk away.
You got up -- he could hear the rustling of fabric, the relieved groan of the chair, the book falling onto the cushion. He expected the little bell above the door to signal your departure at any moment.
Instead, he felt your hands on his face, pulling him nearer to you. His eyes opened, stared into yours. The fear had gone, replaced by unabashed curiosity and deep, untamed love.
He expected many things to come out of that lovely mouth of yours. So God is real? Am I going to Hell? I don't want to go to Hell! What did I do to deserve going to Hell???
(You weren't going to Hell -- but after the initial question, people tended to panic and vomit the others out uncontrollably.)
He expected those questions. A handful of a select few others. He did not anticipate what you actually asked --
"Do you have a cool demon name?"
"A... Sorry, a what?"
"You know... Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Lucifer, Belial. What's your demon name?"
"O-oh... No... no 'cool' demon name, I'm afraid. Just... Just Crowley..."
He hadn't expected to be embarrassed and doubly hadn't expected to see a beaming smile on your face.
"I think Crowley's the coolest demon name, personally."
He could see in your eyes that you meant it -- and that made him smile.
"Isn't it just?" he asked with a relieved laugh.
"Now I gotta know what all you've done as a demon. I mean -- how old are you?"
"Old as the universe, darling."
He could see the moment your brain started trying to process that unfathomable information, and he could also see the moment it gave up. You moved on as if nothing happened, but Crowley took a moment to appreciate he wouldn't have to miracle your memories away before your brain went into nuclear meltdown.
"Why aren't you in Hell?"
"It's dreadfully boring."
"Why are you here?"
"I just think humans are neat... and your lot is very good at making booze."
"Have you done anything cool as a demon?"
"I met Shakespeare, I stopped some Nazi spies, I tempted Eve, I stopped Armageddon..."
"You what!?"
"Oh, yeah..." He made that sound in his throat. You copied it, seemingly from instinct. He wasn't even sure you noticed that you did it. "Long story, but Aziraphale and I convinced the Antichrist to just... not do the whole ending the world thing."
"Who's Aziraphale?"
"Oh. Right. Mr. Fell."
"... Mr. Fell? This Mr. Fell?" You motioned to the bookshop at large and Crowley nodded. "Is he a demon too?"
Crowley laughed -- an uproarious, barking laugh, that lasted much longer than was strictly necessary.
"Oh, you better not let him hear that," he said once he'd calmed down.
"... So he's not a demon?" you mumbled, and Crowley realized he'd accidentally made you feel bad.
He took one of your hands in his and guided it away from his face so that he could kiss the palm. "No, darling, he's not." He kissed your palm again. "He's an angel."
"I'm sorry -- he's a what?"
"An angel, of course. Really, like he could be anything else."
Nothing against him, of course, but he very much was what he was.
"So why are an ageless angel and demon wasting their time with me, a human who'll wither and die? Why go through that for me?"
"Well, it's not exactly our fault you weaseled your way into our lives," he said with an indignant hgk. "But now that you're here, we can't really imagine the place without you."
"I think that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me, and I can't believe it came from a demon."
"Don't let the angel know I let you get away with calling me sweet. He'd never let me live it down."
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