#last summer (when it was allowed) my sister her friend and i met this group of people and celebrated midsummer together

[venus-haze]

What Is It About Men (Austin!Elvis x Reader)

Summary: When your best friend and college roommate Jenny Presley returns from spring break your junior year with the news that her mother has left her family, you end up taking on the responsibility of helping her power through the rest of the semester. At the end of the semester, she invites you to spend the summer with her at Graceland, and the last thing you expect is to get so deeply entangled with her father, Elvis, as the season heats up.

Note: So I’m back after a month with the longest fic I’ve ever written. I got some inspiration from the incredible Amy Winehouse song of the same name. The reader in this fic is a cis woman but no other descriptors are used. I also made a fictionalized Presley!daughter for this scenario since I’m kinda doing an alternate timeline type thing which I’ll expand on in the fic. Please do not interact if you’re under 18 or post thinspo/ED content.

Word count: 10k

Warnings: Age gap (Elvis is in his early 40s and reader is in her 20s), angst, substance abuse, toxic relationships, sexually explicit content. Do not interact if you are under 18.

As soon as you stepped foot in your dorm room, your nose scrunched at the smell of what you knew was mold—again. You hoped in the two weeks you’d been gone for spring break the university would have taken care of the maintenance request that you and your roommate Jenny had submitted at least ten times a piece by then. Still, it had been a good excuse to get out of class when the two of you just wanted to watch TV in the dorm’s common area all day. You and Jenny would take turns pretending to sound sick on the phone to whatever department secretary was on the other line, explaining you couldn’t make it to class because of some reaction or another to the mold in your room, send my regards to professor whoever.

When you first arrived at college your freshman year, you were dreading having a roommate. Though you knew plenty of people who’d become lifelong friends with theirs, for some reason the handful of horror stories you’d heard about nightmare roommates played through your mind, especially when the university wouldn’t tell you the name or contact information of your roommate so you could at least try to coordinate who was bringing what. By the time you got there, she’d already been neatly moved in but was nowhere to be seen until later that night when you met your completely normal roommate who would, in fact, end up being your best friend.

For the first few weeks of the semester your freshman year, Jenny was secretive about her personal life, and you figured it was best not to pry—though you did notice her forced laughter when you said ‘Presley, is your dad Elvis or something?’ Only later to find out that yes, her father was in fact Elvis Presley. She was worried it would change your friendship, her being the daughter of the most famous man in the world. It wouldn’t, though, because through the years, before anything else, Jenny was your best friend, practically your sister, which was why when she arrived back at the dorm from spring break, a blank expression on her normally cheerful face, you immediately began to panic.

She didn’t greet you as she trudged over to her bed, dropping her duffel bag on the floor and sitting on top of her covers. You’d never seen her in such a state before. Unsure of what to do, you cautiously approached her and asked if everything was okay. As you’d quickly learn, it wasn’t.

“Mama left,” Jenny answered, her voice hoarse. “Said she couldn’t do it anymore.”

You sat next to her on her bed. “Do what anymore?”

“Bein’ a Presley, I guess.”

“Jesus, Jenny, I’m so sorry.”

You put your arms around her, allowing her to cry into your shoulder. The wall on her side of the room was covered in a collage of posters and photos, some of you and her together, others with your larger group of mutual friends at events on campus or parties, but mostly of her family. While you knew they were close, Elvis made a point of that from his mother’s untimely death and his increasingly strained relationship with his own father, you didn’t know very much about them besides that. They never came to campus, whether by their own choice or at Jenny’s request as to not draw unnecessary attention to her as she worked to get her history degree. 

Despite having just about every resource at her fingertips, Jenny was just as dedicated as any student at the university. She studied hard and took the occasional less than stellar grades with more maturity than some of the people in your own program who didn’t have money and a big name behind them. You were drawn to how down to earth she was, crediting some of that to her parents, who she said tried to give her as normal of a childhood as possible, mostly at the insistence of her mother. 

“Half her stuff was gone. I found the note she left us on the kitchen counter that mornin’. Dad had fallen asleep on the couch and didn’t even hear her leave,” she choked out.

“Jenny, don’t–”

“I mean I knew since I was young that he cheated on her, and I can’t fault her for bein’ mad about that. But in the note–she said she wanted her life back. Why weren’t we good enough for her?”

You were at a loss for words. From what details you’d managed to pull from Jenny about her family life, her parents had known each other before Elvis became famous and married just ahead of him receiving his draft notice. A couple of years later, Jenny came along, and you assumed the rest was history. After all, Jenny was always excited to visit home during breaks in between semesters and would receive regular care packages from one–or both–of her parents throughout the year that she’d always share with you. 

Surely being married to such a busy and famous man like Elvis must have taken a toll on Jenny’s mother, especially knowing him before all of it, but it was unfathomable to you that she could leave Jenny like she was nothing. It wasn’t like any of Elvis’ vices were Jenny’s fault.

Any attempts to get Jenny to calm down and rest were futile, as she somehow powered through her sorrow to explain how the rest of her spring break went in the fallout of her mother taking off. Her father was a wreck, drinking and rarely leaving his room–though you didn’t want to be rude and point out that’s what tabloids said he did anyway in the wake of his public and messy break from his exploitative long-time manager, Tom Parker. He’d sent most of his entourage away, TCB, the Memphis Mafia, whoever the hell they were, making Graceland emptier than ever. This especially distressed Jenny; she’d refer to them as her uncles more often than not. You were shocked she even returned to campus, but understood when she said she needed space away from home, unable to stand the constant reminders of what just days ago was her happy family life.

Jenny didn’t seem to blame Elvis for the situation. After all, he wasn’t the one who left the family in the middle of the night, throwing in the towel of over twenty years of marriage and motherhood. You’d listen to Jenny’s rants about her mother and the subsequent sobbing sessions too. After all, she’d done the same for you when Billy, your boyfriend of two years, had broken up with you just a year prior.

You began to resent Jenny’s mother too, as you found yourself having to pick up the maternal slack. You loved Jenny, but balancing your studies and social life with making sure she got out of bed, took care of herself, and went to class every day was becoming overwhelming. The selfish part of you wanted your best friend back, but with you being the only other person privy to the situation, the damage control fell on your shoulders. 

Things began to get better as the semester came to a close, yours and Jenny’s late night study sessions before finals bringing glimpses of her old self back. You did have to give her credit, she was looking at ending yet another semester with a near perfect GPA. You wouldn’t have been surprised if she managed to snag the title of your graduating class’s valedictorian. 

The two of you were packing up your shared dorm room after your last finals of the year, excited to be out of the crappy room and moving into an off-campus apartment for your senior year. You’d been worried about how close you and Jenny would stay after graduating and going your separate ways, but she had decided after a meeting with her advisor that she was going to apply for the university’s graduate program, so the two of you would be roommates for the foreseeable future.

“Y/N, I hate to ask this. I’m sure you’re itchin’ to go home for the summer,” Jenny asked with an uncharacteristic hesitancy as you decided which notebooks you were going to keep and which to throw away.

“What is it?”

“Will you spend the summer at Graceland with me? I don’t have any friends in Memphis really–”

“No, Jenny, I don’t want to spend the summer with my best friend in her giant mansion.”

This pulled a laugh from her, so rare those days that you felt a sense of accomplishment at hearing the sound. “Shut up. I’ll let dad know to expect you.”

“I do wanna spend a week or two at home, though, just to see my family.”

She nodded. “That’s perfect, actually. Gives me time to assess the damage.”

You weren’t sure if she meant physical damage to the house in her absence, or emotional damage as her father dealt with her mother’s leaving on his own. Deciding it best not to pry, you instead began excitedly planning the summer with her. You would miss having time with your friends from back home, but you knew you wouldn’t be at Graceland all summer anyway. Every year from the end of July into the beginning of August, Jenny volunteered at a sleepaway camp in the Smoky Mountains for underprivileged kids, so you’d have more time with your friends when she left to go there before the semester started and you headed back home.

The visit with your family the first two weeks of your summer break was short and sweet, ending comically with just about the entire household trying to help you fit a summer’s worth of clothes and toiletries into a suitcase and carry-on. Jenny had told you to pack light, promising she’d take you shopping, but the last thing you wanted to do was seem like you were taking advantage of your rich friend. After all, she had your first-class flight to Memphis billed to Elvis Presley Enterprises, despite your insisting that economy class was fine. 

Memphis was bright and sunny when your flight landed, and you were glad to be one of the first people off the flight, excited to see Jenny again. She’d called you a few times while you were home, you suspected partially to try to convince you to get to Graceland earlier than agreed upon, but knowing you had limited time at home, you were busy catching up with as many people as you could before what your family jokingly referred to as your vacation. 

You shook your head upon seeing Jenny standing in arrivals, holding up a white poster board with your name written in thick black marker across it. You grabbed your luggage from baggage claim, failing to suppress your smile as you walked over to her.

“You’re so lame,” you laughed, giving her a hug.

She jokingly hit you over the head with the sign. “I was tryin’ to be thoughtful.”

As you and Jenny walked arm and arm out of the airport, you almost stopped in your tracks at the limo that was waiting at the curb for you. You didn’t know what else you expected, but the reality of who your best friend was finally hit you after three years of knowing her. She thanked the chauffeur who put your bags in the trunk of the limo and ushered you inside the luxurious car.

“You hungry? We can stop somewhere,” she offered.

You shook your head. “I’m nervous. Is it normal to be nervous?”

“Don’t be. Dad’s dad,” she said, as if that were supposed to make any sense.

Except your dad isn’t dad, you wanted to argue. Your dad is the most famous man in the world, the king of rock n’ roll. He’s not just some dad, Jenny. Hell, you grew up listening to the man’s voice on the radio or on your parents’ record player. As far as you were concerned, you may as well have been meeting Jesus Christ himself. Maybe what you were feeling in the back of that limo was how old people felt as they neared death, legs bouncing and bile rising in their throats as they neared the pearly gates. In your case, however, it was the music-note adorned gates of Graceland where at least two dozen fans were standing vigil. What’s more, Jenny recognized some of them, asking by name how they were doing. You slunk down in your seat, suddenly considering if agreeing to spend the summer at Graceland was a mistake.

Jenny turned back to you when she finished catching up with the people outside her home. You’d read a few articles that detailed how Elvis was dedicated to his fans, taking more of an interest in them than many other celebrities. He’d stop everything to sign autographs and get to know people, feeling that it was the least he could do for the people who made his career possible. Although it was a foreign concept to you, you thought it sweet that Jenny took on that attitude as well.

An elderly woman stood on the front porch, who Jenny practically jumped out of the car to greet. You figured it must have been Grandma Dodger, Elvis’ grandmother who Jenny was just as close with as he was. She was kind, giving you a hug and asking polite questions about how finals went and what your plans after college were. Dodger could tell you and Jenny were about to melt from the heat when she waved the two of you inside to follow her. 

Despite knowing exactly whose home you’d be spending most of your summer in, you were starstruck upon seeing the man in person, standing frozen in awe as Elvis Presley himself walked over to the foyer, a bright smile on his face when he saw the group of you. He gave Dodger a kiss on the cheek as she settled into an armchair in the living room. 

Growing up, you’d always thought Elvis was handsome, from the photos you saw of him in magazines and handful of his movies you’d seen, but he was younger then, not quite mythologized yet. Meeting him in that moment, with his evident age and maturity, he was gorgeous.

“You must be Y/N,” Elvis said, his voice deep and smooth as he greeted you. “I do hugs ‘round here, hope you don’t mind.”

You shook your head, because who the hell were you to say no to a hug from Elvis Presley of all people. His arms were warm and strong as they wrapped around you, pulling you close as if he’d done this a million times before—maybe not to you, at least. You returned the gesture, a bashful smile on your face when the two of you broke from the hug.

“You’re all Jenny talks about,” he said. “I call her and ask ‘How’s school?’ and I get an earful about you. Feels like I already know ya.”

“Dad,” Jenny groaned, rolling her eyes before shifting her gaze to you. “He’s exaggerating. He likes to embarrass me.”

He laughed. “That’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” you said. “Thanks for letting me stay here. Your house is beautiful.”

“It’s your house for the summer, too,” Jenny said. 

“That’s right. Y’all girls got the pool, the horses, go-karts. Hell, Memphis is jumpin’ most nights. I used to go to this club on Beale Street called—“

“Club Handy, yeah dad.”

You almost laughed at the situation. For how much you had built up the Presleys in your head all these years, especially Elvis, it was a relief to see Jenny get just as embarrassed by her dad as you did at your own parents sometimes. Still, you didn’t understand what she had to be embarrassed about, Elvis had been nothing but nice and funny so far. You nearly protested when she began pulling you up the stairs with her, your suitcase in her other hand.

“Alright, don’t want the ol’ man crampin’ your style, I get it,” Elvis said as he noticed Jenny leading the escape.

Jenny smiled. “Love you dad. We’ll see you for dinner.”

“Love you too, kiddo. How’s hamburgers sound?”

“Perfect!” Jenny called back from the top of the stairs.

As the two of you walked down the long hallway to the guest room where you’d be staying for the summer, you couldn’t help but finally blurt out your thoughts at meeting Elvis for the first time.

“Your dad’s like—“

“He’s a lot, I know.”

“What? No, I was gonna say normal. I mean, except for the whole ‘being Elvis Presley’ thing.”

She huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, except for that.”

The guest room was at least twice the size of your room at home, and you couldn’t imagine what the other bedrooms in the house must have looked like. The decor was a bit outdated but in pristine condition. If anyone had stayed there before you, you couldn’t tell as you walked around to observe the large bedroom.

Jenny stood awkwardly in the doorway, clearly unused to having guests of her own over. “I guess I’ll leave you to unpack. Bathroom’s right through that door, and my room is two doors down. Come find me when you’re done, and I’ll give you the tour.”

“Okay,” you said.

You opened the closet door, finding empty hangers for your clothes. It didn’t take you very long to unpack, hanging up some of your clothes and putting others in the drawers of the nearby dresser. The bathroom was just as elaborate as the bedroom, its pink tile walls and floor looked like it’d just been installed. You set your toiletries where you usually kept them at home.

Jenny’s bedroom door was open, and you found her laying on the floor, reading a magazine. Her room wasn’t much different from the dorm room as far as decor went, except the bedroom was naturally far bigger. You wondered how she even survived in the cramped shared living space, growing up with such an incredible room of her own.

She was surprised to see you walk in, not expecting you to finish unpacking so soon. True to her word, she gave you the grand tour of Graceland. She had a story for just about every room in the house, something funny she or her dad had done, but you noticed mention of her mother as scarce. Still, the woman’s presence lingered throughout the mansion like a ghost–family photos that were still on bookshelves, the wallpaper and furniture she’d picked out in some of the rooms.

By the time Jenny had finished showing you the house and just how much there was to do outside, your stomach began rumbling, and you couldn’t ignore the smell of whatever was cooking in the kitchen. 

“Dad, what’re you cooking for?” Jenny asked upon seeing Elvis standing front of a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop.

“Changed my mind about burgers. This is one of Dodger’s recipes, I wanted to do somethin’ special for your friend’s first night here.”

“Food poisoning isn’t special.”

“C’mon, that was one time, and I got just as sick as you.” He turned to you. “Don’t listen to her. It hasn’t happened in years.”

You laughed, sitting at the table, amused by their banter. Dodger walked into the kitchen, taking the seat near you and giving you an exasperated glance. Apparently this was a regular occurance.

You hadn’t realized how hungry you were until you started eating, but it didn’t faze them, as you noticed where Jenny had picked up the habit of talking while chewing came from. The whole situation was almost normal, which made it all the more bizarre to you. You hadn’t expected to be catered to hand and foot by butler and maids or whoever they may have employed at Graceland, but having a regular, home-cooked meal with the Presleys wasn’t what you had in mind for your first meal there. 

The food was good, and Elvis was especially pleased the next morning when no one showed signs of food poisoning, as he so kindly informed a half-awake Jenny over breakfast the next morning. You slept well in the guest room, the bed was more comfortable than the one you had at home, and having your own bathroom to take as much space as you needed to do your nighttime and morning routines was something you knew you’d savor throughout the summer.

Your first week at Graceland was mostly spent in the house, either in Jenny’s room where the two of you listened to music and planned the rest of the summer.

“Y’all can’t spend all summer inside. We got a nice pool out there, and y’all ain’t even used it yet,” Elvis said. “And those poor horses are neighin’ for you, Jenny.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned, covering her face with a pillow in embarrassment.

Elvis winked at you, and you smiled in return.

“You bring your swimsuit, Y/N?” Jenny asked when she lifted her head.

When you changed into your swimsuit in your room, you looked at yourself in the mirror, admiring how well it looked on you. It flattered your figure perfectly, so much so that you’d bought different patterns and colors in the same style. A brief, foolish thought raced through your mind, what would Elvis think?

As you made your way downstairs, you took a detour to talk to Dodger who was watching TV in the living room.

“Hi Dodger,” you greeted cheerfully. “Are you gonna go swimming with us?”

She scoffed. “I went enough of my life without air conditionin’, I’m not givin’ up bein’ comfortable now.”

You nodded. “I don’t blame you. Do you need anything before I head out?”

“Jenny just got me a Coke before she ran out the door. Thanks for askin’, sweetheart,” she said, smiling.

Jenny was already in the pool by the time you got there, climbing out to head to the diving board. You set down your towel on an empty pool chair and applied your sunscreen, watching as she jumped from the board and into the pool. The sun was unforgiving as you could already feel yourself sweating off the sunscreen. Still, you knew you needed to wait at least a few minutes before heading in.

Sometimes you and Jenny would swim at the pool in the campus gym, but it reeked of chlorine and on more than one occasion had to be cleared out because some hungover asshole threw up in it. The pool at Graceland looked immaculate, though.

“You’re not swimmin’?” Elvis asked, startling you a bit. You hadn’t noticed him walk up.

“I’m waiting for my sunscreen to dry first.”

“I’ll keep you company,” he said, sitting next to you on the towel.

Neither of you spoke as you watched Jenny do a backflip off the diving board, Elvis jokingly calling out a score when she emerged from the water. She stuck her tongue out at him before swimming over to the ladder out of the pool, making her way back up the diving board.

“Did she dive competitively or something?” you asked.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Nope, just likes jumpin’ off the thing. We signed her up for just about everything else she wanted to try. Really is a miracle she ended up alright, Lord knows I let that girl get away with murder growin’ up.”

“Jenny is the best friend I’ve ever had,” you said softly.

He turned his head to look at you, squinting a bit from the bright summer sun that was shining from behind you. Your breath caught in your throat at the sight of him—his tanned skin almost gold in the sunlight with his black styled hair, the faintest hint of laugh lines beginning to show in the corners of his mouth as he gave you a kind smile. “I’m real glad to hear that. She thinks highly of you too.”

Before you could respond, he said, “I’ve spent a lot of time readin’ the Bible recently. Lots of strong friendships in there, people who get through trials and tribulation together. We’re all sinners, but the Lord gives us strength in each other. Seein’ how good Jenny is doin’ thanks to you makes me think maybe I shouldn’t have pushed away all the people I did when her mama left.”

If that was his way of calling you heaven-sent, you’d take it. Jenny had told you he was religious, not obnoxiously so, but had a deep, personal faith that he cherished. People often turned to religion when they felt lost or troubled, seeking comfort that their experiences weren’t meaningless and there was a higher power looking out for them. Regardless of how you felt about it, you weren’t about to tear apart something that gave him peace.

“Isn’t that why God made Eve? So Adam wouldn’t be lonely?” you asked.

You couldn’t read the look he gave you as his expression shifted just enough for you to notice sitting so close to him, yet he answered, “That’s right.”

“Y/N, are you coming in or not?” Jenny shouted from the diving board.

You smiled at Elvis before getting up and taking a careful step into the shallow end of the pool. Standing in the waist deep water was refreshing, and you floated for a bit, talking with Elvis and Jenny who’d taken a break from diving to unsuccessfully convince her dad to join the two of you in the pool. He simply brushed her off, claiming he was fine despite the sweat dripping from his forehead in the Memphis heat. 

It wasn’t until you expressed that you felt bad he was sitting out in the sun, he finally relented. To your disappointment, he didn’t take off the t-shirt he was wearing when he got into the pool. You were slightly embarrassed that you even wanted to see him shirtless, especially with Jenny around. It made you feel acutely aware of how much you were talking with Elvis, even though Jenny had become preoccupied with diving again.

The next few weeks were mostly spent poolside, except for the day Jenny stayed out too long and ended up getting heatstroke, confining you inside the house while she recovered. Elvis offered to have a car bring you into Memphis to go shopping or do some sightseeing, but you decided to stay with Jenny instead, watching the TV in her room and bringing her food and drinks, even though she told you that someone else could do it. 

When she recovered, she brought you on a shopping spree, ‘To thank you for playing nurse,’ she had joked. She told you not to pay attention to the price tags of anything, but you couldn’t help it, putting back items you deemed too expensive and claiming you didn’t like them that much anyway. Of course, Jenny would go right back behind you and grab whatever you’d left, buying it for you anyway.

You enjoyed Memphis a lot, and Elvis seemed excited when you returned from the shopping trip with Jenny, telling him as much. It was nice to switch things up from the normal pool days, something that you never thought you’d find yourself thinking. As Elvis had pointed out, there was a ton to do in Memphis. Although, on the handful of nights you and Jenny went out to a local bar or club, he waited up until the two of you got back to Graceland. Jenny apologized each time, as if embarrassed by Elvis’ concern. Each time, you brushed off her apologies. Sure, you and Jenny were adults, and her dad didn’t have to wait up by the window for the two of you, but it was sweet.

Apparently, the nights out you’d experienced in Memphis would be nothing compared to the annual Presley Fourth of July party, which Jenny grew more excited for as the day got closer. Every year they had a party that raged on from the height of the afternoon well into the next morning. Though she told you that it wouldn’t be as extravagant as past celebrations, it would be a good time nonetheless. Still, Elvis had apparently invited the “Memphis Mafia” whom you’d heard so much about, the first time they would all be together in months.

She had assured you it would be a casual barbecue type of event, so you decided to dress comfortably for it, figuring you’d be spending most of your time outside in the pool or hanging out with Jenny. You certainly hadn’t underdressed, as when you got downstairs, just about everyone else was wearing some kind of t-shirt and jeans or shorts. You noticed Elvis dressed down in a t-shirt with your university’s logo on it and a pair of jeans that made his ass look fantastic—not that you were looking.

The first hour or so of the party consisted of getting drinks from the open bar and going through introductions to the four dozen or so people in attendance, most of whom Jenny introduced as “uncle” or “aunt” so-and-so. Luckily Dodger knew everyone, and in the two instances Jenny asked you to get someone in particular, she gladly pointed you in the right direction. 

At some point in the afternoon, a football game started, unsurprising as Jenny had told you how much her dad loved football. In fact, he’d wanted to attend some of your university’s football games but knew it’d cause a scene if he showed up. You helped Jenny referee the pickup game, not knowing much about football yourself, but it seemed like they were making up rules on the spot anyway. 

The game was fun to watch and a good excuse to stare at Elvis, until a football went flying in your direction. Just as it was about to hit you square in the face, you landed on the ground with a thud. You were dazed for a few moments before noticing Elvis was on top of you, looking at you in concern.

“Y/N, you alright?” he asked.

God, he felt nice pressed against you, but as so many eyes were on you, you had no choice but to answer, “Yeah, thanks for saving my face.”

He laughed. “‘Course, darlin’.”

“Sorry about that!” a man shouted from a few feet away.

Elvis helped you up off the ground, brushing away some of the stray dirt that’d gotten on your shirt. 

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked once again, a steady hand on your shoulder as he searched your face with his ocean blue eyes.

You felt your face heat up at being the focus of his attention. “I’m fine, really.”

He nodded, but still jokingly said, “Jenny, you watch her. Keep her out of trouble.”

The football game didn’t go on much longer after that. Jenny had forgotten what the score was, and you hadn’t been much help. Not to mention with how hot it was out, everyone was getting tired and hungry. You and Jenny talked as you balanced the paper plates filled with food on your lawn chairs, but your mind kept wandering to Elvis being on top of you earlier. So close to him, you could have leaned up for a kiss, pressed your lips against his and found out what he tasted like, something sweet yet masculine you supposed. 

You were startled from your daydream by Jenny asking you where you wanted to sit during the fireworks. Jenny. You felt horrible for the crush you’d developed on your best friend’s father and foolish for even considering he’d be interested in you in the first place. After all, you were at Graceland to spend the summer with Jenny. She was the one who’d invited you and extended such generosity that you didn’t feel like you deserved, especially now that your mind was wandering to thoughts of her father.

As soon as the sun set, the elaborate fireworks show began, you and Jenny sharing an old picnic blanket she’d found and sitting on Graceland’s lawn, watching the bright blues and reds light up the night sky. You could hear Elvis laughing and hollering with some of his buddies as they lit the fireworks, each one more dazzling than the last. 

About halfway through the palette of fireworks that the guys were going through, Elvis turned to you and Jenny, a big smile on his face as he extended his arms out, raising his eyebrows. You responded with a thumbs up, and Jenny nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Your ears were ringing by the time the fireworks show was over, but there was no denying they were the best you’d ever seen.

The smoke from all of the fireworks left the air hazy, so you and Jenny laid out on the blanket, looking up at the stars while waiting for everything to settle down. You loved how no matter the situation or how long the two of you were around each other, conversation with Jenny always flowed naturally. No matter what, you could tell her anything. Well, almost anything.

At around two in the morning, when nearly everyone else had left or called it a night, as Jenny had, you found Elvis sitting alone at the empty bar, a glass of melting ice next to him. You sat down next to him, your knee touching his as you turned on the bar stool to look at him.

“I wanted to thank you for the party. It was incredible,” you said. “I mean the food and the fireworks, just everything. Also, you know, saving me from an emergency room visit.”

“I’m glad you had a good time, darlin’. Seemed like Jenny was havin’ a lot of fun.”

“She was happy to see everyone. I don’t think I remember all of their names, though,” you said. “She’s got a lot of uncles.”

He laughed. “Yeah, she grew up with all of ‘em. They’ve been part of the family for, well, since I got back from the service.”

“Did you like Germany?”

“No, I was homesick and lonely the whole time. Jenny’s mama was back here, and it didn’t help that—“ he sighed, shaking his head. “I was ‘bout Jenny’s age when my mama died. That ruined me, it really did. Then the same thing pretty much happens to her. It’s like we’re cursed or somethin’.”

“I—I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “You got nothin’ to apologize for, darlin’. You’re bein’ a good friend to my baby girl right now.”

“She’s been a good friend to me. She deserves it,” you said. “I know it’s not the same, but when my ex dumped me, I didn’t think I would ever feel okay again.”

“Can’t believe anyone would dump a lady like you.”

“I could say the same about you,” you flirted back without thinking, horror washing over you as you realized your faux pas. “Elvis, I—“

“I’ll take it as a compliment, comin’ from you, darlin’.”

You gave him a nervous smile, assuming he was just saying that to be nice. It was a ridiculous thing for you to say, after all, hardly knowing the man besides what little your friend had told you and the month or so you’d been at Graceland. His faults were glaring, the repeated infidelity toward his wife—soon to be ex-wife, you supposed—as well as his substance abuse issues, the latter of which you understood he’d been working on, to at least be fair. Still, he was a loving father to your best friend, and he’d been nothing but kind and charming toward you, a near stranger staying in his home for the summer. 

Upon speaking with him further, he revealed that the reason he cast out so many of his trusted friends, the people who made up TCB, was that almost all of them, in one way or another, could see Jenny’s mom leaving from a mile away. Meanwhile, Elvis and Jenny were blindsided by her abandonment. He was hurt that no one gave him a heads up, at least so he could try to make things right with her. He did admit, however, that as her husband, he should have noticed something was wrong and she was reaching her breaking point.

About an hour later you excused yourself to go to bed, and didn’t wake up until late the following afternoon. The mood in Graceland shifted after the Fourth of July party. Despite the heavy conversation you had with Elvis that night, things seemed lighter. He had his old friends over more frequently, which Jenny was glad about, expressing that she felt like her dad was slowly getting back to his old self again. 

Most notably, Elvis sought you out more. Though you and Jenny were practically attached at the hip, he began occupying the spare moments you had to yourself. You couldn’t even say that you minded too much, but the way he regarded you felt more intimate than before, deeper conversations and fleeting touches punctuated your time with him. 

One evening, when you decided to cook an old family recipe of yours for the Presleys, Elvis insisted on helping. He chopped and grated as directed, but when he needed to get past you to grab something, he put his hands on your hips, squeezing them a bit as he moved in the space between you and the counter. Your breath hitched at the action, and when you looked over at him, he appeared preoccupied with what he was searching for. 

You tried to burn the feeling of how his hands felt on your hips into your memory. Perhaps it was a reflex, a holdover from domestic moments with his wife. Your heart raced at the thought. Filling the maternal role for Jenny was one thing, but the prospect of inadvertently providing Elvis the intimacy that was absent since his wife had left made your head spin. 

You and Jenny already looked after each other, and though helping her push through the last few weeks of the spring semester was a struggle, spending the summer keeping her mind off of her mom was far easier. There were still some nights when she’d knock on your door, tears streaking down her cheeks as she asked if she could talk to you, not wanting to be alone, knowing you would always say yes. They weren’t nearly as frequent, though.

Elvis didn’t seem to have someone like that, who he could be vulnerable with and not have to worry about being judged or taken advantage of. You supposed he gravitated toward you because you were already there, convenient, within reach, and well aware of the situation at hand. The more you spoke with him, the deeper your attraction to him became. For all of the things you’d read and heard about him through the years, none of them mention how smart and sensitive he was. 

At that point, it shouldn’t have surprised you that Jenny’s affinity for history came from him. He read a lot in his free time on a variety of subjects and was interested in the details of your major. He told you how proud he was when Jenny expressed a desire to go to college and get her degree. It definitely didn’t surprise you when he said that she’d always gotten fantastic grades, graduating in the top ten percent of her high school class. 

You were glad Elvis supported Jenny so much, even if she did regard him as a bit overenthusiastic at times. There were plenty of people you knew with terrible fathers, and Elvis’ dedication to Jenny made you admire him that much more. Of course, Jenny was incredibly important to you too. You liked your other friends, but they weren’t her.

When Jenny approached you toward the end of July, standing in your room and shifting from leg to leg with an anxious expression on her face, you were sure you’d been found out. She knew about your crush on her dad and was going to confront you over it. Send you packing and leave you shit out of luck for a roommate just a month before the semester was going to start.

“I forgot to tell you,” she began, “that summer camp I volunteer at every year is coming up next week, the one in the Smokies.”

You nearly sighed in relief. “Yeah, I know, Jenny. I’ll see you in August.”

“I was wondering—can you stay? I really don’t think dad should be alone, and Dodger needs to rest, not worry about him. He was a mess the week before you got here, Y/N. Just check on him, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, taken aback by her request. “I don’t want to impose. I’m your guest here.”

“He trusts you. He has a hard time trusting people. I swear I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know he trusts you.”

Fuck, why can I never say no to Jenny, you found yourself thinking as you agreed to look after her father during the three weeks she was away. It was only three weeks, and you liked Elvis a lot anyway, maybe more than you should have considering he was your best friend’s father. Still, you figured there was no harm in the small crush you were harboring, certain it would fizzle out by the end of the summer when you and Jenny returned to campus.

The week leading up to Jenny leaving was hectic on her end, and you got a bit of a trial run on how spending three weeks by yourself with Elvis would be, especially since Dodger was understandably doing her own thing, though she knew how to play just about every card game in the book and could kick your ass at just about every one of them. When you informed Elvis that you had to call it quits on a game of Go Fish of all things with Dodger, having lost all of the Hershey’s Kisses you’d been betting with, he laughed so hard you thought he was going to fall over.

“You’ll get more kisses, I’ll make sure of it,” he said when he finally caught his breath, unaware of how your heart jumped at his statement. 

Jenny cried when she left for her volunteer camp counselor position, giving you a long hug and thanking you for being such a good friend through everything. You couldn’t help crying too. Of course, you’d miss her, but the guilt you felt in regards to Elvis allowed itself to peek through at her sincerity.

Elvis was lonely, achingly so, and you weren’t sure if it was because he genuinely cared for you or as you suspected, you were just there already, but the time you’d been spending with Jenny was quickly occupied with Elvis’ presence instead. He’d sit in on your card games with Dodger, not playing despite his competitive streak because he hated to lose, which was almost always a guarantee when playing against her. During the day, the two of you would spend hours in the pool, talking and horsing around. When the weather wasn’t great, you’d hang out in the jungle room, listening to music, or if you were really lucky, he’d sing for you. 

You got into a comfortable routine with Elvis, a little too comfortable, you realized, when you’d settled in to watch TV with him after dinner and his arm was around your shoulders, his fingers absentmindedly brushing up and down your forearm as the latest episode of Columbo played. It didn’t matter. No one else was around, which was just the trouble—despite his entourage slowly making their reappearances at Graceland throughout the summer, it was almost as if he reserved his evenings specifically for you.

At the very least, you’d be able to tell Jenny when she returned from her stint as a camp counselor that her dad was doing fine and she had nothing to worry about. That’s how things seemed as the first week of her being away came and went. She sent you, Elvis, and Dodger letters along with some Polaroids of her with her cabin playing baseball, painting, and tubing down a river. You were glad she was having fun. 

Elvis did too, until you noticed his face fall as he studied one of the photos intensely for a few moments.

“She looks just like her mama in that one,” Elvis whispered, putting it on the coffee table.

You walked over, noticing that the angle of her leading the painting class did make her resemble her mother, at least from the few pictures you’d seen of her. 

Elvis disappeared after that, and neither you nor Dodger saw him the rest of the day. When dinner rolled around, your spirits lifted when Dodger taught you one of her old family recipes, the one Elvis had made the first night you arrived at Graceland. She said she only trusted family members with her cooking secrets but figured you were just as part of the family as you could be, which brought you to tears.

After dinner and chatting with Dodger for a bit, you went to check on Elvis. Graceland being the mansion it was, it took at least twenty minutes of checking rooms and admittedly getting lost at one point before you found him in the jungle room, sitting on the couch with a glass of something amber in his hand. The record player was on, but whatever he had on the turntable had long since stopped playing. You broke the unsettling silence in the room, letting him know that there was still some leftover from dinner if he was hungry.

He didn’t answer you or even acknowledge your presence, simply staring straight ahead, deep in thought. You tapped your fingers against the door frame, letting a few moments pass by before turning to leave. Just as you were about to do so, he finally spoke.

“You give your whole life to a woman, and then she just throws it away,” he slurred.

You did cheat on her, you almost said. You understood what he meant, if it had bothered her so much, why did she wait so long to leave. Perhaps she felt as if she didn’t have an opportunity to before, that spring night she left being the only time she had the chance or the nerve to do something she’d apparently been considering for some time. Maybe it was years of built up resentment or countless confrontations that resulted in empty promises. There was no way of knowing what had been the final straw for her, but she certainly hadn’t chosen the least painful option.

You wondered if she had any idea the fallout that was left in her wake. Neither Elvis nor Jenny had any contact with her in the months she was gone. It probably hadn’t occurred to her that your life would be so drastically changed too.

Sighing, you approached Elvis, your hands on your hips as you took stock of the situation. The last thing he needed to be doing was drinking and overthinking, and while you would have preferred he eat a solid meal, the best option was to just make sure he got to his room okay.

“Elvis, let me get you to bed,” you said softly.

He made a grunting noise that startled you. “Ain’t too bad to hear from a pretty thing like you.”

“I’m sorry. That isn’t what I—” you stammered. “I mean, you should go to sleep.”

“Christ, seein’ you all summer in those swimsuits—like you drive me crazy on purpose.”

“C’mon, let’s go,” you said, helping him up from the couch. 

“Shame you’re Jenny’s best friend,” he mumbled. “Ain’t many girls like you ‘round anymore that know how to take care of a man. I’d shack up with ya in a heartbeat.”

You froze in your tracks. He was drunk, that was all. Unable to utter anything coherent in his inebriated state. Still, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of misplaced pride upon hearing Elvis say that he wanted you, that he found you attractive, even. 

Taking his hand, you guided him into what you knew was the master bedroom, though you’d never been inside of it before. The dark decor sent a shiver down your spine, even when you turned on the lights to illuminate the way to his bed. You’d never seen a room so ornate before, truly fit for a man like him—the king.

As soon as Elvis hit the bed, he was out like a light, and you pushed his body so he was laying on his side, just in case. You went into his bathroom, finding a bottle of aspirin among the other bottles that were on the counter. After filling up a glass of water, you brought both to his bedside table. 

Quickly, as if at risk of being caught doing something you weren’t supposed to, you turned off the lights and left, shutting the door behind you. Padding down the hall to the guest room, you sat on the edge of the bed, your head in your hands. You found yourself wishing Jenny was there, but it wasn’t like you could discuss what had happened with her anyway. 

You woke up with a headache the following morning despite not being the one who had been drinking. Slowly, you made your way through your morning routine before heading downstairs to get something to eat. Dodger had made breakfast, so you offered to clean up for her in thanks after you finished your meal. 

While scrubbing one of the pans Dodger had used to fry up eggs in, you could hear Elvis’ familiar footfall. You’d already decided not to acknowledge what had happened and hope the rest of the summer would go on without a hitch.

“Morning,” you said, looking at him over your shoulder. “Dodger left a plate for you in the fridge.”

He sighed, making his way over to you and leaning against the counter. “Y/N, I wanted to apologize for last night. I made a damn fool of myself.”

“It’s okay,” you said. “We all have off nights.”

“Let me make it up to you?” he asked. “It’s the least I can do.”

You hesitated, wondering what exactly he had in mind as far as making it up to you. Ultimately you agreed, finding yourself more anxious than excited over what Elvis had planned, simply telling you to be ready and meet him in the foyer around six. To pass the time, you tried reading some of the magazines in Jenny’s room, but couldn’t focus on any of them long enough. Your headache from earlier was still just barely noticeable, so you took a nap in hopes it would go away before whatever Elvis had planned for the night.

You awoke a little over an hour before you were supposed to meet Elvis downstairs, with no idea as to how to dress. He probably didn’t have a t-shirt and jeans type of thing in mind, but formal wear wasn’t anywhere on your list when you packed your suitcase at the beginning of the summer. You’d brought one nice dress with you, as you knew Jenny wasn’t the type to go to high-end clubs or parties that had a dress code. The only heels you had were a pair Jenny had bought you on your shopping sprees earlier in the summer, and while they didn’t exactly match the dress, they looked nice enough together. 

Satisfied enough with your appearance, you rushed downstairs a few minutes past five. Elvis was already waiting for you, as expected. At least you weren’t underdressed, as he wore a tailored blue suit, foregoing a dress shirt underneath the jacket so his chest hair was on display. You tried not to stare at him, but all dressed up, he looked like a dream. 

“I was startin’ to think you stood me up,” he joked.

Stood him up–like a date? “I’m sorry, the time got away from me while I was getting ready.”

“You look beautiful, darlin’. You always do,” he said, putting his hand on the small of your back.

He led you outside to the limo that was waiting for the two of you, opening the door for you to get in first. Almost as soon as he joined you in the back of the limo, the chauffeur drove off, and you still had no idea where you were going, probably dinner, considering the timing, but there was no way Elvis could go anywhere without being noticed.

“I was able to pull some strings last minute, but this is my favorite restaurant in Memphis,” he assured you. “I booked the whole place out. I didn’t want anyone botherin’ you.”

“Thank you. That’s really sweet.”

“It’s the least I can do. I’m embarrassed you had to see me like that, Y/N.”

“I’m just glad I was able to help,” you said, sincerity in your eyes as you looked at him. 

Before he could respond, the limo stopped, and the chauffeur got out to open Elvis’ door. You noticed that the car was parked in front of the restaurant’s service entrance, although you wondered why even bother with the limo if he was trying to be discreet. You supposed you’d never exactly understand how the other half lived.

You could see why the restaurant was Elvis’ favorite. The place was chic yet charming, and you quickly found that the food was incredible. Not to mention, being the only people in the place meant that the service was great. The owner even made an appearance during the meal, talking up Elvis and saying how lucky he was to have such a beautiful date. Neither you nor Elvis corrected him, which sent a thrill through you. So it was a date.

The night went on perfectly, and the way Elvis looked at you, with an intense adoration, made you feel warm. You wanted to be more forward and flirty, but he simply made you melt into a bashful mess without even trying. He’d been kind and respectful, nothing short of a perfect gentleman, as opposed to how crass he’d been toward you less than a day earlier. You were more than happy to brush the incident off as an isolated thing if it meant you got to see this side of him more.

The date ended far too quickly for your liking, but you and Elvis talked all the way back to Graceland. You found it funny when he walked you upstairs, as if walking you up to your front door.

“Is this where we call it a night?” you asked, standing in the hallway near his bedroom door.

“We don’t have to, but I don’t want to overstep, Y/N,” he said. “I don’t remember much of what I said last night, if I’m bein’ honest.”

“Last night you said that if I weren’t Jenny’s best friend, you’d have sex with me,” you said boldly, looking him in the eye. “Did you mean it?”

He shook his head. “No,” he answered, and a lump formed in your throat as you held back tears at his response. You knew it, just drunk nonsense. How could he ever want— “No, I’d make love to you. ‘S’what you deserve.”

You could only manage a whimper in response. 

“You can say no, darlin’. I won’t hold it against ya none,” he whispered.

Your chest tightened as you could tell by the intensity of his eyes that he was being truthful, but you were too when you whispered back, “I want you to kiss me.”

His lips were soft against yours as he kissed you tenderly, one hand cradling your face as the other pulled you closer by your waist. The care he handled you with made you want to cry as nearly a summer’s worth of pent-up emotions filled your chest. Steadying yourself on one of his arms, you squeezed his bicep. In response, his teeth grazed your lower lip, and you parted your lips, allowing his tongue to slip inside your mouth. He tasted of whiskey and tobacco, and you wondered if he noticed the cherry chapstick you’d put on just half an hour earlier in the restaurant’s bathroom.

He opened his bedroom door behind him, just as quickly shutting it and turning the lights on. He undressed you, gingerly removing each article of clothing from your body and pressing warm kisses across your skin. When you were fully nude, you did the same to him, in awe of the man who stood before you. Your eyes widened a bit at his length, already hard as it sprung free from the confines of his tight pants. 

Just like that evening in the kitchen, his hands were firm on your hips, giving you a squeeze as he guided you backward onto the king size bed. As soon as you made eye contact with yourself with the mirror on the ceiling, you just as quickly averted your eyes. He noticed your hesitation, as a man with a mirror on his bedroom ceiling and extensive sexual experience would, you supposed. Gently, he used his fingers to tilt your head up, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered. “Don’t be shy, darlin’, look at how perfect we are together.”

Darlin’. You wondered, as he kissed and sucked on the tender skin of your neck, if he meant it, if you truly were darling to him. He threw around the pet name so often, especially toward you. A burst of possessiveness sprung from within you at the thought of him calling another woman that, even in passing. He was yours, fuck everything, he was yours.

When you looked up at the mirror again, you realized your initial discomfort came from seeing a woman unrestrained, unhinged. You met your own gaze with one of lustful determination and pulled his head away from your neck, pressing your lips to his once more. Threading your fingers through his messy black hair as you deepened what could hardly be considered a kiss at that point—teeth and tongue and the eventual tang of blood as you bit his lower lip a little too hard in your frenzy.

A sense of pride bubbled in your chest as you smugly watched him consider you with bewilderment. He returned your expression with a smirk of his own, his hand slipping between your thighs. You spread your legs farther open, having no intention of playing the ingénue. You weren’t lying in his bed to pretend you didn’t want him to ruin you.

He wanted you. He wanted you. You repeated this mantra in your head as he slid two of his fingers in your pussy. You couldn’t be bothered to stifle the moan that came from your lips and filled the room. This stirred something in Elvis as he worked his fingers, rapidly pumping them in and out of you, using his other hand to rub your clit to elicit more moans from you. 

“Fuck, darlin’, you keep doin’ that and I might come before I’m even inside ya,” he groaned.

You could feel your pussy tighten around his fingers as you were pushed closer and closer to climax. He leaned down, pressing kisses to your stomach and thighs while whispering something you couldn’t hear. Your ears were ringing, mind hazed—no one had ever made you feel so good in your life, you weren’t sure if anyone else ever could. 

The cry that escaped your lips when you orgasmed was nothing short of primal, your fingers clawing into the satin sheets as your hips bucked against his hand. What was more, he kept at it, using one hand to hold down your hips as he made you cum again with his fingers. It was almost too much, yet you whined when he pulled his hand away.

You could do nothing but lay still as you attempted to steady your labored breathing, but that didn’t stop Elvis, who seemed intent on devouring you.

“I need you,” he mumbled, his desperate prayer repeatedly whispered into your skin that burned at his touch. “Y/N, I need you.”

“I’m right here,” you breathed. “You have me.”

He pressed his lips to yours fervently, holding your face in his hands with a passion that left you even more breathless. You gripped his bicep, kissing him back with a desperation you couldn’t even pretend to be ashamed of.

You gasped as you felt the head of his hard cock against your pussy, digging your nails into his skin as you brought him closer. His chest pressed against yours, he slid his cock inside your still sensitive cunt that immediately responded to being filled. 

His thrusts were slow and steady, taking his time with you in contrast to the messy finger-fucking he’d given you just moments before. You looked up at the mirror on the ceiling again, your lips curling in a smile at the sight. His face was buried in the crook of your neck, your hair wild and eyes wide as you clung to him as he had his way with you. A high-pitched moan escaped your lips as he lowered his head to take one of your breasts in his mouth, the other bouncing in rhythm with his thrusts. You and Elvis looked ethereal, immaculate, a Renaissance painting that would put the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to shame.

“Elvis, oh my god,” you choked out, throwing your head back as you felt your third orgasm building up in your core.

“I’m close, darlin’,” he moaned. “You take me so well—I don’t think I can last much longer.”

“I want you to cum inside me, Elvis,” you confessed, voice strained as you tried to form words. “Please.”

Upon hearing your plea, his thrusts became more erratic. It didn’t take much after that for him to climax, and you jolted at feeling his cum inside you, especially when he rubbed your clit again, sending you over the edge yourself. His name emerged from deep within your throat, as your eyes watered and toes curled when you came.

He’d marked you, claimed you, obliging the request you made in the heat of passion. There was no turning back, no undoing what had just been done. Just as much as Elvis was yours, you were his. 

He settled next to you, taking one of your hands in his and kissing the top of it before asking, “Darlin’, you feel alright?”

You nodded, although alright was such a gross understatement. You felt beautiful. You felt loved. You felt guilt pool in the pit of your stomach at the thought of Jenny and allowed yourself to drown in it when Elvis pulled you against his chest, pressing a kiss to the crown of your head and whispering that he loved you.

Taglist: @eliseinmemphis @crash-and-cure @kittenlittle24 @im-lame-irl @loudwombatmugkid @rxsesss @roseymary04 @queendelrey @jovialladyaurora @positivitylane112 @moonknightswif3 @holy-minseok @datsavageavenger @21bruhs @luckyevansstan @djsjs13949​ @butlerslut​ @ash-omalley​ @powerofelvis​ @sad-bisexual-bitch​ @peachy-deaths​ @kibumslatina​ @adoreyouusugar​ @raefoxiegirl​ @ilovehobi101​ @donnamarie23 @memphis-menace​ @animeketsu-yander​ @phhistheloml @dkayfixates​ @austinstyles​ @ophelia-writes-stuff​ 

#elvis x reader #austin!elvis x reader #elvis presley x reader #elvis smut #elvis 2022 #elvis #austin!elvis

[somejazzinthemorning]

tightrope. 06

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x Original Female Character Warnings: Language Word Count: ~8.1K Previous chapter: 05.

Again, the path to the airport was waiting for me. Bags packed at my feet and with them the unsettling feeling of not knowing what was reserved ahead. Seven days were the minimum we had agreed on. Ana had called me twice after dinner to make sure I was going and at the end of the second call, I was won over by her good persuasion tactics and handed her the victory. Hours later, she texted me the ticket.

I didn’t know what to expect. To be fair, I didn’t remember the last time I spent more than a couple of hours with the Sainzes. Time made the memories of summer and winter vacations vague, only smears of memories habiting in my mind — and the ones that remained more solid had a boy with big hazel eyes as the main character and nothing much more important happening in the background.

They were waiting for us at the airport in a disorganized semi-circle near the entrance. Carlos didn’t seem to be paying attention to the conversation his sisters and their boyfriends were engaged in. Rio pointed at them, not noticing my attention was already drawn to the small group standing ahead of us. My brother waved at Carlos and he waved back.

A black backpack rested on his back, which was covered by a white t-shirt. His hair was pulled back, being held by his sunglasses, keeping it from sliding over his forehead. I rested my gaze on his face and allowed myself a second to observe him. Everything about him reminded me of the last time we'd travelled together, especially his tired eyes, sunken in their sockets, beneath which were dim shadows.

The hollow sound of my footsteps and the ruck of the wheels on my suitcase filled my mind as I asked myself one single question — what am I getting myself into?

One week (or more if work allowed) with him and our friends. That was the premise. I kept repeating it in my mind. Just one week. See the sun rise from under the Mediterranean Sea and watch it set over the beach. Late nights in clubs and lazy lunches by the pool. Long dinners in the yacht, under the golden hue of the sunset.

Somewhat of a dream, but one where we would have to share ourselves with each other again. And I was afraid of the feelings it could spark. I had just told him I didn't trust him enough to be his friend, knowing damn well I wanted him on a deeper level than that.

The first thing that crossed my mind was that I shouldn’t be here, but my body, acting on a will of its own, started walking in his direction. He had his eyes on me but didn’t say or do anything until I reached the semi-circle.

“You came,” he said, not too loud, when I approached them. The rest of the group only became aware of our presence after Carlos’ intervention.

“I told you she was going to come, no?” Rio came forward and greeted Carlos with one of their handshakes and a fast hug. Marjorie kissed his cheek and Carlos politely asked her about our drive to the airport and mocked my brother for making Marjorie carry her bags. She didn’t let Carlos take them.

Trying to escape him, I walked over to Ana. She led the way to the boarding gate, making me accompany her while she told me about work and about a book I had recommended to her a couple of months ago. At each stage of the journey, the group met. The topics of conversation were diverse: football, movies, a new series that Marjorie had just started watching and was desperate to talk about – anything but the Formula 1 season that had just come to its halfway point and hadn't been very kind to Carlos. No one seemed to want to address the last race before the break, which had gone much worse than mine. Hungary had been bad. Austria had been much worse.

I couldn’t take the images of the flames and the heart-grutching radio from my mind. No matter what had happened since then.

“You need to see what we did with the place,” Blanca said when she caught up to me on our way to the boarding gate. “When was the last time you went there?”

“2020?” I was not totally sure. My memories seemed lost in time. “Perhaps 2019?”

Despite being a Monday in August, the airport was not too crowded. It was just after 10 am when we arrived at the boarding gate. Only a handful of people were standing in line to get on the plane. And everything felt normal. A group of old friends travelling. Nothing out of the ordinary.

“You’re too tense,” Ana commented, interrupting Blanca that was filling me up on a few changes they had done in their Mallorca house during the pandemic when they spent long periods there since it was hard (and not so safe) travel to other places. “Is it us or do you still hate flying?”

I knew that by “us” she meant Carlos. Things had gotten weird after our last talk at my mom’s party. It seemed like both of us changed from water to wine in minutes. Cold looks, an awkwardness every time we were forced to be together with the rest of the group. Perhaps that was what I was afraid of—not being able to simply be close, like a friend, without feeling all my feelings in the depths of my skin, turning it into goosebumps every time he looked at me. I looked back for a second, trying to get a glimpse of the group that was following us.

“Both, I think.”

Ana was the one with whom I had a stronger friendship. Blanca was a few years older than us; she had different interests and friends of her own, so it was only natural that I spent more time with Ana, especially growing up.

From the two families and friends, I believe she was the only one to understand how much I liked Carlos. Ana didn’t care when I visited her at their house and got distracted looking out the window to see Carlos playing football in the garden. She also never said anything about how I used to get completely jumbled up my words whenever he banged on her door to ask for small favours or to just mess with her.

She watched me slowly fall in love with her brother and then she watched us drift apart.

“He’s still the same, you know?” Ana got closer to me, taking advantage of the fact that Blanca stayed behind to wait for the rest of the group. “Maybe just got a bit more handsome now.”

I chuckled at her words and there was no time to answer as the group was fast to catch up to us. Carlos, who was leading the way, was the first to complain.

“You two are in a hurry.”

“A week into summer break and you have already lost your speed?” Ana replied, making the group react with a short laugh.

“Vacaciones son vacaciones,” he mumbled as he put an arm around her shoulders and dragged Ana with him. “Stop rushing. We have time to spare.”

“I wouldn’t need to rush if you didn’t—”

Carlos planted his hand over her sister’s hand, laughing at her. “We were the first to arrive here.”

“We have two babies!” Marjorie screamed from behind. “We have an excuse to be late.”

As we approached the boarding gate, my heart started to race. The plane was awaiting us at the other side of the bridge—I could see it through the window. I made my way over in silence, with a nervous smile on my face and ignored the anxiety making my head full of terrible thoughts and childish fears. The moment I stepped on the plane, I felt a rush taking over my heart. No matter how many times I’d flown before, every time was the same.

“Where are you sitting?” Carlos asked me, looking back as we crossed the hallway.

I checked the ticket on my phone and then looked at the numbers. Fifth row, middle seat. Awful. I mentally cursed Ana for booking that terrible seat for me.

“Right there," I said, pointing my head to the seats. “In the middle.”

“Do you prefer the window?”

“Where are you sitting?” I asked. He pointed with his head to the same row. Ana, behind Carlos, was grinning. Fair, I thought. She didn’t have to know about how… weird things were between us. Neither I wanted her to know. At his request, I handed him my luggage, which he stored next to his.

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” I think his smile made the anxiety worse to bear.

I lowered myself into the window seat, shaking my head. “Of course not.”

“Good,” Carlos sat next to me. His arm rested on the armrest between us. “Close your eyes, then. Try to sleep.”

He put on one of his AirPods. It didn’t take long until Rio called for his name and he turned his back to me to answer my brother, sitting across from us. I looked outside the window. The moments until the take-off were torturous, but happily, Carlos was too distracted to notice my distress. To my surprise, the take-off was fairly smooth. As always, I tried to not look outside and failed miserably. I took a deep breath, looked ahead at the tops of the heads peaking out of the seats and just like that we were smooth sailing between the clouds. I closed my eyes. I could use a few minutes of sleep.

My heart thumped as the pilot’s voice crackled in the speakers and the plane shook slightly, and then a little more violently. I opened my eyes, my head hurting from being awakened that way, my pulse quickening and blood rushing in my ears. My hand rushed to the seat belt. It was tightened.

“Now you’re nervous, I imagine,” Carlos’ lips curled in a tiny smile and I rolled my eyes in response.

I grasped the armrest for dear life. My other palm pressed into my thighs. In my mind, a TikTok video about jello and planes was looping. It won’t fall. I kept reminding myself of that. Carlos’ fingertips brushed the back of my hand and he retracted them almost immediately. My breath caught. My heart clenched. Not particularly because of the turbulence.

“Maybe a little,” I didn’t take his hand but didn’t move mine, either. I looked down, at his fingers hovering above my hand. Then, I looked up. “Are you?”

Carlos shook his head; from the way he was forcing a line with his lips, I could tell he was making an effort to not snort at my question. “It will be okay,” he tried to reassure. “And I’m right here, in case you need me.”

I just nodded. My eyes were closed and my head was turned toward the window. I had experienced worse, but each time it was a little living nightmare. I heard a little laugh coming from the man seated at my side.

“Don’t laugh at me, Sainz,” I snapped at him, turning to him. He had his sunglasses on his head and he was not using his AirPods anymore.

“I won’t. It’s just— how many times have you—” I interrupted him by flipping him off. “I’ll stop. Are you okay?”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Carlos laid his hand on top of my arm and brushed his thumb on my skin, so slowly that I had to look down for a second to be sure it was real. Once again, I nodded.

“It’s just that I hate these flying cages,” he let out a little laugh, again. I couldn’t hold mine.

“You are a racing driver, Eva,” there was a stupid smile on his face.

“Last time I checked, I don’t race aircraft ten thousand meters in the air.”

“But you can crash and get hurt…”

“My point prevails.” His smile kept growing, and at the same time, my grip on the armrest got looser. “Even if I crash, I won’t be crashing from this altitude.”

He shook his head, a big smile on his lips. From the pocket of his t-shirt, he took out his AirPods and handed me one. Then, he took his phone out of the pocket of his shorts.

“Sinatra?” I asked after he pressed play on the music. He nodded, as he relaxed his back and laid his head on the headrest.

“I thought you would like to hear this,” he looked at me, head against the headrest, his hair messy on the top of his head.

“That’s Life? I could use something more reassuring.”

His chest shook with laughter, “Will you ever get less weird?”

“You’re the one picking the music,” I fought back, raising my eyebrow.

“And you are the one that made me listen to this in the first place. Now you have to put up with it.” His eyes dropped to the phone and shortly after Fly Me To The Moon started playing.

“You’re so predictable, Sainz.”

“What?” He chuckled. “It’s a great song.”

“Is it, indeed,” at this point, both of us were laughing, and I was not sure why. “Is it just so you to play it right now. That sense of humour of yours…”

“Don’t complain. It always makes you smile,” he pointed at my lips. “See?”

But as I looked into his eyes—those brown eyes that always seemed to see right through me—I started to feel like maybe there was something more to Carlos Sainz than just a silly sense of humour, a love for Sinatra and the awful amount of bad feelings. There was something else behind his eyes that made me want to trust him, even though I had no reason to do so.

He grinned at me, a lazy, satisfied smile. None of us needed to say anything, but I think he gathered something from the smile my lips formed. It was so easy when we were alone. With the music sounding in my ear, making us dwell in the same frequency, I quickly forgot the things I had said to him a few days earlier. We hadn’t spoken since that moment at the party and even if we did, I really doubted it would be of any use, as there weren’t words I could say that would resolve the confusion meddling in my head.

So much was happening. So fast.

The past and the future crashed together and scattered debris everywhere, sending me into eternal dark spirals of thought which I couldn’t seem to get rid of.

It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep and for his thumb to stop brushing my skin. I wondered about the origin of the dark sockets under his eyes, of what had taken his sleep last night. Above them, the perfect line of his lashes and the relaxed brows grabbed my attention next. An expression of tranquillity. I forced myself to look away as if it was a sin to delight in such a view.

I tried to focus on the vast white that stretched below us towards the horizon, but the weight of his hand on my arm made it impossible to focus on anything but him. I looked down, taking in the sight of his hand resting on my arm, his fingers slightly apart.

The turbulence had long since passed, but he didn’t let go.

~

The weather in Mallorca was better than in Madrid. We left the airport in two cars, windows open and music blaring on the radio. Carlos drove and Rio followed with him in front. Marjorie tried to sing along with the music on the radio, forcing a Spanish accent that despite the years she'd lived in Spain, she still hadn't perfected.

The house was in a private village on the east of the island. I had been there and the route was not totally a blur from the last visits. It was usual to visit them here, especially during the summer holidays, when Rio and I were often invited by the Sainz to come and stay for a few days, with or without our parents. In our early adult years, Reyes and Carlos Sr. chose to stay in Madrid for the first few days, letting us enjoy the island alone.

“This place looks amazing!” Marjorie exclaimed when we parked the car. There was a good view of the sea and the house itself looked like a little paradise on the Mediterranean coast.

Carlos chuckled over her unfiltered enthusiasm and gave me a small pat on the shoulder as he walked past me to get the luggage out of the trunk. I went to help him as Rio took his wife on a short visit around the outside and the rest of the group hadn’t arrived yet.

The house was even more beautiful on the inside. I really needed to step out of my own reality and I realized that place was the right choice the second I looked at the view and absorbed the peaceful atmosphere being brought inside by the big windows, the amount of natural light, the furniture and its soft earthy tones.

“Better than you remember, no?” Carlos asked, proudly, with a smile reigning on his lips. “It’s all Ana and Blanca’s work, they did everything.”

Rio came inside with Marjorie shortly after. Meanwhile, I just walked around the lower floor, recollecting the floor plan that I realized I hadn’t forgotten. When I got back to the living room, the rest of the gang was already there. Blanca and her boyfriend, Guillermo, headed upstairs.

I was then taken by Ana on an official tour of the house. The office was near the living room and had a nice view of the pool and the sea, which I knew would make my work hours a lot harder than I wanted them to be. My room was upstairs, the second door on the left.

That first day was the most peaceful of the week we spent there. We didn’t leave the house. I can’t remember much, as the memories congealed into a cluster of laughter and slow-motion visions of jumps into the sea and tanned wet bodies resting under the sun. That night, Blanca cooked for us. We ate outside, surrounded by the tall trees around the house perimeter and the darkness of the night, which stopped us with ease from caring about the reality we left on the other side of the gate. Only a few memories remained from the dinner — the contour of people’s smiles, heads thrown back amongst the laughs, the taste of the sangria and how easy it was to fall asleep that night.

On the first morning, I went for a jog. For the first time in a while, I had all the time in the world and an unknown road ahead. And it might sound a bit too poetic, but the resemblance to my own life made me clear out some ideas and make a handful of promises to myself.

The roads unrolled themselves like a map once forgotten in time. At every turn, I would find a collage composed of new and old buildings, painted on unsaturated reds and oranges, as the sun was settling in the firmament. With it being so early in the morning, I couldn’t hear much more than the birds and the sea that lazily kissed the rocks of the coast.

When I stepped inside, the house was still enveloped in deep silence. It was early, not even 8 am. A shower, a quick breakfast and a morning behind the desk. That was the plan.

There was a shelf in the office.

A few racing helmets filled the spaces between the books. I was not counting on finding much memorabilia around here, since I expected it would be stored in their Madrid house or Carlos’ apartment in Milan, but there it was. Two of them were rally helmets, belongings of Carlos Sainz Sr. The other three were Carlos’. On the bottom stood one from his Toro Rosso era, in display on top of Adrian Newey’s How to Build a Car. On the top, a scaled version of one of Carlos’ Ferrari helmets. And in the centre, like it was put there to catch my attention, one of his McLaren helmets.

The beginning of the end.

I couldn’t help but take a step towards it and take a closer look. I took it in my hands. I could see my reflection in the chrome, wondering how many memories this house could wake up in me, how many pieces of us were scattered around the place. It had happened so slowly and so gradually that, looking back, I can't find a milestone from which to draw a before and an after. Maybe those two years were that point. There was a before, where no part of me imagined there wouldn't be an after. There was a during when there was still hope. Less and less, each day, but still there. And now there is an after, which we live desperately trying to elapse three and a half years.

I just needed to keep crossing the rope, head held high. One foot after the other.

As I sat on the desk, ready to get a start on the day, the front door opened. The silence of the house made it easy to hear the steps and the hum of a melody I didn’t recognize. I looked at the door I had left open. The sound of the steps got gradually louder, until a man passed by the office. Carlos, in his black shorts. No shirt — of course, no shirt. A fitness band around his chest.

Not resisting the forces that commanded me effortlessly, I looked over to the window to find him stepping down the stones that lead to the lower area of the garden. I watched him as he took his shoes off and took the fitness band off his torso. His sweaty skin glistened under the sun, his hair was already wet and messy. At his pace, he dove into the pool.

I tried to focus on the laptop’s loading screen, but my eyes kept travelling to the man floating in the water and back to the helmets in front of me.

The day flowed with ease and even when it invited me to take a dip in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, I resisted and didn't leave the office during the day. However, every corner of that house transported me into a limbo between joy and sorrow, which I didn't want to deal with, especially not while working. I tried to ignore all connections to the past and that amounted to ignoring Carlos, even though my eyes were looking for him every moment.

Fortunately, the house was big enough that we could live in our own universes without tripping over any of the lines we had silently agreed to. Our conversation at the end of the dinner party acted like an unspoken agreement and even if he broke it on the flight, we both seemed to forget about that interaction. We went back to the people we were before Mugello — the distant strangers whose paths crossed by chance and were forced to coexist.

Though I was happy about it, knowing how much I feared what the intimacy might trigger in me, I wondered what was making him keep his distance. Was he just being respectful or did the weight of my words create a barrier that no force could break down? Did he think I hated him? Or did he see what was going on inside my mind and decided he didn’t want to take part in it?

I could swear to God those eyes and the touch of his lips were capable of ridding my mind of any shackles and protective casings. All he needed to do was ask, looking deeply into my eyes, and I would tell him my truth. The one I’m ashamed to even admit to myself. That I’ve wanted him so much, for so long, that I’m afraid to make him see it, let alone feel it.

But he seemed happy in his world, where the only things that mattered were his friends, the sea and the sun. I, on the other hand, continued to be a hostage of my own thoughts.

When I left the office later that afternoon, I found the house invaded by a bunch of people whose faces I didn’t recognize. The kitchen was full of life and laughter. Blanca was talking to two blonde girls, Marjorie and Ana were outside talking to a couple. And Carlos… well, Carlos was being his best self, entertaining the crowd. As I approached them, sitting at the table, I realized they were talking about Formula 1.

I stopped a few meters from them, not wanting to intrude, but as I tried to find a way to go back inside and try to find my brother and use him as a shield to avoid unwanted social interactions, Carlos found me in the small crowd of people. With a motion of his head, he invited me to come closer and join the group and I walked over, Carlos found me a chair and dragged it to his side. There was no choice but to sit next to him at the edge of the table and face a dozen strangers staring at us; at least one of them, blonde and tall with a particular medal around his neck, was polite enough to grab me a beer. I found Rio sitting among the guests.

“—and so, when I was about to go on track, I told the guy: ‘I’m not going to be able to do a single flying lap with this’. He just looked at me and said: ‘You’ll be surprised, my man’. So I went out and did a 1’21”. Can you believe it? A 1’21” with a fucked up gearbox!”

“The poor man couldn’t believe his eyes,” my brother joined him. “We spent two hours around that thing trying to understand what happened. Chili, my whole career was changed by that broken gearbox.”

Everyone laughed until a german accent overlapped the sound. “And what was with the gearbox?” The beer guy was German. Noted.

“Turns out the guy who drove it before was so shitty he didn’t know how to drive that car.” My brother explained. “And that gearbox? Yeah, it was fucked, but good or bad? All the same for him.”

I took a sip of the beer, my eyes directed at the other edge of the table where the German guy was now getting up from. He was a rally driver, the same age as Carlos. That was all I could gather. But he was funny, and the accent was attractive and his smile? I saw him walking up to me, the conversation flowing in the background, my brother now telling a story about Silverstone and Carlos’ win. As I put the beer down on the table and turned to my left ready to welcome The Guy, I felt a hand on my right thigh. I turned to Carlos, who slowly leaned towards me, eyes glued to something, someone, behind me.

“Real plays tonight. I forgot to tell you I invited a few people to watch the match with us.” I just nodded. He was now looking at me, his hand was weighing on my thigh. I wondered if he was waiting for me to do something. To move away, maybe.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. No problem.” And with that, he moved his hand away and leaned back on the chair.

When I turned to my left, The Guy was nowhere to be seen.

I looked around.

A few people. There were at least, twenty more people around the house, dispersed around the terrace. Half of them sitting with us at the table. Carlos paid attention to my brother for a few seconds before turning back to me again.

“You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“I don’t.” I paused and forced a smile; he frowned a bit. “Carlos. I don’t mind, really.”

“Good.” He grinned, the frown disappearing. That smile could disarm even the most trained soldier. “When I saw you getting here, I thought we disrupted your work.”

It’s not like I was able to pay any attention to it, I wanted to say.

“Nah, don’t worry. It’s all done for the day.”

Some tapas arrived from a bar nearby that Carlos had called in and the table was slowly taking shape. The small portions occupied every stop of the table, and in the small areas available, bottles of beer or wine were placed. A plate of Piquillo peppers, mozzarella and red peppers. A chip of garlic and a sliver of sheep cheese. The scent of garlic and olive oil filled the air, mixed with the aroma of grilled meat that Rodrigo prepared nearby.

When I sat down to eat, no one was already sitting in the places they were previously sitting at, although, Carlos stood in the chair by my side, back turned to me and facing his friends and the projection of the match on the wall ahead. The laughter became intense incoherent yelling, louder and the chink of silverware and the hissing of the burning wood, just some feet away.

Some of the people left the table while the game was still going on and took with them their plates and glasses of wine. The house was big, and so were the terrace and the backyard. Looking around, it felt peaceful. It was chaotic, I can’t lie, but something peaceful lay in the intense yelling and the comradery. I missed this.

Carlos’ English became non-existent. Both he and my brother screamed in Spanish, commending the tactics. I was not particularly paying attention. Not because I didn’t like football, but because I simply couldn’t make myself focus on the players when I was so aware of the man next to me, still smelling like the suncream and sea.

An Estrella Galicia appeared before me with drops of water sliding down the bottle. I turned to the man next to me, whose wet slender fingers were still around the bottle.

"You're not paying attention, are you?" Carlos said, taking the cap off the beer. Our fingers touched for a fraction of a second while I took the bottle in my hands.

“Spent way too many hours in front of a screen, today,” I had a sip. “My eyes are tired.”

“Take a day off, tomorrow,” once again, he leaned against his chair, with a second beer in his hand, from which he had a sip. “Try to enjoy the vacation.”

“It’s not properly vacation,” he scrunched his nose at my words.

“Eh, I didn’t think you would actually get some work done.”

“She’s a workaholic, Chili,” Rio said from his chair, not bothering to turn to us or even looking in our direction. “You won’t see her all week.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t start.”

“So, you’ll join us tomorrow?” Carlos asked. “To be beach we were discussing at lunch?”

“I don’t know. I need to check my schedule.”

He took another sip, his lips twisting in a smile. “I’ll know if you’re lying.”

“She won’t say no,” Rio said. “Not to you.”

“Don’t be so convinced,” I told them.

A hint of disorientation but me as Rio turned back to the projection, but Carlos kept looking at me. Deep hazel eyes bulged into mine until the crowd and their exaggerated reactions to the goal stole his attention.

I saw him again the next morning.

I had woken up early as usual and although I had promised myself I would take a break from work and get some rest, I didn’t want to miss my morning routine. The sun was shining in through the window, casting a warm light over the room. The sea was calm and the sun was getting high in the sky.

Stepping down the stairs, I could hear nothing but the soft brush of the waves on the rocks outside, but as I reached the bottom of the stairs and headed to the door, I found him wearing orange shorts and a white t-shirt, bent over near the open door, tying his shoes. Getting back up, he looked behind him.

“You’re up early,” he said as he straightened up and put his cap on.

“Morning run, as always,” I explained, walking towards the door. He walked outside after me, closing the door behind us.

“I see,” he nodded and then silence fell upon us. Only the waves and the sound of our footsteps on the gravel could be heard for a few seconds. “We could go together,” his voice broke the silence and stretched in the air like a question that I wished he didn’t ask.

We stopped near the gate, my mind battling the idea while he opened it up and waited for me to pass. I could feel the closeness of his body and his breath on my shoulder as I passed between him and the gate.

“I was going to do some intervals.”

“I can do intervals.” He rushed to say. I just nodded. “You can just say you don’t want my company if that—”

“No, not at all.” I interrupted him and looked at my watch to start the program.

When I looked back at him, he was already running. Slowly, at first, but then he increased the pace and I had to run to catch up with him. We ran in silence for a while, our breathing falling into sync as we ran side by side. The sound of our footsteps, our breathing and the waves were the only things keeping us company. I was trying to keep my mind blank, but it was hard.

Every time I tried to empty my thoughts and focus on the road ahead, his face would appear in my peripheral vision, or he would point at a funny-shaped cloud or a pretty rock on the sea. Before noticing, I was completely out of the route I’d previously chosen for that morning. We had left the residential area and were now running on a dirt road by the sea.

“Where are we?” I asked, slowing my pace and looking around.

“Just keep running,” he said. “How much time left?”

I looked at the watch, “Little less than 5 minutes.” He just nodded.

“It’s enough to get there,” Carlos made a gesture with his hand, asking me to catch up to him again. “Vamos, don’t make me drag you up the hill.”

Slowly, we started to move away from the sea, following a trail on a small hill. Between the trees, the remnants of blue narrowed. My watch beeped just before we reached the highest point of the mountain and Carlos refused to stop and forbade me to do so. I would have complained if the effort of climbing such a steep path hadn't taken my breath away.

“Come on,” he said, holding my hand and pulling me up the last few meters. Warm and sweaty, but firm around my fingers. I looked up at him. “We’re almost there.”

As we reached the top, the blue widened in front of us, revealing an infinite horizon. The sea and the sky melted in a single shade of blue, in a single line that drew the limit between what was above and what was below. Some benches, made of stone, stood in the middle of a small clearing. Carlos let go of my hand and sat on the bench, motioning for me to do the same. I followed his gesture and sat down, my eyes still on the view in front of us.

“I like it here,” he said, after a few minutes of silence.

“It’s lovely,” I whispered, not taking my eyes off the view. The sun was high in the sky now and the heat was starting to be felt, even with the wind.

“You should see it at sunset,” he said. “It’s even better.”

The house was just a white patch among the green at the bottom of the hill. There was a sailboat crossing the sea in front of us and some jet skis creating foam paths in the deep blue. Our accelerated breaths, the sound of birds and the whistle of the wind were our only soundtrack.

It was like the world had stopped spinning and time had frozen in that moment of utter tranquillity. His hands were resting on the bench, his left hand between us. Mine was dangerously close to his, so close I thought I could feel his warmth spreading towards me—that unexplainable pull towards him.

A sensation that I dread with the same emotion that I welcomed. Peace and tranquillity walking side by side with fear like no other. We couldn’t part ways, again. I couldn’t bare to see him walk away and lose this feeling, again. I turned my head to face him, wondering if he felt the same. The sun kissed his already-tanned face; there was a faint rosy line under his eyes and on the top of his nose. His hair curled around the brim of the cap.

“You come here often?” I had to end the silence.

He faced me. “We came here yesterday. I think you were in a meeting. Marjorie said you couldn’t come.”

“Yeah, it was a last-minute call, couldn’t postpone it. But thank you for bringing me here.”

“Just wanna make sure you’re not losing the good parts of being here.”

“Carlos—”

“I’m not in the position to tell you what to do, but you—” he cut me off. I propped my elbows on my knees and after a deep breath, I rose back up.

“Yet you do,” this time it was me who cut him off. When I looked at him, his jaw was tense, eyes locked on his hands, holding the bench. “I have to work. I can’t just decide to not work. I told you before coming here.”

“You need guidance.”

“For work?”

He frowned, shaking his head. “For racing.”

“I have Rio and my dad—”

“Your dad?” His body turned to face me, eyes piercing through mine and meeting all the weaknesses I held inside. I would crumble at his feet if I didn’t look away. “Eva, listen.”

“I don’t—”

“Eva, listen,” Carlos said firmly. “Learn to listen. Stop being like this.”

“Like what?”

“So stubborn, when all I want to do is help. I know it was wrong to turn my back on you but I care about you. Always had.” He paused. “I can’t ignore that, and I know neither can you, but… listen. I just want to do what I couldn’t do until now.”

The duality of feelings was consuming me whole. My chest burning with questions, but not looking to find the answers. My throat aching. Lungs way past the point of their capacity. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Can we talk like grown-ups?” Carlos turned to me, once again.

“Sure,” his gaze softened the weight on my shoulders. “Go ahead.”

“Your dad wants to sell the team.”

Inside my mind, silence.

Around us, the wind made the leaves run on the floor against the grass, composing a low-frequency melody that made nothing to make me calmer. The weight fell back on my shoulders, the knot in my throat getting thigh with all the words I wasn’t able to say.

“How do you—?”

“My dad told me,” he paused. “Your father looks at numbers and follows them. Makes you follow them. And if you need more proof, you should have been the one in F3, not Rio. I love him, but you have more talent in a fingernail than that guy in his whole body.” Amid sorrow, my lips found a way to curve in a small smile, imitating his. “You have so much pot—”

“Don’t say potential.”

“Potential,” I rolled my eyes and he chuckled between his words. “It’s sad to see you stuck in The Challenge or a reserve seat.”

“I’m not stuck.”

“Eva, come on…”

“I can go anywhere else, I have proposals.”

“Why don’t you, then?”

“Because I don’t have that mentality or experience… I’m not you, or Rio. I race because I like it and because I found joy in doing it. But lately? With all these… talks and expectations? And covid, and having my seat in FRECA revoked out of nowhere... You know this takes more than driving the car.” I paused to take a deep breath. “They keep saying I need to do more, but what if I don’t want to do more?”

“I can’t let you give up.”

Deep breath. Blink twice. Look at him, again. To the man with the ebony hair, now without his cap and with his hair being whipped by the wind. He looked at me, squinting his eyes while battling a particularly strong gust of wind. His head tilted to the side, lips parted as if a long sigh is waiting to be let out. I shook my head, weary of the subject.

"It's tiring to repeat it, Carlos," I said and the sigh he was holding was finally released. Carlos moved in his place, gathering his hands in his lap and then resting them on his thighs. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“I don’t,” he shook his head. “I look at you and I see an incredible future, as I always did. I thought we would share the track, someday. I imagined that you would follow the same steps that I took and that Rio took... I asked my dad so many times what prevented you from going to F3."

"Sponsors," I said, he nodded.

"He told me the same. But…" he shook his head again, “did they see you racing? Did they see you on the track? Or in the garage talking to any mechanic or engineer?" I shook my head. "You were raised in a garage, but in the wrong stop. You should have been in the car, not following us everywhere and watching from afar.”

“I… It was… F3 is a big deal. And after Rio decided he didn’t want to race anymore? Do you have any idea of mad my dad got? I can’t even imagine how much money he spent with Rio, for nothing… I mean, I get it. Of course, he has reservations, now.”

“I don’t.”

“He’s… I don’t know. I think he expected Rio to be the one doing this, you know?” He nodded slightly. “I mean, I wouldn’t put money on me, not after—”

“I would,” he interrupted me. “Any person who knows enough after racing would. Why don’t you believe it?”

“Because I haven’t seen it!” I said, impatient. “For a while, I believed in it, you know? F3… You were there, you know how hard I wanted it. How much I fought for it. Asking for sponsors, and trying to find a seat, but after years of trying and failing…? Either because of money, or just because I wasn’t doing as well as people wanted me to… It was brutal…”

In silence, he nodded again, lowering his hand and placing it on the bench. I looked down. To the contract between his soft skin and the rough surface, the veins creating bumpy mountains on the tanned skin.

“And now I think,” I looked up at him, again. “What if I fail them all again?”

It was uncomfortable. The talk, the place, the roughness of the bench against the back of my thighs, the sun hitting me hard on the back. Small drops of sweat dripped down my temples, ticker ones dripped down his.

“So you rather fail yourself?”

“God… you almost sound like Marjorie.”

He snorted. “Come on, give me an answer.”

“No,” I said. “I don’t want to fail myself. I like this. I like racing. But I hate the pressure and this… carnage. And it’s so fucking lonely. I’m… I just want to be home. Have a stable job. Come home after work, with fresh bread and open a bottle of wine, watch a sitcom…” He took a breath and I watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down.

Carlos was always so calm, so collected. I’ve always envied that.

“It doesn’t have to be lonely.”

“It is, though.”

“No.” He shook his head. “I’ve been there. I’ve been to the top. Been all the way down. Look at this season… I know what it’s like to feel the fear and the desperation and the hopelessness, and I’ve overcome that. Well…” he hesitated, “I still am. But do you think I’m doing all of this alone?”

“This season…” he continued, eyes down. “Each time I thought it couldn’t go worst, it went. And I know you think I’m this cold, rude person, with no feelings and emotions, like a robot,” I bit my lips trying to muffle a chuckle that I couldn’t stop. He smiled. “It was tough, I really felt it in my skin. And I’m sure it didn’t end here, more will come… But I had and I have my dad, and Rupert, Caco, my friends… my sisters…”

“Rio is leaving.”

“Ah…” He rocked back in his place, rubbing his hands on his shorts. “I thought it may be that.” he stopped. “I feel like I need to apologize for making him leave.”

“Nah, it wasn’t you. He really deserves this opportunity.”

Silence.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but,” his voice softened and he met my gaze. The look in his eyes was so sad, so resigned. It pulled at something in my chest. “I’ll be here.”

Silence.

In my mind, he was already gone. But those eyes? And the way they looked at me like I was some kind of rare work of art? Damn him. My eyes dropped down to the line of his mouth—lips full, and somehow I knew exactly what they’d taste like.

“God forbid you will ever do what I ask you to,” I joked, weakly, and in response, he let out a hoarse chuckle. But as soon as the chuckle died down, his expression turned serious again.

"Listen, I know this isn't the life you imagined for yourself. And this may sound selfish, but this isn’t the life I imagined for you. I know sitcoms and tea are much more likeable than having fajitas for dinner after running 5K in negative temperatures, but… I can’t let you do this. I can’t let you give up.”

I felt a weak smile grow on my lips.

“And if you fail? Then you fail,” he shrugged. “We all have ups and downs. You fall, and you get back up again because, and this is a promise, I won’t let you feel lonely.”

“And what if I’m just… not good enough?”

The corner of his lips pointed up, in a lopsided smile. “You are. That’s the only thing I’m sure about.” He paused. My eyes dropped to my hands, and his hand met my thigh, in a gentle caress. “Look at me.” I did. Of course, I did. “You’ve won races, championships. You were amazing in your WEC debut. Everyone agrees. If you want to do this, you can. Endurance, Formula, just name it… I know you can do it.”

Tension grew heavy. My chest was about to implode on itself, loaded with a strange sense of hope and an ambition I’d felt like I’d forgotten about.

“If I run out of options,” his smile grew, notoriously understanding I was about to completely shift the mood. “I’ll join your dad at Extreme E.”

At this point, I was already grinning. He snorted. “Good luck keeping up with the old man,” he got up and extended me his hand. “Anyways, I’m sure you’d be amazing.”

Five minutes later, we were by the sea again, in a course we trekked at a steady pace, side by side, in silence. If before I associated Carlos with cold and stormy nights, thunder that made the ground shake and freezing snow, now I saw him in the light of the August sun, surrounded by the immense blue, a clear sky and an empty road ahead.

Airport Carlos + Sun Kissed Carlos + Motivational Speaker Carlos + was that Jealous Carlos? 👀 Thank you all for the support! Please, keep leaving comments and messages, they mean the world! All the love, Bru

#Tightrope #carlos sainz x you #carlos sainz x reader #carlos sainz smut #carlos sainz imagine #carlos sainz fanfic #f1 x you #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 one shot #fanf1ction #f1 fanfic #driver x you #f1 driver x you #f1 driver x reader #driver x reader #carlos sainz fluff #carlos sainz jr #carlos sainz angst

[anwritesstuff]

One last dance

pairing: hoseok x reader 

genre: strangers to lovers to strangers again

word count: 874

author's note: got this idea when cleaning my room a few months back when this song popped up soooo here’s a drabble based on the song “one last dance” by Thomas Ng feat. Milky Day; might go ahead and write a slow burn but idk yet, hope you guys like this xx

overall idea: hoseok & y/n have one last dance for closure of a relationship that could never be (or could it?) 

◆:*:◇:*:◆:*:◇:*:◆◆:*:◇:*:◆:*:◇:*:◆◆:*:◇:*:◆:*:◇:*:◆◆:*:◇:*:◆:*:◇:*:◆◆:*:◇:

He knew she was going to be there, he just wished she would come alone, maybe every bit as sad as he felt. After all, he was tired of hiding the sorrow of the breakup and to see some recognition akin to what he was feeling in her eyes would allow him to simply - break. It was his sister’s wedding and as cliche as it sounds, the person holding his heart was to be one of the bridesmaids. You see, y/n wasn’t just someone he could ignore or try to run away from in sheer hope that the inevitable heartbreak wouldn’t reach him. But alas, as most stories go, theirs had a beginning and an end. A start like no other with the juxtaposed feelings of the new year’s fireworks and the calmest Han river picnic in one of those days that everything just is, and that’s enough.

They met at a family dinner the Jung family was hosting in celebration of the new year back in ‘21. “You HAVE to come with me y/n, I won’t accept a no this time around!”. Making her best puppy face at her best friend didn’t seem to work because two hours later she was in the parking lot of one of the fanciest restaurants in Seoul and dressed to the nines and waiting to meet Jiwoo’s boyfriend so they can all go into the private room they were having the feast at. “Jiwoo ~ please don’t leave me alone once b/n comes, your brother is gonna be here and I’m so embarrassed already” y/n hopelessly said to her friend. “I don’t know why you’re so nervous y/n, just because you like his group doesn’t mean he’ll think anything of it, he’s used to people recognizing him. Also you’re not just anyone! You’re my closest friend, my family loves you and as far as Mickey is concerned, you’re as part of the family as this one here” she says pointing to her love-struck boyfriend with her know determination in her eyes. Breathing deeply y/n goes in, arms linked with her best friend as to not lose her but more so to ground her because she was about to meet the Jung Hoseok, in the flesh and it’s not like she didn’t want to meet him, she was thrilled but also aware of the “don’t meet your heroes” phrase even though she knew the rest of the family and found it hard to think he’d be anything but the amazing person they all seem to be. And so a bit (a lot) nervous, with an appetite and a kick-ass outfit she puts on a brave face and gets ready for a night she would never forget. 

The way Hoseok saw it, it was exciting to finally be able to spend the holidays with his family, eat a delicious dinner and then off to the family house for some needed sleep as the next couple of days would be nothing short of a celebration. The New Year finally gave him and the members a well deserved break (having filmed all their holiday content earlier in the summer as weird as it sounds) and now he could relax and enjoy being himself to the total extent of the word, it was going to be great. All of the sudden, he saw a new face come through the obnoxiously big double doors of the restaurant's room and before he could say anything he heard his mom. “Y/N darling! We’re so happy you were able to join us, we were wondering when we’d see you again, you’ve been busy with work-” and as his mom continued talking to this stranger who she seemed to know well enough to hug, he couldn’t help but stare at her, silently and adoringly. This was the last place he expected to meet anyone new really but he was pleasantly surprised nonetheless. See you would think that he’d be tired of always meeting new people and being active in most social environments he was thrown into, and he was - but this right here, right now, felt like destiny. He usually left all that lovey, destiny stuff to jungkook, for the maknae truly believed to his core that he would hear bells ringing when he met the love of his life. He now wasn’t too convinced he was wrong. From the entrance of the room he failed to notice his sister staring at him, a knowing smile on her face. “Hobi-ah! How are you? How’s everything going?” He snapped out of his trance-like state and turned to Jiwoo with a bright smile on his face and a faint blush on his cheeks, hoping she didn’t catch him, but he knew her too well to assume anything but. 

After warm hugs and a bit of catching up with her friend’s mom, y/n was left alone before Jiwoo called her to come and join the little group. “Hobi~ this is y/n, y/n this is my brother Hoseok”. Awestruck, both of them, and they all could see it but them. a stuttering, smiles all around type of meet-cute of two people that didn’t know were destined to be until this very moment.

#bts x y/n #hoseok x y/n #bts angst #bts x reader #hoseok x reader #hoseok angst #bts drabble #bts fluff #hoseok fluff

[countessofravenclaw]

Secretos o las ruedas y el mar: Act 1

In 2024 a group of our favorite skaters ended up having a bit of a time-traveling escapade. Now over 20 years later, two girls find the very mysterious book at the Blake library and end up discovering that they definitely do not know everything about their parents' past.

So, this is a little bit of a Daughter fic/Spin-off of Memories of Time, so I recommend reading that before this. Like a Red Rose Blooms in the Oxford Garden is also recommended for some context.

“Don’t get in trouble!”

“You said that last year as well. Why on earth would I get in trouble?” Aurora rolled her eyes at her brother Oscar, who had dropped her in the front of Blake South College. Their younger sister Laura had already come in early for freshmen orientation, so Oscar only had had to drive Aurora to the school.

“Well, Firecracker, if someone of us gets detention someday, it’d be you,” Oscar laughed at her, “And I am not explaining that to Mom and Dad.”

“Don’t call me that!” Aurora yelled as Oscar drove the car off to park it. As he was out of view, she just shook her head and walked through the heavy wooden doors. 

Firecracker was a nickname Dad had given her years ago, even before Laura had been born. Aurora didn’t mind when he called her that, but it was their thing, if anyone else did it, it was one of the most annoying things ever. Only Dad was allowed to call her that.

Oscar always loved to tease her. He was the firstborn, who had their mother’s intellectual, calmness, and sensitiveness. Laura had the artistic talents of both of their parents, while Aurora was the headstrong, charming, inquisitive perfectionist who apparently reminded Grandma a lot. Three of them were pretty different in some aspects, but anyone who ever met them always said that you could not mistake whose children they were. 

Aurora’s phone dinged again. Her best friend Stella had been blowing up her phone all morning. She was apparently panicking about something that she refused to tell her about via text… Honestly, with Stella, it could be anything, especially since it literally was the first day of their sophomore year. 

“Oh good, you are finally here!” Stella jumped to hug Aurora as she met her at the door to the library and her blonde-dyed natural curls went straight to Aurora’s face.

Aurora shook her head, as she hugged her back. She had known Stella all her life, or more like all Stella’s life, Aurora had already been ten months and there were pics, taken by her dad, of them meeting at the hospital. Their parents always joked that they were the reincarnation of their moms, who were best friends, just like their dads were as well.

“Oscar was driving,” Aurora explained, “So, what is so urgent that you woke me up with your alarming texts? I had to be on my phone so much, that Dad full-on asked me who I was texting. Now he thinks that I have a secret boyfriend. So, thanks a lot.”

“But your dad’s not protective,” Stella shrugged.

“You’re only saying that because he is your godfather, not your father,” Aurora scoffed, “I mean, he pretends that he is not. Always says that we can go out, but we need to let them know where we’re going and he wants to meet the guys first, just to put faces to the names. It’s a miracle Alex has not run away yet, or that Laura didn’t get grounded for meeting him at camp.”

Alex was Laura’s boyfriend, who she had met during the summer at a skating camp she had attended with her best friend Ivory Alvarez. He didn’t go to Blake and Laura had spent the whole of last evening talking with him on the phone.

“I need this book,” Stella took her phone out and showed Aurora a picture of a book cover, “I have this perfect move that I could do on the rink with a snippet of this, for the book tok.”

“This was about a book for your TikTok?” Aurora crossed her arms. She had known Stella for almost 16 years and still, she was able to surprise her. “I thought you were on fire at least.”

“I need your help,” Stella pleaded, “Blake library for sure has that book, but you know I can’t go deeper than two shelves before getting lost.”

“It’s really not that hard.”

“For you, it is not,” Stella grabbed Aurora’s arm, “It’s in your blood. We all don’t have the library navigation genes that the Peridas carry.”

“Just because Mom and Dad got together while spending way too much time at the library at Oxford, doesn’t mean there is genetics involved,” Aurora shook her head. She had heard that story more times than she would have liked, but Laura the hopeless romantic, had always pleaded with Mom and Dad to tell them the story more times than was possible to count when they had been younger. 

Mom and Dad had known each other while they had been at Blake and in the team of Jam & Roller and Stella’s Mom and Dad had been—and still were—their best friends. Then both of them had gone to study at Oxford and ended up in the same circles again. Apparently, sparks had flown pretty quickly, but they had actually done something about it once Dad had volunteered to help Mom with some physics course she had taken. Who knew why a literature major who would become a well-known author later ever took physics, but that was not important. They had gotten married six months after they had moved back to Buenos Aires after Mom had graduated with her masters.

“—And we can talk about how Stella Balsano can’t play the guitar to save her life.”

“Okay, you made your point,” Stella started dragging Aurora towards the library, “Now, lets go find that book.”

“Okay, so it’s fiction so stocked at the very back,” Aurora said as they entered the library. “And the author’s name started with an S, right? That means left…”

“Told you, Master Navigator,” Stella teased her as they started walking deeper in the library.

“Do you know where we are?” Stella started questioning as they walked even deeper into the library.

“Of cours—” Aurora started saying but stopped in her tracks, “Except that I have never seen that before.”

They were standing next to the wall that had a big, engraved stone board. 

“Huh?” Stella walked towards the board, “Notable Alumni of Blake South College.” She read. “Cool, I didn’t know they kept tabs on these. Wonder what these people have done?”

Aurora walked next to Stella and looked at the board herself. It read a bunch of names, their graduation year from Blake, then a degree and the school. “Yale, Harvard, Cambridge. I don’t think these are notable because of what they have done, but because of what school they attended after graduating from Blake. Blake seems to take a lot of pride in stuff like this.”

“Wow, look,” Stella exclaimed suddenly, “Your parents are on here.”

“What? Really?” Aurora moved to the right side of the board where Stella was standing. There it really was. 

About maybe five names from the last one read:

Gastón Perida; Graduated in 2017; Master of Science and Technology, University of Oxford 2022

Nina Simonetti; Graduated in 2018; Master of Literature, University of Oxford 2023

“Well, it does make sense why these are stacked here then,” Aurora had noticed that on the shelf next to the board held all of her mother’s books, from her debut trilogy, the five-part SciFi saga to the currently only published part of the new mystery series. The shelf even had the stand-alone book that her parents had written together. That was currently the only time Mom had published something under her current name: Nina Perida, instead of her maiden name Simonetti, which she had kept as a pen name. 

Mom had always said that Blake had her books in stock, but Aurora had never been able to find them, well until now. She had always wondered where they were. The couple of research articles Dad had done —he had argued for a Ph.D. after Laura had been born and now gave occasional lectures at the University of Buenos Aires and UCA in addition to being one of the senior engineers in Castillo corporation’s executive team— were well on display at the library’s entrance. 

“Hmmm, wonder if Oscar knows about this board,” Aurora looked back up from the shelf, “Because if he does, he must be hell-bent on getting his name on it. I heard him working on his personal essay yesterday with Mom…typical of him, better be early than on time. School started today! He appears to forget that he still needs to actually graduate before he can go to college, and that aint happening till the end of the year.”

Oscar had, ever since Aurora could remember, always wanted to be a doctor just like Aunt April. About a year ago he had set his eyes on Oxford. “Continuing the legacy” Aurora guessed.

“It’ll be weird to think that he’ll be gone.” Stella looked up, her eyes getting a dreamy look in them. “Well, across the ocean, but still not here. All alone, without any of us. I’m gonna miss him.”

“Steallaaaaa, I really need you to stop,” Aurora groaned. She had not yet been able to pinpoint where Stella’s ludicrous crush on Oscar had appeared, but it had already run its course with her patience over the summer, “He is my brother, that is gross.”

“Well…” Stella just shrugged her shoulders.

“I am saying this because I care about you,” Aurora took Stella by the shoulders, “He is not interested in you, and never will be. He will go to Oxford, find some english girl, and bring her home. Plus, your dad will kill any guy who even dares to approach you… And contrary to popular belief, I don’t want Oscar to die.” 

Honestly, those words didn’t hold as much weight as you might have thought. Yes, Aurora didn’t want her big brother getting killed in Matteo’s hands, but that wasn’t any surprise to anybody. Oscar, she and Laura were actually really close, had always been. They were only about two years apart from each other —Laura was a freshman, Aurora a sophomore, and Oscar a Senior— and Mom and Dad had made sure they had made a lot of memories together growing up. They had travelled the world: a lot of trips to the states, to Disneyland and Disney World, multiple Disney Cruises and had been to Europe more times than you could count. Aurora had been able to speak fluent English since she had been 11, if not younger.

“He wouldn’t kill his own godson…” Stella pondered, “...and who else is Dad supposed to approve of?”

Aurora shrugged, “Lucas?”

“Lucas Arias?” Stella questioned.

“I wasn’t being serious.” Aurora shook her head, “I just feel weird about even considering dating anybody offspring from our parents' circles… we’re all basically cousins. It just feels wrong…and he has a girlfriend. Oscar should get one, so you would get released from under that spell.”

"Don't tempt fate like that." 

Aurora had gone back to looking at her mom’s books and her attention suddenly focused on a book next to them. It was a thick book called With the Speed of Light by Markus Tuominen. Aurora had never heard of that before. The book looked really intriguing.

“What are you staring at?” Stella walked next to Aurora.

“Ever heard of this book?” Aurora pointed towards the book. Aurora had grown up with two bookworms as parents, so she obviously was a nerd quite profoundly, but Stella loved reading too. Luna and Matteo always said that it had been due to Aurora’s parents’ influence as Stella’s godparents. 

“No.” Stella shook his head. 

“Me neither.” Aurora grabbed the book and tried to pull it off the shelf. It was heavier than it looked, and it was extremely hard to get it moving. “Something about the name Markus Tuominen sounds familiar to me.”

“Let me help.” Stella took hold of the spine of the book and together the girls were able to get it to moving. 

It was a struggle, but they finally got the book pulled out of the shelf, but it was so heavy that they instantly dropped the book onto the ground…

Suddenly a bright light, almost like lightning had stricken inside, blinded both of them. 

“What was that?!” Stella screamed as they jumped away from the book.

“Something just happened,” Aurora shook her head. “That was very weird.”

She bent down to pick the book off the ground, and to her confusion, it was much lighter. Aurora was able to lift the book up with ease. 

“Aurora… look…” Aurora was just about to open the book when Stella’s horrified voice stopped her. She looked toward Stella, who was pointing to the Notable Alumni board. 

Aurora saw the problem at once. The board was limestone, the type usually used in gravestones and all the names were carved into it… It was not possible to remove them. Still somehow, someway, her parents' names were gone and so were all the other names that had been after them. The last name that was on the board now, had graduated in the year 2012. 

“They’re gone…” Stella said in a horrified whisper. “How’s that possible? We’re not crazy right? They were there carved on stone, you saw them.”

“I did,” Aurora walked closer to the board. This was strange…

…something came into her mind in a flash…It was not possible, but what other explanation was there? 

“Aurora?” Stella’s voice sounded again, “You are being too quiet.”

“Just got an idea,” Aurora mumbled and pulled her phone out of the blazer pocket, “This is absolutely crazy…but…”

“But? But what?” Stella’s voice grew more frantic, but Aurora ignored her for the time being. She opened her phone and…

It wasn’t possible… but at the same time, it really was. Aurra stared at the right corner of her phone. The date couldn’t be right. 

“My phone says that it’s 2017.” Aurora finally said and looked at Stella, whose face was absorbed by shock. 

“No,” Stella started shaking her head, almost like she was trying to detach the skull from the spine. “That’s not possible.”

“Would explain the board,” Aurora felt her voice waiver…

“It’s not possible,” Stella was still standing more still than she ever had in her life. 

“It shouldn’t be,” Aurora looked at the book again. Had it caused this? What had that big flash been? “But everything is evolving. Dad sometimes says that he wouldn’t be surprised if material teleportation was invented in twenty years’ time.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that we should not be time-traveling now! Why? How?”

Aurora shook her head, “It has something to do with this.”

“A book?” Stella stared. “A book caused us to travel back in time?”

“You know light-speed is a type of time-travel, and how the book was super heavy, but now it is not.” Aurora continued, “I mean if you don’t believe me, look at your own phone. When have they ever been wrong about the dates? Technology doesn’t fail like that.”

Stella pulled her own phone from the pocket of the uniform…and stared at it. “No… no no no no. It’s not happening…Non è possibile! Come è successo!?! Devo stare sognando, questo deve essere un incubo. No no no, questo non è reale. Non sono nemmeno riuscito ad andare al college. O avere il mio primo bacio! O sposare Osc...” She started pacing around while words kept coming out of her mouth. 

“Stella,” Aurora sighed. Ever since she had been little, she had had this aspiration of speaking languages. She wanted to be able to speak four or more, by the time she finished college. Spanish was her native and English had come along quite naturally as their parents had made sure they all had learned it, not just from school. Aurora had been studying Italian since the seventh grade since La Hoja de roble had not offered it before which had been extremely frustrating. She was actually quite good at it already and often understood it quite well… but when the bi-lingual Stella went off, no one could understand her… “Can you cool it with the Italian?”

“It’s how I panic!” Stella stopped her pacing and stared at Aurora.

“I know,” Aurora nodded, “But there’s no reason to panic.”

“THERE’S NO REASON TO PANIC?!” Stella grabbed Aurora by the shoulders, “There is every reason to panic! We just have traveled back in TIME! To 2010s! The feeble early years of the 21st century! This is literally 30 years before where we were!”

“Okay, yeah, I get it,” Aurora tried to keep her voice calm, even though Stella’s panic was starting to catch on. There were thons of other places she’d much rather be, but Aurora Perida would not panic. “But this is not helping.”

“What will help?”

“But we have to start from somewhere…” Aurora put the book back on the shelf and started looking around the library.  “Now we first need to figure out what kind of time travel this is.”

Aurora stood in place for a moment thinking, before walking next to the nearest bookshelf and knocked on the wood. It made a sound. This would need some testing. She could cross the consciousness transferring off her list, given that she and Stella would have not been born for over ten years.

She ran her hand on the shelf before picking up one of the books. Aurora turned it around in her hands… and then threw it on the floor. 

“What are you doing?” Stella stared at her. 

“Just wait.” Aurora said while not taking her eyes off the book on the floor. Then she suddenly blinked and…and the book was gone. Aurora turned her head back to the bookcase and saw that the book was back on the shelf, exactly at the same place where she had taken it from. “Fascinating.”

“What?” Stella was looking extremely confused, “Mind telling me what’s going on here?”

“I think I figured it out,” Aurora finally turned to look at Stella. “Were like observers.”

“Meaning?” Stella pleaded, “Aurora, I’m not you. My mother is not an author, I don’t speak fluent poetry. Please don’t speak in riddles.”

“Okay,” Aurora leaned into a bookcase, “You see I’m leaning on this. I can touch it, so we can interact with stuff, so we’re not ghosts like…like in A Christmas Carol. You understand?”

“I think so?” Stella’s eyes were wide open.”

“The thing is, you saw the book, that we can interact with things, but can’t influence them or impact.” Aurora continued, “In other words, we can’t change the past in any kind of way.”

“That’s a good thing, right?”

“Yes, it is,” Aurora nodded, “We can only observe. This is cool.”

“Aurora, you're the only person in the whole world who can find this cool,” Stella groaned.

“Well, I am the daughter of Nina and Gastón Perida,” Aurora rolled her eyes, “You said it yourself, it’s in my blood.”

“So, what do we do now?” Stella was running behind Aurora who had started walking. 

“First figure out if anyone can see or hear us,” she responded and stopped next to the library's office, a little bit away from the library entrance. 

“You mean we’re going go amongst other people?” Stella asked alarmed, “What if they can see us?”

“Then we’ll just blend in,” Aurora shrugged. Yes, she was a bit scared herself, but also getting more and more excited by the second. There was something so fascinating about this… “You have seen the pictures from our parents’ school days. The uniforms have not changed one bit.”

Aurora peeked inside the librarian’s office. Maybe if she banged on the glass, she could see if she was getting a reaction—

“Oh my god!” Stella suddenly screamed and Aurora jumped around. 

“What?” Stella was pointing toward one of the hallways between the bookcases. Aurora saw a back of a student, whoever they were, walking away. 

“He almost ran over me.” Stella squeezed herself against a bookcase, “Like he didn’t even see me.”

“He didn’t see you!” Aurora exclaimed. 

“Why do you sound happy about me almost getting trampled to my death?”

“It proves that no one can see us,” Aurora continued as relief flooded into her. Whatever this was, at least it was following the rules. “Or hear us… since you have been yelling a lot. Let’s go!” She grabbed Stella’s hand and started pulling her toward the library exit.

“Go where? Shouldn't we stay at the library and find a way to get back?”

“Yes, of course,” Aurora nodded but still kept walking, “But first let’s look around. We have nothing to lose, and I want to see how Blake has changed. Let's go explore…I mean we don’t know if we’ll even ever remember this.”

“You really are enjoying being in this Sci-Fi novel?” Stella tried to keep up with Aurora. 

“Maybe just a little bit,” Aurora shrugged, “No harm done, plus I kind of feel like there is something that someone somewhere wants us to see, hence why any of this is even happening.”

“Like what?” Stella really seemed like she wasn’t going to have any of this. “What on earth could there be to see in 2017?”

“We’ll need to figure that out. “Aurora shook her head. 

She looked out of the library’s entrance. The time was 9:15 pm so the first class of the day had just ended and the second one was about to begin in 15 minutes. The hallway was crawling with students…and yep, the uniforms had not changed one bit. 

Aurora tried to look around everywhere as she and Stella joined in the flow of students leaving their classes. Stella on the other hand was jumping from place to place making frightened noises. 

“You don’t need to keep dodging,” Aurora raised her eyebrow at Stella. “They can’t see us.”

“I know that,” Stella stopped for a moment, “But I rather not know what it feels like to have someone else’s body morph through mine. Can we go somewhere where is not this crowded?”

“Sure.” They turned left from the hallway and entered the school’s main hall. It was much less crowded, thankfully. 

Aurora looked at the walls. How ancient was this school? Again, almost nothing had changed in 30 years. Only the touch screens on the walls were missing. Her eyes saw a paper calendar on the wall. Those really had been real? Seemed like it. 

“Aurora?” Stella was poking her on her shoulder. 

“What?”

“If this really is 2017…?”

“It is,” Aurora pointed toward the calendar. She had no idea what Stella was getting at. “Look at that calendar. It proves it, once and for all.”

“Yeah, that’s great and all,” Stella didn’t turn, since she was looking at something, “But…If it is 2017…then what is Oscar doing here?”

“Oh my god!” Aurora yelled. How on earth could Stella think about Oscar at a time like this? “Just why? Okay, I get it! You for some godforsaken reason have a crush on him and think he’s the love of your life and want him to be your first kiss and stuff… I get it that, no matter how disturbing it is, you see him in your dreams, but this is not the time or place!”

“No,” Stella shook her head, actually sounding serious for the first time in her life, “I didn’t mean that. Although I do see him in my dreams…” She shook her head, “But he’s actually here, look.”

Stella pointed toward where she had been looking and Aurora turned and froze. 

Stella hadn’t been just kidding or dreaming…A tall, brown-haired guy was standing around the door that led to the cafeteria…and he looked alarmingly alike to Oscar. 

It wasn’t possible. Thoughts were spinning in Aurora’s head. The book was the cause for the time travelling, and she and Stella had been touching it…there was no way Oscar could have had…

Wait. 

The longer Aurora looked, the more and more it became evident it wasn’t her brother. It looked like him, quite a lot, but not enough… The only explanation was… 

“Dad?”

“What?” Stella whipped her head around to look at Aurora so fast that all her hair went to Aurora’s face. 

Aurora just kept staring at—at her father. It was him. Aurora had seen more than enough pictures of him as a teenager to be positive. He was on his phone and looked up every once and a while—Waiting for somebody perhaps. 

“Wait wait,” Stella was showing her shock a lot more animatedly, “That, that really is your Dad? My godfather? Dr. Gastón Joakim Perida?”

“You know he hates to be called that,” Aurora rolled her eyes, “It’s not like he’s an M.D., he just has a doctorate. But yeah, it is him… Of course, it is 2017, so he would be 18 and is a senior right now. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?”

“That our parents are all here somewhere as teenagers right now?” Stella asked she spun around on her feet. 

“I mean yeah,” Aurora nodded. 

“Well, that explains why I’m seeing your mom.” 

“Where?” Aurora turned around to look where Stella was looking. 

It was like looking into a 3D mirror, except that there were certain things out of place. Green eyes, hair was straight instead of wavy and glasses, otherwise she basically saw herself walking down the hallway. It was weird. 

Aurora looked back at her dad, who had put his phone away and was now looking straight ahead. Aurora realized that he was looking at Mom, and that she was walking toward him… 

Well, that wasn’t that weird. They knew each other and probably had agreed to talk about something. 

“Uuu, this should be interesting.” Stella was jumping some more. “I wonder what they were like when they weren’t in love yet. Well, we’re about to see.”

Aurora had to agree with the sentiment. Her parents—especially Dad—had never shied away from showing affection toward each other, sometimes to disgusting degrees, at least in Aurora’s opinion. On the other hand, she never could imagine them being just friends. So, this would be extremely interesting. 

“Hey. I got your message,” Dad started saying as Mom walked up to him, “Is everything okay?” 

Maybe it was because she knew what was to come, given that she, Oscar and Laura were the result, Aurora got a kind of non-platonic vibe from this conversation. Something about the body language and the looks, the fact that Dad’s hand had gone on Mom’s upper arm almost automatically, but she probably was just imagining. 

“It’s better than okay,” Nina had a very wide smile on her face before wrapping her arms around Gastón’s neck and kissing him. 

Or not. Aurora realized very quickly that she in fact had not been imagining. 

“What is going on?” Aurora had almost completely forgotten that Stella was standing next to her. “I thought they got together at Oxford. Why are they kissing now?”

“They told us that they were just friends during this time.” Aurora couldn’t get her eyes off the sight. 

“Well, you seem happy this morning,” Dad smiled at Mom as his arm left from around her waist.

“Well, I got some good news,” Mom looked like she was beaming, “My parents told me I could go.”

“Really, Nina? I can’t believe it. Great! I thought they were going to say yes.” 

“It was all thanks to you. What did you say to them?”

“I had to tell them how I felt about their daughter.” 

“Yeah, because this looks so much like friendship,” Stella crossed her arms amused, “Unless the definition has changed drastically in the last 30 years. What is going on?”

“I don’t know,” Aurora shook her head. She wasn’t the best person with surprises. She was the one who always knew what was going on when no one else did. If she for some reason didn’t, she would always have a way to figure it out. There was no way to figure out her and Stella’s current situation, they were time-traveling for crying out loud. Aurora could feel the small amount of control that she felt like she had over the situation, slipping away, and she didn’t like it.

“Things must be dire if you don’t know,” Stella turned toward Aurora with eyes wide, “That’s not something I hear from your mouth often.”

“Funny,” Aurora rolled her eyes before they focused on another short brunette who suddenly came through the door, “Hey look! It’s your Mom.”

“Uup, I came in at the wrong moment, didn’t I?” Luna stopped on her tracks and tried to walk away before Nina stopped her.

“Huh, she really always has been that short,” Stella remarked, “I was kind of hoping that she shrunk during childbirth or something…just so I could have more tall genes.” 

“We’re doomed to be short, both of us,” Aurora tapped Stella on the shoulder, before focusing again on the conversation between her parents and Luna, “Apparently Laura is going to be taller than me, which is no fair.” 

“My parents allowed me to go to Oxford.” 

“Hold up,” Stella piped up again, “Why is your mom going to Oxford now? Your dad was the senior here, isn’t she a year younger?”

“She is,” Aurora nodded while wracking her head. This was making her way too confused… “I honestly don’t know what she is talking about…unless…unless she somehow finished high school in England.” 

“But if she did that,” Stella continued, “and went with your dad…and since they are together now…Does that mean that everything about their story never happened? Your mom having roommates who knew your dad and then him helping her with physics…and the library thing? Thats just a story and not real?”

“I don’t know,” Aurora tried her hardest not to snap. She had already said I don’t know way too many times today. “This is not making any sense. I mean… maybe they are not together right now.”

“We just saw them kiss.” 

“I know,” Aurora wasn’t fully sure what she was saying herself anymore, that confused she was, “But that doesn’t hundred percent mean that they are exclusively together.”

“So, what do you reckon is happening here?” Stella rolled her eyes. 

“Maybe a casual relationship?”

“Aurora, do you hear yourself? This time-travel juice has really gotten to you,” Stella grabbed Aurora by the shoulder, “You just talked about your parents and a casual relationship in the same context.”

“Yeah, I realized that as soon as it came out,” Aurora cringed. What had gotten into her?

“Nothing in this world—even the existence of, well, time travel—can convince me that your parents weren’t madly in love before they ever slept together.” 

“You can drop that topic right there,” Aurora gave Stella the sternest look she was able to muster.

“Come on,” Stella huffed, but she clearly also was very amused, “I know that you know how it works. How do you think you exist otherwise?”

“Of course, I know how it works,” Aurora sighed again. She was 16, not six for crying outloud, “But I’d rather not discuss it when it comes to my parents… or do you wanna talk about yours and that?”

“Oh, no no no no no,” Stella started laughing before suddenly stopping, as the door her mom had come through, opened again.

“Hello, how are you? I’m Matteo Balsano. I know you’re happy because my album is coming out soon. I promise you will be the first to hear it because I love you all very much.”

“I was wondering when Dad was going to insert himself into the situation.” Stella noted as Matteo walked through the door and everyone else was giving him very questioning looks. 

“Me too,” Aurora responded. With their parents, where was two, the other two almost always followed, curse or blessing of being four coupled best friends. “What album is he talking about?”

“How would I know?” Stella shrugged, “Isn’t he like 18 too? Ooooh, this must be the one that got canceled.”

“Are they even together right now?” Aurora asked as Luna and Matteo started arguing almost instantly.

“Again, no idea—” Stella shook her head, “—and I’m not going to figure it out. They always say that they didn’t know themselves half the time were they together or not. Honestly, that’s what I thought was the reason why your parents didn’t really get it on before college, since the tensions between Mom and Dad… Now I obviously do see that they in fact did get it on—I still don’t get this. Why did they make it up about how they got together and when?”

“I have hard time believing that they made it up,” It didn’t make any sense to Aurora. All of it couldn’t be a lie. There were too many moving variables. Marlee and Ariana were real people, who existed and had known Dad before Mom. All of Mom and Dad’s Oxford friends would have needed to be in on it. “Neither of them are very good liars.” A sudden realization hit her, “This doesn’t make sense because Mom didn’t go to Oxford.”

“What do you mean?” Stella was looking at Aurora with the most flabbergasted expression, “Of course she did, her diploma is literally framed on the wall of your place.”

“I didn’t mean the University part,” Aurora sighed. Of course, she knew that, “I meant that she didn’t finish upper secondary there, like she is planning at this moment. She did her senior year at Blake and graduated with your mom and Jim and Yam. There are pictures of it, and Dad wasn’t in them.”

“Oh yeah, you’re right,” Stella seemed like there were at least three hundred gears turning in her head, “But that doesn’t answer anything.”

“I have always felt like the there is more to that story about the library,” Aurora started, “They definitely omitted some facts.”

“It still doesn’t all add up.”

“It doesn’t,” Aurora agreed before slight gasp left her lips.

“What?” Stella looked at her concerned.

“That is why we’re here,” Aurora started explaining, “We have just been presented with a mystery. “What happened or didn’t happen between my parents?” Now we need to solve it.”

“And how do you presume we do that?” Stella leaned against the wall, “We don’t exactly control any of this. Look, I will take ten calculus classes over this any day. You hear me universe! I’LL NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT MATH AGAIN!”

“I should have forced you to read more Agatha Christie,” Aurora looked at her disapprovingly, “Nothing will get solved by just standing here.”

“So, we’re basically in a murder mystery?” The comparison didn’t seem to amuse Stella at all, “What if the people who end up being dead end up being us?”

“No one is going to die,” Aurora gabbed Stella by the hand as she noticed that her parents had slipped away from Luna and Matteo’s argument, “Come on, let's follow them.”

As they started walking, they were once again blinded by a bright light.

{}

I once swore I would never write any nextgen content for Soy Luna, because I wasn't fully able to imagine it and I have not really enjoyed any of the fics I have read about the topic either (personal preference, no hate to the stories at all). But now I have found myself coming up with headcanons and characterizations for the kids, especially the ones Gastón and Nina will have. My biggest problem with next gen content has been that he kids have always been one group. I will not do that, since they all wouldn't be one friend group. They're different ages and have different interest, so on and so forth. They obviously all know each other and have a good relationship, they are basically cousins because they are very close family friends. Only some are like besties with each other, often because they are the same age etc. like Stella and Aurora and Ivory and Laura. Anyways, here I go again, writing timetravel, but I am just obsessed with the trope. The scene we see here is the scene from S2E70 where Nina tells Gastón that she can go to the Oxford with him, if it wasn't clear, I just added stuff in the beginning of the conversation. So if you have missed MOT... we're back... well, kind of. This isn't exctatly the same style of time travel, but we'll see what happens next. Leave predictions please what they will see next

#soy luna #soy luna fanfiction #gastina #Lutteo #soy luna next gen #time travel #Here I go

[murdered-within-darkness]

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The day was hot—much hotter than all the others this summer. But it was expected since it was the middle of June. Cora was just thankful that there was a slight breeze flowing through her window, making packing just a little more pleasant.

She folded some shirts and pants—just enough to last her over a week—and a few special items that she wanted to bring along on her trip. She was almost finished; she just needed one more thing.

The brunette walked over to her dresser, retrieving a small snow globe. Her green eyes gazed down at the small children beneath the glass, reminiscing on old memories. Then she gently shook the small object, watching the faux snow fester up and shower down upon the small porcelain people.

"Hey, girl!" A familiar voice spoke, startling her out of her little moment. She spun around quickly, eyes blown wide as she seeked out the owner of the words, only to be met with her older sister standing in her view.

"Jesus, Sarah! You scared the fucking shit out of me!" Cora gasped as she placed a hand on her chest, trying to tame her breathing and quickly beating heart.

"Sorry, sis. Just checking in to see how your packing is coming along." Sarah shrugged before looking down at the tiny globe her sister clenched tightly in her hand. "You still have that thing?"

Cora sighed, deciding to ignore Sarah's question and change the subject as she continued to pack. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"You know I can't." Sarah chuckled as if what Cora was asking was the most ridiculous thing. She plopped down on the bed casually, like the room belonged more to her than her sister.

"Yeah, laying around the house all month." Cora scoffed, grabbing another pair of jeans from her dresser and throwing it at Sarah. She didn't plan on packing the jeans when taking them from her drawer; she just wanted to startle the girl.

"Hey, I'm allowed to enjoy my holiday. I've been working hard to get through college. You know this." She stated. "Besides, you'll have Ryan with you."

"But I want you there, too." Cora sighed, looking back at her sister with a hint of sadness in her green eyes. "Come on, Sarah. Live a little. Come with us."

"Hey, Cora?" Ryan interrupted his sisters' conversation, poking his head through the door to make his presence known. Speak of the devil. "Are you ready?"

Ryan had joined in on Cora's games with her friends a couple months prior. His charismatic skills made him blend into the group rather quickly, and it was something Cora both admired and envied. When he found out about this trip, he took the whole week off of his job at the video game store to accompany her there. Cora thought he was just coming along just to feel included, but Ryan had a secret motive.

The truth was, he was worried about his sister. She hadn't been the same since... Well... The incident. And the thought of her going away to stay with a bunch of strangers in the woods made him sick. He wasn't going to let her go alone. Luckily, Cora didn't know this. If she did, she wouldn't be as thrilled that he was tagging along.

"Yup!" Cora declared while finishing her packing by zipping up her suitcase. "I'll be down in a minute."

Ryan nodded, not fully believing that she wouldn't get distracted by something else and take longer. He decided to humor her regardless, not wanting to hassle her too much.

When her brother left, Cora looked back at Sarah, raising a questioning brow as the corner of her mouth lifted into a half-smirk. She knew her sister's answer; it would just take a minute for her to admit what she wanted. Once that minute had passed, she heaved a deep sigh of defeat.

"Fine!" Sarah grumbled while running her hand down her face to add dramatic effect to her small outburst. "Let me go pack."

Cora smiled widely as she watched her big sister leave the room to go prepare for the trip. She laid on her bed, counting all the dark specks on her ceiling as she thought of how much fun they would have. She knew that now, with her by her side, this vacation would be even better. 

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The car moved slowly down the long, twisty highway at regular speed for the road's limit. They had been driving for an hour now at this pace, and it was just another hour to go before they arrived at their desired location. Though that wasn't going to make Dawn drive any faster and risk an accident.

Dawn was a responsible person, always making sure things were done right. She had a certain kindness about her. She would never turn down a friend who needed her help. Which was exactly why she was giving her friends a ride.

"Thanks for driving us from the airport, Dawn." Rae said, glancing back from her window to look at the brunette in the driver's seat.

"No problem, guys! I'm glad to be of help." Dawn smiled as she looked into her rearview mirror at the two girls in the backseat.

Rae and Rayne were two sisters, only five years apart. They both had their ups and downs throughout the years, but they always stuck by each other's side no matter what. Unfortunately, their relationship had reached a bit of a rough spot. Rayne's sour teenage attitude didn't bode well with Rae's "won't take shit from anybody" demeanor. It had caused a ripple in the fabric of their bond.

Rae had hoped this trip would change things between them and bring them closer. The girls were lucky to run into Sydney at the airport, who now sat in the passenger side. She was meeting up with Dawn, who had agreed to drive her to the cabin. If it hadn't been for them, they would still be stranded at the airport since their ride bailed, and a taxi taking them that distance would have been far too expensive.

Sydney didn't mind that they were tagging along on the trip. In fact, she was just happy to be surrounded by friendly faces. She was usually fairly shy; however, the excitement of the trip and meeting her online friends made her hidden social skills shine through. The girl shuffled through her playlist, her blue eyes skimming through the songs quickly, trying to seek the best one for the occasion.

"You kind of had to drive us anyway. After all, we do hold the keys to the cabin." Rayne chuckled. The sixteen-year-old held up the keys, dangling them on her fingertip as a mischievous grin grew on her lips. That was until her older sister snatched them from her possession.

"I don't think so, Ms. I-lose-everything-I-touch." Rae grumbled while putting the keys back into the pockets of her jeans.

"I haven't done that for a month! I'm more responsible now!" Rayne insisted as her eyes rolled to the side with attitude.

"That's bullshit! You lost my sweater yesterday!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-h—"

"I'm just glad that we could all go together!" Sydney's voice broke the heated discussion in the backseat, twiddling her fingers together nervously as she hoped the argument would end. "I wonder how the others are doing getting there."

"I hope they get there safely. I don't want any accidents to happen." Dawn uttered while turning down another road that led them a little closer to the cabin they sought.

The other girls nodded in agreement, while Rayne ignored her conversation as she ran her fingers through her long, dark hair to fix it. Rae rolled her eyes at her sister's attitude and returned to looking out the window, just hoping she could get out of the metal box of tension as fast as she could. 

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Not too far away, another car was moving in the exact same direction. A party of three, who were all ready to just let loose and party. Well, all but one individual. 18-year-old Zack didn't feel much like partying, or doing anything, for that matter. The boy peered out the window, his brown eyes filled with anxiety as he ran his hand through his black fringe to tame it.

"I'm just a little worried." He sighed while slumping back into his seat. "I feel like this might be a bad idea."

"Are you crazy? This will be the best trip of our lives!" Ramona exclaimed excitedly as she looked back to smile reassuringly at her worried friend.

Ramona was all but worries at this moment. She couldn't keep the smile from her red lips, playing with the ends of her dark hair as all the possibilities this trip could bring played within her mind. The sun shone in on her, making her blue highlights glimmer among her black locks. 

Haley's amused chuckle broke into the conversation. The girl appeared to be quite rogue. Black streaks invading her blonde hair, striking green eyes that some contemplated were contacts due to their brightness, and a butterfly tattoo that she had gotten for her 16th birthday. She planned on getting more in the future.

She turned the signal on and drove off the highway down an old dirt road before continuing, "Ramona is right, Zack. This is going to be great! So lighten up, will ya?"

"Fine!" Zack grumbled, folding his arms together across his chest. "But if we die, it's on you two!"

"No one is going to die!" Ramona moved her arm back to nudge her friend in the back seat to cheer him up. The girl then looked back at Haley, whose eyes were glued to the road ahead. "How much longer until we are there anyway?"

The corners of Zack's lips quirked up into a cocky smirk as a thought popped into his head. Soon after, he decided to vocalize it. "What's the matter, Ramy? Worried about your boyfriend?"

Ramona's expression dropped into a look of disgust, but the crimson tint staining her cheeks said otherwise. She and her friend Tom had been flirting back and forth for quite some time now. The two hated to admit it, but it was evident to the rest of the group. This trip would be the first time they would meet in person, and Ramona's heart was beating wildly from anxiety and excitement. 

Still, she wasn't going to tell this to her friends. She knew they would mock her for having such feelings for the boy. So instead of saying another word, she raised her hand—along with her middle finger—to the boy in the backseat, earning a chuckle from him and Haley. 

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At that very time, another group had beat the car to their destination. Two girls who have been close for years and their friend who they met online. Kathrine was quite the rebel at heart. Her looks did much to add to her wild anesthetic; black hair with white streaks in the front, tattoos staining both arms, and a septum piercing to tie it all together.

Her friend, Sol, was quite the opposite in looks. Though her glasses and dark curly hair may have fooled people, she was just as feisty as Kathrine. Though her caring heart and loyal demeanor leveled it out nicely.

Carrie was different from them both. The dirty blonde was shy and quite timid. She would often cling to people who were more bold than her for comfort. It was a tactic she learned to survive being bullied in school.

The car pulled into the long driveway of the cabin, which the girls were eager to enter. It had been a long journey, and all they really desired was food and a good rest to replenish their energy.

"Are we the first ones here?" Sol asked while opening her car door.

"I think s— Sol, don't open the door yet! Let me park first!" Kathrine panicked as she put the car in park fast.

"It's fine!" Sol scoffed while getting out and taking a breath of fresh air.

Carrie simply laughed at the two and got out as well. "You two are truly something."

Though Kathrine was too distracted to hear it, because another car pulled into the driveway. This one looked a bit more expensive, like someone with good money had bought it.

"Oh! We aren't the only ones here anymore!" Sol proclaimed as she stood by Kathrine's side, waiting to see who was inside as she adjusted her glasses.

The vehicle pulled up beside them and parked, and the three girls watched with anticipation as the door flung open, revealing a 17-year-old blonde. She got out and approached the two with a bit of sass in her walk, giving off a rather intimidating energy for her young age.

Then another guy and girl left the car and followed the girl. They seemed a bit older, but not by many years. Their hair was both dark but looked significantly different, though the girl held a resemblance to the blonde.

"Chelsie?" Carrie asked, recognizing the girl from her pictures on social media. She had shared her Instagram with everyone in the group, wanting more followers since she was inspiring to be an influencer.

"In the flesh, bitch!" Chelsie smirked devilishly, not thinking to introduce herself to the two who followed her.

"You must be Veronica? Correct?" Sol questioned the ebony-haired girl, remembering her from a few of Chelsie's birthday party photos.

"Yup, that's me!" Veronica admitted a bit shyly. The girl was Chelsie's much more timid cousin, always hidden in her shadow, despite being a bit older. But her body language showed that she did not care. "And this is Jasper. You know, Zack's brother?"

She gestured to the boy beside her, and he gave a kind smile, although it held a bit of mischievousness within it. It was evident in his expression that he was a jackass by nature, but with a good heart to contrast it perfectly.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you all in person!" Kathrine said, going in for a group hug. But what's when Chelsie held up her hand in protest.

"No, no! Don't smush my outfit!" Chelsie bitched at her friend.

Kathrine let out a sigh and went on to hug Veronica and Jasper. Just then, a few more cars pulled in at the same time. And shortly after, more people piled out to join the group.

"Hi, Tom!" Ramona greeted her friend excitedly as she slammed the car door behind her.

Tom stood shyly by his car, as if he were a magnet and was stuck to the door. He had planned on being a bit more outgoing, but some things never work out, and the poor boy was just realizing this now as his social anxiety began to kick in.

"God! How many times do I have to remind you? Do! Not! Slam! The! Doors!" Haley scolded Ramona, also getting out of the car and closing her door more gently.

Ramona chose to ignore the blonde, running over to Tom and hugging him. The boy just stood there, stunned by this sudden contact, while Xander—Tom's best friend—watched from behind with a smirk growing on his lips. And that smirk continued to grow when Tom's hands rose to hover over Ramona's back, seemingly afraid to touch her and mess up this moment somehow.

"H-H-Hi, Ramona." He stammered awkwardly, his face beet-red and his eyes blown wide with fear.

When Ramona pulled back, she had a large smile stretching her lips. Her hazel eyes looked the boy up and down, taking in how he looked in real life. The only time she had ever seen him was in the few photos on his Facebook, and her heart began to pump faster as he was much better looking in person.

"It's nice to see you." She expressed fondly. She could feel the heat of a blush creeping along her cheeks as well, and she mentally cursed herself for not being subtle.

"Likewise," Tom chuckled, running a hand through his ash-colored hair before bringing them to his side to twiddle his fingers nervously.

"Hey, guys!" An unfamiliar voice called out to the bunch. Though when they spun around, they all recognized the face.

Cora approached them with her brother and sister by her side. They were all so eager to get acquainted with their friends. It was then that Xander forgot about his teasing games due to his own anxieties. He watched the pale brunette before him, a lump growing in his throat as he fought out a word of greeting.

"Hey, Cora!" Ramona and Haley said in unison before Ramona turned to the girl's brother, "Ryan!"

She gave the man a high five, which he quickly returned without a beat. She and Ryan had grown close over the internet, due to their wild sense of humor. She was so excited to finally meet him in person. However, this closeness to another male awakened something within Tom. Was it jealousy? Hurt? He wasn't sure, but he didn't like it.

"Hey, Cora!" Sydney called out as she ran over and hugged the girl, happy to finally meet her friend in person as well. "It's nice to finally meet you!"

"It's nice to finally meet you too!" Cora chuckled while returning the hug. "Where's Dawn, Rae, and Rayne? Weren't they coming with you?"

"Oh, they should be around here somewhere. Let's go look for them!" Sydney took Cora's hand and started leading her around the cars to find their friends, while Dawn remained by Kathrine's car as she helped Carrie unload their luggage.

"Oh, I should mention that Anika and Paige shot me a message earlier. They said they would be a day late due to a flight delay." Carrie mentioned, and Dawn gave her the thumbs up to signal that she had noted the information.

She handed Carrie the last bit of their luggage and let out a tired huff. It wasn't in her plans to help others with their bags like a bell boy this day, but she couldn't not help a friend in need.

"Damn, where is Kathrine when you need her?" She asked herself as she wiped a thin layer of sweat from her forehead.

Ironically, at this time, Kathrine was rounding Dawn's car to find Rae, who was pulling a kennel out of the back. She watched with excitement evident in her eyes, as she knew exactly who was trapped within the kennel.

"Is this the famous Josh?" She asked the girl as her green eyes peeked into the kennel with curiosity.

"Yup! He is very excited to meet you all!" Rae exclaimed while pulling the small door open. Just seconds later, a capuchin monkey crawled out and up Rae's arm to perch on her shoulder.

"Ew! Get it away!" Chelsie screeched while backing away from the little creature. Her eyes broadened, and her expression contorted with disgust. Chelsie was many things, but an animal lover wasn't one of them.

"Chelsie, it's just a monkey." Dawn chuckled while approaching Rae's side to give Josh a little scratch on top of his head.

"Nope! It's probably full of diseases!" The blonde complained while leaving with her bags to go into the cabin.

Everybody rolled their eyes at Chelsie's attitude, but they were quick to brush it off. Rae then made her way to the cabin—with Josh on her shoulder—to unlock the door for the others.

"Let me give you a tour!" She said as she opened the door for the others.

The group piled into the building, excited to see if the place they would stay would live up to the expectations their friend had built for them with her wild descriptions. And surprisingly, they did.

The cabin was made of nothing but log and gave off a nice, homey feeling. The air was thick and dusty—due to a lack of presence within the walls—but the earthy smell of the forest around them made up for it. It was almost like something out of a movie.

The calming aura was a large contrast to the nightmare they would experience later on...

⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒⛥⭒

[caffiene-fueled-fuckery]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you!

1. My cat, Peeky, is an emotional support animal for me certified by a medical professional, which allows him to stay with me at uni in my dorm. I’m a fifth year student, but I’m a Don (the equivalent of an RA but we don’t call it that for some reason) so I still live in residence and watch over/mentor a group of 42 first-year students. It can get real stressful on top of school and mental health issues so having Peeky there with me makes me so so happy. He’s a baby menace but he’s still a baby!

2. I have a fairly popular series for Bungo Stray Dogs on AO3 and the love and support I get on it when I get the time to update (which is scarce lately I’m so sorry guys) just makes me day. The commenters are so lovely and it just gives me motivation to keep writing. I’m on the third book out of four in the series so I’ll keep on truckin!

3. In the summer I started taking medication for my ADHD and it has made a world of a difference for me. A lot of my mental health issues were secondary symptoms of my ADHD so not only am I happier and less anxious, I’m actually a functioning member of society! For the most part. My family and friends have noticed a difference and I feel like I’ve finally come out of this haze I’ve been in for the better part of a decade and it’s so freeing. I still have bad days obviously but I’m now having more good than bad. And I’m so genuinely happy for the first time in years. I’m proud of myself.

4. It’s my fall reading week so I got to come home and see my Dad, step-mom, and my dog!! I’ve missed them all so much and it’s been so nice just to have some time off of school and work. I didn’t get to see my little sister bc she doesn’t get a fall reading week for some reason but I’ll see her soon I hope!

5. I’ve found communities for my two hyperfixations! I’ve found my MASH peeps here on Tumblr as well as some BSD friends. Most of the BSD community I interact with on Instagram but I’ve been pretty inactive there since I got into MASH. I don’t love BSD any less though! Season 4 and 5 both this year for amazing and I loved every episode. Plus, my sunshine boy got his time in the spotlight so that made it even better!! We love Kenji in this house!! But anyway, the point is that the friends I’ve made through both the MASH and BSD fandoms make me so happy!! Especially the ones I made through having a mutual favourite character in Father Mulcahy and Kenji, respectively. I met y’all either on Tumblr or in AO3 comments since I wrote for both fandoms and you are all just so amazing and I’m so happy to have met you all so just… thank you 💛

Wow that was a rant. Sorry y’all 😅

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases Mar. 22, 2022

Breasts Are My Favorite Things in the World! vol. 5 by Wakame Konbu

As Chiaki’s interest in Hana grows beyond her bountiful chest, the two’s relationship attracts the attention of Akira, Chiaki’s cousin and mentor in all things bosom-related. But while Akira professes to be a true boobmaster, her dirty secret is that she’s a breast virgin who’s never touched another pair! As she desperately seeks to discover how her student managed what she could not, Chiaki tries to keep her rival aficionado from coming into contact with Hana!

Catch These Hands! vol. 1 by murata

One day, Takebe, a former delinquent trying to leave that part of her past behind for good, runs into her high-school rival, Soramori. The two fight for the first time in years, and thanks to being desperately out of practice, Takebe loses-leaving her no choice but to accept Soramori’s request to start dating her…?!

Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen

Tiny and adorable when they first met, Rui – still just as adorable – now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed. Now every day passes with such overwhelming sweetness it’s all they can do not to ask themselves, “am I allowed to be this happy?” The final high school judo contest, the last summer of their high school careers, and beyond… the thought of his future with Rui makes Yuujirou’s heart flutter. A slow-burn love story between a diminutive, athletic teen and his towering, kind-hearted best friend as they journey the slightly bitter road to adulthood towards sweeter days.

GUNBURED × SISTERS vol. 1 by Wataru Mitogawa

From the artist behind the Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet manga! A vampire and a warrior nun’s fates are bound by blood and perhaps love in this action-packed series.

In a decaying gothic city, warrior nun Dorothy is tasked with hunting and slaughtering supernatural creatures. A member of the elite Crimson Sisters, she seeks to eradicate all vampires. But one fateful night, she encounters the fanged and beautiful Maria, wounded and desperate for care. Dorothy offers the half-vampire one chance at survival: become my pet.

Harem Marriage vol. 15 by NON (digital only)

After agonizing over the decision, Yuzu chooses to give birth to her unborn child as a member of the Date family, much to Koharu and Ryunosuke's delight. But then Joe, her spurned lover, makes a disturbing move in the middle of the night... The Date harem has a host of challenges to overcome if they're to take their family unit to the next level!

The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window vol. 10 by Tomoko Yamashita (digital only)

When Hiyakawa is imprisoned with the Professor, Mikado enlists the rest of the group, doing everything in his power to rescue him. When Mikado finally encounters the Professor, he’s forced to confront who the man really is. After overcoming a strong attack, Mikado is able to reach Hiyakawa, allowing him to speak to him from the depths of his soul. Read on for the thrilling conclusion of The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window!

#lgbt manga #queer manga #manga #new releases #Sekai de ichiban oppai ga suki! #breasts are my favorite thing in the world #wakame konbu #konbu wakame #catch these hands #murata #Watashi no Kobushi wo Uketomete #cherry magic #cherrymaho #Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! #Yuu Toyota #toyota yuu #dekoboko bittersweet days #Atsuko Yusen #Yusen Atsuko #gunbured sisters #wataru mitogawa #mitogawa wataru #harekon #harem marriage #non #Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru #The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window #tomoko yamashita #yamashita tomoko #gay

[interact-if]

Day 2 of Pride Month interviews! You know them, you love them…. give it up for Ames!

Ames, author of Attollo and Metamorphosis

Pride Month Featured Authors

“…and it was a singular, terrible thought, which burrowed itself into your mind like an engorged maggot. This was not a man nor a monster. This was a concept, an ideology, a terrible myth, which had personified itself to stand before you now.You were, to put it simply, screwed.”

After several years of radio silence, you receive a message from your younger sibling that carries a strange sense of urgency to it. Either out of familial concern or boredom, you embark on a journey from your residence to your sibling’s apartment in New Hampshire to see what’s going on and, hopefully, be home before the weekend.

Too bad it’s never so simple.

Demo: Attollo, Metamorphosis (TBA)

Tags: cybernoir, thriller

(INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT UNDER THE CUT!)

Q1: Tell us a little bit about your project(s)!

Attollo is a cyber-noir horror set in a walled city off the coast of the Atlantic that’s been a victim of a nuclear disaster. After several years of radio silence, you receive a message from your younger sibling that carries a strange sense of urgency to it. Either out of familial concern or boredom, you embark on a journey from your residence to your sibling’s apartment in New Hampshire to see what’s going on and, hopefully, be home before the weekend. Too bad it’s never so simple. Attollo is a 17+ game that deals with heavy topics and a lot of moral questioning; from cults to corrupt government, it has no shortage of monsters in the dark—both metaphorical and literal.

Metamorphosis is a crime/horror story based in the world of crime scene cleanup, where there are three simple steps: Get the call, clean the scene, and don’t ask too many questions. These are the rules that you live by under the employment of Noctua’s Crime Scene Services, and you credit them for keeping you alive.

However, after a routine house call brings forth nightmares of memories that are not your own, you find yourself pulled deeper into Noctua—a city of both monster and man—in a bid to find out the truth behind the murder of Deirdre Callow, and better yet, how her memories came to be yours. Your job mandates that you don’t dig too deep—but could this finally be the exception?

Metamorphosis is 18+ and will have explicit content; follow the last moments of a stranger to find out not only who took her life, but how this connects to the underbelly that Noctua works so hard to hide.

Q2: Why interactive fiction? What drew you to the medium?

Lmaoo, oh man. I think it really all began last summer when I first found examples of interactive fiction. I don’t even remember how I came across it, it might’ve been that I saw it mentioned in a post or I saw it as a tag on Itch.io, but at some point, last summer I began to investigate it more. I think what really drew me in was the ability for the player to control the narrative; it was like playing an old RPG, but modernized, and the fact that I could see a story unfold that was influenced by my decisions was so fascinating to me. Not to mention that IF allows so much more character depth than regular novels, in my opinion.

I’m 99% sure my first exposure to interactive fiction was through the game Crème de la Crème (a fantastic game, by the way) and I just enjoyed it so much that I went haywire for the genre. Then Temple of the Endless Night came out (another fantastic game that I’m looking forward to!), and that was really the turning point for inspiring me to give it a go. Now, almost a year later, here I am working on my own two games!

Q3: Are your characters influenced by your identity? How?

My bisexuality doesn’t have much of a major influence on the game, but I do think it contributed to the way that I view and write relationships. I figured out my sexuality around high school (I kissed a girl in high school and found out I liked it just as much as when I kissed a boy) and since then I’ve been very involved in the LGBTQ+ community of both my hometown and uni town.

I think this involvement, like being able to hear about other people’s experiences and share my own, has made me feel a lot more comfortable writing some of the characters in the game. Although Attollo and Metamorphosis both don’t focus heavily on relationships (both have murder in them, which I feel is a bit more pressing), I do keep the option for any RO’s to be romanced by anyone, regardless of gender or preference, because that’s simply what I’ve become so attuned to. In terms of side characters relationships as well, I think my involvement and my own experiences have allowed me to write far more diverse relationships than I might have, and I think that this has also allowed a more fulfilling experience for players when reading through.

I also have incorporated some struggles that I’ve faced before because of my identity into the games. For example, I and a few others have faced issues with religion due to who we are, and I incorporate this into both games. Dreamwalker, Pariah, and Sysba from Attollo all have shadows of this experience in their character origins, and Ilali and Ariston from Metamorphosis has a major point involving identity and beliefs. Both games also have undertows of ostracization and division between groups, which is also something I’ve experienced in the past. Being able to grapple these moments and control them via a narrative has been eye opening for both myself and others involved, and I’m hoping it can be a learning experience for the readers as well.

Q4: What would you like to see more of in LGBT+ fiction?

I think, now, the amount of progress in LGBTQ+ fiction is expanding at a wonderful rate. There are so many interactive fictions with options to select sexuality, select gender, select beliefs, etc. However, despite this expansion, there’s still a good deal of backlash against some aspects of LGBTQ+ fiction.

For example, as a bisexual woman who has dated men, I know there are some individuals who may not consider me a part of the LGBTQ+ because of this aspect. Not only is this incredibly disheartening, but it’s a viewpoint that I think should be educated against, and fiction is a fantastic pathway to do this. Another example I can think of is a friend of mine who identifies as asexual but is sex-neutral rather than sex-repulsed. Most people can’t believe her when she says this, and she often faces backlash for this declaration as well. This is another thing that I think that, with exposure through a medium such as fiction, can be worked on.

What I’m trying to say here is that I think LGBTQ+ fiction can be a brilliantly educational platform—if used right. Although it already teaches so much with what it has, I think having that representation of different subgroups of sexuality, of their experiences and beliefs, so people can become aware and knowledgeable of these options, is something I’d like to see more of.

Q5: What or who are some of your biggest inspirations?

Oh man, I struggled to list off inspirations because I know I have some, but as soon as someone asks me who they are my brain just goes ‘brrrrrr’ LMAO.

In terms of the games that I write and the worlds that I build, I think David Lynch and Robert Chambers are probably the two that I somehow incorporate. Attollo and Metamorphosis both have a lot of surrealist horror, which are what these two really specialized in. Shirley Jackson is also another person who inspired me a lot when it came to the writing and creation of Attollo, especially the intrapersonal relationships between the characters.

In terms of life, this is something else I really struggle to answer. I don’t really have celebrity inspirations or anything like that, but I do get inspired by my close friends and sister a lot. Seeing them go through the struggles that they face and absolutely thrive really drives me to push through my own struggles. They’re the strongest, most brilliant group of people that I know, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate that I can be a part of their lives. Not only that, but we also all collectively encourage each other to push further and to chase our dreams (as cheesy as that is LMAO) and that’s something that I think is another stroke of good fortune. I struck gold when I met them, and they’re some of the biggest inspirations in my life.

Q6: What’s a super vague spoiler for your current project?

For Attollo, I’d say ‘Home is where the heart is.’ For Metamorphosis, to quote John Berendt, ‘Always stick around for one more drink.’

Q7: Lastly, what advice would you give to your readers?

What advice would I give to you all? Oh my, I’m not exactly a wise woman here, but I’ll do my best to give you something lmaooo. I think what I really want you to walk away with, from both my stories and this interview, is that if you’re passionate about something, then share it with the world. Don’t let anyone deter your passion.

I remember listening to this painter once who commented to his friend how he ‘really liked painting’, and his friend’s first response was ‘but are you good at it?’. He then compared this to the scenario of walking; would you say, ‘but are you good at it?’ to someone who said, ‘I really like walking’? No, because it simply wouldn’t make sense, and it doesn’t make sense to say that to anyone who’s doing something out of passion.

To put it simply—if you love something, then don’t let anyone take that passion from you. I began writing these stories because I’m passionate about Attollo and Metamorphosis; I love each character, each bit of lore, and I share it with you because I want you all to enjoy it as well. Am I the best writer? God, no. Does everyone like what I write? Definitely not. But will I let this stop me from writing, from enjoying what I’m doing? Never, and I want you to do the same.

Explore your passions, embrace your passions, and let what makes you happy continue to do so

#if: events #Pride Month 2021 #pride month #queer authors #queer fiction #queer creators #interactive fiction

[softlyjiminie]

cherry glosses n car washes | j.j.k

⇢ pairing(s): goth!jeon jungkook x sorority sister!reader.

⇢ word count: 7K.

⇢ rating: 18+, mature.

⇢ genre: pwp, smut, fluff, college!au, sorority!au.

⇢ summary: in the blistering heat of the summer sun, a bikini carwash is the last place you’d expect to find tattoo bearing, black sweater wearing jeon jungkook. but then again, no one expected to find him dating everyone’s beloved sorority queen YN LN either. in all honesty, he only really came to support her…but most definitely in more ways than one.

⇢ warning(s): please read! brief fight scene, heavy smut, pwp, switch!jungkook, switch!reader, oral sex (male receiving.), oral fixation, fingering, handjobs, heavy!exhibitionism, dirty talk, overstimulation, male masturbation, cumplay, creampie, unprotected sex - please wear protection!

⇢ author’s note(s): hello my loves! happy august! i hope you all are having a beautiful summer! the time has finally arrived for this cheeky fic, read with caution! extreeeme jk spice up ahead. ( thank you to @bangtan-headquarters for allowing me to participate in their Bangtan Boardwalk Collab Event! )

everyone knows who YN LN is. some know you as a daughter, a friend but to everyone at alpha delta pi, you were sister. you were a kind to all, taking care of your peers in your sorority, whether that be during times of hardship or just needing a simple friend to pull through. no person went untouched by your bright light, no person went without your cheery smiles and soft spoken voice, through cherry glossed lips and under peach blush.  you made friends everywhere you went, entrancing them with sparkling eyes and a soft cherry blossom scent— and although you denied it, you were everything everyone wanted to be; smart, pretty, popular— you were living the dream.

but then there was your dream...jeon jungkook.

with dark ink tattoos of guns and roses spiralling down his arms and intertwining with his finger tips, long, thick hair and more piercings than you could count, jeon jungkook was the epitome of college bad boy. your boyfriend was the complete opposite of yourself, trading out any colour for black sweatshirts and heavy combat boots, grazed knuckles and a pierced lip that contrasted with the bubblegum pink shirts you wore every wednesday because your sorority was obsessed with early 2000s movies and yelling ‘you can’t sit with us!’ to jocks across the quad.  

jungkook liked rock music, his motorbike named missy, painting his nails black and writing songs with his little band ( the weeping kittens, which you always found absolutely morbid but loved anyways ) whilst you liked collecting sparkly lipgloss and pretty stationary kits and those sanrio stickers that you liked to put on jungkook’s phone case sometimes. it was a wonder to anyone on campus how you got together, and to say they were intrigued was an understatement.

but you loved him for who he was, even with all of his odd little tendencies; like wearing black in the summer and scrunching his nose up when he laughed too hard, or how he used your hair clips to hold his hair back when he was concentrating. you liked that he quiet in class but loud and giggly with you, soft and sensitive, snarky and sweet. jungkook wasn’t like anyone you’d ever met, not like jung hoseok from your brother frat— who all your friends thought you’d end up with. of course, you’d flirted with the jock once or twice at parties but he hadn’t stolen your heart that night in sophomore year when jungkook stole your kisses in the back of his yoongi hyung’s van.

and although your friends still try to set you two up, jung hoseok will never be your jeon jungkook— there just isn’t anyone else like him.

that’s why you wear his oversized black AC/DC shirt that differs very much from the pink interior of your room, decorated by your roommate in the sorority house on campus. you didn’t have the heart to tell aerum that the feathers above your bed made you sneeze in your sleep, or that her choice of wallpaper sometimes made you woozy and that you’d much rather a less...bedazzled look; so you let her decorate as she pleases, with only a few hums in of agreement when she changes the settings on the LED lights every week. it’s only now that you realise how blistering this summer is, so you have the air con turned up to the max— goosebumps rising on your bare legs as you chat to your boyfriend of a year over facetime about you’re upcoming philanthropy project.

‘a bikini car wash, huh? like in those teen romcom movies you make me watch?”

your boyfriend mumbles absentmindedly—jungkook has his phone propped up against something, giving you a full view of his perfectly toned body as he strums away at his guitar— he claims he’s writing you another song, the lyrics purely focused on your pink skirts and cherry vanilla chapstick, but your concentration slips as you watch his inked fingers tug at his guitar strings...thinking about the way they’d curl around your throat or slip into the warmth of your mouth and press down against your pink tongue.

your lover glances up from playing for just a brief moment, the corner of his red lips twitching up into a brilliant smile when he catches you looking. ‘dollface, you’re staring.’ he whispers smugly, quirking his pierced brow at you and you struggle to hide the warm blush that blooms across the apples of your cheeks and neck.

“no i’m not.”

‘don’t be a brat, you know you are.’

you whine at his scolding tone, rolling over on your disney printed bed sheets because after all, you’re still a little girl... or his little girl as jungkook would put it. he makes a low noise in his throat, finally putting down his god forsaken instrument so he can pay attention to you, before sitting back in his seat expectantly. “are you sure you don’t wanna come? we’re raising money for a good cause!” you try again, jutting out your bottom lip in full pouty mode as you bat your eyelashes up at him. you’d been trying to convince jungkook to come to your philanthropy event for at least a week— the aforementioned car wash that was happening tomorrow— but whenever you brought it up, his gaze would drop and he’d fall quiet. “we’re donating all the proceeds to food shelters...”

‘i don’t know, YN...’

“i even got a new bikini, i wanna show it off for you!”

‘angel...’ your boyfriend sighs, running a hand through his midnight locks with the lightest hints of frustration. you deflate immediately, dropping the topic in favour for not pushing him any further. you don’t mean to upset him, you just really want him there so you can show him off and gush about how much you love him— the thought itself has your pout deepening before you know it. ‘come on now dollface don’t make that face, you know i can’t help myself when you make that face...’

this much is true, you know that no matter what you’re doing, if you make that face— jungkook’s a goner. “meh...” your voice is quiet and muffled from where you’ve shoved your face into the sheets to hide from jungkook, because you know that you’ll melt if you look at him. you don’t know what it was about him, but your lover always had a way of making you feel small in the best of ways. despite his quiet personality, jungkook was very domineering inside and outside of the bedroom, he cared for you like no other, protected you like no other. he wasn’t one to take advantage your kindness and he wasn’t about to let anyone else do the same so perhaps that’s also why you fell for him.

jungkook hums, leaning into the camera to get a better look at you. ‘it’s not that i don’t want to come and support you baby... i’m just worried that you’ll be exposed too much and—’  he lowers his voice, so you feel as if he’s lying right next to, causing you whimper out for him. the boy tuts, a lazy smile painting his lips as he looks at you with all the love in his eyes. ‘—and god as much as i’d love to see you show off your little outfit for me, i’m not so sure i’d fit in with your...crowd of friends...’ you nod your head slowly in understanding, because as much as you loved the girls in your sorority, they had a knack for making jungkook feel like he didn’t deserve you, purely because he was different from your usual type and jungkook was always too shy and introverted to say anything. you hated that he couldn’t feel comfortable around your friends like you could with his— so you couldn’t blame him for not wanting to come around.

“s’ okay googie,” you hum, curling into a ball on your bed as he laughs at your pet name for him. “i’ll just have to show it to you another time.”

‘another time it is, dollface.’ jungkook repeats, pretending to boop your nose through the screen. you talk for a little while longer before the members of the weeping kittens come in and interrupt your facetime call.  the band consists of four members; yoongi the drummer, namjoon the guitarist , jimin the bassist and jungkook, of course, lead singer and guitarist number two. the older two occupy themselves with teasing your boyfriend, poking his cheeks and singing old playground songs ( “YN and jungkook sitting in the tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”) whilst jimin clings to the youngest like a baby and if you hadn’t known better, you’d have thought that the purple haired male was the baby of the group.  

jungkook’s cheeks flush a deep crimson when you decide to play along, wishing him a goodnight that makes his face ripple with cringe. “sleep tight googie-poo,” you coo with a sing song tone, finally sitting up to blow him a kiss. the other members shriek with laughter, ruffling their little junggoogie’s mop of dark hair as you tease him for them to see. “i love youuu!”

‘goodnight angel-bear,’ jungkook says quietly, gritting his teeth has he sinks into his sweater to hide his embarrassment. you know his reaction is more of a result of his hyung’s teasing— he claims he can’t sleep well without saying goodnight in your special way. ‘i love you too...’ he mumbles, giving you a shy smile before hanging up the call, leaving you to fall asleep with an equally wide smile.

“there you go, joongie, hope she’s clean enough for you!”

you grin as you wipe the remaining sudds off of hongjoong’s bright red vintage car that you’re sure he spent all of his college loans on. nonetheless, you take the twenty he offers you from his wound down window and ruffle his matching strawberry hair. “thanks YN-ah,” he giggles, turning away from you for a brief second to tuck his wallet away, he briefly smacks his friend ( mingi ) on the thigh for staring at your boobs — and you can’t blame him, you love those girls — before offering you a bright smile. “you guys did a great job on her.”

you thank him once again, winking at mingi with a sly smile before waving the boys off and waiting for the next customer. the bikini car wash your sorority has set up is booming with business, students from across campus driving in to get their cars cleaned. some of the girls on the committee ordered in pink and white balloons to hang outside your dorm house, with a handmade sign saying ‘alpha delta pi wash!’ painted in pastel shades. your girls are having a great time too, looking stunning in all types of bathing suits that show off their beautiful bodies under  golden rays, splashing each other with soapy water to ease the burn of the summer sun against their skin.

you quite like the little number you’re wearing too, a pale pink two piece with obsidian black accents and panelling at either side. you wave to some of the girls as you head over to your booth to count the cash you’ve made so far, when the familiar sound of rowdy cheers and hollering boys fills the air. barely glancing up from your work, you note the excited squeals of younger members of your sorority— already tripping over their flip flops to get a taste of the frat boys that take over your car wash.

“what does a guy have to do to get his car washed around here?”

rolling your eyes, you close the catch box with a drawn out sigh— picking up your gaze to meet that of jung hoseok’s. he stands half a head taller than you, chocolate brown hair parted and pushed back from his forehead, he wears the typical varsity jacket and baseball cap combo, paired with blue jeans and his signature chunky trainers. you wouldn’t lie and say that hoseok wasn’t attractive because you’d messed about with him once or twice before, but now he couldn’t seem to understand the boundaries of your blossoming relationship with jungkook. “pay thirteen bucks and use some manners?” your question is more of a statement, with you not in the mood to deal with a cocky frat boy who thinks he’s entitled to your service. the brunette looks taken a back, not used to your snarky attitude with him, but today was not a day for you to be messed with, all you wanted was to raise money for a good cause and have fun, not deal with assholes like him. nonetheless, the jock hands you his donation with a smirk as you whistle over one of the girls to help him.

“hyeri, you don’t mind helping hoseok over here do you—?”

“no,” hoseok cuts in, stepping between yourself and the older girl— stopping her from taking the equipment she needs to clean his car. you roll your shoulders, a light sweat dripping between their blades as frustration builds up within your temple— dealing with hoseok is bothersome and all you want is to relax and let lose. the brunette steps closer to you, and hyeri watches with blushing cheeks, the short, red head almost wishing she was in your position— her flustered attitude only inflating the boy’s ego. so entitled. hoseok was so so entitled. thinking that he could get anything he wanted from any girl just because he was pretty, and maybe that was the reason why he liked you so much— because you resisted him. “i want you to do it, YN, wash my car for me princess? please?”

scoffing, you cross your arms and send an apologetic look to the bumbling mess that is now hyeri. “book him a slot for me, love? i’ll let you help?” you ask softly to which she nods her head and runs off to take a note. hoseok smiles triumphantly but his win is quickly shot down by the glare you send him, and if looks could kill, he’d be six feet under. “you know it’s gonna cost you extra for even having me near you, right?”

“that’s an extra cost i’m will to pay...” the boy hums, smirk finding its way onto his lips once again, as he hands you another twenty before heading back to his car full of idiots. relieved that he’s gone ( for the time being ) you release a breath you hadn’t realised you were holding and head off to grab an extra bucket and sponge to clean hoseok’s obnoxiously bright yellow ferrari, but not before you take a second to reapply a layer of your favourite cherry gloss that had faded during the day.

you miss the recognisable sound of yoongi’s truck while your back is turned to the hustle and bustle of your event, so your skin jumps with goosebumps when a familiar pair of arms wrap around your bare waist. “guess who?” a soothing voice whispers into your ear, causing a light giggle to pass between your freshly glossed lips.

“let me think, is it mr. tall dark and handsome?” you tease, squealing as jungkook picks you up and spins you in his arms. before he’s even set you back onto your feet, your boyfriend attacks your face with soft kisses while tugging you into him.  “you came!” you beam, once jungkook finally allows you to pull away— using an inked finger to trace patters on the small of your back. hums of approval sound from the bottom your throat while your stresses melt away, your boyfriend’s presence easily calming you down.

jungkook nods, a small smile tickling the corners of his pierced lips as he tucks a strand of your hair behind your ear and presses your foreheads together. “i realised that i was being stupid,” the guitarist mumbles, lips only inches away from your own— you’re so close that you can feel the warmth of his breath against your skin and his own body heat radiating against yours. although your foreheads are growing sticky from sweat ( a result of the intense summer heat ), you don’t mind, loving being in close proximity to your lover.  “i shouldn’t let the fact that we have different friends stop me from showing my support, i shouldn’t be one to judge your events or say i think you’re exposing yourself— because this is your body and your choice and i’m so proud of you, sorry for being a dumb boy.”

you boop his nose, heart melting at your boyfriend’s words and even more when he scrunches his nose under your touch. “but you’re my dumb boy,” you add, teasing him slightly as you lean up to brush your lips against his. from the outside, it would appear that jungkook would always be the one to make you flustered— so it amused you when your larger, much more intimidating boyfriend blushed under the slightest touches from you. he puckers his lips, awaiting your kiss only for you to nip at his earlobe and whisper. “now how may i help you today?”

pulling away, you can see jungkook shyly curling in on himself— beyond flustered by your actions. his brown doe eyes avoid your gaze while his fingers slip into the sleeves of his black sweater as if he’s hiding. “i uh, also came to get yoongi hyung’s truck washed... he’s not happy with the state we left it in last time,” your lover mumbles quietly, and now you understand why he’s acting more shy than usual.

with bubbling laugher, you reach onto your tippy toes to ruffle jungkook’s long black locks— effectively moving them out of place. “i can help with that, koo,” you tease and pinch his cheeks as you return to your normal height. “but i can’t promise it’ll be any cleaner than last time—“ jungkook tugs you into his chest once more, opening his mouth  to speak, when a car begins honking from your left. you huff, pushing your head into your boyfriend’s broad chest while you grip his sweater. “it’s hoseok...i’m sorry.”

jungkook shakes his head, offering you one of his beautiful bunny smiles before he leans down and captures your bottom lip between his teeth. his deep caramel eyes are locked onto yours before he grasps your cheeks and kisses you fully, tongue slotting perfectly against yours as they battle in a light dance for passion. but as soon as the kiss comes, it’s over, jungkook releasing you while you stand dazed to process what happened. your boyfriend was never one for PDA but you definitely notice how he smirks and revels in the cheers you both get, sending heat straight down to your core and making a light slick pool between your thighs. cheeky bastard. the boy salutes you as he lets you go, allowing you to run off to hoseok’s car while someone else books your lover in, before he heads back over to the truck. you make quick work of building up the suds for washing the car, dipping your sponge into the soapy water as you work on the hood— deciding now of all times, would be an ample opportunity to tease him. in the meantime the guitarist makes himself comfortable in the drivers seat of yoongi’s truck, watching you get to work— and it’s not long before he notices little things about you, like how you lean over hoseok’s car a little more, drawing attention to the curve of your ass or how you purposely drench yourself with the crisp, clear and cool soapy water when you ring out each sponge.

suddenly, jungkook’s pants begin to grow tight and his senses kick into overdrive as he becomes increasingly aware of the show you’re putting on for him. the boy knows what you’re doing, from the way you look at him from over your shoulder, to the spark in your eyes and the way you lick your cherry gloss lips. jungkook’s body acts for him, hand sliding down to the buckle of his pants as he slowly undoes it— his cock is half hard in his briefs just from watching you. he hisses when he grabs his length, pumping it slowly. jungkook feels wrong, dirty for touching himself in public, let alone in his hyung’s van but he can never help himself when it comes to you— so he almost whimpers when you lean over to soap up hoseok’s window and give him a full view of your breasts in the little pink bralette  you wear.

the guitarist thanks his luck that his dark sweater covers his dirty work, thrusting he shallowly into his hand— imagining that it’s your cute little pussy clenching around him. the warmth of need bursting in his chest because god, you look so good and he knows you’ll sound better when you’re underneath him. squeezing his cock, jungkook let’s a low groan rumble in his chest— fingertips just brushing at his orgasm.

but the euphoria of his release is suddenly ripped away from him when another girl he recognises as your roommate, areum, from the nights he visits you at the house— knocks on his window. jungkook tears his hands from his pants and gives the girl a smile, driving over to get the truck washed just as you finish up with hoseok. you smile at the job you’ve done and the way the frat member’s car shines as you dry up your hands. right when you’re about to leave to find jungkook, hoseok slips from his vehicle and grabs your wrist so that your attention is turned to him.

“she looks great, YN... thanks for cleaning her up,” hoseok praises you, leaning back against his precious yellow ferrari that you’re sure is loaned ( because realistically what college student could  afford such a fancy car ), you blink, appreciative of his thanks and nod your head but your mind is too hazy from the looks your guitarist lover was giving you earlier. you know he’s beyond turned on at this point and your mouth almost waters from the thought of him taking you right there, right now. “is there any way i can repay you?”

you snap out of your thoughts, tugging your wrist from hoseok’s grip and smiling at him sweetly— hoping that it speeds up your interaction so you can return to your boyfriend. “you already paid.” you mumble bluntly, turning to leave once more before you’re pulled back into the taller male’s grasp.

“why so distant YN-ah? let me take you out to say thanks?”

“let me go hoseok.” you warn, growling out your words. it’s like he couldn’t understand, that he was incapable of realising that you just weren’t interested in him like that anymore. your eyes and heart were set on jungkook, your days flirting and messing about with boys from the neighbouring frat were over and you didn’t care what people thought of your new relationship. yes, jungkook wasn’t  your usual, conventional type but he was yours. your shy, emo, inked, pierced pretty boy.

“just think about it...” the boy pushes for you to consider it, pulling you into him by the hips as the pads of his fingers sink into your naked skin.

“hoseok.” you repeat, your tone much harsher this time as you push him back by his shoulders.

“just let me—“

the wind is knocked out of you before you have a chance to retort, as you’re yanked free from hoseok’s burning grip into a warm and familiar embrace. you immediately recognise jungkook’s sweet, floral scent and cast your gaze upwards, his sharp jaw is clenched, pierced nose is flared and skin shines under the sun from his light perspiration. you’ve never seen him so angry before, at least not in public. jungkook has never been one to start fights or initiate major PDA in front of anyone, so his attitude today... shocks you. “are you dumb, stupid, or is it both?” your boyfriend spits, anger at hot as the sun that beats down on you. his large palms that hold onto your waist tighten and his possessiveness starts to make you light headed with want. you don’t know if it’s the fact that you’re both angry or that jungkook never gets this pissed but you feel the same wetness from earlier begin to gather in your panties. “shit man,” jungkook continues as a crowd begins to gather. “when a girl says to fuck off, you fuck off, especially when she’s taken.”

your pupils blow wide, gaze flickering over to hoseok who’s chest rises and falls with a mix of embarrassment and anger. you can’t tell which is the more domineering emotion. “and what if i don’t ‘fuck off’ what are you gonna do about it freak? we both know she deserves better than you.” hoseok goes for a low blow, eliciting a chorus of ‘ooo’s and ‘fight! fight! fight!’s from the group that surrounds you and his car. your boyfriend clenches his teeth ready to to spit out another comeback when you detangle yourself from his grip and knee hoseok in the dick before giving him a good old sucker punch— watching with a satisfied glossy grin as he doubles over in pain.

“YN, you bitch!” he cries out in pain, and you’re about to swing again when jungkook lifts you by your hips— legs kicking and arms flailing just to get another taste. once you’re a fair distance away, your boyfriend sets you down as you shake out your hand— knuckles barley bruised from the punch and you know that your lover is impressed ( and maybe just a little more turned on ).

hoseok’s frat brothers help him clear up his bloody nose while girls fawn over the poor thing. you’re not surprised when hyeri gives you a disappointed look, punishing you with the task of cleaning the interior of the douche’s car whilst the sorority takes a lunch break. something about repaying him for almost breaking his nose. you don’t mind though, you were far too hungry for something else.

“that was hot,” jungkook mumbles against your neck after everyone’s gone, he’s got you pressed against the door of yoongi’s truck— thigh between your legs and lips barley touching your neck. you moan lowly, feeling your hips naturally grind down against the meat of your boyfriend’s thigh whilst slick gathers at your entrance.   the combat jeans he wears are a rough polyester, only adding to your stimulation but you’re beyond turned on at this point, not caring if anyone sees. not that they will, the car wash is closed while everyone’s on break, so you have time to kill. “the way you sucker punched him like that, god i don’t think my dick’s ever gotten that hard that fast...”

your laughter falls into an airy moan, as your fingers dance their way down from jungkook’s sweaty hair to push at his sweater. you wonder how he’s not burning in the thing with how thick it is, not to mention how black clothes attract heat but you don’t question it, only knowing one thing and one thing only. that you want it off. “don’t lie to me googie,” you whine when he pulls away to rid himself of the ghastly article of clothing— a different type of heat building in your core. “saw you watchin’ me wash hoseok’s car earlier, bet you were painfully hard just sitting there knowing you couldn’t touch me,” you breathe, enjoying the way he twitches in your grasp as you yank him up for a blazing kiss. his strawberry tongue swipes over your lips to taste the cherry they have painted on and the flavour bursts in your mouth as he forces your lips apart and tangles his tongue with yours. when he pulls away, only a trail of saliva connects you both, making you both groan in unison. “were you touching yourself, baby?” you ask breathlessly, forcing your head back against the cool surface of the truck.

“fuck, angel face...” jungkook hisses at your lewd words, hips stuttering when you grab his growing bulge through his jeans. “h-how’d you know?

“i just know you.”

your boyfriend presses his lips to yours once again, fingers diving down to pinch your clit over the panties of your bikini— making you squeal with pleasure. jungkook swallows each and every one of your noises, hands trailing up and down your body until the slide under your bralette where inked fingers pull at your nipples and squeeze at your breasts. the peaks harden under jungkook’s touch, which is surprisingly cool despite the weather and you arch your back into him— desperate for more.

“let me feel you,” he finally says, sounding just as desperate as you and you nod, letting jungkook drop your feet to the ground gently and shove his shirt into the front of yoongi’s freshly cleaned truck. the guitarist is about to open the door for you when an idea pops into your head. pulling jungkook’s arm, you point over to the piercing yellow ferrari on the other side of of the lot outside of your sorority’s house and his face falls. within an instant, the key’s of hoseok’s car are back in your hand (after an hour of cleaning it) and jungkook is lowering you onto it’s hood. “want me to fuck you here, dollface? for everyone to see?”

you nod your head, a series of incoherent babbles falling from between your lips as you stare up your boyfriend with a hazy look in your eye— a look that drives him wild. jungkook strips you of your bralette and takes a breast into his mouth, sucking and licking and biting like a man devouring his last meal. you have no choice but to take what he gives you, closing your eyes to the melody of wet, sloppy sounds as his warm tongue swirls around each bud— contrasting with the cold metal of hoseok’s car beneath you. his freehand tweaks your other nipple before dancing down to between your legs as he pushes your thighs further apart. wetness pours from your burning entrance, causing your panties to stick deliciously to your pussy and jungkook groans around your second breast ( having switched between the two ) before he slides his two fingers past the flimsy pink material to circle your dripping hole.

“please koo, finger me...fuck me!” you cry desperately, writhing against the expensive car that your pussy drools onto.    he groans, wasting no more time as he pushes his tattooed digits into your tight cunt, you whimper as he grinds his palm against your clit with every thrust of his fingers inside of you— dragging his finger tips against your needy walls as your eyes threaten to flutter shut from bliss.

your boyfriend tuts from your breast, standing straight to lean over you while more of your juices splatter lewdly against the hood of hoseok’s car. “nonono, angel, eyes open, want you to look at me as i stretch you open on this fucker’s car, yeah?” he pants, curling the fingers he has buried in your pussy so that they catch deliciously on that one spot. your bleary eyes focus on one thing and one thing only, your lover. the way that his lips shine under the sun with smears of your cherry lip gloss, and the way that his dark eyes shift to lighter shades of coffee brown in the sunlight— the way his strawberry lips are caught between his teeth as he pleasures you and your heart bursts with adoration. “that’s my good girl...” he mumbles, voice gravelly with need when he notices your open doe eyes.

with uncoordinated movements, you manage to tackle the buttons of jungkook’s pants, pulling his painfully hard cock free from its material confines. he practically whimpers when your burning palm comes into contact with his weighty length, his tip bright red and glistening with need. “feel good baby?” you ask him while doing your best to pump him in time with the thrusts of your fingers, creating the illusion of him being inside of you. jungkook leaks endless amounts of precum, eyes scrunching shut as he grows closer to his orgasm.

jungkook buries his mop of midnight hair into the crook of of your neck, kissing at the skin there. “d-didn’t finish earlier...” he stammers, thrusting his length into your grip. “if you don’t stop i’m gonna cum before being inside you...” he wastes no more time, pushing your pretty pink panties aside and slapping is leaking tip against your glistening pussy— teasing you both even though you’ve been craving each other all day. his strong, tattooed arms hook around your legs, bringing you closer to him as he finally pushes his cock past your entrance— you hiss in unison as his weighty length sits within you and you dig your heels into the small of his back to prompt him to move. “shit...angel, dreamed of this pussy all day...”

“then take it jungkook, take me like you mean it,” you almost scream, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to pull him impossibly closer. your nails dig crescent moons into his blemished, freckled skin as he circles his hips and drills is cock into you, tip rubbing against your fiery walls while you clamp down on him. your cunt selfishly sucks him in as you find the strength within you to lift your hips and meet his thrusts— loving the way he feels and the burn of his fat cock stretching you open. the air between you seems heavier, hotter as the sun shines brightly above you— your perspiration clouding the glimmer on the hood of hoseok’s car as mix of your arousals smear across the honey yellow paint. you’re messy, dirty, tainting hoseok’s car as jungkook fucks into you with wanton— chasing the release that’s been building in his stomach all day.

you love it though, the way he wrecks your little hole out in broad daylight for everyone to see if they wanted— the sounds of his hips slamming against yours filling the empty lot in front of your sorority. anyone could come back now and see you taking his cock, and the thought makes your pussy gush with sweet, hot nectar. “your cunt is so greedy, swallowing my cock whole,” jungkook reminds you, pushing his cock into your womb until he reaches the hilt. “you must like me taking you in public huh?” he speaks your thoughts, moaning heavily as you squeeze around his length with every word, your juices wetting him more. jungkook presses down on your tummy and you watch with awe as it bulges slightly— his hips never easing up as he pushes himself impossibly deeper inside of you. “god angel face, would you look at that, look at me inside of you.”

“you’re so big,” you praise from underneath him, gasping as he grinds himself into you— harsh material of his jeans brushing against your sensitive clit. you play a game of back and forth, pushing your hips against each other with every turn until jungkook picks up the pace again, a knot in your stomach begins to form— your orgasm sneaking up behind you as your pussy weeps and cries, painting the front of jungkook’s jeans as well as your pretty thighs. “wanna cum on this thick cock of yours koo, make me cum please please...”

“you’re driving me insane dollface,” jungkook comments through gritted teeth, pounding into you now at a relentless pace— you can feel every vein and ridge of his cock against your walls, causing your jaw to go slack as you drip endlessly. he shuts your pleas up with the two fingers in your mouth letting you taste the remains of your essence. your boyfriend only manages a few more thrusts before you’re falling limp against him with new colours flashing behind your eyes as cream against his cock. jungkook rides out your high, hitting your g-spot over and over and almost reaches his climax when you hear someone’s footsteps against the gravel. eyes widening jungkook pulls your weak frame into his chest, using the discarded keys to open hoseok’s car door before bringing you inside. your heart thumps as you spot a sister from your sorority in the side mirrors, she seems to be looking for something but for now, you remain out of view.

with that in mind, you push yourself out of jungkook’s iron grip— knowing full well that he still hasn’t cum. ignoring your boyfriend’s nervous and confused expression along with the thumping in your chest, you drop to your knees, paying no mind to the burn the gravel causes against them. “YN, what are you—?” jungkook never finishes his question as you brace yourself on his thighs, giving sweet kitten licks to his tip before taking him into your mouth. you won’t need to do much work, he’s already close and you can tell from the way his abs clench and his fingers weave their way into your hair. your free hands pump what doesn’t fit into your hot mouth, as you drool on his cock and spit gathers on your chin.

your boyfriend whimpers quietly in the front passenger seat and you slap his inner thighs when the girl walks past. you spare a glance to the mirrors once more, swirling your tongue around your lover’s length as he strains to hold in his moans. he whispers ‘pleases’ under his breath, begging you to let him cum...so once the footsteps retreat and disappear completely, you tap his thigh once and jungkook immediately bucks his hips. your jaw falls lax as he thrusts into your mouth as if it were your tight heat, desperately chasing the release he’s been waiting for all day. “fuck, fuck, shit!” he curses as your throat tightens around his length, causing him to spill his seed into your mouth. you swallow gratefully, only pulling away to show him the mess he made of your tongue before letting him pull you onto his lap. “such a dirty girl, sucking me off like that with people around...”

“you loved it,” you tease, twirling his long hair between your fingers as he kisses down the valley between your breasts.

“would have loved to cum inside you, more.”

you straddle jungkook’s lap, letting his half hard cock brush against your soaked panties as you grind down on him. “then let me make you cum again; let me ride you.” you state more so than ask, taking his hands into yours and intertwining your fingers. jungkook looks up at you with bright starry eyes, and you lose yourself within their constellations— you loved him, you knew that and no one would change that. the mood slips into something softer and you’re no longer in a rush to ruin hoseok’s car, instead you take your time easing yourself down onto your love’s length as it hardens with each stroke of your hips.

neither of you will last long this time, sensitive from your previous releases but that doesn’t stop you from slowly lifting your hips and bringing them back down to start a steady pace. the length of jungkook’s weighty girth, drags along your velvet walls with each rock of his hips into yours, sending tingles of pleasure down your spend. he lets go of your right hand, using his large inked palm to grab at your waist, guiding you into him in away that makes him whine. he moves onto your ass, squeezing the peachy flesh as you bounce on him, launching you both into new realms of pleasure.

“love that ass baby, how good it looks in this little set,” jungkook whimpers against your sweat slicked skin, closing his eyes to tune into the sounds of your angelic moans and wetness against his dick. “always so pretty for me...”

you swivel your hips in soft circles, clamping down on your lover with each word of praise as he sucks blues and indigos and violets between your breasts, his mouth salivating from watching them bounce with every thrust into your tight heat. he worships you under the golden sun, heated bodies moving together as you both work towards release. “it’s all yours, koo,” you cry, biting your cherry lips— bitten red and swollen from kisses your lover used to soothe your cries of wanton. “i’m all yours.” you add before he’s wrapping an arm around your waist and you’re pulling him by the hair to yank him into another sweet kiss, tasting traces of your gloss on his pinkish lips.

“mine.” jungkook claims your mouth as his, as you squeeze and clench and clamp around his girth, tears beginning to roll as your high approaches. the guitarist doesn’t up, letting you swallow his whines as the sensitivity grows too much, the tip of his length hitting that one spot over and over again while you push your hips down to meet his every thrust.

“look me in the eyes when you cum with me.” you growl to him, freeing your hands to cup his cheeks— lips tingling and cunt spasming. jungkook can barely nod but he obliges, deep brown eyes pulling you in as his warm breath fans across your face. you drown in his eyes, falling under as the knot in your stomach finally snaps— your hips falter as you cling to jungkook with all you have, release glazing his cock until he fills you with his creamy essence. your fingers massage his wet scalp while you bury your face into his neck, hearing him whimper and cry out as he fills you over and over again.

eventually, the sensitivity grows too much and jungkook pulls out of you with small moans, fingers finding your messy entrance as a mix of your arousals drips onto the leather seats. “i love you, angel face...so fucking much,” he finally says with glossy eyes and a tiny smile, dipping his finger into your leaking hole and smearing the evidence of your rendezvous against your lips.

“and i love you, more than anything.” you hum back, licking the sweet and salty sheen from your lips before mirroring your lovers smile because all though he’d rubbed of your cherry gloss, jungkook’s cum was the next best thing.

⇢ taglist !

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[lilyharvord]

Do you in red queen univeres is like harry potter. The silvers are like the pureblood family. Mare is a newblood like being a muggles born witch and Julian is more like Dumbledor or the Weasley what do you think?

I'm gonna say the universe itself does seem to lend itself to those categories! Or sub-catagories! It also very easily lends itself to a Hogwarts AU! PREPARE FOR AN AU UNDER THE READ MORE

I mean, Mare seeing her favorite big brother Shade receive a super pretty envelope from this strange school saying he is a wizard and is being offered a position in that school? Going to Diagon Alley with her family and Shade picking out a owl, and old faded robes cause he family really can't afford anything else. Then her hugging him tightly as he has one foot on this strange train and one foot on the strange platform that they had to run through a brick wall to get to?! Holding his hand through the window and running along side the train as he promises to write her every week before she runs out of platform and has to stop as the train pulls away and he is waving and smiling wildly at her. Her little hand slowly falling from her wave to be by her side and she wishes desperately to be on that train with him? ONLY TO RECEIVE HER VERY OWN PRETTY LETTER THE NEXT SUMMER? She gets to do the whole process! And she has all these fantasies about what it will be like based on the letters Shade sent her all last year. She wants an owl, or a salamander, or something like that. And she want to play the strange quidditch game he mentions. She wants to run up and down staircases that change. When she gets on the train with him, she practically pulling out of her mom's arms, and almost forgets to hug a very upset Gisa goodbye.

On the train, Shade tells her all the details, introduces her to his friends: ketha (a second year like him), Ada (a sixth year), and Farley (a second year that Mare is incredibly intimidated by until she sees Shade heart eyeing her every two seconds).

They tell her about the houses. Shade is more than proud to be sorted into Hufflepuff even though Farley teases him about it and Ada only smiles at the whole thing. But they all get quiet about Slytherin. It's not a house you want to be in, Shade says quietly. Mare doesn't quite understand. Cunning? what's so bad about being that? Smart and quick witted? Hell, there's nothing wrong with it.

Then she meets them. The Slytherins. And she sees why she shouldn't be a part of that House. But then she meets the strange, dark haired, blue eyed boy at the back of the group with her, who tries to sit in a boat alone until Mare clambers in behind him, cursing the fact that her socks got wet and they're going to be gross and her shoes will squelch while she walks. He seems a little uncomfortable around her big personality until she introduces herself, and he smiles and shakes her hand, quietly introducing himself as Maven. Nothing more. Mare doesn't mind, loads of people don't give their last names.

Then she's in the Great Hall, underneath the Sorting Hat, Shade smiling at her like a fiend from the Hufflepuff table while Maven is already sitting at the Slytherin one, slouched and looking just a bit upset. (It's not what you think y'all. it's because CAL's a Gryfindor, and their dad was too and he still wants to get his fathers love, and he pretty much just CEMENTED the fact that he won't get it now.) Mare sees him, and the Sorting Hat huffs and says, making friends already? Mare frowns and then thinks back it: he's lonely. And the hat laughs before saying: loyal then, hufflepuff might do you well. She makes a face and it laughs once again when she thinks: I can do better than that. And it seems to nod in understanding before standing upright and announcing SLYTHERIN. Maven sits up taller as Mare leaps down from the stool and runs to him with a big, shit eating grin on her face. Shade goes a little pale in the face but smiles at her nonetheless. It's his baby sister, and if she's happy, he is too.

She's very happy. Slytherin isn't all that bad. Maven's her friend and he's a very good one. He's smart as a tack, and knows all these neat tricks to get through work. But its when they go out to fly on the brooms where they differ finally. Maven is... not a fan of being off the ground. Mare... she could live up there. She tries to get him interested but he jut won't have it, preferring to bury his nose in books and study. (Mare wonders why he wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw like Ada, but she shrugs it off).

It's one day when they're all out walking and that girl Evangeline starts teasing some kid and throws his whatever in the air that things finally get interesting for Mare. In a very impressive showing of skill, she catches this tiny object while flying. IMMEDIATELY, the captain of the Slytherin team wants her as his Seeker. Its UNHEARD OF everyone argues. NO FIRST YEARS allowed! But it's vetoed, and Mare is allowed to play. Shade is more than proud, puffing out his chest, and forcing her to walk around with him so he can introduce her to his class and everyone as the youngest Seeker in years.

It's after she is sneaking out of the Gryffindor tower one night, having stayed to talk with Shade and Farley who is finally losing some of her Ice Queen exterior and even cracked a smile at one of Mare's jokes, that she almost gets in trouble. She is sprinting down the stairs of the tower when she runs smack into someone so they both end up tumbling down the stairs and hitting the back of the Fat Lady's portrait when they land. She stumbles over apologies, trying to grab her things in the dark (and pocketing one or two of his by accident), when she looks up. She's seen him before, she know she has, but can't remember from where. Plus, it's a little dark and she can't see him all that clearly. He's sitting there, tie undone, and shirt all messed up from falling, and rubbing the back of his head where it hit the back of the portrait when he looks at her. HE knows her. This the girl who is the youngest Seeker in years! They blink at each other, and she tries to take off, but he grabs her wrist, keeping ahold of her as he says: Thief! when he realizes she grabbed a few of his things. She looks down at the mess of things in her arms, and then frowns at him before saying, No! These are my things! he pulls out his wand and book from her hands and she's like: okay, well, those aren't mine, but whatever. And he smiles at her as he stands and she's suddenly craning her neck to look up at him, and LORD ABOVE what did he eat as a child?! She squints up at him, still trying to place him when he shifts his things to his other arm and holds out a hand for her to shake. She looks at it, and then takes it slowly. His grip is so warm and comforting, but not sweaty like some of the other boys her age. He shakes her hand and introduces himself as Cal, and THEN Mare knows who he is. This is Maven's brother. The older one, the perfect spitting image of his father who is the "Perfect Son." Maven always sneers just slightly when he says that, and now that she has met this Cal, she knows Maven is right. Turning up her nose at him, she spins on her heel and leaves, completely uninterested.

Okay she lied, she was a little more interested than she let on. She sees him EVERYWHERE after that. He raises his brows at her in the Great Hall, and even smiled and said good morning Mare when she walked by with Maven to Charms one day. After that day, Maven gets really sullen, and tells her that she shouldn't talk to him, that he's trouble. He's a third year, in line to be Prefect and Headboy at some point. She doesn't want to get mixed up with wet blanket like that. She agrees, but something about him, his eyes, the gentle smile, and way he'd looked at her the first time he saw her makes her heart do a little jig every time she thinks about him.

Before she knows it, its the first Quidditch match, and she's set to play. She steps out in her beautiful green and black uniform, and while she's in the tunnel adjusting the straps on her wrist guard with her teeth, someone laughs behind her and says: there is a better way to do that. She looks up, the laces half in her mouth, and a tiny bit of drool running down her chin to see Cal leaning against his broom. Of course he plays Quidditch, she thinks with a scowl. What perfect son wouldn't? He takes her wrist though and ties the guard gently, pulling the laces perfectly through the loops. Maven tried to help her with it this morning but gave up when he couldn't do it. Her face burns with embarrassment but he doesn't notice, or at least, he pretends not to notice. When he finished both wrist guards, he shoulders his broom and with a wink says, "eyes up and head up, dont want to take a Blunger to face on your first day." He strolls away after that, and Mare stands there, watching his shoulders as he leaves. How does a thirteen year old boy manage to look like that?! Shaking it off she steps on the pitch but... that's all she remembers. She takes a nasty blunger to side of the head and falls to the pitch floor. When she wakes up, the entire Slytherin team is around her and so is half the Gryfinddor team, Farley is grimacing as she takes in the situation, and Cal is leaning over her, shielding her from the son. She frowns up at him before saying, "you didn't say they moved that fast." He snorts to hide a laugh as the medics take her off the pitch. Good news? She learns later in the Infirmary, they won! When she went down, Cal, the Keeper moved as if to go to her and they were able to put the Quaffle in to get the final point! Her captain claps her on the back, and she tries not to puke when the movement jars her head.

The year ends uneventfully, and she waves goodbye to Maven as she disembarks and he leaves with Cal. A woman with matching icy blue eyes and stark, ash blonde hair frowns at her as Maven smiles and waves his own goodbye. She pointedly ignores Cal's title wave goodbye.

The next year is much of the same but there is a... current in the air, a charge that wasn't there before. Something is happening, something dark in the world. Shade and Farley go to Hogsmead and talk about it, but Mare can't go yet. She sits in a hidden alcove of the Astronomy tower, watching the world outside with her books open before her. Maven is quieter this year, but there is a strange new confidence and glint in his eye. It worries her. He is not the boy she waved goodbye to at the beginning of the summer.

One day while studying, she hears footsteps and looks up to see Cal pausing along side her. Her stomach flip flops when she sees him. The summer did wonders for him. Somehow, he is more attractive. She didn't even realize that was possible. And she REFUSED to admit that she thought about him a few times... well more than a few times... over the break. He smiles at her and before she knows it, she's leaning toward him to talk. She asks why he's not at Hogsmead and he grimaces before saying he is struggling with Diviniation and has to take an extra class on it every week. She laughs, and the smile he gives her when she does laugh turns her stomach to molten lava. He helps her out of the windowsill and they walk to the Great Hall together. Maven intercepts them before then, his eyes narrowing and darkening when Cal waves goodbye and heads on his way. Mare nudges Maven with her shoulder and teases him saying: are you worried I might like him more than you? Maven glowers at her, and she softens before taking his hand and promising him that Cal is "a complete and utter moron, who she could never like." It seems to relax him, but not completely. Again, Mare worries. He was never concerned about Cal or any of this before.

The year works that way though. She slowly get closer to Cal. They have this strange unspoken agreement to meet at HER windowsill once a week and then walk along the ground by the lake. One day, in the winter, she forgets a thick enough coat, and is shivering in her sweater until he shrugs off his cloak and drapes it around her shoulders. She blinks in surprise, before smiling and thanking him. It's far too big on her and drags on the ground a bit, but its warm and it smells like him. Which she is terrified to realize she kind of likes.

She starts spending time in the Gryffindor tower too, getting closer with Shade's friends, and sometimes, Cal is there too. He's not really a staple (he and Farley don't really get along, something about her calling him a Pure Blooded Hypocrite), but Mare finds she likes when he is around.

That summer is terrible. Maven doesn't write her as much as he promised. And the world is getting Dark™️. There are strange disappearances on the TV. Things are getting weird. Shade gets secret letters from Farley that he hides from her. When they go back to Hogwarts, things are... different. There are guards, there weren't Guards before. Maven looks more gaunt and haunted. Even Cal doesn't seem as cheery anymore. They're walks around the lake go from once to twice to three times a week. He tells her about his side of the Wizarding World, and she learns about a group that is known as the Death Eaters (who serve a mysterious Dark One that wants to eliminate the muggle population and the mud bloods). Mare frowns when he says that word. He says it quietly, like its something bad. She's not sure why, it's a word. When she asks Farley about it, her friend's face hardens and she tells her it's a nasty term that Pure Bloods use to describe the people like them. The ones who come from non magic families.

She finds solace in Quidditch, she even goes out when Cal offers to show her a few tricks, and that time... it is strangely magical. She finally gets to go to Hogsmead, and spend time with Shade and Farley there. They have a new little group, a taller fifth year named Tristan is added, Ada is with them, Ketha, and a couple of others. Shade tells her to go off and find something to do one time and she ends up spying on them. When she does, she overhears them talking about the Dark One, that they are back and that is the reason so many Muggles are dying and disappearing strangely. That Hogwarts might not be safe anymore. She confronts Cal about it one day, and he stops dead in the snow, spins on her and says never to talk about it. That the Dark One is dead, has been dead for year and that she should never mention them. She is taken aback, he's never seemed so concerned to desperate before. So she drops it. But things get worse over christmas break.

When she returns, Maven is almost cold with her. She tries to tease him like she used to, but he just isn't having it. She clings tighter to him, worried that things are not going well at home. She knows his mother isn't great, knows his father is an asshole. She can't understand how two people like that managed to make someone like Maven, and someone like Cal. But she tries her best to be a friend for Maven. She can't help but get closer with Cal. Something about him draws her in, and keeps her.

One day at Hogsmead, she runs into him (literally, again). She slips on the ice and he catches her, his hands grabbing her hips and pulling her close so she has to grab the front of his coat and cloak to keep herself upright too. They look at each other for a long time, confused and full of butterflies before she spots Maven at the other end of the bridge. She was supposed to meet him at the sweet shop but was running late. His eyes narrow ever so slightly at what he sees, and Mare pulls away from Cal glaring at him and adjusting her hair when he blinks in confusion. She turns on her heel and leaves without a word, taking Maven's hand in her own as she passes him and dragging him along.

That summer, something changes fundamentally in the world. The world actually gets even Darker. Shade gets more worried, and Farley starts showing up at thier house. Mare know they are seeing each other. But she keeps it to herself. When they go back to Hogwarts... there are Guards on the train. She walks down the hallway and runs into Cal on his way to his compartment. The train rocks as she is trying to pass him and she ends up in his arms again. She's fifteen, and he's seventeen, old for a sixth year. But in his Prefect uniform, he looks quiet attractive, and somehow he got MORE attractive over the summer. The flutters that had once been nothing but tummy flutters when she was elven/twelve are now full blown butterflies in her stomach. She would never admit it, but she had a dream about him over the summer. About his hands on her hips and the stone wall of the Gryffindor common room rubbing against her back as she pinned her to it. She doesn't pull herself out of his arms right now though, there is something comforting about being in his embrace right now, when the world seems to slowly falling apart around them. He lets her go, a falsh of something in his eyes before he smiles at her and says, safe travels.

When they get to Hogwarts, she knows there is something wrong with Maven. He looks like a corpse, his eyes are dark and his features are sharper than usual. She tries to get him to smile for her, but he can't seem to muster much. So one day, out of desperation, she kisses him. He melts finally, and she melts with him, burning like Icarus when he got to close to the sun. They become... a thing for lack of a better term. He clings tightly to her, pulls her away from Farley and Shade and her friends, pointedly makes sure she doesn't spend time with Cal to the point where he actually seeks her out one day, and Maven jeers at him until he leaves. It scares her, he was never hostile, never a person like this. When she talks to him about it, he raves about things she doesn't understand. An In fact, he seems almost angry with her. She can't understand, she tries to get it out of him halfway through the fall, and he turns around and calls her a nasty Mudblood, jeering at her about the fact that is lucky he even considers her a friend. It breaks her heart, shatters it into a thousand pieces. She didn't kiss him just because it might make him feel better. She kissed him because she wanted to, because she thought it felt right (she also did it because a secret part of her hoped that kissing him would make the dreams about Cal stop.)

She stops hanging around him, the other kids like him and the other Slytherins embrace him instead, folding him into their group, while she starts to gravitate to Shade and Farley again.

they go home for Christmas, and the world tilts completely on its access. There is horrible accident that kills a number of families, and Shade immediately packs a backpack that night to go see Farley. Mare forces him to take her with him. When they get to Farley's, everyone is there, all the people Shade has been friends with. She learns they are forming a group, the Scarlet Guard, to defend themselves. The Dark One is coming back, and they will be ready.

When they return in the spring, the teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts does not prepare them right. Mare feels like a child being handed a pair of children scissors to solve a grown up problem. She talks to Shade about it, and the group agrees. They need training. It's then that Mare does what cements her fate with Maven. She seeks out Cal. He is not looking too great either, there is something haunting his face and when she finally walks up to him one morning on the lawn near the lake, he looks at her suspiciously. She doesn't know why but she ends up curled against his side, sobbing. He's taken aback at first, and then soften, wrapping an arm around her while she tells him everything. With a tight jaw, and a nod, he agrees to help them training.

They form a secret group, and they start training. It's then that Mare starts to realize that perhaps she likes Cal more than she lets on. he's a good teacher, a very good one, and whenever he holds her hand and guides her wrist through a complex spell movement, she feels her face heat up. He's a sixth year, seventeen and on the cusp of greatness it seems. His OWLs were outstanding, he is set on the path she knows he wants. They train together privately. On a nondescript day like any other, she stays after to talk to him, and when she does, he kisses her. It turns her into a pool of liquid mercury, and when he breaks it off and gently caresses her cheek with his thumb she knows she is doomed.

They leave for the summer, and she writes him daily. He writes back, telling her about things happening at home. There are issues, his father is stressed, his step mother is being cagey, and Maven... he's not himself. She worries, Shade is a sixth year and she's just a fifth year, but the world feels like it is resting on their shoulders.

When they come back to school in the fall, Maven confronts her. He found the letters she wrote to Cal. He accuses her of a number of things she is horrified by. Cal steps in to push him back, and in a horrible moment, Maven draws his wand and puts to Cal's throat. The brothers stand like that for a moment, and Mare with her hand on her wand fears who she will have to point her own wand at. But Maven drops the wand, and that is that when he storms off.

The Scarlet Guard grows in number. And then it happens right before they leave for Winter Break. The earth shattering, horrible truth. The Dark One returns, and no where is safe. Hogwarts is under attack before anyone knows what is happening. Mare is fighting through the halls, throwing out hexes and charms she never thought she would have to use. She battles her way to Cal, who takes her hand and pulls her close. The Aurors arrive but they are not enough. Shade, Farley, Mare and Cal storm the upper tower. Cal makes them stay below in the hidden crawl space because Maven is up there and he can hear his father. When he gets up there, it is not what he thinks. Mare and Farley and Shade watch from below in horror as Elara uses the Imperius Curse to actually turn Cal on his father so he kills him. When that happens, the truth is revealed. Elara is the Dark One, or the new chosen Dark One among the Death Eaters. Mare storms up the steps before Elara can kill Cal, using the one spell she knows might end the duel. But Maven steps in and they end up dueling. With tears steaming down her cheeks, she tries to fight him off. But he is not fighting to stun her, he is fighting to kill her, to put her out of commission. She is disarmed, and in a horrible moment, thinks he will kill her. Elara is cooing at him to do it, to punish her for loving his brother instead of him. She pleads with him silently, begging him with her eyes not to. His lips twist as he struggles with the decision. It's too long, Shade and Farley get up the steps and force Elara and Maven to appirate away.

The world cracks open like an egg as war spills out after that.

HOLY SHIT THAT WAS LONG. ANYWAY, ENJOY EVERYONE. I'm not going back and rereading this so whatever you see is what you get XD

#(*ask lily*) #(*shut up lily*) #red queen #glass sword #kings cage #war storm #broken throne #post broken throne #oh no...I smell another fic #Hogwarts AU #lord have mercy #'she would be a THICCCCC fic #plus I'd have to do some Harry Potter rereading to freshen up my memory on things like spells etc. #my writing #my fanfics #my headcanons

[let-it-raines]

I Hope We Never See October (4/?)

When his personal life and football career go up in flames, Killian Jones escapes England for America, finding seclusion in Martha’s Vineyard in order to hide from his demons. It’s a fresh start, or at the very least a paused moment in his life, and all he needs is a few months alone to allow his heart to heal. He doesn’t count on meeting Emma Swan.

Emma’s life depends on tourists who come to the island every summer. It’s how she makes her money working in restaurants and clubs across the vineyard, but every year, she cannot wait until autumn comes and her life returns to normal. She especially cannot wait for Killian Jones to leave.

Rating: Mature

Found on Ao3: Beginning | Current

Found on Tumblr: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

-/-

Emma has this thing about the summer tourists in Martha’s Vineyard. There are several types, but they can be categorized into two main groups: the annuals versus the one-timers.

It’s pretty self-explanatory. The annuals come back every year. They usually have a family home on the island or in Cape Cod or Falmouth, and they come back year after year to do the same things – from taking out the same boats to eating at the same restaurants. Then there are the one-timers. They get an opportunity to come and spend a week or two taking pictures, eating food, spending time by the ocean, going on hikes, and then they never, ever come back. They’ve seen enough.

The annuals pay for Emma’s life. The one-timers, though, keep her entertained.

If she never has to see them again, there are no consequences, no attached strings. It’s the perfect distraction, especially in the past few years, and she will not be ashamed of the choices she makes.

Not at all.

Except, right now, she’s seriously questioning her choices because sometimes Emma can be pretty damn stupid.

But then Killian’s hand slips down the back of her thigh, fingertips pressing into her skin, kneading it in the places that bring her pleasure, and she forgets how stupid this is and remembers how good it feels. His voice is deep with his teasing, his mouth soft, and when he uses his knee to nudge hers to the side, Emma complies and arches her back as he slowly guides himself into her. Her heartbeat speeds up, sweat already forming at the nape of her neck that not even the breeze from the open window can fix, and she continues to adjust her hips as Killian finds his rhythm.

It’s a damn good rhythm, one that only takes a little instruction on her part, before he’s leaning over her, sucking the skin at her neck, and building her toward a higher and higher pleasure as he whispers filth into her skin.

And for the minutes that it takes, ones that seem to fly and drag on all at once, Emma forgets how monumentally stupid she’s being by sleeping with him. It was a moment of weakness, one where she was lonely and he was there with his stupidly handsome features and charming stories, and it seemed like the obvious thing to do.

Even though she really did simply intend to invite him in for coffee, but how many people truly believe that offer to be taken at face value?

Emma thinks he’s an obnoxious flirt, but at least it’s nice to know he can back his words up with actions.

Emma scratches her fingers down his back until she’s tightening them around the muscles in his arms. He’s fitter than she imagined, which is always a bonus, and his muscles twitch as he continues to move in her, over her, until his hand reaches between them and Emma finds the subtle bliss she doesn’t often find from arrangements like this.

So, she’s stupid, but at least she’s satisfied.

Killian hovers over her as his thrusts become more erratic, as he finds his own release, his forehead pressed into hers, and then he’s rolling over, taking a breather next to her, before getting up to dispose of the condom and put his briefs back on. Emma does the same, using the bathroom to pee and wash her face, before putting on a t-shirt and pair of underwear.

“So, that was,” Killian begins when she comes back from the bathroom. He’s sitting on the end of the bed, body still on near full display as he presses his hands back.

“You’re only staying here this summer, right?” Emma interrupts.

He raises one brow, then the next. “Aye. I don’t imagine I’ll return next year. My life should be…less complicated then.”

Okay, good. Maybe she’s not so stupid after all.

Because he may be friends with Ariel and Eric, which isn’t the clean break she’s looking for, but it’s clean enough.

She wonders how his life could be complicated. She doesn’t know much about him, but she knows enough. He’s rich, can take months off from work to vacation, and there’s little chance he actually knows what complicated is.

“Why do you ask?” he continues, scratching his neck.

Emma shrugs. “Because this wasn’t…this was casual. I’m not into having a relationship, especially with someone who has an expiration date.”

“Trust me, love,” he laughs, “neither am I. I do fancy you from time to time when you’re not yelling at me, but I know what this was. I’m not under any impressions otherwise.”

Emma nods and grabs a pair of sleep shorts from one of her drawers. “Well, good. That’s good.”

This is always the awkward part. Do they stay or do they go? Emma votes go, but she’s unsure how to ask without coming off as a total bitch.

Especially since this is a man who already knows her more than he should.

“Yeah,” he smiles, “it is good.” He leans down and picks up his jeans, standing to slide them on. Why the hell are his pants that tight. “But I have the feeling you’re waiting on me to leave, so I can do that for you.”

“Oh, I - ”

“Perceptive, Swan.” He points to his head. “I told you I’m actually quite perceptive, and I meant it. Have a good night, love. I’m sure I’ll see you around the island.”

He finishes getting dressed as Emma stands in the corner and crosses her arms, watching him. Not five minutes ago she was watching him move in a completely different way, and the memories nearly tempt her to ask him to stay.

She’s stupid, but she’s not that stupid.

“Yeah,” Emma sighs, “I’ll see you around.”

-/-

July

“Can you work Saturday, Ashley?” Emma asks as she pulls up next week’s schedule. “Heather apparently can’t, and I have to have someone cover her shift. You’ll get good tips.”

“I can work then, but I need next Thursday morning off. I have an appointment.”

Emma adds Ashely’s name into the chart and looks up as Ashley rubs her hand over her stomach. “I’ll cover you. Are you finding out the gender?”

“I am. I’m excited.”

“Good.” Emma closes her laptop and stands from behind her desk. “I’m glad you’re excited. How are things out there?”

“Busy. I’d expect nothing less from the holiday week.”

Emma inhales before breathing out a slow exhale. “I wouldn’t either. I’ll come and help out. Make sure you’re taking enough breaks and drinking enough water. I don’t want you exhausting yourself.”

“I’m not,” Ashley promises, but Emma knows how tired the girl is, “but I really appreciate you.”

They walk out of Emma’s office, and while Ashley goes back to her section, Emma starts doing her rounds, checking in with her servers and cooks, making sure everything stays up to the standards she needs. This is one of their busiest weeks of the year, and she can’t afford for anything to go wrong. They had a hiccup last week with the bread order, and with how many burgers they’re selling, she really can’t afford for that to happen again.

Once she’s done checking inside, she walks to their outside area. It’s such a pleasant day out with the sun shining directly over them. The boardwalks are full of people, the beaches the same, and she sees more boats out on the water than usual.

She also sees a familiar mop of black hair sitting alone at the end of their outdoor patio. She hasn’t seen him since he left her house a few days ago, headlights of his Jeep fading in the distance.

Go figure that he’s here again. He seems to be fond of the place.

“You really like the food here, huh?”

“That and the manager.”

Emma laughs and leans against the railing as a family boards a boat a few feet away, their voices carrying over to Emma. It’s four of them, mom, dad, brother, and sister. It’s the picture-perfect New England family, and she imagines all the brochures in the tourism office look just like this.

And not at all like her.

“Laying on the charm a little too thick,” Emma sighs, shaking her head. “But I have a feeling that’s your thing.”

“I like to think it’s just the right amount.” He spears a bit of his omelet and pops a bite in his mouth. “What are you doing out here?”

“My job.”

His brow arches and he reaches out his arm, moving it around to the railing. His skin has tanned since she first met him, and she must admit, at least to herself, that he looks good. “You check in on all your customers like this?”

“Just the ones who keep coming back.” “To be fair, I figured I could avoid you seeing me if I sat out here.”

Emma rolls her eyes as the family’s boat starts and begins to stutter away. “Look, you can come here all you want. I know I - I didn’t make it seem that way, but I don’t care what you do or don’t do as long as you don’t expect anything from me.”

“Not a thing, love.”

“Good.” Emma stands, tightening the knot on her Blue Dog Tavern t-shirt. “But, you know, if you did happen to be up late at night, and I happened to be up, I wouldn’t oppose you stopping by for some coffee.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“Well, some nights, of course. When I feel like it.”

Killian chuckles and leans back in the chair, the front legs coming off the ground. “When you feel like it. And how would I know that?”

Emma pulls her phone out of her back pocket and holds it out to him. Without a word, he types his number in and hands it back to her. “That’s how you’ll know. I hope you enjoy your meal, Jones.”

Emma taps him on the shoulder and walks away, shaking her head. She’s stupid. So damn stupid, but as she walks back into the main dining hall and sees how crazy it is, she thinks she deserves a bit of a break, a bit of fun. She’s an adult. She can make stupid decisions sometimes.

Especially hot, British stupid decisions who are here on a time limit.

Her life is messy already. What’s one more thing?

-/-

Emma pops open a beer bottle, throwing the top away and settles on David and Mary Margaret’s pool lounge chair, pulling her legs up to keep them out of the sun. Ruby, meanwhile, is on full display on a pool float, as is David. Mary Margaret is joining Emma in the no sun club.

“So, how are you lately?” Mary Margaret asks, sipping on her lemonade. “I feel like I haven’t talked to you in a week.”

“That’s because you haven’t.”

Mary Margaret laughs and puts her drink on the table between them. “Well, you have to tell me what you’ve been up to. I don’t know how you deal with months without - ”

“Oh my God,” Ruby screeches, nearly flopping into the pool before she paddles her way toward the two of them, “I totally forgot.”

“What’d you forget, hon?”

“That I saw Emma’s hot British friend running yesterday, and I nearly passed out.”

“Why?” Emma asks, sipping on her beer again. “Were you running too? I told you to stop doing that when you haven’t had water in ages. You’ll legitimately pass out.”

Ruby kicks and some of the water splashes onto the side of the pool. “Hey, careful!” David yells. “I just cleaned this grout.”

“Yes, Dad,” Ruby mocks, kicking more water before paddling to the edge of the pool. “Anyway, I meant to say that I saw him, was reminded of just how attractive he is, and Emma, my darling, I must say that there is no harm in having a little summer fun. In fact, I encourage it. It’s good for the soul. And the vagina for that matter.”

Emma spits out her beer, the alcohol spilling onto the tile, and she swear David gives her murder eyes even though he’s gone back to lounging with his eyes closed. “You need a filter, Rubes.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Emma laughs and stretches her legs out, letting her toes peep out of the shade and into the brightness of the sun. “I will have you know, though, that he doesn’t plan on returning next summer. He has an expiration date.”

“So you fucked him?” Ruby asks, a little too gleeful.

“You can fill in the blanks.” Emma pulls her feet back under the shade and closes her eyes.

She’s not shy with her friends, especially Ruby. they know enough about each other’s lives to fill books about, but some things, Emma keeps under wraps unless she absolutely has to share them. Or unless she’s in the mood. Right now, with David nearby and with Mary Margaret totally judging her.

The woman is kind and fun and supportive, but she also met David a decade ago and knew he was the one on the first date. Personally, Emma thinks that is bullshit, but she’d never tell anyone that. You can know someone for years without truly knowing them, so how could anyone be so sure on a first date?

David Nolan and Mary Margaret Blanchard somehow were.

“You know, Emma,” Mary Margaret begins, “that wall you keep up may keep out pain, but it may also keep out love.”

Emma laughs and presses the cold bottle to her lips. “Marg, I’m sleeping with a guy for fun. It’s not a love match. Let me have this. In September, I’ll go back to being the Emma Swan who doesn’t do stupid things like this.”

“I didn’t - ”

“It’s fine.” Emma finishes her drink and pulls her hair into a high bun before standing and walking toward the pool, quickly submerging herself in the water to get used to the chill. She swims over to David and pulls on his float. “Hey.”

He lifts his sunglasses. “Hey.”

“How goes the job? Still seeing a bunch of cats and dogs be cute?”

“Cute and gross. What’d Mary Margaret say to make you leave your cocoon of shade?”

“Nothing. Just thought I’d come say hi to you. I do like you from time to time.”

David chuckles and slides his glasses back on. “I only believe half of that, but it’s alright. I won’t push.”

“And that’s why I love you.”

Emma stays with the Nolans and Ruby for the rest of the afternoon, and no one bugs her about her dating life, thank God. They all mean well, truly, but sometimes the last thing Emma wants to do is listen to them. On the spectrum of how they approach love, Emma is somewhere in the middle. She’s not David and Mary Margaret with their love conquers all attitude, and she’s not Ruby with her casual, carefree approach to simply seeing where the wind takes her. She’s...well, she doesn’t know what she is. All Emma knows is that while she’s experienced the highs of what love can bring, she has also experienced the lowest of the lows.

It’s safer in the middle. If you don’t fall in love, you can’t get your heart broken. But you can have some fun when you need it.

Hence, Killian, even if he is not the someone she expected to be having her summer fun with.

God, when she thinks like that, it sounds like she’s narrating a beach movie where all the colors are too bright and no one ever sweats despite spending their entire lives outside.

Speak of the devil, a group of young girls ride down the street on bikes, laughing, their hair falling behind them, and then two minutes later, they’re back again. What the hell?

That’s when she realizes they have a friend with a camera standing on the sidewalk, taking pictures of them, and Emma rolls her eyes before turning to grab her purse and her keys. “I’m going to head home,” she yells out. “I want to beat all the drunk drivers and the illegal fireworks home.”

“Wait, don’t go,” Mary Margaret insists from her spot on the couch. “Let me get you some leftovers.”

“Marg, you don’t have to feed me.”

“I know, I know.” She stands from the couch and heads toward the kitchen. “But you so rarely cook, and it’s good for you to have real meals. And since you’re alone without - ”

“Oh my God,” Ruby squeals, king her leg out. She nearly knocks over the vases and books Mary Margaret keeps on her coffee table. “Holy fuck. Like, fuck.”

Emma drops her purse. “What?”

Ruby raises her hand and folds her fingers, beckoning Emma to come closer to her. Emma rolls her eyes, but she does it anyway, plopping down next to Ruby.

“Okay, so, I couldn’t stop thinking about your new boy toy,” she starts.

“Not a toy,” Emma corrects. “He’s fine with the arrangement too.”

“Whatever. Anyway, I wanted to know more about your little sex buddy, not that I think he’s little in any way, so I went to Ariel’s Instagram, searched through her followers, and found him. And, well…”

Ruby shoves her phone into Emma’s hands, and Emma looks down, scanning through the photos. It’s a lot of group shots of men in soccer uniforms, and she thinks that’s weird but okay. He’s a member of a little soccer club back home. That seems like something rich people in England would do. It’s probably more interesting than her extracurricular hobbies which consist of eating, going to the gym, and sitting in David and Mary Margaret’s living room. It’s not like she has any room to judge someone over what they do in their free time.

Still, she continues scrolling, careful not to like anything, and it’s not until she comes across a picture of him with his shirt off that she stops to really think.

Not because he has his shirt off. She’s seen that in person. She doesn’t need to see that in pictures.

But because of the number of likes on the picture.

And the number of followers he has.

And then the little blue checkmark next to his name.

Holy fuck indeed.

“So, that’s how he has money to rent one of the big houses over in Edgartown.” Emma closes out the app and hands Ruby back her phone. “Well, that’s interesting.”

“Interesting?” Ruby scoffs, getting loud enough that David finally looks up with his own phone. Mary Margaret remains clueless in the kitchen. “You’re sleeping with a literal professional athlete, and that’s your reaction?”

Emma shrugs and stands from the couch as David asks Ruby to see what she was showing Emma. “David obviously finds it more interesting than me. I don’t care who he is or what he does or doesn’t do. That’s none of my business.”

Ruby gapes, David does too, and while Emma does have a bit of a weird feeling in her gut, she truly does not care what Killian Jones does. She’s got a few questions, sure, but much like the other men she’s been with lately, all she needs to know is if they’re clean and if they have condoms.

A little crude, but it’s the truth.

“Holy shit, Emma,” David whispers, but Emma is already ready to go, making her way into the kitchen to get the tupperware from Mary Margaret before this becomes a thing and she gets home too late.

It’s not a thing.

And she wants to go home.

-/-

It’s definitely not a thing, but she does think about it the next time he comes over. Not for long, though. Just when she notices a noticeably defined muscle she’s a little jealous of, but then he does this particularly delicious thing with his tongue or his hips that makes her completely forget about it.

And it’s not a thing when she thinks about it when she sees him running along the sidewalk outside the Blue Dog. She can run. She’s fit. She hates doing it, but she can. He just seems...graceful or something that she isn’t always. It’s difficult for her to articulate in her mind.

It continues to not be a thing each time she sees him, even when he invites her to his place for a change of scenery. The house, surprisingly, isn’t overly big compared to some of the other houses in the neighborhood, but it’s definitely not a place she could ever afford.

Not if she worked her literal ass off for five lifetimes and never spent any of her money.

All of the finishes are new, the design that modern coastal feel Emma sees on all the HGTV shows, and she can’t say she minds it. Her taste has always been a little more eclectic, but it’s nice, clean. And maybe one day when she’s not living in someone else’s house, she’ll actually decorate where she lives to her taste.

One day.

“Nice place,” Emma says, craning her neck so he can run his lips in just the right spot. He’s a quick study, which she appreciates, and he always remembers whatever she tells him.

“I like it,” he mumbles, his voice vibrating against her skin.

“Is this your style? Do you live in a big coastal home back in England?”

She doesn’t know why she asks, but she does.

He pulls back and raises his brow, which is this thing he’s always doing. At first it was annoying, like he was always questioning her, but now she realizes his brow likely has a mind of its own.

“Why do you ask, love?”

And much like the brow, that word seems to slip off his tongue without much thought. It has also become less annoying.

“No reason. Just curious.”

“I thought we didn’t ask personal questions.”

“You,” she corrects, tapping his chest, “don’t ask personal questions. I never said I couldn't ask.”

“I don’t think those are rules I agreed to.”

Emma ducks from underneath his arms, making her way into the open space of the living room. She unbuttons her shirt until her bra is exposed, and Killian’s eyes immediately glance down. Men are so easy.

“Okay, fair,” Emma sighs, running her hand over the back of a very well-made couch. “If I ask you a personal question, you can ask me one in return. But I have the right to veto. It’s a tit for tat situation.” He opens his mouth, and she already knows what he’s going to say. Again, men are so easy, and this is one that never passes up the opportunity for an innuendo. “Don’t say it, Jones.”

“Wasn’t going to.” He strides toward her, his movements fluid, and he puts his pointer finger in the empty belt loops of her jean shorts to pull her closer to him. He’s ridiculously warm. Then again, that could just be the flush in her cheeks. “And to answer your question, no, my flat in England doesn’t look like this. The colors are darker, but I do have a lot of blue and a few nautical pieces.”

“So you like the ocean then?”

“Ah, ah, ah,” he corrects, tugging on the loops again, “you’ve already asked your question.”

“Asking if you like the ocean is not a personal question.”

“Anything can be a personal question depending on the person.” There’s a flash of something in his eyes, but Emma can’t decipher it. She’s usually a little better at reading people than that. “That can be your question for tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” she asks as his hands sneak around to her ass.

“Yep. One personal question a day. Keeps things interesting while separate.”

“And we keep the veto rule?”

“Aye, we keep the veto rule, Swan,” he smiles, dipping his head down to kiss her. That’s the entire reason they’re here, after all.

“Good.”

Tomorrow, she’s totally going to ask a better question than if he likes the beach or not. He left England to hang out in Martha’s Vineyard for a few months. He obviously likes it.

“So,” Killian begins as he skillfully snaps the hook on her bra off. Emma lifts her back from the couch to give him easier access. “Tell me, darling, do you like seafood?”

His mouth grazes over her nipple, and Emma yanks on his hair, hard. “Is this your one personal question?”

“Aye.”

Emma rolls her eyes at the same time that she rolls her hips, and she thinks there must be some kind of metaphor for her life choices there.

“Love it.”

“Good,” he whispers as his warm hands run down her bare stomach and underneath the waistline of her shorts. “Then I insist you stay for dinner.”

And because Emma has been all into making stupid decisions over the past month, she does.

-/-

-/-

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#I hope we never see october #cs fic #cs ff #cs fanfic #cs fanfiction #captain swan fic #captain swan ff #captain swan fanfic #captain swan #queue poetic noble land mermaid

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

COSMIC - S3:E1; Chapter One, Suzie, Do You Copy? - [Pt. 5 - FINAL]

A Will Byers x Reader Series

Summer brings new jobs and budding romance. But the mood shifts when Dustin’s radio picks up a Russian broadcast, and Will senses something is wrong.

a.n: thank you guys so much for waiting, I know it must have frustrating but I don't regret taking time off. FYI i ended up skipping some scenes like Hopper's talk with Mike and Joyce going home cause I just kept getting stuck

||𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

Dustin is the first to reach the top of the hill, his sister, the last. And when she does, she hastily unhooks the bag from her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground before she does.

"We made it!" Dustin happily declares, choosing to ignore the bitter attitude of his cranky and overheated friends.

"Yeah, only took five hours." Max sighs, dumping her weight on the grass beside Y/n who buried her heated face in the cool grass.

"Quick," Y/n groaned, rolling herself over onto her back. "someone... water. I'm gonna be a raisin soon... please,"

Lucas's face lit up at the mention and instinctively he dropped the bag off of his shoulder and retrieved their shared canteen of water. Y/n's eyes fluttered closed and a frail smile strung across her face when she saw this. Lazily, she reached for it, expecting Lucas to hand her the refreshments she had asked for.

But a frown quickly flew across her face when she heard the flat splashing of water on grass and the obnoxious sound of guzzling. Hesitating against the downpour of golden sunlight into her eyesight, she allowed her eyelids to unscrew just enough to see Lucas downing the rest of the group's water.

Her lips drew back into a snarl, ready to chastise the boy, but her friend had beat her to the punch.

"Did you seriously just drink the rest of our water?" Max deadpans, her icy glare piercing Lucas.

"Nope," Answered Y/n from her spot on the grass, eyes peeling open again to scowl at Lucas. "I know for a fact he wouldn't do that, Max, cause that would mean I'd have to kick his ass."

Lucas cautiously met her eye, his puffed-out cheeks filled with water slowly drained themselves back into the canteen leaving behind a sheepish smile. He held out the container for Max, then Y/n as a peace offering. All he was met with were tired glowers.

"That's it. Your ass is grass, Sinclair," Y/n seethed, no real threat behind her words. Or her actions, as she showed no signs of moving other than the depleting motion of her tired heaving from her spot on the grass and a lazy pointed finger hanging in the air in his direction. It fell back to the ground. "You know, after I get up. The moment I do, it's over for you,"

Despite the creeping smirk, Max rolled her eyes at the duo as she grabbed for the duffle bag she had previously been carrying.

"Is it just me," she addresses the group as she unpacks, her mischievous smirk blossoming on her pink cheeks. "or has Y/n gotten meaner?"

Everyone shares a hum of laughter that floats amongst them, including Y/n who smiles to herself pleased, her eyes once again closed.

Unknowingly, Dustin does the same as he unpacks his duffle. A fleeting sense of deja vu passes over him.

"Yeah, it's my probably my fault," he says, beginning to put the first pieces of the Cerebro together. "all that time we spend with 'that douchebag' Steve Harrington,"

"Hey," pipes Y/n shortly. Thinking of the running joke that had started up earlier in the year thanks to Robin, her voice falls into a mocking tone. "don't talk about mom like that, Dustin."

Dustin gives her a funny look before ultimately rolling his eyes as she laughs quietly to herself. The sight drew a smile on Will's face and he briefly paused his unpacking to smile at her, then shook his head returning to work.

"Weirdo," Dustin mumbles. "Alright, sunbathing time is over. Come on. Get up and help us!"

It's Y/n's turn to roll her eyes and she does so with another impressive groan, though she does comply. She rolls herself over and sits herself up so she is sitting on her folded legs, and gets to work on the bag she had previously discarded.

What members of the party remain pull together underneath the setting sun and got to work. Under Dustin's word, the team was able to make quick work of the scraps they had lugged with them.

Lucas, Max, and Dustin took up the work of assembling the base of the radio antenna as Will and Y/n got to work dismantling several bare umbrellas for the makeshift directors. Dustin, who had been so engrossed in his work, had gotten to his third strip of tinfoil only to realize the roll was running thin and that Y/n had been sneaking strips to make various types of hats; one shaped like a baseball cap resting on her head, the second on Will's was shaped like a wizards cap to match Will the Wise, and a third, half-finished cowboy hat sat tucked away behind her back on the grass when Dustin's suspicions grew.

Dustin had learned better with the duct tape; keeping it on his person and only distributing it to those who asked. And he had been so caught up in it guarding the duck tape to avoid another incident he failed to stop the first.

After finishing her section of Cerebro, Y/n had gotten to work on her "side project", this one in the shape of a bucket hat for Max. Dustin tried to scold her again, but she knew they were just about one strip of duct tape away from finishing.

After some conniving on Max and Y/n's part—out of an act of spite, Max defiantly accepted the cap with honor as Y/n placed it on her head, both of them glaring at Dustin—the party came together to hoist the now finished Cerebro into the summer air.

"Pretty impressive, right?" Dustin declares as they all gaze up at their finished work.

Several of them nod.

"Now," he says, all but throwing himself on the grass beside the receiver. "ready to meet my love?"

Dustin is met with scattered agreement.

"Yeah,"

"Sure,"

"Go ahead,"

Y/n, however gladly takes a seat across from her brother, stretching herself out in the grass as she finally enjoys the absence of work in the sun. "Dustin, as your sister, I can honestly say that I have been waiting for this moment all my life. Fair warning though, I will be talking her ear off."

A hopeful grin touches Dustin, slowing blooming on his face. And despite her next words, he finds himself laughing a little.

"But I'm afraid I can't promise I won't be telling her anything and everything embarrassing about you."

His face falls flat, a hint of playfulness still lingering. And as he does so, Will gives into Y/n's lead and takes a seat beside her in the grass. Dustin only narrows his eyes at the pair.

"Telling you really was a mistake, wasn't it?"

Y/n breaks out in a devilish grin and she is unable to stop the quiet cackle that tumbles out of her, yet still it turns Will's insides to jelly. He, like his friends, had been watching the siblings' exchange with great amusement.

"Yes," she agrees, eagerly. "yes it was."

Dustin rolls his eyes before bringing the device up to his mouth, his fingers already on the speaker button.

"Suzie, this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."

A silence falls over the group as they wait, the only sounds to fill it are the crackling of the Cerebro's interference and the sweet sounds of nature that put even Max at ease. But no response comes.

Dustin shrugs it off, scratching his nose nervously as he mutters softly up to his waiting friends.

"One sec. She's probably... She's still there," he smiles, turning back to the speaker in his hand. "Suzie... This is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."

The others begin to shift uncomfortably where they stand; the awkward tension growing heavy in the air and they share uneasy glances outside of Dustin's field of vision.

"I'm sure she's there," says Dustin, his voice so soft and quiet it was nearly carried away by the breeze. "You know, maybe, she's just like, busy or--"

"Yeah," Lucas quickly agrees, avoiding eye contact and adjusting his cowboy hat.

"You know, it's around dinner time."

Everyone is quick to mumble an agreement, and Y/n, desperate for something to keep her busy and her mind off of whatever was happening mindlessly pulled a pack of gum from her pockets. Her eyes were fixed on a random spot in the grass as she unwrapped a bit of f/f gum and slipped into her mouth. Before putting the packet back, she just as mindlessly pulls another slip and offers one to Max who gladly accepts.

"Suzie," Dustin tries again. "this is Dustin. Do you copy? Over."

Will watched Dustin continue his efforts to contact his girlfriend and couldn't help but note the bit of sadness growing in his chest at the sight. Dustin seemed so hopeful, and to see—

The spiraling thought was interrupted when he felt something move his hair; he smiled when he realized Y/n was readjusting the tinfoil wizard's cap on his head that had been slipping. He breathed a quiet laugh, watching her lips twitch up in a smile as she readjusts a few strands of hair she had messed up

"Suzie, do you copy? This is Dustin. Over."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"...do you copy? Over."

The summer moonlight spilled out onto the hill still occupied by five of seven party members; Max and Lucas, who lie on their backs side by side as they stargaze together while Dustin was still at Cerebro. Will—like his friends—wanted to make most of the scenery and found himself sprawled on his back in the grass. The back of his head was resting on Y/n's leg as she mindlessly played with his hair, her stare a million miles away. His eyes began to flutter closed having grown content by her warm and soothing touch.

"Suzie! This is Dustin, do you copy? Over."

The breeze picked up in a pleasant wave, making the trees sing around them. And it was gentle enough to pull Y/n from her thoughts, and back on her brother.

"Suzie, this is your Dustin. Do you copy? Over."

It dawned on her just how hard it was to see him in the darkness, and it hit her just how long they had been there. As her fingers continued to fiddle with Will's bangs, her downcast eyes landed on his face; the sight of him in a state of such relaxation put a smile on her face and a warm feeling in her chest.

He had been through so much for so long and was given so little time to readjust. This was one of the many reasons she enjoyed planning campaigns with him; he was always in his element, supercharged and bursting with ideas. That is when he could manage not to lose concentration whenever a love song came on the radio that didn't make him all dopey and lovesick.

At the thought, Y/n felt a heat creep all over her skin as it always did whenever she thought about Will—but she knew it had nothing to do with her powers. It was just Will. And his innate ability to lift her spirits higher than the skyline while simultaneously bringing her back down to earth; A superpower all his own.

Just as it had happened only just the other night with Will, the lovesick gaze holding her hostage was broken when the other took notice.

"What?" Will whispered up to her in a funny smile.

The softness in his voice pulled Y/n back down and into reality where she was faced with the embarrassing truth of being caught. She shook her head with a simper, a mischievous idea blooming in her mind as one hand crept out of sight and curled around the discarded tinfoil hat he placed in the grass.

"Nothing," she whispered, shrugging. Y/n scrunched her nose as she put on a silly look of fake disgust. "Just getting tired of this ugly mug is all,"

She placed the tinfoil hat over his face where it wobbled, threatening to fall. Y/n smiled again, breathing a laugh through her nose as he laid there still. Oh, so easily she could imagine the unimpressed look now plastered on his face.

"Funny," came his muffled, echoed response.

"Right?"

"Suzie, this is—"

"Dustin!" Cried Max suddenly. Her frustration had been growing with every call and it was a wonder she hadn't broken yet. "Come on! She isn't there."

"She's there, alright?" Dustin argued. "She'll pick up,"

Will craned his head up to look at the disturbance and in doing so sent the tinfoil dunce cap tumbling off his face and back into the grass.

"Maybe Cerebro isn't working?" Will offered.

"Or maybe Suzie doesn't exist," wondered a greatly agitated Lucas.

"She exists!" Dustin defended, the pitch of his voice rising as he got more defensive.

"She's a genius AND she's hotter than Phoebe Cates?" Lucas countered. "No girl is that perfect."

Max shot up from her spot in the grass and cast down a look at her boyfriend.

"Is that so?"

Lucas is quick to back peddle and throws himself into a sitting position with a growing look of concern.

"I mean," Lucas stammers. "you're perfect. I mean, you-you're per—I mean like you're perfect in your special way—you're own special way."

Max finally releases the laugh she had been holding in and shakes her head. "Relax, I was teasing. I'm obviously perfect and Dustin is obviously lying."

"Max," Y/n sighs. Her eyes flickering sympathetically to her brother who is downcast.

But Max doesn't think much of it and climbs to her feet. She throws her hand out for Lucas to take and pulls him to his feet. "Come on, Don Juan."

Together they start down the hill, prompting the final couple remaining to follow as they pick up the pieces left behind.

"Where are you going?" Dustin calls out to Max and Lucas.

The redhead barely throws a look over her shoulders as they retreat. "Home,"

Y/n watches with great disappointment as they retreat down the hill. She finally broke away when Will offered his hand from where he was standing.

"Well, guess it's just us," says Dustin longingly, not yet realizing they too were heading out.

"Um," he checks his watch, wincing at the timing. Like his girlfriend, he sends Dustin an apologetic look. "it's late. I'm sorry."

Dustin doesn't bother to hide his disappointment, but Will perks up with a hopeful smile. "But maybe tomorrow we can play D&D?" He flashes a smile to Y/n. "We've been working on a campaign lately. We've been dying to show you, we think you'd like it."

Y/n nods eagerly. "Yeah, and maybe you can tell us more about Suzie?"

"Yeah," Her brother nods, sad eyes still locked on the grass and limply his shoulders rise in a shrug. "sure."

Will tries again, giving his friend an earnest smile. "Welcome home,"

Dustin nods again and Will begins down the hill. He looks back when Y/n's hand slips out of his own to see her lingering. "I'll catch up in a minute,"

Will nods and starts after his friends leaving the Henderson siblings alone. Dustin is the first to break the ice, his voice sullen.

"She is real, you know," he mumbles, head nearly sagging all the way to the grass.

"I believe you, Dustin," says Y/n. She gestures to Will's retreating form with a gentle smile. "We both do."

His mood doesn't lift but Dustin's gaze does curiously. He's surprised to find nothing but sincerity in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about today. I really am. We were really looking forward to it," pessimism flashes across her face. "well, I know Will and I were."

"Is that why you guys are leaving?" He can't help but ask bitterly, making Y/n frown.

"You know it's not like that," subconsciously she starts fiddling with her watch to take away from the worry that had been growing all day. Her gaze stays on Will and the longer it does the more obvious it is she's scared. "It really is getting late and... Well, honestly I think something's bothering him. Like there's something he's not telling me. I don't know, it could be nothing but I'd feel better if I saw him home."

"I guess I can't blame you for being careful with him. I just— I guess I pictured today going a lot differently."

Y/n nods. "I did too."

A small silence falls between them. It's filled with nothing but unsaid words and the melodic choir of crickets singing to the night sky.

"For what it's worth, I know I've been teasing you pretty bad but... I am really excited to meet Suzie. I'm sure she's great,"

"Thanks," For the first time since before the sun had set, Dustin's lips hook upward in a threat to smile. "She is..."

"Get home safe, Romeo," Y/n quips. When he sends her a soft 'you too' she decides it's gotten too chummy and impulsively she yanks his hat over his eyes, chuckling at the look on his face.

Dustin chuckles under his breath and eagerly fixes his hat just in time to watch Y/n scurry down the hill to catch up with Will.

"You too," he mumbles more to himself than anything.

He watches as Y/n casts one apologetic look over her shoulder and that's that. He now stands alone on the hill next to the homemade radio tower, watching sadly as everyone leaves. It's nearly enough to break the dam of tears he can feel collecting in his eyes but he perseveres.

And nearly jumps out of his skin when the transceiver comes to life. It angrily spits out static and Dustin throws himself to the ground, making a grab for the speaker.

"Suzie? Suzie is that you?"

A voice can be heard here and there; not the voice of his beloved Suzie but much deeper, and unmistakably Russain. He snaps himself out of his daze and makes quick work of doing his best to clear the interference. His assessment was right; the voice was Russian, and it calmly spoke a string of words he wished desperately to understand. And yet, no matter how confusing, he can't help but feel his skin crawl with excitement when he realizes...

Cerebro had just intercepted a top-secret Russian transmission. Arguably the most vital piece in the puzzle of what would come to be known as the most important summer of their young lives.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

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On Oases

An excerpt from Memoirs of a Flesh Eater, never published

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I’ve talked a lot about the importance of safe places, of how important it is for us to be able to be our true selves. I’ve talked about how our families and the Society provide us those spaces, but I haven’t really talked about those spaces themselves yet, or how they operate. I call them oases. Kestrel calls me dramatic. She needs to lighten up {Editing Note: Does that sound funny or mean?}. As ever, though, I’m an anthropologist, and I need my definitions if I’m going to explain things clearly, so oases is what I’m going to keep calling them.

While I’m being scientific, indulge me in some definitions. An oasis is any place run by ghouls that caters to ghoulish needs or wants. I’ll subdivide those further into open oases and closed oases.

{Editing Note: As far as I know, I’m the first person to formally classify this stuff. Am I naming them right? If this book is as successful as I want it to be, these terms are going to be used forever. Should I stick my last name on one of these? Would that be egotistical?}

Whatever you first think of when you hear “safe place” or “ghoul haven” or whatever, you’re probably thinking of a closed oasis. A closed oasis is a place for ghouls and ghouls only. No humans allowed, and usually no ghouls that haven’t been invited either, given our usual security concerns. These places are usually specifically social spaces, like bars or private clubs, places specifically designed for ghouls to unwind without having to keep our true natures hidden. These places are more varied than I’ve probably made them sound, to be clear. Like, I’ve been to an all-ghoul book club meeting before.

We were reading Dracula, in case you were wondering.

The closed oasis that I’m most familiar with is a members-only poker club, at least in name. Obviously I’m not going to name it here, but a lot more goes on there than poker. They keep a bit of flesh on hand, obviously, but it’s not really an eatery. The proprietor, Goji, has done a little of everything to hear him tell it. I know he’s a damn good card shark, and I don’t know if I actually believe that he was in an all-ghoul circus, but he can actually sword-swallow. And he’s a talented tattoo artist, if a little too willing to work on drunk teenagers. Scarlet’s Shakespeare tramp stamp is exceptional, but for some reason he doesn’t like it when we tell him that {Editing Note: That might actually be too much identifying information. I don’t think that’s a common tattoo}. Spatha, on the other hand, really likes showing off the sword he did for her. I kind of wish she’d gotten it in a less intimate spot, what with how eager she is to flash it.

{Editing Note: Clean that paragraph up. The fine line between relatable and rambling keeps eluding me.}

Other than that, Goji’s place has got some nice couches and beanbags, a pretty good tv, and even a few old arcade machines. It’s just a genuinely pleasant place to unwind. It even has a pretty decent bar. Given the rest of his clientele, I don’t think serving drinks to minors counts as much of a moral quandary for him. I do wish he’d cut Scorpio off sooner, though. He’s of age now, but he gets drunk fast, and when he gets drunk he gets weepy.

Goji’s an accepting guy, though, which is mostly a blessing. Being a ghoul doesn’t make us immune to human prejudices, so it’s doubly nice to get a break from the less instantly deadly kinds of othering. We’ve met a lot of interesting people at his place, a lot of ghouls from a lot of backgrounds with a lot of stories to tell and ideas to share. Not that I’m always entirely comfortable with what they have to say. One of the advantages of a closed oasis is that it gives ghouls a place to vent their frustrations with humans, which is important, but some of the venting from the ghouls less integrated into human society, like the Hunters, goes places that I’m not comfortable with. Even if it’s just hot air, I don’t like hearing about how much better things were when “humans were our cattle.” Especially not from people who choose to kill for their food.

{Editing Note: I don’t know if it’s safe to include that here. I want to present an accurate portrait of us, not an idealized one, but I haven’t even talked about Hunters as a group yet. That might be too much, too soon, too bluntly.}

Open oases, on the other hand, are an entirely different beast. Open oases cater to humans as well as ghouls. Obviously the humans don’t know that ghouls are part of the target clientele, and they aren’t places where we can typically be fully ourselves, but they have other advantages. Open restaurants or candy shops or bakeries give us places we can go with our human friends and not have to eat food that makes us sick. Open doctors can check our teeth and claws for problems, and they can check the rest of our bodies too, for that matter - we avoid normal doctors like the plague for reasons that I hope are obvious. I even know of a few open butchers, though I’ve never needed to go to one myself.

I have, however, spent a lot of time at one particular open oasis: my patron’s shop. She runs it as a small indie bookstore with a cute little cafe attached. The cafe will serve you flesh burgers or sandwiches if you know the right signal, which makes it a decent place to meet new ghouls discreetly. I know Yaga uses it to meet other influential ghouls that she considers dangerous, since it’s too public for them to start trouble. Other than that, the shop floor just operates like a normal book store. Yaga’s fond of her collection and she likes talking to customers and making recommendations.

It’s what’s off the sale floor that makes the bookstore special. In addition to the normal storage space, Yaga maintains guest bedrooms, which she lends out to any ghouls that need a place to lay low, or just to sleep. She’s had all sorts back there - lone fugitives, feral children, sometimes whole families waiting on some fake documents to be ready. She’s especially good at getting ghouls off the streets and integrated back into human society. Kestrel was living in one of those guest rooms when I first joined the household.

I met her the summer before I returned to public school - high school, specifically - and my mom and I were still in the early stages of integrating into the household. Yaga offered to watch me while my mom was at work, and she let me hang out in the bookstore and read whatever I wanted while she handled customers. My mom ended up having to work late, though, so Yaga kept me around for dinner, and introduced me to a girl who was staying with her for awhile. 

Kestrel’s about two years younger than me, we think, and her growth spurt ended up being more of a growth bump when it finally came, but even then she was tiny. She was also quiet, but I’d always wanted a younger sibling, so I didn’t let that deter me. I asked a lot of frankly insensitive questions. I wouldn’t get real answers to most of them until later, and the ones I did get aren’t really mine to share, but suffice it to say that she was a feral orphan before Yaga took her in. Yaga didn’t think she was ready to interact with the human general public unsupervised yet, but I promised to watch out for her like a really good big sister if she got to come hang out with me the next time I visited.

I didn’t get an answer that night, but when my mom dropped me off again a week later, Yaga went and got her. She didn’t really appreciate me trying to be her big sister, but she did want to be my friend. It was a little awkward at first, but I’ve always been pretty good at getting to know new people, and pretty soon she was joining me and Scarlet and Scorpio on our afternoon outings. Turns out she didn’t need the extra family anyway; Yaga formally adopted her a few years later. She’s still one of my best friends, and quiet or not, I swear she’s better adjusted than Scorpio.

Yaga isn’t the only patron out there using an open oasis as a halfway house. It’s not the most common thing in the world - it takes a certain kind of person and a fair few resources - but I think it might be the most valuable thing the oases do. No one needs a space to learn how to be themselves more than the ghouls who slip through the cracks. Kestrel is taking a gap year before she decides on college, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she takes over the shop once Yaga’s gone. I hope, one day, that I can help people like that too.

{Editing Note: I might just be paranoid, but I think that this draft makes it way too easy to find the bookshop, especially since Yaga’s masque isn’t exactly subtle. There can’t be that many indie bookstores/cafes owned by old Russian women with  much younger adopted daughters. I’ll need to do some serious rewrites.}

#my writing #memoirs of a flesh eater #original fiction #not tlt

[hidden-otaku-stuff]

Reunion

Reunion Word count: 2k Genre: fluff! Pairing: Terushima x reader 

A/N: I just KNOW Terushima has a fluffy, soft side despite his flirtatious/fuckboy vibe and I am ALL FOR IT 🥵 (also whoops my daichi bias is showing 🥴) 

You tapped your foot anxiously. Kiyoko said that she was going to go back and double-check to see whether or not the team had forgotten anything, but she’s been gone for ten minutes now and you hoped that she wasn’t in trouble. You sighed, looking at Daichi besides you. “I’m going to go check on her,” you throw over your shoulder, as you jog back into the stadium, your black track jacket blowing with the wind. You make your way back up to the second level where you had eaten your lunch only to see Kiyoko being interrogated by two volleyball players. Your eyes widened, focusing on her discomfort as you stormed over, “Hey, leave her alone! She already said she wasn’t going to give you her number, so buzz off.” You glared at both guys, as they took a step back from Kiyoko, startled by your sudden appearance.

“Oh, you guys have two beautiful managers!” Bobata gasped, turning towards you. “You’ve got some fire, can I get your number instead?” He offered, stepping closer to you. You ignored him, looking back at Kiyoko.

“Kiyoko-san, let’s go, everyone’s waiting for us.” You grasped her by the hand, leading her away. The blonde stared at the back of your track jacket, struck to silence. 

Bobata turned back to him, noticing his peculiar facial expression. “Yuuji? What’s up?”

“Oh nothing, just a blast from the past,” Terushima chuckled, as they made their way back out. 

You and Kiyoko make your way back to your team. “Are you okay?” You glance at her, releasing her hand.

“Yes, thank you (Y/N)-chan, they were very persistent.” You nod at her, giving her a small smile as you run into Hinata in the hallway running towards you. 

“I’m so sorry, that’s my lunchbox!” Hinata yelled, bowing in apology several times. 

“It’s a cute wrap.”

“That’s my sister’s,” Hinata defended quickly, shaking his head in denial as you both laugh.

“Whatever you say Hinata,” you nod at him. “Let’s head back before the rest of the team starts to worry.” You were about to leave the hall when the two trouble-makers from earlier happened to step into the hall. 

“Oi, Karasuno! You defeated the 6’7” guy!” Hinata turned back looking at them. You tilted your head at him, looking closely as he looked somewhat familiar. The boys have a brief discussion about his volleyball team and the taller, blonde-haired one patted Hinata on the head before they walked away. 

“Did you find anything left behind?”  

“Yes, a cutely wrapped--” Kiyoko began before Hinata cut her off yelling about it. You just shook your head, laughing at them before you headed back to the school for the meeting. Sitting at the front next to Kiyoko, the sounds of heavy breathing filled the air from the exhausted players. You glanced back, seeing the other manager, Yachi, sitting in the back with Kageyama and Hinata. “Is everything okay?” You turned to face the eldest manager, grey eyes piercing yours. 

A nod as a sigh left your lips. “The games today went well, but it’s only going to get harder from here on out.” 

“We’ve worked too hard to be stopped,” she assured you. “They’ve grown and faced harder. I think they’ll make it.” 

“I think so too.”

****

Kiyoko called your name, coming to stand beside you as you handed water bottles to the second years. You turned, raising an eyebrow at her. “Do you know their captain?” She tilted her head in the direction of Johzenji, your eyes trailing in that direction. 

(E/C) eyes narrowed as you considered it, hand on your hips. “I don’t think so. Why do you ask?” 

“He’s been staring at you ever since warm-ups began.” 

You shrugged, turning back to look at your boys. They had begun with serving drills. “Maybe he’s thinking about yesterday? He seems like the persistent type.” A ball flew towards you, and your hands automatically reacted, grabbing it mid-air. A yellow jersey made its way towards you.

“Nice catch, (Y/N)!” You smiled at the praise from Tanaka, turning towards the opposing player. 

“Is this punishment for interrupting you yesterday?” Speak of the devil, and he’ll appear. The player in question had raced up to you, smirking as he reached out for the ball. 

“Not at all, just a misplaced serve. Though, you can make-up for that by giving me your number,” he winked. 

“Maybe, but that depends on you.”     

Eyebrows quipped up, a flicker of shock crossed his face as he composed himself, a hand propped against his hip. “On me?” 

You nodded. “If I like what I see on the court, maybe I’ll consider giving you my number.” You poked your tongue out at him, as a hand rested on your shoulder. You turned to see Daichi standing there. “Well hello there Cap’n!” 

“Is there any trouble here, (Y/N)-chan?” 

You waved your hand, “none at all, Daichi. We were just having a...chat.” A brilliant smile left your face as you turned back to the other player. “Good luck today, you’ll need it!” 

“Oh don’t worry, I plan on winning.” With another smirk, he made his way back to the other court, one hand resting behind his head while the other held the ball against his hip. 

You turned back towards Daichi, “you better win today Sawamura,” you threatened teasingly.

He chuckled, holding his arms out. “What about my good luck hug?” You threw your arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as his hands settled on your waist. 

“I’ll do you one better,” you whispered, pressing your lips against his cheek. You pulled away, ignoring the red tint that crossed his face and missing the widened eyes and dropped jaw of the opponent. “Now you definitely have to win!” You cheered, heading back towards the rest of the group as you wish everyone good luck. Daichi smiled at your retreating back, walking towards the rest of the third-years. You joined Yachi next to the door leading out, about to head up. Only Kiyoko was allowed to remain on the floor. 

“Karasuno, fight!” Daichi yelled, rallying the boys as they cheered in unison. 

“C’mon Yachi, let’s go to the stands. This seems like it’ll be an interesting game.”

****

Interesting was saying the least. Johzenji had kept Karasuno on their toes, and it made some semblance of sense as to why they’d made it so far in the last tournament. The other team seemed to be a jumbled mess kept together by how all extremely athletic they were. You couldn’t help but eye the captain as he played. The team was disorganized, but they all played so passionately you couldn’t help the smile that came onto your face. Of course, your boys were all playing extremely well too. “Damn,” you muttered under your breath as the game progressed.

“What’s wrong, (Y/N)-san?” You glanced to your side at Yachi.

“I’m not sure why, but I really feel like I’ve seen that boy before,” you replied, tapping on your chin. The whistle blew as a time-out took place. 

“The scary looking one?” Her eyes widened as you both looked at the Johzenji captain. “You mean before today?”

“Well, we met yesterday here too, but yes, before this tournament.” Your eyes widened as you remembered. “Oh my god.” 

“What?”

“This just got even more interesting.”

“(Y/N)-chan! You can’t come over and not play with me!” A volleyball dropped to your feet as you looked up from your book. Your best friend, Tersuhima Yuuji stood in front of you, hands on his hips as he glared at the book. “Stop reading, I wanna spend time with you,” he pouted. 

“We have to do the summer reading!” You argued, smiling at him. “Otherwise we’ll get in trouble with sensei when school starts.” 

“We still have a whole month to do that,” he protested, squatting down so that he was eye-level with you.

“Maybe some of us want to get our work done early so that we don’t cram it all the week before school starts,” you taunt. The male pouted, crossing his arms. 

His face brightened as he realized something. “How about you take a break and just toss me a few balls? I’ll leave you alone after!” His lip quivered as he turned his puppy-eyes to you. 

“Promise?” You held your hand out, pinky extended. His face split into a grin as he hooked his pinkie with yours. Tucking the bookmark in, you placed the book bag into the bag as you stood. Crossing the yard to the makeshift volleyball net, you bounced the ball off the ground for a few times before you spun it in your hands. “Only a few times,” you threatened, glaring at the boy playfully before you tossed the ball. He leapt, spiking it down and as he landed, he spun to reveal a bright grin. 

Another ball tossed up. “Kids, come in for lunch!” 

“Just a minute Mom!” He whirled back at you. “One more toss,” he begged and you complied.

Mrs. Terushima stood in the door, a wide smile on her face. Mr. Terushima joined her, peering over her shoulder. “Now hurry up and wash your hands.” She laughed as both of you ran into the kitchen. He shoved you out of the way as he tried to wash his hands first. “One of these days, you’ll end up together,” she teased, “and I can’t wait for you to officially join the family, (Y/N).”

“Eww, Mom we’re just friends!” Yuuji protested. Your nose wrinkled.

“Yeah, that’d be like dating my brother!” 

Mrs. Terushima just laughed. “You say that now, but mark my words, things will change!”

Months later...

“Do you have to go?” 

You sighed, leaning against the desk as you stopped packing for a second. “Yeah. My mom got a new job so we have to move.”

“I’ll miss you.” He sat up from his position on your bed, standing up. 

“I’ll miss you too.” Your (e/c) eyes turned to him, squeezing them shut to control the water that threatened to flow. He took another step forward, an arm reaching out for your waist. 

“Can...Can I try something?” A tongue swiped at his bottom lip as he ran a hand nervously through his hair. You turned, placing your hands on his chest as you blinked up at him. A nervous nod as you bit your bottom lip. With hesitant movements, he brought his hand to your cheek, cupping it. Eyes searched yours for any form of uncertainty as he leaned forward. Your eyes fluttered shut as his breath warmed your lips. Another second before soft lips pressed down to meet yours. “Consider my first kiss my gift goodbye,” he whispered, leaning his forehead down to touch yours. “Don’t forget about me, okay?” Soft giggles and whispers of promises filled the air as lips met each other over and over again in the fading summer light. 

****

The match had ended, and Karasuno had won. Racing downstairs to meet the team with Yachi, your legs bounced eagerly as you stood outside peeking in. The Johzenji team looked disappointed, the manager in tears as they headed out. “Yuuji!” Before you knew it, your legs were already moving and you were jumping towards the boy. Legs wrapped around his waist as he hoisted you up, hugging you tightly. Hands cupped his face as you leaned down, soft lips brushing against his in a fervent kiss. “I missed you,” you breathed against him, forehead against his. Brown eyes blinked warmly at you before he pulled you into another kiss, letting the piercing run across your lips. You kiss as if it was the last time you would be seeing each other. “So I guess your parents were right about us.” You whispered against his lips, causing him to pull back and laugh loudly.

He brushed your hair out of your face. “Y’know, I always had a thing for you back then.”

“Good, otherwise this would’ve been real awkward.” 

“Does that mean I can get that number now?”

#terushima yuuji #terushima x reader #terushima yuuji x reader #johnzenji #karasuno manager #karasuno #slight daichi bias #daddy daichi 🥴 #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu #terushima yuuji imagines #terushima yuuji fluff #haikyuu fluff #hidden-otaku-stuff #terushima fluff

[ateezmakemeweep]

you’re the one that i want (part 9)

word count: 4k

angst, fluff

(part 8) (series masterlist)

tag list: @chogiout​ ; @seonghwaslut​ ; @psshwa​ ; @yeocult​ ; @cherryeonii​ ; @chaoticbanqtan​ ; @8teenee​ ; @nczenniez​ ; @atinyarmyx1​ ; @mingtopiaa​ ; @chubsluda​ ; @joongiebug​ ; @mochibabycakes​ ; @jisungity​ ; @skz-on-my-mind​ ; @nlost21​ ; @myonlyaurora​ ; @closer-stars​ ; @kuaenam3g​ ; @byungaji​ ; @floweryjh​ ; @joeycheungg​ ; @lostscenarios​ ; @atinyxtopia​ ; @sanisms​ ; @kpopnightingale​ ; @simpforhyunjin​ ; @89staytinyzen21​ ; 

july had come and gone, leaving your heart full of excitement and warmth as you and seonghwa continued to grow closer. you guys didn’t go a day without seeing one another, joining the boys down at the ocean to surf, going on late night dates to the beach or just staying wrapped up under his arm on the balcony. 

he had even braved it out at another bingo night and barbecue party, the women even more bold and bothered than the last time they saw him. 

when august came, it hit that you only had a month left. you only had a month left with seonghwa and your aunt and both crazy friend groups that leave you all so flustered, it can only make you laugh. 

but it also hit you with the realization that you’d have to go back to your parents. go back to being spoken to with not an ounce of respect and remember what it feels like to walk on eggshells. 

because when you walked outside your balcony one morning, expecting to see seonghwa standing there, you were met with the sight of your parents car pulling in the driveway. 

it immediately filled your stomach with dread and anxiety and fear, so different from the way you get nervous here. 

you get nervous because seonghwa is too close to you, teasing at your lips with his and snaking his hand over every curve of your body; not because you think you’re gonna be yelled and screamed at for hours.

you get nervous because you’re scared of how much it feels like you love him and how no one’s ever made you feel this way, not because you’re gonna be hit and slapped in a way that leaves you aching for days after.

you run down the stairs and look wide eyed at your aunt who attempts to calm you with her soft expression, exaggerating her breathing and telling you “everything is gonna be okay,” before opening the door to greet them; you’re grateful that the hickies seonghwa had given you last week have faded, already knowing your parents would look at them and probably call you a whore.

but they barely acknowledge your presence when they walk in, your dad’s curt “good morning,” followed by your mom’s “hi, dear,” so forced and fake it makes you wanna scream. 

breakfast is as awkward as things usually are with them, utensils clattering against plates as your aunt tries her best to make conversation. but you’re far too tense and anxious to try, not trusting the demeanor of your parents more than usual. 

they wear a serious, blank expression like they’re about to tell you someone died. or maybe that they’re getting a divorce or disowning you; that would be best case scenario to be honest, never having to see them-

“we thought we should tell you that we moved.”

you stare blankly at your dad as the words leave his mouth, blinking a few times as you try to grasp what he just said. 

you know he actually said it because you can see the way your aunt’s face has dropped, looking at your parents in disbelief like she wants to say something but also knows she shouldn’t get involved. 

“what?” you eventually stammer out, your eyes wide and voice quiet. 

“i got a new job so we sold the house and bought a new one,” your father tells you bluntly, like he’s explaining some sort of difficult concept to a toddler. you feel your stomach knot at the idea of never going back to your old house again; you’d grown up in that bedroom. 

you had tiny pencil marks on the inside of your closet because your classmate told you her mom would do that to track her height. you painted the ugly neon green a pretty pastel blue when you started middle school, in disbelief the two people staring coldly at you even allowed it. 

“why do you look so pissy?” your mom suddenly snaps, your aunt calling her name lowly snapping you out of your memories. you feel tears prick your eyes at her irritable tone, not at all used to be spoken to like that these days. 

“i’m not,” you say quietly, the way your stomach is so tight making you feel ready to throw up your waffles and fruit. “i’m just...shocked. why didn’t you guys tell me?”

“your father didn’t know until-”

“why are you entitled to know anything?” your father snaps, causing your skin to prickle and shoulders to shoot up anxiously. “what do you contribute?” 

you let out a sigh at the familiar comment being thrown in your face, that you’re the child and they’re the parents so you’re not entitled to any say in matters like this. 

“i just wish i had known so i could-”

“so you could what? say bye to all your friends?” you mom bites sarcastically, such a juvenile insult falling from a grown woman’s mouth. but even if it’s petty and mean, it’s the truth and you can’t find it in yourself to even comment. 

“why do you have to say those things?” your aunt asks quietly, looking at her sister with questioning eyes. “you haven’t seen your daughter in two months. why can’t you be nice to her?”

“how ‘bout you stay out of this?” your mom bites back, your eyes narrowing at the tone she uses toward your aunt. you push your plate away and there’s an awkward silence between the four of you, your aunt recommending for everyone to get some air and sit outside. 

but the fresh air proves to do nothing, the silence still suffocating and making you so incredibly anxious. 

this would be the time at home where yelling would start, your dad’s dark eyes and your mom’s snarled lip making you more and more tense until one of their hands connect with your cheek for whatever reason they can think of. 

“so, what town are you in now?” your aunt asks, wincing slightly when it only sends your mom into another bitchy fit. your dad’s hard eyes remain on you, jaw squared as he looks over your face. 

“you’re an ungrateful little bitch, do you know that?” he growls lowly, the words going unheard by your mom and aunt. tears prick your eyes as you look down at the table, gritting your teeth and squeezing your hands together so you don’t yell at him and defend yourself. 

“you’re sitting here with a fucking puss on your face because we moved without telling you?” he continues to sneer despite the fact you’re so obviously detached and over it. “how ‘bout you never come back then? stay with your aunt and finish school here?”

“okay,” you blurt out, eyes still focused on the table until his hand smacking down on the glass causes you to jump and push back in your chair. you’re tempted to run around the table so he can’t reach over and grab you, your dad standing up before he thinks twice about doing what he really wants to. 

“you are such a-”

“oops sorry!” 

yunho’s voice sends shock waves through you, peeking into the backyard next door and seeing the blue-haired boy and seonghwa looking over at you; the dirty blonde’s eyes are pinched and dark, watching you since the second you stepped outside.

he saw how uncomfortable and tense you’d been, the way your eyes have focused on the table and how any time you peer up, it looks like you’re about to burst into tears. 

your eyes travel to the football laying right beside the pool as you mumble “i’ll get it,” quickly moving around your aunt and past your mother to grab it. 

seonghwa meets you at the fence and your fingers graze when he takes the ball, his eyes zoning in on you so intensely it makes you wanna throw yourself into him.

“you okay?” he mumbles quietly, not trying to alert his friends or the...company your aunt has. you press your lips together because you know if you talk, you’re gonna start to sob; you can only find it in yourself to shake your head slightly, biting at your lips nervously and feeling your heart sink when his face darkens. 

“baby, what’s wrong?” 

he hears a quiet whimper leave your mouth and is about ready to jump over this fence, take you away from whatever’s making you so anxious and upset until he sees a small, fake smile on your face again.

“can i text you later,” you whisper out, your back feeling like it’s burning with someone’s gaze on you. seonghwa’s eyes move behind your shoulder and narrow, his jaw tightening and demeanor changing to look completely murderous. 

you mumble out a “stop,” shaking your head slightly and hearing him let out a huff. 

“as soon as you can,” he demands lowly, his voice raising every so slightly when he thanks you and reluctantly goes back to yunho. you turn around to see both of your parents looking at you suspiciously, walking as far away from your mom’s seat before plopping back down in yours. 

“hm...” you hear your mom hum, her eyebrow raised as she looks at you skeptically. “so, what exactly have you been doing here all summer, y/n?”

by the time your parents leave at sunset, your nerves are completely shot. 

it felt as if they were breathing down your neck the entire time, going down to the beach and out for a light dinner with strained conversation and awkward, prolonged stares. 

the second you heard their car pull out of the driveway, you slumped down onto the couch and put your face in your hands. 

your aunt frowned and immediately made her way over to you, placing her arm around your shoulder comfortingly. she apologized to you quietly, said that she’s sorry they moved without your permission and that you have to go back there and can’t live with her. 

because she’d allow it in a second and it’s awful that your parents would never go for it despite the way they treat you.

“i don’t know why they’re so mean,” you whimper and the words hurt the older woman’s hearts. it sounds like a sentence that should leave a child and not a teenage girl. but they’ve made you so scared and broken and hurt that they’ve reduced you to a fragile woman. 

“i know, i’m sorry,” she says lowly, squeezing you into her tighter and you can’t stop the way your lips wobble. you’re able to hold back the tears as she speaks quietly to you, tries to help by telling you you’re strong and that you have her and that you’ll be able to get through the next two years with them. 

but it really doesn’t feel like it. 

you feel like you’re about to have a complete breakdown and you only want seonghwa right now. you want him so badly but you also don’t want him to see you like this. see just how broken and sad and pathetic you are, an unloved girl who should be used to this mistreatment by now. 

it should be able to just slide off your shoulders and not effect you. but it doesn’t and you can’t help the way tears prick your eyes. 

“you should go see him,” you hear your aunt say to you. 

you crane your neck up to look at her, eyebrows pulled together because how does she know? but she only smiles knowingly at you, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear lovingly. “he looked...worried before, even a bit scary.” 

you smile slightly at her words, feeling your heart tug because you really do want him right now. but what a sad way to make him spend the night, crying on his shoulder and making him coddle you. 

“i don’t...wanna bother him,” you tell her quietly. you feel her shake her head as she lets out a sigh, looking out the window and you can’t see the way a smile suddenly lights up her face. 

“something tells me he won’t mind,” she tells you, tapping on your shoulder and nodding her head toward the window. 

you squint your eyes but can’t see anything, walking toward the front door to see seonghwa making his way over from yunho’s. 

he stops in front of the house and nods his head at you, your lips pouting as they threaten to tremble. you make sure your phone is in your back pocket before you say goodbye to your aunt, assuring her you’ll text her if you’re staying out late.

you stare at your feet as you walk to him, praying you’ll spare him at least an hour before you completely break down and let out all of the pain and anxiety coursing through you. 

but when you stand in front of him and meet his eyes, you’re not feeling too confident. 

he smiles down at you and takes your hand in his, intertwining your fingers as he pulls you into him. you wrap your arm around his waist, burying your face in his chest and letting out the shaky breaths that tighten your chest when you’re trying so desperately not to cry.

he only rubs at your back slowly, the gentle hum of “it’s okay,” on your head causing you to shake yours. 

because it’s not okay. you’re not okay and now that you’ve had happiness, it’s gonna hurt ten times worse when it’s ripped from you. 

you don’t wanna leave him or this town and deal with everything that comes with having two assholes as parents. you don’t wanna be alone again after years of convincing yourself that that’s what you wanted when really you absolutely hate it. 

that’s what makes the first tear fall and when he hears the broken little sob that leaves your mouth, he takes your face in his hands and shakes his head. 

“please don’t,” he says quietly, rubbing at the tears that start to leak down your face. 

you move out of his hold and hide away right when he says that, wipe at your tears as you back away from him because you were right. he doesn’t wanna deal with this and he shouldn’t have to. he doesn’t owe you anything and he shouldn’t have to put up with your crying and-

“what are you doing?”

his eyes narrow at the way you’re retreating away from him, your face fallen and dejected as tears continue to gather in your eyes. 

“i’m sorry, i know you don’t wanna deal with this,” you say meekly, “and you shouldn’t have to. but- but i know i’m gonna cry and i don’t want you to get annoyed or mad so i’ll just-”

he takes two steps closer to you before pulling you into him roughly, your body slamming against his as he places his hand on the back of your head. “i didn’t mean it like that,” he says, voice soft and quiet but also holding a certain authoritative tone. “i just hating seeing you cry, y/n.” 

you squeeze your lips into a firm line so you don’t start again, sniffling against him as you slightly relax into his warm chest. he presses a kiss to your head and plays with the back of your hair, his hand moving through it gently as he tries to soothe you. 

he knew the second he saw you earlier that this was gonna happen. he was hoping it wouldn’t but knew it probably would, the way your eyes were so tense and body on edge when he saw you in that extremely uncomfortable backyard. 

“why do they hate me,” you suddenly whimper into his chest. 

it’s a question you’ve had for years now, something that haunts every bit of you and will probably for the rest of your life. but it’s just so incredibly disturbing and you can even see that, knowing the way your chest is hurting and stomach is knotting shouldn’t be because you’re thinking about seeing your own parents again. 

he pulls you away from his chest and takes your face in his hands again, running his thumbs over your face and you can’t even see through your tears how sad his eyes look. he can’t say anything because he doesn’t have an answer for you. he can’t imagine why anyone would and it makes him even more angry that it’s your own flesh and blood doing this to you.

it’s why he doesn’t even bother trying to reassure you with words, pressing a kiss to the top of your head and allowing his lips to linger as quiet sobs leave you. he’s actually surprised by how low your cries are, like you’ve learned how to control them with years of practice. 

his heart sinks when it doesn’t seem like you’re gonna stop any time soon, kissing your forehead when he forces your head up to look at him. “i know you’re sad, baby, and i’m sorry but let’s go back to my house, okay?” 

because the last thing he wants is yunho and the boys to be leaving his house and seeing you in hysterics. 

your lip quivers at his softly spoken words, one in particular, before you’re nodding your head and he’s pulling into his car. he doesn’t let go of your hand the whole time, one of his hands on the steering wheel while the other is intertwined with yours, thumb rubbing soothingly against your skin as you wipe at the tears falling down your cheeks.

fifteen minutes later, you’re on his bed and cuddled into his chest. his warm blanket surrounds you as he rubs your back, grateful that you’re no longer sobbing but instead sniffling against him. he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t ask if you wanna talk or if you’re okay, just allows you silence and comfort with his lips on your head. 

and that’s all you really need. 

because you just lay there with him, tucked into his body and you would’ve thought he was asleep if it wasn’t for the way his hand was rubbing up and down your shoulder blade. 

you pick your head up and wipe at your face, seonghwa taking your chin in his hand so he can press his lips to yours sweetly. it’s a soft, chaste kiss that was purely for comfort and assurance, nothing more to it other than him wanting you to know he’s here for you without saying it.

“we’re moving,” he hears you say quietly, voice scratchy and wet from your crying. “well, we moved already, i guess. they sold the house and got a new one without telling me.” 

he doesn’t know what to say so he doesn’t say anything, just presses a kiss to the side of your head and pulls your body into him in hopes you’ll continue.

“and i mean it’s not like i had friends to say goodbye to or anything,” your moms harshly spoken words ringing in your head. “but i don’t know...it still upsets me. and they called me ungrateful and all they’re usually insults. but i was just shocked. i’ll have to start at a new school, too.”

he swallows down the curses threatening to leave his mouth, running his finger over your cheek again. “know it’s easier said than done but you can’t listen to them,” seonghwa says lowly. because his inexperience is starting to show now, the way he doesn’t really know how to comfort or relate to people with words but wanting to so badly. “none of the shit they say matters because it’s wrong.”

you sniffle at the words so similar to your aunt’s and nod your head, resting your cheek back down on his chest and sighing contently when his lips brush your hair. 

"i don't wanna leave," you squeak out quietly, the words hanging heavy because that's a truth he's been running from as well. that the summer is gonna end and he's gonna go back to his normal, fake life and persona. the seonghwa who doesn't have feelings or show his emotions, who is cold and an asshole and thinks he's too good for anyone.

"i don't wanna stay with them anymore. i don't wanna leave you and everyone else and go back to that stupid new house with them being there," you cry out like a child, feeling the relentless tears prick at your eyes again. "i'm gonna miss you, seonghwa. i feel... so safe with you.”

his heart pangs with hurt at the brokenness in your voice, taking your face in his hands immediately so you can look up at him again. "i'm right here, baby, i'm not going anywhere."

you swallow the lump in your throat at his words, wishing they’d soothe something in you but the feeling ripping through your chest outweighing it. “but you’re gonna. we’re both gonna leave and i might not ever see you again and you’ll forget about me and then-

“who said that?” he asks you lowly, bringing your face toward his so his eyes can drop down to yours. “who said we’re never gonna see each other again and that i’m gonna forget you?”

the words die in your throat at the intensity in his tone, his eyebrow raised as he waits for an answer you don’t have. 

“exactly,” he hums lowly, bringing your face to his so he can kiss your mouth again. this time it’s a little more hard and sloppy, his mouth claiming yours as his lips part before he’s pulling away and leaving you with a pout on your face. 

“don’t say that shit to me again,” he warns lowly, his tone deep and low and making butterflies go off in your stomach. “i have you now, so let’s focus on that. we’ll deal with...all the other stuff when we have to.” 

you breathe in the scent of his shirt, trying so hard to get the words to calm you so you can enjoy these moments with him. 

you still have four weeks, you think to yourself, you still have 28 days to spend with him. smile and laugh and play in the ocean, kiss him until your lips are puffy and red while exploring his body the way he explores you and show him that for the summer, you’ve been his. 

so you nod your head against him, looking up to smile softly at him. and he’s so glad to see it, biting down on his lip and pressing pecks to your forehead, nose and lips in a way that makes a blush promptly spread across your cheeks. 

“okay,” you say quietly. he smiles down at you, his eyes roaming your blushing face before he cups your cheek and rubs over the warm skin. 

he admires every part of you in a way that is far too intimate and vulnerable, it makes your heart tug in your chest. your eyes don’t leave his as he caresses your skin gently, in disbelief that this is the same boy who bumped into you on the beach and scared the shit out of you. 

“you wanna watch a movie?” he asks a few moments later, when the silence becomes too much for both of you to bear and he pushes down the desire to keep kissing you until your clothes are on the floor and he hears your pretty, soft moans. 

you nod your head and can’t believe when you playfully suggest finding dory, he puts it on without hesitation. 

the next morning, soft kisses on your cheek wake you up. your eyes flutter open and you see seonghwa, dirty blonde hair a mess of waves as he leans over your body. 

“morning baby,” he says quietly and your stomach flutters at those deep words being the first thing to greet you. 

you roll over onto him, stretching your arms out and hearing him chuckle when a tiny groan leaves you. he runs his hand through your messy hair, leaning down to peck your forehead before mumbling something about going to get breakfast.

you perk up slightly at the mention of food, looking around in a daze before coming to the decision you don’t ever wanna this bed today. “can we stay here today?” you ask him shyly, shimming over to him so you can wiggle your way into his lap. 

he smiles at the rare occurrence of you curling yourself into him unprompted, wrapping his arm around your lower back. “we can do anything you want,” he hums in your ear, pressing a kiss to your skin in a way that makes you giggle against him. 

and for the rest of the day, you do just that; whatever you want. 

which entailed eating breakfast, lunch and dinner in his bed. swapping from movies to tv series during the day before going for a stroll on the beach at sunset. you watch your footsteps in the sand, your hands intertwined in the middle of you before you’re both standing in front of the rock where you first met. 

and it’s with one silent look you both make your way up there, leaning your back against his chest as you rest between his legs and watch the sun set in a peaceful silence. the only sound is the occasional peck of his lips on your head, your giggle shortly following that makes him tighten his hold on you. 

with your head on his chest and his arms around you, you can’t help but hope that tomorrow, you’re gonna wake up next to him again. that just for this weekend, you have him completely to yourself in every possible way. 

(part 10)

#seonghwa #seonghwa angst #seonghwa fluff #seonghwa series #ateez #ateez angst #ateez fluff #seonghwa scenarios #ateez scenarios #seonghwa imagines #ateez imagines

[kurama-is-love]

A day at the beach (Kurama x Reader)

Word count: 8292 (My longest oneshot so far.) Genre: comedy (mostly), romance, lime (slight sexual situations) Rating: 12+ (nothing explicit)

Pairings: Kurama x Female!Reader, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina

Some note at the side: I didn't gave Jin an irish accent like he had in the english dub version, because I am german and have absolutely no clue about that accent. So.. just to let you know. I still don’t have a beta reader, so I am sorry about my english.

Summer, the sun, beach and more. Was there anything better than spending a relaxing time at the sea with your best friends?

This was what Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Keiko, Botan, Shizuru, Yukina and you thought when you had packed your stuff and drove towards Okinawa in the caravan that your brother had kindly provided.

Koenma had burdened a lot of you guys lately, which is why this vacation was found to be urgently needed, at least from Yusuke and you. Even Hiei was somehow persuaded to come along. Of course, the fire koorime had refused at first, but then Yusuke had a convincing argument.

“Yukina will be walking around there, half naked. You don't even know what Kuwabara could do with her when~"

And suddenly Hiei was convinced .. Should Kuwabara even try to make a suspicious move or touch on his beloved sister, a sword would be stuck in his human head.

"Sooo. Here we are. A 1-A private beach. Here we have our well deserved rest. " Yusuke grinned and put his hands on his hips as he looked over the fine sand and saw the water slowly glistening in the sun.

"Private beach? I didn't even know that one of you guys were rich .. Yusuke, we're 'legally' allowed to be here, aren't we ..? ” You asked slightly skeptical and crossed your arms. The black-haired man laughed uncertainly and waved his hand.

"Of course we are. This is the beach of ... a friend of mine. Right, Kuwabara? " Yusuke asked and hit the bigger guy in his side.

“What friend, Urameshi? You said the beach belonged to your dead grandparents? ” The orange-haired man said, confused.

Yusuke laughed when everyone looked at him reproachfully.

"Yusuke .." Keiko sighed and was about to hit her fiancé. Some things just never changed.

"Now calm down, everyone! This beach is not used by anyone! You see the beach house up there? I found letters in the mailbox that are 4 years old. Nobody has been here that long. So please. "

His words made you and the others not more relaxed.

'

“How do you know that? Don't say you have the key for their house? ” Kurama asked and raised an eyebrow, examining his friend's reaction carefully. Yusuke just shrugged his shoulders.

"People shouldn't just do it like in the movies and hide their keys under a flower pot next to the front door." his cheeky reply followed by his smirk.

"YUSUKE ...!" You sighed in unison, until finally giving in and simply accepted his antics. If you get caught, you could still blame it on Yusuke..

After the caravan was parked, the group went to the "borrowed" beach house to change for the beach. You, along with the other women, went in a bedroom on the upper floor, while the men had their area on the first floor and found a grill in addition to their swimwear. Perfect for an evening barbecue later, which can be set up outside in the back of the house.

You got along very well with the other women, especially Keiko. You both had a wonderful chemistry right from the start and quickly became best friends. However, everyone knew of the feelings that you harbored for a certain red-haired handsome man among the group. That's why Botan and Shizuru used moments like this to tease and encourage you to finally confess your feelings to Kurama.

"Uhm .. excuse me .." Yukina nervously began and pointed to the bikini. “Do I have to wear something like that too? Isn't there anything .. Uhm .. decent that covers more skin ..? " The shy snow maiden asked and was a blushy mess when she saw the others undressing to change.

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with it, Yukina." Botan tried to calm her down. “A bikini has to look like this. And you have a great body. So you have no reason to hide it. “ the female grim reaper of the spirit world winked cheekily.

“Botan, stop teasing the poor girl like that. If you don't feel confident enough, you are welcome to wear one of my swimsuits. " You offered and searched your bag for bathing suits.

What you found then, however, was surprising.

"Huh? I'm sure that I packed swimsuits .. ” You paused and rummaged through the whole bag until you found the only bikini in it. "...That's not one of my bikinis …" you mumbled suspiciously and when you lifted the top, you noticed a small note hanging on it.

'Hey, my beloved sister, you can thank me later. I saw this cool sexy bikini piece and got it for you so that you can finally seduce Kurama. You don't need any more, so finally get on with it!

With love, your brother [b/n] '

"... That damn, little …" You sighed in frustration and dropped the piece of fabric. Keiko noticed your mood change and stepped next to you.

"What's wrong, [Y/n]?" She asked worriedly and then saw the bikini. "... isn't that a little too ... revealing? It doesn't even have real cups, it just has narrow fabric up to the straps .. ”she added.

"... My brother is responsible for this. He hopes that this will cause something to happen between Kurama and me. “You mumbled. “You will have to go swimming without me. Because I'm definitely not going to put that on. " You shook your head.

"Oh that'll be fine. Hey I can quickly make a portal into the spirit world and get you a normal bikini from me! How does that sound? “ Botan asked with a grin.

"Why do you want us all to wear bikinis here?"You wanted to know and touched your forehead in annoyance.

"Well, how else do you want to conquer the men of your heart? Yukina-san can easily wrap Kuwabara around her finger in a bikini and I think Kurama will be very excited when he sees you in a bikini. "Botan grinned.

"First of all, Yukina doesn't need any extra to gain Kuwabara's attention because he's already madly in love with her." You corrected.

"W-What ..?" Yukina's head lifted in shock and her face reddened massively.

"Shit .. Sorry Yukina-chan, I had completely forgotten that you are still here .."

"Kazuma is ... in love with me?" Yukina asked incredulously.

"You never noticed?" Shizuru asked and took a drag on her cigarette. She was already in her swim suit and just waited for the others.

"I .. knew that he liked me, but .. that it was feelings like that .." Yukina mumbled, slightly embarrassed, and put her hands on her cheek.

"Ta-daaaa. Here I am. I have a really cute bikini for you! “Botan interrupted this unpleasant - at least for Yukina - conversation and gave you a cherry red bikini with a rose decoration on the upper strap.

"Wah? When did you go to the spirit world? I didn't even notice that you were gone .. " You shrieked and saw Botan grin appraisingly.

“Well, I'm not number 1 for portals into the spirit world for nothing. Fast and silently like a ninja, I walk between the worlds and ensure peace! "

"Chaos fits better."

“Oh, I can take the bikini back with me and then you have to have this half piece of cloth to wear where your breasts almost fall out .. Mmm, although that's more optimal, because that way you would definitely have Kurama's attention. ” Botan giggled at her last sentence.

“It's okay. I'm sorry. I take it. Thank you, Botan .. "

Botan grinned triumphantly and after each of the women was dressed appropriately for the beach, you went down to meet with the boys. However, you only found Kurama there.

"Where are the others?" Keiko asked and covered her upper body with a colorful pareo, which should give her a minimal feeling of concealment. Because she felt a little too naked for her liking too when someone other as Yusuke saw her like this.

"They have already gone to the beach." The kitsune explained and only looked briefly at the others. Because when his gaze fell on you, he directly averted his gaze and cleared his throat barely audibly ."You girls look adorable, by the way."

"Thank you. But why are you the only one still here? " Botan wanted to know.

“To wait for you. The others have found a good spot on the beach where we can all hang out. I stayed here to take you to this place so you don't have to look for us out there first. " Kurama explained with a smile.

"A gentleman as always."You spoke with a smile and when Kurama's gaze met yours again, both of you suddenly turned a little red in the face.

"Of course, when it comes to charming ladies like you." The redhead smiled and led the group of women outside. It was only a few minutes before you saw two men in the distance attacking each other. Yusuke and Kuwabara fought again. That was no longer unusual for you and so you sat down on the large beach towel. In the middle was a picnic basket from which everyone could help themselves. There were sandwiches, rice balls, and cold drinks that Kurama had taken as a precaution. This man just thought of everything.

After the two brawlers broke away from their petty argument, the group began to split into different activities. Yukina, Botan and Kuwabara built sandcastles, respectively Kuwabara built a huge heart for his Yukina. After you had slipped out what the orange-haired felt for Hiei's sister, Yukina even dared to reveal her own feelings. She had a bright red head, but when an overjoyed Kuwabara hugged her and even cried a little for joy, she smiled gently and relaxed into this new feeling. It was just as sweet as sugar. Even when Hiei almost freaked out, in the end he just wanted Yukina to be happy. And if that idiot made her happy, so be it ..

Keiko and Yusuke plunged directly into the floods of water and cooled off. It was pleasant to see how happy they were when Yusuke pulled Keiko up in the water and laughingly took her with him until he dropped her before the brown-haired woman countered with splashing water at him. Even if they argued every now and then, it was clear to see how much they meant to each other and it was just great.

Hiei and Shizuru were the only ones who holed up outside and did not care about the hustle and bustle of the others. They felt more like the babysitters of this gang of rascals on this trip. While Shizuru was able to find some relaxation by reading a book, Hiei just stared emotionlessly at the water. He was probably bored, without fighting enemies and stuff.

That left you and Kurama, who were still sitting on the beach towel and watching your friends in amusement.

"They're all having so much fun," you smiled. "It was really a good idea to come here," you added quietly.

“It really was. I'm glad to be able to find some relaxation too. " Kurama agreed and you looked at each other before your smiles grew wider and your eyes fell on your friends again.

“And I'm so happy for Yukina and Kuwabara. Actually, I just slipped out that he loves her, but I'm glad that it led to our little shy Yukina confessing her feelings to him. " You said then.

"Oh? So you are responsible for Yukina's sudden confession? ” Kurama smirked and took a strand of [h/c] hair from your face as he put it behind your ear. Such loving gestures had almost become normal for both of you. And yet you were no more than friends.

"Oh, that's a long story." You giggled and hoped that your redhead didn't ask any further, otherwise you would have to explain about the bikinis and your feelings, for better or worse. Because you just couldn't and didn't want to lie to him.

"I like long stories," Kurama smiled.

... You knew he would say that.

“It's really not that extraordinary. We talked when we were getting changed and Botan said that Yukina could attract the attention of Kuwabara with a bikini  " You revealed.

"Ahaha. She has his attention the whole time. " Kurama interrupted you with a chuckle.

"I said that, too! And then it slipped out because he loves her. “ You laughed and scratched your cheek in disgrace.

Kurama smiled silently and briefly closed his eyes. A few years ago, he would never have dared to dream of making such great friends, let alone going on a trip to the beach. Fate sometimes had a strange sense of humor, thought the fox demon.

“But we shouldn't sit in the sun unprotected. Should I put some lotion on your back? “ You offered and waved the tube of sun lotion in front of his eyes. Kurama's smile softened and he nodded slightly.

"With pleasure. But only if I can put some lotion on your back afterwards, ”he said, which made you blush.

"Of course." You said quietly and sat down behind Kurama. He had his long, fiery red hair tied up so it was pinned up and out of the way. The kitsune closed his eyes when he felt the cold sun lotion on his shoulders. Shortly afterwards, your fingers gently danced over his skin to distribute the sun lotion around the neck and back. You applied a little variable pressure to massage the sun lotion in aswell. You smiled incessantly and didn't think anything bad about it at first, until you heard a sound that you had never heard before from Kurama.

He moaned so softly, it almost sounded like a purr. Purred foxes like cats? You wondered and smiled when Kurama seemed to relax completely. At least you could see it in his posture and the way his muscles twitched at your touch.

"You're totally tense." You commented, in order to escape this uncomfortable silence and also to contain his sinfully erotic sounds. Because these sounds did not pass you completely without a trace of a pleasant tingling sensation spreading in your crotch area.

“Does that surprise you? Fighting demons the whole time and then enduring Yusuke and Kuwabara's eternal quarrels .. " he joked and closed his eyes again when his head fell back almost by itself. "Aaah .."

This sound now made you blush. Your fingers slid very gently over his skin until you had completely covered his back and released all tension. You just took that time.

Kurama stretched himself and stood up.

"Thanks." He smiled and took the sun lotion from you. “Now it's your turn. Turn around. " He ordered gently and you obeyed immediately as you sat down in front of him with your back turned. However, Kurama was reluctant to use the sunscreen. "Uhm .."

"What's wrong, Kurama?" You asked and turned your head slightly so you could see him from the corner of your eye. It wasn't common for him to be reluctant.

“Would it be okay to unknot your top? The stripes bother a little. ” His voice was a little quiet and you could swear that they had a touch of hoarseness. Your cheeks literally glowed at this request, but since you were turned with your back to him and the others were far enough away, it was okay. You trusted Kurama.

"Yes. Will you open the knot, please? It's so difficult for me to get there and you are already ideal positioned for it. " You said softly, which made Kurama slightly blushed with a soft smile. These passionate tensions between the both of you grew stronger and yet no one dared to take the first step. It was frustrating, but also exciting somewhere and you enjoyed these intimate moments of with him alone and you could tell by his reactions, that Kurama felt the same way.

"Good, but if you should give me a slap for this action, I'll be happy to remind you that you gave me permission," he teased, making you laugh again. It was unbelievable how often you two could just laugh together and open up to each other completely.

"Aren't you mistaking me for Keiko? I wouldn't even slap you if you 'accidentally' touched my bum, "you admitted honestly, until you realized what you were saying.

"Oh, I'll keep that in the back of my head for sure." The redhead smirked, laughing and his fingers slightly, but provocatively running up and down your sides.

"Kurama .. I think your demon side is slowly seeping through." You sighed, slightly embarrassed, but not without a broad smile. It wasn't like you didn't enjoy flirting and his ambiguities. And then these touches ... But you could tell when Kurama's Youko side was involved. Not that you minded. Because you loved his Youko side as much as him.

"Sorry." He laughed very softly and gave you an apologetic kiss on your hair until he finally took care of the knot of your top. His fingers played around the cord of the knot a little teasingly before he slowly undid it and you had to hold the fabric at the front so that it don't suddenly exposed your bare chest.

Kurama dripped some sun lotion on his hand before starting to spread the cool substance from the back of your neck. Now it was your turn to enjoy. You closed your eyes and let the feel of his fingers sink in. His touches were so light as a feather and yet they kindled a blazing fire in you, which slowly clouded your mind. When he massaged the lotion as you did with him, you couldn't help it and a pleasant sigh left your lips. Kurama gave a small smile and began to massage your neck area lightly. That turned your enjoyable sigh into a slight moan.

You were startled by your own voice and put your hand over your mouth, embarrassed. You never made such noises. How embarrassing..

Kurama noticed your sudden stiffening and blinked before realizing how embarrassed you were. He smiled and hugged you around your arms. When he leaned at your back, he also got some of the sun lotion on his chest and stomach area, but he didn't care. You gasped in surprise when Kurama pulled you close and moved his arms around your hips. His head rested on your shoulder and his eyes were closed. Probably out of decency, so as not to risk a look at your very inviting neckline.

“You don't have to be uncomfortable with such sounds. To be honest, I think it's pretty cute. " He breathed tenderly next to your ear and didn't even tried to resist the urge to kiss your ear lobe. Very delicate, but sensual. You shuddered at his deep voice and his lips on your ear. You didn't trusted you voice right now, which is why you were silent at first.

“Really, now? As soon as we all are gone, you two literally pounce on each other. Are you so addicted to each other? I thought you were more subtle at least, Kurama. " Yusuke laughed, who came from the shore with a broadly grinning Keiko and gave his kitsune friend a thumbs up.

The two of you separated in a flash and Kurama helped you to tie the top again before clearing his throat to keep his composure and not to appear embarrassed. Your friends had actually found you in a highly ambiguous situation.

“It's not what it looked like. We just put lotion on each other's backs to avoid getting sunburn. ", you explained, but you couldn't explain your bright red head. Yusuke crossed his arms, his grin was almost eerie.

"Oh really? Since when do you put on sun lotion in such an intimate position? " The black-haired man asked further until he got a slap on the back of his head from his fiancée. "Ouch! What was that for now, Keiko? "

“Can't you see that both of them are uncomfortable? Why can't you even think one time before you make any stupid comments? ” Keiko sighed. There were moments when she actually questioned why she loved this guy in the first place.

"Yes .. I'm sorry, I didn't think before I spoke.", Yusuke apologized and held the spot that Keiko had hit.

"Isn't that your permanent condition?" Kuwabara's amused voice came from behind him.

"WHAT WAS THAT, IDIOT?"

".. Brawl Incoming in 3..2 ... 1" and exactly at the 1 of your countdown the two started fighting again .. But at least it took the attention of you and Kurama.

"Woah. Yusuke was right. This beach has a great view and no annoying glances. We can stay here unhindered, Touya. "A familiar male voice suddenly laughed.

“Wrong, I could hang out among humans without attracting attention. You are the one who has visible demon traits. " Touya replied dryly and pointed to the long, sharp ears and the distinctive horn on the forehead of his red-haired companion.

"Jin? Touya? What are you doing here? " Botan asked, now that all friends had returned to the beach blanket.

“Yusuke invited us! And since Koenma is here too, is it okay? ”Jin asked with a grin and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Koenma is here? !!?" Botan's face fell and Jin pointed to a corner on the beach. The friends' eyes met a small lounger there. There he lied. The baby ruler of the spirit world and next to him his constant assistant and messenger, the blue ogre Jorge.

"...."

Everyone turned to Yusuke, who was waving his arms defensively.

“Don't look at me like that! I only invited Jin and Touya! I would never bring the shit-arse(I have absolutely no idea how Yusuke calls Koenma in the english version, I am sorry..) here! I was glad I didn't see his pacifier visage for a few days! " He protested.

"I heard that Yusuke!"

"Pretty good ears for such a small man ..."

The friends shared a soft laugh. You just couldn't be angry with Yusuke for his spontaneous and often idiotic ideas. He was loved for those.

"Oi, Jin! Come here! “ Yusuke called after the wind demon after he was allowed to apologize to Koenma for his disrespect. Oh man, at least the old witch Genkai wasn't there. Then he would have to run the gauntlet, he thought.

Jin obeyed his best friend and floated next to him. "What's up?" He wanted to know.

Yusuke whispered something in his ear and you had an incredibly bad feeling about this thing when you watched them. Because Jin blinked perplexed and then looked at you, which confirmed you in the matter that it was about you what the two were discussing. The cheeky wind demon with the horn grinned broadly and nodded enthusiastically.

Oh no, what was Yusuke up to now ..?

Since that whispering, you kept an eye on the two men. Even Kurama noticed your concentration at some point when you did not respond to his question whether you would like to go into the water with him.

"[Y/n]-chan ..?" He asked worried and put his hand on your shoulder. That touch made you wake up from your trance-like rigidity and stop looking at Jin and Yusuke, who were both playfully wrestling in the sand.

"Huh?" you asked, looking at Kuramas' worried emerald green irises. They exuded so much wisdom, but also devotion and passion. It was very easy to get lost in his gaze.

"Is everything ok? You seem so absent since Jin and Touya got here. Do you feel uncomfortable because they are demons? ”Kurama asked, even if the question was completely nonsensical. He and Yusuke were demons too, and Hiei too. But you knew them much longer and you hadn't had much to do with Touya and Jin.

“Don't talk nonsense, Kurama. Half of my circle of friends consists of demons. " You replied with a smile, referring to the people just mentioned. Kurama smiled in relief at your answer. "Don't worry, I really like Touya and Jin, just .. I have the feeling that Yusuke is up to something stupid again and I'm the one to suffer from it." You sighed.

"Why do you think so?" The redhead wanted to know and also looked at Yusuke and Jin, who were laughing in the sand, both covered with bruises.

"Yusuke whispered something in Jin's ear and then they both looked at me with strange grimaces."

“I can't speak for Jin, but I'm 100% sure with Yusuke that he won't mean you any harm. Don't worry, they both have nonsense on their minds. I take care that their pranks won't escalate. Do you feel more comfortable with that? ”He asked with the most charming smile you ever saw at him. You almost melted away on the spot. This man was just too good for this world .. Sure, he was still a demon, but he would do anything to protect those he loved.

“Much better. Thank you, Kurama. " you replied with a smile that matches his smile, which made Kurama's heart jump with joy.

"Not for that," he whispered back and put his hand on your cheek to gently stroke your cheekbones with his thumb. You leaned into this touch and closed your eyes. "Evening is arriving soon. Wanna come into the water for a bit before it's dark? "

You nodded and Kurama grinned slightly before he lifted you up like a bride and carried you towards the water.

"Kurama .. I can walk alone."You protested meekly as you put your arms around his neck for a better grip.

"I know. But I also want to have a little fun sometimes. “ He chuckled with a cheeky undertone, to which you reacted perplexed, until you were dropped into the cold water without warning.

After you resurfaced, Kurama looked at you with an innocent expression.

"That was mean! At least warn me before you drop me like that. You get that back, foxy."You grinned back and just like Yusuke and Keiko earlier, a playful water fight broke out between the two of you. Who could have guessed that even Kurama found himself in joking around every now and then? He was usually the intelligent, strategic and calm part of the group.

The others watched the goings-on from their place. Yusuke crossed his arms with a grin.

"Have you ever seen Kurama so exuberant and happy?" He asked the others.

"What are you getting at, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked, cocking his head slightly. Yukina slept cuddled in his arms.

“That's obvious, dumbass. [Y/n] and Kurama are made for each other. As long as I've known him, he's never been like this ... How should I put it ... “ Yusuke stopped to look for the right words. "He's just never taken the initiative with a woman."

"Now that you mention it," the orange-haired paused. “Kurama was always the popular heartthrob at his school, right? But I've never seen him so intimately with a woman."

"Exactly, that's what I mean. Kurama acts different when he's with her. He flirts, he seeks her company. He's completely head over heels for her. " Yusuke explained with a smirk.

"And [Y/n]? Does she feel the same way? ”Touya asked.

“One hundred percent. I'll bet the money I've saved for the wedding. " Yusuke nodded.

"Yusuke .."

"I was just kidding Keiko."

You and Kurama tried to catch each other for a while in the water, competed in swimming competitions to a nearby buoy and finally let the movements fade away by floating on your backs and looking at the sky. You were breathing a little heavily from your activities.

"Next time I'll win," you spoke, referring to the swimming competition. Kurama laughed softly and swam while lying on his back to you until he almost collided with your water-floating body.

"If you ask very nicely, I'll let you win." He said teasingly and you pouted at this answer. This kitsune was getting cheekier, or was that just how it felt?

"Do not show off. You only won because you manipulated the algae with your yoki to slow me down. I felt them wriggling around my legs. That was unfair, you cheater, " you pouted.

Kurama smiled widely and then rose from the lying position.

"And I thought you wouldn't notice," he said and held his hand for you to pull you back to your feet since you weren't that deep in the water.

"You thought wrong. Next time we'll swim in a real swimming pool without plants that give you an unfair advantage. "

"Alright."

You looked at each other briefly and had to laugh before you slowly went ashore. Neither of you had laughed as much as you did today in a long time. Everything was just perfect and harmonious. It could stay that way forever.

As the two of you set foot on the wet sand, which was constantly being hit by the waves, you noticed a strange breeze behind you.

"Wh-", even before you could register it properly, you felt a wet and cold wind around your breasts. And a sense of nudity. Your top was gone!

"JIN ?!" You shouted angrily and covered your breasts with your hands when you looked over you and saw the wind demon grinning mischievously. He was holding the top of your bikini in his hand. "Give that back right away! What's that about?!"

Jin grinned wider and flew far out towards the open sea. He used his demonic speed to be a considerable distance away in a few seconds. After a short time he came back without the top.

“Mission accomplished Yusuke. Bikini top successfully sunk 40 km to the west. "

"I beg your pardon? Yusuke, an explanation please! And you Jin, get my top back, now. "

Yusuke laughed and Jin waved his hands.

"Sorry, I didn't remember where exactly I sank it." Jin apologized and landed at a safe distance.

Yusuke wiped a tear of laughter from his face and looked at you and Kurama, who had stood protectively in front of you.

“Your faces are priceless! Hahaha. Do not be angry. I thought we could make a FFK session, we are all among ourselves, ” he said jokingly. Of course, there were other reasons why Jin should get rid of the top, but he couldn't quite admit that in front of Kurama.

“You damn dipshit.. If I get you .. ”You growled in frustration as Kurama turned to you and put both hands on your shoulders.

"I have an idea," he said with a smile, but you could clearly see the redness of his cheeks. "But you have to take your hands off your body to do this," he mumbled.

You were so red in your face now that the shade of red could measure up to the hair of your fox. Should you bare yourself before him? He was standing in front of you in such a way that the others couldn't see you, but that didn't help your embarrassment in the least when you thought about the fact that he could see your breasts. Kurama noticed your hesitation and stood so close to you that your bodies were almost touching. "I don't look, I promise," he whispered near your ear.

You swallowed, then nodded.

"I trust you, Kurama ..“ you said and loosened your arms as they hung by your sides again and your upper body could now be seen unprotected. Kurama smiled gently at your trust in him and took two seeds from his hair, which he placed on either side of your shoulder.

"Do not Scare. Just trust me. ” He warned you and used his yoki to sprout tendrils from the seeds. You blinked, perplexed, as the tendrils snaked around your breasts like a top and covered them so far that you could see even less than with the bikini. Rose petals adorned the straps above the base of your breast and when Kurama let go of you, he smiled again. "That should serve its purpose."

You looked down at yourself. The "plant top" felt pleasant and exuded the aromatic scent of wild roses, similar to the scent that Kurama always wore. You sighed comfortably and felt the top. No thorns, no holes showing skin. The top was perfect.

"It's perfect! Thank you, Kurama. ”You smiled and leaned forward to give Kurama a gentle kiss on the cheek. Kurama grinned slightly and wanted to hug you when you suddenly broke away and looked at Yusuke and Jin. "Now the two of them are getting a rubdown."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Darkness of the night had now fallen and the smell of grilled meat lingered in the air. The barbeque was in full swing and even Koenma and Hiei joined the group to eat the delicacies that Yusuke and Kuwabara had brought with them. At least the two of them really understood something about barbecuing. Even if the request at Hiei to fan the grill with his fire clearly met a lack of humor on the part of the Koorimes. Someone always goes to the cellar to laugh ...

Everyone was chatting wildly about all sorts of things until you noticed that a certain redhead was missing.

"Where's Kurama?" You asked, slightly worried, since it wasn't the fox's way to just disappear without a word. You immediately regretted the question when you saw Yusuke grinning maliciously. Great, another chance of being teased, now you were the one that gave him a target.

“Do you miss your fox already? Man, you two are really addicted to each other. " he laughed and took a bite of his hamburger with relish. Grilled still tasted best.

"Can't you just save your damn comments for one time? We are just friends. That's all .. ”You sighed, even if you weren't sure who you were lying to. Your friends or yourself.

"Oh come on. It's obvious to everyone here. Even Kuwabara and he has the brain of a protozoan. ”Yusuke said with a nod before Kuwabara tackled him down.

"URAMESHI ..!" He warned and you sighed before you got up.

"[Y/n]-san? I think I saw him walking towards the cliff. Kurama likes to be by himself when he has to think. But he certainly does not disdain your company. " Yukina smiled. You smiled back gratefully and nodded.

"Thank you, Yukina-chan."You said and made your way to the said cliff. Although Yusuke talked a lot of nonsense, he was right about one thing. Yes, you were addicted to Kurama. Yes, you missed him when you didn't see him, even if it was only a few hours. You simply sought his presence, like moths seek light. It was just maddening ..

You didn't have to walk far until you found the cliff ledge and a familiar head of red hair was gently blowing back and forth in the wind. He looked out at the horizon and seemed to be completely in thought. Still, you were sure that he must have noticed your presence when you stepped closer.

"Kurama ..? Are you all right? ”You asked quietly after reaching him and placing a warm hand on his shoulder. Kurama blinked slightly and turned to you. Since you looked so worried, he gave you a dreamy smile to calm you down.

"Yes everything alright. I only enjoy being by myself from time to time, because as much as I like my friends .. After a day like that I'm glad not to have them around, ”he admitted with a laugh.

"Oh." You mumbled. "Would you rather be alone then? I can leave again. "You offered him.

"No no. The others are a little stressful in a long run. You are the big exception. ", He soothed you and took your hand in his.

"Really?"You asked smiling and looked up as Kurama's smile softened and he brought your hand to his lips before caressing your knuckles one at a time with short kisses.

"Absolutely. If there’s anyone I’m never tired of being around, then that’s you, ”he said gently during this soft kisses on your fingers.

"Kurama .."Your voice was quiet and embarrassed and you looked deep into his irises, which shone with such intensity, as if he was looking directly into your soul.

"I'm serious." He said and pulled you closer to him, his lips were on your forehead and caressed the skin lovingly. You closed your eyes and snaked both arms around his hips. You enjoyed this closeness so much that you felt as if your heart was about to burst with bliss. "Come on, let's sit down a little and watch the stars," he said and then pulled away from you as he made himself comfortable on the stone. You sat down right next to him, your feet dangling down and you gazed into the starry sky.

There was a pleasant silence between you for a few moments before you realized you missed the physical closeness that his hugs created. Without thinking too much, you moved closer and leaned your head on his shoulder. Kurama looked at you, he smiled silently and put his arm around you to hold you close. His head rested against yours and both of two let out pleasant sighs before you began to giggle softly.

"Yusuke is obviously right."You began, which made Kurama blink questioningly. "I think we're really addicted to each other .." you added quietly and closed your eyes.

Your eyes opened again when he put his index finger under your chin and lifted your head slightly so that his pair of lips were only millimeters apart.

"You are addicted to me ~?" He asked. You shuddered when you felt his breath against your lips and swallowed lightly. Your heart rate had increased rapidly and your flushed cheeks literally glowed. He looked at you with so much love and desire that you finally ignored all your concerns.

"I'm addicted to you, Kurama .."

Shortly after those words left your lips, the kitsune pressed his lips to yours. The kiss was loving and tender at first to express the feelings you both harbored for each other.

"That's good .." he whispered as he broke the kiss. "Because I'm addicted to you too," he added and sealed your lips with his again. You closed her eyes and put your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. Kurama used this moment to pull you onto his lap with his hands on your hips.

That second kiss wasn't quite so innocent when Kurama took your lower lip in his mouth and sucked lightly on it. You gasped into the kiss, which only encouraged Kurama to send his hands on a little exploration. His fingertips danced up and down your sides as light as a feather as the kiss grew deeper and deeper. Kurama licked your lips, a silent request for admission, which you were only too happy to allow him and opened your mouth for him. The kitsune responded to your cooperation with a deep moan as his tongue explored your oral cavity and playfully challenged your tongue to a fight.

You felt this pleasant heat in your body again and Kurama didn't seem to be completely free from the side effects of this hot make out session either, because something hard poked up from his swim shorts and nudged your buttocks.

After that second kiss broke, you were both a little out of breath and leaned forehead to forehead as you looked lovingly into each other's eyes. Kurama smiled and caressed your cheek before he breathed a third, short kiss on your lips.

"I love you. I never thought I'd ever feel this way, but .. It's true. I love you, [Y/n]. “ This confession made the butterflies in your stomach flip over. A big, happy smile was reflected on your lips, which were swollen from the kisses, and you pulled him close to blow kisses on his cheek and lips.

“Kurama, I love you too. You have no idea how much .. " You whispered quietly and happily. He smirked and grabbed your back to pick your up slightly and change the pose again. You was now astride his lap so your legs were next to his hips and your crotch was exactly on his. This stimulated the passion even more.

"I think I can imagine how much."He replied with a grin and leaned forward to kiss your neck. You threw your head back and gasped excitedly. Since when where you so sensitive on her neck? Kurama liked the sounds you were making in desire and kissed other places on your neck until youb started to moan with pleasure. Bull's eye.

Grinning, he sucked, licked and bit into your weak spot of her neck that he had just found to get another delicate moan from you. Your hands tried to grab hold of his shoulders, but soon they dug deep into his fiery red hair and as you pushed him further and further into your neck.

The sound of the sea waves was a pleasant romantic orchestra while you exchanged tender touches and kisses. It all seemed a little surreal to you. Was that really happening right now? Kurama, whom you had loved and desired for so long, sat here with you. Closely embraced, to the beat of love and enjoying the pleasurable tones of the other.

Kurama's touches were only experimental at first. He wanted to find out how far he could go with you. Even if the two of you had such an intimate relationship with each other before, it was a huge step to become more physically intimate. After all, he always behaved well and like a gentleman beforehand. He had never risked a look when you were changing in his room during a pajama party or today when he made your plant bikini top. Even then he hadn't looked.

So how much would you allow him ...?

His fingers gently caressed your shoulder and traced the outer contour of the tendril top. He felt how goosebumps gradually formed on your skin and smiled. He enjoyed the effect he had on you. Meanwhile, your fingers rested on his neck and massaged the skin lovingly. Although it was just a tender scratching, again a quiet purring elicited from Kuramas lips.

"Do you know that you're incredibly cute when you make such noises?" You smiled and kissed his cheek so lovingly that Kurama wouldn't let you get away with such a lame kiss. He put his hand on the back of your head and pulled your head close to seal your lips in an aggressive kiss. His tongue licked your lower lip after that kiss, leaving a trail of wet saliva down to your chin.

"And you should be careful with what you say, if you don't want me to lose control over my actions." He warned teasingly and sucked again at your weak point until you panted with relish.

"Aa-ah .. I don't think I would have a problem with that, Kurama," you replied, your fingertips dancing down his back, where you carefully scratched his skin with your nails. Very soft. Kurama closed his eyes and grinned. He had never felt so comfortable before.

After you had conveyed to him that he could go on, his hand went to your covered chest. He caressed and massaged your mounds gently until the tendrils were a little annoying. With his yoki, he let the locked tendrils apart and pull back so that he had free access to your bare skin. You gasped in surprise when you felt his hand on your bare chest and now saw how the tendrils gave way to his wishes.

"How convenient."You smirked and looked at Kurama with a grin. "Is that just a coincidence or did you already expect this ability to be useful in this way?" You asked him and earned a sensual laugh from your fox.

"It is coincidence. I really just wanted to help you with the top. But that doesn't mean that I'm not grateful for my ability to manipulate plants, ”he replied with a wink and gently pinched your nipples.

“Cunning fox. I like that. "You admitted and enjoyed the caresses from him. Your hands wandered their way forward and felt his biceps. His muscles flexed under your touch and a deep moan escaped his throat when your fingers now caressed his own nipples. He never realized how sensitive he was there. However, it was also the first time that someone touched him like that. At least in Shuuichi Minamino's body. And his human body seemed to react a lot more to a touch than he had previously assumed. Not that he wanted to complain about it ..

"Kiss me." You demanded and Kurama granted your wish without even a second hesitation. His lips caressed yours lovingly as your hands continued to satisfy your chest areas. Your nipples hardened quickly on Kurama's nimble fingers and the fox took advantage of this to stretch the buds between his fingers and pull them lightly with pressure. You gasped softly against his mouth and used this moment to slide his tongue into your mouth and feel every millimeter there. He tapped and nudged your tongue with his to seduce it into a passionate tango. Meanwhile, you continued to stroke his taut nipples and pinched them until Kurama gave a slightly submissive moan.

You broke away after this kiss when a strip of saliva connected your tongues. Kurama bit through this strip so that his lips could fall back to your neck and he placed loving short kisses on your skin. You were again so red in the face that the color of your cheeks could easily measure against his hair. Even Kurama's cheeks had turned a healthy pink from all these activities. It just looked incredibly cute to see the most handsome man you ever saw flushed and aroused. And the reason for his condition were you. That was really just cloud nine ..

“Kuuuuurama !!! [Y/n] !! “Yusuke's shouting brought the two of you out of your ecstasy and Kurama reacted quickly when he restored your vine top. You reluctantly let go of each other and stood up to wait for your black-haired friend running to you while maintaining a somewhat relaxed composure. The last thing you needed now were more remarks from him.

"What's up, Yusuke?", Kurama asked and cleared his throat after this question, as his voice still seemed rather hoarse and thick. You blushed again because Kurama just sounded insolently sexy and erotic.

“We heard the weather report on the radio and there should be a pretty strong storm tonight. Since Hiei has already felt a change, the storm will certainly start earlier and it will be quite dangerous out here on the coast. That's why I ran as fast as I could to get you back. We'd better seek shelter in the beach house for today. At least until the storm is over tomorrow, "Yusuke explained.

“Even if I don't like to just spend the night in someone else's building, we probably have no other choice. Thanks for the warning, Yusuke. “Kurama thanked him and you followed the black-haired man hand holding until you got to the house. The grill and patio furniture had already been moved inside and the others had already split up in some of the rooms. Yusuke and Keiko shared a room, Yukino and Kuwabara too, Botan slept in Shizuru's room, Koenma and Jorge had to share one and Hiei was the only one who slept alone in a room.

When Kurama and you wanted to go into the last remaining room, Yusuke stopped you.

"Wait a minute," he said and rummaged around in his pocket. You looked at each other questioningly until Yusuke found what he was looking for and grinned. "Here, Kurama," he said and tossed something small, square to Kurama. You blinked and Kurama looked emotionless at the palm of his hand. Now you also recognized what this object was. A condom. "After all, contraception is important."Yusuke winked and disappeared into his room before you could hit him with you shoe.

"Idiot .."You sighed annoyed with a bright red head, before Kurama smiled and put his arm around you.

“But we should be grateful to him for this foresight. I have to admit that I'm not prepared for this kind of emergency, ”he admitted with a teasing laugh.

"Kurama .. I would be very disappointed in you, if you were prepared for something like that.", you answered and Kurama smiled before he gave you a gentle kiss on your lips.

"Let's get a little sleep, huh?" He asked, rubbing his nose against yours as he opened the door and walked into the room with you.

That night, you didn't go beyond the experimental touches in the upper area, but Kurama still kept the condom for the future ~

THE END

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