#journey to the plastic beach

[ken-katayanagi]

Familiar Strangers is probably gonna update sometime tommorow. Would’ve been today, but Quentin reviews put out the final part of the Sam and Cat trilogy and that’s a drop everything occasion for me

#scott pilgrim #plastic beach (Scott pilgrim) #my fic #2 year fucking journey baby let’s get it #king Quentin remains on top #chapter order is gonna be smut then angst #and then maybe fluff but I’m not sure if that’s going to be a chapter or it’s own fic

[oromaangel]

A Family Day at the Beach

Nanami Kento x fem! Reader

Tags: Pure sweet almost sickly fluff, Domestic, pregnancy, SFW, Alternative Universe, I was watching a bunch of Nara Smith videos and needed an outlet before I ended up getting married and having a real-life baby

w/c: 2,083

Based on this moodboard I made

For reference son is around 5 years old, older daughter is around 3, baby is almost 1 and the fetus is a fetus.

Dividers by @soulari

Nanami walked leisurely across the shore line of Kuantan watching his son and daughter in pure amusement as they poked and prodded at a displeased crab.

He had warned them earlier to leave the animal alone, that its claws would pinch their little fingers however, they insisted that the crab come back to live in their sand castle and that it had simply lost its way home. He couldn’t argue with that.

So for the better part of half an hour he had joined his kids in the slow journey guiding “Mr. Grabs” back home. And finally after a lifetime of traversing the sand dunes, the sand castle was in view.

“Almost there Mr. Grabs” his daughters sweet voice offered words of encouragement gently tapping the crabs hard exterior with a twig in the hope to jolst in further ahead. His son however, has grown restless over this whole ordeal.

“UGHHHH Can this thing be any slower” his son puffed, squeezing at his blonde tendrils in frustration. Nanami let out a breathy laugh recounting that at least all the lessons he had taught them both on patience had an effect on one of the children.

In that moment of positive recollection, he glanced upwards towards the sky soaking in the warmth from the rays above.

Big Mistake.

His knee-length clone identified this slight second of distraction from the adult present which gave him enough time to make his move. Nanami should have expected this, kids are like predators, waiting for a moment of weakness from their prey (their parents) before striking and doing something stupid. Alas just as quickly as his happy memories started to play, it ended with the shrill shriek of his daughter.

“Put him down” she screamed as she watched her brother pick up Mr Grabs and run in the direction of the sand castle. Before Nanami could open his mouth she had taken off after her brother, swinging her plastic toy shovel in the air. Standing there in the cloud of sand dust left by his children Nanami mused the idea of yelling at both of them to stop knowing they would both immediately listen but something tickled in the back of his head reminding him that this would be a great parenting lesson to have up his sleeve so he resigned to watching this small bout of madness play out already knowing how it would end.

His son looked back at his sisters expression taunting her with a toothy grin “I’m just faster than you-“

“Three, two, one…” like magic Nanami counted in his head and as soon as the clock struck midnight his son’s face began to contort. First confusion, then pain, then….

Every beachgoer in the near vicinity, grimaced at the ear splitting scream let out by the little boy as he began to flay his arm attempting to unattach a very pissed off crab from his appendage. Pushing the smug parent grin to the back of his mind Nanami approached the panicked child and removed the crustacean from his body, tossing it to the side and watching as it hurriedly scuttled away.

“Errrrr, Kento!” Your voice slashed through the moment “When I said watch the kids, watching them get bitten by crabs was not what I had in mind!” You grumbled, awkwardly manoeuvring yourself upwards, your round pregnant belly throwing off your centre of gravity causing you to stumble slightly in your ascent. Beside you your youngest child babbled happily in the sand, unaware of the distress her older siblings were in.

Nanami grinned sheepishly “It’s alright dear no one got hurt” he held the blushing boys arm as proof of his claim “Lie back done and get some rest” he cooed sweetly. Although your eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he could feel the daggers aimed in his direction before you sighed and laid back down in the sun chair, picking back up the mother magazine you were reading.

He knelt down wordlessly and analysed the boy's wound, the finger was pinched pink but otherwise no skin was broken and no damage was caused other than to his ego. Smiling sweetly at his son, his lecture to the sniffling child on patience and respecting animals had begun in the most serious tone he could muster with that heavenly ‘Told you so’ feeling swimming in the back of his mind. His son stared at the ground, he hated being scolded by Nanami despite the fact his father never raised his voice or berated him his tone always carried a serious level of discipline and respect that could make a bird feel bad for singing. Nanami didn't like scolding either but he knew it was important to ensure his children stayed on the right path and represented him and his wife's hard work well. The boy nodded wordlessly once Nanami had reached his concluding message and reached out to hug his father's open arms buring his face into the older man's chest.

This was your fourth child with Nanami yet you were still a bundle of nerves preparing for their arrival. Being so close in age with your youngest (completely unplanned on your part, SOMEONE can’t keep their hands and other body parts to themselves) you worried about dividing your attention equally between the under twos and also how much sleep you would be able to get with breastfeeding two mouths.

You had read countless advice columns and mommy blogs warning about the dangers of having kids too close in age, critiquing mothers with large families on their ability to love and provide attention to all their children equally, and seen countless posts warning about the dangers of just about everything you currently did raising your young family. Doubt began to fill your head and despite having three little ones you felt like a new mother learning to do the correct things all over again.

Nanami did his best to ease your anxiety with foot rubs and affirming words reminding you that you both were a team and that he was ready to take on the sleepless nights again, even suggesting hiring a full time nanny to live in the house during the first few months to make the newborn stage easier. You declined his offer, despite home-care being cheaper in Malaysia it would still eat into a large chuck on his savings that could be allocated better elsewhere. Plus you had just watched a video of kids saying that they liked their nanny more than their moms which only added to your growing anxiety.

Nanami had noticed your behaviour change, especially after you began to second guess whether or not you'd vaccinate the baby and seriously discussed giving birth at home in the tub with no nurse or midwife. He shot down these ideas immediately, insisting that he would not be putting you or his children through that extra stress based on conspiracy theories and fear-mongering. He had started to worry about how all the 'online garbage' was affecting your sanity and mental health during your third trimester and insisted on having a no-technology day at the beach to ease your worries.

After another great parenting lesson was concluded Nanami made his way towards his moody wife. Your grouchiness never bothered him, in fact, it was one of his favourite parts of pregnancy. Seeing you become tender and over-emotional and knowing exactly how to squeeze a smile out of you in those moments was his greatest pleasure and partially why you both had formed a little league football team worth of children in such a short amount of time.

“There are my sweet girls” he approached the cheery baby on the ground first, casually removing the fist full of sand that was making its way to her open mouth and peppering kisses across her chubby cheeks causing her to bubble over in laughter. Music to his ears.

“And my favourite girl” he grinned placing the baby on his hip and crouching beside you on the chair. You glanced away from your magazine and scoffed at the slight on your husband’s over-exaggerated kissy face he was making at you.

“No kisses for me?” He asked playfully cocking his head to the side. You rolled your eyes and placed a single chaste kiss on his lips but before you could pull yourself away, you felt a large hand on the back of your neck , keeping you in place as he deepened the kiss. You mumbled incoherently into his mouth for a second before giving in to the affection placing a soft hand on the side of his face. After what felt like an eternity, this kiss was interrupted by a small disapproving smack from the baby on his side who began claw at both of your faces clearly distressed by this public display of affection.

Giggles enveloped the both of you whilst affectionately watching the baby crawl back to the pile of toys in the sand once placed on the ground.

“Still reading that magazine love? Nanami asked glancing at the the object in question “Honestly, we’ve done this three times already I don’t know what other advice you could possibly need or how much more equipment we could fit in the nursery” he grunted as he stood up from the sand balancing at the edge of your sun-bed.

Rolling your eyes you folded up the magazine placing it out of sight “There’s always some thing new to learn with these things, like the new Montessori school opening nearby and there’s these baby bottles that are shaped like real nipples to help with latching, and a bassinet that rocks the baby for you! It’s called the SNOO it’s about eight thousand Ringgits but we can buy it second hand” Nanami playfully groaned at your rambling shifting his body until he laying between your thighs leaving small kisses where he could reach.

“Are you even listening to me Kento? I said it says here that plastic nappies are actually bad for babies skin and that plastic bottles can cause eczema” He hummed absentmindedly in response resulting in a pout from you and a flick to the forehead.

Brushing off your annoyance he pointed his finger in the direction of your two oldest children who were engrossed in a very intense game of tag “Look over there love”

You winced slightly at the blow your daughter had delivered to her brother back once she caught up with him suppressing your giggle as he face-planted into the floor before getting up and taking after his assailant at full speed.

“And over here” he again pointed to the baby playing “Can I eat that?” in the sand beside them.

“You raised all of these kids just fine without all that nonsense, we’re going to be just fine” he kissed your thighs again caressing small circles into you while his eyes remained half-lidded.

You huffed again staring down at your caring husband allowing yourself to relax at his touch. Maybe he was right, all your babies were happy and healthy and you kept them alive for this long and anonmom2567 couldn't be THAT much better at parenting than you afterall.

"You're probably right Ken" you sighed again closing your eyes and relaxing back into the sunbed, he smiled lazily into your thighs content that his plan had worked and that he could reduce some of his wife’s troubles. The sound of gentle waves and chatter lulled you both into comfortable silence appreciating the wonderful weather, coastal air, and beautiful sky.

Of course as a parent silence meant trouble was afoot.

After a few minutes of this blissful silence you turnt to find your baby was not at her pile of blocks. You immediantly shot up and began to scan the area horrified to see your baby a considerable distance away (how'd she even crawl that fast???) at another families beach set up eating a popsicle from a cooing older lady.

"Aren't you just the most precious little angel" she fawned over your littlest one who was already scanning what they would eat next.

Not only that your oldest son had decided that the most adequet punishment for the slap he had recieved earlier was digging his younger sister neck deep in the sand.

Nanami followed your eyes to the scenes before him and let out a loud laugh, getting up to dig out the now-crying child while you retrieved your baby escape artist.

You were going to be just fine.

A/N: My second public fic omgggg hope you enjoyed. I was binge watching a bunch of Nara Smiths content and decided that I need to write my own young family AU before I messed around and married a mormon

#jujustu kaisen #nananmi kento #jjk nanami #nanami x reader #nanami kento x reader #nanami x you #nanami kento x you #jjk x reader #jujustsu kaisen x reader #jujustsu kaisen au

[afeelgoodblog]

#075 - The Best News of Last Week - February 27, 2023

🐈 - Do you know Gacek, the most famous cat in Poland?

Hey there! It's Erica here, and I'm excited to share with you some of the most uplifting news stories of the week. In a world that can sometimes seem filled with negativity, it's important to focus on the positive and find inspiration in the good things that are happening around us. Let's dive into this week's collection of wholesome news!

1. 8-year-old boy missing from Washington state for 8 months is found in Missouri

A boy who has been missing from Washington state since at least mid-June was found safe in Missouri, the FBI office in Seattle said Tuesday.

Authorities said 8-year-old Breadson John had vanished by June 17, when a welfare check at his home in Vancouver, Washington, just across the state line from Oregon, determined his absence.

2. World’s biggest four-day working week trial hailed a ‘major breakthrough’

The trial of a four-day working week in the UK, the largest of its kind in the world, has been celebrated as a “major breakthrough” after the majority of participating companies announced their intention to continue with the shorter week.

The trial, which ran for six months from June last year, required firms to reduce their working hours for all employees by 20 per cent without any reduction in wages.

At least 56 out of the 61 companies confirmed they will continue with the four-day working week, while 18 of them have made the policy a permanent change.

3. This dying baby turtle survived after drifting 4,000 miles to Ireland

A family strolling on a beach in Ireland earlier this month spotted a seafarer that had washed up on the rocks. Less than a year old, the female loggerhead survived a months-long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, teeming with dangers including predators and plastic. Although she was still alive, the turtle was dehydrated, massively underweight.

They called her Cróga, the Irish word for “brave.” After finding Cróga in the northwestern part of Ireland, the family called a few groups that rehabilitate whales and dolphins. There, Cróga’s rehabilitation began.

4. A Hernando toddler found alive after being missing for nearly 24 hours

A 2-year-old boy was lost in the Florida woods for 24 hours. Everyone feared the worst. Hundreds of volunteers came out to look for him.

One volunteer came to a fork in a field: right or left? He trusted his gut, went left and soon heard a whimper. It was the little boy, crying but in good health.

I found something interesting while reading this article: If you are part of a SAR team looking for a child to not only call their name but also that they aren’t in trouble. Young children sometimes hide from potential rescuers because they’re afraid they’ll get in trouble.

5. German man remains free of the HIV virus years after receiving stem cell treatment.

Researchers are announcing that a 53-year-old man in Germany has been cured of HIV.

Referred to as "the Dusseldorf patient" to protect his privacy, researchers said he is the fifth confirmed case of an HIV cure. Although the details of his successful treatment were first announced at a conference in 2019, researchers could not confirm he had been officially cured at that time. Today, researchers announced the Dusseldorf patient still has no detectable virus in his body, even after stopping his HIV medication four years ago.

6. South Korea court recognises same-sex couple rights for first time

A South Korean court has for the first time recognised the rights of a same-sex couple in the country. In a landmark ruling, the Seoul High Court found a government health insurer did owe coverage to the spouse of a customer after the firm withdrew it when it found out the pair were gay.

The men had held a wedding ceremony in 2019, but same-sex marriage is not recognised in South Korea.

Activists say the ruling is a leap forward for LGBT rights in the country.

7. A fat cat has become the top-rated tourist attraction in a Polish city with a perfect 5-star average on Google Maps

A fat black-and-white cat called Gacek has become the top-rated tourist attraction in the Polish city of Szczecin.

Gacek has a perfect five-star rating on Google Maps. His name, pronounced gats-ek, means "long-eared bat" in Polish. Gacek first drew international attention when he appeared in a YouTube documentary in 2020

- - -

That's it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Let's carry the positivity into next week and keep spreading the good news!

#best news of last week

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Plastic Hearts - (27)

<<<Prev

---

This is the last chapter! So it's a bit long and a little spicy in certain bits haha but I hoped you enjoyed the journey so far!

We got to the end and a happy ending 😆

Love you all, thank you making this a great experience and for all the lovely comments 💖

---

The sun kissed your skin and so did your husband, his dark blonde hair catching the light as his eyes took in the sight of you sprawled out in your swim suit. Just your very presence seemed to make him look drunk and for his fingers to crave for your warmth.

The waves were gentle today, that it made the sunlight glimmer over the surface like patches of diamonds. It had been a while since you had moved out to the Hamptons. You hadn’t had a lot of grey days or gloomy clouds hanging over your head, it was endless blue skies and white clouds, the beach air seemed to agree with you as you took in a deep breath. This new chapter made up for everything, so much so that Barbieland was now in the past.

The city had it’s charm but you needed a change of pace, a step towards a new start. The wounds in your heart was healing, it was time to step out from Melissa’s apartment and a life you knew. You had grown comfortable in it and all you needed was a shift in your perspective. It was nostalgic, to place the keys to that dark wood door into the hands of a new tenant as you packed away your things into a moving truck. But the beauty was, you weren’t doing any of this alone. Every aspect of this change felt welcome and adventurous because he was by your side.

So as a reward to all your hardships, now you began your day with morning swims instead of bustling through an angry crowd and by lying in Ken’s arms as you lounged by the beach instead of being in a loud kitchen. Life had taken a slower pace and you enjoyed every bit of it.

It only felt like yesterday when you walked out that hotel lobby hand in hand, gold rings gleaming in each other’s ring finger and now it had already been a year of this bliss. The gathering was quaint but it was never about the people or the grandeur of it, it was getting to be there together after having thought you had lost him forever. It was getting to slow dance to your favorite song and then dance the night away.

You were by the corner talking to one of your friends when Ken found you during your reception, his cheeks flushed with colour and a smile that he couldn’t contain.

“Come on, I’ve requested a song for us.”, he took you to the middle of the dance floor as he tipped his head toward the Dj to play the song.

The intro began to play as he took your hands in his to give you a playful wink. ‘The very first night’, by Taylor swift was the song he had chosen. You shook you head as you laughed.

“Every weekend, the same party. I never go alone and I don’t seem broken-hearted. My friends all say they know everything I’m going through. I drive down different roads but they all lead back to you”

He sang the words to you, it took you back to the all the times you had seen him waiting outside during Girls night. To think that all those different roads had in fact led you both together made the nostalgia dig deeper.

"We never saw it comin’, not tryin’ to fall in love, but we did like children runnin’, back then we didn’t know we were built to fall apart. We broke the status quo, then we broke each other’s hearts."

You sang the second verse to him, because that was how you fell in love, and you broke the status quo when you both found your own lives here, but parts of the story left you both with broken hearts only for it to seal together now.

His eyes beamed with life but so did the corners as it held traces of his tears.

"But don’t forget about the night out in L.A. Danced in the kitchen, chased me down through the hallway. No one knows about the words that we whispered. No one knows how much I miss you."

This you sang together, he placed his forehead on yours as you swayed together. For all those nights ago when you were catching feelings and falling in love all over again.

It truly was one of a kind, a love you will never get to witness again in this lifetime.

"Take me away to you."

He spun you out and that night was the best you had ever witnessed, your heart was full. It felt like it could go on forever.

You knew nothing about what life held from then on, all this was new and so when many advised that it would start getting harder after the honeymoon phase died, you didn’t understand the logic.

Because for you, his love was constant. It wasn’t something that demanded a lot of effort. You and him shared that easy frequency where fights were limited, like you could read each other’s mind. The honeymoon phase didn’t have an expiration date, he treated you with such tenderness that it wasn’t just a display of his affections, it was the embodiment of it.

But today was important, it was the grand opening of your restaurant, situated right on the beach front. At the very thought your mind dipped away from your daydream and into the endless spiral of preparation for the event, so you held his face in your hands to get his attention to which he groaned as he pouted his lips.

“We’ve got to prepare for the evening.”, you chuckled to which he broke free from your hold to nuzzle his into your neck as he laid by your side.

“We’ve got hours to prepare.”, he mumbled sleepily.

“I don’t know, I don’t want anything to go wrong.”, you said as you sighed.

“And it won’t.”, he reassured you.

You nodded, placing your hand over his that wrapped around your waist. You turned to him, to catch sight of him resting so peacefully. He looked like a merman come to life so content with his life on land, that you were blessed with having him with you, in the arduous journey of life.

“I’m just nervous.”, you let the words spill because with him it just ebbed from out of you. His thumb stroked your body as his eyes fluttered open.

“Don’t be.”, he said gently, his eyes finding yours, you were lost in his gaze.

You weren’t saying anything and neither was he, but you were having an entire conversation. You pushed away his hair, he caught your wrist, to then pause before he kissed your palm. It was as if he could never get enough, that’s how he displayed his affection. Delicately and unconditionally, executed with excellence.

“You know what you have to do now, don’t you?”, you felt his grin against your palm to which you groaned, squirming away but he didn’t let you slip away.

He reeled you in, like a boat out on the bay, till you were on top of him. He raised his brow letting you know that he was waiting for it, the sentence he got you to repeat every time you doubted yourself.

“I deserve this happiness.”, you began to which he closed his eyes again, feeling appeased as he listened to you.

“And?”, he asked.

“I worked hard for this.”, you continued to which he nodded his head in agreement.

“You did and you continue to.”, he held your cheek as his eyes found yours again but now he beamed and you knew that he was proud of you.

As you held his gaze you narrowed your eyes at him knowing well why you were out here. The morning swims and walks by the beach were your effort in helping him get out of his fear of the water. All this while, he would only stand by the shore and never get in. You didn’t force him, it had to be on his terms, he would wait for you when you went out for a swim but you could see it in his eyes, the desire to follow you in.

“Now it’s your turn.”, you got up and he sighed as he looked at the serene waters.

You held your hand out to him and he took it, to stand up and dust the sand off him.

“Race you to the shoreline?”, you asked him, with adrenaline beginning to rush into your bloodstream.

“What will you give me if I win?”, he smiled as he rested his hands on his hips after pulling away his shirt.

“Anything you want”, you said mischievously which piqued his interest.

“Ok count down to –

But you didn’t, you didn’t wait for him as you took off running, down towards the open waters.

“Hey!”, he called after you, telling you it wasn’t fair that you cheated as he chased after you.

You felt laughter fill your mouth and the sweet taste of victory when your feet touched the water before you dove in.

He slowed down the moment you waded away, his smile sobering as his feet rested ankle deep. His eyes however were on you, looking at you as if he was mesmerized. He wanted to get out there. So he waded in deeper, the water rising up to his knees.

So you made it easy, and got closer to him instead, as you stood in front of him. Your hair slicked back as you felt water trickle down your face, your hands were cold and wet as you placed it against his cheek.

“You don’t have to push yourself. This is greater progress than before.”, you told him.

But something about the way you shimmered beneath the sun, the cold touch of your fingertips, he knew he couldn’t let this hold him back. He had to let go, of the way his past fears still had an edge over him. He wasn’t going to lose everything again. All this he had now was here to stay, so were you. So the waves didn’t seem daunting anymore.

He hummed as his gaze fell to the shape of your lips, his eyes darkened as he bit his lip. He took in a deep breath, looked ahead and in that instant made up his mind.

You didn’t expect it, when he picked you up, getting your legs to straddle his waist as he ventured further. The water level raising up his waist to his chest. Seeing you smile was intoxicating that he wanted to venture further.

“I just needed the right motivation.”, he chuckled.

“Oh and what is that?”, you asked swiping away water from his face.

“You”, he said, his eyes taking in the details of your face.

And with that feeling the cold waters around him that were being to turn warm as he got used to it, he couldn’t wait anymore, he reached up to place his lips on yours.

It was sweet, the taste of strawberries on his lips then the sting of the salt balanced it out. He pulled away from you, leaving you wanting more with a sly grin on his face. You dipped low, you lips hovering over his.

“You don’t want to claim your prize?”, you whispered feeling bothered that he didn’t catch the meaning of your phrase from before.

“Not here.”, he said slowly, his voice getting husky and low.

“I feel jealous having to share you with the sea.”, he said and it only made you chuckle. That his competition wasn’t another man’s attention but the elements around you. That some how he wanted to be the breeze that caressed your skin, the water that enveloped you or the sun that made your hair change colour.

“Alright.”, you conceded with placing a kiss on his forehead.

It was relaxing, bobbing a long the waves as you lazily swam about. But with the afternoon sun rising higher, the water was getting warmer and your skin had spoken up enough salt.

---

So you packed up and headed home. Your new place was much bigger, the large windows let natural light stream in, your kitchen was idle with a few covered dishes from last night sitting on the counter top. You dropped your bags into the allocated space that contained all the items that related to your beach activities.

Ken put away his flip flops to then head over and peruse through the fridge to cure his hunger.

“I’m headed off to take a bath.”, you let him know as you undid your hair, a trail of water droplets followed you.

The salt now stuck to your body and face that everything felt grimy and uncomfortable. So you took a towel and got into the shower space, the warm water cascading over you to make you feel fresh and clean.

But half through you heard the sound of the bathroom door open and close. You saw his silhouette through the fogged glass. The outline of his body gave way to his presence as he got into the shower with you. He held his sweet gaze but you could tell he wasn’t here to play games. He drew closer to you until he towered over you, to tilt your chin so your eyes were on him, the water beginning to cover you both, his hand slid up your neck as his fingers wrapped around your throat gently. His eyelashes dripping wet, his light hair turning dark as it soaked through.

“I’m here, to claim my prize.”, he said, his voice lost its politeness, now he said it with an authority making his lip tilt up.

“Took you long enough.”, you said as you met his gaze.

You slid your hands down his back, there was no holding back now. He found your lips with a passion and hunger that never seemed to run out. Being touch starved only meant neither wanted to keep their hands to themselves. He held you steady, his body pushing you up the tiled wall as you held onto him, your hands slipping against the glass as he dug his tongue deeper.

Your bottom lip getting caught between his teeth as his hands traced down your body. The salt disappeared, the steam took over. There was no time to pause, it was a dance, it was an art. The way he paced himself and the way you craved his touch.

You could see his little puffs of air take up a wispy form as the hot water continued to keep you both warm. His fingers travelled down the dips of your waist to the curve of your backside. He trailed it back up to cradle your head again as he held onto your hair, the edge of his nails scraping against your scalp as he exposed your neck to leave a trail of kisses or to leave little love bites but you fought for your turn.

You pulled his chin down to you, meeting his unrelenting mouth with yours, the sound of his delighted moan drove you insane, the power your touch held to make him weak in the knees, it empowered you to pull on the ends of his hair, to pull him deeper towards you that his hand slipped from when he had braced himself against the wall behind you. He pressed into you and you pulled away to catch your breath.

Madness, you were both full of it. You would eventually get to finishing up your bath later, but as he took caught his breath, his chest rising and falling with yours, his eyes focused on yours to tell you he only wanted more, you knew this was far from over. He pinned both your hands above your head and dipped his head to meet your lips again.

--

The walk up to your store was nerve wracking. The sun had set and the moon was out, Ken was all dressed up in a loose blazer, white fitted shirt and trouser pants, he looked pristine while you wore a maroon velvet gown, perfect for this evening. But when you caught sight of your restaurant, the nervousness faded because the neon sign was on. ‘Melissa’ in a cursive font lit up the street and reminded you of fond memories.

Ken took your hand to give it a gentle squeeze, his hair combed back as he nudged you ahead. You stood taller and pushed through the door to be greeted by your friends and staff, some of whom joined you from Sam’s kitchen.

The menu was set, the food was prepared and everyone looked happy. Ken invited his colleagues from the local school he worked at and also from the youth program he was overseeing. You grabbed a drink to clink against the glass to get everyone’s attention.

“I know I’ve spoken a lot over the past few months so I just want to keep this short. I wanted to thank everyone here, for being a pillar of support and for cheering us on. Looking forward to a great night and to the many more that are to come.

Here’s to new beginnings.”, you finished raising the glass in the air to hear an eruption of cheers around you.

The crowd fizzled away as each one found their own spot, you took a sip from the glass as you turned to the photo wall behind you. Ken slipped his hand from behind to kiss your cheek to then rest his chin on your shoulder as he admired the photos with you.

It had one of Melissa, a lot from New York, one from your wedding day, one with Ken and you riding horses and many more. This was your new legacy, one made by your own with the people you loved. The other walls were still empty but you knew that as time passes, they will become full too.

You took Ken’s hand as you found your table, that idea set up for you two, he held out the seat for you to sit in and once you did, he took up the seat in front of you.

Your plates were placed in front of your with the first course and it felt like you had come full circle from where you began to where you were. The world paused for a second. Ken’s eyes caught yours before he looked towards to shelf near the entrance. You turned to see it too and on it sat, Chef Barbie and Beach Ken.

For the dolls who once had nothing, now the world was theirs, it was yours and his.

---

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@imogen-skye @ateliefloresdaprimavera @meowkid1000 @jokersgrf @linacool13 @oh-kurva @dreamsarenicer @livelaughlaufeyy @babyimjustken @tempobaekh @fallingwallsh @whatafreakingloser @lcversrockk @imonmyvigilanteshh @constellationscharts @eddiemunson4ever @freyafriggafrey @neptunelixir @floralsightings @ynbutbetter @lazyboikat @mrharringtonsbae @spookyscellar @haydensith @weasleytwinscumslut @kensthetic @itstylersblog @lee-lee-23 @dazeglitter-blog @urmom24sworld

@chaos-in-person @aremos @theoriginalwife000 @undercover-being-whack @puredreamagination @h-l-vlovesvintage @krazyk99 @agustdeeyaa @bluebear19 @berlinswifey @suzirumas @faustlyaccused @rennydenny @paintmekala @leafyturtle @lafy-taffy @blossomingrose @dark-hunter16 @marvellover31415 @hope4rain19 @starstruck-loner @jell0buss-17 @anc1ka

#barbie movie 2023 #ken from barbie #ken barbie #barbie movie #barbie #ken carson #ken x barbie #ken x y/n #ken x you #ken x reader #ryan!ken #ryan gosling ken #ryan gosling #ken fluff #ken fic #plastic hearts

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Ignore this if you want but please write a ryan gosling!Ken x Shy!human!Reader? Like I can’t stop thinking about Ken being human and a dad of a infant son who’s a mommy boy and Ken brings them to Barbie land, just hardcore fluff? Like everyone is happy to see the reader again but also happy to see a baby. So cute shy reader brings her infant son to girls night. 💖💖💖💖💖💖

"You think they'll like him?"

"They'll love him, [y/n]. I'm sure of it." Ken popped his head out of the camper van's window, smiling as he saw you sitting outside on the lawn chair.

You weren't the only people making a trip back to Barbieland, however, as you were currently cradling your pride and joy:

It was your infant son, who had the same hair color as you, and the same bright blue eyes as his father.

Yes, the baby was also Ken's.

After he decided to become human with your help (and a whole lot of patience), he was finally at a place where he felt genuinely happy with his life and purpose:

He started working for Mattel to advocate for the Ken dolls and skyrocket their sales, got married to you--his owner who finalized his decision to leave all his dollness behind, and settled down in a house that you could both call your own.

Despite all of these great happenings, however, he did feel like something else was missing.

Something that he desperately wanted to experience as a man.

And no, it had nothing to do with horse or beach or patriarchy.

It was fatherhood.

During his second time in the Real World, he's seen families bonding with their kids in movies, books, and even just walking down the street.

He was a bit embarrassed about obsessing over horses and ignoring the beauty of humanity happening all around him back then.

But now? He got to truly appreciate it.

While Ken didn't explicitly tell you that he wanted to know what it's like to raise a family, you could just tell from his lingering stares and smiles that he would give anything to experience that.

So you had some conversations about it, and you were absolutely happy to have a kid with him.

Yet after coming home from the clinic with the confirmation that you were pregnant, he became utterly terrified, his mind cluttered with the "what-ifs"?

He knew that he messed up a lot as Barbie's handcrafted boyfriend, and even as a human...that guilt followed him back to the Real World. He may have left behind the pastels and plastics, but these overwhelming emotions stuck to him like super glue.

He's just so, so afraid of screwing up again. Or that his expectations of fatherhood will fall short and the kid will hate him if they knew what he-

But you reassured Ken he was going to be a great father; him worrying about raising them right before they're even born just shows it.

Those nerves finally went away the moment he got to hold his son in the delivery room, sobbing after he realized he helped create this beautiful life with you.

Something that he, a dumb blond plastic doll who only knew how to do beach, never thought he'd get to experience.

Like Barbie, he finally got to be the creator...rather than the created.

Now he couldn't wait to revisit Barbieland with you and introduce his child to everyone there.

You've taken a trip there a few times before, so you were well aware of the long rollerblade-snowmobile-camper van-tandem bike-rocketship-speedboat-convertible journey ahead.

This time however, you were reasonably nervous, given you now had one extra fragile passenger to take care of.

Luckily, it's been a rather smooth trip so far, and your son didn't make a single fuss.

Not in the freezing cold during your snowmobile ride...and not even when a mama bear was currently emerging from the surrounding woods, approaching you both. You still held him closely, staying calm and cool, knowing these animals wouldn't hurt you.

Ken, on the other hand, damn near jumped out the window to drive the scary beast away--his newly-acquired dad instincts kicking into maximum overdrive.

But you took notice and hushed him, before turning back to the bear who was now sniffing you and your son with curiosity. You got to pet her on the head, and eventually she huffed and left you two alone.

"See?" You glanced back at your husband, amused that his torso was now halfway out the window. "Seriously, Ken? There's a door y'know."

"W-Well...had to make sure my family is safe! But I see you got it under control...g-good job, sweetie!" He forced a smile, although he was clearly struggling.

"....are you stuck?"

"......maybe."

'Great...now I'm dealing with two children.' Shaking your head, you gently set your baby in the carrier, before going to help Ken.

Yeah, this trip was going to be longer than you thought.

And not because of the kid.

................

"Barbies! Kens! Allan! We're back!"

"Oh my god!"

"Everybody STOP what you're doing!! It's [y/n] and Ken!!"

"Hi [y/n]!!"

"Hi Ken!!"

"Welcome back guys!!"

"Ken, dude!!!"

"[Y/n]! How you've been-??!"

"Guys, guys..at least let us get out first." After stepping out of the car, you looked around at the dolls surrounding you and Ken, seeing that Barbieland had gone through some changes since the last time you've seen it.

Nevertheless, it still felt warm and welcoming. Like your second home at this point.

With a bashful smile, you cradled your son closely to your chest, sighing as you wondered how you'll break the news to them. You were never one to make huge announcements...especially as everydoll here now had their eyes on you.

Weird Barbie--now in a uniform fitting for the garbage workers here--was quick to notice the bundle of blue you were holding, tilting her head. "What's that you got there, hun? A gift for us?"

"O-Oh! This is...um-"

"Oh it's not just any gift you can buy, Weird Barbie," Ken interjected, trying to hold back the tears in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around you, smiling from ear-to-ear. "We have brought to you the gift...of life!!"

There was a silence so loud, you could almost hear crickets chirping from the other world.

"...he means we had a baby boy." You bluntly stated, uncovering some of the blanket so they could see your child.

At first there were gasps, before there were cheers and smiles all around as they came closer to congratulate you both.

The Barbies cooed at how adorable your son looked, while Midge asked you if he just "popped" out of your belly like her Real World counterpart (to which you said no, of course).

Meanwhile, Ken struck up a conversation with the other Kens, who had their own praise to give and told him about all the cool jobs and other opportunities they've gotten since he left.

Of course, though, he was the first among them to be a dad besides Sugar Daddy Ken.

"But enough about us, and more about your son..." Tourist Ken spoke up, leaning forward. "Tell me, is he shaping up to be a "beach boy" like his dad?"

"Nope. He's...definitely a momma's boy." With a warm smile, Ken looked to you, seeing how his son clung to you while looking mesmerized by all the colorful and sparkly things in the cul-de-sac. "But he has my eyes and...that's enough for me."

A small chorus of "awh's" were heard, but before all the guys could start spouting about the sports they wanted to teach your son, he noticed you approaching them.

He stood right up, his focus on you. "Yes, my love?"

"Oh! So..I was wondering..uh--girls, c'mon." You huffed to the giggling Barbies behind you, shooing them away. Then you turned back to your husband. "Anyways, they um...invited me to girls' night tonight. And they're hoping our little guy can come along, too!"

"........."

"It'll just be for a few hours, I-I promise." You nervously added, suddenly remembering how he felt about that event. "I won't be-"

"I don't mind if you two go."

You blinked. "...you don't?"

"Nah, the Kens said they're having their own boys' night on the beach...which so-happens to be tonight as well!" His grin returned. "You have fun with the ladies. You'll know where I'll be."

Those words brought a huge smile to your own face, and you stepped forward to peck him on the lips. "Thanks, sweetheart. You boys have fun.." Your gaze flickered to the male dolls. "Try not to "beach-off" my husband while I'm gone."

After that, you turned and walked back to the Barbies, while Ken stared at the other Kens, noticing their bewildered expressions.

"What?"

"Th-That was an actual kiss."

"I've never seen one like that before!"

"H-How did you do that???"

"...it took practice, and don't forget..I'm human now, too." He chuckled, feeling a bit smug. "Humans kiss very differently."

#clanask #anonymous #barbie x reader #barbie movie x reader #barbie 2023 x reader #barbie ken x reader #ryan gosling ken #ryan gosling ken x reader #fluff #female reader

[makethatelevenrings]

Angel by the Wing - SIX

Chapter Warnings: discussion of canon character death, allusion to emotional parental abuse

Series Masterlist

The industrial hum of the overhead lights mixed with the metallic scrape of the freezer door on the frame sent a shiver down your spine. The balmy San Diego weather couldn’t compete with the freezer aisles of the Miramar commissary. You were on the hunt for some quality time with your two favorite men, Ben & Jerry.

Normally, you would leave the Kazansky household and make your way to the Hard Deck to nurse a beer before leaving with Jake, but you couldn’t bring yourself to be around all that loud noise and drunken idiots. You could deal with it when you were working, but tonight you just wanted to go home and nurse your aching heart at the bottom of an ice cream carton.

Contrary to popular beliefs, bartenders don’t always turn to alcohol to soothe themselves.

Grabbing a carton of your favorite flavor, you headed towards the self checkout when a tall body stepped out of the booze aisle and directly into your path.

“Shit, sorry,” the man mumbled as you careened to a stop, just barely catching yourself from crashing into him. Seriously, you have got to stop smacking into people in the grocery store. The last time you did that, you ended up practically adopted.

“That’s my bad. I should have been paying better attention…hi.”

Bradley grinned at you and you shook your head, a small laugh escaping you. A six pack was clutched in one of his hands and you nodded towards it.

“What? Is my bar not good enough for you?”

“It’s not the bar, but the people. Can you imagine dealing with Hangman all day, everyday?”

A smirk played on your lips at the thought and you shrugged. “I just serve the drinks.”

“Not working tonight?”

“Penny does let me have a life sometimes. Surprising, I know. So I’m heading home and hopefully eating this whole thing before going to bed before ten.”

He looked down at your bounty and then back up at your face. There was some charming allure to Bradley Bradshaw’s smile. You offered him a shy smile and jerked your thumb over your shoulder towards the self checkout.

“I should…go.”

His hand curled around your wrist, warm and light against your skin like the summer sun. It pulled your attention back to him instead of your imminent escape.

“Join me on the beach?”

You hesitated, just for a brief moment, but then you saw that there was something behind that handsome facade. Anger. Grief. Frustration. Behind the cocky smile and charming veneer rested something else.

“Okay,” you murmured. “Beach sounds nice.”

Your battle with him over paying was short lived because he swiped your ice cream across the scanner and slid his card into the reader in two swift movements. You rolled your eyes but accepted the ice cream. He had snagged a plastic spoon from the salad bar when you passed and presented it to you like it was an award.

“How chivalrous,” you mocked as you took the proffered object. The beach was only a short walk from the commissary and despite the fading sunlight, there were still plenty of folks on the sand. You both kicked off your shoes at the edge of the sand and then journeyed forth. Bradley found a spot that was relatively empty and looked to you, suddenly unsure. You smiled at his almost tentative gesture and planted yourself firmly in the warm sand.

“C’mon, farm boy, you gonna join me?”

He settled into the sand next to you and cracked open one of his beers. He silently offered you one but you shook your head and opened your carton in response. The sickly sweet taste of sugar and cream danced across your tongue and you sighed at the relief against your burning tongue and aching heart.

“Have a good day at work? Or can you not tell me that either?”

He huffed out a laugh and took a long drink before setting his beer in the sand next to his foot. His dark eyes stared out at the lapping waves, crash after crash after crash. He clasped his hands and rested his forearms on his propped up knees.

“What made you come to San Diego?” he finally said. He tore his gaze away from the water and fixed it on you. The memory of your decision to come here made you chuckle and you took another bite of ice cream before responding.

“I was working at this shitty bar in my hometown. God, I hated it. My coworker asked me if I could move anywhere in the world, where would I go? I had no idea. So she handed me a dart, covered my eyes, and told me to throw it at the wall. We had this mural of the map painted on it and the dart landed on San Diego.”

You paused in your story and ate another bite. You chewed thoughtfully on some of the extra bits in the ice cream and then let a small smile cross your lips.

“I quit my job the next day, packed up everything in my car, and drove here.”

“Just like that? In one night?”

You shrugged. “I lived at home so it wasn’t like I was paying rent. I just had to get out of there before I suffocated. I love my mom, don’t get me wrong, but the older I got, the more I realized that I didn’t particularly like her.”

The cold touch of ice cream on your lips felt sharper and the flavor turned to ash. You shoved the spoon into the dessert and stuck the carton into the sand next to his beer. Leaning forward, you rested your chin on your forearms as they balanced on your knees.

“My mom is one of those people who wants people to think she has a perfect life, unless she’s using her bad days to garner sympathy. She always wanted me to be perfect, even if she didn’t say those words exactly. I worked my ass off and did everything she wanted, but I still ended up at home, working as a bartender. But I was good at it. And I liked it.”

“But it wasn’t enough for her,” he finished your thought process. You nodded and then sighed.

“Sorry, you didn’t ask to have my problems dumped on you.”

He was silent for a moment and then he stared out at the ocean again. You ducked your head, heat rising to your cheeks as embarrassment washed over you. This is precisely why people left. You were too much. Too open.

“My dad died,” he blurted out. “When I was a kid. He was a pilot. Naval aviator. I wanted to be just like him.”

“I’m sorry,” you whispered. The grief was still evident by the thickness of his voice. Without thinking, you reached out and gently laid a hand on his forearm. He turned his head to look at you, studying you for sincerity. He must have found what he was looking for because he inhaled deeply and then continued.

“It tore my mom apart. She loved him so much. They made me believe in soulmates…but his death ruined her. She tried her hardest to raise me with his memory, but the older I get, the more he fades away.”

“And your mom?”

“Cancer.” The word shot an icy arrow through your heart as you recalled the conversation you had with Sarah hours earlier. Fuck, that word couldn’t escape you. Just like the damn illness itself, it consumed the world around it.

“God, Bradley, I’m so sorry. I know that doesn’t fix anything, but really, I’m sorry. What was your favorite memory of her?”

He stilled beside you. His fidgeting stilled and he sucked in a sharp breath. Exhaling slowly, Bradley stared down at his hands.

“No one’s ever asked me that,” he admitted. His eyes shut in thought and then he chuckled. “She tried to give me the most normal life possible, even when there was this big hole in our lives. But once a month, we would go to the arcade and she would get us thirty dollars worth of tokens and we would spend half the day playing. She was a mean skeeball player. And then we would get pizza from this local place and watch whatever movie I picked that night.”

Despite the smile on his face, tears gathered at the edge of his lashes. He grit his teeth and ground his jaw, as if he was angry at his own tears. You reached out, hesitated, and then you ran your thumb along his cheek.

“She sounded like a really great mom,” you assured him.

“The pilot that my dad flew with is here. He pulled my papers from the Naval Academy. He tried to stop me from flying. And now he’s here. He’s fucking training us and-” His fists clenched and you slid your hands down to cover his. You didn’t have the words to comfort him. You didn’t know what to say that would soothe all his rough edges and ease his aches. 

You simply rested your head on his shoulder as the two of you gazed out at the last vestiges of sunlight kissing the sky goodnight. Your vision blurred with the weight of this night and you blinked away the tears that tried to escape.

Sarah. Tom. Now, Bradley. They needed you. They needed you to be strong. And strong you would be.

Tag List: @mizzzpink​ @xoxabs88xox​ @dreaminglandsworld​ @khaylin27​ @loveforaugust​ @phoenixssugarbaby​ @atarmychick007​ @mak-32​ @itsmytimetoodream​

#abtw #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader x jake seresin #bradley bradshaw imagine #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin imagine #hangman x reader #hangman imagine #rooster x reader #rooster imagine

[brickbozo]

I've noticed that Noodle has always been a bit aloof and detached (esp in Demon Dayz and Plastic Beach) but Song Machine streamlined the journey of her growth as a part of Gorillaz. MVs like Aries, Pacman and The Lost Chord captured the push and pull between the different members of the band, and Noodle being explicitly shown as running around after 2d and visibly reacting to past betrayals was her way of expressing that she was also capable of connecting and forming elationships instead of being an astute observer from the sidelines (like that one cyborg counterpart)

She's definitely more than a collection of witty one-liners and cool poses.

#gorillaz #gorillaz noodle #🍜 #Song Machine #shes very subtle with her character growth #noodle #noodle and stu #phase 6 #lore #2nu-ish now that i think of it #2d x noodle #hc

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

OK OK but what about tiny sea monster fould legacy?? Like he's the size of and adorably tine turtleee and you save him from like a plastic bag and you get keep him in a smol aquarium at homeee

comrade, you just made this ten times more ADORABLE!!!!

i imagine you're the type of person who picks up discarded trash on the beach to clean up a bit, since tourist season brings a flood of people and new litter- it's why you prefer overcast days, sunny days just have too many people. it's during one of these cloudy days that you spot a plastic bag on the shore and scoop it up to discard it, when suddenly the bag starts moving!! you peek inside and are met with the frightened eye of a little sea creature, cheeping frantically and pulling at his tail, which is tangled in the plastic. you quickly snip the bag and pull it away from the little beast's body, cooing gently and petting his copper-colored hair with a finger

you expect the odd creature to swim away the moment you set him in the water, but instead he peeps and snuggles into your palm, wrapping his tiny tail around your thumb. and believe me, you TRY to let him go! you kept your hands in the water for at least ten minutes, gently nudging him in encouragement, but nope! he wants to stay with you. so, you take him home (until he's ready to go back), preparing a good sized aquarium for him to stay in. it's originally in your living room, but after seeing this sea creature- you've decided to call him Foul Legacy- perk up and wiggle the fins on the back whenever you walk past, you move it to your office so he can be closer to you. the thought that you'll have to eventually return him to the sea constantly nags you, but at the moment Legacy seems quite content to stay here with you... you'll have to see where this new journey takes you!

#genshin impact #childe #tartaglia #foul legacy #foul legacy childe #genshin tartagalia #genshin childe #genshin tartaglia #chit chat #anon #you: sweetie you really should stay in your tank it's healthier #foul legacy: but :(( i want to be close to you :(( #you filling a bowl of water and sighing: alright....... #he does his very best to not splish splash on your paper!!!! #short scenario #other's stuff #good evening :) #sea monster au #but tiny!!!

[streetlight11]

Surf's Up

Summary: To have a hobby is fun but to turn that hobby into a passion? Not many people can do that. Yet, you managed to turn your hobby into your passion and this has been going on for years now. Every year leads to a new challenge. And every challenge consists of fighting for that first place against your one and only rival you can't seem to shake away from

Theme: surfers au, rivals to lovers

Genre: slowburn, slight angst, fluff

Warnings: mentions of rivalry, partial drowning, mild language, mentions of a deceased, slight harrassment (just a little touch), one-sided feelings (i'm sorry 😭)

W/C: 11.7k

Pairing: Surfer!Changbin x Surfer!FemReader

a/n: Hello Changbin lovers! I wanted to try something a little out of my comfort zone so I decided to write about surfing even though I have absolutely no indepth knowledge whatsoever about it. Do let me know if there's any mistakes in the details and what not, but otherwise, enjoy 🩵

Living in a beach house was probably in everyone’s dreams. Imagine waking up to hearing peaceful waves crashing against the sand, a spectacular view embraces you the moment you pull your curtains back. Except, you had the privilege of waking up to this everyday. This makes it easier for you to catch some waves be it for practice or for fun when you just need some fresh air.

You have been learning how to surf since you were at the age of 9. The reason why you took up surfing as a hobby then soon turned it into passion is because you grew up watching your dad surf. He was a professional surfer who won about 7 championship meets in a row.

That’s where you had the interest to learn from him. He, of course, was happy enough to teach you and eventually, got one of his best buddies to accept you into his surf classes. However, that was also the beginning of your journey with probably your one and only rival in every surf meet you took part in from then on.

His name?

Seo Changbin.

He was one year younger than you. His father is good friends with yours. Interestingly enough, Mr Seo who was not only your surf trainer but is also Changbin's father, and your own father used to be in a surf group back then where they surfed together and cheered for each other for every surf competition they took part in. Which is why you knew Changbin and his older sister but you were only never really friends with Changbin due to how competitive both of you were.

Your father didn’t blame you for being this way with Changbin because Mr Seo also knew about this rivalry and yet, all he and your dad could do was laugh. Your rivalry officially started when you were 13 and he was 12. You lost your first place to him when you landed a second too late on your last trick, making your land a bit unstable and choppy.

Changbin was personally a competitive person when it comes to competitions and games so in that sense, he wasn’t much different than you were. Which is why you both became the perfect rivals.

His family lives just two houses down from your beach house, making it easier for his family to come over to your place whenever the elders wanted to catch up.

This still happens up till this day where your father would just casually invite them over for dinner, meanwhile you would take this perfect chance to head to the beach either for a surf or just chill by the sands. Ever since your mother’s unfortunate passing, that has been the two things you did whenever you felt suffocated in the house or when you got into a serious fight with your dad.

This year, you would be celebrating your 25th birthday and also your 8th birthday without her around. It still hurts you just thinking about it but compared to years ago, you’ve already come to accept the fact that she’s in a better place now.

It was a bright Thursday morning, your classes won’t start until 10am and since it was only 7, you decided to head to the beach. The waves are too calm for you to surf so instead, you took the plastic bowl filled with diced mangoes from the fridge and soon left the house after brushing your teeth and washing your face. You walked down the wooden boardwalk, making your way down to the wooden platform at the bottom of the steps which links to the start of the beach.

It has been approximately 15 minutes since you sat there and basically ate your breakfast whilst watching the early risers taking a morning stroll on the beach, some were even exercising on the beach. You were just picking on your mangoes when a familiar voice spoke up ahead of you.

“What are you doing here? Too sad, you can’t catch a morning wave today?” You looked up from your bowl only to lock eyes with the devil himself.

“Even if I am, it’s none of your concern.” You said, rolling your eyes at him.

Only then did you actually realize that Changbin was glistening with sweat dripping down his neck, all the way down his shirtless toned torso. Toned abs to pair with his broad chest. His arms were probably bigger than your face now compared to a few years ago when he was still small and lanky.

When you realized you were staring, you quickly looked away hoping he didn’t catch on since he never made fun of you. Little did you know, he saw you openly staring at his body. He just chose to keep his mouth shut today.

When he finally left, you let out a breath you never realised you held in.

Hours passed and you had just finished your morning class which is also time for lunch. You began making your way to the lunch hall with your two best friends, Yeji and Ryujin. Right before you make the final turn to head to the lunch hall, a heavy arm suddenly drops on your shoulder followed by a soft ruffle to your hair. You flinched as you glanced up to look at the culprit only to see his toothy grin smiling down at you with his crescent moon eyes.

“Hey! How was class?” Minho asked, to which you couldn’t help but giggle softly and soon realising he wasn’t alone. Hyunjin, who was Yeji’s twin brother, was walking beside her whilst Felix was just talking to Ryujin beside you.

Minho was your friend.

You actually met him in high school and he has been your friend ever since. A little back story, Minho and you used to date for a few months in high school before you decided to break things off with him after you realised that neither of you were ready to seriously commit in the relationship. Nevertheless, both of you mutually agreed to remain as friends. Hence, the reason why he was here with you right now.

The only problem now lies within him. Along the way, he started to develop feelings for you again. Though he tries so hard to keep it from you, sometimes he would accidentally act on it without him realising until one of his friends acknowledges him about it.

To summarize, Minho still has a crush on you. The end.

You, on the other hand, had completely moved on from him. It was quite clear to you that Minho is now strictly in your friendzone. Of course you still love and care for him dearly but just as a friend.

Even so, you didn’t mind having occasional skinships with him because you trusted him. So you were completely fine with him slinging his arm on your shoulder.

“Class was a bore. Can you believe he actually taught us nothing related to Python? It’s ridiculous.” You complained, earning a little chuckle from him.

“But my little Y/N here is pretty smart on her own isn’t she?” He asked, making you giggle. Minho teases you by nuzzling his nose against yours, something he does often after he gives you a compliment. Just then, Hyunjin’s voice calling out to a series of names, piqued your interest as you glanced ahead to see five guys just standing in front of the lockers seeming to chat with each other.

The closer you got, the more you realized just who it was. Sometimes you completely forget that Hyunjin is not only Yeji’s twin brother, but he was also in Changbin’s circle of friends. You also forgot that Minho and Chan have been close friends since high school and while Minho is your friend, Chan is Changbin’s friend in college due to the same class and major they were taking together with Jisung.

So basically, your life was filled with Changbin both personally and publicly. It was useless to try and run away from him.

You watched as the guys greeted each other with handshakes and the manly hug. Meanwhile, you girls continued to walk off allowing the guys to have their moment. Right when you thought you could leave in peace, Changbin’s voice echoed around the semi empty hallway.

“Good luck for the surf meet this Saturday. You’re gonna need it.” All of your friends knew about the annual surf meet that you and Changbin take part in. That means they also know about your strong rivalry with Changbin and yet they always cheered for both of you equally. For that, you’re thankful to have them as your friends and sort of acquaintances.

“Not if I take home the trophy this year.”

“We’ll see about that.” Changbin smirks as you groan in annoyance whilst heading straight for the lunch hall, missing the way Changbin had his eyes fixed on your descending back while Minho watches you storm away with a little smile on his face.

Saturday comes faster than you hoped. You were nervous for the meet but it wasn’t something unusual. You always get nervous for every surf meet, it’s just your anxiety of being the centre of attention in a large crowd. However, it all goes away the minute you step foot in the ocean. Yeji and Ryujin promised to go over to your house before heading to the beach together despite it being right behind your house. You wore your swimsuit which was essentially just swimming shorts and a bikini top with an oversized shirt on.

The three of you began to make your way to the beach, only to see a huge crowd of people just gathered all along the beach where the main tents were. You found an empty spot to stick your surfboard upright in the sand, asking your friends to keep a lookout on your board whilst you went to register your name by the main booth.

Even before reaching the booth, you already spotted a familiar face waiting at the back of the line. It was as if on cue, he turned to his left, locking eyes with you before you saw the corner of his lips curl into a smirk.

“Ready to get your butt kicked?” Changbin asked as you rolled your eyes at him subtly before you answered him.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Let’s make a bet.” He suggests innocently as you join the line behind him.

“Enlighten me.”

“If I win first place, you have to treat me to dinner for a whole week.” Changbin smiles innocently at you as you try to ignore his shirtless figure standing before you.

“Fine. Then if I win first place, you have to teach me how to do a rodeo flip.” You said calmly. You noticed the way his eyes widened for a split second before going back to its natural hooded state.

“Deal.” He said as he held his fist out to you at chest level so you easily fist bump him to seal the deal.

Just then, you heard your father’s voice calling your name followed by Mr Seo’s voice calling Changbin’s name. You both turned to your right to see the two men walking over to you with bright smiles on their faces. You gave your dad a tight hug as Changbin simply let his dad give him a few strong pats to his shoulder.

“Hi kids. We just wanted to wish you good luck.” Your dad said, making you giggle before saying thank you. So did Changbin.

“Remember the lessons I taught you for the past few weeks. Put that into your surfing techniques later out there and I’m sure you will both make it to the top.” Mr Seo motivates you two with his words of wisdom.

“Noted.” Both you and Changbin said in unison as Mr Seo smiled and gently placed his large hand on top of your head in a fatherly manner. Right at that moment, a shove to your side made you crash against Changbin who instantly reached for your waist out of instinct. Needless to say, it felt so right having his hands rest on your waist.

Wait what.

You whipped your head to the side to see who just deliberately shoved you, only to see a woman standing there with her entire back facing you as she talked to your dad. The only problem that struck out to you was how she had one hand hover over your father’s chest while she barely caressed her fingertips down his clothed skin.

Your jaw dropped as you stared at your dad in disbelief. Your father has never mentioned to you about anybody he’s talking to or is contacting. He usually tells you if there is someone special in his life ever since your mother’s passing. So for this woman to touch your father like that, made you shocked.

“Who is she?” You mouthed to your dad the minute he locked eyes with you.

However, seeing how uncomfortable he was and the way he was clearly trying to move away from her, only made your blood boil even more. With that being said, you tapped on the woman’s shoulder eagerly. She let out a scoff before turning to you, a disapproving look prominent on her face but you couldn’t care less.

“Excuse me. Hi. What do you think you’re doing?” You asked with the most sarcastic smile on your face, hoping she’d take the hint.

“What I do is none of your business. Besides, aren’t you a little young to be interested in a full grown man?” She asked with clear disgust in her voice, to which you let out a chuckle to stress on how ridiculous her accusation sounds.

“Me? Interested in… Oh, no sweetheart. I’m not interested in my own father. But I am interested in knowing who you are and why you’re blatantly flirting with him right in front of me.” You said, as you slowly circled her until you were now standing in between your father and herself.

“I think it’s time your father has some fun, considering the years of an unworthy loss, don’t you think?” The woman smirked at you, she clearly has no idea what she’d just set on fire. Without further ado, you took two slow steps to close the gap between you and her, keeping your fiery gaze on her that made her knees go weak.

“Nobody… disrespects my mother like that. So I suggest you get lost before I make your life a living hell.” You said lowly to which you saw her smirk begin to disappear whilst her lips quivered slightly. Nevertheless, she stormed away angrily, earning a few beats of silence from those around you.

That’s when you whipped your head around to meet your dad’s, making you frown upon him.

“You were just gonna let her touch you like that? Weren’t you gonna say anything to her yourself?” You asked in disbelief, making him frown.

“I… I was stunned when she suddenly touched me. I’m really sorry sweetie…” Your father apologised to you, making you feel bad. So you easily wrapped your arms around his waist only to mumble a soft apology against his chest. Changbin, who had been silently watching the entire scene unravel in front of him, couldn’t help but feel touched by how you protected your dad from being harrassed. This somehow made him feel something in the pit of his stomach but he just didn’t want to admit it.

An hour and a half passed, it was time for the final scores to be revealed. You were standing near the sea with Yeji and Ryujin while Changbin and his friends were gathered right next to you girls since Hyunjin was just chatting with his twin sister beside you.

“And finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! I will announce the top 3 finalists for this year’s Annual Surf Meet! In third place, with a score of 80 points, we have… Choi Yeonjun! Congratulations!” The commentator announced into the microphone as the crowd began to cheer and clap for the boy who was standing not too far from you with his friends.

“And in second place, with a score of 85 points, we have… Yoon Sanha! Congratulations!” Upon hearing this, you frowned deeply as you instinctively turned to Changbin who turned to you at the same time. You obviously couldn’t read his mind but for some reason, it seemed like you both understood each other for once.

This never happened before.

Every surf meet, both you and Changbin would be in the top 3. Only that it’s either you or him taking the first place. So to hear the 3rd and 2nd place going to neither of you, made you curious.

“Wait a minute, if neither of you are in 3rd or 2nd… Then, who’s first?” Hyunjin asked as you and Changbin soon turned back to the commentator who seemed to look shocked at the winner’s list.

“And finally, in first place, with a hefty score of 95 points… Well, it has been 21 years since we had this kind of result and to be honest, I’m pretty sure none of us saw this coming… But, coming in first place for 2023’s Annual Surf Meet goes to… a tie between Seo Changbin and Y/F/N! Congratulations! Can the winners please come forward to receive your prizes.” The commentator announced, all to which your eyebrows rose in shock, your body stood frozen on the sand.

“Omg! It’s a tie!” Yeji, Ryujin, Felix and Jisung said in unison while the rest began to cheer excitedly for you and Changbin. You were still rooted to the ground, making Minho jog to you and soon tugging you forward. You glanced over to Changbin who was slowly walking forward but the minute he locked eyes with your shocked ones, he couldn’t help but smile as he reached out to grab your hand from Minho’s and soon dragged you to the prize booth.

You both took the first place trophy each before standing on the platforms for a photo. After the prize ceremony was done, you got down from the platform only to hear Changbin speak up, “Looks like both our deals would be happening huh?” This made you remember the bet you made earlier before the meet. Well, at least it’s nothing too extreme.

“Looks like I owe you dinner tonight then…” You teased, earning a cheeky little smirk from him. For once you didn’t feel like slapping the smirk off his face and you wondered why.

Your friends came over to you and Changbin as they congratulated you on winning the first place trophy together, making you thank them. Minho suggested having a mini celebratory beach bonfire tonight for you and Changbin. While everyone else seemed to agree, you looked over at Changbin and saw the smile on his face.

“We’ll come after dinner.” He informed the others, only to hear them all say okay. Looks like you’ll have to spend quite a lot of time with Changbin for the next few days.

Hours passed, you had just showered and was blow drying your hair when there was a knock on your bedroom door. So you turned the dryer off and made your way to the door, only to open it and find Changbin standing there. He was wearing a black shirt, a dark grey and white large flannel with denim ripped jeans on. You would be lying if you said he didn’t look good in this fit.

“What are you doing here? Can’t you just wait downstairs?” You asked, stepping aside to let him in despite this being his first time entering your bedroom.

“I wanted to but your dad insisted on making me go to your room since he was heading out to meet some friends which includes my dad.” He said. He walked in a little awkwardly before you closed the door and made your way back to the corner of your room which had a full length mirror and your blow dryer plugged to the socket on the wall.

Changbin leans against your desk as he quietly watches you dry your hair. “Have you decided where to eat?” You asked, trying to make small conversation with him. Today was probably the first time ever in years where you two could sit in the same room without bickering like Tom and Jerry.

“Have you tried that seafood place down the block? I heard it’s really good.”

“Are you planning to get me broke? Cause I can’t afford a whole buffet, just so you know.” You said as you glared at him through your mirror, only to see him smirk.

“Trust me, I’m not a gold digger plus, I don’t like people spending too much on me so you’re good.” Changbin said, giving you a playful wink. You rolled your eyes at him but his wink actually did something to you. You just chose to ignore it. After you finished drying your hair, you went to change out of your pajamas. Changbin begged you to let him choose your outfit, something you’ve never had anyone do before.

Unfortunately, to avoid getting into an unnecessary argument with him, you decided to just let him do what he wants. Within a seriously long 5 minutes of him disappearing into your walk-in closet, he finally came out with your outfit for the night. Which would be a white thin strap crop top, black and white oversized flannel, a denim black button down skirt and your favourite pair of white high top converse.

You stared at the outfit incredulously, only for you to question, “You want me to wear a skirt and shoes when we’re heading to the beach right after dinner?” Changbin shrugged innocently as he tossed the clothes to you, making you catch them swiftly in your arms but he didn’t miss the snarl coming out from your lips.

“Why not? I’m wearing shoes too.”

You let out a heavy sigh as you clicked your tongue in annoyance before asking him to leave your room so you could change.

About 4 minutes later, you came back out fully dressed in his chosen attire.

You found him leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, eyes glued to his phone. When you gently tapped the back of his head, he turned around ready to say something snarky at you but instead, his curious eyes wandered down your body to inspect the outfit he chose for you.

He was clearly satisfied with his choices.

“I know I would never do this on a normal basis… but damn… I chose your outfit well.” Changbin smirked, meeting your eyes again only to see you staring at him softly.

“Don’t get used to it.” You joked, earning a chuckle from him.

“Don’t worry, I will.”

With that being said, both of you left your beach house and soon began to make your way to the seafood place he mentioned earlier.

An hour passed by, the food was pretty delicious but it was a little on the expensive side. Since it was part of the bet, you promised you would pay no matter the price. Of course Changbin didn’t pay for it at the restaurant since it was part of the bet. You managed to make it to the celebratory bonfire your friends were doing that night by the beach. You sat in between Minho and Ryujin as they played a round of truth or dare. Some of them were pretty intoxicated but still sober enough to know what was going on.

It was now Minho’s turn, to which he decided to choose a dare. You silently watched as some of them began to whisper amongst each other. Right when you took a sip of your soda, Chan’s words did not go unnoticed.

“I dare you to kiss your ex.”

Shit.

Sure Minho and you dated in the past but it’s over now. You two are now very good friends. You already moved on from him. Therefore, you shouldn’t kiss him right?

You turned to Minho who was just staring at you softly, his doe eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

“We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. It’s up to you.” Minho said quietly to you, knowing what you were already thinking. As much as you didn’t want to do it, you knew it was just for a game. Nothing’s gonna come out of it. So it wouldn’t hurt if you kissed him for a silly dare, right?

Just then, for some reason, your eyes naturally travelled around the circle of friends. However, your gaze stopped the minute it landed on Changbin who was seated opposite you with a small frown on his face.

Why was he frowning?

You had to force yourself to break eye contact with him as you turned back to Minho and soon spoke up, “It’s just a dare right?”

“Yeah, of course… We’re just friends now.” Minho said but a small part of you says that he didn’t mean that 100%. Nevertheless, you gave him a slight nod as you reached up to cup his face while you gently pulled him in until you felt his soft lips on yours. You closed your eyes to distract yourself from the squeals around you, feeling Minho move his lips in sync with yours. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, you pulled away a lot quicker than he wanted you to.

Sure it felt nice to kiss someone again but at the same time, it felt wrong to kiss your ex. So you told them to continue the game. A few seconds later, Minho gently reaches for your hand only to whisper in your ear, “Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.” With that being said, you shook your head to tell him it’s okay and that it was just for a game.

You weren’t mad at him anyway so you simply brushed it off. However, it looks like someone found it a little difficult to let the visual and thought of you kissing Minho, out of their mind.

Oddly enough.

The next few days, you have been going for dinner with Changbin just like you promised for the bet. Except, you noticed that he had been less talkative ever since that bonfire night. Of course you didn’t think much as to why he was acting weird at times but it did make you wonder if he was somehow affected by the kiss. But why would he if he saw you as his rival, just like you see him?

Was something changing between you two?

Were you starting to see him as not a rival anymore?

Has he stopped seeing you as a rival?

It was a Saturday afternoon and you were just lazily lounging on the couch with your dad. Both of you were eating the salad you ordered since neither of you had the mood to cook that day. Just then, there was a knock on your front door. Your dad got up to see who it was since you told him you were lazy to go check. You had your eyes fixed on the tv screen until your dad’s voice caught your attention.

“Sweetie, someone’s here to see you.”

You turned around, ready to ask who it was but instead, you were met with a familiar face that leaves what felt like butterflies fluttering in your stomach these days.

“Changbin? Why are you here?” You asked him curiously since it was a little too early to have dinner.

“Get dressed, I’m gonna teach you the rodeo flip like I promised.” Changbin said, making you remember his part of the deal.

“Now?”

“The waves are at their strongest right now. It’s the perfect time to learn the trick.”

“Hmm… Fine.” You puffed your cheeks out in defeat as you got up to keep your salad in the fridge before heading upstairs to change. Once you were ready, you rejoined him downstairs, giving your dad a quick kiss to his cheek before leaving the house with Changbin. Both of you made it to the beach where there was pretty much a weekend crowd. You and Changbin managed to find a spot with not many people around so that you could practice sort of in private.

He explained to you the basics of the trick first and the proper way on how to execute the trick. Every step was briefly explained to you, making you nod. However, you do well by doing instead of listening. With that being said, both of you soon swam out into the ocean on your surfboards, seeing a few surfers catching some waves as well.

Once you made it out pretty far from shore, you waited for the perfect opportunity where the waves were exactly at the correct height and strength for the trick.

“Watch and learn.” Changbin said as he soon pushed himself forward to head further out and the minute he was aligned with the oncoming waves, he allowed his surfboard to rise up along the side of the waves before he stood up on both feet and soon surfed his way down to make his body parallel to the waves.

You watched as he skillfully surfs his way up the high waves and the minute he’s about to launch himself into the air, he bends down to grab his board and soon flips his entire body along with his board backwards. Flipping a complete 360° before he easily lands back on the wave. He balanced himself while he surfs to a gradual speed towards you. Once he made it back to you, Changbin looked at you with a small smirk on his face.

“Your turn.” He said.

With a heavy sigh, you stared into the distance, trying to gauge for the next best wave. When it finally came, you pushed your board forward, similarly to what he did earlier. Unfortunately, you failed to do the flip but since it’s your first try, it wasn’t a surprise that you couldn’t do it.

You tried again for another four times, yet the result was still the same. This was your fifth try, you were about to launch yourself up into the air so you prepared yourself to grab your board.

The minute half of your board was no longer touching the waves, you bent down to grab your board and soon, used all the strength you had to push your body backward.

You finally succeeded in doing a backward rodeo flip in the air. A sense of excitement rushed through your veins as you made a smooth land back on the waves. Your smile stretched from ear to ear, an adrenaline rush engulfing you in an instant.

“I did it… I can’t believe I did it…” You whispered to yourself as you surfed back to where Changbin was.

From where you were, you could see him smile while giving you applause for executing the trick well. The waves were starting to come in every 10 seconds, giving you the perfect opportunity to surf again. When you made it back to shore, he walked side by side with you. Both of you were having an empty conversation about random things when you realised he was walking you to your house.

“Aren’t you gonna head home?” You asked as he turned to you with an offended look on his face.

“I teached you how to do a rodeo flip and you’re asking me to leave already? I’m disappointed… truly.” Changbin fakes a pain in his chest, clutching his right hand over his heart. You rolled your eyes at him only to realise you were right outside your front door.

“Well, I was trying to be nice and spare you the trouble of having to walk all the way here when you could’ve just went straight from the boardwalk stairs right in front of your house but okay…” You said nonchalantly, to which you saw him let out a breathy chuckle at how ridiculously cute you were being.

Just then, Changbin glanced at his wristwatch and soon back to you, “Okay, I guess I’ll see you later for dinner?” You gave him a firm nod as he got quiet for a few seconds before he spoke up again.

“I’ll pick you up at 8?”

“Sure.”

With that being said, your eyes flickered down his face slightly but was quick to recover by looking back into his eyes. You wanted to say something else, not wanting him to leave just yet but you couldn’t bring yourself to say anything. As if luck was on your side, Changbin decides to say something, “Oh, and wear a swimsuit under your outfit later.” His words piqued your curiosity.

“Why?”

“You’ll see. Just do as I say.” He gave you a cheeky little wink, making you scoff but a smile managed to creep its way onto his face. At that moment, Changbin playfully tapped under your chin with his index finger to gain your attention. Once he got that, he smiled and said to you, “I’ll see you later.”

Changbin didn’t wait for you as he started to walk away with his back facing you. Despite knowing you’ll see him later, you still chose to turn your head to see his descending back. You stared at his back for a few long seconds, a whole bundle of thoughts just swimming around your brain before you finally entered your house.

A few hours later, you had just finished getting ready when you heard your father’s voice calling you from downstairs.

“Y/N sweetie, Changbin’s already here!”

“Okay dad! 2 minutes!” You yelled back as you tied your hair into a low messy bun, leaving a few stray hairs out to frame your face. You were wearing a pretty off shoulder blouse with a pair of denim skinny jeans. Once you think you’re ready to head out, you take your purse from your bed and soon leave the room.

It wasn’t until a compliment came your way, that you finally realized you were at the bottom of the stairs already. “Woah, you look pretty.” Changbin said, making you blush a little but was quick to hide it by scoffing.

“You’re just saying it because my dad is here.”

“What? No, I actually do mean it…” Changbin clarifies himself to you, earning a warm smile from your dad. After you bid him goodbye and kissed him on the cheek, you led Changbin out the house as he brought you to his car. The drive to the restaurant took about at least half an hour. Neither of you could get the topic of surfing out of the conversation but you didn’t mind it at all.

You finally made it to the restaurant as the waiter led you over to a secluded booth far from the main busy area of the restaurant. Once inside, the waiter handed you the menu and boy was the prices a shocker.

“What the hell? One dish is almost 20 bucks?! You’re kidding me right?” You asked as you desperately stared at him in disbelief.

“Oh come on… It’s the last day of your part of the deal. I think it’s only fair since I teached you one of the hardest tricks there is to know.” Changbin challenges you in which all you could do was stare at him until a hole burns through his head. You have been staring at the menu for about 5 minutes now so Changbin reaches over to tap the back of the menu you were holding, only for him to speak up softly.

“Just buy whatever you want. Don’t hesitate.”

“What do you mean ‘don’t hesitate’? Of course I will hesitate if the price adds up to more than 100 bucks! I’m almost broke, Changbin!” You whined at him, earning a loud laugh from him.

“Oh for god’s sake just get anything. Trust me. It’ll be fine.”

And yet, you still chose the cheapest meal and the cheapest drink there after nearly 15 minutes of you two just bickering and staring at the menu.

Minutes slowly ticked by and your meals had arrived long ago. Though you must admit, today’s dinner seemed slightly different than before. There’s something about the way he constantly looks at you whenever you were talking or the way he reached up to wipe off something that stuck to your lips or maybe even the way his eyes would casually flicker between your eyes and lips when you speak.

He was a lot quieter and maybe even calmer tonight as compared to the past week. Maybe it’s just you. Only time will tell. After you were both done with dinner and was about to leave, you stood up to take the bill when you realised the holder with your bill attached to it was missing.

“Where’s the bill?”

“Let’s go.” He said but you didn’t want to leave just yet.

“But I haven’t paid anything yet.”

“Come on, we should get going.” Changbin kept insisting on leaving but you wanted answers so you began storming your way to the cashier point.

“Hi, I would like to pay the bill for table 45?”

The lady checked her list on the computer, only for her to smile, “Oh, it’s already paid.”

What?

“Who did?”

“The gentleman outside.” With that being said, you whipped your head around to find Changbin standing there with his hands in his jeans pockets. You quickly thanked the lady before making your way outside, only for you to slap his arm as a payback.

“Ow! What was that for?” He scowled at you, rubbing the part where you slapped him.

“Why did you pay for it? I thought the deal was to treat you to dinner for a whole week? Today’s supposed to be the last day for that.”

“I know… I just felt like paying tonight.”

“You… just? Felt like paying tonight? Since when are you this nice?”

“Since the day I was born but apparently someone overlooked my kindness too much.” Changbin said with a straight face. You couldn’t help but punch his chest again, only this time, he swiftly grabbed your wrist and tugged you closer. Unfortunately, this made you accidentally crash against him to which your other hand instantly pressed onto his broad chest.

A soft gasp left your lips when you noticed your face was just inches away from his. You were so distracted by the close proximity that you didn’t feel his free arm snaking around your waist until he gently squeezed your waist.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” Changbin whispered with a smirk on his face as his eyes were fixed on your lips.

“W-What?! N-No!” You denied firmly, pushing his chest slightly to put a space between you two. However, you instantly missed his warmth the minute he took a step back to give you some personal space.

“I’m kidding. Come on, I’ve got something cool to show you.” Changbin said as he noticed you weren’t going to move anytime soon so he simply laughed and softly slid his fingers down your wrist only to lock fingers with you. You stayed quiet the entire time, even in the car when he began to drive back to the beach near your house.

About 20 minutes later, both of you were just walking towards the other side of the beach in silence. You had already taken off your shoes so that you could walk in the sand as the waves crashed underneath your feet. After what felt like forever, Changbin suddenly turns to you and says, “Take your clothes off.” This was enough to make you yell ‘what?!’ out loud. With that, Changbin immediately held his hands out in a surrender whilst he explained himself.

“No! No! That’s not what I meant! Geez! Remember I told you to wear your swimsuit under your clothes? This is the reason why. We’re going for a swim.” Changbin said, making you relax slightly but still eyed him curiously.

“Is this your tactic to get me somewhere secluded so you can kill me?” You asked as he laughed at your ridiculous accusation.

“Trust me, you’re not worth killing. Now hurry up!” Changbin said as he began to pull his hoodie over his head swiftly, bringing his shirt up as well. Once he was standing there shirtless, you started to carefully take off your blouse while he took out his belt and unzipped his jeans, pulling his pants down.

“You know, this would seem so wrong to people who see us from a distance.” You huffed, knowing you had a crucial point.

“Which is exactly why I told you to hurry up.” Changbin said as he hid his clothes in between the rocks so that no one could steal them. After you were finally in just your swimsuit, you went ahead and hid your clothes as well before trailing behind him. You entered the water little by little until you were waist deep.

“Changbin, where are we going?”

“Just follow me.” He said as he began to swim out into the ocean.

You let out an annoyed sigh but nonetheless followed him. You swam around the side of the beach, surprised to find a hidden little island which instead of being surrounded by sand, was surrounded by big boulder rocks.

When you made it to the rock beside him, that’s when you decided to ask him how he chanced upon this place.

He explained to you that he was just surfing one day when he came across this hidden island. He was curious so he went to check it out himself one night. Changbin has also been coming here almost every night ever since because he claims it to be really calming and peaceful especially after midnight. After he finished explaining himself, you watched him quietly just splashing the water around with his legs. Changbin nodded his head towards the rocks to his left and so you swam over.

You were just carefully stepping on each boulder, gauging as best as you could considering the water was pitched black and you couldn’t see shit. You can’t even see past the water surface. With that being said, you tried your best not to slip but of course, luck wasn’t on your side today. A sharp gasp left your lips the minute your feet slipped on the boulder. You sunk at least half a meter deep up to your chest but then the firm grips to your waist stopped you from submerging completely.

Changbin then steps onto the same boulder behind you since you could feel his body so close to your back, not that you mind it per se.

“Be careful.” He said softly to you, feeling him squeeze your side a little. You didn’t know why but you just decided to turn your head thinking to reply to him. Except, your plan immediately went down the drain the moment you felt his lips graze over your cheek when you turned. You visibly gulped nervously in which he saw so he decided to tease you.

“Do I always make you nervous?” He asked, earning a soft scoff from you. To avoid looking weak, you bravely turned to face him completely despite feeling his arms snaking around your waist to prevent you from slipping again.

You held your head up high, challenging him even though you knew very well that you would lose.

“No, but you can be a serious pain in the ass sometimes.”

“Really? Fine then.” Changbin said as he easily let go of you and you immediately fell backwards due to the lack of balance. This caused you to splash into the water, knowing he was enjoying the shit out of this. When you finally resurfaced, Changbin was just laughing at you for falling.

So you splashed a good amount of it onto him out of sheer anger.

You struggled to stand on the boulder, but when you managed to do that, you took this opportunity to push him off as well. He fell back, submerging fully underwater just like you did earlier. The only problem is, he never resurfaced.

“Changbin? Changbin it’s not funny… Changbin?” Your voice gradually get softer as you began to panic. He was still not resurfacing and it was starting to worry you.

Did you push him too hard?

What if he hit his head underwater when you pushed him?

Did you accidentally kill him?

You didn’t realize there were tears forming in your eyes as you stared into the dark water. You dipped your hands underwater to try to feel for him. However, your heart nearly exploded out of your chest when a pair of hands grabbed onto your waist from behind. A short scream left your lips, your heart dropping at the thought of it being a sea monster or even worse, a sea ghost.

Just then, a familiar giggle echoes in the air to which you turned around to find him there just laughing at you. His wet hair sticking to his forehead messily, covering half of his eyes as well. You slapped his chest twice to emphasise your annoyance but all he did was giggle again and shook his head from side to side to get rid of the water droplets on his face and air ruffle his blonde brown locks.

When Changbin finally stops laughing to stare at your eyes, he realises they were watery and it was clearly not from the sea water.

“Wait… Are you… crying?” He asked quietly to which you sniffled and stubbornly replied to him with a firm ‘no’ but he knew it was a lie.

“You are crying. Were you that worried for me?” He asked but you never answered. Instead you just pushed yourself out of his grip to swim back to shore before he could even stop you. Once you made it back, you quickly grabbed your hidden clothes and started to speed walk back to your beach house. All while ignoring his calls. You were about to reach the boardwalk stairs when his firm grip on your wrist made you stop.

He came around to stand in front of you, seeing the way you desperately avoided his eyes by staring at the wooden boards behind him. And there, he too realises that on your way back here, your tears were finally falling freely down your cheeks.

“Y/N…” He whispered as you quickly pulled your arms out of his grip and sniffled.

“I’m fine. Goodnight.” You said as you walked past him. Changbin never said anything else but his heart shattered a little, feeling bad knowing that he was the reason for your tears.

Monday came rolling in, you remembered you had a netball tournament that day so you brought your attire in your backpack. You haven’t seen or talked to Changbin since that night so when you saw him in one of the tables at the lunch hall, you avoided his eyes right before he could turn to look at you. He wanted to talk to you, he wanted to ask if you were still upset with him, he wanted to make sure that you weren’t going to ignore him forever because he probably couldn’t live with that.

However, he could see that you didn’t want to be near him for now which is why he decided not to bombard your personal space. Sure you guys were rivals when it comes to surfing but sometimes, even he knows that it’s ridiculous for him to hate you entirely just for that reason alone.

Hours passed and you had already changed out of your casual clothes into your netball attire which was essentially just running shorts, your team jersey and your sports shoe.

The indoor sports hall slowly began to fill in with students from both your campus and the opposing school. You were just strapping on your knee guards when your curious eyes began to wander around the room. Your heart skips a beat the minute you see familiar faces in the crowd, more specifically two people.

Ignoring them, you soon started the game. So far, your school was winning by just two points ahead. It’s a close game that keeps everyone at the edge of their seats. You were just about to toss a high ball to your teammate over on the other side of the court when the captain of the opposing team deliberately crashes into you, making you lose the ball.

She smirked but you were angry. Suddenly, the referee blew her whistle and held a yellow card up with her left arm which has the blue wristband to indicate that it’s for your team.

This made you even more pissed.

With that being said, you stormed up to the referee to voice out your concerns.

“Yellow card? I didn’t even do anything!”

“I’m just doing my job. I saw what I saw. You get a yellow card.” She said nonchalantly to which you scoffed.

“I didn’t even touch her! She’s the one who pushed me! What? Did she bribe you? That’s why you’re being unfair to my team?” You argued back, only for your coach to come over with a frown on her face.

“Hey, hey? What’s going on here?” Your coach asked as you listened to the referee who explained that you were the one making the offense.

“I didn’t fucking touch her!” You said out loud, ignoring the fact that almost everyone in both teams were now gathered around you.

“My statement is final. Yellow card goes to the Konkuk team. If you repeat this again, you will be disqualified.” The referee said, making you let out a frustrated groan. You stormed off, pushing past the referee and the girl who crashed into you purposely. You were about to leave the hall when a grip to your wrist made you stop.

“Leave me alone!” You growled but the sweet voice made you instantly calm down.

“Y/N, stop. Please… I know it wasn’t your fault but you can’t just leave your teammates back there like this. They need you.” Minho said gently as he stood in front of you now with one hand holding your wrist while the other held onto your other forearm.

“What if I get disqualified? Leaving the game is better than getting kicked out halfway through…” You said firmly. You were about to walk away when Minho held you back again.

“Y/N…” Minho sternly called your name as he stared at you like how an adult scolds a child for being stubborn. You felt slightly intimidated by the way he was staring at you so eventually, you ended up avoiding his gaze by gently getting your arms out of his grip.

“I… I don’t know Min…”

Just then, he softly reaches for your waist with one hand before cupping your face with the other and caressing your cheek with his thumb. This was something he usually did to calm you down when he was still dating you.

“Please? Do it for your team? They need you…” He said to which you finally looked up at him. For a brief second, you could’ve sworn you saw him glance down to your lips.

“Okay… Fine…” You whispered to him, earning a relieved sigh from him. At that moment, Minho suddenly began to lean in until his face was so close to you. This made you panic so you flinched back slightly in shock.

“W-What are you doing?” You asked softly, earning a halt from him.

“H-Huh? Oh. S-Sorry… I um… It’s just a habit I guess…” Minho said, knowing it was just an excuse. When you’ve finally rejoined the team, you focus on the game but unfortunately, your team lost the tournament. Once everyone was dismissed, you noticed your friends still seated in the bleachers so you went up to them. That’s also when you accidentally locked eyes with Changbin who was just staring at you like you’ve just told him his pet died.

The closer you got, the more you felt the need to look away and so you did. The only problem is, your heart was yearning for him and you don’t understand why.

All of you left the hall as Yeji, Ryujin, Felix and Jisung were constantly trying to cheer you up.

When you reached the parking lot, you were going to leave the front gates but Changbin’s raspy voice spoke up to catch your attention, “Hey Y/N, I’ll send you home.” You didn’t know if it was due to your heart yearning for him or you just didn’t have the energy to reject his offer, but you simply nodded. You completely missed the way Minho was staring at you with nothing but pain in his eyes. Of course he knows you’ve moved on. He knows that he can never be with you again and yet, why did it hurt him to see you leave with Changbin?

Half an hour later, you finally made it in front of your house. The entire car ride was filled with silence but you didn’t really mind it. You were just glad that you were close to Changbin again. However, when the car finally came to a gradual stop, he puts the gear to park and soon turned the ignition off. Both of you sat there in silence before you quietly thanked him.

You wanted to just leave before it got even awkward but the minute you opened your side of the car door, you felt his fingers wrap around your wrist gently.

“Wait…” He said so you stopped. You kept your back to him but he continued talking, “If you’re still upset about that night, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to make you worry… I just… I just thought I could loosen things up with you. But I get it if you’re still upset.” He soon let go of your wrist, leaning back into his seat properly. When he never spared you another glance, you simply kept quiet and left his car.

You mentally cursed yourself but nevertheless, entered your house without looking back.

The week went by, you still haven’t properly talked to Changbin. It was a Saturday late afternoon and your friends invited you to a little beach birthday party for Lia. Since you were going to the beach, you decided to just wear denim shorts, a sleeveless top and an oversized flannel. When you made it to the beach, most of them had already made it there. All except for Hyunjin, Yeji and Jeongin.

You sat beside Chan as far away from Minho and Changbin as possible. Minutes ticked by, you were just listening to Lia telling a story when you caught Changbin swirling his plastic cup filled about an inch with the grape soda, his hooded eyes softly staring at you but he was quick to look down when he realized he was caught staring.

A few minutes later, you noticed the waves were perfect for a surf. As much as you know you should stay and celebrate Lia’s birthday, you couldn’t ignore the urge to catch the wave.

With that being said, you got up from your seat and began to walk to Yeji to tell her what you wanted to do.

“Oh, okay! Just come back for dessert when I call for you okay?” She smiled, to which you gave her a firm nod. After you left, you decided to head to the lifeguard post since they have spare surfboards there and also, one of your close friends worked there too.

The minute you arrived, you saw his purple hair staring at you as his back was facing you completely.

“Hey Jungkook!”

The male turned to look over his shoulder, seeing the corner of his lips curve up into his usual toothy grin.

“Oh, hey princess. What are you doing here?” He asked as he pressed his forearms on top of the counter and leaned forward to let his face hover closely in front of your face. If passerbys saw this, they would definitely think Jungkook was trying to flirt with you.

“Can I borrow a surfboard? I promise I’ll bring it back in one piece.”

Jungkook eyed you skeptically with a raised brow.

“Please? I’ll treat you to ice cream after your shift.” You bat your eyelashes at him knowing he was always weak for this.

“Fine. You know how to tear me down don’t you?” Jungkook scoffs at you but the smile growing on his lips did not go unnoticed. Once he places the surfboard on the counter, you press your palms on top of it and push yourself up, swiftly giving him a peck on his left cheek near where his healed scar was.

Jungkook’s chuckle made you giggle as you took off your clothes, leaving only your swimsuit that you wore underneath. After placing your dry clothes on his countertop for him to keep guard, you thanked him once more and soon swiped the surfboard off the counter before jogging towards the beach.

The waves were strong but not too powerful to the point where you can’t surf. So when you finally entered the water, you plopped the surfboard down and began to walk further down until the water reached your thighs. Only then did you lay on top of the board and used your hands to paddle.

You had made it pretty far out into the sea, just gauging and waiting for the perfect wave to come strolling in.

Just then, you saw the perfect one coming so you smiled to yourself as you turned your surfboard around to get ready. The moment you were lifted at an angle by the waves, you easily balanced yourself and stood on your feet, gliding across the waves skillfully whilst executing some tricks.

You did this a couple of times, even managing to do a tube ride where you surf through the wave loop, stretching your hand out to let it glide through the waters.

Surfing has always calmed you down whenever you were stressed or just in need of fresh air. And sometimes, it was the best boredom reliever in your opinion. You were probably on your forth surf now, just enjoying the cutback when a baby seal suddenly launched out of the waves right in front of you. This made you squeak as you lost your balance on the board and soon crashed into the ocean.

You sank at least 8 feet under the surface, swallowing a large amount of salt water by accident. The raging waves were making it hard for you to resurface as it simply swallowed you back down when you were about to reach the surface.

You weren’t sure how many minutes had passed but every time you resurfaced, you barely got time to breathe in oxygen before the waves swallowed you whole again. Just when you were about to lose your consciousness, your blurry vision managed to catch a figure diving underwater and swimming their way to you.

From the person’s overall size and figure, you knew it was Changbin.

He soon wraps an arm around your waist while the other scoops up and back down his side to push himself upwards. After what felt like forever, you finally resurfaced, taking a huge gasp of fresh air. The waves were slightly calmer now but it was still quite choppy. You coughed out the water in your lungs as you held onto his shoulders for dear life.

Once you managed to cough out whatever salt water you swallowed and return your breathing to normal, you finally heard him ask from above you.

“Are you okay?”

You had your head down so essentially, your face was buried in his neck. He had one arm securely around your waist while the other wraps over the surfboard to keep you both afloat. When you didn’t reply to him, you felt him squeeze your waist gently and pushed the tip of his nose against your temple before he whispered softly into your ears, his voice sounding so light and concerned.

“Hey? You okay?”

With that being said, you finally brought your head up only to let your face meet his that was barely an inch away. You could literally feel his soft lips brush against the bridge of your nose very lightly.

You carefully glanced up to look at him but instead, you caught him staring a little down south from your eyes.

Nevertheless, you gave him a small nod to answer his question, making him let out a relieved sigh. Changbin tilts his head down, making his nose brush against the side of your nose, letting his lips hover right above yours as he closes his eyes.

“Thank god you’re okay.” He whispered very very quietly, making your heart pound rapidly in your chest. Neither of you dared to say anything so he opted to just get you back to safety before it got even awkward.

“Come on, get on the board. I’ll get you back to shore.” Changbin said as he uses his strength to push the board down underwater so that you could climb onto it. Once you were at the front of the board, he easily did the same for himself, swinging his leg over so that he was now sitting behind you. Both of you began to paddle back to shore and once you did, he got off the board first before helping you.

Immediately, your friends had gathered near the waters just patiently waiting for you and Changbin to come back safely. “Oh my god Y/N! Are you okay?!” Yeji asked as Jisung, Hyunjin and Felix asked you the same question in unison.

You nodded, drifting your gaze to the side where Jungkook was seen jogging towards you. Without a single word exchanged, he wrapped his arms around you to pull you into a tight but secure hug. “You scared the shit out of me! Don’t ever do that again, you twerp.” Jungkook said against your hair, making you smile.

“I’m sorry…” You apologized, earning a little sigh from him.

“You’re lucky he came fast to save you. I was just about to go when I saw him already running to the waters and I didn't have a surfboard with me.” Jungkook said as he nodded his head to someone behind you.

Without saying a thing, you already know who he was talking about. You apologized once again before Jungkook asked to walk with him so that he could help dry you off and change back into your dry clothes. On your way back to the lifeguard post, Jungkook had brought a towel with him as he wrapped it around your figure, not forgetting to pass Changbin one too.

“So… who is he? Your boyfriend?” Jungkook asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Who? Changbin?”

“Is he the one who saved you?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes, him. Is he your boyfriend?”

“N-No… Why do you ask?”

“Just curious… Since he ran in after you, I just figured he cares a lot about you.”

“He’s not my boyfriend…” You said in defeat as he entered the post to get your clothes.

“Really? But you two look so good together though…” Jungkook said when he came back with your dry clothes in his hands. You simply brushed him off despite your heart stammering in your chest. Just while you were putting your flannel on, Jungkook’s voice made you snap your head up to look at him.

“You know, it’s never too late to ask someone out on a date. Guys find it hot if a girl makes the first move.” Jungkook smiled as he gave you a cheeky wink before walking away to attend to a customer.

With that being said, you huffed but his words slowly circled your mind.

You left after waving goodbye to your close friend. When you made it back to the party, everyone had already made their way back to where the bonfire pit was. They began to shower you with questions about your wellbeing but all you said was ‘I’m okay’ and nothing more in detail. After a while, you realise that Changbin was nowhere to be seen. You went up to Minho who was the nearest to you at the moment.

You gently reached for his forearm, earning his attention as his lips curved into a smile upon seeing you.

“Hey Min, have you seen Changbin anywhere?” You asked as your eyes began to search around but still no luck. You didn’t notice the way his smile falters a little as he then looks down for a second before hesitantly answering you nonetheless.

“I saw him going up there. Probably he went home to get something?”

Once you’ve gotten the information you need, you begin to leave the bonfire not before telling Yeji you’re just going to grab something at home. When you reached the top of the boardwalk, you saw Changbin’s back making his way directly past his house.

Wait what?

You silently followed him, wanting to see where he was going.

After a few minutes of strolling, you found yourself at a much quieter part of the beach side where you were literally far from where society was. Changbin stops at a lookout point that hangs over the cliff right beside the open beach on your right. To the left is where the beach stops and is replaced by cliffs and dangerous rocks, blending and merging into the sea.

You watched as he stood at the edge of the railing, letting his hair flow with the wind. His loose tank top swaying with the sea breeze. He was so busy being distracted by the sea that he completely missed your creeping presence until you spoke up, “The sea is nice, isn’t it?”

Changbin jumped slightly but soon maintained his cool by turning back towards the sea.

“No one understands the sea like we do.” Changbin said, earning a smile from you.

“Because we’re the only ones who actually ride with the waves.” You said confidently, making him chuckle. Both of you fell silent for a few seconds but he was quick to break the ice.

“What are you doing here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay… I mean, afterall, you did save me from dying earlier.”

“That was just out of instinct. Especially since I’m the only one amongst our friends who could actually swim in the open sea.” Changbin smirked, letting out a cute giggle you’ve realised was his signature laugh. You were now standing next to him with your hands on the railing. Both of you were looking out at the sea while you let your body enjoy the breeze. You didn’t pay much attention to your surroundings at first until you felt a teasing touch on your pinky.

That’s when you looked down to find his hand inching closer and closer to yours until his pinky was playfully touching yours. Neither of you spoke up but actions for sure spoke louder than words. Changbin took a very light step closer to you while he stood straight and let his hands slide off the railing. You naturally got curious so you turned your body to face him slightly.

“Do you wanna head back?” He asked very softly.

“Not yet… I wanna stay here a while longer.” You said as your voice gradually gets softer with the way he gently slides one hand around your waist while the other reaches up to cup your neck. Changbin leans forward slightly until there was barely any space left between you two but you didn’t complain.

“Like this?” Changbin whispered while his eyes were now fixed on your lips despite knowing it was already obvious. So with that being said, you carefully cupped both of his soft full cheeks in your hands while you brushed the side of your nose against his and smiled, looking up to meet his eyes.

“Just like this.” That was all you managed to whisper before Changbin’s lips curve into a wide grin and soon kiss you like he’s been waiting for this moment for years.

You indulged the kiss as you wrapped your arms around his neck when you felt his hands press against your lower back. He holds you securely against him while his addictive lips kisses you passionately. Changbin slides his tongue over your bottom lip, making you giggle into his mouth. He deepened the kiss with you, feeling him squeeze your waist.

When he pulled away for a breath, he went back in for another two more pecs before he said against your lips, “This doesn’t mean we’re not rivals anymore for surf meets.” He teased you, earning a little tug of his hair from you but very gently not to hurt him.

“I’ll take it.” You smiled, to which Changbin chuckled as he kissed you longingly while still hugging you close.

When he pulled away from you, he stared at you for a bit before he reached up to caress your cheek with his thumb and swiftly tucked your fallen hairs behind your ear. Your hands rested on his firm broad chest, letting your fingers curl against his chest while you hang your head down for a brief second.

Changbin tucks his finger under your chin and once you make eye contact with him, that’s when he leans in to let his lips hover above yours for a second or two before he whispers his confession.

“I think I really like you… and I hope I can take you out on a date one day if you’d want to.”

With that being said, you gently wrapped your fingers around his wrist that was holding your chin, guiding his hand down before you cupped his face and smiled.

“I’d love that… because I think I like you too.”

Both of you began to laugh as he kissed you like he was actually addicted to your lips. Secret was, he really is addicted to your lips. After spending almost 15 minutes with him, you finally began to head back to the beach party where everyone was starting to bombard you with questions on where you were. You seemed to stay by Changbin’s side the entire evening yet still going around to mingle with everyone else.

Looks like the next time you go for a surf meet with Changbin, you can finally say “Surf’s Up” without having it to mean crushing the other for first place.

#stray kids scenarios #skz scenarios #stray kids imagines #skz x reader #skz imagines #stray kids changbin #skz changbin #seo changbin x reader #seo changbin fluff #changbin x reader #changbin scenarios #changbin imagines #changbin fluff

[saurabhanandtripzygo]

Exploring Bali What to Know Before You Go.

🌴 Exploring Bali: What to Know Before You Go 🌺

Hey wanderlust souls! Planning a trip to the enchanting island of Bali?

Here are some insider tips to make your journey unforgettable

Embrace the Culture: Bali is rich in tradition and spirituality. Respect the local customs, dress modestly when visiting temples, and always greet with a smile and a "Salamat Pagi" (Good Morning) or "Salamat Malam" (Good Evening).

Pack Wisely: Bali’s weather is tropical, so pack lightweight and breathable clothing. Don’t forget your swimsuit for those crystal-clear beaches and waterfalls!

Transportation: While taxis and ride-sharing apps are available, consider renting a scooter to explore the island at your own pace. Just remember to always wear a helmet and drive safely!

Sample the Cuisine: Indulge in the vibrant flavors of Balinese cuisine. From mouthwatering satay skewers to spicy nasi goreng, the local food scene is a feast for the senses.

Mind the Monkeys: Ubud’s Monkey Forest is a must-visit, but be cautious around the mischievous inhabitants. Keep a safe distance and avoid feeding or making direct eye contact with them.

Stay Connected: Bali is well-connected, but Wi-Fi can be spotty in some areas. Consider getting a local SIM card for reliable internet access during your stay.

Stay Eco-Conscious: Respect Bali’s natural beauty by supporting eco-friendly initiatives and avoiding single-use plastics. Remember, we’re all responsible for preserving this paradise!

Explore Beyond the Tourist Hotspots: While Bali’s popular destinations are undeniably breathtaking, don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path. Discover hidden waterfalls, secluded beaches, and quaint villages for a truly authentic experience.

Stay Safe: Bali is generally safe for travelers, but it’s always wise to exercise caution. Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded areas and be mindful of your surroundings, especially at night.

Leave No Trace: Last but not least, leave Bali as beautiful as you found it. Dispose of your waste responsibly and make memories, not souvenirs.

Get ready to embark on a journey of discovery and adventure in Bali! Let the island’s magic captivate your soul and leave you longing for more. 🌺🌴

#BaliBound #balitravel #baliindonesia #bali tour package #wanderlust #adventure #culture #travel #exploretheworld #explore #bali

[draqo-pctter]

everywhere but on // a dramione drabble

words: 705 / tags: post-breakup, haunted by memories, hea

After graduation, Draco took off for France with a duffel bag and a plan: to forget Hermione Granger and the love they might have had if either of them were brave enough to reach for it. He settled himself into a small flat in downtown Paris and took a job at the French Ministry filing court paperwork and analyzing trial data.

The work was mindless – he finished his tasks by lunch each day, and spent his afternoons flirting with the curly haired receptionist who reminded him so much of the girl he’d left behind. When he took her home after a work party and woke up with her still in his bed, his first thought was that Hermione’s skin had been softer. Her curls were bouncier, and she would never have put her clothes back on to sleep.

After that, he moved to Spain, finding himself a small cottage an hour outside of Barcelona. Draco filled his days with walks in the countryside and journeys into the city, drinking Spanish wine and eating himself silly. After six months, he’d become familiar enough with a waitress at his favorite restaurant for her to ask what brought him there. Memories of Hermione’s dream of visiting the city chased him west toward Portugal.

From Portugal, Draco went to Italy for several weeks before heading to Greece. He found himself on the Mediterranean coast in a white stone house with a small patio that overlooked the sea. Each morning started with a descent from his house down several kilometers of street to the beach, where Draco ran barefoot until he couldn’t feel anything except the burn of his lungs and the screaming in his legs. By the time he reached his house in the evenings with shaking limbs, he could hear Hermione’s voice telling him to stretch to keep the soreness in his muscles to a minimum.

A year later, Draco made his way back north to Germany. The mountains were the kind of quiet that his mind couldn’t stand, so he found himself in possession of a small herd of German Holsteins that forced him to work with his hands. Two years passed in which he became exceptionally skilled at maintaining their pastures and the barn, and he could milk a cow in thirty seconds flat if one ignored that he used magic to cheat. For a week, Draco thought he might be happy there.

But, he’d caught the attention of a neighboring farmer’s daughter. She spent hours watching him do his work and offering to help, slowing him down significantly since he couldn’t use magic in the presence of a Muggle he didn’t intend to marry. Draco gifted her father his entire herd and got on the first boat to America that he could find out of Hamburg.

New York City terrified him. Chicago was worse, and Philadelphia only warranted a week of his time. Kentucky would have been alright if the locals didn’t turn their noses up at his accent. On a whim, Draco found himself on a bus traveling from Louisville to Austin. Even from the bus depot, he could tell Texas wasn’t for him, so he continued on to Los Angeles.

In one year, Draco visited every state except for Alaska and Hawaii before heading north to Canada. He’d hardly stepped over the border when a billboard caught his attention: IF YOU COULD DO IT AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

Airplanes were terrifying. How Muggles had decided it was safe to create metal tubes with wings and launch them into the sky, Draco didn’t understand. He kept a white-knuckle grip on the armrest for the entire flight, much to the flight attendant’s entertainment. She kept his plastic cup filled with whiskey, and he wondered what he would do if he saw her.

Seven hours later, Draco had his answer. As he stepped off the plane in Heathrow, he caught sight of those chocolate curls he’d never stopped dreaming about. A delicate hand tapped nervously on a luggage handle, and perfectly white teeth chewed away at a bottom lip he knew would be soft to the touch. In her free hand – a ticket to Canada, and a Ministry file with his name on it.

a/n; i blame venus rx ending & the song everywhere but on by matt stell for this drabble

#dramione #dramione drabble #dramione ff #dramione fanfic #dramione fanfiction #dhr #dhr ff #dhr fanfic #dhr fanfiction #dhr drabble #post breakup #hea #draco malfoy #hermione granger #draco x hermione #hermione x draco #ohthedrarry ao3

[takashimakato]

Sitting on Plastic Beach

(fanfiction Based off of Art by @ultra-art-blog)

Murdoc and 2D stood side by side on the edge of Plastic Beach, their gazes lost in the relentless dance of the waves under the moonlight. The sea, a vast expanse of secrets and memories, whispered to them in a haunting melody only the night could sing. Around them, the detritus of the world washed ashore, a stark reminder of the isolation they both felt, even in each other's company.

Murdoc, with his usual slouch, had his hands buried deep in the pockets of his weather-beaten trousers, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. 2D, tall and lanky, wrapped his arms around himself, as if the sea breeze could chill the melancholy that had settled in his bones.

"Do you remember," 2D's voice broke the silence, soft and hesitant, "when we first came here? You said this place would be our masterpiece."

Murdoc's eyes flickered with a rare vulnerability before he turned his gaze back to the ocean, the ash from his cigarette falling unnoticed. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice rough like the sea's caress against the shore. "A masterpiece... or a prison. Depends on the day, doesn't it?"

2D nodded, his eyes reflecting the moon's glow, pools of sadness in the dim light. "It feels like we're the only people left in the world when I look out there. All those times, the music... it's like they were just echoes from someone else's life."

Murdoc took a deep drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing brightly in the darkness, before exhaling slowly. "Maybe they were, 2D. Maybe we're just ghosts of ourselves now, haunting this place, stuck in a loop of what could have been."

The honesty between them hung heavy in the air, a tangible presence that was seldom acknowledged. For years, they had navigated through the highs and lows, their relationship a complex tapestry of need, resentment, and the kind of understanding that only comes from shared experiences.

"We made something beautiful, though, didn't we?" 2D's voice was almost a whisper, his usual timidity replaced by a reflective somberness. "In between all the madness and the fights... we created something that mattered."

Murdoc looked at 2D, really looked at him, seeing not just the singer or the frontman but the person he had journeyed with through it all. "Yeah, we did," he admitted, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in a semblance of a smile. "In our own twisted way, we did."

They stood in silence then, two silhouettes against the backdrop of the ocean's vastness, letting the sounds of the waves fill the space between them. It was a moment of mutual understanding, a silent acknowledgment of their shared history, with all its imperfections and moments of brilliance.

As the night deepened, Murdoc and 2D remained there, on the edge of Plastic Beach, the place that had become a symbol of their greatest achievements and their most profound isolation. In the end, it wasn't just about the music or the fame but the connection that had endured, flawed and frayed, yet undeniable in its intensity.

And as the first light of dawn began to paint the sky, they turned away from the ocean, stepping back into the shadows of the beach that had become both their canvas and their cage, carrying with them the bittersweet knowledge that some bonds, no matter how strained, remain unbroken.

#artwork #gorillaz fanfiction #2d gorillaz #murdoc gorillaz #gorillaz #Ultrakillerbear

[do-it-for-the-fandom]

May prompts

May 1st

Prompt: Day at the beach

Post-series

Castle family beach day

Beach days were chaos.

Absolute chaos.

Lily - their ocean lover - had run for the water as soon as her feet hit the sand. Kate rushed off after her to make sure she didn't head too far in, leaving Castle alone to wrangle the twins, the towels, the toys and the picnic basket.

Fortunately, this wasn't his first rodeo and he was fairly certain he had figured it all out.

The trick was to keep the boys distracted; make them feel useful.

"Reece, buddy," Castle called out to the toddler just a few steps ahead of him on their journey down the beach. "This bucket and spade is way too heavy. D'ya think you can help me out with those big, strong muscles?"

"Hulk strong!" the boy declared in a rough grumbling tone as he flexed his arms.

"I strong, too!" Jake - never one to miss out - stated as he tugged the beach ball from where it sat tucked between Castle's hip and wrist.

With the inflated plastic armrest gone, Castle's arm dropped back against his side and the picnic basket he had clutched in his hand banged against his calf.

"Sorry Daddy," Jake said before running off to catch up with his brother.

"That's okay, Bud."

Castle smiled to himself as his little helpers, just a few yards ahead of him, picked out their spot for the day and dumped the toys on the sand.

"We wanna swim, too," Reece complained as Castle laid out the picnic blanket and anchored each corner with whatever he had available to stop it from blowing away in the breeze.

"Help me set up and then we can all race to Mom! How does that sound?"

"Yeah!" the boys cheered.

They dragged the bag of sand toys to the edge of the blanket and Jake began to pull out each toy, one by one, then hand it to Reece who would then place it onto the blanket.

"No, boys- that's..."

The boys stopped what they were doing and looked up at their father with beaming smiles.

"You know what? You're doing a great job," Castle praised them, accepting that scattered toys were a much better alternative to scattered twins running down the beach in opposite directions. "Keep going."

He watched as the boys got back to work with unbridled enthusiasm, working together until the very last toy had been unpacked.

"Swim now?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, buddy, we can swim now."

"Race!" Reece reminded them eagerly.

"Go!"

Jake and Reece took off down the beach, pushing their little legs as fast as they could go. Fortunately, as fast as they could go (especially on soft sand) was the equivalent of a brisk walk for Castle's much longer legs.

The squeals of delight when the first wave rushed over their little feet gained the attention of Kate and Lily, and Castle rushed the last few steps to catch up to them.

"Daddy, I'm a mermaid!" Lily called as she splashed about.

"I'm the mermaid queen," Kate bragged as she waded from the waist-deep water to help him with the boys.

"Daddy can be the king," Lily offered as she joined them. "I'm the princess. Jake and Reece can be the brave knights that protect our underwater kingdom!"

"No, I wanna be shark!" Jake protested.

"Sharks aren't allowed in my kingdom," Lily warned him.

"Sneak in!" Reece encouraged with a mischievous smirk. "And eat her!"

"Yeah, I will eat you!" Jake laughed.

With a playful squeal, Lily took off running through the shallow water - slow enough for her brothers to think they actually stood a chance catching her - and the boys chased after her with their arms in front of them, clapping their hands together in a 'chomping' motion.

As Kate turned to watch their kids play together, Castle stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“We made some pretty sweet kids,” he commented.

She leant her head against his. “Yeah, we did.”

“Do you ever think about, maybe, just one more?”

She pushed his hands from where they had - accidentally - stopped to rest on her stomach.

"Not a chance, Castle," she warned.

"Kidding." He smirked and pressed a kiss to her cheek before running toward the children.

"We need to save the princess, my queen!" he called over his shoulder.

She smiled and shook her head before joining them again.

#castle fanfiction #richard castle #kate beckett #Reece Castle #Jake Castle #kate beckett x richard castle #my drabbles

[drunkwhenimadethis]

I don’t know what’s in the air but I’m always given princess treatment in Positano. Was on a journey but I stopped for a red wine to takeaway and Maurizio poured into into a real glass and said I’m too beautiful to drink from plastic. And Benito stopped me in front of the hotel to tell Giuseppe that I’m the beautiful woman who lives on his property. LMAO. Maybe reoccurring foreigners are a rarity here IDK. Also got my love his fave pizza eggplant basil and sausage and a bottle of limoncello and a small box of fresh pastries w a note “Sorry for being a bitch.” I’m waiting for him on the beach…..writing this text post

[cloudravine]

I was tagged by @shinsabine @extraordinarilyextreme and @dontneedmyheart​ in a few ask games, thanks so much! 🥰✨💖

—aesthetic moodboard

Search [YOURNAME CORE] on pinterest and make an aesthetic moodboard.

—picrews (here and here)

—bolding game

Bold the ones that are true and tag 15 people to do it.

APPEARANCE:

i’m over 5’5” // i wear glasses/contacts // i have blonde hair // i prefer loose clothing to tight clothing // i have one or more piercings // i have at least one tattoo // i have blue eyes // i have dyed or highlighted my hair // i have gotten plastic surgery // i have or had braces // i sunburn easily // i have freckles // i paint my nails // i typically wear make-up // i don’t often smile // i am pleased with how i look // i prefer nike to adidas // i wear baseball hats backwards

HOBBIES AND TALENTS:

i play a sport // i can play an instrument // i am artistic // i know more than one language // i have won a trophy in some sort of competition // i can cook or bake without a recipe // i know how to swim // i enjoy writing // i can do origami // i prefer movies to tv shows // i can execute a perfect somersault // i enjoy singing // i could survive in the wild on my own // i have read a new book series this year // i enjoy spending time with friends // i travel during school or work breaks // i can do a handstand

RELATIONSHIP:

i am in a relationship // i have been single for over a year // i have a crush // i have a best friend i have known for ten years // my parents are together // i have dated my best friend // i am adopted // my crush has confessed to me // i have a long distance relationship // i am an only child // i give advice to my friends // i have made an online friend // i met up with someone i have met online

AESTHETICS:

i have heard the ocean in a conch shell // i have watched the sun rise // i enjoy rainy days // i have slept under the stars // i meditate outside // the sound of chirping calms me // i enjoy the smell of the beach // i know what snow tastes like // i listen to music to fall asleep // i enjoy thunderstorms // i enjoy cloud watching // i have attended a bonfire // i pay close attention to colours // i find mystery in the ocean // i enjoy hiking on nature paths // autumn is my favourite season

MISCELLANEOUS:

i can fall asleep in a moving vehicle // i am the mom friend // i live by a certain quote // i like the smell of sharpies // i am involved in extracurricular activities // i enjoy mexican food // i can drive a stick-shift // i believe in true love // i make up scenarios to fall asleep // i sing in the shower // i wish i lived in a video game // i have a canopy above my bed // i am multiracial // i am a redhead // i own at least three dogs

—nine people tag

Favourite colours: green, pink and purple

Last song: NCT 127 - Fact Check (불가사의; 不可思議) 🔥

Last movie: The Yin-Yang Master (2020) in my head 😩

Currently watching: Arthdal Chronicles 아스달 연대기, My Journey to You 云之羽 and Butterflied Lover 风月变 💞

Currently reading: Dracula Daily

Current obsessions: same old - NCT, Deng Lun, Zhou Shen, Arthdal Chronicles, The Yin-Yang Master (2020) and cdramas 😌💫

—shuffle game

Shuffle your ‘on repeat’ and post the first 10 songs.

These past few years, I’ve pretty much only been listening to NCT, Zhou Shen and other music in Mandarin 😋 So here we go haha

Zhou Shen playlist:

生而为赢

江湖缘起

Heart of Peace

四大名著 😍

归处

Mandarin music playlist:

LAY - Veil (Mandarin version)

艾辰 - 錯位時空

张德伊玲 - 只若初见

Deng Lun - 痴情冢 😭😭😭

Alec Benjamin & Zhao Lusi - Water Fountain (Mandarin version)

—top 10 favourite shows

Your top 10 favourite shows can say a lot about your personality.

Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀

Arthdal Chronicles 아스달 연대기

Oh No! Here Comes Trouble 不良執念清除師

Beyond Evil 괴물

Mr. Sunshine 미스터 션샤인

My Journey to You 云之羽

Legend of Fei 有翡

Alchemy of Souls 환혼

My Country: The New Age 나의 나라

The Crowned Clown 왕이 된 남자

A few more cdramas could easily make it into the list, and of course my forever comfort show will always be Due South 💛

—characters who are very ‘me-coded’

The only ones I can think of right now are:

Frodo Baggins - The Lord of the Rings

Fangyue - The Yin-Yang Master (2020)

—character test

Take this test and present who you got as the characters most similar to you.

Nick Carraway (The Great Gatsby): 93%

Lexi Howard (Euphoria): 93%

Aimee Finecky (The Spectacular Now): 92%

Dr. James Wilson (House, M.D.): 91%

Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place): 91%

Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility): 91%

Sun-Hwa Kwon (LOST): 90%

Waylon Smithers (The Simpsons): 90%

Alfred Pennyworth (The Dark Knight): 90%

Princess Darya 'Dolly' Oblonskaya (Anna Karenina): 90%

I literally don’t know any of these characters, send help sdhfsd 😂🥲

Tagging @amantisegreti @technicallysideacc @sunflowrhaz @hcrrow @stregaorionis @bafflingshade @dongfangqingcang @bwaldorf @jiaoliqiao @lonelynoldor @xinxiaojie and everyone who tagged me to do whatever part(s) of this you'd like 😙🌈🌸

#dshsdds i'm sorry it took me like six months to follow up on some of these ask games 🙈 #i really let them accumulate for a while lmao 🥹 #about #interactions #shinsabine #extraordinarilyextreme #dontneedmyheart #amantisegreti #technicallysideacc #sunflowrhaz #hcrrow #stregaorionis #bafflingshade #dongfangqingcang #bwaldorf #jiaoliqiao #lonelynoldor #xinxiaojie

[buttherainbowhadabeard]

The Beauty of Barbenheimer

A combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge in streaming platform content has made life very difficult for cinemas in recent times. Why venture out, find a parking spot, queue for snacks and sit with strangers in the dark when you can watch whatever you like from the comfort of home, right?

But convenience can come at a cost. Our at-home screens and digital devices have been dominated by superheroes, seasons and remakes of late, and fatigue is starting to set in. Franchises have ballooned so much that even die-hard fans are finding it hard to keep engaged, let alone keep up. This bombardment of unimaginative content has left many lovers of cinema bored.

Enter the Barbenheimer phenomenon.

Dubbed Barbenheimer due to the dual release date (July 20th here in Australia) of Warner Bros. and Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ and Universal Pictures and Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, these films have been smashing it at the box office, persuading people to return to their local cinemas in droves.

Sure, a saturation of ads, interviews, trailers and exclusive clips have had something to do with their success so far, but it’s mostly been fuelled by a desire for fresh stories and a contagious case of FOMO.

The notion that both movies are best experienced in the cinema surfaced organically with the hype, and a healthy dose of cross-promotion from the creatives of both sides has been yet another driver for record ticket sales.

Nolan is known for his large-scale epics of practical effects, big sights and even bigger sounds, so it was only natural that ‘Oppenheimer’ was going to be promoted as a must-see on the big screen.

Veteran Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy (who plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb”) is mesmerising is his first, proper leading role in Hollywood, and is backed by an all-star ensemble cast that includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh. And Ludwig Goransaon’s suspenseful score acts like a character of its own.

Although most of us knew a bit about The Manhattan Project, the Trinity test and the subsequent (and horrific) bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, very few of us knew about the man behind the story.

‘Oppenheimer’ is an explosive, 3-hour look at his early life, his work and relationships, his obsession with quantum physics and his eventual role as the face of the Atomic Age. It’s about the biggest, global gamble to date (the bomb was either going to exacerbate all wars, end all wars or end the world), and it plays out in typical Nolan fashion with staggering IMAX camera visuals, going from the dusty desert vistas of Los Alamos, to the black and white colour gradings of claustrophobic courtrooms.

Gerwig on the other hand, is best known for acting in mumblecore movies and directing arthouse style, female-led films like ‘Little Women’ and ‘Lady Bird’.

‘Barbie’ is her first turn at a blockbuster, with an ensemble cast that is yes, mostly women, but has some stellar supporting male actors in the mix. With a picture-perfect Margot Robbie at the helm, ‘Barbie’ follows the titular Mattel doll’s journey from Barbieland into the real world, where she is confronted with an existence that is wildly different to her own.

Hilarity (and some heartfelt moments) ensue, with Ryan Gosling stealing every scene he’s in as her peroxide blonde, lovesick sidekick Ken, plus some fun supporting performances from the likes of America Ferrera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

Gerwig’s plastic fantastic, feminist world gives off serious summer vacay vibes, all technicolor blue skies, hot pink dreamhouses, glittery dancefloors and sunny beaches - with a super catchy soundtrack to boot!

With one movie about a bomb and the other about a bombshell, on the surface, it looked like they were going to appeal to two very different types of moviegoers. But we couldn’t have been more wrong, and hallelujah for that!

People have turned Barbenheimer into an event, getting big groups together, dressing up and booking back-to-back screenings. There’s even merch and memes, but more importantly, there’s hope. Hope that Hollywood still has more to offer than CGI, stunts and sequels.

In their first three days in the theatre, Barbenheimer generated a whopping $244.5 million dollars combined. If that’s not the definition of going off with a bang, I don’t know what is…

‘Oppenheimer’ 4/5 stars. ‘Barbie’ 4.5/5 stars.

#barbie #oppenheimer #barbenheimer #christophernolan #gretagerwig #margotrobbie #ryangosling #cillianmurphy #emilyblunt #mattdamon #robertdowneyjr #florencepugh #americaferrrera #michaelcera #willferrell #cinema #movies #boxoffice #blockbuster #barbieland #barbiegirl #manhattanproject #trinitytest #atomicbomb #worldwartwo